Evergreen Community Church

05/03/2026

05/03/2026

Evergreen,

I am writing to express our sincere gratitude for your financial support and prayers, which made our recent mission trip to Cali, Colombia, possible. I would like to share a summary of what we accomplished and our vision for the future of this ministry.

Mission Highlights:

Our primary goal was to encourage and build relationships with the first-generation Reformed churches (IBR) in Colombia. These churches are working to preach the Gospel and plant healthy congregations in a culture largely dominated by Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, and Prosperity-gospel traditions.

RE Steve Donahue and I prepared sermons and lectures, accompanied by Sebastian Herrera-Murillo, who served as our translator (and unofficially our food-tour guide). I want to specifically recognize Sebastian's incredible hard work; he spent six hours each day preparing translations to ensure our messages were faithful to the Lord and His people. We spent several hours daily reviewing material with him, and his commitment to excellence was indispensable to our work.

We visited five different churches in five different cities in the Cauca Valley of Colombia. We provided these congregations with lessons on 4 subjects that they requested us to teach, and then Steve and I preached at different churches on the Lord's Day.

Our teachings at one of the churches can be found on their Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/live/oGEf85CCvAU?si=1Tbh5co_Hs8uPIuj):

The Future:

This experience made us deeply aware of the many needs these congregations face, specifically the lack of financial resources required to support pastors so they can be committed to their ministry full-time.

Beyond financial needs, both the congregations and the pastors of the Colombian churches said that the most helpful thing we can do is to continue to build ongoing relationships with their congregations.

To address this, we believe it is essential to continue sending teams back to the region — elders to provide theological teaching to their congregations and laymen to lead practical and evangelistic initiatives, such as Vacation Bible School or medical mission trips (to see a doctor is a real hardship for many Colombians). All initiatives will operate in cooperation with our partner churches to advance the Reformed faith in Colombia and equip members of our churches with a heart for evangelism and global missions.


The Call:

Both before and after the Trip, I spoke with Nathan Bonham, our MTW missionary representative in Colombia. Much of what we saw in Cali is representative of the difficulties that are affecting the entire nation. For example, in Pereira, Sebastian's hometown, there is a Bible study of about 5-20 people that meets via Zoom with Pastor Arnold Lavaire because there is no gospel-preaching church within several hours. An honest examination of the state of things in Colombia reveals that the leftist, socialist government has damaged the economy and made the country more dangerous over the past four years, which may dissuade some from ministering there.

However, I remain committed to returning, and I invite you to join us because Christ is worthy of the sacrifice of our ease, comfort, and safety.

James Henley Thornwell's sermon The Cross-Shaped Missionary has given me a renewed sense of our call to sacrifice for the sake of global missions in the Great Commission. These words inspire me, and I hope they will inspire you:

"The love to God and the compassion to man which reigned in the Savior's breast were not permitted to evaporate in sentiment... they were active and operative principles... As the dispensation of the Gospel is founded in a real sacrifice, all its duties are stamped with the spirit of sacrifice... All these [difficulties] and a thousand more such obstructions are only proofs that the Church must tread in the footsteps of her Master, and bless the nations by the sacrifice of her own ease and life. ... These are the crosses which precede the crown, the tribulations through which we pass into glory."

Thank you again for making this mission possible.

Your Brother in Christ,
Pastor Nicholas Krauss

03/04/2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am writing to share plans for an upcoming mission trip to Colombia from April 13–20. The purpose of this trip is to reconnect with Pastor Javier Gil and meet with other pastors in his presbytery. Having first met Javier in 2014, I am honored that he has requested training for churches in the Valle del Cauca region, specifically focusing on ecclesiology, expository preaching, church membership, and missions. I will be joined by Ruling Elder Steve Donahue of Evergreen Community Church to teach these subjects, and Teaching Elder Arnold Levare has connected us with Juan Sebastian Herrera Murillo to assist with translation.

