The year 2007 began with celebration. Our second worship service found us standing by the roverbial waters with our newest member Andrew Liddle for his baptism.
This event reminds us of what is probably our greatest strength and cause for celebration. At this time in Bovina we have a great group of children who breathe a lot of life into our congregation. Our Junior Choir program particularly has made a significant impact.
We continue to have upwards of eighteen children participating in this program on a regular basis. In 2007 they worked hard and presented three different pageants throughout the year and in June led the congregation with a program that looked at the various seasons of the church year. The Fall of 2007 saw the seeds of a junior high age youth group planted under the leadership of Margaret Hilson. We have had a few gatherings with several youth attending, including some
new faces.
The Vacation Bible School continued to be an
important part of the happenings over the summer here
in Bovina. We continue to have around thirty youth
taking part in the weeks activities. Sunday School
attendance is up and down. This year we have tried a
new curriculum designed on the one-room schoolhouse
formula and it seems to be working well, offering a
flexible multi-age lesson plan and taking the burden
off of the Sunday School Superintendent to find multipleteachers.
Church attendance can be a little on the light side,
however, when our children present a program attendance
can be upwards of 60-65 people, and as last year our Christmas Eve service was around 150 or so.
I have had occasion to visit Agnes Burns, Mildred
Reinertsen, June Burns, Mary Bathan during their stays
in the hospital. I also had occasion to gather with many
of you at the riverside to remember and commend into
the hands of Almighty God, Valerie Stewart.
I was also blessed to join the Stewart clan for a more
joyous event when at the end of July, Danielle Stewart
was married here at Bovina UP.
The church has many challenges that face all small
town churches, but Bovina UP also has been blessed
with some things that many churches in similar
situations don’t have. We have at this time a great
group of children. We have a financial foundation thanks
to Marjorie Russell. We still play an integral role in the
life of the community. These are significant. What the
future holds nobody knows, but in this time and this
place the church is making a difference and it is a vital
part of this community.
Blessings In This New Year,
Pastor Scott A. Conrad
