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This page is a blog for Pastor Harris' emails to the church family. The newest posts will be on top, and descending in chronological order.
5/11/08-Mother's Day
Hello,
I want to wish all of our ladies a very Happy Mother’s Day. I look forward to giving you special honor as we worship together in the morning. I’ll be preaching the Word of God in both morning services at 9:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Tomorrow night at 6 p.m., the Ladies Teen Challenge Choir will be ministering in song.
Our church billboard reads, “Your Mother Called And Said You Need to Be In Church Sunday.” Men and children…heed the call!
The Mother/Daughter Banquet Friday night, organized by Mimi Whatley, was a very special night the ladies will always remember. Here is picture of my Aunt Alma (92), and my cousins Louise (her daughter) and Clia (her granddaughter):
Louise Rowell Alma Renfro Clia Guyans
Our students just returned from the State Fine Arts Festival in Lafayette, where they displayed their God-given talents and ministry gifts. Here are the results:
Alexis Balentine was State Champion (Award of Merit With Invitation to Nationals) in Traditional Photography.
Lauren Harris was State Champion (Award of Merit With Invitation to Nationals) in Short Sermon.
Kaley Balentine & Kandace Landreneau were State Champions (Award of Merit with Invitation to Nationals) in Small Group Human Video.
Brittany Baker (Superior with Invitation to Nationals) in Sign Language Solo.
Kandace Landreneau (Superior with Invitation to Nationals) in Short Sermon.
Lauren Harris (Superior With Invitation to Nationals) in Female Vocal Solo.
Sarah Kalnasy (Superior with Invitation to Nationals) in Female Vocal Solo.
Lauren Harris (Superior with Invitation to Nationals) in Songwriting.
Alexis Balentine, Aaron Carter, Ashton Childs, Nolan Glenn, Lauren Harris, Chase Parker, Kandace Landraneau & Sarah Kalnasy (Superior) in Worship Team
Elizabeth Stralow (Superior) in Female Vocal Solo.
Julie Stralow (Superior) in Traditional Art.
We are grateful to the Lord for each of these students who excelled in their ministry to the Lord. National Competition is in Charlotte, NC, Aug. 4-9. Remember them in prayer as they pray, practice, and raise funds for their trip to Charlotte.
Andrea got braces on her teeth last week. She’s just now getting over the painful part...for a while. The price we pay for a beautiful smile!
The Church Leaders Meeting is Monday night at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. This is a very important meeting for ALL church leaders, teachers, workers and helpers.
Click on the video below and get ready for VICTORY DAY – June 1. It’s a day you won’t want to miss!
http://www.creativeanimation.net/ApprovalVideos/Central%20AOG%20Bossier%20City%20TEASER3_16x9.wmv
Make tomorrow a fantastic day of worship—for the Lord and your mother.
I love you,
Pastor
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5/4/08
Hello,
As you prepare for church tomorrow, I’d like to share with you a little parable.
Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives.
He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.
He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.
The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great strides in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!
One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wonder “I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will You follow me and keep me company?"
"No way!", replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.
The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!” replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!"
His heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!” replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave." Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.
Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had time and opportunity!"
In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:
Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.
Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
And our 1st wife is our Soul... Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go, even to the grave.
Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue on with us throughout all eternity. Jesus asked, “For what is a man advantaged if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
The mission of Central Assembly of God is to prepare men, women, boys and girls for eternity. I thank God for the outstanding worship, the tremendous music, and the anointed preaching we enjoy every week—but my favorite part of the service is the altar call—the invitation for people to prepare for eternity.
You have a choice about eternity—are you ready? A church that really loves you will help you take care of your soul.
Tomorrow I’ll be preaching in all of the services at 9:15 a.m., 10:45 a.m., and 6 p.m. We will be having a water baptismal service tomorrow night. If you’d like to be baptized, join us for the meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Central Café. Bring a towel and a change of clothes.
We’ll be receiving new members into the church family tomorrow night. You’ll want to be here to welcome them.
This Thursday, the Senior Adults will be going to Kelly’s Place for dinner at 6:30 p.m.
The Mother/Daughter Banquet is Friday night at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
Saturday, there will be a Church Yard Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to the various items sold, there will also be a silent auction for a 12’ Long, 1999 Yamaha Waverunner Jet Ski.
Vacation Bible School is May 26-30. Spread the word to all the kids in your neighborhood.
