The Pastor’s Piece – Pastor Kevin Cernek, FCFI Chaplain

FCFI
August 30, 2026

We’ve taken on a big project out at Martintown Community Church. We’re adding a large (for us) addition of a new sanctuary/worship center complete with a fellowship hall, offices, bathrooms, classrooms, and nursery. The new building is being attached to the old building, which was built in 1879. It took a little extra work to make that happen but when all the dust settles, it will be worth it. We spent two years specifically trusting the Lord that the financing would come in and God’s people responded with enthusiasm and generosity, and we met our goal and have now started the work. The footings are in place – close to 100 yards of concrete were poured for them alone (94 to be exact). Forms are now being set for the walls, which go on top of the footings. The walls will be poured next.

There is a lot happening and a lot of coordinating taking place making sure everything is in the right place and new supplies arrive in a timely manner. Martintown has become Busy Town, USA. Machinery, trucks, and people converge there each morning and spread out on the worksite like ants at a picnic. The sounds of construction fill the air. Hammers pounding, diesel engines roaring, trucks backing up to the steady beep beep beep of their warning systems and people talking above all the noise. I see why there are so many children’s books written for little boys related to big construction equipment. Most of us men are still little boys inside anyway. 

On another note, my wife and I had a friendly encounter with an old friend the other day. We were tree shopping on a tree farm in Wisconsin. The owner took us out in his side-by-side to show us the trees he had available for sale. During our tour, we discovered that the tree farm owner rented some of his farm land to a family we know from when our children went to Christian school together in Galena, Illinois. Our friend has a very unique salvation testimony that he has shared with us on more than one occasion. Years ago, when he was buying a Harvestore silo for his farm, the silo salesman was a Believer and he was also a messenger sent from God. He led our friend to the Lord right there on a grassy knoll outside his barn where the new silo was to be constructed. Our friend then introduced his wife to his new-found Savior. She then gave her heart to Jesus and their five children soon followed.

So, during our tree farm tour, the owner mentioned his neighbor by name. We immediately recognized the name. I asked our free-spirited tour guide (who had no discipline of language or otherwise), if he had ever heard our friend’s testimony of faith on how He came to “give his heart to Jesus.” He said no, he hadn’t, but he “would sure like to.” Those were his exact words. About that time, we saw our friend in a distant field picking up big square bales of hay from his rented land. Our new tour-guide-friend asked if we wanted to go say hi. Of course, we did, so he took us over to him. The reunion was fun with a lot of laughing and catching up.

Finally, I mentioned to our old friend that our new friend wanted to hear his testimony of faith. Our new friend interrupted by asking if we went to the same church? Our old friend said: “No, Kevin has his own church. He’s a pastor.” Our new friend was unphased. He then asked a few questions and our old friend invited him to go to church with him “sometime.” At which point my wife invited him to Martintown. Then, our new friend was in a dilemma. He didn’t know which church to go to. That’s when I said, “There are four Sundays in every month. That’s plenty of time to visit both!” Hilarity ensued and it was time to part ways.

A couple of trees were purchased, some hay was moved, a new friend was made, an old friendship renewed, and the seed of God’s Word was planted in a man’s heart. God is good. Life is good.

Psalms 96:2-4: “Sing to the Lord, bless His name. Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the Lordis great and greatly to be praised.”

(Kevin Cernek is Pastor of Martintown Community Church in Martintown, Wisconsin.)