Our primary goal is to build relationships with local pastors and provide James River Presbytery (JRP) churches that are not currently active in global missions with an opportunity to engage Elders and their congregations in this work. Long-term, I hope to establish two types of annual trips: one for Elders (RE/TE) to equip Colombian pastors, and another for trained evangelism teams. Both initiatives will operate in cooperation with our partner churches to advance the Reformed faith in Colombia and equip our own members for the gospel. I am also in communication with Nathan Bonham, the MTW International Director for the Americas. Nathan is familiar with Javier, and he will help ensure our efforts complement the ongoing work in the region.

You can help in the following ways:

Pray: Please pray for smooth logistics, that the Holy Spirit prepares the hearts of those giving and receiving God’s Word, and that Christ would advance His Kingdom in Colombia.

Give: I have set a fundraising goal of $1,400 to cover travel, lodging, and meals for our upcoming trip. This is a conservative estimate, as round-trip flights for Steve and me cost $604 each, and Sebastian’s one-way ticket was $425.

Please note that any funds raised beyond our actual expenses will be deposited into Evergreen’s missions budget.

You can contribute here:
https://subsplash.com/u/-HRMG5M/give/c/78d554c2-4f59-47c8-ac26-d47893b7e5de

Thank you for your support as we seek to see God advance His kingdom.

Your Brother in Christ,
Pastor Nick Krauss

02/24/2026

Come to the Powhatan War Memorial (2375 Anderson Hwy) on March 7 for a community dinner and barn dance, hosted by Evergreen Community Church.

BBQ dinner will start at 5:00, then dancing (think Virginia Reel) will begin at 6:00. All dances will be taught and called, so this event is for anyone who thinks it would be fun. No experience is necessary.

To purchase tickets ($10 per person, $40 per household) go to tinyurl.com/EvergreenDanceMarch2026.

12/19/2025

Evergreen will resume our walk through John’s prologue in commemoration of the incarnation. Those who saw Jesus saw "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4). Come join us Sunday Morning as we pick up where we left off last Christmas at John 1:15-17 — The Incarnation of Grace and Truth

We welcome everyone to attend our annual Christmas Eve Service! We will enjoy "Lessons and Carols" together on Wednesday evening, December 24th, from 5:00 to 6:00 pm at 2897 Lower Hill Rd ("The Coop").

The Christian Education Hour and Fellowship After Church will resume January 1/4!

For more information, please visit https://www.eccpca.org/

And for all the Christmas haters out there... Lutheran Satire is fantastic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0-EgjUhRqA

Hey, did you know that the life of Jesus was stolen from the Egyptian God Horus?Oh, you know stuff about Horus? Well, I mean it was stolen from Mithras.Oh, ...

11/15/2025

It has been a while since I last posted. I have resumed preaching through the book of Genesis, and we are up to chapter 26. The sermon is entitled, "The God of Our Fathers is WITH US".

I've attached a video by Sola Media that addresses a common misunderstanding, which is extremely relevant to the sermon tomorrow. In the only chapter dedicated to Isaac's life, we see that his life is a testimony to the fact that God gives us more than we can handle, but those who depend on him are more than provided for.

Come join us Sunday Morning at Flat Rock Elementary School @9:00am to listen to Steve Donahue teach on Ephesians 6, and @10:00am for Corporate Worship (Heb 10:25)!

DEFENDING CALVINISM - https://solamedia.org/offers/forcalvinism?sc=AP2510VYIs God the author of sin and evil? Do we actually have free will? Did Jesus die fo...

06/24/2025

You are partnering with Joni and Friends to bring the hope of the Gospel to people with disabilities in your community. Your family and friends can help your impact by contributing toward your outreach cost!

06/24/2025

Joni & Friends Mission Trip:

Jesse Bowling, Nick Krauss, and Mae McClernon will be heading on a Summer Mission Trip to serve at Joni & Friends Family Retreat in Flat Rock, North Carolina!

