There’s a kind of struggle we all recognize. Not loud or obvious, but quiet and constant. The kind you can’t quite name. Anxiety, exhaustion, grief, or that lingering question,
Does any of this matter?

The book of Ruth meets us right there.

There is no clear villain in her story. No enemy to fight. Just loss, uncertainty, and the quiet work of moving forward when you don’t feel ready. Ruth goes out to glean with no real plan, simply hoping someone might show her kindness. It feels small. It feels ordinary. And yet, it is exactly where God is working.
 
I think that’s why this connects so deeply to us. Because most of life doesn’t feel dramatic or purposeful. It feels like doing the next thing in front of you while carrying more than you thought you could.

And this is where Easter changes everything.

Before the resurrection, there was silence. Confusion. Grief. To the disciples, it looked like the story had ended. But God was already at work, doing something far greater than they could see.

The same is true in Ruth’s life, and it is true in yours.

What looked like survival was actually redemption unfolding. God was not distant in her wandering. He was weaving her into something eternal.
 
So if this week feels heavy, or aimless, or just plain exhausting, hold onto this truth:
Just because you cannot see what God is doing does not mean He is not working.
Easter reminds us that the Redeemer has already spoken. Through Jesus, you are part of God’s family right now.

Even here, in the ordinary, God is redeeming more than you know.

In the story of Gideon, we see a man who struggled to trust what God had already made clear. Even after receiving a direct message and multiple signs, Gideon kept asking for more. “If this is really you, God…” he would say again and again.

It is easy to see ourselves in him.

How often do we do the same thing? We sense what God is calling us to do, yet we hesitate. We delay. We ask for more confirmation, more clarity, more assurance. Not always because we do not understand, but because we are unsure, uncomfortable, or afraid to take the next step.

Sometimes we are waiting for a sign when God is actually waiting for our obedience.
The truth is, God does give signs. They are expressions of His mercy and patience. But we are not meant to depend on them. More often than not, we already know what God is asking of us. The question is whether we are willing to trust Him enough to act.

Throughout Scripture, we see that understanding often comes after obedience. When we step forward in faith, God meets us there. He confirms, strengthens, and guides us along the way.

We do not need perfect clarity to follow God. We need trust.

And when we choose to obey, even in uncertainty, we begin to experience the deeper assurance that comes from walking with Him.

Reflection Question:
Is there something God is calling you to do that you already know, but have been waiting for another sign before acting?

Scripture to Read: Joshua 6:1–20

In the story of Jericho, God gave the Israelites unusual instructions. Instead of attacking the city immediately, they were told to walk around it day after day in complete silence.

As they walked, they could see just how enormous the city’s walls were. Jericho was heavily fortified. From a human perspective, the battle seemed impossible. Israel had no siege weapons, no clear strategy, and no obvious way to break through.

And in many ways, that was exactly what God wanted them to realize.

God wanted His people to see the problem clearly. He wanted them to understand that the obstacle before them was far beyond their ability to solve. If those walls were going to fall, it would not be because of Israel’s strength. It would be because of God’s power.

God still works this way in our lives today.

Sometimes we face situations that feel like the walls of Jericho. Problems that are too big for us to fix. Burdens that feel overwhelming. Struggles we cannot overcome on our own. In those moments we are reminded of something important.

We need God.

The season of Lent especially invites us to slow down and reflect on this truth. When we quiet ourselves before God, we begin to see things more clearly. We see our struggles, our limitations, and our deep need for His grace.

Recognizing our need for God is not a weakness. It is the beginning of faith.
When the Israelites finally shouted on the seventh day, the victory did not come from their strength or strategy. It came because God showed up. And when God moves, even the strongest walls can fall.

Whatever walls you may be facing right now, remember that what feels impossible for us is never impossible for God.

Reflection Question:
What walls in your life feel overwhelming right now, and how might God be inviting you to trust Him with them this week?

