Pastor's Note - October 15 
Last week’s passage in 1 John was a difficult one, bringing up the reality of those who were a part of the church, but have since gone out from us. When people abandon the Lord, there is always heartbreak and confusion. At our 242 Group on Tuesday, though, we took the opportunity to reflect on those who have remained faithful. Those who stay faithful are encouraging examples to all of us, that abiding in the Lord is possible, and a promise for all who are truly in Jesus. By the grace of God, and by the power of God, those in Christ remain faithful to the end! In our midst, we have many examples of those who faithfully abide. They may not always receive much fanfare or notoriety. But they are great witnesses for us, and gifts of God. I would encourage you to take some time to thank those among us who are examples of faithfulness. And maybe even ask them how the Lord has worked in their lives to preserve and protect through the years. As Hebrews 12 reminds, we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, to whom we can look and see that God takes (even sinful) people and holds onto them, enabling those in Christ to persevere.