Youth Camp is June 16-20, Kid’s Camp is June 30-July 4, Youth Beach Retreat in Destin is July 14-19, and Tween Camp is July 21-25.
Next Sunday is Mother’s Day! Your mom would want you to take care of your soul. Do it.
I love you,
Pastor
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4/19/08
Hello,
I have watched with interest the television coverage of the Pope’s visit to America. His timing is for good reason. An article in this weekend’s edition of the New York Times reads “A Populist Threat Confronts the US Catholic Church.” What is that “Populist Threat?” You guessed it—US! Here’s how the article begins:
To say she was a practicing Catholic would be an understatement. For years, Maria Aparecida Calazans was a mainstay at her Long Island church, joining dozens of fellow Brazilian immigrants for the Portuguese language Mass on Sunday mornings. She and her husband, Ramon, were married at the church. Their two daughters were baptized there, and every Friday she attended a prayer meeting that she had helped organize.
But six years ago, her husband went to a relative’s baptism at a Pentecostal church in a warehouse in Astoria, Queens, and came home smitten.
The couple made a deal. “We would go to the Pentecostal service on Thursdays and to Mass on Sundays, and then we would decide which one we felt most comfortable with,” Mrs. Calazans said.
Within 40 days, they had given up Roman Catholicism and embraced Pentecostalism, following the path of the estimated 1.3 million Latino Catholics who have joined Pentecostal congregations since immigrating to the United States, according to a survey released in February by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
“I feel whole here,” Mrs. Calazans, 42, said one recent Sunday in the Astoria sanctuary, the Portuguese Language Pentecostal Missionary Church, as she swayed to the pop-rock beat of a live gospel band. “This church is not a place we visit once a week. This church is where we hang around and we share our problems and we celebrate our successes, like we were family.”
As Pope Benedict XVI completes his visit to the United States on Sunday with a Mass at Yankee Stadium, in a borough that has been home to generations of Latinos, he does so facing something of a growing challenge to the church’s immigrant ranks.
For if Latinos are feeding the population of the church, many have also turned to Pentecostalism, a form of evangelical Christianity that stresses a personal, even visceral, connection with God.
Today, it has more Latino followers in the United States than any other denomination except Catholicism; they are drawn, they say, by the faith’s joyous worship, its use of Latino culture and the enveloping sense of community it offers to newcomers. As the Pew survey revealed, half of all Latinos who have joined Pentecostal denominations were raised as Catholics.
They are part of a global shift. Pentecostalism, the world’s fastest-growing branch of Christianity, has made such sharp inroads in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, that in an address to bishops there last year, Pope Benedict listed its ardent proselytizing as one of the major forces the Catholic Church must contend with in the region.
Catholic leaders and experts on the church in the United States say that the impact of Pentecostalism has been less dramatic here. Still, the pope has urged the nation’s bishops to make every effort to welcome immigrants — “to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials, and to help them flourish in their new home.” And any number of Catholic clergy and laypeople have conceded that the church needs to work harder at reaching, and keeping, its Latino flock.
“That some of the newly arrived Latinos are drawn to Pentecostalism is certainly reason for concern,” said the Rev. Allan Figueroa Deck, the executive director of the Office for Cultural Diversity, which was created last June by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to help the church adjust to its changing ethnic makeup.
“But we can counter that with the kind of music we use, with the sense of celebration that we bring to our worship, the spontaneity and some of the popular customs that are not part of the official liturgy of the church. We’re doing some of that, but we could do better.”
I regret that the New York Times uses the verbiage that Pentecostals are a “populist threat” to the Catholic church. We’re no threat to the Catholic Church. We want to be friends! We’re just being ourselves and allowing the Spirit of God to have His way in our lives and in our churches. But, it will take more than contemporary music and a change in worship style and customs to meet the needs of those who have a greater hunger for God. It is not by might, nor by power (and we have observed much of that during the Pope’s visit), but it is BY MY SPIRIT, says the Lord.” (Zech. 4:6). If we’re a threat to anyone—let it be the devil! He is our enemy—not other churches.
There are many denominations that have changed their orders of service and worship styles to a more “charismatic” style, in hopes of keeping their people. At the same time, there are many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that are “toning down” the gifts of the Spirit, de-emphasizing the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the initial sign of speaking in tongues, and generally speaking—becoming the “generic church” in town. What’s a Spirit-filled Christian to do, these days?
