Alfred Street Baptist Church Virtual Worship Service

[Music] alpha street baptist church would like to thank all of our online viewers for worshiping with us we hope that you've enjoyed our virtual worship experience i know that each and every one of us has a deep desire to be back in worship to be back in fellowship with one another but we have to continue to do it in a safe way we were able to do it safely out at fedex field a little while ago and now i want to invite you to another outdoor gathering of worship before the weather changes it might be our last opportunity this year on sunday september 26th 11 a.m merryweather post pavilion join in with all of alfred street baptist church we're gathering there to worship at 11 the doors will open at 9 30 and parking is free because safety is our number one concern we've tried to choose a venue where we know we can come worship fellowship and still be safe if you've never been to merriweather post pavilion when you come you're going to be amazed there are 5 000 seats in a covered pavilion giving a shelter from the sun and there are another five thousand seats in the grassy knoll area so when you come you can sit wherever you feel comfortable you can your family can sit in the grassy areas in your lawn chairs and your blankets and still see and hear worship or you can have one of the seats under the pavilion if you're in the grassy area masks are requested if you're going to sit under the pavilion masks are mandatory and if you're in one of the seated areas do us a favor respect people's requirement and request for social distancing if you and your family are gathered together leave a couple seats before you sit next to the other family so that we can remain socially distant and safe when we worship in that space we're going to do a few things we're going to give thanks to god for the life that we live we're going to be blessed by our music and worship arts we're going to celebrate 13 years of anniversary as pastor and people we're going to hear a word from the lord as i am excited to preach what god has laid on my heart and we're going to break bread and share in communion before we get to merryweather our deacons will have a distribution of communion that you can pick up before we get there and community elements will also be available on site listen i know merry weather is a little bit far of a drive but i promise you it's going to be worth it the worship is going to bless you the music is going to touch you the fellowship will aid and assist you in getting over this isolation we've been living in and we're not just worshiping we're also going to have a family reunion kind of style i'm inviting you to bring your own food but also know that there will be some food trucks on site so that when we're done worshiping we can break bread together almost like having a large picnic and be able to fellowship and see stay around i want to come by and see you and your family and how everyone's doing so once again sunday september 26th 11 a.m doors open at 9 30 parking is free merryweather post pavilion we're going to have a great time listen you can also grab one of our t-shirts if you so desire go online we've got a t-shirt that we're asking people to wear that we can have a sea of our colors of burgundy and gold we're not burgundy gold that's the that's that football team how about crimson and cream let's wear some crimson cream we're gonna have a great day come on out and join with me as it'll be my pleasure to worship with you to help combat the covet 19 coronavirus outbreak alfred street baptist church has suspended all in-person worship services activities and events until further notice we know that these are difficult and challenging times we invite you to stay connected by participating in our online worship services and remain faithful in your giving online via our alfred street website asbc app and on our text messaging system if you have any questions about giving please feel free to email our finance department at finance alphastreet.org if you're interested in becoming a member of the historic alpha street baptist church please email deacons with an s at alfred street dot org or complete the membership form on our website or on our asbc app alfred street members have you been blessed with a skill set in law policy writing human resources record keeping fundraising finance property management or executive board leadership and a heart to serve others the nominating committee wants you nominations are now open and will close on thursday september 30th at 11 59 pm open positions descriptions of qualifications and responsibilities as well as the online application are available at www.alfredstreet.org tuesday night bible study is back with our very own reverend dr latasha l morgan join dr morgan from our office of christian care and counseling throughout the month of september as she facilitates a conversation about anxiety and mental health our office of christian care and counseling would like to share that september is national suicide prevention month even amid a major pandemic there's still an urgent national effort to prevent suicide in the united states sadly suicide is among the leading causes of death in the u.s and is still considered a major public health concern for more information on how you or someone you know can get help please visit our website or app for additional information and resources our september pastor's pick for book of the month is against christianity how right-wing evangelicals are destroying our nation and our faith by obri m hendrix jr this book is a timely and galvanizing work that examines how right-wing evangelical christians have veered from an admirable faith to a pernicious destructive ideology be sure to purchase and or download a copy from your favorite retailer everyone is invited to join us virtually as we kick off our brand new exciting fall season of online sunday school classes starting saturday september 11th 4 45 pm eastern and sunday september 12th at 9 00 a.m eastern visit our website and asbc app for more information calling all asbc undergraduate college students alfred street's college ministry also known as the college link is now accepting online registrations for the 2021-2022 academic year registration ends sunday september 19th so be sure to register online today so that we can stay in touch and support you throughout your college year asbc is upgrading its church management software system to realm r-e-a-l-m what is realm you ask realm is a brand new church management record-keeping software system designed to provide you with a new way to connect to our events contributions and giving statements just to name a few stay tuned to our website and or asbc app for the latest information our christian life institute presents a virtual experience via zoom entitled spiritual gifts the five-fold ministry with reverend rosalind brooks join us thursday september 23rd from 7 to 8 30 p.m eastern time discovering your spiritual gifts can help you understand how you can serve the body of christ this event is open to everyone however you must register online to participate our social justice and legal resources ministry presents an expungement restoration of rights pardon and sealing of records virtual law webinar experience saturday september 25th from 10 a.m to 12 p.m noon eastern daylight time online registration is required however this webinar is open to everyone our sunday school deep roots bearing fruit curriculum team is seeking volunteer writers editors copy editors proofreaders and recruiters if you're interested in learning more about all of the volunteer opportunities available with our sunday school curriculum team please email drbf alfredstreet.org for more information have there been music dance or drama presentations from alfred street baptist church that's touched your soul or been a blessing to you if so we invite you to check out our new music and worship arts playlist on our asbc youtube channel the most recent music and worship arts drama and dance offerings experienced during our weekly aspc worship services will be featured here we invite everyone to continue to join us at 7am eastern time for our daily prayer call which takes place monday through friday this will allow you to stay connected to your asbc family through prayer you can dial 1-530-881-1212 and enter the id number 788-999-203-1 [Music] sign also we invite you to tune in to our faith forward weekly radio broadcast featuring pastor howard john wesley every sunday morning at 7 30 a.m eastern daylight time on magic 102.3 fm and 92.7 fm for a powerful sermon that will move you forward in your faith we invite you to join us and alfred street baptist church on sunday evenings from 7 pm to 7 30 p.m for our faith forward show on praise 104.1 fm dc's inspiration station [Music] be sure to visit our website or your asbc app for the latest asbc updates regarding covet 19 and to find out what to do if you think that you've been exposed to the coronavirus for more information on these and all the exciting events taking place here at alfred street please log on to alfredstreet.org [Music] alpha street baptist church would like to thank all of our online viewers for worshiping with us we hope that you've enjoyed our virtual worship experience i know that each and every one of us has a deep desire to be back in worship to be back in fellowship with one another but we have to continue to do it in a safe way we were able to do it safely out at fedex field a little while ago and now i want to invite you to another outdoor gathering of worship before the weather changes it might be our last opportunity this year on sunday september 26th 11 a.m merryweather post pavilion join in with all of alfred street baptist church we're