Most of us know someone who is hard to love. They frustrate us, disappoint us, or seem unwilling to change. Our instinct is often to distance ourselves or quietly remove them from our lives.

Yet the story of Israel reminds us that God does not respond to people that way. Again and again the Israelites complained, doubted, and failed, yet God remained patient with them. His love was not based on their behavior or improvement. It flowed from His character.

God’s love is covenantal. He loves because He chooses to love.

This challenges us to rethink the difficult relationships in our own lives. What if those frustrating people are not obstacles, but opportunities? God may be using them to reveal our own pride, deepen our compassion, and teach us what real love looks like.

Loving difficult people is not easy, but it reflects the same grace God continually shows us.

Let me leave you with this reflection:
Who in your life might God be inviting you to love with greater patience this week?

See you Sunday.

Reading: Exodus 20:1-17; 1 John 2:3-6

Sometimes we hear the word commandments and think of rules meant to limit us.
But God’s commands were never meant to take life from us. They were given to restore what sin has broken inside us.
The Ten Commandments show us what love actually looks like in everyday life. Love for God isn’t just something we feel. It’s something we live.
How do we show we love Him?
By honoring His name.
By making space for rest and worship.
By choosing honesty, faithfulness, and care for the people around us.
Every command points back to relationship.
When God tells us not to lie, He is protecting trust.
When He calls us to Sabbath rest, He is protecting our souls from exhaustion and distraction.
When He teaches us to honor others, He is building communities marked by love.
These commands were never a way to earn God’s love.
They are an invitation to experience it more fully.
Because real love isn’t just words.
It takes shape in the way we live.


This Week’s Invitation

Choose one of the Ten Commandments that feels especially meaningful or challenging right now, and spend some time with it this week.

Sit with it in Scripture
Read what Jesus says about it, especially in Matthew 5–7.
How does He deepen or expand its meaning?

Look at the heart behind it
What kind of relationship is this commandment meant to protect or restore?
Is it shaping your relationship with God? With others?

Take one small step
What is one simple, intentional way you can live this out this week?

Reflect as you go
At the end of the week, write down what you noticed.
What did you learn about your heart?
About your relationships?
About God?

See you Sunday.

Scripture Reading: Exodus 3–16

We often try to control situations the way the world does, through pressure, fear, or force. Like Pharaoh, we believe strength means holding on tightly and making things happen our way. But that kind of power never brings freedom. It only creates more fear, more striving, and more bondage.

God’s power works differently.

When He delivered Israel from Egypt, He did not rescue them through domination, but through love. He freed them, provided for them daily, and patiently taught them to trust Him. Even when they complained or struggled to believe, God did not give up. He was not in a hurry. He was healing their hearts.

Sometimes we carry the same mindset as the Israelites. We assume we must fend for ourselves, prove our worth, or stay in control. But the good news is this: God does not treat us like a taskmaster. He is a Father who is patient, faithful, and kind.

Today, release the need to control. Trust the God who provides, who is not rushed, and who is gently leading you into freedom.

Prayer
Lord, help me trust Your love instead of relying on my own control. Teach me to rest in Your care and believe that You are leading me into true freedom. Amen.

See you Sunday,

Scripture Reading: Genesis 37–50

Envy has a way of turning our hearts toward comparison instead of love. When we focus on what others have, relationships become transactional. We begin to ask, “What am I missing?” rather than “How can I love?”

We see the damage of this in Joseph’s family, where jealousy nearly destroys their relationships. But through Joseph’s life, God shows a different way. Even in hardship, God’s blessing on Joseph brought good to others and ultimately saved many lives (Genesis 50:20).

This reminds us that true blessing is not about getting more. It is about becoming someone through whom God brings hope, help, and life to others.

Today, ask yourself:
Where might comparison be stealing your peace?
How is God inviting you to be a blessing to someone else?

See you Sunday.