Where will the hungry soul go to be fed? Where will the drug addict go for deliverance? Where will the sick go for healing? Where will the person go who needs a miracle? They are coming to us for help.
The Apostle Paul made it very clear, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (I Cor. 2:4-5).
America has a choice when it comes to churches—those who emphasize the popular and those who experience the Power! I want the POWER!
I’ll be preaching in the Power of the Spirit during the morning services at 9:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Come expecting to receive a fresh Word from the Lord! In the service tomorrow night, I have invited our Pastors to join me in a “tag team” sermon on the topic, “The Anointing Makes All The Difference.” If you’ve never experienced a “tag team” sermon—don’t miss this service where you’ll hear the “best of the best” from your favorite preachers.
Monday night is our Camp Meeting service with Rev. Tommy Bates. He is an anointed singer, musician, and preacher of God’s Word. Invite your friends to this special Pentecostal service where God will be moving by His Spirit. To listen to Bro. Bates’ music go to his website at www.tommybates.com.
Spend some time in prayer tonight for a mighty outpouring of God’s Spirit this weekend at Central. The anointing really does make all the difference!
I love you,
Pastor
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4/13/08
Hello,
Should parents make their children go to church?
Let’s look at it another way…
Should parents make their children go to school? Parents are required by law to force their children to go to school!
Here’s what happens to parents in our community who don’t make their children go to school:
The Bossier/Webster Parish Truancy Assessment and Service Center (TASC) assists the Bossier Parish School System in enforcing compliance of all attendance laws. The TASC program is sponsored by the Bossier/Webster Parish District Attorney Office. A referral to TASC may result in the following:
1. A home visit by an attendance officer
2. An attendance hearing
3. A referral to Teen Court
4. A petition to Juvenile Court filed with the District Attorney’s Office
Appropriate fines and/or incarceration await those who break these important truancy laws. It’s ironic. It doesn’t matter whether or not the child likes the teacher…whether or not the child likes the subject…whether or not the child likes the school dress code…the parents must force their child to go to school—whether that is public school, private school, or home schooling. Absences must be excused with an authorized signature—and that’s for an institution that requires faithful attendance 7 hours per day, 5 days per week, 9 ½ months out of the year!
I agree with those laws (not that it makes any difference whether I do or not…I still must comply), but I just wonder what would happen if we had truancy laws for those who “play hooky” from church? What if every absence from church or Sunday School had to be excused? What if every parent who failed to bring their children to church faced the powers that be?
You say, preacher, that’s ridiculous!
Well…do we believe attending school is more important than attending church? Is shaping our children’s lives mentally more important than shaping them spiritually? Is preparing them for life more important than preparing them for eternity?
Now, here’s the rub. The most faithful members only have their children in church 3 hours on Sunday morning, 1 ½ hours on Sunday night, and 2 hours on Wednesday night. That’s only 6 ½ hours per week!
Is 35 hours per week in school more important than 6 ½ hours in church? Is missing one day of school more detrimental than missing one church service?
I’ll split the difference with you. Can we agree they are equally important?
If so…then the answer is YES! Parents should make their children go to church.
Parents who don’t force their children to go to church will face a Higher Authority than the Bossier Parish School Board or District Attorney Schuyler Marvin. Think about it.
Parents who LOVE their children make them go to school AND to church.
You may have to FORCE your child to go to school some mornings, but my prayer is that through the outstanding ministry at Central, the loving environment, the spiritual atmosphere, and the FUN activities…your child will always WANT to go to church. Your personal involvement at school and a church will make all the difference in the world and eternity!
Tomorrow is going to be an outstanding day to worship the Lord! There are a variety of Bible classes which meet at 8:15 a.m., 9:15 a.m., and 10:45 a.m. I will be preaching in both of the morning services. Last Sunday was, “Walking with Jesus.” Tomorrow I will be preaching on, “Walking in the Spirit.”
Mrs. Rose Van Thyn – Auschwitz survivor speaks Sunday night!
Sunday night at 6 p.m. you will not want to miss the riveting testimony of Mrs. Rose VanThyn, a Holocaust survivor. Mrs. VanThyn suffered under the Nazi regime in Auschwitz. You will be able to see the number tattooed on her arm and hear the story of how she survived the hellish torment of Hitler’s final “solution” for the Jews. Due to the graphic nature of her experience, Mrs. VanThyn has asked that there be an alternate activity for children under the age of 14. Following praise and worship those under 14 will be dismissed to the Chapel for a reenactment of the Passover Meal as Pastors Dan & Lori present the story of God’s love for His chosen people.
