Inside: Holy Week Review, Preschool Sunday, Quarterly Church Conference, Balcony Seating, National Day of Prayer, Thanks, Aspire, and Annie Armstrong
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What a difference a year makes! Last year Holy Week and Easter were completely virtual and at-home. What a blessing to be able to meet in person on-campus for everything we did this year! Palm Sunday was a wonderful celebration of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem with the children leading the way for us in worship. Even though we didn’t have lunch, I was pleasantly surprised by the attendance at our Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday community services, averaging about thirty people. The Tenebrae service on Maundy Thursday was a solemn and contemplative experience for the crowd that came. I heard from several people who had never experienced a service like that and they were deeply moved. On Good Friday we had another thirty or so join us for a modified Cross Walk from the FBC park to the front corner where we placed the cross and prayed. Though the Easter Egg Hunt Saturday didn’t draw a huge crowd, those children and family present had fun, took home lots of candy, and most importantly heard the Gospel clearly explained. We made several connections with unchurched families and invited them to Easter worship as well as VBS and other children’s events.
And on Easter Sunday morning, how glorious it was to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord together! A large gathering at Savannah Valley Memorial Gardens heard from Dr. Steve Dodson, the pastor at First United Methodist Church, and confessed in song that “because He lives, [we] can face tomorrow.” It is because He lives that we were able to face and come through a pandemic and year of great unrest and uncertainty. Truly, we can face whatever tomorrow holds because Jesus lives!
In the combined services Easter Sunday, 300 people met in our sanctuary to worship the Risen Lord and proclaim together the Good News that in Jesus, we can all have our own comebacks from sin, failure, and someday from death itself. The flowering cross and handbell choir were beautiful but not nearly as beautiful as seeing so many faces we haven’t seen in worship since last March.
One of my take-aways from this past week was the reminder that while Jesus died to save me and He died to save you, Jesus didn’t just come to save individual sinners—He came to save the church! He came to call lost sinners to come home to God’s family and be a community, a body, a holy temple. We need each other! We are always better together!
- Pastor David
Aspire Women's Conference 2021 FBC North Augusta Friday, May 7, 7:00 PM Tickets: $25 Aspire is a one-night women's event with three ladies taking the stage. The lineup will include author and Bible teacher Heather M. Dixon, comedian Anita Renfroe, and musician Mia Koehne.
We are looking forward to celebrating our Cornerstone Preschool Ministry in worship on Sunday, April 18! Our service will feature a slideshow, videos of our classes, and parent testimonials. We hope you will join us to celebrate our Cornerstone students, teachers, and staff!
Quarterly Church Conference
Sunday, April 18, 6:00 PM
Sanctuary
Annie Armstrong Easter Offering March 7-14 is this year’s Week of Prayer for North American Missions. Please use the prayer guide to help you pray for our North American missionaries, and please give generously to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Our goal this year is $8,200. The hope for America is not in who people vote for in the ballot box, but Who people surrender their lives to every day. We need missionaries and churches penetrating the lostness of America with the love of Jesus!
Balcony Seating Update
Beginning Sunday, April 11 we will offer restriction-free seating in the balcony.
National Day of Prayer
Thursday, May 6
We will host a prayer breakfast in our fellowship hall from 6:30-7:30 AM.
We will be lead through an intentional time of guided prayer for our Nation.
Breakfast will be provided.
Monthly Ministry Donation
Personal Hygiene Items
Soap, body wash/lotion/spray, loofahs, wash cloths, deodorant
Please place your donations in the blue bin under the portico.
Thank you for your generous donations of food for Manna last month! Our church collected 413 pounds of food to help create holiday bags for families in our community!
Last Sunday, we began our journey with Jesus through Mark's gospel, answering the question, "Who is Jesus?" Sunday, Pastor David will help us understand why Jesus came.