Grace and Peace to all! Our hearts are filled with gratitude here at Morning Star Church; we have so much to be thankful for. Our recent Summer Harvest was truly a season of celebration. We had the pleasure of hosting the Community Outreach Cookout and supporting several baptisms. I want to personally congratulate all those who were baptized at our first baptism in our new location. Their decision to be baptized in Jesus' name is an eternal commitment to God, and a physical declaration of their confession, repentance, faith, and commission. It is not only our duty, but our immense pleasure to usher them into communion and deeper relationship with our Lord.
The baptisms launched the celebration of new life perfectly and the spirit of jubilee was tangible and present during our Community Outreach Cookout. Being able to fellowship amongst the Morning Star family was just what we needed to strengthen our connections with one another and create a welcoming environment for new members and guests. The time that we shared over great food and fellowship was the perfect way to conclude our summer event.
We also took this time of togetherness to celebrate our recent graduates. We sent our graduates off with tokens as a physical reminder of who they are: the light of the world, the salt of the Earth, and a vessel to be used for the glory of God. These are symbols of their faith. It was vital for us to give them words of encouragement and support to undergird them in their future endeavors. Our vision for the youth of Morning Star is for them to know that besides their immediate and biological family, they have a village of people that encourage and believe in them. The grace of God was with us as we exchanged words of wisdom for the graduates and spent time with one another after an anointed and Spirit-filled service.
God blessed our Summer Harvest immensely, and we look forward to what He will provide for this year's Fall Harvest. If you enjoyed the "Back to Basics" Fasting and Prayer Revival, you do not want to miss our upcoming events for Fall Harvest! We will be receiving a fresh outpour from the Lord in the October Fire: Prophetic Visitation service. In the month of October, we will be having guest speakers every Sunday at 11 am to bring fresh fire directly to our dwelling place. Additionally, we will be having our Harvest Sunday service on the 21st of November. Please be advised: we are asking everyone to bring a special Harvest Sunday offering, which will be used for our Thanksgiving Outreach event in Yonkers. As we approach a month filled with thanksgiving, let us all be reminded of what the Lord has done for us this season, and be expectant of all that He is doing and will allow us to do in our present one.
With much love,
What does a loving church look like?
By Jenell Clarke-Whyte
I am glad you asked.
It might appear as a simple question on the surface, but it’s rather weighty. It prompts us to think about what we might expect on the receiving end, but, just the same, it challenges us to consider what we are willing to contribute to attain that loving atmosphere.
No surprise—first and foremost, a loving church should be loving. The church, as the body of Christ, local and universal, should seek to demonstrate the love of the One who is the head of the church—Jesus Christ. He is our model! His love was sacrificial. It was unconditional.
So, what does this love-filled community look like? I’d like to highlight 5 traits:
We are committed to building up each other. Encourage each other. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Encourage one another and build each other up.”
We value each other. However disagreeable or difficult the other may be…We choose to see the importance of each one. Why? Because Christ died for us, all of us.
We hold each other accountable. Speak the truth in love. We look out for each other and point to the way of Jesus because therein lies the way of life! Galatians 6:1-2 says Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. It says we are to Carry each other’s burdens….
We walk in humility. Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself. Each of you should look not only to your own interest but also the interest of others.”
We seek to reach our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are wounded people all around us, and Jesus is still the answer. Jesus came with the purpose of seeking those who are lost. Luke 19:10 says “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” We must lovingly dispense the healing balm that each soul needs—the gospel. The Apostle Paul never compromised the gospel but he did try to put himself in the shoes of those who were different from him so that he could open the door and communicate the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He says in 1 Corinthians 9:22 “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”
In closing…A loving church does not appear accidentally. It requires an all-out effort by each member. Everyone needs to contribute to the atmosphere of the church. As we have freely received of this love, let us freely give it. Together, let’s pay it forward. John 13:35 says “By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.
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