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From the Pastor's Desk:
It Is A Big World Out There
Let me tell you a story... Dr. Fred Craddock, one of the great story-telling preachers, tells of returning to the little church of his childhood in Tennessee. He had not been there in years. Walking into the sanctuary, he noted that the congregation had purchased new stained glass windows since he had been there last. Admiring the windows, he noticed that at the bottom of each window was the donor's name, but he did not recognize any of the names.
"You must have had many new folks join this church since I was a boy," said Fred to one of the members. "I don’t recognize a single name." "Oh, those people aren’t members here," said the member. "We bought those windows from a company in Italy. They were made for a church in St. Louis, but they did not fit when they arrived. New windows were made for that church, and we bought those that did not fit. The price was so cheap we could not pass up the deal."
Craddock then asked why they did not remove the names. The member said, "Well, we thought about it, and we decided to leave those names in the windows. We thought it would be good for us to sit here on Sunday mornings and realize there are some Christian people besides us in the world."
Can you hear what that story says? I can, but it is not easy. On those days when I am lonely for the simple world in which I grew up, I must say, thanks be to God; He is everywhere, including not only Montgomery, Alabama, but also North Carolina, Stockport, England, and Selma… everywhere. Remember, He’s got the whole world in His hands!!! Who do you need to remember is a part of God’s family and our world?
See you on Sunday,
Misty
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Summer Schedule
June 12, July 10, August 14
Please check the Midweek Dinner page on our website for additional upcoming menus.
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Worship Arts Notes ♫
There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit was written by gospel songwriter Doris Mae Akers. She was born in Brookfield, Missouri on May 21, 1923. She was one of ten children and developed an interest in music at an early age. By the age of six, she had taught herself to play piano by ear. She wrote her first song, “Keep the fire burning in me,” at the age of ten and two years later organized a five piece jazz band.
At the age of twenty-two she moved to Los Angeles and encouraged a “thriving gospel music community.” In 1958, she started the Sky Pilot Choir.
“Baptist hymnologist William J. Reynolds noted that Akers’ ability to capture the attention of a congregation came through “just letting go and releasing the Spirit of God.””
“Lindsay Terry comments on the origins of this song in an interview with Doris Akers in the late 1980s:
“She related to me that one Sunday morning in 1962, while directing the Sky Pilot Choir, she said to her singers, ‘You are not ready to go in.’ She didn’t believe they had prayed enough! They were accustomed to spending time with her in prayer before the service, asking God to bless their songs. She said, ‘I feel that prayer is more important than great voices.’ They had already prayed, but this particular morning she asked them to pray again, and they did so with renewed fervor.
“As they prayed, Doris began to wonder how she could stop this wonderful prayer meeting. She said, ‘I sent word to the pastor letting him know what was happening. He was waiting in the auditorium, wanting to start the service. Finally, I was compelled to say to the choir, We have to go. I hate to leave this room and I know you hate to leave, but you know we do have to go to the service. But there is such a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place.'””
“The phrase stayed with her and she wrote the song the next day. Matthew 3:16-17 inspired the specific line “Sweet heavenly Dove.” This text focuses on the baptism of Jesus when “he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.””
Doris said in an interview, “Songwriters always have their ears open to a song. The song started ‘singing’ to me. I wanted to write it down but couldn’t. I thought the song would be gone after the service. Following the dismissal, I went home. The next morning, to my surprise, I heard the song again, so I went to the piano and began to put it all down.” She had been given the now-famous “Sweet, Sweet Spirit.”
“When The United Methodist Hymnal was published in 1989, “Sweet, sweet Spirit” immediately became one of the favorite new hymns, and for many congregations, it became a staple during the greeting time in worship. Because it is easily memorized, the song is often played and sung as parishioners shake hands and embrace others gathered for worship.”
She was named the Gospel Music composer of the year in both 1960 and 1961. Many famous singers recorded her songs, including Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson and George Beverly Shea. She was featured on two of the Gaither homecoming videos { “Old Friends” and “Turn Your Radio On.”} in the late 1990s.
She also wrote over 300 other hymns such as “Lead Me, Guide Me” and “Lord, Don’t Move the Mountain.” The Smithsonian Institute labeled her songs and records “National Treasures.” She died on July 26, 1995 in Minneapolis. In 2001, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Copied from Diana Leagh Matthews website.
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From the Vavals in Alabama.
You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. Job 11:18
Seeds of Hope, in Selma, AL, made a big announcement this month:
We are so excited to announce the purchase of the warehouse in East Selma. It is 20,000 square feet and sits on 4.5 acres in the community we serve. It has been a slow process, but we have seen God’s hand at work in every monent. Thank you to all who have prayed, given and labored toward this end.
We have also finished our fifth season of Girls on the Run this month. Over the past three years, we have served more than 60 girls. This program has opened doors bigger than running. Many of these girls have participated in worship nights, Bible Studies, and Christmas parties with us. We’ve stood along side families as they grieved loved ones, taken care of children in hospitals, and dealt with the aftermath of a tornado. We’re so grateful the Lord has allowed us to love these girls and their families.
We invite you to give to Seeds of Hope, P.O. Box255, Selma AL 36702.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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The website now has a page for the church calendar under resources.
The church calendar is available for all church ministries and organizations to post meetings and events as needed. We welcome your events! All events need to be submitted ASAP for next month’s calendar. All ministry leaders are responsible for submitting their events annually even if they are reoccurring.
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Weekly Scripture
Acts 2:1-21
2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
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Join our Aldersgate Prayer and Praise email list! Prayer requests, the weekly prayer list, and notes of praise are sent several times a week to our more than 140 different current and former Aldersgate members. You can join our email list by sending an email to
office@aldersgateumc.org
or call the church office at 334-272-6152.
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Please click to contact a specific member of our staff.
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