Declaring God's Faithfulness: Reflections on Our Christian Journey

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night… (Psalm 92:1-2)

Dave writes: I grew up in a church that was not “reformed,” but I became more and more *reformed as I read the Bible. I didn't realize how reformed I had become until I was in a Bible study, and someone mentioned that I would probably end up a Presbyterian. To this day, I do not care for altar calls where the same people go up Sunday after Sunday, never truly believing they are saved. This happened frequently in my childhood church.

While I was in the Navy, I became involved with an organization called Servicemen for Christ. We used Campus Crusade and Navigator's Bible studies. Sometimes there were two or three leaders, and we witnessed to both service people and civilians. I found that there were other Christians aboard both ships I was on, but they did not attend Chapel as they were not being fed the word of God there. So, we would meet together to discuss the Bible, and also attend a local church when we were in port.

After the Navy, I studied at Mansfield State College in Mansfield, PA , where I attended an Intervarsity ChristianFellowship group. Our leader was quite conservative in his views. I started dating Elva and began attending her Presbyterian Church when we went home on the weekends. Our pastor was very conservative and reformed in his teachings. So the prediction that I would become a Presbyterian, came true. I eventually started teaching Sunday School.

After graduation, Elva and I married and moved to Canisteo, NY.  I eventually became a Social Studies and Driver ED teacher at Hornell High School. Later I went on to become an administrator for Health and Safety at BOCES in Olean, NY. During this time, we started attending the PCA church plant located at St. John's Episcopal Church, Main St. Wellsville. NY.  We felt we had finally come home. (This congregation re-located to 83 Chamberlain Street, and, five years ago, to our current location at 68 North Main Street.)

We have three children: two daughters and a son. We have also been blessed with three grandchildren. I have taught at our church, and have been a Deacon for many years. I also served as head deacon for several years.

Elva writes: Our family, David, Elva, Melanie, Jennifer, and Matthew, started attending this church many years ago. We had been attending a Methodist church for several years, but felt we were no longer being spiritually fed. Friends of ours, Joyce and Vern Timmer, told us of a new church plant being started in Wellsville. We started attending Sunday afternoons with them at the St. John's Episcopal church building. We had been Presbyterian before we were married, and were very glad to find a reformed congregation. This was over 30 years ago, and we have been very happy to grow with the church. Matthew actually was born after the church moved into its first building on Chamberlain St. He was born in October 1989, and played the baby Jesus in the Christmas program that year, with Jennifer playing Mary!!

We have been blessed to watch the Church grow over the years, and we certainly have been blessed with many dear Christian friends who are committed to spreading God's Word. Dave and I have enjoyed serving the church both through the Deacon's work and teaching. We are happy to have our three grandchildren, Owen, Ryleigh, and Trevor Stuart also growing up in the church.

We are looking forward to the exciting years ahead, watching God's blessings grow The Presbyterian Church of Wellsville even further.

Editor’s Note: Dave and his wife Elva have faithfully served this congregation for many years, in many different capacities and on various committees – Children’s Ministry, Missions, Ministry Committees. In addition to Dave’s service as a deacon and Elva’s work as a Sunday School teacher and in music ministry, they are involved in all sorts of practical work in the upkeep and pleasing-appearance of our facilities.

*Reformed means the doctrines rediscovered during the Protestant Reformation whereby it was established that salvation comes only by God’s Grace alone, through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone, Communicated by Scripture Alone and for the Glory of God Alone.

*ADAPTED FROM OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING OUR NEWLETTER, PLEASE CONTACT THE EDITOR, DOROTHY ACHILLES, AT MDACHILLES@FRONTIERNET.NET