Entries from September 2008
At the end of September, 1993, we moved into the parsonage and I began pastoral responsibilities on October 1. 15 years have come and gone. Folk have been baptized and buried. Families have been ministered too, encouraged, exhorted, challenged, and sometimes even chided; but always loved.
Not a day has passed that I haven’t felt inadequate to the task and even an utter failure. Thousands of sermons have been preached, hundreds and hundreds of Bible Studies conducted, and more prayers offered than can be counted. Some have come and some have left. Some were sad when I came and will be glad when I leave and some were glad when I came and will be sad when I leave.
Battles have been won and lost. Souls have been witnessed to without result and others have responded in faith to the call of the Gospel. Preachers have been formed and teachers have been informed. Books have been written and some have even been read and even more amazingly, some have even been enjoyed.
I’ve never asked for a raise and even refused several because they weren’t needed. Some think me overpaid and some underpaid, but for me it has never been about the money, but about the calling.
My family has always felt at home and part of a larger, loving church family.
I’ve learned more than I’ve taught and I’ve enjoyed being here these 15 years. They have, in truth, been the best years of my life. So thanks for being the instruments of God in making these 15 years challenging and enjoyable.
Categories: Church Life
Remember Betty W. She is ill.
Categories: Prayer Request
You can see them here. If you were there and took some you’d like to add, email them to the Pastor.
Categories: Church Life · Photos
Please remember to bring your food for the food drive tomorrow!
Categories: Announcements · Church Life
Please remember Carl M. as he has heart valve problems.
Categories: Prayer Request
I have to confess that I would answer the questions thusly (in the order in which they occur):
No
No
No
As to the last two- if you’re ashamed to be called a Baptist, you shouldn’t be in a Baptist Church.
Categories: Church Life
October 5th- Old Fashioned Day! Wear your old fashioned clothes and bring some old fashioned food and come for an old fashioned worship service and stay for an old fashioned lunch!
There will be a covered dish dinner at the Petros Methodist church on Saturday October 18th at 4pm with any donations received going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation. You are cordially invited to attend.
Categories: Announcements
The meaning of true biblical worship is made clear by William Temple in his masterful definition:
“For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose — and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin.”
When you leave church submitted to the will of God, enflamed with a new love for Him, and utterly unconcerned with self, you’ve worshiped.
Categories: Church Life
His funeral will be held tonight at 8.
Categories: Announcements · Prayer Request
James Porch, executive director-treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention since 1992, will retire in August of 2010. He’s a good guy, a great Baptist, and has served the State Convention really very well. He will be missed and his shoes will be very, very hard to fill.
Categories: Announcements · Church Life
