solomonswords

Life Changes

By

Pastor B.J. Knefley

Life, in case you haven’t noticed is in constant flux. Every breath we take gets us that much closer to our last. I know we don’t want to think about it, but it’s true simply because it’s life. You would think that we’d be more mindful of how we spend today knowing that it might be our last today.

One of my granddaughters recently learned that she was expecting their second child. It wasn’t planned or even considered as a possibility. One was enough, or so she thought. The question of whether it was going to be a boy or girl became a hotly discussed topic. Her son wanted a brother, but it seems that there were other plans. When it came time to reveal the gender, it was quickly found to be that of a girl. Although I’m excited for her, I know that it will be an adjustment for her and her family. Such is life.

Even I and my wife are facing life changes. For the past year I have been serving as an Intentional Interim Pastor at a church in my area. It has been a great ministry over this past year, full of life challenges and struggles. Excitingly, they have called a new pastor who is expected to take over the first part of 2025. My life will change as I will settle into new routines, some of what will mean traveling to different parts of the country and visiting family and friends who I haven’t seen in a while. I will get up in the morning without a place to go, another new experience., Life changes for all of us.

Some fear the changes of life. Although many of these changes we can’t control, we will always have the power of how we respond to these changes of life. It is always about our view of life and our responses. Too often we don’t respond but rather we react. React with fear, worry, anxiety and other such emotions that will only cripple us from learning and growing through the experience. Personally, because I see my life as having a purpose, I will even understand the changes of life as having a part in that greater purpose. Doing so gives me hope in the moment. Think about it.

December 14, 12pm-3pm–Santa in the Shay: Santa will be in the cab of our Shay locomotive to listen to all your holiday requests. Take an instant pic with St. Nick and make a special ornament for your tree. Cookies and hot cocoa will be served in the museum program room.

Cattaraugus Co. Sheriff: Travel Advisory CANCELED. Conditions have improved. There is a Lake effect snow warning in effect until December 7 at 4AM. Details at weather.gov/buf. Information as of 12/5/24 @ 9:15PM

Thank you to all of our Farmers Market supporters. Due to the snowy and frigid weather, THE MARKET FOR THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH HAS BEEN CANCELLED. Stay warm and safe.

*  Beginning in January 2025 the Farmers Market will be the first Saturday of each month until May. The Saturday dates are January 4, February 1, March 1, and April 5.  May 2025 the market will again be on the square

*  Market times have been established after many trial times over the years.  If you are not able to visit us and would like something particular from one of the vendors, please contact them directly.  They are willing to try to accommodate your request.

 *  If you are interested in joining the market this year or have any questions please contact …. Netra Baker, 814-598-0649 netrabaker@hughes.net]

The Annual Advent Ministerium Luncheons will be held on Wednesdays from noon until 1:00PM.  Everyone is invited to attend even if you can’t afford the free will offering.  The money that is collected is used throughout the year to help emergency situations in the community. 

 December 11th, the luncheon will be hosted by Park United Methodist Church located adjacent to the Court House.

December 18th will be at St. Eulalia’s Roman Catholic Church.

All luncheons begin promptly at noon!  Please come for the fellowship and good food!

ON 12/01/2024 BETWEEN 0230 and 0330 hours

MALE PICTURED BELOW IS A SUSPECT IN A THEFT OF COIN MACHINE WHERE APPROXIMATELY $1100 DOLLARS WERE TAKEN FROM “BRADFORD SOAP BOX” LAUNDROMAT.

BCPD OFFICERS ARE ASKING THE COMMUNITY FOR HELP IDENTIFYING THE SUSPECT.

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL 814-887-4911 or MESSAGE US ON FACEBOOK

The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources this month announced $5,218,900 in grant awards for organizations and projects across the 13-county PA Wilds Conservation Landscape region that help to advance local efforts to grow the region’s tourism and outdoor recreation sectors in a sustainable way.  

The investments were selected through a statewide competitive process as part of the Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2), a grant program DCNR administers annually. 

This year’s C2P2 grants in the PA Wilds region cover a range of projects and partnerships, from providing funding for regional organizations that are helping to coordinate outdoor recreation, tourism and heritage development partnership networks, programs, mini grant programs and other critical capacity, to specific projects in individual communities related to stewardship, planning, and developing tourism, recreation and heritage assets. 

The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship (PA Wilds Center) received two grants totaling $406,000, to support its work coordinating the PA Wilds programs and partner networks, as well as to undertake key projects, such as standing up a bike rental/share operation in Marienville along the Knox-Kane Rail Trail;  increased messaging around planned maintenance at the Kinzua Skywalk, a major attraction in the region; and undertaking the first of seven visitor-oriented recreation maps of the region, which the Center is developing in partnership with local communities and PA-based Purple Lizard Maps, a premier recreation mapping company with distribution across the Mid-Atlantic Region.