A few years ago we made a decision... when there are 5 Sundays in a month, we don't have children's church for our 1st- 5th grade students and our Purpose group remains in the Sanctuary for all of the service. A small choice, but a necessary one for us as a church. We separate age groups for discipleship... kids learn differently than adults, some topics are for mature ears only... you know the strategy. However, there is something to be gained by having families worship together! Faith is more caught than taught someone said, I agree. For a young boy or girl to see mom and dad or another adult lift hands to heaven, express praise, pray out loud, give in an offering... get a little excited about the word of God, does more than you can measure with attendance or offering goals. So today when little ones are around you... greet them, make them welcome... go ahead and worship with them... you may learn something from them. See you Sunday.

In June of this year, I know the Lord spoke to my heart about changes in structure and leadership in the church staff. I had a plan on paper. Got approval to implement the plan and now it is not going as I planned... what a thought... so I wait. I am impatient. I have a difficult time not 'doing' something, anything! I must wait, God is at work, situations are advancing and lives are in the balance. So I wait, impatiently, but I wait. I know the scripture verses, songs and have preached the sermons... I will wait on the Lord. He will do what is right, good and perfect for His church. So what do I do now... I will worship, serve, pray, praise, teach, talk, fellowship, encourage, witness till He answers. Join me in the 'waiting room'... See you Sunday.

This week I have helped two young families move house... one going, one coming. I remember the excitement of a move... opportunity, challenge, fresh environment and a new start. The promise of a new day holds so much potential. For new ideas, new perspective and hope. So let's seize the day... go ahead and give it your best, who knows what will come of it. Perhaps, a miracle will occur and life transformation will take place. Instead of asking, ' what could have been?' We can declare, 'look what the Lord has done.' Godspeed to those who are moving toward new challenges... Welcome to those coming on board. See you Sunday.

I have been here for a while tonight, study, prayer and meditation to prepare my heart for Sunday morning worship. My part of the service is to present a message from God's Word that speaks to us NOW... I must also enter as a worshipper... the main focus of Sunday service is for believers to worship the Lord. As such, I must sing, pray, repent, give, praise, exhort, encourage, fellowship with other saints, greet people and enjoy the atmosphere of life, joy and peace that is Sunday Worship at New Covenant. I don't want to take for granted the privilege to worship... the focus is not on preaching... but Jesus. This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. How about you... will you rejoice with me and exalt His name above every name? See you Sunday.

Summer would not be complete without VBS... especially if you are a child! My girls are both older now... college age and yet they still remember VBS... the stories, crafts, cookies, programs, all of it made an impact. This week volunteers will give their time, their talents and their sweat to teach stories and interact with the most important resource of the church, children. You can't over estimate the value of training children in the faith. Nothing else pays off like this... so I want to ask you to bring your children, get invovled and pray for this week to be effective. Some day these kids will remember with great fondness the sacrifice you made... See you Sunday.

July 4th, celebrating the birth of our nation. It is fitting that it should be on Sunday this year... it gives us a chance to thank God for His goodness and grace. It also allows us to PRAY for this nation and seek God on its behalf. We have witnessed a gradual shift away from the founding principles of our forefathers toward toleration of anything that suits our selfish desires. The sacrifices of those who gathered to form our nation were many and great. Many of them lost fortunes and their lives in order for this nation to survive. Let's pray that we will return to the foundation of 'all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' May we acknowledge our Creator, seek His face on behalf of our nation. See you Sunday.

Fishing is something I do about once or twice a year. Our Men's Ministry sponsors an outing for families at the Folly Beach Pier. There is food, sodas, cookies, kids, bait and a 'shark' [usually a small one] to bring excitement to the afternoon. Yesterday's event was the largest ever... it was also the 'hottest' I remember. The excitement of children and adults when a fish tugs on the bait... the flip/flop on the deck of a small stingray draws a crowd of onlookers... it is simply one of the most fun events of each year. I enjoy watching parents and kids interact over a sandwich and soda... dads and kids standing beside each other at a rail... watching jellyfish or a school of stingrays float under the dock... as the TV commercial says... 'it is priceless.' Thanks to the guys who made it all happen, you have given memories to families that will last a long time. Sunday is Father's Day, we have a special program for part of the service that features Dad's and Kid's. As always, Donu

I do think summer has arrived early in Charleston... boy was it hot over the weekend. Seasons change our expectations. I know that the heat and humidity here will trigger afternoon thunderstorms, which will cause lawns and crops to grow and produce fruit and vegetables. In our lives, seasons change and produce growth and fruit. After a winter of rest and rejuvenation, we are now ready to bear fruit. Fruit identifies us, we are known by our fruit, Jesus says. So are we patient, kind, loving, generous, friendly... or do we have kind of sour fruit... See you Sunday!

