Strinestown Church of the United Brethren in Christ, 5675 Susquehanna Trail, Manchester, PA (2026)

08/14/2023

Happy Monday and have a blessed week:

This week will be taking a closer look at the church in Thyatira found in Revelation 2:18-29. Thyatira was a wealthy town along the Lycus river in modern day Turkey. This message from Jesus to this church was one that again gave some positive qualities in v19, amongst them were love, faith, service, patient endurance, greater works (see rev 2:19 for how they are specifically called out). While yes, they were doing these things, Jesus calls them out for toleration of “Jezebel” amongst them. What we can deduce from this passage is that the church was tolerating this so called prophetess who was leading astray the people within the church. Instead of pronouncing this falsehood she was teaching and casting her out of the church, the church tolerated it and let it fester and continue. Jesus Himself pronounces great judgement upon her (see Rev. 2:22-23). Jesus encourages those who didn’t support Jezebels teaching and tells them to “hold fast” to the truth and what they believe.

The church period that best fits this warning in Revelation would be the “dark ages” or middle ages church period. This period was marked by mysticism, and false religion and idolatry became prevalent through the church. An example is that of the “indulgences” where one could pay the church and receive forgiveness of sins. These things were all over the church at that time, and the church needed cleansing from that. But Christ says to that church then, and to us now, that He will judge. He will right those wrongs and pronounce swift and final judgement upon those who have perverted God’s Word and His plan for the Church. All throughout church history there has been that remnant of true faithful believers and we can be counted amongst them if we, as Jesus tells the church at Thyatira, “only hold fast what you have until I come”, that is to say, continue in the true Gospel of Christ, because Jesus IS coming back for us. Amen!

08/05/2023

Free
Yard Sale
At
Strinestown Church

08/04/2023

Everything is FREE.

Yard Sale. Saturday at 10am

Strinestown Church of the United Brethren in Christ

5675 Susquehanna Trail
Manchester Pa 17345
(In Strinestown)

08/02/2023

Happy Wednesday

The third church we will cover in this series is the church at Pergamum. (Revelation 2:12).
This church located in Pergamum was one steeped in traditions of pagan worship, but also philosophy and artistic endeavors. Read verse 12 there and it says "the words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. It is importsnt to remember that the messeges are directly from Jesus to these churches, and signifies with that sword the immediate judgement that Christ is ready to bring if necesssary.
Christ begins with an encouragment that even in a place that could be seen as "Satans throne", with all of the pagan worship, as well as as the martyrdom (persecution and killing) of Antipas, this church did not renounce their faith in Christ. They held faith even during these difficult and, scary, times.
They did have flaws though, they apparently still held to some pagan beliefs, trying to mix in Christianity with these other beliefs, and Christ pronounces that this is unnacceptable! Note in v16 it says "therefore repent!". When we sin, when we are living "lukewarm" or trying to live "our way", we MUST repent...or as Christ warns here, be prepared to face judgement.

But to look at this one more way apart from just to that specific church, or to us today, this could also have been prophecy that aligns very well with a church period from around 300-600 AD which some call the "indulged church age". The church and the government became married during this period, the church began to cave to some of the pagan practices of the world and government around them and married Christianity with these other practices, and this period is where much of the non-Biblical traditions of the catholic church come out of this period. They did not renounce these un-Biblical practices, and mixed it in with the truth.
Either way you look at this, we must heed the warnings given here and be ready to repent of our sins and hold fast to Jesus always. He is our Foundation, our Rock, and Savior forever. We
must therefore hold to Him alone in our faith. Amen!

