Pastor Bob Ripley
“Onward Christian Soldiers” rings through my head as I think about what our PebbleCreek Community Church has been doing the last several months as a faith family. On Dec. 9, we had our first live service in nine months. We celebrated a Christmas worship gathering at the Bullard Wash Amphitheater behind the Staples building, gathering outside, following social distancing guidelines, and wearing our masks. We enjoyed celebrating the Christmas season and having Communion together. Additionally, we continue to worship together at home, due to the COVID restrictions on the use of the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom. Each Sunday our worship service video is posted to our church website at www.churchpcc.org, and we invite everyone to join with us.
December of 2020 marks the official 25th anniversary of PebbleCreek Community Church. While we had various activities planned for this special occasion, COVID-19 changed most of those. Our trustees, however, did put together a plan to purchase some new benches for our community as a 25th anniversary gift. With the approval of our HOA, the end result was eight new benches being placed around the community for all to use and enjoy. We have continued to be active when and where we can and are ready to help meet the needs of those within our community and the surrounding area.
Our Missions Committee has been active with our hands-on mission activities by participating in the Agua Fria Food & Clothing Bank Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner baskets, which helped provide meals for 450 and 850 families who were in need of food and toys for their families during this holiday season. Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Ministry was much different this year with no big packing party to fill shoe boxes. We did a great job, however, as individuals packing shoe boxes at home and online totaling 857 boxes packed. They will be going to over 110 countries around the world and to our own Native Americans here in Arizona and other states in the U.S.
My wife, Peggy, and I wish all of you the joy of this Christmas season. May we all make memories that we will cherish for years to come. While Christmas 2020 might not be all you anticipated, may joy and peace be yours overflowing, and may God bless each of you, our PebbleCreek neighbors.
PebbleCreek Community Church is a non-denominational church that meets in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom (when the building is open again) with website services starting each Sunday morning at 9 a.m. on the church website at www.churchpcc.org. We invite everyone to join with us in some manner on Sundays or through one of our 15 Bible studies held on various days, some via Zoom and others in person with appropriate distancing. Information is available on our website and everyone is welcome to join in our activities.