Title: Trusting the Artist
Scripture: Genesis 15:5–6
Michelangelo once described sculpting as removing what does not belong, revealing the beauty already hidden inside the stone. Where others saw a flawed block of marble, he saw a masterpiece waiting to be uncovered.

Sometimes the world feels like that unfinished stone. Broken systems, growing division, and constant discouragement can make it easy to believe that things are beyond repair. Cynicism whispers that nothing will change, that kindness is wasted, and that faith will not make a difference.

Abraham lived in a world like that. When God promised to make him into a great nation, the circumstances did not look hopeful. He was old, childless, and uncertain. Yet when God pointed him to the stars and asked him to trust, Abraham chose to believe. Scripture tells us he “believed the Lord,” which carries the sense that he held on, endured, and trusted even when he could not see how it would happen.

Faith is not the absence of questions or doubts. Faith is choosing to live as if God’s promises are true. It is trusting the Artist when the marble still looks rough.

God still sees beauty where we see brokenness. He is still at work in this world and in us, shaping, restoring, and removing what does not belong. Our calling is not to give in to despair, but to trust Him and participate in what He is doing.

This week, resist cynicism. Ask God to help you see what He sees, and take one small step of faith, believing that He is still creating something beautiful.

See you Sunday.

Telling the Whole Truth
Scripture: Genesis 3:1–7; Isaiah 30:18

It is easy to remember our lives the way we want them to be remembered. We highlight the joyful moments and quietly set aside the painful ones. But healing does not come from selective memory. It comes from telling the truth.

Genesis tells the truth about us. It shows humanity at its highest, created in God’s image and crowned with dignity and responsibility. It also shows us at our lowest, choosing self-rule over trust and control over communion. The Bible does not minimize this rebellion or explain it away as a simple mistake. It names it honestly, because only what is named can be healed.

We often prefer to think of ourselves as mostly good people who occasionally slip up. But Scripture presses deeper. Beneath our good intentions is a persistent desire to be in charge, to decide for ourselves what is right, what is good, and what is best. Like Adam and Eve, we want the benefits of God’s world without the boundaries of His wisdom.

The surprising grace of God is that He does not meet this rebellion with destruction, but with patience. “The Lord waits to be gracious to you.” God is not an exterminator. He is a redeemer. He waits for us to stop defending ourselves long enough to receive mercy.

This week, resist the urge to soften the truth about your sin or to despair because of it. Bring it honestly before God. Repentance is not humiliation. It is freedom. And mercy, not excuses, is what God is eager to give.

See you Sunday.

The journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step.” That quote is a bit overused, but I think it applies. Many followers of Jesus feel like they can barely memorize a verse in the Bible, let alone a whole chapter or book. “I’m not much of a reader,” is a common refrain in our digital world. In fact, it just takes practice. That’s all. Learn one verse. Say it daily. In a week, add another. And another.

But where to start? The Bible is so big! Maybe you have a favorite psalm. Philippians 2 is a great option. So is Colossians 3. Don’t forget the Sermon on the Mount. Take your pick.

Remember though. No matter what part of God’s Word you hide in your heart, it will change you. Memorizing Scripture starts to mess with your thinking (in all the right ways). If you do Colossians 3, it may just come to mind while you’re getting dressed for the day. (Look it up, you’ll see what I mean.)

So, what’s your plan? Whatever it is, make it concrete. Put the verse on your computer screen or on your refrigerator. Make it the first thing you say, when you grab the milk or open up your laptop. Eventually, those 1000 miles start to come off. Go for it!

See you Sunday.

Title: A Light for the Path Ahead
Scripture: Psalm 119:105

Life rarely announces its dangers ahead of time. Temptations often arrive disguised as opportunities. Distractions come wrapped in convenience. And spiritual pitfalls are rarely labeled as such. That’s why Scripture describes God’s Word as both a lamp and a light.

