Sermons from Fourth

In this post you’ll find the calendar of events for the coming week plus the latest announcements from the ministries of Fourth. Also, don’t miss today’s Midweek Update email. See the footer of this page to subscribe to weekly updates from Fourth Church.

WEEK-AT-A-GLANCEWednesday, November 26
7:30 a.m. | Women’s Ministry Prep Thanksgiving Meal, Upper Room
5:30 p.m. | Congregational Prayer, Online
8:15 p.m. | Middle and High School Band Rehearsal

Thursday, November 27
10:30 a.m. | Thanksgiving Day Worship Service, Sanctuary

Friday, November 28Church Office is closed for the Thanksgiving holiday

Monday, December 18 p.m. | Men’s Proverbs Study, Online

Tuesday, December 27 a.m. | Men’s Breakfast, Upper Room

Ongoing activities: Adult Discipleship, Children’s Sunday School, College Ministry, Community Groups, Congregational Care, Disability Ministry, English Classes, Fourth Night, Men’s Ministry, Mission DMV, Missions Ministry, Music Ministry, Women’s Ministry, Young Adult Ministry, and Youth Ministry.

Congregational CareYarns for Hope
Saturday, December 13, 10 a.m., Room 111
Once a month, we gather to create beautiful, useful items for several church-related ministries. For more information, email yarnsforhope@4thpres.org.

Prayer Request EmailEach week we gather prayer requests from the congregation, providing an opportunity to bring these needs before the Lord. To sign up for this email, go to the Fourth webpage, scroll to the bottom, and click subscribe on the right.

Disability MinistryMoms Support Group
Monday, December 8, 1-2 p.m., Online
This group meets online via Zoom to provide a safe space to discuss topics of mutual interest, share resources, and pray with other moms “in a similar boat.” Our Disability Coordinator, Tricia Han, leads the group.

Dads Support Group
Saturday, December 13, 7-8:30 p.m., Online
We are exploring Another Kind of Courage: Fathers of Families Affected by Disability, which offers encouragement and hope to help men stand strong for their families. Contact Tricia Han for the link to join.

Young Adult Fellowship
Monday, December 15, 4:30–5:30 p.m., Online
This virtual fellowship provides a great opportunity for young men and women (ages 21+) to gather and build friendships through fun conversation, music, and games. Contact Tricia Han, than@4thpres.org, for more information.

Fourth NightFourth Night for 2025 is a wrap! This special midweek gathering of the church family for dinner, classes, and more resumes January 21. For more information, visit the Fourth Night webapge.

GivingOnline giving on Fourth’s website is easy and secure. Go to 4thpres.org/giving.

If you give by check, your check has everything we need to record your gift for tax purposes. An envelope with your name and address is needed for tax credit only when you are giving cash.

Giving envelopes are mailed every three months to those who request them. We are happy to send them if you want them. If you no longer need or want giving envelopes, please email to be removed from the envelope mailing list.

For more information contact Renee Gamache, rgamache@4thpres.org.

Men’s MinistryMen’s BreakfastDecember 2, 7 a.m., Upper Room, $5Men of all ages are invited to gather to share praises, prayer needs, and fellowship over a hot breakfast as Rev. Jules Grisham teaches on “The Call to Holiness.” Reservations are not required. To learn more, visit the Men’s Ministry webpage or email Jules Grisham, jgrisham@4thpres.org.

Mission DMV MinistryRockville Women’s Center Prayer
Tuesday, December 2, 7:30-8:30 a.m., via phone
The first Tuesday of each month, you can call in to participate in First Tuesday Prayer with the Rockville Women’s Center team. To participate, please contact Martin Landazuri for the phone number.

Drive-Through Collection & Food Drive
Saturday, December 13, 10 a.m.-noon, Upper Portico
Drop off nonperishable food, lightly worn clothing, and home goods. We are also collecting baby supplies. View the complete list of most needed items at 4thpres.org/food-drive/. Contact Martin Landazuri, mlandazuri@4thpres.org, for more information.

