Bessie Wllbon^
SPunday
PPc/icc/
SPetocn
INTRODUCTION
The New Testament idea of hope is strong. Favorable
and confident is one way'of defining the Biblical word for
hope. That confidence distinguishes Christian hope from
mere thinking or wishing.
' In our ^xt today the apostle Peter sets forth the basis
for the Christian’s confident expectation of ultimate
victory and eternal good. That basis is the established fact
of Jesus’ triumph over sin, death, and Hell. That fact
having been established, the promises and expectations
based upon it are secure.
THE LESSON
“Blessed .be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath
begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of
, Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance
incorrqptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth hot away,
reserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in
the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though how for a
r season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold
temptations. That the triarof your faith, being much more
precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with
; fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the
; appearing"of Jesus Christ.” (l Peter 1:3-7).
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a
living hope. Hope is found, hot in our deserving, but in
God’s gift, infinitely better than we deserve. The idea'of
new birth, echoes what Jesus said to Nicodemus (John
3:3-7). Except for the new birth, of water ancTof the Spirit,
Nicodemus was without hope, and so are we all. The living
hope is the Hope'of living, but it is also a hope with a vital
growing quality.
Believers are protected from the enemies that would
remove their ultimate blessing. The keeping power is
: God’s, and that is sufficient for them. The keeping process
is faith, and that is theirs. The keeping goal is salvation,
;* and that is eternal. In this present life'one’s salvation is
seen most clearly when things are at their worst. Beyond
;; this life one’s salvation will be seen completely when time
; gives way to eternity at Christ’s coming again.
;; One’s salvation in Christ is so great a blessing that it
creates a glad spirit even in the midst'of affliction. Thus
! Paul and Silas sang hymns at midnight in a dungeon,
S ’ despite the beating they had endured and the chains they
i wore. Just as great thanksgiving arises more often from a
great spirit than from a great supply of material blessings,
so Christian rejoicing reflect^ a great faith rather than
: pleasant surroundings. ?
j “Whom having hot seen, ye love; in whom, flfiougfl how
■ ye see him hot, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
: unspeakable and fuirof glory.” (1 Peter 1:8). “Wherefore
• gird up the lpins'of your mind, be sober and hope to the end
; for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the
* revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, hot
• fashioning yourselves accordinglo the former lusts in your
: ignorance. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye
: holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written,
- Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye calTon the Father, who
■ without respect of persons judgeth according to every
man’s work, pass the time'of your sojourning here in fear.
i Forasmuch as ye know that ye were hot redeemed with
r corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
{ conversation received by traditions from your fathers. But
; with the precious blood of Christ, as'of a lamb without
I blemish and without spot. Who verily was foreordained
: before the foundations the world, but was manifest in
I these last times for you. Whq by him do believe in God,
: that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that
: your fatih and faith might be in God.” (1 Peter 1:13-21).
* As children by rebirth into God’s family, we are not to
limit our obedience to the “primary obedience” of
V believer’s baptism into Christ, but are to go in daily
( obedience, so that we come to resemble our Father. The
-life style we followed before we became the children of
[ \5od is no longer to be our goal nor'our guide.
£ People today stand in almost desperate need of confident
; assurance concerning life here and hereafter. They yearn
: to hear good news for a change. Tomorfow - however you
; define it - is filled with an uncertainty that spills' over into a
; worried today. Two short letters written by the apostle
J Peter contain the antedote for that worry. Although they
2 were written long ago to Christians in circumstances quite
S different frQjm ours, they addressed the same basic
k perplexities and worries and provided God’s answer to the
: same human needs. They underline the gdod news that
* changes'our dreadof an uncertain tomorfow into that glad
• anticipation which* says, “I can hardly wait!”
- A confident, living hope springs from confidence in the
\ living Lord. V4 1 ' ‘
Election Office Relocates
f • ■'. ,
The Election Office of Mecklen
Hurg County completed its move to
i£w quarters this week and la now
serving the public at 741 Kenilworth
Avenue, Suite 202.
JThe move from the cramped
apace in a County Office Building
annex on East Fourth Street to the
<000 square foot new facility took
(face over a period of several days,
with no interruption in service. The
area now occupied by the Election
(Jffice was purchased by the County
for $570,000 in bond funds.
»The telephone number, 336-2133,
remains the same, as do the lo
cations for voter registration - all
(tranches of the public library; the
branches of Mechanics and
Farmers Bank; the town halls of
Cornelius, •Matthews, and Pine
ville; and the N.C. Department of
Motor Vehicles offices where
driver?’ licensee are issued; and the
Election Office.
The Election Office I? responsible
for conducting all elec (tore and
voter registration in Charlotte
Mecklenburg.
WHAT IS THE BEST BUY
IN CHARLOTTE THIS WEEK?
The Charlotte Poet - dettrnred to yoor door W
52 dmei a year for only $17.76. To Sdfaecribe Call 3764)496
■ ■
Plaza United Methodist Men Plan
A Barbecue
Continued From Page (A
to 4 p.m., weekdays, to order.
Barbecue plates will be sold for
>4.50 each. Also three sandwiches or
10 oz. of bulk barbecue for >4.50 will
be available.
The church is located at 5600 The
Plaza.
FAITH
"Fashion Inspirations” will be
presented by the women of Faith
CME Church on Sunday, March 9, 6
p.m., at McDonald’s Cafeteria on
Beatties Ford Rd.
Sponsored by the Faith CME
Church, the show will express the
theme: ‘‘Whatsoever You do, do all
to the Glory of God.”
Models from Faith and other
churches will participate.
