Image 4 of The Advocate Messenger April 6, 2012

A4 FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012 RELIGION THE ADVOCATE-MESSENGER WWW.AMNEWS.COM A new day dawned CHURCHbriefs South District Baptist Association meeting is Monday e South District Baptist Association will have its spring meeting Monday. e Rev. Brent Rowe, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church will speak. In addition, Lynn and Angie Wagner, missionaries with God’s Appalachian Partership, will speak about GAP and food donations. A meal will be served at 6 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7 p.m. For additional information, call (859) 238-7624. served at Crab Orchard Christian Church. In the event of bad weather, the sunrise service will be moved to the Christian Church. For more information, call Dale Hunt at (859) 553-1479. A community Easter Egg Hunt and brunch will be 10:30 a.m.-noon Saturday at First Christian Church, 555 E. Lexington Ave., Danville. Children 10 and younger may hunt eggs and should bring a basket. Photos with the Easter Bunny will be taked from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Holy Week services and events Immanuel Baptist Church, at 1280 Faulkner Lane, will host a Resurrection Celebration and Easter Egg Hunt for children ages birth through fifth grade this Saturday. Activities begin at 11 a.m. in the Outreach Center behind the church. Children should bring baskets for the hunt. Annual Crab Orchard Easter Sunrise Service will begin at 6:45 a.m. Sunday on Cemetery Hill with Jefferson Calico of the Church at Cedar Creek delivering the sunrise message. Everyone is welcome. Immediately following the service, an Easter breakfast will be First Baptist Church, Second and Walnut streets — 7 p.m. today, the church will present “e Seven Last Sayings of Christ.” Seven different pastors will speak. Everyone is welcome. 11 a.m. Sunday, the church will celebrate Resurrection Sunday. ere will be no 8:15 Music McKinney Christian Chuch — 6 p.m. April 15, Crossroads Quartet of Russell Springs, will sing. C S a.m. service on Sunday. Trinity Episcopal Church — Noon today: Members will honor Jesus' death on the cross with prayer. Following prayers, around 1 p.m., devotion of the Stations of the Cross and the church will remain open for prayer. At 6 p.m., Stations of the Cross again before closing the church. 8 p.m. Saturday, e Great Vigil of Easter, Holy Eucharist Rite II: Recalls the ancient practice of worship on Easter Eve. For the early church, this was a time to share biblical stories of God's work of salvation, baptize new members and celebrate their first Holy Communion of the church year. Worship includes lighting the new fire, a representation of Christ's light in the world; renew the Baptismal Covenant and share Holy Communion. 9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday, Holy Eucharist Rite II: Allelulia! Christ is Risen! Everyone is welcome to join the congregation to celebrate Christ's resurrection. Crossroads Apostolic Church — 7 p.m. Saturday, the church will present an Easter drama titled “Messiah,” S Pioneer Pioneer Playhouse • 7:30 Easter Morning “Wake up, God’s mornin’ is come!” Dr. Jerry Shepard Salvation Army Brass Ensemble • First Christian Sanctuary Choir Sponsored Sponsored by First Christian Church, Danville and the Salvation Army (In case of rain, the service will be held at First Christian Church, 555 E. Lexington) at the church, 195 Grafton Street in Junction City. First Christian Church — 555 East Lexington Ave., Danville will be holding a Good Friday Service at 7:30 p.m. tonight. Other special services for the weekend will be: n Community Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch starting at 1:30 a.m. Saturday with free photos with the Easter Bunny. n Community Easter Sunrise Service at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Pioneer Playhouse. Breakfast follows at the church. n Easter Worship at 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Fundraisers Trinity Episcopal Church — 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. April 14, the church will have an “ABC Yard Sale.” e attic, basement and closet sale is an annual fundraiser to benefit charities supported by the church, 320 W. Main St. in Danville. Revivals It was still dark on the first day of the week after the Passover. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome made preparations for the day. So much had happened that, for them, everything seemed to be over. They faced demanding responsibilities, and those responsibilities had to be met. But regardless of the circumstance, life goes on, and a new day was dawning. Expectations for the day were low and their spirits were lower as those three women prepared for a lonely walk through the dark and narrow streets of Jerusalem to a borrowed tomb outside the wall of the city to fulfill a most unpleasant responsibility. With the customary spices used to anoint a body before final burial, they began the trip to that borrowed tomb where the body of Jesus awaited final burial. Knowing that the tomb had been sealed with a large stone and a guard posted by Roman authorities, an annoying question filled their anxious minds as they plodded along the dreary streets: “Who will roll the stone away from the Howard Coop Contributing writer entrance to the tomb?” Then, they felt the ground shake beneath their feet; “there was a violent earthquake.” When they arrived at the tomb, the guards became “like dead men,” and the large stone