Author: janicevance

Summer has been in full swing for over a month now.  We have had a successful VBS, a great week for the children at Bible Camp, and good participation for the teens at MYM.  Since returning to one worship assembly on Sundays, our attendance has been encouraging.  Our Sunday evening Bible classes have been well-received.

Still to come is our annual gospel meeting July 23-25!  This year, Bryan McAlister from the Walnut Street congregation in Dickson, will be our guest speaker.  Many of us remember Bryan from when he was our 5^th Sunday speaker in March 2019.  The elders want to encourage you to make plans to attend this time of worship and fellowship.

How astounding it must have been for those disciples who followed Jesus day after day around Palestine, listening to the words he spoke, observing the miracles he performed, and witnessing the life he lived!

Even with all they saw and heard, many of Jesus’ disciples did not grasp who it was walking before them.  They obviously knew they were in the presence of someone special, even someone sent from God, but they did not fully understand the mission and purpose of Jesus.

After Jesus was crucified and was resurrected, the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, and they began to preach the whole gospel of Jesus.  Men inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote books and letters about the life of Jesus and His church.  These books and letters became the New Testament as we have it today.

Because we have access to the New Testament, we can know who Jesus is, what He has done for us, and what His plan is for us.  The whole counsel of God has been given to us, let each of us be diligent in reading and studying that precious book.

With each passing week, it is wonderful to see more faces we’ve not seen in a while. Hopefully, we will soon be past this pandemic, and everyone will be able to assemble together once again. Please don’t be lax in protecting yourself and others because we are still at risk; however, vaccinations and lower infection numbers should make us feel a little safer. If we can get out in public to shop and eat, we can surely come to worship God.

Our Sunday morning seating is now much like it was pre-COVID. But, for those who are still a little leery of such closeness, please join us on Sunday evenings for Bible classes when more space is allowed. There is no general assembly in the auditorium – we go directly to our classes for 45 minutes – and we have classes for everyone. There are two regular adult classes, a young families/young adult class, and a college-age/young adult class plus a teen class and classes for the younger children. The Lord’s Supper is served in the auditorium after the first bell is rung. We all need to feed on God’s word so please join us this Sunday evening at 6:00 P.M. and again on Wednesday evenings at 7:00.

I have been encouraged by those who’ve told me their faith is stronger because of the pandemic. That really doesn’t surprise me when we’ve had to rely so much on His providential care. Perhaps the chorus of this old hymn expresses what has happened!

One step at a time, dear Savior,

Till faith grows stronger in Thee:

One step at a time, dear Savior,

Till hope grows stronger in me.

Look forward to seeing you this Lord’s Day!

The saying goes, “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” Who you surround yourself with is a big deal! We preach that message to our children and teenagers, but we adults shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking we outgrow this truth. “Bad company ruins good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33) applies to every age, every social class, every culture, and yes, every Christian.

Ultimately, we hear these things repeated so often because the power of influence is that powerful! Psalm 1 reminds us we are blessed when we handpick our closest friends from those who don’t walk in sin or scoff at righteousness. The Apostle Paul says, “Therefore do not become partners with them;for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light . . .” (Ephesians 5:7–8). He begins with “therefore” because he has just told us that God’s wrath is coming for those who live in disobedience and rebellion toward God. You and I must take seriously who we find companionship and comradery with because Christians should never fall into ranks with those who displease God­–because we are changed people who now live in the light.

This is one of the most apparent lessons we learn from Lot and him settling in Sodom. It seems Lot brings terrible pain and depravity to his house by choosing to live in the midst of wickedness. After seeing the fate of his wife and his morally bankrupt daughters, I wonder if Lot had regrets about who he chose to surround his family?

As we think about our own lives, who are our friends? Whose voices do we hear and whose actions do we see? Who are the people we are bound to become?

            It is so wonderful to be worshiping together once again! Before the pandemic hit, we took this for granted. Hopefully, we will never do so again. VBS gave us the occasion to visit and get acquainted again. To see the smiles and hear the conversations made me realize how hungry we are to resume our fellowship. While our new “normal” is different, I hope we will seize every opportunity to worship and study together on Sundays and Wednesdays.

            Our gospel meeting with Bryan McAlister is just around the corner so please reserve those dates on your calendar – July 23-25!

            While we wish you a Happy Father’s Day, every Sunday is our Father’s Day!

Students are out of school and our congregation is racing into summer activities. We have already celebrated our seniors and have moved up the upcoming 7^th graders into our youth group. It’s exciting to think about all the growth that our seniors have experienced in their time with our youth ministry and all the growth that our 7^th graders will experience in the years to come.

It’s our hope that these seniors leave knowing God’s will for them, “their sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3) and that they will continue to live for Christ as they enter college and/or the work force. It’s also our hope that as these 7^th graders enter the youth ministry, that they not only learn God’s will for them but also embrace it, becoming a more active part of God’s family here at Walter Hill.

Perhaps, one of the greatest lessons our seniors have learned is the importance of God’s church. This lesson has been taught in the way we care for one another as a church family. They have seen you care for one another in good times and in times of tragedy. You have also taught them through investment; from donating snacks for CYC, asking them how they are, or even teaching their Bible class. You have shown that they are a valuable part of the church. You have demonstrated that God’s people, the church, want to make a difference in each other’s lives and that it’s extremely possible. Thank you for investing in our students who are leaving the youth group and thank you for your continued investment in the lives of our students who are just joining us.

It’s my hope and prayer that parents of all aged children recognize the value that our family here at Walter Hill can bring to the lives of their children.

