Four baptisms at Sugar Creek Sunday

What a glorious and wondrous day our Sabbath was this week. You could feel the Spirit working live.
And to a great crowd with many visitors: we're always so thankful when you are in our midst.
 After a good song service with specials by Lorri Stacy and myself, the baptismal was first and what a blessing to see these three young people and an older person, all the same with God, going down. Gives me chills to think of what you miss if you missed the Lord's calling to be saved. Charles Noah Martin was the younger of the three and Franklin Marshall being the older, with April Doris Bell and Tara Renee Elliott in between. They were all so beautiful with a glow on their faces.
 Afterwards Butch preached to us from Ecclesiastes 3:11, the subject of sermon, "The Absence of the Alternative."
 Why are we here? What is the purpose of our life? Alternative means we have a choice of one or more possibilities, either "this or that." Not any of us know the power and strength of temptation. Christ is the only One that knows the full strength of temptation. Life is short and has many unanswered questions.
 Sunday night with a good crowd Butch took his message from 1st Peter 3:15 on reasons for hope.
 The resurrection gave us hope. The miraculous preservation of the scriptures,  the creation, in His image and last, He changed my life with evidence. Be ready to tell what He's done for you.
 We had many visitors and to name a few that I met,   Noah had his grandmother and aunt from Gainesville to come down, Tara's  father and her cousin, several members and friends came for April and Franklin. I shouldn't even try to name everyone.
 I need to start telling you about some special activities. On Nov. 24 there will be a benefit singing at the Social Circle Theatre for Mary Bitsy Robbins. There will be several singing guests including the Homeland Boys, Changed 4, Vessels of Praise and more. I'll give your information on this next week. It will start at 4 p.m.
 We send our Christian sympathy to the family of Lorri Stacy in the recent passing of her step-grandmother, Winifred Bandy.
 A lock-in is planned for our young girls on Nov. 16. All middle school-aged girls are welcome. More details later.
 We enjoyed having Al and Maudie Buice to spend the day on Saturday. After supper we all went down on Harmony Road to the big blue tent and enjoyed the singing ministry of Jan and Allan Oakley. Their special guests were the New Apostles and we truly enjoyed them. I'm thinking on booking them for one of our future singings next year.
 If you've not been to the "Big Blue Tent," it happens first Saturday night of the month at 6 p.m. Enjoyed seeing several friends.
 Not much going on here. We are in the process of planning our special dinners for the holidays but will give more information later. 
 Just always remember to pray for our country. By this time next week we'll know about "the change" and we all pray it's the right change for us. And remember to pray for all our sick and burdened.
 Happy birthday to Billie Jo Arnold on the 9 and to our pastor,  Dr. Butch Jackson on the 13.
From Guideposts: "Grace woke you up this morning, grace started you on your way and grace enabled you to survive until this very moment."
 So until next week, may the Lord bless you real good.

Printed in the November 8, 2012 edition