Multiply!

Good Morning Church Family!

I pray this finds you well and blessed this day! Yesterday, we concluded our Christians Got Talent Series with a focus on "Multiply." Each of you have been given "talent(s)." As with the Parable of the Talents, each of us have a responsibility to yield a return on those by utilizing what God has blessed us with.

How well will you use yours? Yesterday, we got to watch talent all around the church. At both services, Dave and Lil Griffith used their acting talent to encourage each of us to come to the church picnic on Sunday, September 9 at 1:00 p.m. at the Meridian Vets Club! Dr. Bob Todd also discussed the Mosquito Run this weekend. If you would like to register, go to www.wpaumc.org

At the early service, we heard the always talented praise band! We were also blessed to watch Sydney and Alayna dance after the message. We also welcomed Sara Buffington into membership on Profession of Faith!

At the 11:00 worship, we listened to Marilyn Stephenson on Organ and Deb Pincek on Piano! Our summer hymnsing is in full swing! Thank you all for submitting some of your favorites! The Mens' Quartet sang two pieces during worship! Thanks Jim Sams, Ken Killby and Jon Pincek!

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, September 12! Our new Wednesday Nights begin! Class listings and sign-ups are in the church lobby! More info will be mailed to your home soon. Invite your friends and neighbors! This can be a great community event!

I will be out of town August 16-31. Rev. Hughie Orsborn will be covering for me in case of any pastoral emergencies. His phone number is listed in Sunday's bulletin as well as at the church office.

Have a blessed week church family and I look forward to sharing in ministry with you in September!

It is an honor to serve and lead as your pastor!

Joy, Joy, Joy!!

Blessings Church Family!

This past weekend, we continued our Christians Got Talent Series with a focus on joy! It was a great day of worship at both services! We welcomed back Rev. Mary Grey Emmett and her husband John to Christ Community. They moved from Christ Community just before I arrived in 2011. It was great to be in worship with them!

We celebrated the work of the women who worked on the Sari Bari quilt! We sent it off with a blessing. You can go to www.saribari.com to see it go up for auction in October. We thank the women for their countless hours of work as the monies received through auction will go to Sari Bari in India to help women who have been enslaved in the sex trade, escape and find employment. Mary Ann Hiser headed this ministry and we thank her for her hard work and determination to get this project finished with the ladies of our church and a few other churches.

As we focused on joy, some of our church teens shared their gifts in ministry with us. Sydney and Amy, you were great! Sydney shared her gift of dance and Amy shared her talent of singing. At the 11:00 a.m., Deb Pincek led us with the piano in the first summer hymn sing.

We celebrated the Sacrament of Holy Communion at both worship services and were thankful for this expression of Christ's love for us as we celebrated it with joy. Our Scripture passage centered on Philippians 4:4-9, seeking and experiencing joy even in the midst of life's struggles.

I'd like to thank all of those who worked so hard this weekend on the Rummage Sale. It was a great success!

This weekend will be the last of our Christians Got Talent series as we focus on "Multiply." I encourage you to come and grow with your church family in worship and begin marking your calendars as we get ready for Wednesday Nights beginning on September 12. More information on classes will be coming soon. Stop by the lobby in the church to see some of the classes that will be offered. Each week nearing September 12 will bring more information regarding this new ministry at Christ Community.

Have a blessed week church and know that it is an honor to serve and lead as your pastor.
Jeff