March 24, 2005
Easter message:
Because Jesus
lives, we may live
For our largely secular culture, Easter seems to represent
the beginning of spring — a time for taking a break, buying
colorful clothes and basking in the warmth that comes with
the end of the winter months. But for Christians, Easter is
much more than this.
A Catholic priest was visiting with one of his parish-
ioners on a cold day. As he arrived at the
home, the priest noticed that the man’s
yard was neat and well ordered. And
once he entered the house, he noticed
that the neatness of the inside matched
the neatness of the outside. Though
James was suffering from an advanced
form of cancer, he obviously still pos-
sessed his desire to take care of his sur-
roundings.
Not long after taking a seat, the priest
noticed that James was more agitated
: than usual, but he made no effort to
explain what was SDI him until his priest offered to
share Communion with him. Seeing that the pastoral visit
was about to come to a close, James got up from his recliner
and excused himself. He then went into a nearby room.
When he reappeared, he handed his priest a sheet of paper
that had been folded several times.
“Tell me,” James said, “What do you think of a woman
who would do something like this?”
As the priest unfolded the paper, he read what he soon
realized was a collection of guidelines or notes to help plan
a funeral service. James’ wife, Sally, who had died a few
years before, had written those instructions and they had
been followed very carefully when the family mourned her
death.
“I think this is a great idea, James,” said his priest.
“What a wonderful Christian witness your wife left for you
and your children!”
Then something dawned on the priest and he said,
“James, is this something you want to do?”
“Yes,” he replied.
So for the next hour James and his pastor talked about his
funeral service and made notes together. Then they shared
Communion, and as he left the priest realized that James’
former agitation had gone away.
A few months later, the priest received a call to go to
- James’ bedside. They prayed and sang together, and two
days later numerous family members and friends shared
the funeral service that they had planned together. And in
keeping with those plans, a paschal candle was placed at
the head of the casket.
On that wintry day when they had planned the funeral,
James had said, “You know, pastor, I'm not much for can-
dles, but if putting a candle there will remind everyone that
Jesus is alive and that I am with him in heaven, then by all
means go ahead and put one there.”
They did, and that candle — as well as that entire service —
did its job. It reminded a group of mourning family and
friends that Jesus Christ lives, and because he lives we, too,
may live. And this is what Easter means for Christians.
Jeff Hensley
Meditation
Rev. Jeff Hensley is pastor of Kings Mountain Baptist
Church.
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
Jesus, played by Eddie Parker, is led to trial by Roman
centurions in last week’s production of Crosswalk in
downtown Kings Mountain.
Carolina Counts CATERING AVAILABL
Barbecue
St. Peter Baptist Church,
116 Poplar Drive, Grover,
presents “Because He
Lives,” Friday, March 25 at 6
p-m. in the Family Life
Center. Call 937-9136 for
more information.
Pathway Baptist Church,
3100 Parkdale Circle, home-
coming, Easter sunrise serv-
ice Sunday, 6:30 a.m.
Message by Rev. Bruce
Davis. Breakfast following.
Morning worship 10 a.m. by
Rev. James Hamrick. Pine
Ridge Boys in concert at 11
a.m. Dinner following.
Public invited.
Carolina Praise and
Worship Center, Grover,
Easter sunrise service
Sunday, 7 a.m. Breakfast at
7:45, Sunday school 9:30,
worship 11. No evening
service. Call 937-7541 for
more information.
Chestnut Ridge Baptist
Church, Kings Mountain,
will present the Easter
drama “He Chose the
Cross” Saturday and
Sunday, March 26-27 at 7
p.m. For more information
or directions call 739-6151 or
739-9709.
People’s Baptist Church,
1010 Groves Street, Kings
Mountain, Easter sunrise
service March 27 at 6:30 a.m.
Breakfast will follow.
Worship service will begin
at 10 a.m.
Chestnut Ridge Baptist
Church, Kings Mountain,
Easter sunrise service March
27 at 6:30 a.m. Public invit-
ed.
Dixon Presbyterian
Church, 602 Dixon School
Road, Kings Mountain,
Maundy Thursday com-
munion service, Thursday at
7 p.m. Public invited.
Dixon Presbyterian
Church, 602 Dixon School
Road, Kings Mountain,
Good Friday Tenebrae
Service, Friday, 7 p.m. Public
invited.
Dixon Presbyterian
Church, 602 Dixon School
Road, Kings Mountain,
Easter Sunrise service
Sunday at 7 a.m. Breakfast
to follow. Public invited.
Mount Zion Baptist
Church, 220 North
Watterson Street, Kings
Mountain, Passion Night
Service Friday, March 25, 7
p-m. Topic “The Seven Last
Expressions From The
Cross.”