A lamp for our feet helps us see where we are stepping right now. It keeps us from stumbling in the moment. But a light for our path does something more—it allows us to look ahead, anticipate what’s coming, and avoid danger before we reach it.

God has not left us to navigate life blindly. He has spoken. In Scripture, we are given wisdom that shapes our instincts, calibrates our compassion, and steadies our convictions. But that wisdom cannot guide us if we only turn to it in emergencies. The Word must be hidden in our hearts before the moment of decision arrives.

Reading Scripture regularly—sometimes widely, sometimes slowly—forms us over time. It trains our eyes to see clearly and our hearts to respond faithfully. When we steep ourselves in God’s Word, we begin to recognize the snares for what they are and choose a better way forward.

This week, consider how Scripture might be shaping not just what you believe, but how you walk. God’s Word is a gift for today—and for the road ahead.

Prayer:
God, thank You for speaking into a dark and confusing world. Help me to listen, to learn, and to walk in the light You provide. Shape my steps through Your Word. Amen.

See you Sunday!

Find it on our HLWC App under Messages or on our website hlwc.org

* March 6 @12pm - Community Lenten Luncheon hosted by HLWC  
    (Soups needed, contact Laurie Smalley if you can help with this!)
* March 24, 6-8pm  Family Game Night <--Click for more info!

Meet at the church, Sundays from 5-7pm.  Come prepared for games, snacks, and a time of digging into God's word.
For more information contact Zac Smalley.

We are doing an online Bible Study over these winter months.
Contact Brenda Hoffman for more information!

Join us weekly on Thursday nights, 7pm at the church, for a time of fellowship and study.
For more information contact Tom Wessling (518-260-4169)

*Help out a local family by selecting a mitten from the board.  Gifts are due back Dec. 4th.

* Dec 3rd -  Dress Rehearsal @ 10am-12pm
* Dec 10th - Volunteers please arrive at 4:30pm.

*Dec 18 – 6pm Candlelight Service with a  
 Dessert Fellowship to follow. Bring your favorites to share!

You can find it on our HLWC App under Sermons or click the link: Ep.1 God Creates a People to Live in Peace. Join us for our new Series on the Life of Noah. 

Nov. 12th -  Registration is FULL for the the Going Beyond by Priscilla Shirer simulcast.
Contact Brenda Hoffman with any questions.

Join us weekly Thursday night at 7pm at the church for a time of fellowship and study. For more information contact Tom Wessling.

Meet at the church, Sundays from 5-7pm.  Come prepared for games, snacks, and a time of digging into God's word. For more information contact Zac Smalley.

* Drive-Thru Nativity - December 10, 2022
* Christmas Candlelight Service - December 18, 2022
* Family Game Nights -  January through March 2023
* Soup'r Bowl Cookoff - Feb 12, 2023

You can find it on our HLWC App under Sermons or click the link: Ep. 5 Praying for dear life

Deadline to sign up for the Priscilla Shirer streamed event called Going Beyond. Check out this page for more information --> Sign up!  For more information contact Brenda Hoffman.

Join us weekly Thursday night at 7pm at the church for a time of fellowship and study. For more information contact Tom Wessling.

Meet at the church, Sundays from 5-7pm.  Come prepared for games, snacks, and a time of digging into God's word. For more information contact Zac Smalley.

* Drive-Thru Nativity - December 10, 2022
* Christmas Candlelight Service - December 18, 2022
* Family Game Nights -  January through March 2023
* Soup'r Bowl Cookoff - Feb 12, 2023

You can find it on our HLWC App under Sermons or click the link: Ep. 6 The Pure in Heart

We are beginning a new 7-week Book Study on Elijah by Priscilla Shirer on Sept 12.  Pre-registration required. Click here to REGISTER. For more details contact Brenda Hoffman.

Thursday, Sept 1st @ 5:30 PM - Family Fun Day at the Bear Slides in Lake Luzerne.
For more details click HERE.  RSVP to Tom Wessling.

