In Acts 2:42 the early church committed themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.  These four things were priorities for the early church. Let’s take a moment to examine two of those priorities.

The early church emphasized teaching as an important aspect of its ministry. The Bible tells us in Colossians 1:10 that we are to grow in our relationship with the Lord. The verse states, “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” Also, in 1st Peter 3:18 we read, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” One way we can grow is to learn from others as they teach us principles from God’s word. Our Adult Learning Communities and Sunday School classes are designed to provide a learning experience that will assist us in knowing more about the Bible.

Beginning on Sunday, May 6th, we are offering three Adult Learning Community classes. First, we are continuing the class on the “Journey Through the Bible.” Presently they are studying the gospel of John and the class meets in room 102. The teachers are Rush Utley, Wes Hunt, Tom Branan, and Al Anderson. A second class will study the book “What is the Mission of the Church“ and will meet in room 109 and be led by David Ridenhour, Jim Hildebrand, and Dave Hubbard. A third class led by Joe King and Tom Porter will study the book, “Growing in Grace” by Sinclair Ferguson. This class will meet in room 108.  All Adult Learning Communities and Sunday School classes for all ages will meet each Sunday from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. Please notice that the starting time for all classes has changed from 9:30 to 9:00 each Sunday to allow for more time for teaching and fellowship within the class. Please plan to join us as we grow in our knowledge of our Lord together.

The early church also emphasized fellowship as a priority. Dr. J. I. Packer in his book entitled, “Your Father Loves You” defines fellowship as it is used in Acts 2:42. He states, “What is meant by fellowship in this verse? Gossip? Cups of tea? Tours? No. What is being referred is something of a quite different order and on a quite different level. The Greek word for fellowship comes from a root word meaning “common or shared.” So fellowship means common participation in something either by giving what you have to the other person or receiving what he or she has. Give and take is the essence of fellowship, and this must be the way of fellowship in the common life of the body of Christ.”

I realize that we have limited opportunities to really get to know one another on Sunday morning.  In order to promote more fellowship with one another, beginning on Sunday, May 6th, we will offer a fellowship time each Sunday in the Narthex from 10:00 a.m. until 10:25 a.m. This will be a wonderful opportunity for you to get to know one another while enjoying some refreshments. I encourage you to take this opportunity to invite friends and meet others in our church. Our Morning Worship Celebration will begin promptly at 10:30 each Sunday morning.

Our desire is to provide you with wonderful opportunities for spiritual growth and fellowship with one another. The early church emphasized these priorities for itself; will you? We would love to have you come and join us! Please make it a priority.

In His Grace,

Dr. Joe King
Senior Pastor

Many Christians have not been taught about the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit.  Before Jesus left this earth, He promised that the Holy Spirit would come as a comforter and a counselor. In John 14:26, Jesus used the word counselor, advocate, or helper when referring to the Holy Spirit. The Greek word used there is the word “paraclete” which means “one who is called alongside to help.”  It is a forensic term that refers to a courtroom where a lawyer comes beside one who is accused to help him with his case. This means that the Holy Spirit is given to every believer and is one who helps us, comforts us, or counsels us.

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? The expression “filled with the Spirit” does not refer to a literal filling. God does not open the Christian up and pour the Spirit into him. In reality all Christians already possess the Spirit, that is, are indwelt by the Spirit. “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ [another name for the Holy Spirit], he does not belong to Christ” (Rom 8:9). The word “filled” means “controlled.” To be filled with the Spirit means to be controlled by the Spirit. Other terms used in the Bible such as “walking in the Spirit”, “being led by the Spirit”, and “living in the Spirit” are other ways of being filled with the Spirit.

All Christians are indwelled by the Holy Spirit at conversion (Rom 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13, 1 Cor. 3:16); however, this does not necessarily mean that the Holy Spirit is always controlling them. When the Holy Spirit is controlling us, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18 Paul exhorted all believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the only place in the Bible where the term “filled with the Spirit” is used.  The verb used in this verse is in the present tense meaning we are to keep on being filled with the Spirit. In other words, the filling of the Holy Spirit should be the norm for the Christian. This is not reserved for super Christians.