Women’s MinistryWomen’s Christmas Celebrations
Wednesday, December 3, Upper Room
Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., or Dessert, 7:30-9 p.m.
Please join us for our annual gathering with worship, fellowship, carols, and great food. Our guest speaker is Ann Lee, Director of Music, at Christ the King in Alexandria. She will bless us as she discusses “The Gift of Advent: Be Still, and Know That I Am God.” Please go to our Women’s Ministry webpage for registration, which closes on December 1. If you have questions or need assistance with online registration, please contact Kathy Lofberg, klofberg@4thpres.org, or Suki Dicker, sdicker@4thpres.org.

Young Adult MinistrySecond Sunday Christmas Lunch
Sunday, December 14, 12:30 p.m., Offsite
Enjoy lunch and the chance to get to know other young adults as well as the different Fourth families who open their homes. Details announced by GroupMe or email Robin Dixon at (rdixon@4thpres.org) for location details.

Young at HeartChristmas Luncheon
Friday, December 12, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $5
We invite our 60+ church family and friends to join us for a festive time to enjoy beautiful music, a delicious meal (parmesan chicken, green beans, green salad, rolls/pumpkin bread, orange mousse, and Christmas cookies), and a time of fellowship. Advance registration is required by Sunday, December 7. You can register online or in person at the kiosk in the Information Center on Sundays, November 30 and December 7. If you have any questions, please contact our Young at Heart team at YAH@4thpres.org.

Youth MinistryGirls Advent Devotional
Sundays, December 7 & 14, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, December 17, 6:30 -7:30 p.m.
Middle and high school girls and friends are invited to join Gabbi Heiser and Chloe Mazer for a special Advent devotional study. We will provide the book we will use, The Weary World Rejoices by Melissa Kruger. Contact Gabbi or Chloe to sign up.

Middle School Friday Night Club (FNC)
Friday, December 12, 6:30-8 p.m. $3, Lower Lot Entrance
We invite 6th-8th graders to bring their friends to Christmas Party FNC where there will be plenty of fun and games and a devotional message. Bring a box of pasta or canned good for Fourth’s Collection and Drive-Through Food Drive the next day. For more information, contact Clay Stevens, cstevens@4thpres.org, or Gabbi Heiser, gheiser@4thpres.org.

6th Grade Girls Bible Study
Friday, December 12, 5:45-6:30 p.m., Lower Lot Entrance
The 6th grade girls Bible study will meet before Friday Night Club. For more information contact Gabbi Heiser, gheiser@4thpres.org.

High School The Mix: Christmas Party
Sunday, December 14, 7:30-9 p.m.
Come see your friends sing in The Festival of Lessons and Carols and stay for our pancake dinner (gluten-free options available) followed by a lively white elephant gift exchange! Bring a gift $10 or less to participate. For more information contact Chloe Mazer, cmazer@4thpres.org.

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This year’s class of Fourth Fellows has come from far and wide to take part in Fourth’s nine-month Christian discipleship and leadership program, which seeks to provide young adults with support and a church community that will help them start their professional lives on a faithful trajectory. We hope you get to know them while they’re here; below is a little about each one:

Alice Arnold | Alice is from Knoxville, Tenn., and recently graduated from Furman University with a major in Politics and International Affairs. At Furman, she enjoyed her time in Furman Singers, Chi Omega Fraternity, and Reformed University Fellowship. This year, she is interning at The Center for Christianity & Public Life. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in politics. Alice loves to needlepoint, travel, and sing in her free time.

Andra Constantin | Andra was born and raised in New Jersey and graduated from Princeton University with a B.S. in Computer Science. In her time there, she was an active member of Princeton Christian Fellowship, led and sang with the school’s Christian a cappella group, and worked as a computer science teaching assistant. She loves spending time with others, learning languages, exploring nature, working with children, and experimenting with delicious foods. This year, Andra will be working at a startup as a software engineering intern.

