Ministering to More People Than Usual (for One Wednesday Night)

Praise for the Brief Opportunity to Minister to More Than Usual

This past week, Carney Public Schools had their annual graduation and end of school ceremonies. My oldest son graduated high school, while another son of mine "graduated" 8th grade (YAY!). On Wednesday, our church took their turn to host the Baccalaureate service and dinner for the high school graduates. Overall, a fine event! Out of the 16 high school graduates, 11 attended the evening service, with two of the graduates participating in the service. Each grad received a Gideon Bible from my father-in-law and his fellow Gideon, we sang, prayed, read Scripture, and I gave a relatively short message on Ecclesiastes 12 ("Remember your Creator in the days of your youth"). I also invited the Assembly of God Youth Pastor to pray and share to close the service (which easily could have turned into another sermon-kudos to Pastor Tony for his self-control!). 

Including the graduates, 78 total people attended the event, which meant about 60 of them were our guests (not members of our church). Many of the attendees attend the Assembly of God church, since they cancelled their Wednesday events to come to the service. Most of the 78 people came to the dinner, packing out our fellowship hall! Still had too much food, and my family just polished off the last of the food on Saturday.

78 is the most I've had an opportunity to preach the Gospel to since becoming the pastor of this church. That number sure looked good in that sanctuary! Half that number would even be a blessing to regularly have on Sunday morning. I don't know how many the church had the last time the Baccalaureate event came to FBC, but apparently it was the last time they had that many in a service that wasn't a funeral. Here’s hoping we can end that drought sometime in the next two years.