So how can a Christian be filled with the Holy Spirit? First of all, a Christian is filled by yielding and submitting himself to God. This seems clear from a number of Scripture passages. In Gal 5:16ff. Paul explains the struggle that goes on between the Spirit and the sinful nature within a believer. The implication is that one can either yield to one or the other. As one yields to God, the Holy Spirit fills and controls the believer so that the fruit of the Spirit is produced.

Secondly, in Col 3:16 Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly….” This will result in the singing of psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, the giving of thanks, and an attitude of submission. In other words, they will have a joyful melody in their hearts that others can recognize. This is exactly the same result of being filled with the Spirit in Eph. 5:18ff. As we “let the word of Christ dwell” in us, that is, as we yield and submit ourselves to God and His word, we will be controlled by the Spirit. The more we submit to, yield to, and obey the word of God, the more the Spirit is able to control our lives and use us for the glory of Christ.

Thirdly, we need to confess our sins when we are aware of our sin. Sin hinders the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Ask God to make you sensitive to your sin so that you can confess your sins and walk in His Spirit.

My prayer for each of us is that God will fill each one of us individually with His Spirit so that we can live abundantly for His praise and glory. Yielding to the Holy Spirit will make a tremendous difference in our lives, in our church, and in our community. I believe this is the key to experiencing the abundant and victorious Christian life that Jesus referred to in John 10. Please pray with me that God would be pleased to pour out His Spirit in great measure in our church.

To God Be The Glory,

Dr. Joe King
Senior Pastor

The Bible teaches that we are to make plans. In Proverbs 16:9, we read, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”  In 2011, a team of members of our church met for over a year to develop a ministry plan for our church. It was presented to the Session who approved the five-year Ministry Development plan for our church.          The Ministry Development Team developed seven major strategic initiatives.  These are not listed in any particular order of priority. These initiatives include: (1) To continually reshape our corporate worship to strive for greater excellence and blessing to all who attend (2) To effectively assimilate those who come into greater participation through friendship, fellowship, discipleship, and membership (3) To build platforms for internal leadership recruitment, training, and development (4) To strengthen individual spiritual growth through Christian education, discipleship, prayer life, and active evangelism (5) To identify and implement necessary changes in facilities to expand our reach (6) To develop a plan and implement a church plant as an outgrowth of LOPC (7) ) To manage our missions program to maximize its impact for the Kingdom. (8) To develop a plan for LOPC to attract younger families.

I want to give you an update on the progress concerning a couple of these initiatives. The Assimilation and Outreach Team has been meeting monthly to follow up on recent guests, plan guest dinners for fellowship, organize greeters and meeters for worship services, and plan future outreach events.  Each week our guests are called, visited, and encouraged to continue attending and to become involved in a small group at the church. A church wide picnic is planned for March 25th immediately following the Morning Worship Celebration. I hope that you will take the opportunity to bring guests with you to the picnic and share a meal and some precious fellowship with others. The Assimilation and Outreach Team is diligently working to meet these objectives and are making wonderful progress.

Our Family Life Committee has been focused on planning activities for those who are younger in the church. The first event will be a dinner at the church on Sunday, March 4^th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Child-care will be provided for this event. If you know of younger families in the church or community that might be interested in attending, please invite them to enjoy this evening of fellowship, food, and fun. Please pray for those on this committee as they seek to grow this ministry and meet needs within the younger age group.

Wes Hunt, Rush Utley, and Mike Roberts are providing leadership for our Future Facilities Team. This team is studying our facility needs for future buildings. Although the economy is probably not conducive for building anything at this time, we do need to have a building plan for future needs and growth that can be implemented at the proper time. While this team is in the early stages of study, in the near future, they will be meeting and communicating with the congregation possibly by survey.

Nehemiah 6:15-16 states, “So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. Did you notice that the wall was completed in only fifty-two days? Why was it completed in such a short time? The reason was because God blessed the work.

