We just posted a new page on the site.  It spells out what membership at Providence is. With all our new visitors we thought it would be helpful to lay this out for you!

It is a joy to be a part of this body of Christ, and we are glad that we can share our gifts and graces and receive your mutual edification.

Friday December 14 will be remembered as one of the most horrific days in recent American history as one young man murdered twenty of the most innocent defenseless among us along with seven other adults.  

Since that event I have read a number of analyses of the killings in Connecticut on Friday.  Some of them are good seeing the events as pure evil while others are way off base blaming circumstances.  As most of you know I believe that the biggest cause of these horrific atrocities is the one I shared from the pulpit yesterday: There is no longer a fear of God in the land.  This is why suicide and murder occur so frequently.  No one believes anymore that upon death they will be accountable for their actions.  There is no respect for God and His Law.  

Matthew 10:28 reads, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul, but fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell."  The fear of God restrains evil... 

This year we enjoyed a number of music presentations, a black-light pantomime, and a special Christmas Chautauqua appearance by Hymnist Fanny Crosby.  Interspersed among these great blessings were Scripture readings and carols sung by the congregation.

For the last several weeks we have been seeking the Lord's will as to a new meeting place for our services.  If you drop in, you will notice that things are starting to get a little tight.  

We thank the Lord that he has been blessing His word and drawing new families.  Now we are looking to Him to open to us just the right place to continue His worship and ministry.

As we go forward in our search, our chief desire is to honor the Lord.  To that end, we have a few principles in mind to guide us.  

First, our focus is on the Lord and His ministry.  We do not have any intention of making our meeting place an idol that drives our ministry.  Neither do we believe that "if we build it they will come."  Our focus is on what the Lord is doing in our midst and how this structure would best serve His purposes in our mist.  

Our second guiding principle is our families.  We would like to stay in the same vicinity (Mifflin/ Rt. 30 corridor) because our families have relatively easy access that way, being that they come from Mansfield, Ashland, Wooster, Perrysville, and such.  It is our hope that we do not overextend any of our brethren and take the "local" out of "local church."

Our third principle is frugality.  We have no intention of going into debt or over-extending our finances.  Our aim is to keep it simple so that we may continue concentrating on missions and serving widows and orphans.

One might say that our prospect is to keep things as simple as can be.  However, our strategy might be better summed up in one of our church's main tenets:  Soli Deo Gloria --To God be the Glory alone.

"...for he will save his people from their sins."

It's guaranteed to be better than your neighbor's fruitcake.  That's right, it's our churches latest newsletter!  

This Christmas issue is dedicated to Jesus as it probes the significance of His name.  Unlike most parents, Joseph and Mary didn't have to agonize over what he should be called.  The Lord sent them direct instructions via an angel.  That's because his name would be a billboard for his life's purpose.