Christmas 2016 Merry Christmas to family & friends! What a
Christmas 2016 Merry Christmas to family & friends! What a wonderful time to be celebrating and worshiping our God Who loves us so much, and continues to give us so much! God sent His only Son - our Lord Jesus Christ - to be One of us; to be born and experience life as we do, and then to pay the price for our forgiveness and Eternal Life! As we look back at 2016, so many wonderful things have happened! I’ll limit this to just a few things as I use some photos to introduce those few times among the many. At the end of last December we drove to Redding, CA for our oldest grandchild’s 15th birthday on the 31st, a tradition we have kept intermittently over the years. We celebrated Laurie Longanecker’s faithful service to God and our Hansville Community Church family for 15 years as treasurer/ bookkeeper. Thank you Laurie! And thanks to our hard-working staff: Pastors Sam and Locke, Carol Gates, & Marcia Dreyer. And there are so many others who give of themselves above & beyond! We were blessed to participate in our youngest (at the time) grandchild Levi’s dedication in May in Hendersonville, NC, and enjoy several days with son Jason, wife Debby and our NC Grandchildren! Levi is actually Charles V in our family, though we all go by middle names. A highlight for our church family this summer was our outdoor worship and picnic at our Weaver Pass property. The Eglon Community Church family also joined us. It was not a typically warm August day, as you can see from our garb. But, nonetheless, we had a wonderful time as we have made this a yearly event. So many worked so hard and sacrificed much time, effort and other resources to make this a success!
Though this was an off-year for our Pitroff family reunion, those of us in the Pacific Northwest gathered at Mount Rainier National Park for several days of relaxation and enjoyment. This may become another bi-yearly event for us. We are so profoundly blessed with a family who loves us and is willing to take the time, effort and expense to spend time with us. God is so wonderful! He not only provides us with a personal family, but also with a church family we can enjoy and serve with. So many of you give of yourselves in serving so many others in our community and abroad.
(As an update, a few days ago on December 20 our newest grandson, Lorn Russell Pitroff, was born to Ryan & Katie in Olympia, WA. Lorn is our 22nd grandchild). Change is a part of life. A surprising change that we are still dealing with is a flood that surged down a creek behind our house and took out a part of our yard, cedar fence, and half our garden. It also gave us a new 12-foot deep ravine and an enhanced view of the creek. We’re hopeful to build a deck to go out over that ravine after we support the new slope. So many have helped us thus far, and we are so grateful! As we conclude 2016 and look to a brand-new year, may you look to the Lord for His direction, strength and blessing as you serve Him in your family, church family, our communities, and in the many opportunities God presents to you, even to some around the world. Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, to Him be glory... (Ephesians 3:20-21) With Love and Gratitude,
Mark & Mary Pitroff
Though this was an off-year for our Pitroff family reunion, those of us in the Pacific Northwest gathered at Mount Rainier National Park for several days of relaxation and enjoyment. This may become another bi-yearly event for us. We are so profoundly blessed with a family who loves us and is willing to take the time, effort and expense to spend time with us. God is so wonderful! He not only provides us with a personal family, but also with a church family we can enjoy and serve with. So many of you give of yourselves in serving so many others in our community and abroad.
(As an update, a few days ago on December 20 our newest grandson, Lorn Russell Pitroff, was born to Ryan & Katie in Olympia, WA. Lorn is our 22nd grandchild). Change is a part of life. A surprising change that we are still dealing with is a flood that surged down a creek behind our house and took out a part of our yard, cedar fence, and half our garden. It also gave us a new 12-foot deep ravine and an enhanced view of the creek. We’re hopeful to build a deck to go out over that ravine after we support the new slope. So many have helped us thus far, and we are so grateful! As we conclude 2016 and look to a brand-new year, may you look to the Lord for His direction, strength and blessing as you serve Him in your family, church family, our communities, and in the many opportunities God presents to you, even to some around the world. Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, to Him be glory... (Ephesians 3:20-21) With Love and Gratitude,
Mark & Mary Pitroff