Please remain in prayer for the implementation of the Ministry Development Plan. Additional updates will be forth coming in the near future. I am thankful for those who are serving to make this plan a reality. We would love to have your input regarding the development of this plan.  Please call me (706-484-0600) if you have questions or suggestions regarding the ministry plan. May our Lord continue to bless Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church as she seeks to please Him in all her ways.

Blessings,

Dr. Joe King

On Saturday, February 4^th, at 7:00 p.m. we will have our Family Comedy Event. Christian comedian, Kerri Pomarolli, will be with us again. Kerri is a Christian comedian, author, and television personality from Hollywood, California. In addition to her comedy, Kerri will share her personal testimony of how the Lord is working in her life. This is an opportunity to invite your friends to come for a wonderful evening. The doors open at 6:30 p.m., so come early and get a good seat.

On Sunday, February 5^th, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper during our Morning Worship Celebration. This is always a special time as we remember the death, resurrection, and second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We announce the participation of this sacrament in advance so that those who attend may have their hearts prepared as they partake. Also, during that service we will install and ordain Russell Puppe as a Deacon in our church. Russell was recently elected to the office of Deacon during our congregational meeting. Please remember these events in your prayers.

Our missionary, Jim Fitzgerald, will be with us on Sunday, February 12^th. Jim will be sharing his ministry of Equipping Pastors Internationally (EPI) with us at 9:30 a.m. during our Adult Learning Communities. In 2008 Jim accepted a call to work fulltime with EPI. His vision is to equip pastors in North Africa and the Middle East where Islam is firmly entrenched. We will also be blessed as Jim will preach during our Morning Worship Celebration. We are looking forward to having Jim with us and learning more about his ministry of training pastors in foreign countries.

An Inquirer’s Class will be held on the weekend of February 24 through February 26^th. Sessions will be Friday night, Saturday morning, and Sunday morning and evening. This class is for anyone interested in knowing more about our church’s beliefs, purpose, vision, and mission. The class is a requirement for becoming a member. Please pick up an Inquirer’s Class brochure in the literature rack in the narthex at church. You can call the church office at 706-484-0600 to register or register on-line.

Mark your calendar for a church picnic on Sunday, March 25^th, immediately following our Morning Worship Celebration. This is a great event to invite your friends and neighbors to attend. More details on the picnic will be forthcoming.

Lastly, as a congregation, please pray for the Session as we seek God’s direction for future staffing regarding our children and youth ministries. In order to implement our Ministry Development Plan, we are presently studying our needs and evaluating how we might better focus on outreach and ministry to younger families in our church and community.

Please keep these events and concerns in your prayers. We are anticipating a blessed and fruitful time of praise, worship, and outreach during the weeks ahead.

May the Lord truly bless,

Dr. Joe King

Sr. Pastor

The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible crescent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring). However, since we go by the Gregorian calendar, we celebrate January 1^st as the first day of the New Year.

Have you ever wondered why we sing the song “Auld Lang Syne?" In almost every English-speaking country in the world, the tradition is that this song is sung at the stroke of midnight to bring in the New Year.  At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's, it was first published in 1796 after Burns' death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the modern rendition. An old Scottish tune, "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days."

The famous preacher G.K. Chesterton once said, “The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year.  It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes.  Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions.  Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. “

As I look back over the 2011 year, I am thankful for God’s blessings. I am thankful for the prayers and faithfulness of our church members. Despite difficulties in our economy and other such challenges, God has blessed our church financially. We were able to give more to missions and other outreaches to promote the gospel in our community and throughout the world. I am thankful for staff, our teachers, our Session, our Deacons, and many volunteers who serve faithfully each week. Without your faithfulness and service, we could not serve our members and community as we do. There are so many reasons to be thankful.