The skinheads, Neo-Nazis, many Muslims, and other historic revisionists, want us to believe the Holocaust never happened! We must never forget the Holocaust…and always remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. God has promised, “they shall prosper that love thee (Israel).” (Ps. 122:6). Ralph Costley a member of our church was part of the liberating armies who freed the prisoners from the concentration camps. He saw what Mrs. VanThyn will be telling. Bring your friends and neighbors to this night we will always remember.
Three will be a baby girl shower for Jeff and Kelly Bird after church tomorrow night! Come congratulate this happy family!
The Senior Adult Hymn Sing is Thursday at 10 a.m., and the Fusion Young Adult service is at 7 p.m.
Ladies Snacks and Game Night is Friday at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring your favorite snack and games and invite a friend.
Camp Meeting service with Rev. Tommy Bates, Monday, Apr. 21, 7 p.m.
Why not call a friend right now, and invite them to church tomorrow? God is moving by His Spirit at Central and miracles are happening! Don’t miss out! Don’t play hooky!
I love you,
Pastor
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4/5/08
Hello,
We had Spring Cleaning at the church today, and I was thrilled with the number of people who showed up to help clean, repair, and maintain our beautiful new worship center. Thank you for your help! A free lunch at Pepe’s was the temporal reward your received, but the eternal reward is beyond description! It thrills my heart to see people who really love their church. “…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” (Eph. 5:25).
How much do you love your church? Love is more than a feeling. Love is a verb, too! It requires action. I have chosen to express my love for the church in the following ways:
1) Praying! The single greatest thing I can do. I pray for our pastors and teachers. I pray for lost souls to be saved and miracles to take place in our services.
2) Tithing and Giving Offerings! Since I was 12 years old, I have given 10% of every dollar I have earned as a tithe to the Lord (through my local church), and I have given offerings over and above my tithe to missions and to the building fund of every church I have ever been a part of (Broadmoor Assembly of God, Shreveport; Calvary Church, Irving, TX; Kings Corner Assembly of God, Sarepta; and Central Assembly of God).
3) Volunteering! Before I entered the ministry, I was a musician, sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, helped in VBS, was a counselor at Kids Camp, etc. I always felt honored to give my time and talents in service to the Lord.
4) Encouraging! I may not be able to do everything, but I can encourage others who can do what I don’t have the ability to do. A pat on the back goes a long way.
5) Telling others! The greatest advertising Central Assembly of God has is YOU! Tell everyone you know how much you love your church! Believe me…everyone will eventually need a church! When they do…they’ll remember how much you love your church…if you tell them about what God is doing at Central!
Would you do me a favor? Take a few minutes right now, and reply back to me with some ways you like to show how much you love your church? I want to hear from YOU!
I love you,
Pastor
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3/28/08
Hello,
My family just returned from Cincinnati, Ohio, where Andrea underwent a complete medical evaluation at Children’s Hospital. Some of the tests results were good and some were not so good. We continue to look to God for her complete healing, and we appreciate everyone who is joining with us in prayer. I will share more with you during the message tomorrow. Sheryl, Andrea, Lauren, and I draw strength simply by your “being there.” We look forward to seeing you!
We broke all attendance records on Easter Sunday! Our worship center was packed to capacity as the Spirit of the Lord touched hearts and lives! Souls were saved in both morning services! The choir ministered powerfully Sunday night during the Living Lord’s Supper. It was a day to remember!
While many enjoyed Spring Break last week, several members of our church family spent their vacation on a missions trip to Querétaro, Mexico. Many people gave their hearts to Jesus as the team ministered to their physical and spiritual needs. You can read the exciting reports on the front page of this site, in the scrolling news section.
The Northwest Louisiana Senior Adult Rally will be held at our church this Monday at 10 a.m. All adults ages 50+ and their friends will be blessed by the music, the message, and the fellowship. A delicious lunch will be served at Noon. Come see your friends from other Assemblies of God churches across the area. I have been called for jury duty Monday morning, so I will have to miss at least some of the rally.
Tomorrow is Buddy Barrel Sunday, so don’t forget your pocket change for the boys and girls and their missions offering.