Christiana Hewlett | Christiana grew up in Hollywood, Fla., before attending Samford University where she studied Print Journalism and Environmental Studies. During her time in Birmingham she served on the college lead team at her local church, supported international students as an ambassador and through campus clubs, worked as a photographer for her school publications, and regularly volunteered at a women’s alternative sentencing program. She finds joy in hiking, traveling, writing, and cooking! This year, she will be serving at Rockville Women’s Center, striving to strengthen its community connections through visual and written media.

Jason Hubbard | Jason was born and raised in Boston, Mass. He graduated from Gordon College with a B.S. in Communication Arts and a minor in Marketing. While at Gordon, Jason served as a Senior Residence Advisor across multiple residence halls and was actively involved in the Business Department. He earned recognition in several competitions, placing 3rd in his region in the American Advertising Federation’s annual marketing competition and 1st overall in the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition in California. Jason also broadened his experiences by attending the Praxis Activate Conference in New York City and joining a variety of campus clubs, including rock climbing, kinesiology, beekeeping, jiu jitsu, tea club, and intramural sports. Outside of academics, Jason enjoys competitive games and sports, baking, hiking, helping with the food pantry and youth ministries at his church and going to the movies. This year, he will begin working at a new State Farm location in Bethesda and hopes to continue building his career in sales or commercial real estate.

Maddie Mills | Maddie grew up in the central valley of California (Fresno), and recently graduated from Grove City College with her bachelor’s in Spanish and a minor in Worship Arts. During her years at Grove City, she was the social chair and athletic director for her sorority, Alpha Beta Tau, the publicity officer on the Swing Dance Club executive team and the vice president of French Club. Additionally, she served in leadership on the Chapel Worship Team throughout college and was employed as a worship intern for Gateway EPC. She enjoys writing music, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and creating in ceramics. This year, Maddie will be working as a communications, music and youth intern at Fourth Presbyterian Church.

Mary Frances Vincent | Mary Frances Vincent was born and raised in Raleigh, N.C., and recently graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois, where she double-majored in Political Science and Anthropology. During her time at Wheaton, she served as a Bible study leader for freshmen, was actively involved at Glen Ellyn Bible Church, and served weekly at an intergenerational meal and discussion ministry offering hospitality to fellow college students. In her free time, Mary Frances enjoys baking, reading, traveling, and cheering on the Arsenal Football Club. As a fellow, she will be working with Romanian Christian Enterprises (RCE) and the English Classes program at Fourth Presbyterian Church. She is excited to serve the broader Fourth community and hopes to one day work with and advocate for refugees.

Rafa Albolote | Rafa was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. He is a 2025 graduate of the College of William and Mary, where he majored in Business Analytics (Data Science) and Philosophy. In college, Rafa was a small group leader and large group coordinator for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Additionally, he was an active member of the Christ Fellowship Church of Williamsburg and an inaugural resident of the Cambridge house, the college’s Christian studies center. In his free time Rafa enjoys lifting weights, training Brazilian jiu jitsu, and contemplating the intersection of Christianity and modernity. This year he is an intern for the Institute on Religion and Democracy.

Sally Huang | Sally was born and raised in Ashburn, Va., and graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Wildlife Conservation. In college, she was an active member of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, where she served in leadership and enjoyed building close relationships with other students. In her free time, she loves trying new restaurants, revisiting her favorite movies/books, being outdoors, making matcha lattes, and traveling when she can. This year, Sally is excited to join National Park Trust as an intern on their Youth Programs Team.

