Pastor Mullinax, Jeremy, and I met with Tracy a few weeks ago to ask him to consider leading music on Sunday evenings. Jeremy is responsible for the children’s music program on Sunday evening. For the past few months he has led two hymns at the beginning of the evening service, and then hurried over to the fellowship hall to direct the children. In part, this has resulted in the evening service being somewhat less structured than we’d like.
Tracy has agreed to take on this responsibility. In fact, this past Sunday evening was his first. We sang a hymn, prayed, read responsively from the hymnal, sang another hymn, Tracy led us in worship by singing “What Wondrous Love Is This,” Pastor Mullinax preached from Ephesians 6, and then worship closed with a hymn and a benediction.
I know that for many of you coming to church on Sunday evening has not been a part of your normal Sunday activities. I encourage you to join us. The opportunities we have to gather together in corporate worship of our Lord are limited. Your pastors have limited opportunities to instruct, challenge and encourage you through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.
Everybody is busy. Everybody has a million things to do. I understand that. But I would like to encourage you to end the day as it began — in the worship of our Lord and the prayerful consideration of His Word of Truth. I also encourage those of you with younger children to take advantage of the opportunity on Sunday evening to involve them in our children’s ministry.
During February, Pastor Mullinax will preach from Ephesians 6. In March, Pastor Steere will help us further understand God’s providence as revealed in the unfolding history of His church. There will also be an evening of special music on March 15 — but we’ll tell you more about that in a couple of weeks. On April 5 the CCS Select Ensemble will sing during the evening service.
Speaking of Pastor Steere, continue to remember him in your prayers. This week he is in Akure, Nigeria. The next three weeks he’ll teach in three different locations throughout Ghana, including Accra and Kumasi. Having accompanied him on his last trip, I know some of the challenges he faces, and appreciate how dependent he is upon your prayers. And so is Susan, as she pursues her vocation as a teacher and keeps the home fires burning.
I’ve been reading through the Psalter this past week. As you pray for Pastor Steere, pray in the light of these promises given in Psalm 72. “He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.... All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him” (8, 11).
Pastor Caines