gathering there to worship at 11 the doors will open at 9 30 and parking is free because safety is our number one concern we've tried to choose a venue where we know we can come worship fellowship and still be safe if you've never been to meriwether post pavilion when you come you're going to be amazed there are 5 000 seats in a covered pavilion giving a shelter from the sun and then there are another 5 000 seats in the grassy knoll area so when you come you can sit wherever you feel comfortable you can your family can sit in the grassy areas and your lawn chairs and your blankets and still see and hear worship or you can have one of the seats under the pavilion if you're in the grassy area masks are requested if you're going to sit under the pavilion masks are mandatory and if you're in one of the seated areas do us a favor respect people's requirement and request for social distancing if you and your family are gathered together leave a couple seats before you sit next to the other family so that we can remain socially distant and safe when we worship in that space we're going to do a few things we're going to give thanks to god for the life that we live we're going to be blessed by our music and worship arts we're going to celebrate 13 years of anniversary as pastor and people we're going to hear a word from the lord as i am excited to preach what god has laid on my heart and we're going to break bread and share in communion before we get to merryweather our deacons will have a distribution of communion that you can pick up before we get there and community elements will also be available on site listen i know meri weather is a little bit far of a drive but i promise you it's going to be worth it the worship is going to bless you the music is going to touch you the fellowship will aid and assist you in getting over this isolation we've been living in and we're not just worshiping we're also going to have a family reunion kind of style i'm inviting you to bring your own food but also know that there will be some food trucks on site so that when we're done worshiping we can break bread together almost like having a large picnic and be able to fellowship and see stay around i want to come by and see you and your family and how everyone's doing so once again sunday september 26th 11 a.m doors open at 9 30. parking is free merryweather post pavilion we're going to have a great time listen you can also grab one of our t-shirts if you so desire go online we've got a t-shirt that we're asking people to wear that we can have a sea of our colors of burgundy and gold we're not burgundy gold that's the that's that football team how about crimson and cream let's wear some crimson cream we're gonna have a great day come on out and join with me as it'll be my pleasure to worship with you to help combat the covet 19 coronavirus outbreak alpha street baptist church has suspended all in-person worship services activities and events until further notice we know that these are difficult and challenging times we invite you to stay connected by participating in our online worship services and remain faithful in your giving online via our alfred street website asbc app and on our text messaging system if you have any questions about giving please feel free to email our finance department at finance alphastreet.org if you're interested in becoming a member of the historic alfred street baptist church please email deacons with an s at alphastreet.org or complete the membership form on our website or on our asbc app alfred street members have you been blessed with a skill set in law policy writing human resources record keeping finance property management or executive board leadership and a heart to serve others the nominating committee wants you nominations are now open and will close on thursday september 30th at 11 59 pm open positions descriptions of qualifications and responsibilities as well as the online application are available at www.alfredstreet.org tuesday night bible study is back with our very own reverend dr latarcha l morgan join dr morgan from our office of christian care and counseling throughout the month of september as she facilitates a conversation about anxiety and mental health our office of christian care and counseling would like to share that september is national suicide prevention month even amid a major pandemic there's still an urgent national effort to prevent suicide in the united states sadly suicide is among the leading causes of death in the u.s and is still considered a major public health concern for more information on how you or someone you know can get help please visit our website or app for additional information and resources our september pastor's pick for book of the month is against christianity how right-wing evangelicals are destroying our nation and our faith by obri m hendricks jr this book is a timely and galvanizing work that examines how right-wing evangelical christians have veered from an admirable faith to a pernicious destructive ideology be sure to purchase and or download a copy from your favorite retailer everyone is invited to join us virtually as we kick off our brand new exciting fall season of online sunday school classes starting saturday september 11th 4 45 pm eastern and sunday september 12 at 9 00 a.m eastern visit our website and asbc app for more information calling all asbc undergraduate college students alfred street's college ministry also known as the college link is now accepting online registrations for the 2021-2022 academic year registration ends sunday september 19th so be sure to register online today so that we can stay in touch and support you throughout your college year asbc is upgrading its church management software system to realm r-e-a-l-m what is realm you ask realm is a brand new church management record-keeping software system designed to provide you with a new way to connect to our events contributions and giving statements just to name a few stay tuned to our website and or asbc app for the latest information our christian life institute presents a virtual experience via zoom entitled spiritual gifts the fivefold ministry with reverend rosalind brooks join us thursday september 23rd from 7 to 8 30 pm eastern time discovering your spiritual gifts can help you understand how you can serve the body of christ this event is open to everyone however you must register online to participate our social justice and legal resources ministry presents an expungement restoration of rights pardon and sealing of records virtual law webinar experience saturday september 25th from 10 a.m to 12 p.m noon eastern daylight time online registration is required however this webinar is open to everyone our sunday school deep roots bearing fruit curriculum team is seeking volunteer writers editors copy editors proofreaders and recruiters if you're interested in learning more about all of the volunteer opportunities available with our sunday school curriculum team please email drbf alfredstreet.org for more information have there been music dance or drama presentations from alfred street baptist church that's touched your soul or been a blessing to you if so we invite you to check out our new music and worship arts playlist on our asbc youtube channel the most recent music and worship arts drama and dance offerings experienced during our weekly aspc worship services will be featured here we invite everyone to continue to join us at 7 a.m eastern time for our daily prayer call which takes place monday through friday this will allow you to stay connected to your asbc family through prayer you can dial 1-530-881-1212 and enter the id number 788 [Music] pound sign i know that each and every one of us has a deep desire to be back in worship to be back in fellowship with one another but we have to continue to do it in a safe way we were able to do it safely out at fedex field a little while ago and now i want to invite you to another outdoor gathering of worship before the weather changes it might be our last opportunity this year on sunday september 26th 11 a.m merryweather post pavilion join in with all of alfred street baptist church we're gathering there to worship at 11 the doors will open at 9 30 and parking is free because safety is our number one concern we've tried to choose a venue where we know we can come worship fellowship and still be safe if you've never been to merriweather post pavilion when you come you're going to be amazed there are 5 000 seats in a covered pavilion giving a shelter from the sun and then there are another 5 000 seats in the grassy knoll area so when you come you can sit wherever you feel comfortable you can your family can sit in the grassy areas and your lawn chairs and your blankets and still see and hear worship or you can have one of the seats under the pavilion if you're in the grassy area masks are requested if you're going to sit under the pavilion masks are mandatory and if you're in one of the seated areas do us a favor respect people's requirement and request for social distancing if you and your family are gathered together leave a couple seats before you sit next to the other family so that we can remain socially distant and safe when we worship in that space we're going to do a few things we're going to give thanks to god for the life that we live we're going to be blessed by our music and worship arts we're going to celebrate 13 years of anniversary as pastor and people we're going to hear a word from the lord as i am excited to preach what god has laid on my heart and we're going to break bread and share in communion before we get to merryweather our deacons will have a distribution of communion that you can pick up before we get there and communal elements will also be available on site listen