Visiting

Have completed another round of visits to brethren in NH, ME & MA. Thursday evening had the privilege of visiting a couple in Sharon named Mike & Heidi, and two of their friends, Mary Pat & Rowland. Mike & Heidi have just come out of a traditional church situation, and were very interested in the house church approach. They asked questions about pastors, giving, baptisms, interactive meetings etc. It is a wonderful blessing for me to have the opportunity to respond to these and other inquiries, and suggest Scripturally based approaches to them. As with others I am delighted to do as much or as little as they wish in helping them get started, should the Lord lead them in that direction.
Saturday morning drove up to the Kittery area to spend time with Chuck & Carolyn. A blessing to reconnect with them after a year's abscence. I had the privilege of gathering with them for a year about seven years ago. They are experiencing "growing pains," what to do when the group grows too large to fit in a house. I believe the Holy Spirit wants to plant the necessity of multiplication in the spiritual DNA of every group. Like so many other things, this is much easier in theory than practice.
In the afternoon visited with Tom, Shelley and their family in NH. Solid fellowship and mutual encouragement. God has used them in many ways since their arrival in the Granite State. Am amazed at the people to whom God has given the ability to work with their hands. Even though I did a manual trade for 27 years, I am one of the least "handy" people of modern times. Tom & his son Forrest are rebuilding a gutted house.
Two hours drive on Sunday morning brought me to a group new to me, in Whitinsville, MA. In distinction to a "house" church, they consider themselves a "cell" church, although they are not organizationally connected to a larger entity. I was impressed by the seriousness of their faith, and the intentionality of their approach. One nice touch was the public responsive reading of the Nicene Creed, which they do on occasion.