Selby Ireland | Selby Ireland is a 2025 graduate of the University of Virginia, where he studied Chemistry. An immunology class Selby took as a first-year student sparked his interest in the subject and has led him to pursue immunological research during his time in college, and has further inspired him to pursue a medical degree in immunology, pathology, or a related field. During his time in college, Selby worked as a researcher at the University of Virginia Hospital within the pathology department, looking to understand how the immune system responds to blood transfusion and how that response differs from the response to vaccines and infections. Selby will be spending this coming year as a clinical associate at Medstar in Bethesda, hoping to deepen his understanding of the clinical side of medicine. Outside of his academic and medical research pursuits at UVA, Selby has enjoyed writing and editing for the Bearings literary magazine and playing chess. While at UVA, he served as a Ken Elzinga Residential Scholar and was on the leadership of RUF. Selby originally hails from Jackson, Miss.

Zach Atoui | Zach, a Boston native, studied Kinesiology at Gordon College, where he cultivated a passion for health, wellness, and athletics. During his time there, he was deeply involved in campus ministries focused on discipleship and spiritual formation, experiences that shaped his walk with Christ, which he describes as indispensable. Professionally, Zach has worked across multiple healthcare settings, including fitness and recreation, physical therapy, and anatomy and physiology instruction. He now serves as a medical assistant at Capital Integral Health in Potomac, Md. Outside of healthcare, Zach enjoys all things outdoors, the arts, and meaningful creative pursuits, as well as relationship-building and networking, cooking, writing, and DIY projects.

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Dear friends in the Lord,

I am exceedingly thankful to the Lord, Fourth Church, the Communication Department, and volunteers for their gift of time and love to make our annual All-Church Serve Day a remarkable success. May God bless you all! I share with you a few comments from our ministry partners and volunteers.

Drive-Through Collection and Food Drive
The food and collections drive was attended by many volunteers and lots of donations came in. The energy of those serving was electric as they received donations of food and household items that were then packed and distributed to those in need. Church partners such as Rockville Women’s Center, YoungLives, Shari and Jose Cuesta (missionaries in Baltimore), and individuals in our community all received provisions that will help bridge the gap they are experiencing from food and job insecurity. What a beautiful opportunity to love our neighbors.

DC 127
Chrissy Weeks, the Executive Director of DC 127, wrote, “…and still grateful, today, that you all came to serve with us yesterday. We had many caregivers tell us yesterday and today that they had a great time, especially the kids. The Lord’s blessings to you all as we head into a new week.”

Comments by Fourth members:

“It was a joy to witness DC127 support so many children and families who are a part of the foster care system. We got to be a part of their Fall Fest, setting up pumpkin bowling, serving lunch, painting faces and more! A beautiful day.”
“DC 127 is a family-friendly ministry. We should serve there more often.”
“DC127 is a step to more participation in our community, a great place for children and families to serve together!”

Central Union Mission
Joseph Mettimano, President and CEO of Central Union Mission, wrote: “Thank you for being such a vital partner in this work. We are deeply grateful for Fourth Presbyterian Church’s friendship, volunteer service, faithful support, and shared vision to see lives transformed and hope received. Thanks again and may God bless you!”

Rockville Women’s Center (RWC)
The RWC Fall Festival was a wonderful event. Volunteers got to connect with the community that RWC serves, and the children had a great time at the festival—the bounce house was a big hit! After the event, RWC let us know that the event had been “a blessing.”

Christ House
The Volunteer Manager of Christ House wrote, “Thank you so much for your presence and your service this past weekend. It was a joy to welcome Fourth Presbyterian to Christ House. I hope you enjoyed getting to work with our kitchen staff, spending time with patients, and learning more about who we are and what we do! I would love to coordinate something else in the future, so please keep me posted about other opportunities for partnership in the future.”

Comments by Fourth Members:

“This is a unique opportunity to embody Christ’s love!”
“Thank you for helping to strengthen and grow my faith.”

I hope that you will continue to pray for our ministry partners and those they serve and seek ways to serve in our community. We look forward to another opportunity to be the “salt and light” in our community.

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In this post you’ll find the calendar of events for the coming week plus the latest announcements from the ministries of Fourth. Also, don’t miss today’s Midweek Update email. See the footer of this page to subscribe to weekly updates from Fourth Church.

