Prayer for the New Year

Tonight we will have a time of prayer for us individually and as a congregation. Let’s spend a little time reviewing 1997. It is enjoyable to go back and reread bulletins. Events come and go and without such a record many events would be forgotten. We averaged 208 for Sunday morning attendance.

An exciting class for our children took place early in 1997. Taught by Samuel Clark, Keith Lape, and Kris Shipley, this class emphasized worship.

Randy Curtis got a job.

Beuran Hicks had a couple of surgeries and we were able to see the power of God at work in his body.

Cannons came home for a furlough.

There was a golf tournament for the Cannons. Jimmy Stewart planned and organized it.

Family Festival took place, along with Ladies Retreat and Men’s Retreat.

LaVicie Murphey celebrated her 100th birthday.

We raised $4800 for the Crowsons, and held the 12th Annual Hot Dog Feast. There was a Zoo Trip for International Children and Laps for Agape.

Allen Wagner and Stephen Heffington raised over $1600 for MACS through a golf tournament.

Readings at Sea Isle and Dinners on the Ground were held. Girls and Boys Life Groups had various activities.

Youth Activities included Parent-Teen Retreat, Wilderness Trek, Mission Trip, and Work Camp plus devotions and fun times.

Hannah Farris, Gabriella Castiglione, Jessica Cannon, Penny Weathers, Han Nguyen, and Lisa Barber were baptized.

The Arnolds, Bodkins, Debbie Bargo, Freeda Perkins, Debra McMahan, Fowlers Delora Tidwell, Candy Rich, Brian and Sandy Stewart, Hesselrodes, Marion Matheson, and Lauri English placed membership.

Anna Katherine Rogers, Camilla Holland, Sarah Brooke Stewart, and Harper Vance Wagner were born.

I have asked Bob Forrest to offer a prayer expressing thanks for the events of 1997.

Looking Forward

Now let’s look forward to the new year. While none of us can predict the future, we can think about where we would like to improve. This is the whole point behind resolutions. I try to make a few each year as I am sure many of you do as well. We all need goals. We all need something to shoot for. Personally and collectively, where do we want to be a year from now? Only you can answer that question personally.

Congregational goals are a bit harder to define. I hope in the next year we continue to show faithful patience as we await elders. I would hope that we would learn a bit more that worship is not a series of acts done only on Sundays, but that it is a way of life. I would hope that we would learn more of what it means to fellowship with each other. I would hope that we would learn more to appreciate our diversity in Christ. I would hope that we continue to center on Christ rather than preferences. These are difficult to measure, but they are real.

Let’s pray for God to help us meet our goals for the year personally and collectively. He already knows where we will be a year from now. Let’s seek his guidance and wisdom as we allow him to lead us.

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