i know merry weather is a little bit far of a drive but i promise you it's gonna be worth it the worship is gonna bless you the music is gonna touch you the fellowship will aid and assist you in getting over this isolation we've been living in and we're not just worshiping we're also going to have a family reunion kind of style i'm inviting you to bring your own food but also know that there will be some food trucks on site so that when we're done worshiping we can break bread together almost like having a large picnic and be able to fellowship and see stay around i want to come by and see you and your family and how everyone's doing so once again sunday september 26th 11 a.m doors open at 9 30 parking is free merryweather post pavilion we're going to have a great time to help combat the covet 19 coronavirus outbreak alfred street baptist church has suspended all in-person worship services activities and events until further notice we know that these are difficult and challenging times we invite you to stay connected by participating in our online worship services and remain faithful in your giving online via our alfred street website asbc app and on our text messaging system if you have any questions about giving please feel free to email our finance department at finance alphastreet.org if you're interested in becoming a member of the historic alfred street baptist church please email deacons with an s at alfred street dot org or complete the membership form on our website or on our asbc app albert street members the nominating committee wants you nominations are now open and will close on thursday september 30th at 11 59 pm open positions descriptions of qualifications and responsibilities as well as the online application are available at www.alfredstreet.org tuesday night bible study is back with our very own reverend dr latasha l morgan join dr morgan from our office of christian care and counseling throughout the month of september as she facilitates a conversation about anxiety and mental health our office of christian care and counseling would like to share that september is national suicide prevention month for more information on how you or someone you know can get help please visit our website or app for additional information and resources everyone is invited to join us virtually as we kick off our brand new exciting fall season of online sunday school classes visit our website and asbc app for more information our social justice ministry presents unmasked inequities in schools reimagining education justice post pandemic we invite everyone to attend this free zoom webinar event on saturday september 18th from 9 a.m to 11 30 a.m eastern daylight time online registration is required our christian life institute presents a virtual experience via zoom entitled spiritual gifts the fivefold ministry with reverend rosalind brooks join us thursday september 23rd from 7 to 8 30 pm eastern time this event is open to everyone however you must register online to participate for more information on these and all the exciting events taking place here at alfred street please log on to alfredstreet.org [Music] remembering 20 years of 9 11 a day that changed the world changed our nation and changed many of our lives it even changed this church one of our beloved members sister ada mason lost her life on that day and went home to be with the lord today we pause and remember her as i also remember the other victims the families the first responders and how our nation was touched and humbled and brought to its knees on september 11th [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] welcome my brothers and sisters in christ on this communion weekend i was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the lord [Music] let us enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankful unto him and bless his name for the lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth through all generations let us pray almighty and everlasting god we rise this morning just to say thank you thank you for another day's journey we ask that you would be with us in this worship service that your name will be given all the glory and honor bless our pastor bless the congregation may all that we do bless your holy name in the name of your son jesus the christ amen i will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart and i i will say this is the day that the lord has [Music] now that's how you feel put your hands together and say i will enjoy [Music] [Music] me [Music] foreign [Music] is [Music] [Music] this is is [Music] [Music] i will i will he's is [Music] me on my way it's my pleasure to rejoice come on [Music] i saw the lord [Music] foreign [Music] can i say [Music] how many of you ever been in a place where you just needed to praise god just to escape whatever you're dealing with and to draw closer to him because we're living in a time where we need the lord every day when we look at the news it's a new reality and so now we need to just pray and seek his face turn from our wicked ways so he can heal the land and so that's where you are we invite you to just wrap this song around your heart sing it as a prayer until the lord precious holy [Music] father [Music] can you hear us calling [Music] oh yes we do help me say [Music] can you hear me [Music] [Music] oh yes we do come on where you are [Music] can you hear us calling [Music] [Music] just one more time [Music] when we [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh your children are crying [Music] [Music] your children are crying we need you god so we cry [Music] so we cry people are dying so we cry [Music] [Music] we need you we need you so we cry we cry [Music] nothing else we'll do so we cry [Music] [Music] we need healing in our land oh [Music] [Music] precious holy father can [Music] your sons and your daughters we need you [Music] oh yes we do [Music] [Music] we need you we need you so we cry [Music] [Music] this [Music] i need this [Music] bless me now my savior i come [Music] to thee oh [Music] need [Applause] [Music] to breathe [Music] bless me now myself [Music] to the [Music] hallelujah hallelujah i need thee oh i need thee every hour oh lord i need thee oh bless me now my savior i come i come to thee if you agree with that i need you to just type that in the chat right now i need you lord oh i need this hallelujah our scripture today comes from the book of first chronicles chapter 29 verse 11 and i'll be reading from the king james version it reads like this thine o lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine thine is the kingdom o lord and thou art exalted as head above all this is the word of god for the people of god won't you join us in our congregational hymn of rejoicing nothing but the blood [Music] do [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] foreign [Music] is is is is [Music] [Music] praise the lord alfred she baptist family it is giving time this is a personal time between you and the lord and to determine what in your heart says that you should be giving but more importantly this is an opportunity for you to witness and to invest in a ministry that is doing god's work all throughout the community investing in our young people helping out the least of these and pushing out the word of god alfred street can't do it alone family it needs you your support and your investment and at the end of the day remember we can only give because god has blessed us to be a blessing at this moment join me in prayer as we go before the lord and we ask him to bless all of our givings our tithes and our offerings oh god we thank you so much for your people we thank you for every hand that has worked hard and is giving to your kingdom god we thank you god for a people that love each other that loves your church that loves their community and that loves justice god we just ask that you bless every mother every father every son every daughter every child every family and lord god we ask that you keep them in your presence strengthen their finances strengthen them at work strengthen them in their endeavors and lord god continue to be faithful over them encourage them lord god to be faithful over this family over this church as we continue to be faithful to your people we thank you in the name of your son jesus christ amen [Music] your only son no sin to hide yet you have sinned him from your side to walk upon this guilty side and to become a lambo god your gift of love they crucified they mocked and scored him as he died your humble king they named a fraud and sacrificed the sweet lamb of god i love the holy [Music] i was so lost i should have died [Music] but you have brought me to your side to be led by your staff and rod and to become a lamborghini god i was so lost i should have died but you have brought and to become [Music] sweet lamb of god of god now wash me in your precious [Music] sweet lamb of god i love you holy lamb [Music] till i am just a lamb of god [Music] till i become a lamb of god now change my name to lamb of god now watch me in your precious blood till i become [Music] family as some of you may have heard and now you can see the rumors right i had more than a little accidental fall this week that left me with a dislocated shoulder that's broken in two places and sadly will require surgery after the muscle damage has healed by the grace and the mercy of god i'm doing all right and i do solicit your continued prayers for healing listen it's been a long week of moving from the emergency room to primary care to orthopedic specialists to orthopedic surgeons with more x-rays cat scans mris than i can count all while dealing with some really more than little pain taking some strong pain medication all that to say has left me in a place where head and heart have been difficult