Skip to content

Pastor’s Paragraphs: Join Us for an Appreciation Reception for the Solar Family

I assume you have heard about Ricky Solar’s future plans. Over several months Ricky has made a careful and prayerful decision concerning the next steps in his life. He obviously has gifts of ministry, a love for students and a passionate interest in sports. These seem to have come together perfectly in what he feels called to do. I don’t know anywhere a Christian witness is more needed than in the halls of our schools. He is well prepared to teach history and related subjects to students from a Christian perspective. Furthermore, he can be a positive role model for students on the field of competition.

As you know he will become part of the staff of ACA. Stephanie has been a teacher there for several years, serves as cheerleader sponsor, and is much loved on that campus. I am sure the school administration recognized the quality of this family and the leadership potential they offer to a Christian school campus.

I also want to commend Ricky and Stephanie as parents. I don’t know of any parents more dedicated to their children. They model Christ in their home and have sought to raise their children in the Lord. As Ricky mentioned, we have watched their children grow from a young age when his family came to serve with us. They have matured in every area and are outstanding young people. We are proud of Ricky, Savannah and Reece and will continue to pray for them as they fulfil their calling and grow in Christian service.

Finally, I want to thank Ricky for his dedication to ministry. We will miss him on our staff team. In particular, he has done an outstanding job as a Bible teacher and communicator. He has filled the pulpit almost every time I have been away over a number of years. His preaching has been well appreciated by our church family. We have no doubt he is dedicated to the Lord and will continue to be involved in the Lord’s work. I am confident he will find places to preach and share in churches as well as other spiritual leadership opportunities.

Therefore join me in expressing your appreciation to and praying for the Solar family in this next step in their life. You will want to share in a Reception for their family on Sunday afternoon, June 5. R

Share this post

Related posts

FOCUSED

One of the casualties of aging to which I find myself a victim is the dimming of the eyes.  Ecclesiastes 12 counsels the young person to remember God, their Creator, in their youth before the aging process takes over and various faculties, as listed in verses 1-7, are diminished.

Clear eyesight when we are young may be something we take for granted. However, as we age the realization that our vision is not as sharp as it once was takes hold. “Readers” become standard fare for all intricate tasks. Our once keen laser sharp focus is now blurry and in need of help to restore its youthfulness. That restoration is found through glasses or some sort of rejuvenating surgery. Especially in the early stages of this degenerative eye problem we may be able to fake it and get by, but eventually we must relent and do something to correct the problem.

There is a parallel between physical and spiritual vision. “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” was written in the early 20th century. The hymn writer, Helen Lemmel, was strongly influenced by the artist and later little-known missionary, Lilias Trotter. Miss Trotter started off as an aspiring artist but early on felt a call from God to reach the lost. She began her ministry by rescuing prostitutes from the streets of London. Later she went to Africa, without missionary funding, and served for over forty years. While there she penned a poem that would greatly influence the writing of the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”  The poem was entitled “Focused: A Story and Song.” 

The poem centers around focusing one’s attentions fully and completely upon God. She writes that Satan knows that if a person uses all their powers of concentration on being led by God’s Spirit, they will have a great intensity and impact upon those to whom they are called to minister. Lilias Trotter, writing in a more formal use of the English language than we are accustomed, shares some timeless insights which could very easily have been written today but with a different accent. She writes: “Never has it been so easy to live in half a dozen good harmless worlds at once—art, music, social science, games, motoring, the following of some profession, and so on. And between them we run the risk of drifting about, the ‘good’ hiding the ‘best’ even more effectually than it could be hidden downright frivolity with its smothered heartache at its own emptiness.”

The “good” hiding the “best” leads us to emptiness.  Could this be true of us today especially as American Christians? Have we sought the “good” while missing the “best”? The chorus of the hymn, which we will be singing in worship this Sunday, says it best.

                Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,                                                                                                                                        And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Keith Pate

God Leads Us

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge…

God is Enough

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.…