I love you,
Pastor
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3/22/08
Hello,
Friday night, Billie & Gaines Carr prepared a delicious supper for Sheryl, Andrea, me (Lauren was at the Youth Convention), Richard and Glenda Townley, and Kristi Tilley. On the menu was: roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, purple hull peas, fried okra, creamed style corn, Harvard beets, candied yams, fruit salad, and cornbread! Our choices for dessert were homemade coconut or chocolate pie! What a feast!
The best meals are homecooked…with love. I’ve eaten at some of the finest restaurants in the world…many of them right here in Louisiana…but nothing can beat a homecooked meal like we enjoyed at the Carr’s Friday night!
That’s why you don’t want to miss church in the morning! Worshipping with your church family is like enjoying a homecooked meal. You see old friends, catch up on what’s happening, the atmosphere is warmed by love, the praise and worship is inspiring, and then the preacher serves the Bread of Life. Invite your friends and family to join you at church tomorrow!
Don’t miss
EASTER SUNDAY CELEBRATION
at Central Assembly of God
Worship Services at 9:15 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.
(with Children’s Easter Egg Hunt at 12 noon)
and Living Lord’s Supper dramatic musical presentation at 6 p.m.
Jesus said, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death!” (Revelation 1:18)
He is risen!
I would like to share a few interesting things I have learned about the events after the resurrection.
The most elite Roman guards of that day would have been assigned to the tomb of Jesus because it was considered a priority to the Jews in charge that his body not be stolen. Otherwise, rumors would start that he was alive and people would believe that Jesus was who he said he was and that would've caused a lot of problems for both the Jews and the Romans.
These Roman soldiers would not risk their lives by letting anyone take the body nor would they fall asleep on the job. To do so would mean certain death for them, so it was in their best interest to make sure that Christ's body stayed in the tomb. When the tomb was sealed it would have the imperial seal of Rome on it and under no circumstances was that seal to be broken.
But God.......had other plans.
Another interesting fact is that when people went in to see the empty tomb, they noticed Jesus had taken the time to fold His garments. This would seem to indicate that He wasn't in a rush to get out of there or that people hadn't come to steal His body away because if they did, they certainly wouldn't take the time to fold His garments.
The scriptures state that He appeared to the apostles who were behind closed doors. Scientists have indicated that there are more than the 4 dimensions (height, length, depth and time going forward) that we are familiar with and that there are at least 10 or 11 dimensions and possibly more. That may explain how Jesus was able to materialize into the room or disappear or appear to people in other encounters as well .
His resurrected body could be felt and He could participate in activities. Jesus even built a fire on the beach while the apostles were fishing. Then He cooked the fish and ate with them. He fellowshipped with them.
That’s what He wants to do with you on Easter Sunday! Don’t miss the celebration!
I love you,
Pastor
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3/15/08
DON’T MISS NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 23!
EASTER SUNDAY AT CENTRAL!
Three Sunday School Hours – 8:15 a.m., 9:15 a.m., & 10:45 a.m.
Three Worship Services – 9:15 a.m., 10:45 a.m. & 6 p.m.
Children’s Church – 10:45 a.m.
Nursery Available For All services
Come worship our Risen Savior!
Pastor Andy Harris will be preaching at 9:15 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.
Children’s Easter Egg Hunt immediately following the second service.
AND EASTER SUNDAY NIGHT, BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO CELEBRATE
THE LIVING LORD’S SUPPER
6 p.m.
A Dramatic Musical Presentation by the
CENTRAL ASSEMBLY OF GOD SANCTUARY CHOIR
Under the direction of
CARLTON GILMER
DON’T MISS A SINGLE EVENT DURING HOLY WEEK AT CENTRAL!
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3/11/08
Church family,
I received the following email from the leader of our Assemblies of God churches in Kenya. The Merryland church was built through your love and generosity and the sacrifice of 11 men in our congregation who volunteered their labor. We later provided seating for their sanctuary.
Thanks so much for your continued faithfulness in prayers and financial support for our brothers and sisters who have gone through some very difficult times of crisis. As we build the church in Africa, God will help us build the church here.
Love you,
Pastor
Dear Pastor and Mama Harris,
Praise God. You are so dear to us and we thank God for that. Thank you for your prayers. Our nation has undergone a very hard time whereby a lot of children have been orphaned and widows have increased. Thank you for your prayers have really encouraged them and given them hope. We can see a cloud of peace as a result of your prayers , God is good , continue to pray for us and the church of God and every demon will be ashamed.
Otherwise, How is your family and the church. I hope they are all fine We miss you and we wish you can come and visit us. Merryland church is doing well and they now have enough chairs for their church. They always remember you.
