Sunday Flashback

I was really tired this morning, even as our first worship gathering was about to begin. A late night, returning from Ocracoke at 1230AM overpowered my coffee at the Pier. But the first worship song "Lord, You Are Good (and your mercy endureth forever)" woke me up!

Several people commented on how well everything flowed today in our gatherings. It's great when all the pieces of the puzzle come together to create a beautiful picture. When people realize that it takes prayer and work to put it all together - that we value giving God our best - that's a real encouragement.

We've never served communion to that many people at once since we don't typically have communion on Sunday mornings. So kudos to Mike H. and his team. They worked out all the logistics with precision. Both gatherings were full. Thanks to Ocean View and Kitty Hawk Baptist churches for loaning us extra communion trays! We own enough to serve about 200, but we had about 300 in each gathering. Thanks, too, to volunteers whose willingness to serve made it come together so well - from those who prepared the bread and the cups to the guys in both gatherings doing the serving and to Pastor Tom for leading us to the Lord's Table. Great job.

Exodus 19 tells how God expected Israel to prepare themselves for meeting with God. It worked well with our preparation for meeting Him in communion. God is a personal God who desires to meet with us. At the same time we can't come to Him on our terms. That requires a role reversal that He won't concede. And rightly so.

The Glocks (our missionaries to France) are in town! Also Sheila Benson was there. (Larry is home sick.) They're home from their mission in Honduras for the month. And Dale Hamilton, home for a brief break was in church today. He returns to Iraq Thursday.

Different band set up today, minus the keyboard. We're down to one keyboard player right now, and she deserved the week off. But we had two electric guitars going and the sound was...electric! The new acoustic panels and reappearance of the drum screen allowed Michelle to to magic with Chris' instruments. The kick drum was amazing. So that's how it's supposed to sound. (Now, if we can only crank up the bass a bit...) Songs were right on target about the cross. I love it when we do an old hymn like today's "Jesus Paid It All" with the band. And David Crowder's "Oh the Glory of It All" has been a great "theme song" for this series. Then they sent us off with "Let the Praises Ring!"

I was able to catch a good nap this afternoon! Thanks, God. I needed that. Now I'm about to enjoy a cup of decaf from The Front Porch.

Please consider praying for the people of Ocracoke Island. Yesterday's tragedy there will deeply impact their tiny population. I met some very brave but shaken heroes last night. And also pray for the families of those who died in that horrific explosion.

[The linked song videos were not from today, but pre-recorded from earlier NHC worship gatherings except for the David Crowder link.]