Wesson is at the age we let him make his own choices. Generally, it’s “Do you want to wear this shirt or this one?” or “Would you rather have this Paw Patrol toy or Spider-Man?” As he grows up more, the choices will become more important and more varied. Instead of holding two simple options, he may have several options to pick from and what he’s deciding will be a bigger deal.

Choices are important. Especially as adults, we find the decisions we make carry more and more weight. The consequences and effects of our judgments increase as well. One of the most vital areas for us to consider our own choices is our time. Once time is spent, it can never be regained, reallocated, or recycled. Thus, how we decide to use our days, hours, and even minutes is critical.

Scripture tells us that there’s a proper and right time for all things in our lives (Ecclesiastes 3) and “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–17). As long as God gives us life, He expects we will be wise in how we decide to use it.

The summer is a busy time for all of us. Kids are out of school; we try to fit in vacation; we want to do this or that. But in the midst of all that are plenty of activities for the Church. Our VBS, Gospel Meeting, summer camp, and so much more are all in those two short summer months. I hope we are all mindful in how we prioritize our schedules so that we support spiritual and fellowship events!

            Several years ago, Gail and I went on a PrimeTimers’ trip to the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Harrodsburg, KY. We were so fascinated that we decided we wanted to return and spend the night in the village and enjoy their vintage victuals. This past Monday evening, we fulfilled this dream and spent the night there – enjoying the various displays and buildings Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.

            I mention this not to recount our vacation but to introduce something about the American Shaker religion – one started by a woman in England who had lost four young children. Ann Lee joined the Shakers in England in 1758. Twelve years later, she became the leader of this sect. Then, in 1774, she supposedly had a vision to establish a Shaker Church in America and sailed here with her husband and seven others.

            There were many positive things to say about the Shakers regarding their piety, tenacity, communal living, industriousness, and pacifism. If you study their history, you’ll find they contributed many innovations that are helpful even today. The last time I looked, there were only two surviving Shakers – living in the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in Maine. Sadly, Ann Lee introduced celibacy as one of the tenets of “her” religion – basically destroying the home as God designed it (Genesis 1-2). And, in this misguided thinking, insured the eventual extinction of the Shakers in America.

            When men or women depart from God’s word, they may experience worldly success and, in a way, the American Shakers did in the 18^th century – establishing several Shaker communities. However, failure to follow God’s way will meet with condemnation on Judgment Day. We need to return to a “thus saith the Lord” for everything we do in life and worship – John 12:48.

We are looking forward to all meeting together as a family in a single service on Sunday, June 6^th.    We have all been hopeful of this day and looking forward to lifting up songs of praise together again!   It will be a beautiful sound!

As of that date, it will be almost exactly a year since we started assembling in two separate services.    The Elders would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and ladies that worked to make this happen.  Paul and Will that have delivered sermons twice and made online bible study videos. Men that coordinated the audio/visual, that provided the security, and that coordinated those to serve for two services.    And we are so very thankful to Steve Hickson for coordinating the extra cleaning between services.

There are also those that kept the congregation together and involved while we were meeting separately.  The ladies that participated in the online children’s programs and Shirley Smith that produced 57 episodes of Bible Time with Mrs. Shirley!  Josh Cooper that began an online Zoom class.  The Care Groups that kept meeting the needs of the congregation.  The ladies that visit and deliver food and necessities to those that were in need, and the ladies that would meet and study together throughout the year.  Chris and the youth that kept in touch and kept active!  And Janice for keeping everything running smoothly!

The danger in thanking certain individuals is that there is not room in this article to list all of the names of all of the folks that contributed.   To all those that endured, please accept our heartfelt thanks.

We are excited about the things happening in 2021!

            It is so good to see folks whom we haven’t seen for over a year start trickling back to services! Although avoiding crowds has been necessary during this pandemic, I’m thankful the vaccinations are providing some relief from fear of the virus. Hopefully, more of you will be able to join us in the near future. We pray that the majority of our members will be able to worship with us on June 6^th!

            With pandemic restrictions being eased and summer approaching, we’re about to get very busy. VBS, church camp, MYM, and our gospel meeting are just a few of the activities coming up. I hope the pertinent ones are on your calendar. I think everyone is ready to get involved again. If you’re like me, you’re having to get back in the habit of meeting three times a week.

            Maybe we need to read the parable of the talents once again from Matthew 25:14-30. After being so restricted for more than a year, let’s get busy and use our talents – they’ve been buried long enough! Sometimes we just need to ponder some verses to get us motivated. Consider these:      1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

James 4:17 – “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Hebrews 10:25 – “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

1 Peter 2:2 – “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,”

Don’t you love having a checklist for chores? Of course, I don’t mean that we love having chores to do, but we appreciate having them all listed so that we can mark completed tasks off throughout the day or week. It feels so rewarding at times to check off (or boldly strikethrough) something we’re so happy to have finished and off our shoulders.

Unfortunately, we often come to Scripture and we can look at certain passages as a checklist. We might read texts like Romans 12:9–21, Ephesians 4:25–32, or Colossians 3:5–17 which list godly attributes and some things we should avoid as God’s people and walk away thinking, “I can check off having done some of these things!” However, these should never be viewed as one-time acts that are completed and then we move on to another task. They inform us how to live like Jesus and in accord with God’s will.

These good things become not things we do but a part of who we are! We live compassionately, not just act compassionately. We live humbly, not just do humble acts. We are patient, not just show patience. We love the truth, not just choosing not to tell lies. Godly conduct should never morph into a list of things we feel compelled to checkoff having completed. Godly conduct springs from our hearts that love and seek to honor Christ. Godly conduct becomes a staple in our lives not because we are constantly checking boxes, but because our hearts are aligned with the heart of God to live in His holiness. May we better seek this week to do good!