Worship Service, Sunday, January 7th

Please begin praying for our first worship service together on Sunday, January 7th. From January 7th onward we'll be having weekly worship on Sunday evenings. We are still praying about when we'll launch our Sunday morning services.

Please pray that God will provide for our location to meet. We are asking to be able to meet at the Second Baptist Church on Sundays. Pray that we can come to an agreement with the Alabama Children's Home to see this through.

Blessings!
gary

Second Baptist Church

I had the opportunity to go see inside the Second Baptist Church building today. It was very moving for me. The sanctuary building was built in 1963. I'm not sure about the education building.

I've been in so many church buildings in my travels, many were much like what I saw today. I couldn't help but think of all the people that have gone through those hallways and rooms and of the lives that were changes there, the memories that were made there, and the prayers that were prayed.

As I went into one old Sunday school room, I came across a box of old books. These books were the Sunday school records dating back to at least 1961. All were hand written and listed the names and Sunday school classes and who was in attendance and who wasn't. The box was full of these records. I became emotional as I thumbed through the pages.

These buildings had lots of space, many rooms for classes, nursery rooms, offices and whatever. But it is in great need of sprucing up. Every room needs lots of work to make it look nice and presentable. The sanctuary was the nicest looking room, but stepping into it is like stepping into the eighties again with the teal and white carpet and pews. The one great plus is that the grand piano sounds really good and plays good. Everything in the buildings goes with the sell, so there are lots of chairs, tables, books, podiums, chalkboards, and a plethora of miscellaneous things.

I couldn't help but to be very moved looking through the Second Baptist Church Building. It was a sad thing for me. It's sad to think that a church would ever have to close its doors and end, when all around that community is great need--plenty of people who are desperate for God's Kingdom to be impacting their lives.

Although making this building to be presentable again will take much work, I am still eager to take it on, if God will allow. It will take a long time, and considerable man hours to see it through, but in the end it can be an unbelievable place for ministry in that community. I'm convinced of this.

We need God's help for any of this to happen. We need God's miracle working help. Right now we're only a handful of people, but we have high hopes and faith in our God to do great and mighty things for His glory.

Please pray for us to be fully engaged with God's Holy Spirit, that we may proceed under His leadership and not of our own thinking. Plus, pray for God's Spirit to be upon us powerfully as we meet together to seek Him and worship Him and as we go out into these surrounding communities.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Noah Douglas Wright

Noah was born on November 21 at 10:55 a.m. At birth, he was eight pounds - 1 ounce, and he was 21 inches long. On day five he was still eight pounds! He has been eating and sleeping wonderfully. To see some more pictures, please go to the page I've set up: Noah's Page

Stephanie is doing really well and on her way back to normal. We have both been quite overwhelmed and emotional, as you can imagine, this whole week. For some reason we seemed to soak in this whole experience a little more than when Amelia was born. I guess it was easier to enjoy it because we had been there before, and we weren't quite as nervous about the whole thing.

As we put in both car seats the other day and took our first trip with both Amelia and Noah it was very moving. We had the Christmas music playing, it was nighttime, and we were driving home from my mom and dad's house. Stephanie and I were teary-eyed as we thought how blessed we are.

The Lord is so good! The past few years have been a great struggle for Stephanie and me. they have been painful, full of discouragement, difficulties, and some frightening experiences. There seems to be restoration in the air as God is blessing us with our second child. Noah's name actually means 'rest', and we believe God went out of His way to change the name we had picked and to lead us to 'Noah'. Only a week ago did I really study it out and see the meaning behind his name, and I felt a strong sense of God's presence and sovereignty in the moment. In thinking on these things, yesterday I read this Psalm:

Psalm 126 (ESV)
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. 4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! 5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! 6 He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

God has truly blessed us, and we are indeed grateful and quite overwhelmed.