21 Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the Lord. (Exodus 35:21-22; The New King James Version. 1982 Nashville: Thomas Nelson).
This passage is a beautiful description of the response of the people of Israel when God commanded Moses to establish the Tabernacle, the place where God would dwell in their midst and where they could come and worship Him. In recent days this passage has become very real to me as I have watched the tremendous response of the people of God’s congregation here at CCCV as they too have responded to God’s command to establish our new place of worship here in Hagerstown. It has been an awesome thing to watch our folks step forward, without any prodding on the part of our leadership, but willingly coming and making their offerings of service and resources to the Lord’s work. Each and every day seems to be filled with more and more people showing up to do what needs to be done to make the property God has given to us into a home worthy of the worship service that will take place here in the coming months and years!
I have watched mother holding her precious child with one arm while holding a cleaning rag with the other hand, washing down fixtures in the building! I have watched men give up free time in the evenings and on the weekends, to come and do whatever construction and maintenance tasks need to be done. I know of women who have gathered in the building simply to pray over the facilities, asking God to bless the work that will be done there for Him when we finally occupy the facility. And I have witnessed what seems to be an endless Army of God’s people showing up on various days to help move furniture and other items from our present facility to the new facility. All of these people willingly bringing their various offerings to the Lord as He establishes us in this new facility - all of it an act of worship of the God that they love and serve. How blessed I am as a Pastor to see the heart of this fellowship, and how blessed I know God must be as He sees His people respond to His leading as they have! What an awesome work God is doing in the hearts of His people at CCCV!
Congratulations! This is exciting news. I have been praying for a Calvary Chapel in Hagerstown for many years now. It is exciting to see the Lord answer prayers.