Mount Zion Baptist
Church, 220 North
Watterson Street, Kings
Mountain, Easter sunrise
service Sunday, March 27,
6:30 a.m. Breakfast will be
served following the service.
Speaker will be Raymond
Gardin, Youth Minister.
Eastside Baptist Church
choir, 308 York Road, Kings
Mountain, will present
“Alive in Christ,” an easter
celebration of redemption,
Sunday at 11 a.m. Public
invited.
Revival
Ebenezer Missionary
Baptist Association will
hold its annual
Crusade /Revival March 28-
31 at 7 p.m. at the Shelby
High School Malcolm Brown
NOW OPEN
Wn TR) TAT
Located in The Diner
aft I-85 and Dixon School Road
Trinity Baptist Church,
Richmond, VA. For more
information contact Rev.
James L. Smith, (704) 484-
0017.7
South Gastonia
Pentecostal Holiness
Church, 321 South,
Gastonia, will have revival
April 3-6 at 6 p.m. April 3
and 7 p.m. all other nights.
Special guest speaker will be
Nikita Koloff, who has trav-
eled the world preaching the
word, building schools, and
helping with crusades since
retiring from professional
wrestling. For more informa-
tion call Pastor Timmy
Whitaker at 866-4273 or Lisa
at 747-1246.
Special Events
Macedonia Baptist
Church, 1101 S.
Battleground Avenue, Kings
Mountain, wil] have an
Easter egg hunt hosted by
the Children’s Ministry
Team Saturday, March 26
from 11 a.m-1 p.m. Call 739-
6811 for more information.
Dixon Presbyterian
Church, 602 Dixon School
Road, Kings Mountain,
Easter egg hunt Saturday at
2 p.m. All children and par-
ents invited.
Oak View Baptist
Church, Kings Mountain,
will host an Easter egg hunt
for ages 0 through sixth
grade, Saturday from 10
a.m-12 noon. Take a basket
only. For more information
call Juanita Fleming at 739-
6512.
St. Peter Baptist Church,
Grover, will host a drop-in
reception for Sheri De Shazo
April 3 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
She is the new vice-presi-
dent and chief operating
officer of Kings Mountain
Hospital. Those planning to
attend should RSVP by call-
ing 704-937-9136 or revst-
peter@bellsouth.net.
Bynum Chapel AME
Get A Live
Preview of
What’s Coming Up
In The Kings
Mountain Herald
every Monday,
Wednesday and
Resurrection Jam Friday at 7
p.m. Dancing, singing, rap-
ping, etc. Donation $3.
Concessions will be sold.
For more information call
Rev. Wavey B. Williams at
868-2144.
Peoples Baptist Church,
1010 Groves Street, Kings
Mountain, 15th anniversary
of Pastor John Houze
Sunday, April 10. Speaker
Dr. Moses Nueman, presi-
dent and founder of World
Care Ministries of Dallas.
The celebration will contin-
ue again at 6 p.m. with
Pastor Micheal Moore and
the First Baptist Church of
Ellenboro. Public invited.
Festival
Water of Life
Ministries, 2021
Compernium Road,
Cherryville, gospel sing and
festival April 9 at 12 p.m.
Fourteen gospel groups will
perform. Face painting, cake
walk, food. Proceeds to floor
and roof the church.
Fund raiser
Dixon Presbyterian
Church, 602 Dixon School
Road, Kings Mountain,
The Kings Mountain Herald Page 5B
MEDITATION CHURCH BRIEFS
: Auditori G ki Zion Church, 213 N. Cansl hamb d hot d
Services A
from 11:30-1 p.m. Carry-out
available. Donations accept-
ed for Relay for Life.
Macedonia Baptist
Church, Kings Mountain,
Easter smoked dinner hams,
Boston butts and ham shoul-
ders, $30. Call 739-6811 to
place order. Pick up date is
Saturday, March 26 between
8-10 a.m.
Bethlehem Baptist
Church, 1017 Bethlehem
Road, Kings Mountain,
Easter bake sale Saturday,
March 26, 8-11:30 a.m. Call
739-7487 for more informa-
tion.
Concerts
Cherokee Street Baptist
Church, 423 Cherokee
Street, Kings Mountain, will
host “Crimson Red” in con-
cert Saturday, March 26 at 7
p-m. Public invited.
The Herald welcomes
your church news. The
deadline is 12 noon
Monday. Bring church news
to the Herald at 824-1 E.
King St., mail to The
Herald, P.O. Box 769, Kings
Mountain, NC 28086, call
704 739-7496, fax 704 739-
0611 or e-mail
gstewart@kingsmountain-
herald.com
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