Thursday, January 2, 2020

The Birth of the Church



-      Reader 1:  Life was hard for the Jewish people. Captives in their own land, virtual slaves to the whims of their despised Roman conquerors.

-      Reader 2:  Devout Jews held on to the promise that a Messiah, a Savior, would be sent by God, to lead them to victory, and release them from their Roman masters.

-      Reader 1:  Through hundreds of years of waiting, many had given up hope. But some believed that what God had promised, God would deliver, in His time.

-      Reader 4:  In 1956, this church family began worshipping in the Plaza Theater in Lexington Park.

-      Reader 5:  They called themselves The First Presbyterian Church of St. Mary’s County, and their first pastor was Charles Campbell.

-      Reader 2:  You Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are by no means least among the rulers of Judea, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.

-      Reader1:   He will be great and will be called the Son of the most high. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.

-      Reader 2:  Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He will come and redeem His people.

-      Reader 5:  Understand that establishing a new church is far more than finding a plot of land. It is more than identifying leaders and finding a pastor.

-      Reader 4:  It is more than wood and steel and concrete, more than beams and walls and shingles.

-      Reader 5:  The building of a Christian church is, by nature, building on the life, the instruction, and the very fundamentals of Jesus Christ, the Son of the true God.

-      Reader 1:  In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world, and everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and the line of David.

-      Reader 2:  Joseph went to Bethlehem to register, with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

-      Reader 1:  While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem the time came for the baby to be born, and Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son.

-      Reader 4:  In the beginning there was the work of assembling the essentials: the finances, the plans, the people for specific jobs and functions.

-      Reader 5:  We can only guess the many struggles those initial church builders faced as they moved from concepts to actualities.

-      Reader 4:  Struggles, problems, setbacks, disappointments…yet they carried on until slowly, steadily, from the dreams and plans came a visible presence, and an emotional awakening in the hearts of all who were involved.

-      Reader 2:  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks.

-      Reader 1:  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

-      Reader 2:  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

-      Reader 1:  Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

-      Reader 2:  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

-      Reader 1:  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

-      Readers 1 & 2, in unison: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.

-      Reader 5:  Pastor Campbell reminded all of the people that, essential as were the logistics of planning and construction, the sole purpose for the building of their church was the worshipping of their God.

-      Reader 4:  When the new church building on Town Creek Drive was dedicated in 1959, Pastor Campbell’s remarks included the following words: “Dearly beloved:  Forasmuch as it pleased Almighty God to put it into the heart of His servants to build this house of worship, let us now fulfill the godly purpose for which we are assembled of dedicating it to the honor of God’s most holy name.  God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

-      Reader 2:  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

-      Reader 4:  Simply being part of the church is meaningless if there is no “going” and no “seeing”, first-hand and on-going, what God is doing through His people.

-      Reader 1:  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the Manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what they had been told about this child.

-      Reader 5:  A church can only be relevant if it carries Christ’s message out into the community, telling all who will listen about God’s love for all mankind.

-      Reader 2:  And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

-      Reader 1:  The shepherds returned,

-      Reader 2:  glorifying and praising God.

-      Reader 1:  For all the things they had heard and seen.

-      Reader 4:  And the church grew.

-      Reader 5:  And the impact of God’s message spread throughout the community.

-      Reader 4:  And souls were saved. And lives were changed.

-      Reader 1:  After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, magi came from the east.

-      Reader 2:  And they asked: “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?”

-      Reader 1:  “We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

-      Reader 5:  Later came new pastors…

-      Reader 4:  Keith Blake

-      Reader 5:  Fred Feldner

-      Reader 4:  Robert Wilkie

-      Reader 5:  Madeline Foulke

-      Reader 4:  Dr. Robert Marsh

-      Reader 5:  Peg McGowan

-      Reader 4:  Mike Jones

-      Reader 5:  Jim Gunn

-      Reader 4:  Ben Garris

-      Reader 5:  Robert Bayley

-      Reader 4:  And future pastors yet to be called by God.

-      Reader 5:  And countless leaders, teachers, and devoted believers throughout our past, here in our present, and yet to be called in our future.

-      Reader 4:  They came to lead, instruct and guide the congregation.

-      Reader 5:  But the essential reason why these newcomers came to the church was…..to worship our almighty God.

-      Reader 2:  On coming to the house where the baby was, they bowed down

-      Reader 1:  They bowed down…..and they worshipped Him.

-      Reader 2:  And they opened their treasures…..and presented Him with gifts.

-      Reader 1:  Gold.

-      Reader 2:  And incense.

-      Reader 1:  And myrrh.

-      Reader 4:  And later came the construction of another new church at our current location, with its own set of challenges and struggles….yet again they carried on until slowly, steadily, another emotional awakening in the hearts of all involved.

-      Reader 5:  And the subsequent expansion projects, and potentially more in our future.

-      Reader 4:  And don’t forget our time worshipping in the former flooring store in the shopping plaza in Wildewood.  Being next door to a bar brought some interesting experiences.

-      Reader 5:  But the power of God’s presence was not diminished by the lack of stained glass windows and a steeple.

-      Reader 2:  They gave to Jesus the best they had to offer.

-      Reader 1:  They gave eagerly.

-      Reader 2:  They gave lovingly.

-      Reader 4:  So it has been in this church throughout the years.

-      Reader 5:  Individuals and families have come seeking the Messiah.

-      Reader 4:  They have bowed down.

-      Reader 5:  Worshipped Him.

-      Reader 4:  Taken His message.

-      Reader 5:  And left their gifts.

-      Reader 4:  Material gifts.

-      Reader 5:  Gifts of service.

-      Reader 4:  And gifts of love.

-      Reader 5:  Love for He who was born a baby in a manger.

-      Reader 4:  Love for He who willingly went to the cross for each and every needy soul who has ever lived, or yet unborn.

-      Reader 5:  That we might have life, and have it abundantly.

-      Reader 1:  And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

-      Reader 2:  Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

-      Reader 1:  All the believers were together and had everything in common.

-      Reader 2:  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

-      Reader 1: Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.

-      Reader 2:  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

-      Reader 1:  Praising God and enjoying the favor of all people.

-      Reader 2:  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

-      Reader 5:  Throughout the many years our loving group of believers in Christ has stood alongside this community.

-      Reader 4:  We do so in order to be a source of physical support for our community.

-      Reader 5:  We need to be there for this community when there are needs to be met.

-      Reader 4:  But meeting physical needs has never been, and must never be, the primary focus of this church.

-      Reader 5:  There are many organizations and agencies out there who provide physical assistance to the community, and we must continue to actively,….individually and corporately…..support these worthy organizations.

-      Reader 4:  But as well as providing food for the body in this community we must continue to realize that our assistance will miss the mark if we neglect our mandate to provide food for the community’s soul.

-      Reader 5:  This church stands to provide daily the Christmas message of the life changing and soul saving love of God.

-      Reader 4:  Throughout this community….

-      Reader 5:  And throughout this world.

-      Reader 2:  For unto us a child is born

-      Reader 1:   To us a son is given,

-      Reader 2:  And the government will be on His shoulders.

-      Reader 4:  And He will be called

-      Reader 5:  Wonderful Counselor

-      Reader 4:  Mighty God

-      Reader 1:  Everlasting Father

-      Reader 2:  Prince of Peace.

-      Reader 1:  Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.

-      Reader 5:  He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom.

-      Reader 4:  Establishing and upholding it

-      Reader 5:  With justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

-      All, in unison:  Now take this message into our community … And into the world….the entire world.

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