Sunday evenings beginning in Sept. More info coming soon!

Sunday evenings beginning this Fall. More info to come!

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”  - Matthew 20:16

You can find it on our HLWC App under Sermons or click the link: Ep 3 God, Why You Gotta be so Nice?

Sunday, February 6 - 6-8pm  Youth Group will be located at the church.  Contact Pastor Jason or Zac Smalley with questions.

Bible Study on the Book of John, chapter 7 will be held on Tues, Feb 22nd @ 6:30pm. Bring a friend! For more details contact Brenda Hoffman.

Join us Thursdays @ 7pm (at the church). All men are welcome! For more details contact Tom Wessling.

Sponsored Child:  Please pray for our sponsored child, Daniel.  If you would like to help sponsor him, be sure to earmark your offering "Sponsored Child". See Evie Lucia for more details. https://www.hlwc.org/donate/  (Support him online by clicking on Missions, sub-fund Sponsored Child)

Maxfield Food Pantry is in need of the following items:
- Canned Items: chunky soups, mushrooms, beets, spinach, beef gravy, spam, jelly
- Food Items: Crackers (not saltines), Spanish rice mix, 5lb bags of flour
- Non-Food items: laundry detergent, deodorant (men's and women's)

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Matthew 18:1-22

You can find it on our HLWC App under Sermons or click the link: Ep 2 Jesus' Strangely Specific Example of Forgiveness

January is a knockout Sunday month. As of today because of your faithfulness we have already paid down $74,404.47 (since April 2019).

Sunday, January 23rd at the Shambach's House in LG. Check the youth FB page for directions.
Check out more info here.

Join us Thursdays @ 7pm (at the church). All men are welcome! For more details contact Tom Wessling.

Bible Study on the Book of John, chapter 7 will be held on Tues, January 25th @ 6:30pm.
Bring a friend! For more details contact Brenda Hoffman.

Sponsored Child:  Please pray for our sponsored child, Daniel.  If you would like to help sponsor him, be sure to earmark your offering "Sponsored Child". See Evie Lucia for more details. https://www.hlwc.org/donate/  (Support him online by clicking on Missions, sub-fund Sponsored Child)

Maxfield Food Pantry is in need of the following items:
- Canned Items: chunky soups, mushrooms, beets, spinach, beef gravy, spam, jelly
- Food Items: Crackers (not saltines), Spanish rice mix, 5lb bags of flour
- Non-Food items: laundry detergent, deodorant (men's and women's)

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.
Matthew 2:10-11

You can find it on our HLWC App under Sermons or click the link: What Christmas Means

Youth New Years Party is being planned in January. Check back for more details soon!

Join us Thursdays @ 7pm (at the church). All men are welcome! For more details contact Tom Wessling.

Bible Study on the Book of John will be held on Tues, January 25th @ 6:30pm. Bring a friend!
For more details contact Brenda Hoffman.

Sponsored Child:  Please pray for our sponsored child, Daniel.  If you would like to help sponsor him, be sure to earmark your offering "Sponsored Child". See Evie Lucia for more details. https://www.hlwc.org/donate/  (Support him online by clicking on Missions, sub-fund Sponsored Child)

Local Food Pantry: With temperatures dropping, our local food pantry is asking for help with the following items:  all varieties of Chunky soups &  packets of hot chocolate.  See Judy Askins for more information.

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”
Hosea 11:1

Find the most recent sermon under Messages on the App or at this link --> Long Foretold: Out of Egypt

*December 19 - Christmas Candlelight Service @ 6pm.  More info here.

*New Year Party to be held in January. More info to come. Date & Location TBD.

