We’re looking forward to this evening’s church family fellowship and so appreciate the team planning this gathering for 5:00 PM today.

Join us also to welcome guests and connect with friends in Café Liberty tomorrow in the half hour prior to 10:15 AM Worship ~ We LOVE hearing what’s happening with your family, work, travels and loved ones.

With prayers for America in these consequential times, we gratefully accept the call to pray daily for our nation, for the leaders who so desperately need to encounter God and for His awesome mercy in raising up those He has prepared to serve with integrity and excellence.

The shock of a horrific attempted assassination last Saturday night will have a lasting impact on the nation. We have seen with our eyes a vivid example of the priceless gift of life and the vulnerability that is very real and yet, invisible to us until a near-death experience occurs. What a torrent of emotions ripped away the jubilant anticipation of that crowd of thousands as an assassin’s bullet came within a fraction of an inch of killing former President Trump, and ended the life of a courageous fire-fighter who literally laid his life down to save his wife and daughters. Corey Comperatore’s quick action to protect his family is a phenomenal example of the courage and character that defines true leadership.

With prayers for his heartbroken loved ones and prayer for the healing and recovery of David Dutch and James Copenhaver, also injured in the failed assassination attack, we can express and deepen what it means for the Body of Christ today to “stand in the evil day…and having done all, to stand.” as Ephesians 6:13 calls us to do.

When an event of such epic significance occurs, it seems it takes time for the full impact to sink in. By an awesome act of God’s grace and protection upon President Trump, the tragic events of last Saturday would have been far worse.

With gratitude for God’s intervening hand, in the split-second timing of the former president simply turning his face further to his left, he escaped what would have been nearly certain death. As Donald Trump himself stated this past Thursday evening: “As you already know, the assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life….I said to myself, ‘Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet and moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down. My hand was covered with blood….I immediately knew it was very serious, that we were under attack.”  His courage and tenacity in that crisis has inspired many and to realize how fragile each day, hour and even second of life is for all of us. An obvious takeaway, no matter what background or political party or affiliation someone has, is to see the priceless value of every second we breathe on this earth.

It has been grievous to learn through subsequent hours and days, how many ways that attack could have been prevented. We want to keep in prayer, also, those in Congress who have oversight responsibility and, although “investigations” too often become embroiled in political gamesmanship, it’s crucial that the colossal failures in security that occurred last Saturday are corrected.

The raw reality of security failures that have now been made even more clear by the inadequate answers of the past week is another “call to prayer” for all who love the liberty God has given to the U.S.A. to treasure and guard. Let us pray as well for all those who serve in all branches of law enforcement and the U.S. Military, who never seek nor desire acclaim but must bear the burden for those times when breaches of security place add to the hazards and adversities of the work they have to do in all types of environments. We’re grateful for the unsung heroes whose dedication to the cause of liberty is undiminished by the failure of others. Whatever political controversies arise, those who stand strong, leading with excellence, truly inspire us all. They need our prayers and they deserve a lot more honor than this culture usually gives.

A few things to note on our calendars in these coming weeks – if you have a question anytime about what’s happening or how you can be involved, we welcome your call, text or email.

Saturday, August 17th LC Security Team Training Session @ 9:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall with Deputy Dan Simmons, Carroll County Sheriff’s Dept.

Sunday, August 18th ~ Communion in Worship ~ 10:15 AM service