to align to get ready to preach i know you were excited to get back into part two of this series anxious for nothing i was excited to preach it but i'm gonna ask you to give me a pass this weekend allow me to continue to heal we'll come back next weekend with part two in lieu of that there is a word from the lord that i preached previously that i think is really complementary to where we are right now it's from a series called fear factor and i want to share with you a sermon called scare tactics the way the enemy seeks to create fear within the life of a believer it's complementary it's supplemental but next week we'll be right back with part two of anxious for nothing until then please enjoy this sermon and keep me in your prayers [Music] beloved grace and peace be unto you from god who loves us as father and mother and jesus christ who alone is our resurrected our risen our reigning and our returning redeemer before we get into the word of god on today there is a controversy i need to address and i do know that there were some deacons who have felt that this was not the appropriate venue to express it but as pastor i hold very near and dear my responsibility to preserve the unity of the church so allow me if you will just to make a definitive statement and then we can go on sugar and grits go together and i am not going back and forth with any of you all anymore let it be known from this day forward in the pastor's office at alfa street baptist church we put butter and sugar on our grits that being said let us pray god we thank you for the gift of this day and the opportunity we have to be instructed guided and blessed by your holy word i thank you lord for our sisters and brothers who log on with us all across the world wide web we invoke now the power of your holy spirit to guide not only the preaching but the hearing and the eventual living out of the word of god be present and be pleased oh god in the name of christ our savior we do pray amen today we come to the end of this new year series that has guided us for these last two weeks simply entitled i shall not fear if you're just joining us today i want to welcome you and i want to encourage you to take a moment to review the first two segments of this sermonic series i shall not fear when you take a moment to go back you'll probably be surprised to find out that in the word of god there are almost 350 times where god shows up and speaks and says do not be afraid do not fear some almost 350 references commanding us not to be afraid you recall that the only phrase repeated more than do not be afraid is praise the lord and i've tried to share with you that one of the reasons there are so many references from god instructing us not to be afraid is because fear shows up so often in life the truth of the matter is that all of us at some point will wrestle with a fear in our life no one is immune to being afraid and you can literally be afraid of anything and everything god commands us not to be afraid simply because fear is mutually exclusive to faith one cannot walk by faith and be paralyzed by fear in the same moment and so god repeatedly comes and shares that if you're going to live by faith if you're going to walk by faith if you're going to please me you cannot be afraid you recall from the first segment of the series that whenever god makes that commandment to not be afraid often times god partners it with three other statements remember what i've done i've gone ahead of you to fight for you and i am with you the charge and the command of god is that if you remember what the lord has already done and if you trust and believe that whatever it is you're afraid of god is in it before you get there and you rest assured in god's promised presence in your life that you can wind up like david who simply said in psalm 27 the lord is my light and my salvation whom shall i fear god is with us last week we journeyed out into the sea of galilee with the disciples and it was there that peter taught us some things about confronting and conquering and controlling our fears we learned that many of our fears are rooted in our imagination in our uncertainties in our insecurities and most of all in our deficiencies in prayer but the good news is that if your heart is right god will always take care of you in preparation for this last part of the series i took some time to read over almost all 350 of those commandments not to be afraid and i found out bobby that many of them fall in one of two categories oftentimes god shows up and says do not be afraid when there is a new assignment on someone's life when god opens the door and calls his faithful into a new season often times god says don't be afraid when solomon is called to build the temple for his father don't be afraid when mary finds out she's pregnant by the holy spirit don't be afraid when paul is commissioned to be an apostle don't be afraid when someone is called into prophetic ministry like elijah and jeremiah don't be afraid and one of the best ones i want you to read is in matthew chapter 10 when jesus is preparing to send the disciples out into the world repeatedly he tells them don't be afraid beloved when god calls us god does not call us to the comfortable and the familiar god calls us to that which frightens us to open the door of new gifts and possibilities that bring god glory so when a new assignment comes god says don't be afraid the second time we see it often in scripture is when the people of god have a threat they must confront when there's a battle that must be waged when there's an enemy that must be dealt with when there's opposition that must be confronted god shows up and repeatedly says don't be afraid beloved i came by to tell you that opposition is the cost of favor and you cannot have the hand of god on you without the hand of the enemy being against you one place we clearly see that in scripture is in the passage i want to read for you today in the old testament book of second chronicles if you will journey with me to second chronicles chapter 32 and i would apologize but i'm not going to for the length of what i read this morning hearing the word of god is good for us and so i would that you hear second chronicles chapter 32 as i read some selected verses in your hearing and encourage you to read the chapter in its entirety during your devotional reading second chronicles chapter 32. today i'm reading out the new international version of god's word beginning in verse number one after all that hezekiah had so faithfully done sennacherib king of assyria came and invaded judah he laid siege to the fortified cities thinking to conquer them for himself drop down to verse six he meaning hezekiah appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words strong and courageous do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of assyria and the vast army with him for there is a greater power with us than with him with him is only the arm of flesh but with us is the lord our god to help us and to fight our battles and the people gained confidence from what hezekiah the king of judah said later when sennacherib king of assyria and all his forces were laying siege to lackish he sent his officers to jerusalem with a message for hezekiah king of judah and for all the people of judah who were there this is what sennacherib king of assyria says on what are you basing your confidence that you remain in jerusalem under siege when hezekiah says the lord our god will save us from the hand of the king of assyria he is misleading you to let you die of hunger and thirst did not hezekiah himself remove the gods high places and altars saying to judah in jerusalem you must worship before one altar and burn sacrifices on it do you not know what i and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people for me how then can your god deliver you from my hand now do not let hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this do not believe him for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors how much less will your god deliver you from my hand sennacherib's officers spoke further against the lord god and against his servant hezekiah the king also wrote letters ridiculing the lord the god of israel and saying this against him just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand so the god of hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand then they called out in hebrew to the people of jerusalem who were on the wall to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city they spoke about the god of jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world the work of human hands king hezekiah and the prophet isaiah son of amaz cried out in prayer to heaven about this and the lord sent an angel who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the assyrian king so he withdrew to his own land in disgrace and he went into the temple of his god some of his sons his own flesh and blood cut him down with the sword so the lord saved hezekiah and the people of jerusalem from the hand of sennacherib king of assyria and from the hand of all others he took care of them on every side i want to read that 18th verse as a launching place for us again today verse number 18 declares then they called out in hebrew to the people of jerusalem who were on the wall to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city today as we study the word of god and listen to god speak to our fears i want to talk and teach about scare tactics scare tactics the events we read about in second chronicles chapter 32 are also paralleled in second kings chapter 18 and isaiah chapter 36. i'm going would encourage you to read both of those in your bible study and devotional time to gain a fuller picture and portrait of what goes down in 2nd chronicles 