that sealed the tomb had been mysteriously rolled away. The open tomb was empty. They thought the worst had happened; the body of Jesus had been stolen. But things are not always what they seem, and Yogi Berra was right when he said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Although those three women thought so, things weren’t over that morning. Someone Mary thought to be the gardener called her by name, and she knew! He who had been dead was alive! He had been raised from a dead level to a living perpendicular, and all was well. As the first rays of sunlight came over the Mount of Olives, a day, surprisingly new, dawned bright and beautiful. Pleasant Run Baptist Church — 6 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday through ursday. Dwight Coffman will be evangelist. You are Welcome at the Easter Celebration of First Christian • Good Friday Worship 7:30 p.m. • Easter Egg Hunt Saturday 10:30 a.m. • Community Easter Sunrise Service 7:30 a.m. Service at Pioneer Playhouse (in case of rain, service will be held at the church) • Easter Breakfast 8:30 a.m. • Easter Worship 10:45 a.m. A joyful celebration of the resurrection of Christ Message: “Expect More of Easter!” – Dr. Jerry Shepard First Christian Church 555 E. Lexington, Danville www. rstchristiandanville.com TENT REVIVAL I  was raised in an atheistic home and told there was a devil, but no God. By the time I was 16, I was a professing satanist reading Anton Lavay’s “satanic bible” and addicted to heavy, speed and death metal music. By the age of 17, I was an alcoholic (drinking every day of the week), using drugs and searching for ways to escape reality and obtain peace. I hated my life. On New Year’s Eve of 1991, I was closing up my store and tired of it all. Suicide seemed to be the answer. e alcohol, drugs, music and stress of running a business all seemed to point that way. I turned o my music, pulled out a gun and pondered hell and a movie called “ e Unholy.” For the rst time in my life, I believe, I feared death and hell. It was the end of 1991 and I made a resolution I was going to nd God. I told an Air Force recruiter of my plans and she invited me to church. Soon a er, a man from the church came into my store and I told him my plans to be saved. He told me I did not have to go to church to be saved, but could be saved anywhere, even right then! I submitted and for the rst time in my life humbled myself in the sight of God (James 4:10). I got down on my knees in the back of that store and told God, “I’m sick of my life and can’t help myself.” With a repentant heart, I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart and save me. He did! I’ve never drank alcohol or used drugs since that day and I no longer searched for peace through sin and sel shness. I found peace instantly because the Bible says the Lord Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)! Does your life seem hopeless? Is there something missing? Are you a slave to your sin? Do you truly desire a change in your life? Only Jesus Christ can deliver you. Friend, I did not get religion the day I called on Jesus, I got saved and my life changed. e Bible plainly says in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Simply stated, everyone in the world, no matter whom they are, have disobeyed God’s commandments. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever looked with lust? Have you ever stolen anything? en you have sinned. Friend, if you die in your sins you will go to hell. Read Revelation 21:8. ere is only one way to get rid of the sin you are carrying. In John 1:29, the Bible says of Jesus Christ, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” is means you! Jesus Christ came to save sinners and He alone can cleanse you from your sin, empower you to live a life that brings honor and glory to Him and give you assurance of where you will go when you die! “ ese things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:13. e Bible says the good news for sinners is that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead. “For Christ also hath once su ered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18. Will you right now turn to Him and receive Him as your own personal Lord and Saviour? Friend, I am not going to heaven because I was baptized in water or because I go to church. I am going to heaven because I have been “born again.” I trusted Jesus Christ to save me! e Bible says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. erefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Romans 10:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17. e above account is the conversion testimony of evangelist Earl Ankrom. Brother Earl will be preaching several nights at the upcoming tent revival in Harrodsburg, KY sponsored by Bluegrass Pike Baptist Church. You are invited out to services each evening at 7:00 p.m. beginning on Monday, April 9 and continuing through Saturday, April 14. e tent will be located in the eld next to the Harrodsburg Wal-Mart on Route 127. You can’t miss us! ere will be other men of God preaching throughout the week along with special music each evening. Brother Earl Ankrom will be the featured preacher from Monday through ursday night. To learn more about Bluegrass Pike Baptist Church you may visit our website at www.bluegrasspikebaptist.com. See you next week! Sponsored by Bluegrass Pike Baptist Church Monday, April 9 -- Saturday, April 14. Services start at 7:00 p.m. Located in the eld next to the Harrodsburg WalMart on Route 127