Posts from 2023 (Page 4)

Our prayers for high school graduates have us thinking about all that is “next” for our friends who wear the “green” and will receive their diplomas soon from Crest High School. I was thankful to hear all the plans they are making about the next season of study and preparation that is before them.  Across North Carolina and down to Florida and over to Alabama, our Poplar Springs graduates are already embracing the “next” steps of life’s journey.  We pray…

The Psalmist of old sang out to the Lord, “O SING to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things” (Psalm 98:1). Our weekly gatherings for worship give us the chance to lift our voices together and sing of the Lord’s magnificent work in our lives. As we worship, we are also blessed by changing the one letter in the Psalmist’s lyric so that it reads this way: “O RING to the LORD a new song…”  Yes,…

Strength Equal! Sunday’s children’s choir musical, “Go, Go, Jonah,” was filled with enthusiasm and joy and young lives offering their gifts to the glory of God! The morning was also filled with great words of encouragement from the lyrics presented. Some days we can’t help but be “down in the mouth” – discouraged by life’s events or our hearts’ struggles. But on those days there is good news to be had – good news from the children’s choir’s voices, viz.…

The first Thursday of May each year is the National Day of Prayer created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. This observance was formalized in keeping with the first call to prayer in 1775 when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation. Across our country this Thursday, fellow Americans will take time to pray for our nation and its…

Each time we gather in our Poplar Springs Sanctuary we see the light of the sun bending through the large stained-glass window in the balcony. This is the “Trinity Window” in our church, and it represents the triunity of God: The Father and his creative presence, The Son giving his life as a lamb for sacrifice, and The Spirit coming to bring God’s peace to our lives and our world. As I have noticed this window across the past months,…

As we come away from Easter Sunday we remember how the Resurrected Lord Jesus walked and taught with his disciples for 40 days and then announced the coming of the Holy Spirit to empower the early church for its mission in the world. That being so, our focus during worship over these next weeks will draw our attention to the Book of Acts in which we read of the characteristics that make the church, “the church!” In our anticipation of…

What happens when Easter praises have been sung, bells to welcome spring have been rung, and the bonnets and pastel clothes have been hung… until the next celebration? The answer is quite simple, especially profound, and eternally significant, viz. We will live as Easter People every day from now on! St. Augustine’s challenge is truly a great word to the church: “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter People! Hallelujah is our song!” Our calling is to…

On Saturday last, I thought again about the “April Fools.” While April Fools’ Day is the first day of April and is often a day for fun pranks, we pull on one another, it’s also coming this year just a few days before Easter Sunday. April 1st is also a day when my heart declares, with faith, that the greatest of April Fools is death itself along with the kingdoms of this world. Right before we moved to Shelby in…

This past Sunday’s worship was a blessing as our youth led us to the Lord in word, song, and message! Our Poplar Springs church family is thankful for the ministry of discipleship that we see in our youth and children’s ministries. I thank God for Nicole and Katherine and the team of servants they gather together to encourage our youth! There was a theme at work in the service that gave my heart a powerful reminder of the promise of…

Thank you for making your plan now to be part of our Holy Wednesday Service on April 5 in the Sanctuary. As we are remembering Jesus’ death on the cross, this service is our Poplar Springs way of walking near the cross together to reflect on Jesus’ love for us from the depths of the heart of God. It is a principal feature of our life in Christ to reflect upon this good news: “You see, at just the right…