But what will 2012 entail for us at Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church? We are anticipating the Lord to bless our church as we faithfully serve Him. Let me encourage you to make this coming year a year of spiritual growth for you and your family. May I suggest that you set some spiritual goals for yourself and your family? You might also set a goal to spend more time in prayer.  Plan to join us for prayer each Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. in the conference room at church. Consider setting a goal to develop more spiritual maturity and discipleship by becoming involved in an Adult Learning Community on Sunday morning. On January 8^th we will offer three new Adult Learning Communities at our church. The topics include “The Fight” by John White, “Worship in Spirit and Truth” by John Frame, and “Journey through the Bible” which is a study of the book of John. All classes begin at 9:30 each Sunday at our church. We also offer many small groups to assist in discipleship and fellowship with one another. There are brochures in the brochure racks in the narthex to give you more information about these studies and other opportunities for involvement.

The apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Pressing toward the mark is pressing toward the purposes God has for our lives. The Bible tells us how we may please God and what God requires of us.

My prayer for each of us is that 2012 will be a year of great spiritual growth as we mature in our relationship with the Lord and with one another. May the Lord be glorified and you and your family be blessed.

Dr. Joe King

Sr. Pastor of Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church

Throughout the years, which Christmas was the most special for you? Was it the one when you received that special gift that you desired? Was it the one when all your family was able to be together? Could it be the Christmas that your first child was born?  Possibly it was the last Christmas that you were able to spend with that loved one. Which Christmas was the most meaningful for you?

I have thought about that question often. There have been many special Christmases for me and my family. Yet there is one Christmas that stands out above all the rest. It was the Christmas that our family decided that we would not be receiving our usual amount of gifts. Instead, we would be giving gifts to a family who could not afford to purchase gifts. As a ten-year-old boy, the decision to share our gifts with others that were less fortunate did not come easily. Yet in my heart I knew that it was the right thing to do. I will never forget our family going to deliver those gifts on Christmas Eve and seeing the joy on the faces of those children. It was a blessing to give and that was a lesson I needed to learn.

Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The real special thing about Christmas is that Jesus was born as God’s gift to us who believe for our salvation. John summarized the meaning of Christmas in John 1:14 by stating, “The word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Think about that statement for a moment. The eternal Son of God, the Word, left the splendor of glory and came to earth to be born of a woman. He grew to become a man and perfectly kept the law for us.  He loved us enough to go to the cross to die for our sins. He purchased salvation for those who would believe. He came to earth to give us the greatest gift of all, eternal life.

Christmas is all about Christ. Philippians 2:5-8 states, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.” My friends, that is amazing love! That is what Christmas is all about! That is the greatest Christmas gift ever!

Our church has many special things to celebrate this Christmas. Please put the following items on your calendar and plan to celebrate with us.

-The King’s Open House will be Sunday, December 11th from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

-The “Celebration of Lessons and Carols” will be held at the church on Sunday evening, December 18th, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

-The Christmas Eve service will be December 24th at 6:00 p.m.

-Christmas Day will be on Sunday December 25th this year. Plan to join us for our Worship Celebration at 10:30 a.m.

May this be the most special Christmas ever!

Dr. Joe King

I recently heard the humorous story about Mamie, an elderly lady who needed love and fellowship. Mamie made frequent trips to the branch post office. One day she noticed a long line of people who were waiting for service from the postal clerks. Mamie only needed stamps, so a helpful observer asked, “Why don’t you use the stamp machine? You can get all the stamps you need and you won’t have to stand in line.” Mamie said, “I know, but the machine can’t ask me about my arthritis.” She needed to know that someone cared. She needed fellowship.

The importance of fellowship is stated in the following true story as told by Mart De Haan. He writes, “Several years ago, former American prisoners of war were interviewed to determine what methods used by the enemy had been most effective in breaking their spirit. Researchers learned that the prisoners didn’t break down from physical deprivation and torture as quickly as they did from solitary confinement or from being frequently moved around and separated from friends. It was further learned that the soldiers drew their greatest strength from the close attachments they had formed to the small military units to which they belonged.”

In Acts 2:42 the early church committed themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.  These four things were priorities for the early church. Let’s take a moment to examine one of those priorities, that being fellowship.