07/21/2023

Good Morning

Revelation 2:8-11 tells us of our next church, the church at Smyrna. This church was located on the Eastern shores of modern day Turkey and was again, a literal early church that was being written to at this time. We can note here that this was a church that remained faithful amidst persecution, and was the church that was NOT reprimanded by Christ for anything, but were encouraged to stay faithful.
This church was located in a large Jewish community that was very hostile towards Christians, as well as the Roman authorities imprisoning and killing Christians there. Amidst all of this, they stayed faithful to Christ.
This while literal, also represents for us those churches and peoples throughout history who have been persecuted for Christ (Matthew 5:10) but have held strong and firm. We would say it like this in our own words, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going" meaning that persecution WILL show those who really are faithful, and those who are not. It was a prophecy that was foretelling of the coming persecution to many Christians through the ages, but that they need to remain faithful.
This reminds us of one final thought. We can not take anything from this life with us. Though we may be poor in material things, or social things, if we have faith, we are rich. The short times of tribulation we may face in this life is just so small in comparison with everlasting life that will we share with Christ forever in glory. Amen!

07/12/2023

Happy Wednesday brother and sister!!

As we begin looking into the seven churches in Revelation, we come first to the Church in Ephesus.
Ephesus, a church located in modern day Turkey, was one of the first century churches that was first founded by the apostles soon after Jesus' death, burial and ressurection.
This church was signified in Revelation 2 as a church that had endured, but forsaken its "first love". This literal word, to a literal church was of great importance to them..and to us today.
You see it in one way was referring to that early church who had endured hardships, defended against false teaching...BUT while everything appeared okay outwardly they had made one grave error and that was forsaking their first love. They were essentially being told they were "loveless"...the idea being that everything outside was okay but inside they were really dying. Their hearts werent really in it.
Remember in James that it says "faith without works is dead"? You need to be showing that devotion to Christ, and evidently they had forsaken the true Gospel of Christ and replaced it with other loves. Revelation 2:5 says that they need to Remember...and Repent. This is our warning for today as well. We must remember from where we have fallen, repent of that, and go back to our first love. Think back to when you first met Christ, the fire within in, the desire to see others know Him too. It didnt matter to you what it looked like, but rather, was more important what it contained. We must return to that true faith and love of Christ in order to be His effective ministers in this broken world. All of the 'right' answers, 'right' practices, and 'right' things dont matter if we are not doing it all for Christ.
So today, be warned as they were to Remeber, Repent and Return to that first love.
This is just our first stop in these seven weeks, and we will continue relating these churches to their literal pieces, but also to our warning throughout history and today. Be blessed brothers and sisters. Amen!

07/03/2023

Happy Monday
From the desk of Pastor Alan

For the next few weeks, I will focus on something a little different, and in doing so, hopefully show some and remind others of some great truth. I am going to be covering the 7 churches that are found in the begining of the book of revelations. The website GotQuestions says this "The seven churches described in Revelation 2-3 are seven literal churches at the time that John the apostle was writing Revelation. Though they were literal churches in that time, there is also spiritual significance for churches and believers today. The first purpose of the letters was to communicate with the literal churches and meet their needs. The second purpose is to reveal seven different types of individuals/churches throughout history and instruct them in God’s truth"
Over the next 7 weeks, I will be sending out a message on each of these 7 churches, and explaining (in as much I can over a short text!) the significance to us as a church, as individuals, and as the entire body of Christ. So this week I will leave you with this thought from Revelation 1:3 "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near." We have been given an amazing opportunity to have this book to read and understand together, being both warned and encouraged as we go. Read the first 3 chapters of Revelation as we prepare to go on this journey together over the next few weeks. God Bless

06/14/2023

Happy Wednesday

Titus 2:1 "But as for you, teach what accords with sound
doctrine."
This passage hits at the foundation of what we believe. It hits at what we are living, reading, and teaching. "sound doctrine". Those 2 words in and of themselves tell us that we have something firm and foundational to rest upon, something unwavering and something knowable that we can always go back to. It hints at one of Paul's other statements to Timothy where it says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
We have the Word of God that gives us all knowledge that we need about Him, about Heaven, about how we are to live and act according to His commands. It teaches us how to love people, how to obey Him, and what we are to believe.
This takes us back to "teaching sound doctrine." In an ever changing world, we must be aware that we CANNOT change what God has given us to fit what we 'want' or what the world is telling us. ONLY the sound doctrine of the Holy Scripture is our guide. What a joy and peace that should be to us! Amen!

