Rocky Mount UMC

Is bigger always better? How about smaller being the best? According to 1 John 3:1-7, neither matters.

In today’s busy society we are bombarded with quantitative analyses that indicate worthiness. For example, sales numbers, gross profit margins, length of warranties, the number of pews filled on Sunday morning or the attendance of extra-curricular church activities during the week are all indications of success.

John tells us that our heavenly Father doesn’t look at any of these things. We are successful and loved by him simply because we exist. Once we accept Jesus as God’s only begotten Son and repent of our sins, God doesn’t see our failures and faults; he sees us through the filter of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are loved intently and deeply and so personally that God knows the very number of hairs on our head. All he asks of us is our love. Show him that you love him.

Join us this coming week for our youth activities on Wednesday evening. Snacks and fun are an added attraction to our studies each week.

Sunday Evening Bible study finds us in the book of Romans. Paul is a dynamic church leader, and Pastor Guin presents his travels and teachings in a way that shows just how life experiences from 2000 years ago are relevant to us as we face today’s challenges.

Submitted by Charlotte Powell

Mountain Springs Church

On Sunday morning, the congregation sang the hymns “Glory to His Name,” “Old Time Power,” “I’ve Got that Old Time Religion,” “I’d Rather Be an Old Time Christian” and “I Never Shall Forget the Day.”

Bro. Wayne Barnett shared the verse of Psalm 113:7 for the morning devotion. “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill.”

Bro. Heath Vines preached his sermon from Matthew 25:1-13. We have a reward in heaven, and one day, Jesus is coming back for his church. We need to be prepared to meet our Lord in heaven. During the rapture, we will either go or stay. Are you ready?

“I Want to Be Ready to Meet Him,” “This World is Not My Home,” “Jesus is Coming Soon” and “Keep On the Firing Line,” were the hymns the church sang to start off the Sunday evening service.

Bro. Kenneth Moates led the testimony service and brought the evening devotion from Matthew 21:10-15. Jesus did some wondrous things. Bro. Kenneth said that he’s always amazed when Jesus shows up.

Kadie Coker, Kandice Cleckler and Savannah Parrish sang “Didn’t I Walk on the Water.” Avree Parrish, Gracie Vines and Kristin Thomas sang “Introduction.”

Sunday evening, Bro. Heath Vines preached from Acts 8:26-40. God told Phillip to go to south on the road leading to Gaza, and Phillip met a eunuch along the way. Phillip was excited to be able to do things for God. There may be people who desire to find God, and we need to take the time to ask God to send us to those lost people and use us like he used Phillip.

God values each and every person. He is concerned about each and every one of us. Every single soul matters to God. That’s why he called Phillip to go talk to the eunuch he met on the road. The Bible says that the shepherd will leave 99 of his sheep just to go find that one that is lost. You are the most important thing on God’s mind.

Barry Rowland and Deliverance will be singing at Mountain Springs on May 9 at 7 p.m.

The Mother/Daughter Banquet will be held at 2 p.m. on May 9 with speaker Kayla Rowland.

Submitted by Savannah Parrish