Dr. J. I Packer in his book entitled, “Your Father Loves You” defines fellowship as it is used in Acts 2:42. He states, “What is meant by fellowship in this verse? Gossip? Cups of tea? Tours? No. What is being referred to is something of a quite different order and on a quite different level. ‘They met constantly to hear the apostles teach, and to share the common life, and break bread and to pray. A sense of awe was everywhere. All whose faith had drawn them together held everything in common. With one mind they kept up their daily attendance at the temple, and, breaking bread in private houses, shared their meals with unaffected joy as they praised God’ (Acts 2:42-47, New English Bible). That is fellowship as the New Testament understands it, and there is clearly a world of difference between that and mere social activities.”

Packer continues, “The Greek word for fellowship comes from a root meaning common or shared. So fellowship means common participation in something either by giving what you have to the other person or receiving what he or she has. Give and take is the essence of fellowship, and give and take must be the way of fellowship in the common life of the body of Christ. Christian fellowship is two-dimensional, and it has to be vertical before it can be horizontal. We must know the reality of fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ before we can know the reality of fellowship with each other in our common relationship to God (1 John 1:3). The person who is not in fellowship with the Father and the Son is no Christian at all, and so cannot share with Christians the realities of their fellowship.”

Let me suggest several opportunities for fellowship in the upcoming months at our church. First, on Saturday, November 5^th, there will be a “Simple Country Supper” at 6:00 p.m. at the church. This is a wonderful opportunity to have a nice dinner and learn about how God is blessing the ministry of our food bank. Entertainment will be straight from Tennessee with the Neal Family who will provide a variety of toe-tapping southern Gospel music. Space is limited so sign up in the narthex soon. Secondly, our Home Fellowship Groups are meeting in various homes around the lake. This is another wonderful opportunity for you to fellowship with other believers and experience spiritual growth as well. Did you know that the early church shared meals and received instruction about the Lord in their homes? The home was a central place of learning. The times and places of our Home Fellowship Groups are listed on our church website at lopc@lopc-pca.org.  Thirdly, our Assimilation team would appreciate your assistance in completing an online survey regarding your church involvement and interests. In the next few weeks you should receive an email regarding this survey, which will inquire regarding your past, present, and any future involvement in our church. The survey will only take a few minutes to complete and the results will be extremely helpful to assist our Assimilation team in involving people in our church ministries.

So what do you think of when you hear the word fellowship? My prayer is that you think about caring for one another, sharing with one another, and demonstrating a love that encourages and builds up one another. Let’s model the early church and devote ourselves to fellowship.

Because of His Fellowship with us,

Dr. Joe King

I chuckle when I read the prayers of some children. They are so sweet and innocent in their requests. Yet, their prayers come from the heart. Here are a few prayers from some children.

Dear God: Please send a new baby for Mommy. The new baby you sent last week cries too much. - Debbie, 7

Dear God: Who did you make smarter? Boys or girls? My sister and I want to know. - Jimmy, 6.

Dear God: Please help me in school. I need help in spelling, adding, history, geography and writing. I don’t need help in anything else. - Lois, 9

Dear God: Do you have any helpers in Heaven? I would like to be one of Your helpers in Heaven when I have summer vacation. - Natalie, 7

Dear Lord: Tomorrow is my birthday. Could you please put a rainbow in the sky? - Susan, 9

Dear God: I need a raise in my allowance. Could you have one of your angels tell my father. Thank you. David, 7

I love the fact that these children are so honest with God. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:1 to not do our acts of righteousness before men to be seen by them. If we do, we will have no reward from the Father in heaven. He warns us about praying to be seen by men in verse 5. In verse 6 we are not to use lengthy and flattering words to impress others. True prayer is lead by the Holy Spirit and comes from the heart.

When Jesus was teaching his disciples how to pray he said, “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be your name.” The words “Our Father” denote relationship. There has never been a time when the Heavenly Father was not a father. This is because He has an eternal son in Jesus Christ. When we become Christians, we become children of God. Our God loves to hear his children pray.

