Group of pastors completes third devotional

According to the authors of "Because of Jesus I Am ..." the idea for the 20-day devotional came from a group conversation centered on today's major social issues. The journey of the devotional into the realm of identity is the group's way of reaching out and providing a resource to those who are struggling.

"Because of Jesus I Am ..." is slated to be in print and available online starting in September. To find the online version, readers may search for "Because of Jesus I Am ..." at http://www.youversion.com. Those who prefer a printed version may pick one up at after Sunday, Oct. 1, The Factory at 3293 E. Lincoln Highway, Paradise. Printed copies will also be available at the churches whose ministers participated in writing the booklet.

This is the third time the group of pastors and others involved in ministries in the greater Pequea Valley area have completed a devotional. The group, which meets the second Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m., first "gathered," in a virtual format, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions it brought about. The first booklet focused on trusting God during the pandemic, and the second one delved into the meanings behind Christmas carols.

Brandon Fisher, lead pastor of Keystone Church, Paradise, who recently became the group's moderator, explained that the pastors who wrote the devotional chose to work with specific verses. "Each verse includes (the words) 'In Christ' or 'In Jesus,'" he explained. "(The verses) highlight how our union with Christ changes our identity." He went on to note that the emphasis of the devotional is that identity is not based on who the world or family members say someone is but on what Christ says.

Scott Feather, pastor of Gateway Church, Parkesburg, noted that the experience of writing the individual devotionals was enjoyable. "I know the truth of what it means to be in Christ, but to take the time with my passage, which was Romans 8:1, the truth of who I am in Jesus Christ washed over me afresh and anew," he said. "Just soaking in that passage for a little while did my own heart some good."

Dave Smucker, executive director for Alliance Network, pointed out that working on the project as part of a team was important. "All we had to do is bring our part and let the pieces lock together," he said.

Fisher said that the reflective endeavor has enhance the perspectives of group members. "One of the driving reasons for us to write it is that it fit in with why we meet as a group," he said. "There are a lot of local churches in the area, and it might be easy to see (our differences, but) there's far more we have in common with each other mainly because of who we are in Christ, and I think this devotional captures (that)."

Individuals who served as devotional authors, in addition to Feather, Fisher, and Smucker, included Mike Bailey, Joe Lab, Kate Lab, Chris Lenhart, Tim Rogers, Mike Clemmer, Joel Wood, Jonathan Damon, Ellie Brooke, Greg Petersheim, Kelly Metzler, Clint Shondelmyer, Kyle Kauffman, and Adam Nagle.