Calvary Church was blessed with a great revival meeting this month, and I feel He has revived our hearts in a mighty way!  We were blessed to have Elder Steve Skinner with us for our anniversary services and for a week of revival services.  The Lord blessed his preaching and the congregation was fed the Word of God!  There were several lost seeking the Lord and two of them made professions of faith during the revival.  Brother Shane Phillips and Sister Julia Phillips were both saved on Thursday night.  Julia made her profession that night and then Shane made his profession on Monday.  We travelled as a church to the river on Tuesday night and baptized as the sun was going down.  What a meeting!  I pray that we take revived hearts from the meeting and continue to serve the Lord with zeal.  There are still many more souls that need to be saved and we have the only message that brings them hope! 

I am excited about our Family Bible Night in March and April.  In March we are discussing the topic “God’s plan of redemption” and we will be discussing the great offering God made to redeem us from our sins.  In April we will be going over our response to the gospel and our subject will be “What must I do to be saved?”  I pray the people who attend that are saved will be edified by the lessons and the lost will be drawn to Him!

With prayers for God’s richest blessings upon your family,

Pastor Mike

On this rainy December night, I just wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!  This is my favorite time of year.  Not because of all of the gifts (though I do enjoy giving gifts) or because of all of the family gatherings (I do, of course, love spending time with family), but because it seems I always take some time this time of year to step back and evaluate what is most important in life.  As I reminisce over the years past gone I am reminded of the people God has put in my life that have been there when I needed them most.  Friends who came and left, but made an impression on me that will never be forgotten.  My grandfather, who went home to be with the Lord, but somehow seems to still live inside me, at least in my mind when I think about his kind expressions and sound wisdom.  And, of course, I think on those people who are nearest to me now.  My beautiful wife and son, who mean the world to me.  It is the relationships that make life worth the living.  And as my heart is musing, it lifts higher to think about the God who loves me.  He loves me unconditionally.  He loves me so much, that he was willing to part with his Son and share him for a time with us.  Of all the gifts ever given, there has never been a greater gift than that.  I recall a summer night when I called upon his name from my top bunk bed and He heard me.  He saved me.  Every time I see a manger scene I think about that baby who grew to be a man to die for me.  To take my sins away!  Yes, we have so much to be thankful for this Christmas season!  Take some time to think on them.  No doubt some will be harder memories than others, but think of how God has used them to place you where you are now.  And he knows.  And he cares.  Take some time to express how you feel to those you love.  Take some time to ponder on God’s hand leading your life.  Take some time. May the love of God, and of friends and family, warm your heart this Christmas season.

Blessings,

Bro. Mike