Hub City Church Launch

What a unique and wonderful experience: to go to church and listen to an inspiring sermon preached by a young man who used to run around at my house playing with my kids! This morning we attended the Hub City Church launch in Albany. Nathan Riley is the lead pastor at this new church.

"Jesus Restore Albany" 

 Ok, not a great picture I know, but I didn't really want to be too conspicuous!

We loved every minute of this church service, starting with the discovery of end tables among the chairs, which is so convenient when you accept a cup of really good coffee on your way in!

I don't normally take pictures and send snap chats to my kids when I'm in church, but I just had to do this one!

The music and worship time was beautiful, and the children were there until dismissed for their own class just before the sermon started. I love seeing the children in the service, singing and clapping, and then watching them eagerly head out wearing priceless clothing, such as a princess dress with athletic shoes!

The sermon was preached with humor and humility from Acts 1:11. Nathan reminded us that we are a continuation of the first church and need to be radically committed to Jesus's mission of restoration. You can listen to it here if you want! (Go to the bottom of the page under "Sermons".)

We've known Nathan for nearly 20 years, since he and our oldest son, Craig, became friends in 5th grade when we moved to Tangent. Nathan was always one of those kids that a mom felt really good about having her kid hang out with. So mature, so polite, so smart, such leadership. Imagine my shock one day when they were in high school and for some reason, I was in the Bronco with Craig when he drove over there. As we drove into their driveway, Nathan (obviously not noticing my presence in the passenger seat) came running across the yard and threw himself onto the hood. I was absolutely shocked at this dangerous, risky behavior from this highly regarded young man! (So nobody's perfect, ok?!)

They ended up in a band together in high school and have had many adventures together.  When Craig was in a bad place a couple of years after high school, God used Nathan to answer our prayers and change the direction of his life. What an amazing friend and servant of God this young man showed himself to be. You can read a little about it here.  Craig ended up spending some time in YWAM in Germany with him and what a difference it made in his life!  We enjoyed seeing Nathan and his beautiful family this past summer when we had the rehearsal dinner for Craig's wedding in our back yard.

All this to say, if you don't already have a home church and you'd like to belong to a community of people who are passionate about Jesus and the hope and joy that he brings to the lives that He restores, if you'd like to start your week by meeting with these people, worshiping with some great music and hearing truth from God's Word in a way that will keep you awake and make you want to live your life the way God intended, check out the Hub City Church! We're excited to see what God will do in the coming years!

And don't worry or start rumors, friends, we plan to be back at our own church just down the street next Sunday! It was a privilege to witness and support Nathan and the others there today, and we pray God's blessing on them. (And who knows, we might need to sneak over there every now and then just because!)