Snyder Family Wishes the Congregation Farewell

We wanted to take a few minutes to stop and thank all the members of Exton Community Baptist Church for their love, friendship, and fellowship over the past twenty-five years. We enjoyed worshiping with you every week that we could. We have been happy to take part in all the joys and sorrows of the church family.
When we first arrived at ECBC, it was just Sherry and Jeff (Mike was still a year away and Madeline six after that), we weren't sure what to expect. We'd bounced around a bit with Jeff's work in contract archaeology (Virginia, Georgia, then Pennsylvania). We were immediately charmed by the warmth of the community. You all made us feel welcome (those present, those now moved away, and those saints who have gone before us into the joy of God's presence). You also quickly involved us in church projects, which really made us feel part of the crew.
You let us explore our God-given talents and grow them. You watched the plays and monologues ... and appreciated them, applauding for the players, sat ... and laughed ... through the epic Youth Group film "The Wrath of Grapes" (during the filming of which baby Michael became the group's mascot of sorts and received a purple onesie from the youth for ... well, being there), and their production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" with Madeline as the "backstage baby."
Many of you performed in plays, both those purchased from various organizations and those written by Jeff.
You helped us celebrate our joys together and gave us shoulders to cry on when times were tough.
We've enjoyed the retreats, the Christmas eve candlelight services, ringing bells, singing in the choir, seeing pastors and interim pastors come and go, getting to meet founding members of the church, meeting more pastors than we'd ever expected to find in one church (how was this church blessed with so many retired clergy?!), working and playing with the youth group, studying the Bible together in Sunday school classes, and getting to teach a few of those as well, being involved with Vacation Bible School for umpteen years, taking part in special projects such as supporting a family in need or working with Bridge of Hope, taking Christmas gifts to the West Chester shelter and packing boxes of Haiti relief supplies. Thanks for working with Madeline on Project Christmas Child, who Franklin Graham's organization still writes to as Dr. Madeline Snyder. Pastor Mike quipped at the time if he'd known it could be that easy to get a doctorate he'd have never gone on to higher education!
There are so many wonderful memories. We've enjoyed supporting and following Sue Heagerty in her missionary journey, as well.
Jeff: Speaking for myself, thanks for supporting my journey through seminary and into ministry. Your support of my early explorations of my talents helped me down that path toward becoming a Reverend. Thanks for granting me the opportunity to baptize Madeline. That was a wonderful moment for us all.
Sherry: This is my home church. I chose to be baptized here when we joined. Our church family has meant the world to me. People come and go, but the love we have shared remains.
Thank you for blessing us with the love that comes from within. It will always be part of us. It will continue to carry us through our journeys.
Madeline says, "Just tell everyone I love them."

Bible Verses This Week: John 1:29-42: Here Is the Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sin of the World!

John 1: The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ³¹I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³²And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ³³I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
³⁵The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, ³⁶and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
³⁷The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
³⁸When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” ³⁹He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. ⁴⁰One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. ⁴¹He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). ⁴²He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

Bible Verses This Week: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9: He Will Also Strengthen You to the End

1 Corinthians 1: Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, ²To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— ⁶just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— ⁷so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ordination Service for Jeffrey B. Snyder

Last Sunday, January 5, at 3 in the afternoon on a rainy, icy day, the Exton Community Baptist Church sanctuary and fellowship hall were warmed up by the Ordination Service for their own Jeff Snyder, who, on January 26, begins a new life in ministry as the pastor for Lansdowne Baptist Church in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, an inner suburb of Philadelphia.

It was a beautiful and meaningful service, well attended in spite of the weather, where beautiful ideas, advice, and music were shared. It was a serious, yet joyful service, in which a number of pastors who have been influential in Jeff's journey played an active role in the service. Jeff's wife, daughter, and father also participated.

Jesus states in Matthew 18:20:  "For where two or three
are gathered in my name,
I am there among them." Sure enough ...

Jeff states: I want to take a moment to thank the ECBC community for playing a vital role in my spiritual development and for their support of my efforts toward this goal, following this calling from God. Thank you for allowing me to explore and hone my spiritual gifts over the years. No matter where God leads me and my family, this community will always be a part of my life. May the peace of Christ be with you!

ECBC's founding pastor is in the middle left, in the background ...

Bible Verses This Week: John 2:1-11: Do Whatever He Tells You

John 2: On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ²Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” ⁶Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it.⁹When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom ¹⁰and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Sidenote: Never underestimate the power of a determined Mom ... 

~ Reverend Jeff Snyder

Invitation to You on a Cold Morning

Dear Reader:

Our church is warm today. Our church community is warmer still. Come join us as we share our joy in worship ... our joy in God the Creator, Redeemer, and Spirit. Come and get warm today.

Bible Verses This Week: Isaiah 60:1-3: Arise, Shine

Isaiah 60: Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. ²For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. ³Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.