In Matthew 6:8 Jesus told his disciples to refer to God as the Father. That was a term that would never have been used in the Old Testament because it would have been too intimate. In the Old Testament they would have used terms like “most high” or “heavenly”, or “Sovereign Lord” but never Father. The word Father actually means Abba or Daddy. It denotes sonship and a very personal relationship with God. However, not everyone who is created by God truly has God as his father.

To hallow God’s name means to make it holy or to treat it as holy. This means that we are not to treat His name lightly but to show reverence and to realize that this God is a holy Judge and Savior.

Matthew 6:8 we states “For your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” So this raises the question, if God already knows, then why should we ask? First, we are told in Matthew 6:11 to bring our needs before him. Jesus said, “Give us today our daily bread.” Prayer teaches us to depend upon God for our daily needs. We are told to ask.

Secondly, God delights in the prayers of His children. He enjoys fellowship with His children. In Matthew 7:9-11 we read an example of the Father’s love for giving to His children.

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Of if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

I am thankful that our loving Heavenly Father, who knows all things, and has ordained all things, enjoys his children coming to him in prayer. He enjoys giving good gifts to His children.

Are you enjoying prayer with your Heavenly Father? Would you remember to pray for our church? Pray for our staff, our elders, our deacons, and all those who serve so faithfully each week. Pray for our missionaries that we faithfully support. Pray for those in our community who need a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray for a kingdom outreach from Lake Oconee to the ends of the earth. Pray that God would be glorified in all that we do.

Because we are blessed!

Dr. Joe King

One of the reasons to join a small group is to experience community within the Body of Christ. We are created with a need for relationships. Did you know that the first small group was between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? The Holy Trinity experienced community with one another. In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul wrote that the church is a body with many members. Each member of the body is important. In Acts 2:42-47 we read about the priorities for the early church. Believers devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, prayer, and evangelism. They had such community in belonging to one another that if there was a personal need among them, they willingly sold their possessions and gave their resources to the apostles to be distributed to meet the need. They prayed and cared for one another in their small groups. John Stott wrote in One People: Clergy and Laity in God's Church: “I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that small groups, Christian family or fellowship groups are indispensable for our growth into spiritual maturity.”

Another reason for small groups is for mission. We are created to serve one another. What are we doing for others in our church, community, and country? A healthy small group is one that has an outward focus. Dr. Dejong, a small group expert wrote, "Adding intentional mission efforts actually keeps transformation happening! Mission sustains energy, vitality, searching, prayer, and urgency.”

When Jesus shared his mission with his friends, he started small with the eleven who were gathered around him and desired to be like him. "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age' (Matthew 28:17-20).  That is the ultimate mission.

In the next few weeks many of our small groups will resume after the summer break. I encourage you to become involved in one of the small groups at our church. Pick up a brochure about our small groups in the narthex or call the church office at 706-484-0600 for more information. Be in community. Do life together. That's God's plan for his people where two or three are gathered in His name.

Because of His Grace,

Dr. Joe King
Senior Pastor

Sheep are built in such a way that if they fall over on their side and then onto their back, it is very difficult for them to get up again. They flail their legs in the air, bleat, and cry. After a few hours on their backs, their stomach hardens, the air passage is cut off, and the sheep eventually suffocate. This is referred to as a “cast down” position.

When a shepherd restores a cast down sheep, he reassures it, massages its legs to restore circulation, gently turns the sheep over, lifts it up, and holds it so it can regain its equilibrium.

What a picture of what God wants to do for us! When we are on our backs, flailing because of guilt, grief, or grudges, our loving heavenly Shepherd reassures us with His grace, lifts us up, and puts us back on our feet. I am thankful for a God who shepherds his sheep by continually guiding, protecting, providing, and restoring his people.

In the Bible, children of God are often referred to as sheep. Sheep are not very smart and need constant attention from their shepherd. Sheep must stay with the flock to have protection and the proper nourishment they need to survive. Stray sheep get into trouble when they try to leave the flock. The shepherd must gently bring the wayward sheep back to the flock.