I was watching TV the other night and heard a commercial... 'Memorial Day is all about projects around the house and cooking out'. It offended me! We have reduced the memory of our fallen heroes to another day of commerce and food... we are influenced so much by media, that often the real focus is missing. In my childhood it was called 'decoration day'. Family members would come back to the home place... place flowers on graves and revive memories of those who preceded them in death... to remember the fallen. Soldiers graves were always decorated... sometimes by people other than family members. This weekend as we celebrate, pause for a moment, remember that for many years, men and women have fought and died for your freedom. Today, soldiers, sailors, airmen are deployed around the world, defending our nation. God bless them and God Bless America. See you Sunday.

Tis the season... for many different graduations, college, high school, middle school, kindergarten, boot camp and almost any other kind of ceremony to mark the end of training and the beginning of another phase of life. It is helpful to know when something ends and another begins. Endings are difficult when you don't have a set time period or a score to attain. In sports we play by a clock or to a certain point level to determine the end... these help us to move forward, to change, to mature and to measure our growth and development. I congratulate all those who are marking the end of training. You have done well. Take the time to savor the victory and completion of a goal. Consider this a 'pat on the back' and an 'attaboy' from me. The end of one phase marks the beginning of another... enjoy the journey and the challenges you will face. You are prepared now, so go forward and see what you can do with all that preparation and education. You just might 'make a difference'. See you Sund

The principle thing is to get wisdom and understanding, according to Solomon. Every other pursuit in life can be achieved if one attains wisdom. Wisdom has been defined as the right application of knowledge. Knowing what to do and then doing what you know to do. I have made it a practice for several years to read a chapter of Proverbs daily. I have missed some days, but somehow I have managed to read Proverbs through several times throughout the years. The truths contained here will enable you to live a productive, peaceable, powerful life if they are applied. I want to encourage you to seek wisdom, don't let it go, keep it close to you. It will bring you health, strength and goodness. See you Sunday

Mary and I are extremely grateful to you for the generous gift you gave last Sunday. It is never expected, but always appreciated. Your kindness and thoughtfulness have always been an encouragement to our family. We are so glad to serve New Covenant as pastor and family. The Church Picnic was wonderful, food, fun, games, fellowship and soaking up the sunshine was a joy. There is something refreshing about the warm breeze, the relaxation under a tree and chatting with friends and fellow believers. Thank you for making it such a special day for all... See You Sunday.

Thanks to all of those who attended our weekend, School of Prayer with Brother Doug Small. The message he presented on Sunday morning... The Middle Ground of Intercession will have eternal implications for us. We have been strategically placed in our city for the purpose of reconciliation between God and man. What a challenge for us... to be the light of the world and to bring the blinded, lost of this city to the cross of Christ. What have we missed in our relationship with God, because we did not ask? I don't want to leave anything behind... I want every good and perfect gift that the Father has for us as a body of believers. Stand firmly in the middle ground, be a light, be a witness, be an intercessor. See you Sunday for our Picnic.

This weekend our emphasis here at New Covenant will focus on PRAYER... most people say that prayer is an area where they need encouragement. I wonder if we ever pray enough? Rev Doug Small will teach us on Saturday from 9am - 2 pm concerning 'Enriching Your Personal Prayer Life'. He will preach Sunday Morning on 'Reclaiming the Middle Ground of Intercession', then meet with our leadership Sunday afternoon. My hope is that we will be encouraged, challenged and motivated toward a more productive and fulfilling prayer life. Prayer makes a difference. It reveals my motives, dreams and desires. Prayer will make my needs known to God and somehow, God will reveal His will to us in prayer. If you haven't registered yet... call the office now... 843.569.7691 and be here on Saturday for a powerful time of teaching and implementing prayer in your life!

