A note from our Pastor

This Sunday, I am excited to share with you a powerful sermon that explores the theme of unity in Christ and the breaking down of barriers that separate us. Drawing from the Apostle Paul’s teachings in Ephesians, this sermon reminds us that through Christ’s death and resurrection, the dividing walls of hostility have been destroyed, uniting us as one people in Him.

We will delve into the historical significance of walls, both physical and symbolic, and how Christ’s sacrifice calls us to live beyond these divisions. Our faith challenges us to embrace peace and reconciliation, living as a holy temple in the Lord. This message is especially relevant in today’s world, where divisions often seem insurmountable.

Join us as we reflect on how we, as Christians, are called to be agents of peace and unity, embodying the love of Christ in our communities. Whether through the dedicated service of our Stephen Ministers or our daily interactions, we are reminded that in serving others, we find the holiest place on earth.

I look forward to sharing this inspiring message with you.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

A note from our Worship Pastor

A Thin Place

Christian, when we decided to follow Jesus as the Lord of our lives, we began a journey towards knowing the Lord in deeper ways. It is God’s desire for his children to know him. Listen to his message for the Israelites in captivity in Babylon, it’s his message to all his children.

Jeremiah 29:12-13
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

We will indeed find him when we seek him with all of our heart. But keep in mind, there are times when the Lord feels close and other times when he feels a million miles away, however we can’t trust our feelings, they are fickle at best.  Here is a saying worth of full acceptance.

When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust his heart.

The times when he feels distant won’t last forever, persevere and trust the promise of Jesus, he said that surely he is with us always, even to the end of the age. Yes, there are times when he feels close, times when he feels distant but then there are amazingly special occasions when Jesus and heaven feel so close you can almost touch them. My friend Joye Percival calls this a “thin place.”

A ‘thin place’ is where we feel especially close to heaven, experiencing the peace and presence of Jesus in a special way. 

There are many instances when we’re in the midst of great sorrow and tribulation that we come into this thin place. When we stand firm in our faith even in the midst of trials, we identify with Jesus and his suffering and the Lord takes our relationship with him into deeper waters. Another catalyst for this thin place encounter is through humility.

James 4:6
But He gives greater grace. Therefore it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

The humble heart and the life of humility moves God’s heart. I was leading worship on Wednesday night for our Ash Wednesday service at church. Ash Wednesday is a time of preparing our hearts for Easter and honoring the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. Ashes are used to represent repentance, mortality and the need for forgiveness of sins and are placed on congregants’ foreheads in the symbol of a cross. The very essence of the Ash Wednesday service is humility and consecration to the Lord.

The service was beautiful. We read scripture, sang songs of Christ’s great sacrifice for us, we prayed, a beautiful sermon was preached but then as people came forward for the imposition of ashes, I could feel the Lord drawing us into a thin place. As people drew near to the Lord in humility, he drew near to us. The chapel was filled with God’s peace, his holy shalom. We closed the service with the song Great are You Lord.

You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken
Great are You Lord

Chorus
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only

As the congregation sang these words the presence of the Lord, the presence of the thin place and the things of heaven drew closer still. Near the ending of the song, we entered into a Holy Spirit led section. I encouraged the congregation to tell Jesus how much they loved him and I just allowed Holy Spirit to sing through me. I couldn’t tell you what I sang because they were Holy Spirit’s words not mine. And here’s the amazing thing, some were singing, some were speaking to God, someone was speaking in tongues but I also heard voices that were beyond our chapel. I am convinced that in our thin place the Lord was allowing me to hear the singing that was taking place at that very moment in the throne room of heaven! How wonderful and altogether lovely!

This is the very thing that can happen in the thin place. Heaven actually touches earth. I wish I could live in that thin place and in the midst of that mountaintop experience but that’s not the way it works here on earth because this world is not our home, heaven is.  But we do have God’s promise that although we see through the glass dimly for now, one day we will see our Lord Jesus face to face and oh what a glorious day that will be!

All glory, honor, dominion and power be unto our great God! Yes, let it be so Lord Amen!

I love y’all
doug

This Sunday we commemorate the commissioning of seven newly appointed Stephen Ministers. Stephen Ministry is a program designed to equip and organize congregation members in providing high-quality, one-to-one, Christ-centered care to individuals navigating life challenges. This ministry is named in honor of Stephen, one of the first deacons in the early Christian church, renowned for his compassionate ministry. If you are interested in receiving care from a trained Stephen Minister, please contact Karen Foreman at karen@foremanemail.com.

Family Promise – Hosting Next Week and Meals with Meaning Dinner
Our next and final hosting as a support church for Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church is
week of March 9-16.    Mount Vernon Presbyterian has decided to participate as a support church to other churches rather than as a host church moving forward in participating in Family Promise.  This means we may be assigned a new church to support during Christmas this year. We have enjoyed working with them these past few years and hope to serve with them again in the future.   We still have spots open for meal Hosts and Overnight Hosts. To help during this final hosting please use Sign Up Genius Below:

Volunteer Roles: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4BAFAA2FA0F4C16-54939748-family#/

Gift Cards: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4BAFAA2FA0F4C16-54939809-family#

Meals with Meaning Annual Fundraising Dinner will be held on March 20, 2025 at Ivy Hall in Roswell.  Misty Creek will once again sponsor a table at this event.  Please consider joining us this year if you have never been!!!

Blessings from The Mission Team

Power Hour
We invite you to join us every Thursday night 7 – 8 PM for “Power Hour”!!! One hour of praise, worship and spirit filled prayer! You may call Marty for more information / 404-861-2636

Youth Alpha Sunday School at Panera 9am March 9, 16, 23 & 30.

Youth Alpha March 9
At Misty Creek 4:30-6:00. Games, Dinner and Lesson (Leaders Mollie Dixon, Kim Davis & Teresa Duff. Dinner Mrs.Wright)

Youth Alpha March 16 4:30-6:00 at the Nemetz Home.

View the Ash Wednesday Service