Pastor Ken Lunsford went to three Easter services and preached at two of them. Then he went home to eat a big Sunday dinner with his children and grandchildren. When they all went home, Pastor Ken took a long nap.
May 7 is Administrative Council meeting at 6:00 pm.
I apologize for getting the time wrong for Community Table last week, it is 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. This is to accommodate the people who want to eat early and get chores around the house done while there is still daylight.
The congregation extends sympathy to the family of Lonnie Jones.
The children’s lesson was given by Laura Leatherwood. Laura talked about Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” and how people used to read about in the newspaper. Mr. Ripley made a book about the strange and amazing things happening in the world. It was such a successful book that radio programs and TV shows were made about it.
Laura then told the children about a disciple called Thomas, “Doubting Thomas.” Thomas would not believe Jesus really was alive and had risen from the grave unless he could see Jesus for himself and put his fingers in the nail holes in Jesus’ hands! Latter on Thomas did see Jesus and Jesus told Thomas to put his fingers on His nail pierced hands. Then Thomas believed. Jesus said “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
“Love and Believe from the Heart” was the title Rev. Ken Lunsford’s sermon. It was gleaned from 1 Peter 1:1-12.
Why do good, compassionate people have tragedies in their lives?
We can turn in the Bible to that little epistle known as I Peter. It was written to Christians who were suffering during a time of intense persecution and intended to give counsel and comfort. It is a letter brimming with hope and confidence in God. St. Peter reminds the readers they were not redeemed “with perishable things like silver or gold but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” We were not saved by our own hand, but by the loved poured out on Calvary. It was love that brought Christ into the world.
It is the love of others in our church family that helps us keep going in our darkest hours.
Here is where hope is to be found; at the center of this universe is a heart of love. So the letter from Peter says, “Fervently love one another from the heart.”