* Haas Family - Praise! Zach has a job and they have an offer accepted on a house.
* Liz Morello - back therapy treatment
* Diane Fana - cancer treatment
* Magdalena & Collette - Twins born prematurely, they are doing well

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
-Isaiah 11:1-3a

You can find it on our app or click this link: Bethlehem, Long Foretold by Rev. Laurie Smalley

*Friday, Dec 3rd - Mark 209 Christmas Concert - More info. 
*Saturday, Dec 11 - "The Gift of Christmas" Drive Thru Nativity 5-8pm. More info

*Sat, Dec 18 - Christmas Party - watch for more announcements

(for students in Hadley & Luzerne). Pick a name off of the tree, buy & wrap gifts by December 12th.  Contact Marion Allan with any questions. 

*Diane Fana - continued cancer treatment, travel to FL
*Laurie Smalley's sister's niece, age 37 - passed away from Covid, left husband (who is also battling Covid) and 2 young children.
*Nancy Kindred - John passed away on Wednesday.  

Funeral for John Kindred 
Saturday, Dec 4 at the Alexander Funeral Home, 3809 Main St, Warrensburg
Calling hours are 11am-1pm. Funeral Service will be conducted at 1:00pm
Burial to follow. For more information you can visit the Alexander Funeral Home Website

"I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God and they will be my people." - Jeremiah 31:33

You can find it on our app or click this link: "I'm Only Responsible for My Own Sin"

*Sun, Nov 21  Community Thanksgiving Service @ HLWC (7 pm)
*Fri, Dec 3rd - Mark209 Christmas Concert - Buy Advance Tickets now!
*Sat, Dec 11 - Drive Thru Nativity

Give a Child a Christmas @ Hadley Luzerne School - More Info to Come

Youth Group is off for the Holidays. It will resume in January.

*Thurs, Nov 23 @ 6:30-8pm.  Bible Study on John Chapter 6. For more info contact Brenda Hoffman.

* Thursdays @ 7pm at HLWC. All men are welcome! For more info contact Tom Wessling.

* Haas Family - transition to new job in Georgia.
* Liz Allan - chronic knee pain, recent MRI on hip
* Liz Morello - back therapy treatment
* Diane Fana - cancer treatment
* Magdalena & Collette - Twins born prematurely, they are doing well

You can find it on our app or click this link:  "God will give me the answer in Heaven."

Sun, Nov 14.  6-8pm at the church. Come prepared for fun, food, games, and a testimony by the Pastor Laurie and Bob Smalley.

*Thurs, Nov 23 @ 6:30-8pm.  Bible Study on John Chapter 6. For more info contact Brenda Hoffman.

*Thursdays @ 7pm at HLWC.  All men are welcome! For more info contact Tom Wessling.

*Liz Allan - chronic knee pain, recent MRI on hip
*Liz Morello - back therapy treatment
*Diane Fana - cancer treatment
*Magdalena & Collette - Twins born prematurely

You can find it on our app or click the link below: The Devil Made Me Do It!

*Diapers & Dinners for the Torinos. Dates available: 11/3. Sign up here.
*Drive-Thru Nativity Volunteers. Contact Daniella Shambach.
*Blanchard Benefit - Donate a basket.  Contact Christina Howe.

* Sun, Nov 14 - Blanchard Benefit @ Longhorn Restaurant
*Fri, Dec 3 - Mark209 Christmas Concert - Buy advance tickets now!
*Sat, Dec 11 - Drive Thru Nativity

*Sunday, Nov 7 - 6-8pm. Location TBD. Come prepared for fun, food, games and a testimony by the Osbornes.
 

*Nov 6  @ 6-8pm:  Ladies Night Out.  Tix Required.
*Nov 23 @ 6:30-8pm: Bible Study (John ch. 6)

*Thursdays @ 7pm at HLWC.  All men are welcome!

Please pray for our sponsored child, Daniel. Donate here. (Click on missions, sub-fund Sponsored Child)

*Liz Allan - chronic knee pain
*Liz Morello - back therapy treatment
*Diane Fana - cancer treatment
*Magdalena & Collette - Twins born prematurely