Sunday Wrap-Up

Strength Development Index

This morning, during our Bible Study Time, all of our youth and adult groups combined for a brief (really brief) devotion. Then, all present completed the Strength Development Index, which is a questionnaire designed to evaluate a church's ministry in various areas:
Worship, Evangelism, Fellowship, Discipleship, Prayer, Ministry.

While I believe all the talk about Tropical Storm Fay scared a few folks away, I was pleased with the number who came. We've distributed several more surveys. I pray a significant number of these are returned.

The evaluation is the first step in a church growth emphasis in which we have enrolled through the Sunday School Department of the Mississippi Baptist Convention. This is an 18 month process.

AM Worship

Again, the "storm talk" must have kept some folks at home. Our crowd was down but I thought we had a great service.

As an observance of Christmas in August, we are collecting an offering for 4 missionary couples.
Today, we featured Tony and Karen Gray. The Grays are missionaries in Brazil and they are members of our church. Karen is in the states helping her daughter prepare for a wedding.

The choir sang "I Stand Redeemed." They sang well. That's a great anthem.

I began preaching from James. My sermon this morning was entitled "Patience from Trials." The message was based on James 1:1-11.

This sermon was scheduled to be preached last Sunday, but I guess God wanted me to develop some patience before I delivered the message. I was in between ERs last Sunday. So, I wasn't able to preach.

As I evaluated the message, I realized I failed to mention a quote that I think is great. Johnny Hunt once said, "Just because you've grown old doesn't mean you've grown up."

PM Service

Before the evening service, the choir practiced. They are rehearsing a Patriotic Musical (Veterans Day) and a Christmas Musical. The music from both of the collections is powerful.

Our attendance was better than usual. The new prison chaplain was in the service.

I preached from James 1:12-20. The sermon was entitled "Changeless God."