Berea Update for August 22, 2025
This past week, I found myself reflecting on the beauty of community and how it shapes us, much like a garden tended with care. When our church family comes together we share life’s joys and sorrows, and grow closer to one another and to God. Events like our annual Wholly Smoked weekend have been a cornerstone of that togetherness, bringing us laughter, music, and shared meals under the open sky. But this year, we’re putting a new twist on that tradition, and I want to share it with you!
Due to a miscommunication on my part, the Freeman family, who usually blesses us with their incredible barbeque on Sunday of Wholly Smoked weekend isn’t available this time. Out of respect for their legacy as the creators of this event, and the unique nature of what is now planned for this year, we’re renaming it as the Berea Fall Festival, happening September 13 and 14! Saturday kicks off at 3:00 PM with games, a scavenger hunt, dunk tank, cake walks, a “Closest to the Pin” challenge, and more. We’ll fire up the grill for hamburgers and hot dogs from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM, followed by a Southern Gospel/Bluegrass concert from "New Strength Gospel" at 6:00 PM. Bring a lawn chair and invite your friends and family—this is the perfect chance to introduce them to our church!
On Sunday, September 14, "New Strength Gospel" will lead us in worship outdoors under the tent for our 10:00 AM service (no Sunday School that morning; bring a lawn chair), followed by an old-fashioned “Bring Your Own Lunch” picnic and cornhole. Stay tuned for more details and invite cards to share!
Just as a garden thrives with variety, our church grows stronger through these shared moments—whether it’s a familiar tradition or a new adventure. This week’s devotional below explores how God uses community to shape us, drawing us closer to Him and each other. May the Berea Fall Festival be a vibrant reminder of His faithfulness and the joy of gathering as His people!
Upcoming Events
1. This Sunday Pastor Miller will be continuing sermon series on the book of Philippians called "Holding Steady in our Storms." This week's message is from Philippians 3:12-21, and is called "Completing Treacherous Courses."
2. Registration is officially open for AWANA!
AWANA is open to all kids ages 3 (potty trained)-sixth grade, and meets each Wednesday evening from 6:30-8:00 PM here at the church. AWANA's goal is to reach boys and girls with the Gospel of Christ and teach them to serve Him. Each night, clubbers hear a Bible lesson, play games, and work on memorizing Scripture. There will be an AWANA Open House on Wednesday, September 3 at 6:30 PM, where families can register, meet the leaders, and find out more about the AWANA year. The first regular night of AWANA will be Wednesday, September 10. To find out more information, and to register your child, please visit Berea's AWANA page here:
Berea AWANA Information and Registration
3. Speaking of AWANA, if you've been thinking about helping in the past but have not, we are in need of several volunteers in different areas of our ministry. Our biggest area of need right now is with Cubbies (ages 3-5), where we need a few helpers. Helpers are an extra set of hands in the room, and help clubbers complete activities, and also listen to Bible verses, so these positions are great for all ages! Please reply to this email if you'd like to help!
4. A new quarter of Sunday School is just around the corner! On Sunday, September 7, we'll all gather together in the Family Life Center at 9:00 AM for a brief "Promotion Sunday" ceremony, where we recognize all of the kids moving from one class to another. This ceremony should take 10 minutes or so, and then children will be released to their classes, and adults will begin theirs. For adults this quarter, there are two options:
A Study of the Sermon on the Mount
Teacher: Pastor Mark Gainer
This class, which is a continuation from the summer quarter, on the Sermon on the Mount, will explore Jesus’ transformative teachings in Matthew 5–7 diving into themes of kingdom living, righteousness, and discipleship. Discover how these timeless principles challenge and inspire us to live faithfully in today’s world. This sermon is as relevant today as it was back then! Participants will be encouraged to apply Jesus’ teachings to their own lives in very practical ways throughout the course.
A Look at the Apostle Paul
Teachers: Michael Greenwood and Pastor Brian Miller
Join us for this exciting study on the life and ministry of Paul. We will study his pre-conversion life, including his dual citizenship, family, education, and early childhood. We will also review his miraculous conversion, ministry, and important missionary journeys. You will be challenged by his love and service to our Savior.
To help with room assignments, we ask that you please register for the adult Sunday School class you'd like to attend. Children do not need to be registered. To register, click here:
Sunday School Information and Registration
5. Why do we pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child? Operation Christmas Child delivers great joy and the Good News of Jesus to children in need around the world who need to hear of Christ's love. Each box packed full of quality toys, school supplies, and personal care items becomes a tangible expression of God’s immense love for the child. Please help us fill these boxes to spread the Good News. Summer is well underway, and we are taking advantage of school supply sales. We are collecting supplies to fill our 800 shoeboxes for OCC. Right now, we only need about 150 notebooks and we'll have enough school supplies for all of the boxes! A huge thank you to everyone who has helped to contribute!