I want to thank everyone who made our Easter services and celebration a success. Children's Ministry had the largest Egg Hunt ever... Community Outreach had a meal and an Egg Hunt for kids... Good Friday service was powerful and then Sunday Morning was a record attendance with a powerful telling of the story of the Cross and Resurrection. Then comes the let down... most of the time. But not this time... what an atmosphere of worship and excitement this past Wednesday night when 5 people committed their lives to Christ in our ESL class. Then on Sunday morning the worship was powerful and the Holy Spirit moved in our altars... I know lives were changed. The reality of Christ's resurrection gives hope and confidence to those who believe. Let's live as a people of faith... trusting that if God can raise Jesus from the dead, He can give us life abundantly. See you Sunday.

As we celebrate this morning... Jesus is Alive... I want to encourage you to look at the story of the crucifixion and the resurrection from the perspective of those who were there. The message today will incorporate several 'live' narratives from families, prisoners, followers, soldiers who had a part in the story. We have the benefit of looking back... knowing the outcome. They lived it, they didn't know what was about to happen... they hoped against hope. Hope was realized, faith became sight and salvation was available for everyone who believes. I believe... in the crucifixion and in the resurrection. I live because He Lives. Rejoice with us today, Jesus is Alive!

I am always excited and enthused about Easter... the spring time, the story of Christ is thrust onto the world stage in media and in the hearts of worshippers who fill our churches and are reminded again... He is Alive! The greatest message of hope that has ever been... the defeat of our common enemy, death... the power of God on display... the certainty of faith... because He lives, I will live forever. Don't rush through this week... enjoy it, savor it, taste it and allow it to fill your heart with joy, peace and hope. It really is the best time of the year to be a Christian... let everyone around you know that Jesus is Risen from the dead. See you Sunday.

What a great day last Sunday... the Ministry Expo was terrific... thanks to all those leaders who made it work. This is a great season of the year... we celebrate Palm Sunday and then Easter, it doesn't get any better than this in Church! We are reminded that the ultimate purpose of God was fulfiled in Jesus, that is, the redemption of mankind. God's love for humanity is demonstrated without reservation as we recall the terrors of the crucifixion and the overwhelming joy of the resurrection. We live because He died. We live because He is alive... Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Rejoice and be exceeding glad... He has overcome and we shall overcome. See you on Sunday.

Something Special this Sunday... many of the ministries of New Covenant are setting up displays in the Fellowship Hall to advertise their work and recruit volunteers. They are offering refreshments for every one and door prizes will be awarded at 1:00 pm. I encourage you to go by there before heading out to lunch... you will learn about opportunities, see what others are doing and maybe go home with a prize. We are drawing for 2 free tickets to the Dave Ramsey Live seminar [April 13], Shirts, Hats, CD's, and other prizes from each department. See you Sunday.

Often we have a ministry emphasis and it closes without anyone giving an update. I know... I have done the same thing. So I wanted to share a few things with you concerning our 28 Days... Morning Worship attendance was up, over 400 every Sunday... Wednesday Night attendance was up... more than 170 each week... 10 new members joined the church... Finances were up significantly over January... Men's Ministry Oyster Roast had more than 75 guys in attendance... people were born again in the services... I really think it was a success... more fellowship, redemption of souls, increased dedication to serving the Lord were all positive experiences. Thank you for following through on your committment, you made a difference in just 28 Days! See you Sunday...

Just want to thank all the guys who helped with our Oyster Roast last Tuesday evening. Rusty Myers and his group presented the gospel in a unique fashion, a first person narrative from a Roman soldier at the crucifixion, in full costume. Scott Litchfield, picking up and picking out the oysters and shrimp, Bill Whitley, Keith Robertson, Mike Black and all the guys who cooked outside... inside cooks, Randy and Preston Clem, Mike Shepherd, the clean up crew who washed dishes, swept, mopped, hosed down the outside... the ladies who covered tables with newspaper and everyone who made it possible. THANK YOU! I know I have forgotten someone, forgive me. Our next meeting is March 20... fast food breakfast and Workday at the church campus. Bring a friend, enjoy the fellowship and food. See you Sunday.

Attitude is important to your life. Your approach and expectations often determine your success in endeavors. This past Sunday I spoke to you about the exhortation of Jesus 'Fear Not'. When we face the unknown about which we are uncertain it can bring anxiety. I am determined to approach this year in FAITH! Sunday, I will be using Jesus statement in John 10.10 'you may have life more abundantly.' Life is filled with so many variables... health, finance, relationships, spirituality... we should strive for balance. Abundant life is life to the 'full'. It is my prayer that 2010 will bring you a full life of love, joy, peace and righteousness in the Spirit. See You Sunday!