32. the time is during the reign of king hezekiah hezekiah becomes king of the southern kingdom of judah at the tender age of 25 and rules for 29 years over judah headquartered in jerusalem what's most important for you to know about hezekiah is that hezekiah was the son of king ahaz ahaz is arguably the worst and most evil king that israel has ever known ahaz embraces the worship of false gods and builds altars and temples all throughout judah to worship these idols ahaz mistreats and misuses the people of god and their resources ahas is responsible for making compromising deals with the enemies of israel that put the people in a jeopardized state ahaz is the most evil king that israel has ever known the good news however is that hezekiah is not like his daddy as a matter of fact first second chronicles chapter 31 verse 20 and 21 says this that hezekiah was good he was right he was faithful he obeyed the commandments of god he sought the lord with all of his heart and served the lord wholeheartedly and because of that he prospered ahaz ain't like hezekiah and hezekiah ain't like ahaz hezekiah is good right faithful obedient and serves the lord with all of his heart and when hezekiah comes to reign after the term and tenure of his father ahaz hezekiah comes to clean up what ahaz messed up hezekiah is well known for his religious reforms in israel i want you to see this hezekiah comes and his first objective is to clean up what ahaz messed up when hezekiah becomes king he tears down all the altars to the false gods he removes the temples dedicated to the idols he purifies the temple in jerusalem he recommissions the levites and priests to serve the people he reinstitutes worship among the israelites he brings back the celebration of the passover which the israelites stop celebrating under ahaz when hezekiah becomes king he's got some old policies to overturn from his predecessor he's got to overturn those policies of immigration and the travel blands that blocked the muslims from coming into the land he's got to reinstitute justice and equality in the land he's got to allow federal institutions to reinstitute diversity training among the people he brings an end to talk of this wall that needs to be built he makes certain that he pauses the payment of federal debt through student loans he comes in and makes certain that he deals with the pandemic that his predecessor did not deal with making certain that people wear masks and roll out a strategic plan for 100 million vaccinations in his first hundred days as king over israel hezekiah is undoing what ahaz did not do and the bible says that in the days of hezekiah it was as good in israel as it was during the days of david and solomon hezekiah is turning the nation around everything seems to be going well until 701 bc and in 701 bc we find out again that opposition is the cost of favor this hezekiah who's been ruling under the favor and the grace of god now finds himself preparing to go to war with the assyrians under the leadership of their king named sennacherib the bible says that sennacherib wants to take over jerusalem the problem is that jerusalem is a fortified city and the only way for sennacherib to easily overtake jerusalem is for the inhabitants of jerusalem to quit and not want to go to battle and so sennacherib sends one of his messengers an officer in his army that the bible identifies in second kings as the rav chakay everyone say rabshakay r-a-b-s-h-a-k-e-h it's right there on the bottom of your screen rab chicade and the rapture k comes to jerusalem while the city is walled up and people are behind the wall and the bible says in verse 18 that he comes with one objective to terrify israel to make them afraid so he can capture the city sennacherib sends a word to israel with one objective to make them afraid because he knows if i can terrify you if i can make you afraid i can take your city but i came by to give you the first easy lesson of this sermon and that is that the enemy understands that if i can terrify you if i can make you afraid i can capture you if i can terrify you and make you afraid i can take you out if i can terrify you and make you afraid i can steal your joy i can destroy your peace i can keep you from living abundantly in the life of christ i can make certain that you don't enjoy the bounty of the favor and the grace of god if i can terrify you and make you afraid i can capture you and i know you don't want to hear this and forgive me for giving you a little bit of bad news but i come by today to declare to you that every hezekiah has a sennacherib every woman of god every man of god who's trying to do right every woman of god every man of god who's obeying the word of god every woman of god every man of god that's trying to live faithful with god every woman of god every man of god who searches for the lord with all your heart and serves god wholeheartedly you will have a situation where the enemy of righteousness enters your life with one objective to terrify you and make you afraid every hezekiah has a synagogue maybe your sinacarib is a fear of a diagnosis of cancer maybe your sennacherib is the fear that you will never see till death do its part that you'll never hear the pitter pat of little feet running around your house maybe your sennacherib is the fear of launching out in that new opportunity and finding out you're not good enough maybe your sennacherib is dying alone maybe your sennacherib is never amounting to all that you feel you could be maybe your sennacherib is the fear of something happening to your children maybe your sennacherib is wanting something that you find out rejects and does not want you every hezekiah has a sennacherib because sennacherib's objective is to make you live in fear the enemy understands that fear will take you out long before any disease will fear will destroy your life more than any enemy you can ever face fear will wreak havoc on your faith more than god not doing what you ask god to do fear is the enemy's greatest tool to steal kill and destroy the abundant life that christ died for you to live in sennacherib wants you to live in fear i pray you're being blessed by this sermon scare tactics we're taking a little break from our serious anxious for nothing for a moment to heal from the fall i had i continue to ask for your prayers and i pray that this term will continue to touch you feel you and bless you and prepare us for next week when we'll be back with part two of anxious for nothing and since fear and terror is the enemy's objective for your life i thought it'd be good today for us to have a little bible study and take a look at some of the tactics the strategies the scare tactics that the enemy uses against the people of god to terrify us and make us afraid hang on right here in second chronicles 32 and allow me to just teach for a moment and drop about four scare tactics that i see the enemy using in second chronicles 32 that are oftentimes used in our own life can i share with you some scare tactics of the enemy number one one of the very first scare tactics of the enemy is to cause you to question your confidence the enemy wants you to question your confidence one of the very first things the enemy wants you to do is to doubt that you have what it takes to endure what he's threatening you with watch this the rav shakay shows up he stands outside the walls of jerusalem and the very first thing out of his mouth is a question he looks up at israel and says to them what is the source of your confidence why do you think you can handle the assyrian army what are you all relying on what is the source of your confidence one of the very first things the enemy wants to put in your mind is the thought that you can't make it you have no reason to be confident you have no reason to believe you can handle this there's no reason for you to think you can survive what's about to happen to you if you got any good sense you'd recognize that there's no reason for you to be confident because the enemy understands that fear begins where confidence is destroyed let me say that again fear begins where your confidence is destroyed that word confidence that the rashike uses is this hebrew term batac and although your bible translates it as confidence more often but talk is translated as faith as trust so now re-translate the question the ratio k shows up and this is what he really says why do you have faith what is the source of your trust what are you hoping in what are you believing in the enemy wants you to believe that you don't have anything in your today that will help you deal with what's coming in your tomorrow he wants you to take inventory of what you're leaning on and what you're trusting in and recognize that whatever you're trusting in today will not help you with what's coming in your tomorrow this is what the enemy wants to ask what do you have or even better what has you that makes you confident you can handle what you know is about to happen here's what hezekiah understands hezekiah understands that the assyrian army is greater than the israelite army he says that to israel they've got more people than we do but here's where hezekiah is smart he tells them don't be afraid because we're not relying on the same thing assyria is relying on they are relying on their numbers but we are not fighting simply based on our numbers our strength our confidence our trust our faith is not in our numbers because the enemy wants you to believe that what they're relying on is the only thing you can rely on and if you rely on the same thing that the enemy relies on you will always be afraid cause he's always got more of that than you do go preach pastor wesley so if your confidence is in your money you will be afraid because there's a situation your money cannot handle if your