We love you so much.
Bishop & Mama Kimemia.
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3/8/2008
Hello,
Times…they are a changing! DON’T FORGET TO MOVE YOUR CLOCK FORWARD ONE HOUR TONIGHT. REMEMBER, “SPRING FORWARD.” Daylight Saving Time begins! We had snow in March this year! Can you believe it? We had about 1-2 inches on the church property, and it was so beautiful. That’s surprising for another reason—Easter is just 2 weeks away! Easter is early this year. In fact, it is probably the earliest Easter any of us have ever seen—or ever will see.
Ever wondered why Easter isn’t celebrated on the same day every year? Well…Easter celebrates the day when Jesus rose from the dead. This occurred on the day after the Jewish festival of Passover. The Jewish calendar is influenced by the moon. Consequently, Easter is the first Sunday after (not on) the Pascal full moon which happens on or after the Official Vernal Equinox (March 21). Now you know!
Moving Easter each year may seem inconvenient, but church leaders (at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325) decided to keep Easter linked to Passover, and so it will constantly move between March 22 and April 25, each year.
Here are the facts:
The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you’re 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).
The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. Therefore, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!
Amazing…isn’t it?
As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, I want to remind you of some of the exciting events coming up at Central:
PALM SUNDAY CELEBRATION, March 16. There’s not another service like it! Don’t miss the singing, shouting, palm waving, and rejoicing in the Lord. That night, the Corpus Christi Men’s Teen Challenge choir will be singing.
YOUTH CONVENTION, March 21-22, Alexandria. We have about 80 students attending from Central. See Pastor Shawn for details.
GOOD FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICE, March 21, with our friends at St. Jude Catholic Church, Viking Dr., in Bossier City. This will be a “reunion” as we thank St. Jude for letting us use their facilities a year ago, while we were building our new worship center. Father Pike Thomas has extended this kind invitation to join them.
COMMUNITY WIDE EASTER EGG HUNT OUTREACH, Saturday, March 22. All boys and girls 12 and under are invited to bring a friend! Prizes will be awarded.
EASTER SUNDAY, March 23. I’ll be preaching in the morning services at 9:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. At Noon, we will have another Easter Egg Hunt for the boys and girls.
LIVING LORD’S SUPPER, Easter Sunday night, March 23, 6 p.m. Don’t miss this dramatic presentation by the Central Assembly of God Sanctuary Choir. We will celebrate Communion, Foot Washing, and Worship with a “you are there” perspective.
I hope you’ll make the most of Easter season this year! There’ll never be another one like it!
Tomorrow, I’ll be preaching in all three services at 9:15 a.m., 10:45 a.m., and 6 p.m. God has been moving in a powerful way, and you don’t want to miss what He has in store for you! A baby boy shower for the Jordan’s will be held after the evening service.
I love you,
Pastor
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3/1/2008
Hello,
Tomorrow will be a great day to worship the Lord. David said, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” (Psalms 122:1). Actually, this was a song he sang on his way to “church” as he ascended the holy hill to worship God in the Temple. As you and your friends come to Central on the hill in the morning, may the same expectancy, joy, and gladness fill your heart. Come early and spend some time getting acquainted with some new folks, and don’t miss the exciting Bible class available for you at 8:15 a.m., 9:15 a.m., or 10:45 a.m. Worship is at 9:15 a.m., 10:45 a.m., & 6 p.m.
I’ll be preaching in the morning, and we will be blessed tomorrow night by the ministry of Larry & Rhonda Allen, missionaries to Africa. You’ll want to hear the latest on the struggle in Kenya and how the Spirit of God is lifting up a standard against the forces of evil there. Rhonda is the granddaughter of pioneer missionary Morris Plotts, known as Bwana Tembo, in Africa.
My wife wants to express her thanks for the many expression of love shown on her birthday. Every card, gift, offering, and call reminded her how much she is loved by the Central church family. I believe she is the loveliest “First Lady” to be found in any church in the world. Thank you for honoring her.
Our church family continues to grow. There were 160 more people who worshipped with us this February than last year. Praise the Lord! We thank God for the Spirit of revival in our church! People are getting saved, healed, and baptized in the Holy Spirit every week!
Bro. Justin Jetton is home on spring break from Central Bible College. I’ll have him bring greetings in the morning services.
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow as we worship the Lord together!
I love you,
Pastor |
