Playing Santa

Starting tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday December 21st and finishing up sometime on Thursday evening, I will once again get to go into "Santa Mode" as I and my two elves (my son-in-law Mike and my Grandson Ty) will begin to distribute toys, turkey's and other goodies to children and their families throughout our communities, whom without your generosity might not have a Merry Christmas! I get the joy and fulfillment of walking through the doors of many homes, seeing children smile, parents aglow with thanksgiving and a warmth inside that this is right. But I also know in my heart that I am simply the bearer of these gifts and it has been YOU who have taken the time to shop for these kids, that you have set aside some of your hard earned Christmas money to buy a toy or two for a child who you don't even know this Christmas. As I look at the Christmas Tree in our sanctuary garnished with presents, wrapped and ribboned with more color then a rainbow, I am overwhelmed at your love shown to your community. I stand there in pride of you, the rest of our local churches, our High School, and numerous businesses and community organizations that have made these days of delivery possible! May our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ bless you all richly this Christmas for your Love and generosity!
Thank you, your Brother in Christ Pastor Rick

A Christmas Invitation

I love coming home each day and walking into our home for everytime I do I am reminded that it is Christmas! You see my wife does a fantastic job of decorating and it blesses me each time I look around our home. I want to offer up to you several opportunities this Christmas that I pray that you will avail yourselves of so that you will be blessed amidst this glorious season. First of all I hope to see you all at Church this Sunday as our Children will be blessing you and Christ with thier program. I am told that we as well are going to be a giant bell choir during worship. Don't miss it! Then come Sunday night you have the opportunity to gather with your church family and to Carol people throughout our community. It all begins at 6:00p.m. at Sam & Marla Baughman's home. Afterwards we will have some refreshment back at the Baughman's. Then as we get into Christmas week I hope and pray that you can take part in our Christmas Eve service at 7:00p.m. where we will celebrate Communion together and have a Candlelighting service. Then the next day, Christmas Day we will worshipo at 9:30a.m. with a special worship service. A service filled with music and the Christmas Story. Both the Christmas Eve service and the Christmas Day service will only be about 45 minutes long so that you have plenty of time with family and friends. So, bless Christ this Christmas by worshiping Him and be blessed by Him as you fellowship with fellow believers! Hope to see you all a lot in the coming week or so!


Your Brother in Christ, Pastor Rick

"What the Heck is MLDT?"

For the past two years now I have served on a District committee called the Ministerial Leadership and Development Team or MLDT for short. This past Saturday we met in Peru Illinois a site chosen for it kept each of us on this team from having to drive to far. At that meeting we reorganized for the new year and I was called to Chair the team for the coming year. Yes, I know what some of you are thinking right now, "Pastor Rick, do you really need to be in charge of something else?" Anyway, I am. On the up side we usualu onlt meet 4 or 5 times a year. This team is a vital one for our District and for us here at Dutchtown. For they are the ones who oversee the credentials of our Licensed and Ordained pastors. They are also the ones to interview folks who feel a Call from God. Right now that may not seem to vital to you personally, but there will come a time when God takes me home or I retire and then the work of this group will be important to you as it is vital to many other churches who are in need of qualified pastoral leadership. This group also helps to provide our District pastors continuing education opportunities, just as many of you are also required to take cour es to stay fresh in your professions. Anyway, I ask you to please keep myself and this team of dedicated Christians in prayer as they seek to serve you faithfully. Your Brother in Christ, Pastor Rick Koch

The Transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas

I want to tell you today about sometning I saw take place that does this old Pastor's heart good. An image of our Church, that when I look back on it, it causes a grin to garner my face!
It was Thanksgiving Sunday. I had a project lined up for the High School class to hopefully make it easier for you, to minister to the children in need in our area that need your help this Christmas Season. I laid before them an empty piece of paper, some gift tags and a bunch of markers and crayons. What they created that day exceeded my expectations! And they had fun doing it! They knew why they were doing it. For a few brief moments they knew how how blessed they were, and that they wanted to help. When they had finished and we came downstairs, I was overcome once again with a transformation I saw taking place. While the Church Board and many others were busy getting Thanksgiving diner ready for us all the Worship Center Ladies began to take down the Thanksgiving decorations and then put up the Christmas ones. But the thing that I found especially pleasing was that a whole host of others were taking part, including many children. It was a bee hive of activity. But not just any activity. It was a transformation of making our sanctuary into a Christmas scene, where many hands were welcome, the conversations were warm, the laughter was loud and the end product was a thing of great beauty. Between the activity going on in the kitchen and fellowship hall and that taking place in the santcuary, I got a picture of what it means once again to "Be the Church". Thank you all for that precious memory!
Your Brother in Christ, Pastor Rick

Hangin'-out

I don't know what your Thanksgiving Day traditions are. In the Koch household we have a few. One that quickly comes to mind is that the guys hunker down around one of the T.V.'s and watch all 8 of the Illinois High School state Championship games. Yes, it is a lot of football! But,it's a tradition. Whatever your traditions may be this Thanksgiving Day or weekend, make sure of this one thing, maybe two things! Take time out to be thankful to and for our Lord Jesus for the ways He has blessed your lives. We can never thank Christ enough And secondly, enjoy the company of those around you. DO NOT fret over who is not there, as many do. Instead enjoy the company of those friends and family that are "Hangin' Out" with you. For it is in those moments that you will be creating brand new traditions. It is in those moments that you will grow closer together. It is in those moments that laughter becomes contagious, tears may flow freely, conversations grow deeper and even the food tastes better because of the company that you are keeping! So here's to our Friend Jesus, Football, Friends & Family and of course to Feasting!
Blessings upon you all, Pastor Rick

Thanksgiving

I enjoy, even look forward to most every holiday that graces the pages of my day-timer. But there is one that just seems to get overlooked each year and that is Thanksgiving. We approach the month of October and Halloween is on our minds. A day in which only comes in second to the amount of money we Americans spend. It is up in the tens of millions of dollars that we spend on candy and costumes. And then before the Halloween decorations are put away, our stores shelves are stocked with Christmas items. Toy commercials take over the air ways, along with other big ticket items that we are enticed to purchase. Now once again I love Christmas and all of the joy in it. But believe it or not November has a special day of it's own and that is Thanksgiving! A time set aside for we Americans to give thanks to God for His blessing and care for us in this life. But then it's no wonder we have a tendency to bypass Thanksgiving seeing as many Americans have bypassed God as well. We sort of figure that we earned the money, why do we need to be thankful to anyone else. It is sad when we forget to be thankful and forget about the goodness of our Lord Jesus. This year I understand that most our our retail stores have lost their respect for this sacred day. They cannot wait for that Friday following to open, now they will be open on Thanksgiving day itself. A sad picture of just how far we have fallen from God as a nation. I call upon you as Christ's Church to not look past this sacred time and to hold in awe and wonder your Lord Jesus and thank Him for all the blessings that have come your way. May you be blessed this Thanksgiving Season and may you bless your Lord as well. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving! Pastor Rick

Memories of Grandma

In recent weeks many of you out there have lost a relative. Be it an Aunt or Uncle, Mom or Dad, Sister or Brother, or those precious Grandparents that have graced our lives. Each time it happens it hurts. And for you who have had to endure the loss of a Spouse or child, I cannot comprehend the depth of loss that you feel! I ache for as does your Church and Community. I remember vividly when my last Grandparent passed away. It seemed as if an entire chapter of my life had been blotted out. As a Pastor I have blessed to have been asked to take part in Funerals of loved now gone. In some I held up well, in others I sobbed openly! Today I find myself sobbing and hurting for you as you miss dearly your loved ones. Or as you ache for those you love who are grieving. Today, I call upon us to "Be the Church" unto this group of folks by simply "Being" with them. Often times words are not needed, nor is another plate of ham sandwiches. These friends simply need us to be with them. Go today and into your tomorrows and "Be With" those who grieve. Christ's blessing upon you all. Pastor Rick