Good afternoon. It is Sunday afternoon and I'm posting a brief blog as a followup to last weeks. The CT scan was fine - no pneumonia or other significant problems showed up in the chest. I'll see the Dr. for a followup appointment later this week. Happy New Year to all.
Pastor Brown

Good morning on this Christmas weekend. I would like to wish each of our readers a wonderful Christmas filled with the presence and purpose of Jesus Christ. I so appreciate your prayers and expressions of love and concern during my chemotherapy. Yesterday I had a CT scan of my chest as a follow up to the xrays taken earlier. I do not yet have the results and will share them when I do. I'm looking forward to spending some time with my children and grandchildren during this holiday season and hope you will have that privilege also. I hope to preach this weekend and to see you in the services.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this beautiful, unseasonably warm, Saturday, December 16th. I am continuing to recover from my shingles and pneumonia. Monday I am scheduled for another chest xray to ensure that the pneumonia is all cleared up. I am slowly recovering my strength and the lesions on my chest, side and back are gradually improving. My recent bout with shingles has reminded me of the importance of patience, especially the teaching of Romans 5:3-5, And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. So patience is produced (worked out, render one fit for) by tribulation (affliction, suffering, difficulties). What is patience? In the New Testament it is the characteristic of a man who is not deterred from his deleberate purpose and loyalty to his faith and piety by trials. From such patience comes character (proof of character under trial), then hope (expectation of God producing good) because the love of God is poured out by the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Please take special note of the role of the Holy Spirit in the process. This confirms Galatians 5:22-23, where it includes patience as one of the fruit of the Spirit. It also correlates with Luke 8:15, where patience is the product of a good heart and James 1:3, where it is associated with the testing of our faith. God knows how much most of us need patience (I certainly do) and shows us the pathway to get it. Remember that Romans 2:6-7 promises God's reward for patience which is the extra incentive to let the process work God's purpose in our lives not only for our good but for God's glory as well.
Tomorrow we have our Christmas musical drama and, Lord willing, I'll bring the closing comments to wrap it up. See you then.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this Saturday, Dec. 9th. I am continuing to recover from my double-barrel setback of pneumonia and shingles from which , thank God, I am slowly improving.
I am rejoicing that my post-treatment tests for cancer came back normal, indicating my chemotherapy was successful. Now I face the tasks oof strengthing my resistance and regaining my stamina. Please continue to pray accordingly and be aware that I am so grateful for all of your prayers on my behalf throughout my entire treatment process. Truly prayer changes things.
Lording willing I will be preaching in both services tomorrow AM. I'll be looking forward to seeing you then.
Pastor Brown

Good morning on this wintery white Saturday morning, December 2nd. This has been a somewhat difficult week. I suffered unrelenting pain from the shingles so my doctor put me on a number of medications to handle the situation which is now, thankfully, much improved. Then Thursday night, I spiked a temperature and had to go to the emergency room for tests and treatment, which revealed that I did not have pneumonia, but have a bronchial infection with other corresponding symptoms. They prescribed antibiotics, a good cough syrup and sent me home to rest, which fortunately I have had no trouble doing. Today, the fever is gone and I am beginning to feel human again. So all in all, from a human perspective, it has been a less than stellar week, but whenever I go through rough times I think of the suffering of my Savior on the cross or some of the vets I have seen in the VA hospitals after being severely wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan and it makes me think that I really don't have much suffering or difficulty at all. I have been reading again in the book of II Corinthians where in chapter one Paul reminds us that in difficult times God comes alongside us as we go through them and before we know it He brings someone else alongside of us going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. Therefore, no times of difficulty are ever wasted in our lives because His healing comfort is made available to us and then through us to others so that we all get the full measure of it. In fact, Paul mentions that the willingness to endure hard times as well as enjoy the good times provides us assurance that we are going to make it. Later in the chapter, he mentions that God had rescued him and adds that He will do it again, by rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing and that you and your prayers are part of the rescue operation. His report was that he had come through with his conscience and faith in tact and could face the world and other believers with his head held high because God had remained focused on him and without compromise kept His promises on which we can always rely. God's promises are stamped with the yes of Jesus so we know that God's yes and our yes together are behind what we preach and pray. Finally, God affirms us with His spirit, stamping us with His eternal pledge that He will complete in our lives that which He has begun. Wow! What more could you ask for than these powerful assurances provided by God in II Corinthians Chapter one? Please take the time to read and review this great chapter. I'm sure it will be as much of a bessing to you as it has been to me. I covet your prayers that I might regain my strength quickly from these last couple of setbacks following my recent completion of my chemo treatments, which has left my resistance somewhat low. Pray that God will renew my strength like the eagle that I might be able to run and not be weary and walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
In light of my circumstances this week, I will not be preaching tomorrow morning, but rather taking the opportunity for rest and recovery. Pastor Dan will be preaching in both services in the AM and Lord willing, I'll hope to be able to preach next Sunday. Again, thank you for your many prayers and loving support.

In Christ,

Pastor Brown