confidence is in your youth and your strength what are you going to do when you're diagnosed with lung cancer in your 30s and you've never even smoked if your confidence and your trust is in your position and your title and your power and your authority what are you going to do when there's a circumstance that doesn't care what your gs ranking is or what your last name is if your confidence is in the fact that you are well connected and you know how to call on the right people what are you going to do when there's no one you can count on and no one you can call if your strength if your confidence is in your popularity what are you going to do when time happens time has a way of changing the top 10 list every year what are you going to do if you're relying on the same thing that the enemy relies on and so hezekiah reminds israel of what i remind you he said listen don't be afraid of their numbers because all he has is the power of the flesh but there is something greater at work in us that our strength our confidence our trust art is not in a number but in a god a god who is with us a god who is greater than them and a god who will fight our battles i came by to tell someone today in this sermon that don't put your trust in money don't put your confidence in your youth don't put your authority in your title but put your faith and your trust in a god who is with you a god who is greater than anything against you and i like what hezekiah says a god who will fight your battles i don't know who i'm preaching to but there ought to be an early amen right here of someone who has found out god will fight your battles i'm looking for somebody that's put it in the hands of god and has found out that god will go to work for you god we'll handle situations god will open doors god will shut mouths down we'll move mountains god will fight battles is there anybody watching today who knows about a god who will fight your battles as zakai says don't listen to the enemy don't question the source of your confidence let your trust be in god and i preach this so much at alpha street that i'm almost ashamed to preach it again but i believe that all of life boils down to one question do you trust god when the bottom of your life drops out do you trust god when the doctor says we found something do you trust god when booboo says bye bye do you trust god when you don't have enough money do you trust god when the child has lost their mind do you trust in god the question i come to ask you is the same question sennacherib asked what is the source of your faith now i came by to give you some good advice put your faith in god and god will fight your battle listen one of the very first scare tactics of the enemy is to cause you to question your confidence can i share with you another another scare tactic of the enemy is to cause you to believe that your fate is your fault one of the ways the enemy seeks to terrify you is to cause you to think your fate is your fault here's how the enemy works he wants you to think that whatever you're about to go through you brought it on yourself which is why god won't help you because you did this to you let me show it to you in the text synaptic sends word saying that you all can't defeat me and listen to what he tells the people of israel he says to them that when hezekiah told you god would fight for you he was lying to you hezekiah deceived you hezekiah led you believe that god was with you and hezekiah was wrong why does he try to convince israel that hezekiah lied keep on reading watch what he says didn't hezekiah tear down all the altars and the temples to the gods and since hezekiah tore the altars and the temples down for all the other gods there's no way any god can be with you the reason there's no god with you is because hezekiah made a mistake and he brought this on you all what you're about to go through you're going to go through because you brought it on your self beloved i came by to tell you that's the way the enemy works he wants you to doubt and disbelieve that god could be at work in your circumstance because your circumstance was created by a mistake you made and because you made that mistake you are now unworthy of the presence of god in your life don't you miss this the enemy will cause you to connect your mistake in one area to a problem you're dealing with in another area and come to the conclusion that because i messed up over here there's no way god will fight for me over there because i messed up in my money and i didn't do what god told me to do now god won't help me when i need the lord over here because i made a mistake in my sexuality god will not fight for me over here and someone today you are convinced in your mind that god has taken his hand off of your circumstance because of a mistake you made somewhere in your yesterday that's now preventing god from fighting for you in your today and in your tomorrow can we be honest for a minute let's have a heart-to-heart let's keep it real uh all of us have made some mistakes all of us have done some things we should not have done all of us have gone through experiences that we should not have and would not have gone through if we had simply obeyed god there's some tears we shouldn't have cried there are some sleepless nights we shouldn't have had there are some pains we should never have endured if we simply did what god called us to do and in those moments when we realize we've made a mistake the devil tries to use our guilt to convince us that god has now taken his hand off of us because what you're dealing with you brought on yourself now before you fall victim to that scare tactic and think that god has taken his hand off of you let me share with you something in this text that's important here's the truth of the matter that when the false gods were being worshipped when the altars existed when the temples were erected watch this god was still with israel in the midst of all of that their perfection was never a prerequisite for god's presence let me say that again their perfection was never a prerequisite for god's presence and i know you're not gonna like what i'm about to tell you but i'm preaching to you me and anyone who's listening and beloved i came by to tell you this you have always been unworthy of the presence of god this ain't the first time you've sinned this isn't the first mistake you've made this isn't the first time you don't deserve the goodness of god but god has been so gracious and so merciful that even when you've been unworthy god's hand has still been on your life i need someone just to wave and amen shouting amen that you can look back at some seasons when you know you were dead wrong but god still kept his hand on your life can i push it watch this so sennacherib says hezekiah messed up by pulling the altars down but when hezekiah pulled the altars down it was because he was trying to do right by god now if god was with us when we were dead wrong what in the world makes you think god will abandon us when we're trying to get right if god kept me when i was at my lowest what makes you think god will abandon me when i'm trying to walk right when i'm trying to do right when i'm trying to get right if god loved me then surely god loves me now i want someone today before you fall victim to that trap and that scared tactic of thinking that somehow god has left you i want you to remind yourself of the mercy of god the mercies of god which have been operating every day in your life the mercies of god which have been brand new every day in your life the mercies of god which cleaned up your mess look beyond your faults somebody knows about mercy as a matter of fact you know what imagine if you will a man or woman who gets caught on video committing a crime they're caught on video their evidence proves that they're wrong when they go to court if they've got a good lawyer who knows you're guilty and knows there's evidence of your guilt the lawyer will give them some good advice number one confess your guilt and then number two watch this throw yourself on the mercy of the court i came by to be your defense attorney today and declare to you that you might as well confess that you're unworthy but don't stop there after the confession after the acknowledgement after the recognition throw yourself on the mercy of god god's mercy will always go above and beyond whatever the enemy convinced you you brought on yourself i feel like preaching here uh the enemy wants you to question your confidence the enemy wants you to believe that your fate is your fault but what's the third thing that's a scare tactic of the enemy i like this one that after questioning their confidence and after trying to get them to believe that their fate was their fault here's the third thing the enemy did he recited his resume he recites his resume go and read it verse 13 here's what the enemy says he's looking up at israel and he says to them do you know who i am do you know how many nations i've conquered do you know how many people stood against me and failed do you know how many folk fought me and could not win don't you know who i am i have a resume with no losses i have a resume of winning every battle i have a resume of being stronger here's the scare tactic i want to show you what i've done to other people to convince you that the only possible outcome for you is the same thing that happened to them the enemy wants you to believe that whatever happened to them is the only thing that can happen to you if i expose you to someone else's failed experience i can convince you that you ought to be afraid because there's no way you can beat me if they didn't survive you won't survive if they didn't pass you won't pass if they weren't successful you can't be successful if they didn't make it you're not going to make