Our Family Retreat costs are due by Monday, July 14. If you are able to financially support us, please visit our donation pages and make a contribution:

Jesse Bowling - https://secured.joniandfriends.org/give/f6346379/ #!/donation/checkout
Nick Krauss - https://secured.joniandfriends.org/give/f6223508/ #!/donation/checkout
Mae McClernon - https://secured.joniandfriends.org/give/f6346382/ #!/donation/checkout

Joni & Friends is a ministry for families affected by disability and was founded by faithful Christian believer, Joni Eareckson Tada. When Joni was just 17 years old, she suffered from a diving accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down. She understands disability and has dedicated her life to serving the Lord and His people affected by disability.

Joni & Friends Family Retreat is a fun camp week for Christian families affected by disability and a mission trip for volunteers who serve the individuals with disabilities and their families. The main goals of Joni & Friends Family Retreat are to:

1) Provide a fun vacation for individuals with disabilities; 2) Provide a fun vacation for siblings of individuals with disabilities; 3) Provide a time of rejuvenation for parents of individuals with disabilities; 4) Share the gospel and the love of Christ with those with great needs; 5) Equip volunteers to bring home an inclusive mindset to their churches

Most volunteers serve as a one-on-one friend to a child or adult with a disability during all the camp activities. However, there are other volunteer positions, such as a one-on-one friend to a sibling of an individual with a disability, a golf cart driver, prayer support, front desk assistant, or program area assistant for areas such as worship, crafts, recreation, or sensory program. First-time teenage volunteers are usually given the role of a one-on-one friend to a sibling.

Pastor Nick will drive the group to NC on Saturday, August 2nd. Volunteers participate in disability training Sunday afternoon and Monday morning. Families start arriving Monday afternoon, and Camp is Tuesday-Thursday. Friday ends with a morning activity and then everyone drives home.

Whether or not you are able to financially support us, please support us with your prayers!

Your Brother in Christ,
Pastor Nick Krauss

You are partnering with Joni and Friends to bring the hope of the Gospel to people with disabilities in your community. Your family and friends can help your impact by contributing toward your outreach cost!

05/16/2025

05/16/2025

This Lord’s Day we are taking a break from our sermon series in the book of Genesis. Baby Krauss is due May 21st and the Session of Evergreen has graciously blessed me with three weeks of paternity leave. As we worship on our church property this Lord’s Day (2895 Lower Hill Rd, Powhatan VA, 23139), I desire to bring a message relevant to the occasion.

I have been reflecting on how much the LORD has blessed us this year. After many years, we have been given the privilege of building our own building! These are such exciting times in the life of our church! God has blessed us with a useful tool that will aid us in our goal of firmly establishing a PCA church in Powhatan for God’s glory as we equip Christians to worship God and reach our neighbors and the world for Christ. But simply having a building does not ensure this goal or make me optimistic about Evergreen future, for “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Ps 127:1). This goal can only be achieved by God himself. Fortunately, Jesus has told us “I will build my church” (Matt 16:8). So what makes me excited most of all about the future of Evergreen is the power of the Gospel, The Preeminent Point of Our Ministry!

If I do not say this, I will be guilty of plagiarism: the content of this week’s sermon is not original to me but comes wholly from the late Dr. Harry Reeder’s book "From Embers to a Flame: How God Can Revitalize Your Church" (see chapter 3). This is one of the best resources I have read in a very long time. Dr. Reeder shows how to set goals that will result in a healthy, growing church that is pleasing to God (with God’s blessing). The Session of Evergreen Community Church (PCA) is going to read From Embers to a Flame together this summer, and I invite every member of Evergreen to get excited along with us about how God is able to use Evergreen to “turn the world up-side-down” (Acts 17:6).

Come join us Sunday Morning as we listen to God’s Word concerning why the Gospel is The Preeminent Point of Our Ministry. All credit for the content of this sermon goes to the late Harry Reeder.