Hello Grace Church Family and Friends,
Recently I received a letter from an inmate in the Maryland prison system. Since I do not know anyone incarcerated there, I was somewhat surprised. As you can imagine, I was eager to read it. The writer said he had been in prison since 1995. He was in no way begging me to help get him out. He simply needed someone to correspond with him… he wanted someone to talk to about life and God. “Having a friend would be nice,” were his words. I placed the letter back in my box and picked it up again later and reread it. It made me think; how many other people are there like the writer? The letter halted me in my tracks. I’m certainly going to write him back. The Lord used it to impress upon me the needs of our brothers and sisters within the church. We all need friends . . . people to be our “friends.” I hope you will think about how important your church relationships are. Jesus said that we are identified as His disciples by the way we love one another. In these days I think this is most important!
As you know, last week I completed the JONAH series. If you missed any of the messages, you can go to our Grace Church Facebook Page, “like” the page, and listen to those particular messages. Tomorrow Pastor Jamin will preach in the 11:00AM and 5:15PM services. Please join us, and most certainly pray with us for each service.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: There will be no Sunday evening services for July. We encourage our Sunday School classes to plan fellowship times on these July Sunday evenings. This is a great time to invite your friends and neighbors to join you! Saturdays can also be used for this purpose. Our Sunday evening services will begin again on Sunday evening, August 7th. AWANA will begin on Sunday evening, August 28. Our Wednesday services will not change. We will have some POTLUCK DINNERS on Wednesdays, as we do during the school year. Our Wednesday evening dinners will begin again when school starts in the fall. If you have any questions, please call the church office for more information (252-355-3500).
One final note, join me, Chuck, Jamin and our deacons as we pray for our church and nation in these days of opportunity. As you can see, people are struggling all around us. You, no doubt, know people who need to hear the Gospel and be saved. We all for sure know family members, coworkers, neighbors, and friends who need an encouraging word from the Lord. See these days through the eyes of the Lord. Many people are fearful in these uncertain times. Listen to the Holy Spirit; He will guide you as you reach out to those around you.
The Lord is good! There is no greater joy than to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior! NONE! Thank you for faithfully attending the services. Also, thank you for your generosity in giving. Weekly we hear from our missionaries, thanking us for your faithful financial support. God bless you! You are loved! Isaiah said, Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Jesus is LORD!
Mike and Cheryl <><