By Scena Ann Petrey

On Sunday, Sept. 30, Anna Story and Bethanie Hampton blended their beautiful voices and sang the following: “Your grace so free washes over me. You have made us new; now life begins with You.” Wonderful to realize that we are new creatures when we ask Jesus into our hearts.

The message, “The Impact of the Gospel” was taken from 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5a. The meaning of the word Gospel is the “good news” of Jesus as he became a living human being, died on the cross, and rose again.

Paul began his letter to the church of Thessalonica with a greeting of thanksgiving. He was thankful for believers and what they were doing for Christ. The Gospel went out to them (and to us) with power, Holy Spirit, and full conviction. A spiritual internal change had happened to those people. All human beings are born with a flaw – a sinful nature. We are natural born sinners who are dead spiritually and unable to live life like God wants us to on our own. Thus, Jesus entered into the world as a baby only to die as a young man of 33 to cleanse us of our sins if we only believe.

A spiritual change does not just happen unless God. . . Apart from God we are like the dry bones Ezekiel preached to in the Old Testament. We are as dead as those bones were.

Knowing the facts in the brain is not enough. We must submit to the power of God. Only through that decision can we come to a true relationship with God.

Sunday morning service culminated with observation of the Lord’s Supper.

The senior potluck luncheon will be Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 11:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. The tenders, rolls, and drinks will be provided. Please bring a side or dessert.

Contact Annette Story for more information on the Christmas Backpacks for the needy. The backpacks are due Oct. 15-19 at the Associational office from 9 to 12 a.m.

Continued work for all kids ages kindergarten-sixth grade for their Christmas musical each Sunday during worship service. The name of their musical is “The Secret of Snowflake County.”

Continued work for the adult choir working on their Christmas musical each Sunday evening at 5 p.m. (a new starting time).

Dates to remember: Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. AIM pregnancy center annual dinner in Somerset; Oct. 14 from 5-6 p.m. MasterLife study; Dec. 29-31 –Winter Xtreme for youth in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

Thought for the week: “Keeping a secret is like trying to smuggle daylight past a rooster!”