it can i push it and notice that when sennacherib starts to recite his resume he continues to make reference to his predecessors his forefathers and four mothers he wants them to know this isn't just now this is generational i didn't just show up generations before me have won this battle watch the scare tactic because if i can convince you it's generational i can convince you it's inevitable if i can convince you that this has happened generation after generation i can cause you to believe that you can't escape it if i can show you that this happened with your mama then you might believe it'll happen to you if i can convince you that because your dad and your granddad did it that you must do it then you will think there's no other option for you y'all there is something about generational curses that make us feel we can't get out of it the enemy wants you to believe it's inevitable and inescapable because it's generational when i turned 40 that was a huge moment for me in my life because my father died at 80. and i believe that 40 could be the midway point of my life so i decided at 40 i was going to try to get myself together part of my getting myself together i got me a new primary care physician went to see her and as with any good physician we started with an interview she started asking me about my own health to my surprise she then asked me about my father's health i told her that my father died at 80. she asked me what my father died of i told her prostate cancer she sat down and started writing has anyone else in your family had prostate cancer i said yes my grandfather died of prostate cancer all of my uncles died of prostate cancer she was writing she looked up she said howard your father had it your grandfather had it all of your uncles died from it and this is what she said to me you're more than likely gonna get prostate cancer y'all i was devastated i sat in that office and almost began to cry realizing that the same thing that took out my father and my grandfather and my uncles was probably going to take me out and then i began to worry am i passing it on to my sons and i'm sitting there in tears and the lord used my doctor as an angel and preacher in my life she saw me crying and she said but wait a minute howard that doesn't mean you have to just die from it that doesn't mean you have to lose to it as a matter of fact that's what she said she said you can fight it right now even though it's generational you can do something to fight it right now she said right now you can change your diet right now you can start exercising every day right now you can get your annual exams right now you can start to fight what you think is generational don't give in to it just because it's generational but stand up and fight it and i don't know who i came to encourage today but i want you to know no matter what it looks like in your past no matter how many of your family dealt with it no matter how generational it looks you can fight it right now and god says it does not have to be the same curse to you that's what i like about hezekiah hezekiah realizes that sennacherib has some generational authority but the bible says that in spite of that he fortified the wall he shut up the water outside the city he rebuilt the army because hezekiah said i don't care what your generational authority is i'm gonna fight you no matter what someone the day i came by encourage you fight it no matter how powerful it's been fight it no matter what the generational curse looks like fight it no matter what the doctor has said fight it no matter what statistics say fight it don't let its resume frighten you i i gotta go i'm sorry kept you too long but here's what the enemy does cause you to question your confidence then we want you to believe that your fate is your fault the enemy will recite his resume but watch this last one this one got me i usually just do three but i had to put this in because the lord dropped it on me the enemy will give you a personalized proclamation a personalized problem the enemy will direct it right at you y'all come back come back to said cronkite 32 and watch what happens the rav shakay shows up israel is behind the wall he's standing outside the wall and he's looking up at the people and he's telling them about sennacherib's resume he's asking them about their confidence he's telling them that hezekiah lied and this is what blew my mind terrence this gonna make you shout here comes the amen you ready someone's gonna miss it but here's the amen while he's looking up talking to them the bible says he spoke to them in hebrew you missed it he's standing outside questioning their confidence telling them it's their fault he's reciting sennacherib's resume and he does it in hebrew okay he still missed it the assyrian is speaking in hebrew he's speaking a language that all the people can understand and when you tie this in to the fuller portrait in second kings 18 when hezekiah and his officers realize that the enemy is speaking their language hezekiah begs him to stop speaking in hebrew why because the people understand the threat in hebrew if he spoke in assyrian they may not have been afraid but because he spoke in hebrew and shared with them sennacherib's resume and hezekiah's fault and questioned their trust hezekiah understood the more personal it is the more afraid they become it's one thing when the enemy's just speaking it's another when they're speaking your language when it becomes personal when it's not just something on the news it's something in your home it's not just something you read about it's something you are now experiencing covet is bad but it's another thing when it's in your family drug addiction incarceration is horrible but it's even worse when it's your child cancer is a statistic until it becomes your diagnosis and when it becomes personal when you are targeted when you realize it's not accidental and it's not random you will become terrified what do you do when it speaks your language what do you do when it shows up in your family what do you do when it's your diagnosis the rapture came the assyrian spoke in hebrew y'all that messed me up i was about ready to quit right there then the lord shared with me something i want to share with you about what you ought to do when the enemy speaks your language what you ought to do when the character speaks your language what you ought to do when divorce speaks your language what you ought to do when addiction hits your family incarceration is in your house here's what you ought to do you ready see if you catch me the bible says that he spoke hebrew which means he understood hebrew don't you miss this if he can speak it then he can understand it which means that while he was speaking in hebrew to the people on the wall the people on the wall could have spoken back to him and he would have understood what they said and every now and then as crazy as it may seem you've got to learn to talk back to the thing that's talking to you i wish i'd been there on that wall i would have told the folk if he's going to talk to us let's talk back to him let's remind him that no weapon formed against us shall prosper let's remind him the lord is our refuge and our strength let's remind him that all things work together for the good of them that love the lord let's remind him that they that dwell in the shelter of the almighty shall abide under the power of the almighty god sometimes you got to speak back to the fear that's speaking to you gotta let y'all go but allow me to tell you how this thing ends because it ends so well the bible says that not only did god show up and take care of the assyrians and not only did god deal with an act with sennacherib but here's what verse 22 says and the lord took care of them on every side oh if i got to preach that you need to check your holy ghost the lord took care of them on every side goodbye alfred street may the lord bless your mighty good but may i close with the words of the hymn be not dismayed whatever be tied god will take care of you we shall not fear don't question the source of your confidence put your faith in god don't let the devil convince you that your fate is your fault god's mercy is greater than your mistake don't allow him to recite his resume to terrify you but know that you can fight it starting right now and if he makes it personal and speaks to you speak back to him and watch the lord take care of you on every side [Music] [Music] my [Music] for i received of the lord that which i now give unto you that on the night that our lord was betrayed he sat at table with his disciples he took bread he blessed it and then he broke it saying take eat this is my body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me sisters and brothers let us take our bread in remembrance of the precious sacrifice that was made by our lord jesus christ and let us eat it together [Music] in like manner after supper he took the cup and said this cup is the new covenant of my blood for we know without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin in gratitude for the precious blood of jesus let us drink together let us pray lord we thank you for this precious ordinance which allows us to remember that we were bought with a price that we are redeemed so that we may be sent forth into the world to share the good news keep us mindful lord of all that was done help us to live into the fullness of our redemption in jesus name we pray amen the bible says that after supper the disciples sang a hymn and went out and so we invite you to go in peace to love and serve the lord [Music] i pray that you enjoy this time of worship as much as i do i love worshiping the lord i love worshiping with you it's amazing how we've adjusted and become comfortable to this online but prayerfully we'll be