UNEXPECTED OVERNIGHT WITH OUR AMERICAN FOUNDERS!

Your missionary to Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, Rob Schenck, reporting:

Last night I spent an unexpected evening with our American Founders in the city that so much captures them and their vision for the future of the country--Philadelphia. The "City of Brotherly Love" is a great place to visit. Sadly, nights in "Olde City," the historic district, are plagued by petty crime and drunken college students. The City has a lot to do to make it more inviting. Still, I love to come here.

I didn't plan to stay in Philly last night, but after a full weekend of ministry, I was spent! As you know, I normally do a full week of demanding program in Washington, then head out to speak at a church most Sundays. This week it was a little more. Our wonderful friends, Pastor Kenneth Barney and his wife, Ellen, celebrated 30 years of pastoral service and 20 years at the New Antioch Baptist Church in Randallstown, Maryland. (See above photo.) Pastor Barney and I have traveled the world together and shared many meaningful experiences. Last year I taught a 10-week series at the church entitled "Thinking Biblically.) My wife, Cheryl, loves Ellen very much and appreciates their shared commitment to serious and life-changing counseling ministries.

New Antioch Baptist, the congregation that the Barneys have nurtured from literally zero members to several thousand, is one of the leading Gospel-preaching, Bible-Believing churches in the Metro Baltimore / Washington area. It is also one of the shining stars in the long history of the African-American church in the Capital Region. And when New Antioch throws a party, they really go and go . . . and go! Saturday night's bash was still going after I added my tribute to the Barneys at 11:00! (See again above.) After that I drove 2 1/2 hours to the northern Philadelphia suburb of Bensalem where I was schedule to preach twice at the Christian Life Center the next morning. The night was short, and, as my dad used to say when I was growing up, I had to "sleep fast!"

The time with Pastor Del Smith and Christian Life was so rich in God's presence and their warm hospitality that I hardly felt the five-hour night! But by the time I hit Route 95 on the way back to Washington, I was gone! I learned a while ago, it's wiser to stop than fall asleep at the wheel, so I pulled off at this Grande City and stayed the night in lovely Society Hill near Penn's Landing. (Thanks to priceline.com, it was even affordable!) Monday usually starts early with my regular breakfast group in the U.S. Capitol, but not today . . . I slept in to 6:30 and will head back to Washington this afternoon.

For now I'm getting caught up on all my E-mail and blogs. Your friendship is always on my mind and heart. Love you in the Lord!

Rob

Rev. Rob Schenck
Faith and Action
www.faithandaction.org
109 2nd St, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-546-8329