I hear the most wonderful stories at our Sacred Circle Prayer and Listening Group on Wednesday nights. John and Judy Pulley told the group about the first time John felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. Their story takes place in 1985 when John and Judy were dating and Judy perceived that there was a problem. According to Judy, John’s mother didn’t like her; at least that’s how Judy tells it. The reason Judy believed that John’s mom didn’t care for her was because this was a second marriage for Judy and she had four children and John’s mom wasn’t too happy about John having an instant family.

Early on in Scripture we get a hint of what God’s design for creation is: It’s all about relationships. Genesis 2:18 tells us that God made Eve for Adam because, The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Christ himself sums up the entire meaning of the Old Testament with the implores to “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.” The bottom line is: We need one another. The truth of this statement is made crystal clear when we lose someone we love. Martha and Leonard Vaughan know all too well about loss.

At Bethel we often talk about what it means to BE the church; to BE the Body of Christ in our homes, schools and places of work. The church is not a building. The church does not have an address. The church is the people of God who have been called by God to bless the world by pointing people toward a loving, saving relationship with the King of the World, Jesus Christ.

This month I want to introduce Debbie Salyer and share her story of how the Lord helped her overcome a difficult divorce and how the Lord gave her not only a new relationship, but a new ministry as well. These are Debbie’s words:

 

“It was 2009 when I faced the fact that my 28-year marriage was finally over. During that time, I was attending a very small church ironically called “New Beginnings” where everyone had grown very close and they were so supportive of me during that dark time that I am not sure how I would have gotten through it all without them.

 

One of the things that continues to be impressed upon me is the value of a listening ear. I believe listening is a form of love. Not only do I believe it, but I also believe that part of being faithful to the Greatest Commandment, “Loving God and Loving our Neighbors,” means creating space where we can actively listen to God and listen to each other. To this end I’m excited to announce the formation of Bethel’s first Prayer and Listening (PALs) Group. A PALs group consists of a group of people who are dedicated to the idea of coming together to share each other’s stories, to listen to one another and pray for each other.