05/29/2023

What did the first Pentecost of 2,000 years ago mean and what does the Pentecost Spirit mean for us today? It's God bearing witness to His Son in our hearts. So now you celebrate Pentecost, I invite you to be open to God's life-changing Spirit. To celebrate Pentecost is to embrace the Spirit-given truth that "what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He thus fulfilled" (Acts 3:18).

The Holy Spirit's arrival in such a big way that we read about in the book of acts was something no one had ever seen. The power of the Spirit of God, dwelling with man, in fact, in man, was such a wonderful gift to us. As Paul teaches in 1st Corinthians, we can only understand God's mind through His Spirit.
Jesus died for our sins, He died for our forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit lives within us now bearing witness to that forgiveness, giving us power and understanding to live powerfully through Him.

So as we celebrate Pentecost and the Holy Spirit, Celebrate not only by looking back, but by looking forward, knowing that God's Spirit is near, drawing you closer to Jesus, making you more and more like Him.

05/07/2023

Happy Friday y'all

From Pauls letter to the Galations "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm
therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Gal. 5:1)

Paul is speaking to the Galations about their obsession with rules, laws, and of their past sins and past lives. He is making the strong case for the freedom that Christ has given us through the Cross and Ressurection.
Lets start with our freedom from past sin and guilt. Romans says that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" BUT the good news is "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"
Paul in Galations is saying, YOU ARE FREE! No more guilt, no more shame, no more burden of sin that can keep you down. You can live a pure, redeemed, holy life now. Dont let your past keep you there.
Secondly though, Christ's freedom for us consists of not making a mountain out of a molehill either. Dont get "religious", dont get caught up on "rules" but like Christ clearly stated, that we are to Love God and Love others....get that right first before we do anything else.
Freedom is knowing that "it is finished!", we are saved and we can live to obey Christ in all we say and do, glorifying him through our daily living, because we are saved already. We arent working our way to Heaven, but living in the freedom of salvation that Christ has applied to us through faith in Him.
Amen!

04/17/2023

Galations 6:2 "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
This scripture verse is part of a larger section that Paul was writing to the Galations, warning them of boasting, amongst other things. This verse struck me as I was reading it as such a marvelous reminder that we are to bear one another's burdens, not just praying for each others health or the typical "prayer requests" we do, BUT to bear the burdens of each other's faults and sin as well. Bearing those burdens includes building one another up, calling out each others stumbling blocks and sin, and helping each other put on that whole armor of God.
We tend to panic or shy away from confrontation, but when we do so in love, real, Christ-like love, it is pleasing to God and to the entire body of Christ to help us grow and mature. In that same breath though, we must follow what Paul says in this passage (please read Galation 6 this week), which is to keep our own selves in check too, not to boast or "think we are something.." when we really are not.
Continue to love each other in Christ's love, build each other up, and be truly better together as one in Christ!

04/07/2023

Happy Friday

There is a popular song that says "Friday's dissapointment, is Sunday's empty tomb...since when has impossible, ever stopped you".
Wow, how powerful are those words? Let's tie it directly with some Scripture, John 20, Matthew 28, Luke 24, Mark 16, all about how they were coming to the tomb dissapointed that their Lord was there, dealing with grief, etc, BUT then they see it empty and get to experience that joy that comes with promises coming fulfilled.
I think our lives deal with these sorts of things quite often, where it is easy to "know" that God's promises are true, it's easy to "know" scriptures that say "all things work together for good.." but it is hard to experience and live through the tough times to get there. I have lived through the tough times, and have experienced the good times as well, but its all part of what God is giving us to test us and build us up to do the work of the kingdom of God.
Today, this good friday, where we remeber the words "it is finished" and we rest upon the finished, saving work of Christ on the cross, lets remember that death wasnt the final stop, but that just in a few days, life would rise again.
Friends, things might look impossible, they might look bleak, they might look, dead, and frankly, we may even experience death! the fact remains, that we are promised ressurection and life just like Christ, if we are saved by faith in Him.
Let that be our aim this weekend, remebering that He is good, and that His promises stand, and that we have a living hope.
Amen!

Strinestown Church of the United Brethren in Christ

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