WEEK-AT-A-GLANCEWednesday, October 8
9:30 a.m. | Women’s G2G Bible Study with Children’s Program, Various Rooms
5:15 p.m. | Celebration and Covenant Choir Rehearsal
5:30 p.m. | Congregational Prayer, Online
5:45 p.m. | Fourth Night Dinner, Upper Room
6:30 p.m. | Youth Bible Studies
6:30 p.m. | Alpha Bethesda Class, Offsite
6:45 p.m. | Adult Class, Feasts of the Lord, Sanctuary
6:45 p.m. | 4th Night Kids, Nursery-5th Grade, Various Rooms
7 p.m. | English Classes, Various Rooms
7:30 p.m. | Kingdom Choir Rehearsal
7:45 p.m. | Fourth Orchestra Rehearsal, Sanctuary
8:15 p.m. | Middle School Band Rehearsal
8:15 p.m. | High School Band Rehearsal

Thursday, October 9
10:30 a.m. | Thursday Women’s Bible Study, The Commons
6:30 p.m. | Alpha Bethesda Class, Offsite
7 p.m. | DivorceCare, The Commons
7:45 p.m. | Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary

Saturday, October 11
9 a.m. | All-Church Service Day, Offsite
10 a.m. | Drive-Through Collection and Food Drive, Upper Portico
10 a.m. | Yarns for Hope, Room 111

Monday, October 13
1 p.m. | Disability Ministry Moms Group, Online
7:15 p.m. | Women’s Martha Circle, Bethesda/Potomac, Offsite
8 p.m. | Men’s Proverbs Study, Online

Tuesday, October 146:30 p.m. | Alpha Rockville Class, Offsite
7:45 p.m. | Women’s G2G Bible Study, Zoom

Ongoing activities: Adult Discipleship, Children’s Sunday School, College Ministry, Community Groups, Congregational Care, Disability Ministry, English Classes, Fourth Night, Men’s Ministry, Mission DMV, Missions Ministry, Music Ministry, Women’s Ministry, Young Adult Ministry, and Youth Ministry.

Congregational CareYarns for Hope
Saturday, October 11, 10 a.m., Room 111
Once a month, we gather to create beautiful, useful items for several church-related ministries. For more information, email yarnsforhope@4thpres.org.

GriefShare Support Group
Mondays, through May 5, 7–8:30 p.m., Online
GriefShare is a welcoming and compassionate support group offering help, healing, and encouragement for those suffering the hurt of losing a loved one. For more information and to register, visit griefshare.org. Email Noel Bradley at griefshare@4thpres.org with questions.

Congregational Prayer
Sundays, 8:30-9:15 a.m., The Commons
We meet each week to pray for the needs of our church family. Copies of the Fourth Prayer Request email will be provided. Feel free to come and go as your schedule allows. Please note the room change.

Disability MinistryParent GroupsMoms Group, Monday, October 13, 1 p.m., Online
Dads Group, Saturday, October 18, 7-8:30 p.m., Online
Our groups meet online to provide mutual support, prayer, and encouragement for moms and dads of any age children with disabilities. All are welcome. Contact Tricia Han, than@4thpres.org, for the Zoom links.

Young Adult Fellowship
Monday, October 20, 4:30–5:30 p.m., Online
This virtual fellowship provides a great opportunity for young men and women (ages 21+) to gather and build friendships through fun conversation, music, and games. For more information contact Tricia Han at than@4thpres.org.

Men’s MinistryProverbs StudyMondays, 8 p.m., OnlineMen of all ages are invited to join this informal study of Proverbs, chapter by chapter, spurring fellowship and deepening our engagement with God’s word led by Rev. Jules Grisham. Each week we study the chapter corresponding to the date.

