I know it’s hard to believe, but we are one-third of the way through 2025. For many of us these last 4 months have felt like 14 months, but at the same time, how can we be almost halfway through this year. If any of you are like me, I don’t feel like I have accomplished anything I wanted to get done this year. But again, at the same time a lot of work has been started and is progressing for us to “Thrive in ‘25”.  The months of March and April kept us busy and offered great opportunities for Morven Baptist Church to “Thrive” and to help others to “Thrive” also. Our March to Easter services were very good and very encouraging. We began April fellowshipping with sister churches and then we progressed to Easter by hosting the Brooks County Ministerial Association Holy Week services, coordinating the Community Easter Egg Hunt, and conducting our Easter services. We ended April with a Celebration of Life Service for Mrs. Mary Anne Dell and a Deacon Ordination/Installation service.
Now before we start looking at happenings for the next couple of months, I want to take a moment to look at one of the Ten Commandments that will have practical and real application in the next few weeks. In Exodus 20 we read where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. The first four deal with man’s relationship with God, the last five deal with man’s relationship to mankind. The fifth commandment tells us how to deal with family. Exodus 20:12 say, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Jesus addressed this commandment several times in the Gospels and Paul wrote of its importance in Ephesians 6:1-3, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise; ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’” Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 11th, and Father’s Day is Sunday, June 15th. I’m not dictating how you should “honor your father and mother,” but I hope each of us will do something to honor our parents. One of the ways our church honors our mothers and fathers is by participating in the Options Now Change for Life fundraiser. So grab a baby bottle from church on Mother’s Day, pray for the family listed, fill it with loose change or donation, then return it on Father’s Day. All funds collected go toward helping new mothers and fathers in our local area.
There are a lot of activities and opportunities to “Thrive” in May. Along with Mother’s Day, there are various school graduations, the Morven Peach Festival, North Brooks Elementary School Faculty Appreciation Luncheon, Memorial Day, and our Celebrate Recovery 15th Anniversary on Wednesday, May 14th with a meal at 6 PM and meeting at 7 PM with special guests Darrell & Dawn Ritchie. What a blessing this ministry is for our church and for the lives we’ve been able to help deal with life’s hurts, habits, and hangups. Join us as we celebrate and praise the Lord for the many ways He is using Celebrate Recovery at Morven Baptist Church.
Lastly, I want to say, “Thank You!!” for praying for me after my recent minor surgery. Your prayers were heard, and they are being answered. Thank you for praying for several others of our church family who are facing various life choices and situations. Lord, help us to pray “Your will be done” in every prayer we make.
“Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.” (William Carey)