Pastor's Corner
Greater New Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church
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3/8/09 (2nd Sunday)
As we continue the Lenten Season, I want to thank those of you who came out to Worship Service last
Wednesday. The Deacons, the Senior Inspirational Voices and the Senior Ushers Ministry showed up in full force!!!
And for that, I am grateful. There were also some who came for the very first time and said they were indeed
blessed by the service. It is my sincere prayer that more of you, i.e., Associate Ministers, additional Deacons,
Trustees, Church Leaders, and members at large, will make the commitment to be here for the Lenten Services
beginning this Wednesday!!!
YOU WILL INDEED BE BLESSED AND WILL IN FACT BEGIN TO DRAW CLOSER TO GOD
THROUGH OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS, THE CHRIST!!! SO I WILL BE HOPING, PRAYING AND
TRUSTING THAT YOU WILL BE HERE WEDNESDAY, ESPECIALLY TO WELCOME PASTOR KEYON S.
PAYTON AND THE NEW BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH FAMILY ALL THE WAY FROM PONTIAC,
MICHIGAN!!! They're coming a long way; let's be here in large numbers to welcome them. I will fully expect the
Youth and Young Adult Choir and Ushers' Ministry #2 to be here in LARGE NUMBERS!!! PLEASE, PLEASE
DON'T LET YOUR PASTOR DOWN!!!
Finally, as we continue to reflect upon Christ Jesus our Lord and His suffering and death on the Cross, as
well as our human weaknesses and frailties, let us meditate on "The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi". I saw a statue
of him while in Rome and I could not help but think about his powerful prayer:
Agape and Shalom,
Pastor Flowers
3/01/09 (1st Sunday)
As we begin the Lenten Season, let us draw near to God more and more each day. The Season of Lent is a time of
reflection, consecration, rededication and recommitment to our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ. In so doing, we are able
to truly reflect upon our life, where we are now and where we would like to go in the future, in terms of our spirituality.
In preparing oneself for this time period, I respectfully ask that you fast and pray as the Lord leads you. Whether
you fast one day or 40 days is up to you and the Lord. Whether you fast one meal a day, two meals a day, or give up
something altogether for Lent, is up to you and our God. But the fact remains, that each of us should do something
DIFFERENT than what we normally do in order to get closer to God. Each of us needs to consecrate ourselves before the Lord
and seek to be BETTER CHRISTIANS!!! If we know we are not living right, THEN MAKE A CHANGE NOW!!! If we are
holding grudges against someone or have ill will in our hearts against someone, NOW IS THE TIME TO GET OVER IT AND
MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL!!! For in so doing, we actually become better Christians and more productive citizens in the
world.
Moreover, I beseech you (I PLEAD WITH YOU!!!) to come out to the Wednesday night Lenten Services each
Wednesday leading up to Holy Week at 7:00. I have canceled Tuesday Night Bible Study and Prayer Service in order for us to
come out in large numbers. It does not matter who is preaching each Wednesday, on the one hand, because the services are
intended for each of us to "DRAW NEAR TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!!!" If we truly come to church
each Wednesday, I firmly believe we will be touched and inspired to live a better, more righteous life for our Lord, Jesus
Christ. I also believe that in the midst of hard economic times and troubling times for our nation and world, NOW IS THE
TIME TO BE IN CHURCH, SEEKING GOD'S GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION AND HIS WILL FOR OUR LIFE!!! This is not
the time to stay home and do nothing!!! Now is the time to be in the house of the Lord asking God for FAVOR and asking
Him to be with us and to make our existential situation better!!!
On the other hand, we will have guest Churches each Wednesday and it does not look good to have guests come
to our church and we are not there. We need to be here each Wednesday evening welcoming and receiving our guests. Guest
choirs will be singing; guest ushers will be serving; guest Deacons will be ministering. WE JUST NEED TO BE HERE IN
LARGE NUMBERS BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO!!! So as I beseech you to come to Lenten Services each
Wednesday, Maundy Thursday Service on April 9th, Good Friday Service on April 10th, and Resurrection Day (Easter)
Services on April 12th, I now ask the question: CAN I COUNT ON YOU? CAN THE LORD JESUS COUNT ON YOU? WILL
YOU BE HERE? If you have never come, NOW IS THE TIME TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!! If you usually come,
NOW IS THE TIME TO CONTINUE COMING!!! WE WILL ALL INDEED BE BLESSED BY OUR COMING!!!
Finally, on this Communion Sunday, let us commune with the Lord in spirit and in truth. Let us thank Him for
saving us and let us praise Him for being good to us!!! He alone is worthy of our praise!!! He died on the cross for the sins of
the world, but we still have to confess our sins to Him, seek His forgiveness, and ask Him to come into our hearts and save
us. If you have never asked Jesus to save you, NOW IS THE TIME!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Agape and Shalom,
Pastor Flowers
| Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. |