Monday, November 15, 2010, Nashville, Tennessee, Christ Community Assembly of God Church~

Pastor Rick C. Jones writing.  I just had my prayer time and spent time in the Word.  Felt like coming here to the church to reflect and count the many blessings that God above has bestowed not only on myself, but the church (and the church family) as a whole.

About a month ago, our church had our Homecoming after being closed for five months due to devastating floods that killed ten people here in Nashville and displaced thousands, as well as closing businesses, schools, and other fine institutions.  Our church was included in the casualty list:  we had flooding that destroyed the sanctuary and forced us to hold services in an abandoned warehouse until our church facility could be repaired.

The sanctuary is back in order; it looks better than ever before.  I and the rest of the staff are very pleased at how well everything turned out.  Our sanctuary is beautiful.  And everybody has been telling us just how blessed they have been in surviving the worst flooding that Tennessee has seen in over thirty years.  I am happy to report that all of our church family survived; there were no losses of life among our congregation, which is nothing short of miraculous.

We just fed the Veterans in honor of Veteran's Day: there was a great turnout.  All the area's Veterans appreciated the service we gave to them, and they enjoyed the time of food and fellowship.  Well, it's all we can do, as our way of thanking them all for the service they gave to our country, to insure our freedoms as we know them.  That was on Thursday of this past week.

Next week is Thanksgiving week, and we are going to be feeding the needy/homeless people of our area with a free meal of Cajun-fried turkey, cornbread stuffing, cranberries, choice of yams or mashed potatoes (white and/or brown gravy optional), choice of regular or three-bean salad, creamed peas, and, for dessert, a choice of homemade pumpkin, cherry, or apple pie.  There is always a huge turnout, but it breaks my heart to know that there are more needy people now than there ever was.

We have already started collecting (gently used) toys (or brand new ones) for the annual "Toys For Tots" campaign.  We have partnered with them as a way of helping kids who would otherwise not have a Christmas because of crushing poverty, disability, illness, or other life-changing family situations that they have no right to endure.  In addition, the soloists (as well as the children's and adult choirs) have been working on the music for the upcoming Christmas Cantata, which is slated for Sunday, December 12, 2010.  (The children's Christmas production, "Christmas Hang-Ups", is one week earlier, on Sunday, December 5, 2010.)

Like Thanksgiving Day, we will be feeding the homeless/needy families of our area with another free meal of turkey and "all the trimmin's".  I am hoping for another good turnout.  We will also be presenting the toys and other gifts to the families; it will be a time of tears, celebration, and most of all, joy, especially to the families whom we are serving.

We want to be a church that reaches out to our community, as a way of saying, "We love you, and we care for you".  Even during these times of economic turmoil, we want to reach out to the needy in any way possible, and God has provided the funds or the necessities in order for us to do this; and we are extremely grateful for all that God has done for our church, not to mention, our church family.

Besides serving the little children, we also realize that there are many elderly, homebound (or disabled), or struggling adults who can't afford food or other necessities for their families because of job loss, lower-than-desirable employment opportunities, or people struggling with illness and/or disease, so we help them too during the Christmas season.  I can't tell you how many times in the past since I've been here when I've seen loving members of our church family give a needy family cash or gift certificates.  The look on the faces of these struggling families/individuals is enough to make even the strongest of people cry their eyes out.

They are reaching out to a hurting soul with the love of Jesus, and it is extremely touching to see.  It is so good to see that what we preach is sinking into people's hearts and are putting that Love into action in more ways than one!

Well, I hate to run, but I am working on a sermon that Pastor Bilkey will be preaching on next Sunday ("Give Thanks In All Things", which will be our Thanksgiving week message), so I have to go.  I (or any of the other pastors) will (hopefully) write in here before then.  Until later, if I don't write in here, let me be among the first to wish you and yours the best Thanksgiving ever! May it be full of God's blessings and remember: give thanks in all things!  Count your blessings; so many others do not have what we do!  And please reach out in Christlike love; those you touch will probably never forget it and will truly be grateful!

In His Name~

Pastor Rick C. Jones, Associate Pastor, Christ Community Assembly of God Church.