Mission DMV MinistryAll-Church Serve Day
Saturday, October 11Mark your calendars, pray, and plan to join us to serve the needs in our community. Go to the Serve Day page and sign up. Our partners this year are:

Fourth’s Drive-Through Collection and Food Drive
Rockville Women’s Center
Central Union Mission
The Christ House
DC 127

Please contact Isaiah Nengean at inengean@4thpres.org with questions.

Drive-Through Collection & Food DriveSaturday, October 11, 10 a.m.-noon
Bring contributions of food, diapers, clothing (socks, underwear, shoes, and boots), and household items in brown paper bags with handles. Donated items go to ministry partners and neighbors in the DMV. View the complete list of most needed items at 4thpres.org/food-drive. For more information, contact SERVE@4thpres.org.

Missions MinistryReception for Kristen Lalley and Thanos Pappas
Sunday, October 12, 7:15 p.m., Halverson HallFollowing Sunday’s evening worship service, come meet and learn about the ministry of visiting missionaries Kristen and Thanos.

Women’s MinistryReformed Reading Group
Friday, October 17, 10:30 a.m.–noon, Room 132
We are studying Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion Book IV, Beveridge translation. Email rtreading@4thpres.org for more information.

Women of the Word Conference and Brunch
Saturday, October 25, 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m., Upper Room
Guest speaker Mary Ann Bell, author and Founder/Director Emerita of Romanian Christian Enterprises, discusses “To Serve or Not to Serve? Living Out Kingdom Ethics.” To learn more and to register, visit the Women’s Ministry webpage, 4thpres.org/women, or email Suki Dicker, sdicker@4thpres.org.

Young Adult MinistrySecond Sunday LunchSunday, October 12, 12:30 p.m.
Enjoy lunch and the chance to get to know other young adults as well as the different Fourth families who open their homes. Held once a month after the 11 a.m. service. Details announced by GroupMe or email Robin Dixon for location details.

Youth MinistryHigh School Grade Lunches
Sundays, 12:15 p.m.
10th Grade, October 12; 11th Grade, October 26; 12th Grade, November 9
We’re taking students to hang out and have lunch. Students are responsible for purchasing their lunch, or they can bring their own. Contact Chloe Mazer at cmazer@4thpres.org for more information.

Middle School Friday Night Club (FNC)
Friday, October 17, 6:30-8 p.m.
Calling all 6th-8th grade students to bring their friends for a night of trivia, snacks, and a short devotional. Pick up your FNC T-shirt! For more information, contact Clay Stevens cstevens@4thpres.org and Gabbi Heiser gheiser@4thpres.org.

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I recently returned from a three-month sabbatical. Many of you have asked what it was like. It was a wonderful time of rest and renewal; a time of unhurried prayer, study, rest, and of connection with God, family, and friends from outside of Fourth.

Sabbatical coaches advise choosing a few ‘themes’ in order to intentionally enjoy the time. My themes were (1) adventures with family, (2) time alone to recharge, (3) communion with the Lord, and (4) creativity – the freedom to think, write, and innovate without the normal constraints of deadlines and daily ministry.

Here are a few snapshots from the summer:

a cross-country road trip to visit extended family and renew old friendships
wrote out Psalm 119 by hand, reflecting on the goodness of God’s word and of joyful covenant obedience
spent deep, focused time with Erin and each of our kids
enjoyed biking hundreds of miles
spent hundreds of hours pondering, researching, and writing about the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I find it fascinating that when God wanted to give perhaps the highest-stakes theological lesson of all time, he did not tell Adam and Eve to sit down and listen to a lecture. Instead, he arranged two trees next to each other, gave the trees intriguing names, and said simply, ‘Don’t eat from that one.’ It’s fascinating! And it says so much about the relationship between God’s word and God’s world, aesthetics, and more.

I feel deeply privileged to have had this opportunity. As I return, my hope is that this season will have shaped enduring patterns of deeper communion in the most important relationships, a greater acceptance of my limits and of God’s gift of finitude, and that sabbaticals at Fourth will not be mere tools for staving off burnout, but will be part of a healthy culture of work, rest, and sustainable rhythms in the life of the church.

