How was your Halloween?! Sure. Lots of. Let me guess… candy? Getting candy, receiving gifts, is super great. Did you happen to give any candy away this Halloween? How was you All Saints Day? The day after Halloween is special , too, like we spoke about last week. We are part of a band of believers past, present, and future who belong to God. Reminding us that we have an awesome purpose. Yesterday, Melissa and I were invited to Justin Connolly’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor. He and his family worship with us during the Summer and live in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. It was great celebrating such an important day. The Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts, are very cool organizations and share something in common with Cold Spring Church. Do you know what that is? Our purpose. Part of the Boy Scout purpose is helping others, and a core value in our church’s purpose is serving others. That’s how we follow Jesus, by serving. So this week, let’s think of one way we will serve others, give of our time, energy, and attention in ways that show of love for them, and our love for God, too. Help classmates in school. Help at home or in the community. Be kind to one another. Like Jesus, who came not to be served, but to servewe can do the same… getting is good. Giving is better. Giving because of Jesus is best of all! You Have A Purpose!
In 2014, a small group of concerned citizens decided to come together and start the processes of making homelessness known in Cape May County. We pushed forward to make changes and bring the Homeless Trust Fund to Cape May County. We will not stop till laws are changed and people are in permanent housing. For more information, visit the 
Our current political and community conversations are too often filled with criticism without grace, or accusations without evidence. Looking at others with contempt comes easy in our culture. From social media to the corner deli, judging the offenses of those around us is second nature. Why do we hold others in disdain? Our Gospel lesson this week, Jesus introduces us to two individuals at the temple. One gave thanks for not being like those despicable others. The second humbly asking God for mercy. From Despicable to Incredible is Pastor Kevin’s message about building skyscrapers and changing our “Good News” conversations to eliminate the corrosive nature of contempt, and how we can get out of the habit of expressing it, both in our personal relationships, and more broadly, as a nation.
Do you know what special day is coming up this week? Sure! Halloween! It’s great to have a costume and pretend. What will you be this year? Here are a few masks to try on. Wow! No matter what mask we wear we can tell its you! Masks can hid our face, but can’t hide our heart and spirit. Next week is also All Saints Day. We don’t follow Jesus at Cold Spring Church alone. On no! All Saints Day November 1 reminds us that millions of people just like us followed him thousands of years ago, too, and there will be countless others who follow Jesus in the future, too. We are not alone in our faith. And next week is also Reformation Day. 502 years ago a man named Martin Luther along with many friends decided to make improvements in the Church, to help all of us focus on three things, we find hope by the Bible alone, by Faith alone, and through Jesus alone. We are reforming, improving, and that’s why whatever mask we wear for Halloween, or the other masks we may put on, will not hide us from God’s love. This Halloween, remember that God loves you, stay safe, and don’t eat too much candy!
There are thousands of intersections in Cape May. What intersections are the most remarkable to you? Which is closest to where you live? Closest to where you work or go to school. What is your impression of your intersection? Is it busy with traffic? Do kids wait there for their school bus? Consider the corner of Seashore and Academy Roads, for example. For hundreds of years, our intersection has been a gathering place, a sending place, a safe place for neighbors to worship Christ, pray, and serve the community together. Intersections are crossroads of activity. This Good News message from Luke 18 about a widow and a judge. Why did she go to the judge at night? What does Jesus want us to learn from the judge’s action even though he hated God and others!? Join us at corner of Faith Avenue and Justice Street where Jesus is looking for faith in action. Invest a few minutes to listen to Pastor Kevin’s message and meet Jesus at the corner of Faith Avenue and Justice Street. What will you find there?
You being here today is an amazing thing. You have created an intersection, a meeting, and opportunity between you and Cold Spring Church. We are better because you’re here. You’re better because you’re here. You and us go together like, peanut butter and jelly. God’s love for us goes together with us perfectly too, like peanut butter and jelly. God’s love for us. Our love for others. It just goes together! Enjoy the peanut butter and jelly I have for you… and remember, God’s love for us, and our love for others goes together like… Yep. You got it!
RSVP today for our — no-cost— annual Gingerbread House Christmas holiday event for children!
Cold Spring Church
780 Seashore Road
Cold Spring, NJ 08204 USA
609-884-4065