This is a beautiful word picture of Christ and his church. Christ loves his church, the sheep, and loves her (the church) enough that he died for her. He provides shepherds to love, guide, and care for her. This certainly includes officers in the church who are responsible to be overseers to care for the congregation.

Beginning on August 7^th and continuing through August 28^th, the congregation has the privilege of submitting names for the offices of elder and deacon. The biblical qualifications for both offices are listed in 1st Timothy Chapter 3 and Titus Chapter 1. There are certain biblical, theological, and character qualifications that must be met before a man can become a church officer. These officer nominees will undergo a period of training and examination. The elders who are presently serving have the responsibility of examining the candidates whose names have been submitted to determine whether or not they meet the qualifications set forth in Scripture. The approved candidates are then voted on by the congregation. I urge you to study the scriptures and remain in prayer as we seek God’s will in electing officers for our church.

Let me remind you of our church picnic in the pavilion on Sunday, September 11^th, immediately following our Morning Worship Celebration. There is no need to sign up, but simply bring your favorite entrée, salad, or dessert to share. This is always a great time of fun, food, and fellowship so make your plans to join us.

Lastly, our next Inquirer’s Class will be September 16^th through 18^th. If you have not attended this class let me encourage you to do so. You will learn a great deal about our church and make some new friends as well. Please call the church office at 706-484-0600 for more information.

Because of His Blessings,

Dr. Joe King

Palm Sunday - March 16th

The beginning of Holy Week is the celebration of the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem.  We remember on this day that, though hosanna was shouted and praises were lifted, the fickle hearts of the people would quickly turn.  Join us for our Morning Worship Celebration at 10:30 a.m.  

Maundy Thursday - March 20th

On this night we remember the two significant things that Christ did in the presence of his disciples, namely the washing of their feet and the institution of the Lord’s Supper.  It is important for the body of Christ to come together to keep the feast, and be reminded of the command of our Lord to serve rather than be served.  Service time is at 7:00 p.m., and childcare will be provided.

Good Friday - March 21st

At the noon hour on that Friday afternoon, our Lord was hung from a Roman tree to pay a penalty for sins He did not commit.  Our remembrance of Good Friday will be a service of shadows (or tenebrae), which is to say we will be reflecting on some of the last words of Christ on the cross.  At the conclusion of the service, there will be no benediction, no “good words” offered, for indeed there is nothing good about the darkness and silence that was left when our Lord breathed His last.  Rather, the people of God will depart in silence, and return for the conclusion of the service on Sunday.  Service time will be at 12:00 noon, and will conclude promptly at 1:00 p.m.

RESURRECTION SUNDAY - MARCH 23RD

We will have two identical hours of worship on Resurrection Sunday, one at 8:30 and the other at 10:30 a.m.  There will be no ALC's or Children's Sunday School, but rather in between the two worship hours there will be a brunch outside in our pavilion.  Joining us in worship that Sunday will be a brass quintet, as well as our choir and praise team.

We invite you, in as much as you are able, to make plans now to take part in all of the opportunities for worship presented to you during Holy Week.  It is a good thing for the family of faith to journey together into the depths of sorrow that is the suffering and death of Christ, knowing it was rightly due to us.  Through our remembering His pain, we rejoice all the more as we celebrate His triumph.

We will have two identical hours of worship on Resurrection Sunday, one at 8:30 and the other at 10:30 a.m.  There will be no ALC’s or Children’s Sunday School, but rather in between the two worship hours there will be a brunch outside in our pavilion.  Joining us in worship that Sunday will be a brass quintet, as well as our choir and praise team.

We invite you, in as much as you are able, to make plans now to take part in all of the opportunities for worship presented to you during Holy Week.  It is a good thing for the family of faith to journey together into the depths of sorrow that is the suffering and death of Christ, knowing it was rightly due to us.  Through our remembering His pain, we rejoice all the more as we celebrate His triumph.