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This year we got new lighting in the bathhouses, painted the girls bathhouse, cleaned cabins, raked pine straw, cleared storm debris, fell two dead trees, and tidied up at Tall Pines Fellowship Center and Lake View Lodge. (Comment with jobs we missed!) More importantly, this community was able to gather and work towards a common goal while enjoying beautiful sunshine and delicious food!
Hey Pine Lake Family!
It’s Camp Sale time! While it won’t be the same to gather in person with great food and better community, we still push forward in support for God’s work at Pine Lake in 2020. So, here are a few details about this year’s event.
With the help of our Winter Service volunteers December through February, the gym walls were prepared for the final step for interior finishes. In late March, a local contractor finished installing the wall carpet! Following many years of donor support and volunteer and skilled labor, Tall Pines Fellowship Center is “officially” complete. Praise God! We give Him all the glory and are grateful for his provision in this journey. We look forward to the next group who will enjoy Tall Pines Fellowship Center!
2020 Photos
This post was part of PLFC’s April 2020 newsletter update. Check it out!
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the streams.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.
-Jeremiah 17:7
I bought too much cheese. Never mind that I can barely consume one small block of cheese before it molds, or that we should avoid overbuying right now. As the words “global pandemic,” “unprecedented,” “stay-at-home order”, etc. swirled in my head, I plunked 2 fat bricks of cheese (one mozzarella, one cheddar) into my cart, and felt a fleeting wave of reassurance.
The need for reassurance is natural; it’s human. But reassurance via cheese? God offers a reassurance far richer than stockpiles of cheese or toilet paper, the news, the stock market, or any government we might (unintentionally) place our trust and time in.
Jeremiah reminds us that true confidence comes from the Lord. As we reach out to Christ for nourishment, He fills us with knowledge of His unfailing power and love. We can stand tall in times of uncertainty and stress, knowing we have no reason to fear, for our Lord walks with us. No matter our circumstances, when we draw strength from Christ, we can bear His fruit and share His love and peace with the people around us.
How can you intentionally place your trust in God? What are three things you can do to share God’s love with someone else?
This post was written by Suzanne Opel, Program Director and was part of PLFC's April 2020 newsletter update Check it out!
Mr. Willie presented with a wall hanging for his kitchen by members of World Renew.
“In His service, World Renew volunteers,” were the final words at a home dedication Meridian resident Mr. Willie on March 20. Mr. Willie had a tree fall on and destroy part of his home during an EF-2 tornado in April 2018. As a result, he was left with no kitchen or bathroom for two years and had to use homes of other nearby family members. “Now, l live in a mansion,” said Mr. Willie thanked World Renew facilitators Gary & Bev Van Noort and Jack & Pat Buist after the dedication.
For nearly two months, dozens of volunteers helped rebuild the back side of his house in just 5 weeks. World Renew: Disaster Reponse Services “set up camp” at Pine Lake from February 6-March 20 to provide relief to homeowners affected by the tornado. In that time, PLFC was the host site for 95 volunteers who served at Mr. Willie’s and several other storm damaged homes. After working in the rain and mud each day, volunteers kicked back each evening to renew their strength and energy with conversation around the table or a walk around the lake. One group of volunteer students from Grand Valley State University even spent a few days at PLFC cleaning cabins and painting bathhouses. Then students prayed over the cabins for campers to take their next step with Christ this summer. Praise God!
Ms. Mavis Scott’s home was built from the ground up in only 5 weeks by another group of volunteers from Orland Park Christian Reformed Church (Illinois). At her home dedication on March 12, dozens of volunteers, community leaders, and partner agencies gathered to give her the keys to a new home. She is thankful for a home “that isn’t falling down” (Watch Ms. Mavis in her own words). This church even secured a $20,000 grant to help Ms. Mavis. As hands and feet of the Church, each volunteer gave their time, skills, and finances to demonstrate Christ's hope to not only people in need, but an entire community. Pine Lake is humbled to have played a supporting role in this example of love. The Meridian community as well as our Pine Lake staff are inspired by World Renew’s mission and call to service. Thank you to each volunteer and partner agency for your role in this mission.
A heartwarming news report of the impact World Renew volunteers made in the Meridian community.
This post was written by Matt Graybill, Executive Director and was part of PLFC's April 2020 newsletter update Check it out!
