This Letter from the Pastor was included in this year’s Annual Report. Pastor Dan Cox discusses our Vision Renewal project and how the destruction of the Bus Barn has been a blessing to the church.
May 1, 2011
Several years ago, we began a concerted effort to renew our vision for Wonder Lake Bible Church. This “Vision Renewal” project has continued to be a major focus of our time, energy, prayers and resources. What are the elements of “Vision Renewal”? You’ll recall there are four major thrusts. First is to revitalize our ministries. How can we make ourselves ready for the Holy Spirit to breathe fresh life into our ministries including our worship service, Sunday School, Awana, Men’s, Women’s and Youth ministry? Second, refresh our facility. How can we freshen up our facility and enhance its appeal for visitors? Third, refocus our outreach. How can we more effectively communicate the good news of hope in Christ to the lost in Wonder Lake? Fourth, recommit ourselves to Christlike character and behavior. How can we more faithfully carry out God’s designs for our lives, our families, our church and the community through Christlike attitudes, words and action?
It has been said that the Lord works in mysterious ways. He certainly did so in meeting a great financial need for our church this past year. We were facing a couple of expensive projects which could not be delayed much longer: a new roof and the basement drainage problem. Also, the bus barn needed major repairs to the doors, and had holes in the walls and roof. It also desperately needed a fresh coat of paint. However, with one fell swoop, the Lord provided for all of those matters. The great blizzard of 2011 deposited a heavy load of snow on the bus barn roof, and it all came crashing down one Sunday afternoon. What seemed like disaster quickly turned into a great blessing in disguise. With the proceeds from our insurance on the bus barn, we will be able to replace the barn with a new, smaller garage, and pay for much of the cost of the new roof and the basement drainage project. I never saw that coming… Praise the Lord!
Here is praise to our sovereign God who works in mysterious ways and provides for us in manners we never would have imagined! Let us continue to trust Him… not only for WLBC, but for our own lives and families. May Jesus Christ be honored and glorified in you as you seek Him and walk by faith with Him through good times and bad. He is faithful!
I love you all, and continue to pray that the God of peace will “sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
In Christ’s love,
Pastor Dan