back in our building soon let's look to the lord as we get ready to leave this moment of worship with the god that is always with us and now to the almighty the all-wise the eternal the sovereign the omnipotent god who alone is creator of the heaven and the earth to god who's made himself and his love perfectly known to us in jesus who alone is our christ our loving lord our sacrificial savior our resurrected risen reigning returning redeemer to god who chooses to dwell on these earthen vessels of clay through the sustaining power promise presence purpose and person of the holy spirit to that all wise god be both glory and majesty dominion and power from now until eternity and the redeemed of the lord who loved the lord and awaited his return said amen [Music] down [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] alpha street baptist church would like to thank all of our online viewers for worshiping with us we hope that you've enjoyed our virtual worship experience i know that each and every one of us has a deep desire to be back in worship to be back in fellowship with one another but we have to continue to do it in a safe way we were able to do it safely out at fedex field a little while ago and now i want to invite you to another outdoor gathering of worship before the weather changes it might be our last opportunity this year on sunday september 26th 11 a.m merriweather post pavilion join in with all of alfred street baptist church we're gathering there to worship at 11 the doors will open at 9 30 and parking is free because safety is our number one concern we've tried to choose a venue where we know we can come worship fellowship and still be safe if you've never been to meriwether post pavilion when you come you're going to be amazed there are 5 000 seats in a covered pavilion giving a shelter from the sun and then there are another 5 000 seats in the grassy knoll area so when you come you can sit wherever you feel comfortable you can your family can sit in the grassy areas and your lawn chairs and your blankets and still see and hear worship or you can have one of the seats under the pavilion if you're in the grassy area masks are requested if you're going to sit under the pavilion masks are mandatory and if you're in one of the seated areas do us a favor respect people's requirement and request for social distancing if you and your family are gathered together leave a couple seats before you sit next to the other family so that we can remain socially distant and safe when we worship in that space we're going to do a few things we're going to give thanks to god for the life that we live we're going to be blessed by our music and worship arts we're going to celebrate 13 years of anniversary as pastor and people we're going to hear a word from the lord as i am excited to preach what god has laid on my heart and we're going to break bread and share in communion before we get to merriweather our deacons will have a distribution of communion that you can pick up before we get there and communion elements will also be available on site listen i know merry weather is a little bit far of a drive but i promise you it's gonna be worth it the worship is gonna bless you the music is gonna touch you the fellowship will aid and assist you in getting over this isolation we've been living in and we're not just worshiping we're also going to have a family reunion kind of style i'm inviting you to bring your own food but also know that there will be some food trucks on site so that when we're done worshiping we can break bread together almost like having a large picnic and be able to fellowship and see stay around i want to come by and see you and your family and how everyone's doing so once again sunday september 26th 11 a.m doors open at 9 30 parking is free merryweather post pavilion we're going to have a great time listen you can also grab one of our t-shirts if you so desire go online we've got a t-shirt that we're asking people to wear that we can have a sea of our colors of burgundy and gold we're not burning it gold that's then that's that football team how about crimson and cream let's wear some crimson cream we're gonna have a great day come on out and join with me as it'll be my pleasure to worship with you help combat the covet 19 coronavirus outbreak alpha street baptist church has suspended all in-person worship services activities and events until further notice we know that these are difficult and challenging times we invite you to stay connected by participating in our online worship services and remain faithful in your getting online via our alfred street website asbc app and on our text messaging system if you have any questions about giving please feel free to email our finance department at finance alphastreet.org if you're interested in becoming a member of the historic alpha street baptist church please email deacons with an s at alfredstreet.org or complete the membership form on our website or on our asbc app alfred street members have you been blessed with a skill set in law policy writing human resources record keeping fundraising finance property management or executive board leadership and a heart to serve others the nominating committee wants you nominations are now open and will close on thursday september 30 [Music] bible study is back with our very own reverend dr latarcha l morgan join dr morgan from our office of christian care and counseling throughout the month of september as she facilitates a conversation about anxiety and mental health our office of christian care and counseling would like to share that september is national suicide prevention month even amid a major pandemic there's still an urgent national effort to prevent suicide in the united states sadly suicide is among the leading causes of death in the u.s and is still considered a major public health concern for more information on how you or someone you know can get help please visit our website or app for additional information and resources our september pastors pick for book of the month is against christianity how right-wing evangelicals are destroying our nation and our faith by obri m hendrix jr this book is a timely and galvanizing work that examines how right-wing evangelical christians have veered from an admirable faith to a pernicious destructive ideology be sure to purchase and or download a copy from your favorite retailer everyone is invited to join us virtually as we kick off our brand new exciting fall season of online sunday school classes starting saturday september 11th 4 45 pm eastern and sunday september 12 at 9 00 a.m eastern visit our website and asbc app for more information calling all asbc undergraduate college students alfred street's college ministry also known as the college link is now accepting online registrations for the 2021-2022 academic year registration ends sunday september 19th so be sure to register online today so that we can stay in touch and support you throughout your college year asbc is upgrading its church management software system to realm r-e-a-l-m what is realm you ask realm is a brand new church management record-keeping software system designed to provide you with a new way to connect to our events contributions and giving statements just to name a few stay tuned to our website and or asbc app for the latest information our christian life institute presents a virtual experience via zoom entitled spiritual gifts the fivefold ministry with reverend roslyn brooks join us thursday september 23rd from 7 to 8 30 pm eastern time discovering your spiritual gifts can help you understand how you can serve the body of christ this event is open to everyone however you must register online to participate our social justice and legal resources ministry presents an expungement restoration of rights pardon and sealing of records virtual law webinar experience saturday september 25th from 10 a.m to 12 p.m noon eastern daylight time online registration is required however this webinar is open to everyone our sunday school deep roots bearing fruit curriculum team is seeking volunteer writers editors copy editors proofreaders and recruiters if you're interested in learning more about all of the volunteer opportunities available with our sunday school curriculum team please email drbf alfredstreet.org for more information have there been music dance or drama presentations from alfred street baptist church that's touched your soul or been a blessing to you if so we invite you to check out our new music and worship arts playlist on our asbc youtube channel the most recent music and worship arts drama and dance offerings experienced during our weekly aspc worship services will be featured here we invite everyone to continue to join us at 7am eastern time for our daily prayer call which takes place monday through friday this will allow you to stay connected to your asbc family through prayer you can dial 1-530-881-1212 and enter the id number 788-999-203 [Music] pound sign also we invite you to tune in to our faith forward weekly radio broadcast featuring pastor howard john wesley every sunday morning at 7 30 a.m eastern daylight time on magic 102.3 fm and 92.7 fm for a powerful sermon that will move you forward in your faith we invite you to join us and alfred street baptist church on sunday evenings from 7 pm to 7 30 p.m for our faith forward show on praise 104.1 fm dc's inspiration station [Music] be sure to visit our website or your asbc app for the latest asbc updates regarding covet 19 and to find out what to do if you think that you've been exposed to the coronavirus for more information on these and all the exciting events taking place here at alfred street please log on

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Published: Sat Sep 11 2021