Donations are >5. For ticket in
formation, call the church office,
597-8249, or Lisa’s House of Beauty,
376-6815. Ask for Elese Davis.
TEMPLE CHAPEL
Temple Chapel Baptist Church
will hold its Pre-Spring Crusade,
beginning Sunday, March 9, lasting
through Friday, March 14.
Dr. Abraham E. Campbell, a
qualified gospel preacher, will be
special guest speaker for the event.
There will also be old-fashioned
praying, visiting ministers and
ieacons, and the best in singing as
local and out-of-town choirs along
with the Temple Chapel Hymn,
Musical and Mass Choirs render
music.
An invitation is extended to the
entire Charlotte community.
Temple Chapel is located at 900
September Ln. Dr. Gene F. Gilmore
is pastor.
FAITH
The Faith Memorial Baptist
Church Prison Fellowship Minis
tries will present a film entitled,
“Honey, Your Mama’s in Prison,"
on Sunday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m.
The public is urged to attend.
The church is located at 211
Lakewood Ave. Rev. W. H. Caldwell
is pastor.
JONESVILLE
The Spiritualeers of Jonesville
AME Zion Church will be in concert
on Sunday, March 9, at 6 p.m.
Joanne Williams will be the pianist
Everyone is invited.
The church is located at 5527
Providence Rd. West in Matthews,
N.C. Rev. James R. Phifer is
minister.
AME ZION
The AME Zion Ministers' Wives
Fellowship held their first meeting
of the New Year at the home of Mrs.
Bennie Waddell, 1333 Tom Hunter
Road.
The focus of the meeting was the
installation of new officers for
1986-87. This ceremony was presided
over by Mrs. Allie S. Clark. The
following officers were installed:
president, Mrs. Iris Battle; vice
president, Mrs. Ella Asbury;
recording secretary, Mrs. Frankie
White; corresponding secretary,
Mrs. Betty Graham; treasurer,
Mrs. Theodora Jackson; chaplain,
Mrs. Ada Gaston; reporter, Mrs.
Evelena Thompson; and parlia
mentarian, Mrs. Allie Clark.
The purpose of this fellowship
organization is to foster closer rela
tionships among AME Zion
Ministers’ Wives. The organization
is always open to new members who
desire to share in this purpose. Other
members present for the meeting
were Mrs. Lillie Daniels. Mrs. Mary
Gladden, Mrs. Myrtle Henderson,
Mrs. Lillie Price, Mrs. Marie
Tann, Mrs. Lucille Turner and Mrs.
Hattie Mann.
PARKWOOD
The first annual missionary socie
ty banquet and fashion show spon
sored by the Missionary Society of
Parkwood Institutional CME Church
was held recently at McDonald’s
Cafeteria.
While enjoying a deliciously
prepared meal, the program got
under way with a fashion show.
Commentated by Mrs. Geneal
Frazier, the display of clothing for
the old as well as for the young was
handsomely modeled by friends of
Parkwood, Faith CME Church, and
Langford Chapel CME Church.
There were fashions for evening
wear, casual wear, and outfits for
nine to five.
As one segment of the program
ended, toaatmistress, Barbara
Mitchell was there to keep the
evening progressing. Before the
speaker for the evening came to the
podium, John and Nay Howell ren
dered moving spiritual selections,
including ’’No Other One” and
"Here And Now For Me.”
Given an Introduction by Mrs.
Carrie Bradley, president of the
Missionary Society of Parkwood,
Wilma Collins commenced to
speak.
Mrs. Collins is an educator
writing consultant in the Charlotte
Mecklenburg School System. Her
efforts in the space program has led
to her receiving the NASA Space
Shuttle Award in ’ll, being appoint
ed to the Space Program Advisory
Board and speaking at the Educa
tors Conference STS-4, J.F. Kennedy
Space Center.
Dr. Gene F. Gilmore
• .To host crusade
Rev. W. H. Caldwell
.Presents film
In her speech, Mrs. Collins, who
is also a member of Park wood,
kindly informed her audience that
everyone there that night was a
missionary. She added that since
February was the month Black
History and Valentine's Day were
observed that it was indeed good
i . —
that the missionary society's ban
quet was held then, too.
Continuing, the polished speaker
warned the audience of one type of
missionary, the wolf in sheep's
clothing and encouraged the lis
tening audience to embrace the
second type of missionary, the true.
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DON'T GIVE UP
VOUR RIGHT
TO VOTE.
©Southern Bel
* rnuaourHOmmmt
<lb4 few'fcrK'r Mw<i
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tfOOHM—HXO AMD nu AlO*OTH»t WWOtATlOH
We’re sending you a ballot to vote for the
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Please mark your choice on the ballot and return it as
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Of course, you may have already received your ballot,
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If you do not choose a long distance company, we are
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Southern BeN
A MUSOUTH Comptny
sincere one.
“The missionary who is oniy a
wolf in sheep's clothing gives su
perficial help, but in the end the
wolf is the only beneficiary,”
commented Mrs. Collins.
Her charge that night was for the
audience to adopt the belief that
“loving hands can conquer missions
impossible."
"Accept human beings as they are
and work patiently for improve
ment. Recognize ability in others
and encourage it Be hard to anger
and hard to discourage But most of
all a loving missionary must have
the hide of an elephant and the
patience of Job,” voiced Mrs.
Collins.
Her speech brought a responsive
audience to its feet.
After another selection, remarks
and the benediction given by Rev.
Rayfield Medcalf, pastor of
Parkwood, the evening came to a
close
Chairperson of the banquet com
mittee was Mrs. Erma Medcalf.
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