I want to thank the entire congregation for this gift. Special thanks are due to Session for establishing the sabbatical policy, to my fellow pastors for carrying the extra burden of preaching, teaching, and congregational care, and to staff and volunteer teams, especially the teams working with fellows and young adults. I was blessed by returning to a community of young adults that is stronger than ever, and more engaged in the life of the church than at any time during the past eight years. Likewise, wonderful efforts from the Fourth Fellows team this summer ensured a healthy sixth class of fellows and a great launch this year. I am encouraged by the shared leadership that emerged and continues to emerge. Thank you!

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Serving and PlayingThis August, a team of 11 college-aged young adults and leaders journeyed to Romania together to help lead a week-long summer camp for children whose families are served by Romanian Christian Enterprises’ poverty prevention program. The week of camp was filled with so much fun. Every day started with us leading morning exercises before breakfast, followed by our morning meeting with singing and testimonies and talks on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This was a wonderful way for us to share the gospel with the students.

We also played camp-wide games: One of the kids’ favorite games was the water balloon toss, which often ended in a fun free-for-all. We then ate lunch together and filled our afternoons with free-time activities, more games, and off-site excursions including trips to a local country store, a pool, and according to our Romanian friends, the world’s biggest bench.

Investing in FamiliesIn the evening, after dinner, we sang songs in both Romanian and English, and one of our missionaries continued our talk series about the Sermon on the Mount. Then we watched a video of cabin inspections from earlier that day and chose a prize winner for the cleanest cabin. To end each day, we all sat around a huge camp bonfire and listened as the kids sang songs and recited Bible verses. When camp concluded on Friday, we had the privilege of dropping off some of the kids and meeting their families. It was such an honor getting to speak with the moms and dads of kids with whom we’d just spent the previous week.

Work and WorshipThe next day was our construction day. We helped build fences around what will be housing for semi-independent young adults with special needs. Later that day, we were able to visit more ministries run by RCE and that night we were guests at a family’s home for an amazingly delicious traditional Romanian dinner.

One added bonus to our trip was that we were able to see and work alongside two Romanian college students who previously served as Fourth summer staffers, one of whose family hosted our Friday night dinner. To finish our time in Romania, we were blessed to run a Sunday morning worship service for kids with disabilities. We sang songs for them and told stories about Jonah and David. Our mission trip was an incredible experience for everyone involved, as God continually demonstrated his power and presence. His faithfulness to his work, done through the power of his Spirit found in us, was what made this trip such a success.

The Power of PresenceHere are personal accounts from two of our participants:

“During my second time in Romania, I truly started to understand how we impact these kids. During our time at Friendship Camp, I was able to see how much the small things meant to these kids. Between playing at the pool, the water balloon toss, the blow-up slide, and the hours we had as free time, all the kids wanted to do was be with us Americans. It didn’t matter if we could understand each other’s languages; our presence was enough. God’s grace and mercy were at work within the time spent and actions, not words said. Later in the week at the Darius House, our team led a Sunday morning worship service. It was there, while singing with these kids, that one little girl got up, grabbed my hands, and danced with me. She didn’t understand the lyrics we were singing with her, but that didn’t matter. The Holy Spirit was at work through our team; this girl felt comfortable enough to dance with a bunch of strangers who did not speak her language. The Lord continues to use this mission trip and our church to show these kids, both at the camp and the group homes, that they are loved and that they are cared for. Our time in Romania showed these kids that no matter what has happened in the past or what happens in their home, we love them and so does God.

