Our Sundays

         The pandemic has changed our Sundays.  We have not been able to attend our church for over a year and so we have looked for other ways to worship and grow in the Lord.  We miss our friends and out fellowship, but after trying numerous streaming possibilities we have settled into a solid routine on Sunday mornings.

          First, we continue to listen to the beautiful gospel music played all Sunday morning on radio station WDAC. We wake up to that.  They play many of the traditional hymns that we have grown up with and it helps us worship and prepare for the streaming worship services.  We are so thankful for this good music.

          Then at 9 am we are ready to watch and listen to the streaming service from our home church.  We enjoy catching up on the announcements and the solid Bible teaching from our young pastor.  Our services have had major changes over the past two years but the preaching is solid and helpful.

          For a few months we tried different services following our own.  We saw many different styles but we kept searching until one day we "accidentally" found Chuck Swindoll's Sunday service from Stonebriar Church in Texas.  The service features a professional sounding orchestra, brass and string ensemble, an excellent choir, congregational music that we recognize and can sing along with, and the exceptional teaching of Chuck.  That now has become our 10:30 service.

         The current streaming service from Swindoll's church isn't available until late Sunday afternoon so we always watch the previous Sunday's service.  So on Palm Sunday we watched the service from March 21 which featured their 5th and 6th grade choir and ensemble,  They were exceptional and touched my tender heart.

          I was touched first because they reminded me of our many years leading and teaching elementary age children in churches, VBS's, camps and in Awana.  I loved to lead children in enthusiastic singing and have so many good memories of that.  Unfortunately, those days are now gone but the memories are still there.  I thank the Lord for all of those opportunities when I was young and healthy enough to do it.

          And I was also touched because of the numbers which they sang - hymns which I loved.  One especially spoke to me, "In Times Like These".  Not only was it well done, but the words were so appropriate for the current messed up world in which we live.  Today we indeed need the Bible and a Savior.  I especially enjoy the final verse which states, "In times like these I have a Savior, In times like these I have an anchor;  I'm very sure, I'm very sure.   My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!"

           As they sang I sang along with them and prayed that the Lord would keep and use each of these precious children as they grow up in this troubled world.   May the words that they sang be a reality in their lives, as well as in my life. 

(1)   In times like these you need a Savior

In times like these you need an anchor;

Be very sure, be very sure

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock! 

This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;

This Rock is Jesus, the only One!

Be very sure, be very sure

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock! 

(2)    In times like these you need the Bible,

In times like these O be not idle;

Be very sure, be very sure 

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock! 

This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;

This Rock is Jesus, the only One!

Be very sure, be very sure

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;

This Rock is Jesus, the only One!

Be very sure, be very sure

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock! 

(3)    In times like these I have a Savior,

In times like these I have an anchor;

I'm very sure, I'm very sure

My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock! 

This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;

This Rock is Jesus, the only One!

Be very sure, be very sure

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock! 

But that wasn't all.  Six girls from the chorus concluded their part in the program by singing, in parts, with string accompaniment.  one of my favorite new songs.

1.     What love could remember, no wrongs we have done

Omniscient, all-knowing, He counts not their sum

Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore

Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

2:    What patience would wait as we constantly roam

What Father so tender is calling us home

He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor

Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

 3:     What riches of kindness He lavished on us

His blood was the payment His life was the cost

We stood 'neath a debt we could never afford

Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

 Chorus:   Praise the Lord

His mercy is more

Stronger than darkness

New every morn'

Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

          Indeed it was a special program and the Lord spoke to me and touched my heart that morning.  Indeed we do need a Savior in these troubled times and we have One whose mercy is more than we need, greater than all of our sins.