Except for the grass that keeps growing just enough to keep the lawns scraggily, summer is about gone. Our church yard has looked pretty all year due to the efforts of Ron and Jenny Hunter, Carol Don McCarn, Shelley Brown, and Carolyn Lively. Our thanks to each and every one of them! Battling crab grass alone is a full-time job, much less getting the lawn mower started plus all the other yard work it takes.

Next weekend we get to set the clocks back an hour, thus returning life to normal for people who live in the country.

The next thing you know it will be Thanksgiving Day. Each day between now and Thanksgiving try listing at least one thing you are thankful for. Then read your list on Thanksgiving Day. I’ll bet it is way longer than you would expect. The pilgrims were thankful for things like having survived the fi rst year on the North American continent. When we compare their lists to ours, theirs indicate what is really important while our list shows how far we’ve come since 1621.

Joyce Searcy sang “I’ll Take Jesus” as the special music selection this Sunday. If we were asked the question “Jesus or the world. Which one will you take?” and we had to demonstrate our answer for a month or more, which one would it appear to be? Not preachin’, just happened to think about it.

Rev. Brown’s sermon was from Amos 4:12 and Revelation 22:17 and was titled “Prepare to Meet Thy God.” In Revelation 22;17 we are invited to come be a part of the family of God. The words “The Spirit and the bride” refer to the Holy Spirit and the church. They are partners. Each needs the other. To be at its best, the church must recognize the Holy Spirit and allow it to work.

Although Amos was one of the prophets and he did leave a book that is part of the Bible, he was not an outstanding prophet. He didn’t come from an outstanding town. He was an ordinary person, a herdsman who received a message from God and did as God told him to do.

Small churches should remember that 90% of America’s churches have less than 200 members. Being small doesn’t mean we can’t be as effective as we are called to be. Amos stands up and says that the entire world will be judged by God from the same book--the Bible.

It isn’t about denominations or rituals or ceremonies. It is about Jesus who redeems us. It is only through Jesus and the blood He shed for us that we can approach God.

It is amazing that now we are invited to come to Jesus and be part of the family of God. Not only are we accepted into that family, there is even a celebration in heaven when we accept God’s invitation!