From
Our Pastor’s Desk:
The First Thursday in May is designated as the National Day of Prayer. The YMCA is sponsoring it’s annual prayer breakfast that will be held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. One of our own, the Reverend Dr. Victor Belton will be the guest speaker. The breakfast will be held on Thursday, May 7th, beginning at 7:15 a.m. The theme of the prayer breakfast is “Lord Hear Our Cry.” As continue our celebration of the Easter Season we can be reminded that God hears our cry, even before we answer them. As we have gathered around God’s word on the Sundays after Easter, our lessons have reminded us of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples in the midst of their fear and behind their locked doors.
The good news that we are able to celebrate in the resurrection appearances of Jesus is that those appearances were to unsuspecting and doubting people. God shows up even when we do not expect Him to show up. God knows what we need even before we know what we need and often before we know for what to ask. The post resurrection disciples were afraid, doubtful, and hiding. They were not praying for an appearance of Jesus. Jesus knew their need and revealed Himself to them, comforted them by his presence and promised the Comforter who was to come. He not only promised them that the Comforter would come, He spoke peace to them and then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” We continue the celebration of God coming to us, speaking a Word of “shalom” to each of us. He forgives us. He loves us. He accepts us. He empowers us. He gives us hope. His “Shaloam” is more than just simple “peace.” It is a gift that enables life. We are indeed richly blessed and celebrate all that it means for us to hear God’s word of “Shaloam” and be assured of his presence and power in our lives. As we receive His message of “Shaloam” we are then invited, equipped, encouraged and led by the Holy Spirit to share the “Shaloam” of God with the world around us.
There is, as I write this, much unrest in our communities. We have many questions that remain unanswered. Yet, we hear God’s peace being spoken into our lives and we seek to speak that same peace into the lives of those around us. What a blessing it is to know, The Lord is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!
Pastor Anthony
The First Thursday in May is designated as the National Day of Prayer. The YMCA is sponsoring it’s annual prayer breakfast that will be held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. One of our own, the Reverend Dr. Victor Belton will be the guest speaker. The breakfast will be held on Thursday, May 7th, beginning at 7:15 a.m. The theme of the prayer breakfast is “Lord Hear Our Cry.” As continue our celebration of the Easter Season we can be reminded that God hears our cry, even before we answer them. As we have gathered around God’s word on the Sundays after Easter, our lessons have reminded us of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples in the midst of their fear and behind their locked doors.
The good news that we are able to celebrate in the resurrection appearances of Jesus is that those appearances were to unsuspecting and doubting people. God shows up even when we do not expect Him to show up. God knows what we need even before we know what we need and often before we know for what to ask. The post resurrection disciples were afraid, doubtful, and hiding. They were not praying for an appearance of Jesus. Jesus knew their need and revealed Himself to them, comforted them by his presence and promised the Comforter who was to come. He not only promised them that the Comforter would come, He spoke peace to them and then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” We continue the celebration of God coming to us, speaking a Word of “shalom” to each of us. He forgives us. He loves us. He accepts us. He empowers us. He gives us hope. His “Shaloam” is more than just simple “peace.” It is a gift that enables life. We are indeed richly blessed and celebrate all that it means for us to hear God’s word of “Shaloam” and be assured of his presence and power in our lives. As we receive His message of “Shaloam” we are then invited, equipped, encouraged and led by the Holy Spirit to share the “Shaloam” of God with the world around us.
There is, as I write this, much unrest in our communities. We have many questions that remain unanswered. Yet, we hear God’s peace being spoken into our lives and we seek to speak that same peace into the lives of those around us. What a blessing it is to know, The Lord is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!
Pastor Anthony
