Camp Hill Presbyterian Church
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PASTORAL GREETINGS
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (John 20:26-29)
Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving. (Frederick Buechner)
Fake it until you make it. (Anonymous)
Dear Siblings in Christ,
In many ways, I believe that “Doubting Thomas” is an unfair nickname for Thomas. Thomas was not with the other disciples when the risen Jesus appeared to them on Easter Evening. And later, when they told him, “We have seen the Lord,” Thomas was reluctant to believe, unless he could see for himself. So, when Jesus returned the next Sunday, he made a point to go directly to Thomas and invite him to for himself that Jesus was alive. And Thomas responded with the single greatest confession of faith in Jesus recorded in any of the Gospels, when he says, “My Lord and my God!”
For Thomas, seeing really is believing. And really Thomas wants something I that we might all desire: He wanted to see the Lord. And his desire to see Jesus can be interpreted as a struggle to believe, but it can also be seen as a longing and desire for deeper faith.
Thomas did not give up, even when he struggled to believe. And in many ways, we all have times when we struggle to believe. Doubt is often a necessary part of our faith because it keeps us from being comfortable and complacent and also challenges us to go deeper.
Most of us do not get to see the risen Lord for ourselves, so we depend on the testimony and witness of those disciples and apostles (like Thomas) who saw the Lord and later shared their experience. And with that in mind, Jesus offers this blessing for the rest of us, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
And if “seeing is believing,” I also believe that “believing is seeing” and that when we see things through the eyes of faith, we will see this world in new ways and with a new hope, as we continue to live into the new life offered by our risen Lord.
Be Blessed,
Pastor Richard E. T. Jorgensen, Jr.
IT'S HAPPENING AT CAMP HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
On April 5, Margaret “Peg” Silvis joined the Church Triumphant. A Memorial Service will be held on June 6th with the time and additional info to provided in the coming weeks. Please keep Peg and her family in your prayers.
Supper Club: Join us for an early Cinco de Mayo celebration on Thursday, April 30th at 6PM at Plaza Azteca, 5470 Carlisle Pike Mechanicsburg. Please RSVP text or call Vonny Getz 717-576-7589 by Thursday, April 23rd. All are welcome!
Help Needed: The flowers in the sanctuary are enjoyed by all but we need help in their ministry following the service. If the donor doesn’t take them, we deliver them to those unable to attend church or are in need of extra prayer. If you can help, please contact me at 717-691-1385 or kinsrock@aol.com. We also welcome suggestions for recipients and you can always check on a Sunday morning to see if a plan is already in place. Thank you.- Cindy Thompson
Mother’s Day Flowers from Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties—Please place an order for a 6" pot of mixed blooming flowers. Cost is $16 each with $6 supporting DVSCP's free emergency shelter and associated services. Flowers are provided by Whimsical Poppy. Orders are due by April 2 to Bobbie Kitzmiller. You can make checks payable to DVSCP and place them in the Mission Team’s mailbox. Thank you!
Rev. Potter is on vacation now through April 24th. In the event of a pastoral need, please contact Pastor Jorgensen.
New Member Classes will be begin Sunday, April 19th at NOON and continuing on April 26th and May 3rd. If you’re interested in attending, or just want to learn more, please speak with or email Pastor Jorgensen, rjorgensen@thechpc.com.
Thank you to all the members who generously donated items for this year’s Easter Egg Hunt. Your kindness and support helped make the event a wonderful success! Thanks to your contributions, we were able to fill nearly 300 eggs with treats and share the joy of the season with approximately 90 attendees at our Arise service. Your generosity helped create a fun and meaningful experience for everyone involved, especially the children. I am truly grateful for your continued support and for helping bring our church community together in such a special way. — Hannah Harner, DCE