Loving and Gracious God,
May our actions honor You this day. Help us to realize, O Lord, that we are being watched by those who are interested and curious about the Christian faith and who know we are Christians and members of Central Christian Church. They are outside the faith. They have no personal church history or experience. They have heard about Jesus the Christ, but have not accepted Him as Lord and savior. And they are observing us to see how Christians live and act. Help us to realize, Loving Creator, that we are witnesses in everything we do and say. May we live and act as Great Commandment Christians, loving You and our neighbor. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.
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Davida Whitsett is our only member who is hospitalized. She is on the 5th floor at St. Mary’s.
There is an Elders’ Meeting Sunday evening at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. All Elders, new continuing, and those not currently serving on the Board are encouraged to attend. We will look at the new serving schedule, set a date for Elder Ordination for the new Elders, possibly discuss our pilot Shepherding program, and address other issues determined by the chairperson. Please plan to attend.
There is a special Board Meeting next Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. This is for the Board as it is currently constituted, not the new board that assumes office on July 1.
There has been discussion over the last couple of weeks about the placement of the flags in the sanctuary, and, unfortunately, a lot of inaccurate information has been a part of that discussion. I am sure you are aware the flags are moved from time to time for various reasons, namely when there are wedding or seasonal decorations in the front. As I understand it, this time the flags were moved to the back when the sanctuary was decorated for Easter. No pastor or group made the decision to leave them in the back AND, to my knowledge, no one said they will never be put back in the front. In fact, after some investigation, I directed Connie to place them back at the front of the sanctuary last Monday. The worship committee met last Tuesday and agreed it was an oversight that they weren’t put back in place where they have been displayed these last fifteen years or so. I am sorry about the consternation this caused for a few of our members and the inaccurate information that was shared.
The scripture for today is Esther 4:8-17:
Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people. Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying, “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days. ”When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.”Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai,“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
Grace and peace,
John McLemore
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