"God always has a reason."

He said those words part way through a 2 minute and 57 second news conference yesterday afternoon. "He" is Aaron Thomas. Aaron is the son of Ed Thomas, legendary football coach and beloved member of the Parkersburg community. His players include 100s of kids next door and four NFL stars (including, yes, a Green Bay Packer). Yesterday morning Ed was shot and killed by a former student - while he was with 30 other students lifting weights for the fall season. You can read more coverage here.

The events are a crushing blow to his family, church, and community. We feel our own ties, too. We have sent (and will send) work groups to help rebuild the tornado-damaged homes of a year ago. Several of our families have relatives who live or lived in the area. Trinity son, Gary Hegstad, served at the Reformed Church in Applington. We feel for our sisters and brothers.

But in 2:57 I doubt whether you will hear a better understanding of faith under such circumstances. Aaron was poised, calm, and clear. You get the sense that these were not emotional words to put a band-aid over raw pain. They are words you speak if you have faith that has a deep reservoir. "God always has a reason."

I'm preaching on Joshua 24 this week, and I can't help but imagine Coach Thomas playing the part of Joshua in some locker-room pre-game talk: "Choose this day who you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." I never heard of him until yesterday, but I learned this anecdote from a person who used to live there. She reported that a friend's son was going out for football this year, not because he like football, but because he wanted to be on Ed's team.

The video is posted below. If your computer doesn't show the video, you can view it by visiting www.trinityorangecity.blogspot.com or on You Tube clicking here.





SUNDAY'S COMING

Our series on Stories of Faith from People in the Pew continues this week with Ardie Hegstad. You will be inspired by her story of a wedding gift that has been passed down through the generations and how Joshua 24:14-15 have been a powerful influence on Ardie and Glen's life. Ardie is not able to worship each wekk in the pew with us, but she is an integral part of our family in Christ.






OFF TO HAITI

Rob called this morning at 6:00 a.m. to say the team was on schedule and off for the final stretch to Haiti. All is going well. Thanks be to God!

Be sure to check out the right hand side bar for links to Trinity's website, where you can find the Sunday prayer list and bulletin announcements.

God bless you all,

Pastor Jon Opgenorth