Happy Monday, January 29, 2018 church!

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! I pray your week has started well and I pray your week will be prayer-filled. Our “40 Days of Prayer” emphasis is a little over halfway done and I believe God is moving and answering many prayers. I have started a “Thank You” journal to keep track of answered prayer. Keep up the praying. If you have missed a few days, start up where you left off and use the prayer guide until you are finished. Keep praying!

It was great to worship with God’s family yesterday at East Madison. Ron Roberts’ special was a great reminder of the power of prayer. The prayers of others for us makes a difference in our lives and our prayer for others makes a difference in their lives. I hope the message on the importance of marriage helped all of us focus on loving our families more and cherishing our spouses. Marriages built on God’s truth and sustained by His love bring much glory to God and happiness to people.

Also, we thank the Lord for all the guests that came our way yesterday. Even though there were many, you all were very welcoming to them. Thank you! When God gives us guests, we always need to go out of our way to welcome them. We step out of our comfort zones to meet and welcome them. We seek to offer to help them find their way around our building. We seek to get to know them. Remember when you were new to East Madison or some other church and how awkward that was. Seek to be a bridge to help people feel welcomed. It has been shown that developing strong relationship is probably the most important reason people become connected to a church.

There will be youth roller skating at Fast Forward this Saturday, February 3 from 12:30 to 4:00 PM. Youth will meet at East Madison at 12:30 PM. Admission is $6.00 with a $2.00 rental fee for skates and $3.00 for rollerblades so bring enough for admission and the rental fee and for any snacks you might purchase. Invite a friend!

There will be children’s worship this Sunday, February 4.

This Sunday, February 4 after worship, we will have a pot luck and an all-church baby shower for Edie and Grayson Doss. Celebrate the child God is giving to them by showering them with gifts they will need for their baby. Edie and Grayson are expecting a girl and are registered at Babies R Us and Amazon.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church