Pastor's Corner - Hope in Christ our King

Dear Friends, Pandemic, riots, death, violence, political unrest, outbreak, safety, social distancing, virus spread, racism, election fraud, sickness... what comes to your mind when you hear these words? What feelings and emotions do you start to experience when you think back on this past year?  It is so easy to become stressed and worried and anxious. All of these things listed above can compound quickly and leave us hopeless and afraid. So what do we do about it? How do we combat this negativity and spiritual warfare that bombards us on a daily basis? There is no doubt that this is a tough time to live in the United States of America. Not in my lifetime do I remember so much unrest and upheaval.  But we need to ask ourselves ... is a stable America where my hope is found?  Of course not! Our hope is in Christ and His return and His kingdom that will never end! As a dear brother shared with me this past week, "I've been so convicted about how I have put my hope in this world and not in the kingdom to come."  What we need, what this world needs right now the most, is Jesus and the Church. Jesus is the King! He is the righteous and just ruler we need. The Church is our King's chosen institution to bring blessing, healing and peace to this fallen world.  Let us not get caught up thinking that a political party or a worldly solution will offer us peace and hope. Only Christ can do that. Let us fix our eyes on the King and His kingdom.  This Sunday we will re-gather for in-person worship as a church. Praise God! Your elders have prayed, wrestled and have strived to implement what we believe to be the safest way for us to regather. Please take a moment to review these protocols. We truly believe these are temporary and are hopeful that in this calendar year, the pandemic will subside and we can begin to enjoy many gatherings and warm fellowship together.  One of the tools that we are hopeful will help us gather and worship safely is masks and/or face-covering. Until this virus has had a chance to run its course, a mask is simply the best tool we have for gathering indoors in our restricted facility. Even if you have had the virus, please alleviate the concerns of others by wearing your mask also.   But most of all, our gathering this Sunday is yet another reminder that our hope is not in this world but in the world to come. Our kingdom is not of this earth, but of an eternal King who reigns in heaven. Thank you all for your prayer and patience as your Session has sought to make the best decisions possible during this unprecedented time. We do not take these decisions lightly. Please continue to pray for wisdom and discernment. Looking forward to worshiping with you this Sunday! By His grace and to His praise, Pastor Wilson

Preparation for Worship - January 17, 2021  This Sunday's sermon:  "A Living Hope: Humble Leadership-Humble Submission" - I Peter 5:1-5 Click here for this week's bulletin. In preparation for the sermon:  "Humility preserves peace and order in all Christian churches and societies; pride disturbs them. Where God gives grace to be humble, he will give wisdom, faith, and holiness. To be humble, and subject to our reconciled God, will bring greater comfort to the soul than the gratification of pride and ambition." - Matthew Henry Hymn of the week: Jesus Cast a Look on Me Catch up on sermons on iTunes. We are LIVE STREAMING! Click here.