Newsletter for October 14, 2026

Join us as we explore what God’s Word teaches
 us about living faithfully, putting God first,
and making our lives count for His glory.

Supper begins at 6:00 PM, followed by our Family Night study. Come enjoy a meal, fellowship, and discover the stories behind the songs we sing!

Taco Salad and Dessert 

Operation Christmas Child Packing Night

Join us Wednesday, November 4, as we pack our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes! We still need several items—especially toys and fillers—to help fill the boxes.

Items especially needed: Small toys (stuffed animals, toy cars, yo-yos, Slinkies, baby dolls, and Barbie dolls), underwear, socks, and flip-flops.

Please drop donations off outside Jonathan’s office, and plan to join us Wednesday night to help pack the boxes. Every item helps us fill a shoebox and share the love of Christ with a child!

Last year, our church family distributed goodie bags during the Ashburn Halloween Open House—and this year, we’re planning to reach even more families!

Each bag will include candy, information about our church, and the plan of salvation, making this an incredible opportunity to share the love of Christ with our community.

If you or your Sunday School class would like to help, you can donate candy or money for supplies. Please drop donations off outside Jonathan’s office by Sunday, October 25.

Together, let’s shine the light of Jesus on a night when so many families are out and about in our community!

Don’t miss Brother David’s Mid-Week Devotions.
New messages are posted every Wednesday on our media page—take a midweek moment to be encouraged and refreshed in God’s Word.

Budget for 2026 . . . . . . . .  $363,528.00
Tithes Needed to Date . . . . $291,043.42
Received to Date . . . . . . .   $229,132.64
Needed for weekly budget . . . $6,990.92
Tithes Received this week . . .  $3,642.79

Did you know that UPS drivers are strongly encouraged to avoid making left-hand turns? It may sound strange, but believe it or not, sometimes turning left is the shortest way to get where you're going. UPS discovered something interesting. Left turns often require drivers to sit and wait for oncoming traffic. That means wasted time, wasted fuel, and an increased risk of accidents. By planning routes that favor right turns, UPS can actually save time and money, even if the drivers travel a little farther.

Think about that for a moment. Sometimes taking the longer route is actually the better way to reach your destination. How often do we struggle with that same principle in our Christian walk?

We have a destination in mind. We know where we want to go, what we want to accomplish, and how we think things ought to work out. Naturally, we want to take the shortest and easiest route to get there. But God doesn't always lead us down the path we would choose.

When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He deliberately avoided the shortest route to the Promised Land. Exodus 13:17 tells us that God did not lead them through the land of the Philistines, even though that way was shorter. God knew they were not ready for the battles they would face along that road.

The Israelites couldn't see what God could see. What may have seemed like an unnecessary detour was actually God's way of protecting them. The same is true in our lives. Sometimes God closes a door we thought should be open. Sometimes He makes us wait when we are ready to move forward. And sometimes He leads us in a direction that makes absolutely no sense to us.

Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not lean on our own understanding. When we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He promises to direct our paths.

UPS plans its routes based on information the driver may not see. God directs our lives with knowledge and wisdom far beyond our understanding.

The next time life takes an unexpected turn, remember that a detour isn't necessarily a delay, and the shortest path isn't always the best one. Our responsibility is not to figure out every turn along the way. It is to trust the One who knows where the road leads.