March 2020
The Fifth Beatitude, “Blessed are the merciful, for they, and they alone, shall receive God’s mercy,” teaches us that our forgiveness is contingent upon our forgiving others. When the poet, Edwin Markham, was ready to retire at age 60, he discovered that he had been swindled out of his life’s savings by his best friend, a banker. He was penniless, but he began to lecture on poetry and remade his fortune. Yet, after some time on the lecture circuit, he found that he could no longer write poetry.
And when the first flood of bitterness began to sweep into his soul, he cried to himself, “No! I shall not let you in! There shall be no hatred in my heart! Love shall outlast the stars!”
Out of that experience Edwin Markham wrote one of his most famous lines of verse:
He drew a circle that shut me out –
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
Friend, that’s what we did to Jesus. He came to earth to teach us and heal us and love us. But we treated Him like a thing to flout. We rejected Him and mocked Him and, ultimately, we crucified Him. But there on Calvary’s Cross, in dying love and bleeding mercy, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And, in that moment, He drew a circle that took us in. The Savior simply waits for us to step into that circle of redeeming love.
February has been a good month with 345 in Bible Study. Our new Sunday morning schedule has been very well received, with our “Classic Service” at 9:00, Sunday School for everyone at 10:10 and our “Contemporary Service” at 11:20. In addition, our Annual Barnesville Game & Fish Banquet with Hank Parker was the best-attended event of its kind! The Upward Celebration with magician Joe Turner capped off a fine season of basketball and cheer leading at our church. The February Canopy was a great time of worship for the women in our community, and for those wondering, the giraffe did make an appearance!
March has some great events waiting for you:
- Our BIBLE EMPHASIS WEEKEND with Andy Cook takes place the first full weekend in March, the 7th and 8th. Doors open at 8:00 Saturday morning with a continental breakfast. That morning will be split between meetings with Andy in the Sanctuary and breakout sessions with other teachers in various classrooms. We will also include lunch on Saturday. Sunday morning we’ll host Andy in both services (9:00 & 11:20) and during Sunday School (10:10) in the Sanctuary.
- We will celebrate our first incredibly successful year of fund-raising for our GENERATIONS FOLLOWING CAMPAIGN on Sunday, March 22nd, in both worship services!
March is going to be a great month! Come EXPECTANTLY!