6. Thank you to everyone who has contributed for the Tool Harvest for the Resurrection Garden. As a reminder, if you've taken a tag, donations are due in by this Sunday, August 24. If you have any questions, please contact Wendy May or Michael Greenwood.
7. Because of our building issues, our baptistry is not available for use, but we've got a solution! We'll be holding a baptism service on Sunday, September 7 at 3:00 PM at the Love's house in their swimming pool. More details will be coming, but if you are interested in making a public profession of your faith in baptism, please contact the church office to make sure you're included that day!
Ways You Can Pray This Week
1. Pray for our fall ministries! There will be many launching over the next month: AWANA, Sunday School, Small Groups, and more! Pray for the leaders of these ministries, and for those individuals who take part that they all might grow into the image of Christ.
***Please know that there are many individuals who need prayer this week due to health concerns and other events going on in their lives. Out of sensitivity to each individual's situation, these requests may not appear in this weekly blog. We have a "Prayer Team" at the church who receives more detailed information, and commits to praying for individuals in our church family.
This Week's Devotions
Day 1: The Beauty of God’s Family
Ephesians 2:19 (ESV) – “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”
God welcomes us into His family, transforming us from strangers into a community united in Christ. Just as our upcoming Berea Fall Festival brings us together for games, music, and shared moments, God designed the church to be a place of belonging. As you reflect on your place in God’s family, consider how you can embrace and contribute to this community of faith.
Reflection Question: How does knowing you’re part of God’s family encourage you to engage with your church community?
Prayer Focus: Thank God for welcoming you into His family and pray for a heart open to building relationships within your church.
Day 2: Stirring Up Love and Good Works
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) – “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.”
Community thrives when we intentionally encourage each other. God calls us to spur one another toward love and good deeds, strengthening our faith through connection. Reflect on how you can inspire or be inspired by others in your church this week.
Reflection Question: Who in your church can you encourage to grow in love or good works, and how will you do it?
Prayer Focus: Pray for opportunities to encourage others in your church, asking God to use your words and actions to build up His people.
Day 3: Unity in Christ
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (ESV) – “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.”
Our church, reflects the beauty of unity in diversity. Each member of Christ’s body brings unique gifts, yet we are one in Him. Embrace your role in the body of Christ, valuing the contributions of others as you grow together.
Reflection Question: How can you celebrate the unique gifts of others in your church to strengthen your unity in Christ?
Prayer Focus: Thank God for the diversity and unity of His church, praying for a heart that values every member’s role.
Day 4: Bearing One Another’s Burdens
Galatians 6:2 (ESV) – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Community means sharing both joys and struggles. By carrying each other’s burdens, we reflect Christ’s love and grow in compassion. Think of someone in your church facing a challenge and consider how you can support them this week.
Reflection Question: Who in your church needs your support, and what practical step can you take to help carry their burden?
Prayer Focus: Pray for strength to bear others’ burdens and for God to show you someone to support in love this week.
Day 5: Growing Through Shared Worship
Psalm 95:6-7 (ESV) – “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”
Worshiping together knits our hearts closer to God and each other. Shared worship reorients us to God’s greatness, fostering growth in faith and unity. Reflect on how corporate worship strengthens your relationship with God and His people.
Reflection Question: How does worshiping with your church community deepen your faith, and how can you engage more fully in it?
Prayer Focus: Thank God for the gift of corporate worship and pray for a heart that seeks Him wholeheartedly in community.
Day 6: Inviting Others into Community
Matthew 5:16 (ESV) – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
The upcoming Fall Festival is a perfect opportunity to invite friends and family to experience our church’s love and faith. By sharing our community with others, we reflect Christ’s light and invite them into God’s family. Consider who you can invite to the festival to encounter God’s love through our church.
Reflection Question: Who can you invite to the Berea Fall Festival, and how can you share Christ’s love with them?
Prayer Focus: Pray for boldness to invite others to the Fall Festival, asking God to use your invitation to draw them to Him.
Day 7: Building an Eternal Community
Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV) – “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb… crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
Our earthly community points to the eternal one we’ll share with Christ. The joy of events that we share together foreshadows the ultimate gathering of God’s people in eternity. As you grow in community now, keep your eyes fixed on the everlasting fellowship awaiting us.
Reflection Question: How does the hope of eternal community with God’s people inspire you to invest in your church community today?
Prayer Focus: Thank God for the promise of eternal community and pray for a heart that invests in His people now, preparing for eternity.
Kids (and Kids at Heart) Korner
I'm keeping the same word search link here for this week that I've used in the past, as it goes so well with Pastor Miller's sermon series!
Philippians Word Search
Let us know if there's something we can do for you this week!
Take care,
Mark