Homecoming Sunday Highlights (Oct 05, 2009)
The Lord blessed with good numbers yesterday for our annual homecoming (515 in Sunday School and 615 in the morning worship). We experienced a good number of decisions and an enjoyable afternoon with dinner on the grounds was enjoyed by many of our visitors who stayed to eat with us.
Dr. Paul C. Fedena, long-time pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, was our featured guest. Pastor Fedena has been saved for 53 years, preaching for 51 years, and pastoring for 43 years. The last 31 years of his pastoral career have been in the Greater Philadelphia area. Pastor Fedena preached two powerful messages yesterday, which were a tremendous help to our congregation. He was also the recipient of our prestigious "Hodges Award," given every year to the pastor who best mirrors the traits of my beloved predecessor, Walter Lee Hodges. Pastor Fedena has been mightily used of God to lead many "down and out" people to the Lord in the greater Philadelphia area. It was great to spend the weekend with him and renew fellowship with this long-time friend.
Our bus routes had decent numbers yesterday. 116 bus riders boarded our vehicles with three precious children praying to receive Christ in the counseling center of bus church. God is blessing our bus ministry with some new drivers and captains who appear to have a great vision for what God can do through them. Amen!
Our military ministry on Fort Benning was attended by 123 soldiers. Ten of these stood to receive Christ as personal Savior. We praise the Lord for the consistent results of this vital ministry.
Homecoming saw a good number of visitors from the Columbus area. Pray for us as we follow up on these contacts. Visitors also were present from Alabama and Florida.
We were able to baptize two people yesterday in the morning worship. Caitlyn Clarisse, who accepted the Lord during Vacation Bible School, was baptized. We praise the Lord for her parents, Kevin and Christen Clarisse who are vital members of our church. We also baptized Jose Baquero who was saved this summer in our Master Club program. His family came to witness his baptism. Pray that we will be able to have inroads into this family.
During the morning worship, Tundra Davis walked the aisle to receive Christ as her personal Savior. Amen! Pray for us that we will be able to baptize her and enroll her in our discipleship program.
Seth and Melissa Acree, missionaries to Ghana, West Africa, and commissioned by Grace Baptist Church, moved to Columbus this week and will be moving into our missionary cottage while they are on deputation. They officially joined last night after being away to further their education. Seth was raised at Grace Baptist, and we are thankful for the call of God upon his life. Pray that God will raise the Acree support in a timely manner.
Many of you prayed for our finances last week, and we appreciate your prayers. We had a very good offering yesterday, which will help us eradicate some of our outstanding bills. Please continue to pray that our finances will stay solid in these turbulent econcomic times.