Sandy Hook Shooting, Deacons Ordination (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/16)

My heart is saddened as many of you by the recent shooting at an elementary school that claimed the lives of 27 people, many of them children.  A person has to be evil and depraved to premeditatedly shoot defenseless children.  This should make our mission as a church clear.  Humanity is reaping the effects of our rebellion against God. The wages of sin is death. So the solution is not gun control, medication, or legislation but the Gospel that changes hearts and prepares the way for Jesus to return and set up His Kingdom where there will be no more senseless killing of children, no more death, and no more sorrow.  In the meantime, we must give the Gospel to our children. Parents, in particular fathers, are responsible to share the Gospel with their children and train them in the admonition of the Lord.  We must spread the Gospel to our communities and the nations.  And we must also serve communities in particular the one in Connecticut by mourning with them and praying for them.  

This afternoon at 4pm, we had an Ordination Service for Deacons Matt Darby and Corey Jerkins.  Pastor Charles Rainey (Cary First Christian Church) delivered a wonderful ordination message.  He preached from 1 Tim. 3:8-13 on the topic "So you want to be a deacon?"  We are thankful and praise God for these two men who have been found faithful and qualified to serve in the office of deacon.