—Gracie O’Halloran, college sophomore

“Friendship camp was awesome! The kids all enjoyed it so much, and it was an amazing experience for both them and our team from Fourth. Their constant smiles and joyful laughter were a testament to the joy of the Lord that was present throughout camp. Seeing the homes where some of the kids live was very eye-opening and made their smiles and joy even more inspiring because of the poverty they live in. Nightly bonfires were a great time to gather around and remind ourselves why we were all at camp, as kids would sign up to recite verses and songs they had memorized in front of all of their friends. At the end of every day where we were hanging out with kids and treated almost like celebrities, we were reminded that the purpose of our trip, of camp, and of RCE as a whole is to reflect the character of Christ.”

—Charlie Malkus, college sophomore

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Building on its experience from recent years, Fourth’s Youth Ministry participated in two mission trips again this summer: Our rising 8th graders lovingly served inner city kids in Baltimore and rising seniors traveled to Puerto Rico to work with children attending Vacation Bible School, which coincided with Fourth’s own VBS and afforded the opportunity for a virtual VBS connection! Read about their accounts here:

A Heart for the Lord“For the 8th grade mission trip this summer our team traveled to Baltimore to serve at The Christian Community Center, a Christian ministry created to spread the gospel throughout Baltimore by hosting men’s and women’s Bible studies, a Christian after-school program for children, and a Christian homeschool co-op. Our 8th graders served at CCC’s summer children’s program, learning throughout their service that the love of Christ can be shared in many different ways, even through a simple basketball game or playing “hair salon” with a group of young girls. Each night we gathered together for a Bible study on service, examining scriptural teachings on our calling to serve, why we serve, how to serve humbly, who we serve, and using the gifts that God has given us in our service.

Our team was blessed to have Christ-like service modeled to us in every aspect of our trip. We were graciously hosted by Chris Garriott, the Pastor of Abbott Memorial Presbyterian Church, who gave us full access to the Abbott church building, as well as his own home. We were also warmly welcomed by Tom Homans, the Director of CCC, who exemplified the joy that is found in serving Christ and others. Throughout the week, we were blessed to watch the 8th graders come together as a team, encouraging each other in weak moments and celebrating with each other in joyful moments. We watched our 8th graders diligently engage in scriptural study and prayerfulness, with each of them recognizing the importance of relying on the Lord’s strength for each day.

We were encouraged to see the 8th graders grapple with the idea that ordinary service is just as impactful as extraordinary service, learning that true service is not found in the task being done, but in a heart for the Lord that puts the needs of others above your own desires. We are looking forward to the ways that our 8th graders will take what they have learned this summer and apply it to their own leadership within the Middle School Youth Ministry.”
—Gabbi Heiser, Middle School Coordinator

Vacation Bible School Connection“Our rising seniors served as VBS leaders alongside their Puerto Rican counterparts at a fellow EPC church, Iglesia Presbiteriana Westminster, just outside of San Juan. That week, our students helped with Bible lessons, crafts, sports, and music, as well as the camp’s opening and closing VBS songs and skits. This year, our seniors served as the highlighted missionaries during Fourth’s VBS, which was such a great way for Fourth’s VBS students to get a sense of what our seniors were doing as well as provide a picture of what they could be doing themselves in just a few years.

Additionally, this year was the first time IPW invited fifteen kids from a local group home, with which the church has an ongoing partnership. Having these kids there this year was such a wonderful reminder of God’s good grace as well as his heart for those the world so often forgets about and pushes out to the margins of society.

We stayed at the Puerto Rico Christian School again, sleeping on air mattresses and eating most of our meals in the school cafeteria. We were blessed by the school’s willingness to host and serve us. We also had the opportunity to worship at Iglesia Presbiteriana Westminster both Sundays we were there. The final Sunday we were able to be part of the VBS celebration the church held during the service for the kids, their families, and all of the leaders, including us! I’m very proud of the ways in which our seniors served on their mission trip this summer and we’re looking forward to our rising seniors following in the footsteps of seniors who came before them, building on that foundation and taking up the mantle of going into the world and proclaiming the gospel.”
—Rob Henneberg, Director of Youth Ministry

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Sermons from Fourth: Recent Episodes

Fourth Presbyterian Church