F&FDay   I can’t believe that it’s been more than ten years since I started sharing my heart with you through these weekly articles. I am grateful for this opportunity, but it’s especially nice when I can get to know those of you who are reading what I write. This next weekend I hope to have a chance to do more of that.

   This coming Saturday and Sunday (June 27 & 28) you are invited to come to Bethel Chapel Church (on the corner of “K” and Lycoming streets) and enjoy our annual “Friends and Family Days.” We call it Bethel’s Juniata block party, and we invite our friends in this community and in surrounding neighborhoods. It starts on Saturday from 3:00 – 6:00 pm, with a free picnic behind the church. There will be hot dogs, hamburgers, temporary tattoos, pony rides, pop corn, and snow cones.

   Not only can you and I get acquainted, but I’d love for you to meet some of my friends here at Bethel Chapel Church. This may also be your one opportunity to meet our special speaker Pastor Bob Reed. He has served with Global Baptist Schools since 2006 and became its president in 2012. He has also been a pastor of both English and Spanish-speaking congregations in this country, as well being the director of the Christian radio network in Latin America. Bob and his wife, Betty Ann, now live in South Carolina.

   The community time will continue on Sunday morning with Pastor Bob Reed. We’ll have coffee and doughnuts at 9:30 A.M. before he talks at 10:00 A.M. about “A Pointed Conversation with Jesus.” Then at 11:00 A.M. he is going to share another story about “An Awkward Conversation with Jesus.”

   Something very special is planned for Sunday night beginning at 6:00 P.M. Pastor Reed is going talk about “A Life-Changing Conversation with Jesus.” Then we are all going to share a wonderful meal together. That would be a good time for you to ask Pastor Reed any questions you may have. Don’t worry, the dinner is free. It won’t cost you anything except about an hour of your time.

   Because we really can’t get to know each other here in Juniata without spending time together, I hope you will take advantage of these opportunities. We not only want to meet you, but we also want all of our neighbors to get to know each other better as well.

   It would be great if we could all make more friends, but let’s face it, human friendships always wind up disappointing us. That is why I would love to point you to the One who never disappoints. Jesus is the best friend you will ever have because He willingly gave His life for you in order to pay for your sin. Notice what Jesus Christ said to His followers: “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friend” (John 15:13). That is exactly what Jesus did.

   Christ’s friendship is even more amazing when we realize that He gave His life for us even before we cared anything about Him. “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly

[that’s you and me!]. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:6–9).

   I hope I’ll see you soon. Maybe this weekend we can meet and even become friends.