I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End!
Revelation 22:12
Grace and Peace to you one and all.
At this time of year, many in my state of Indiana, town of Speedway, get excited as this crazy race comes to town. I have attended the Indianapolis 500 many times, and now I have the joy of pastoring a church in the town of Speedway! It’s exciting to be out meeting downtown for lunch or making home visits and going by the track.
On May afternoons, you can hear the cars practicing.
At a recent Chamber of Commerce meeting the President of the Indianapolis 500, Doug Boles, spoke. It’s the month of May in Speedway, Indiana, and our church cannot have worship on the Memorial Day weekend Sunday. You simply cannot get to the church, so we have a service the Thursday evening before the race weekend.
It just goes to show, once again, how the world disrespects Sunday. It used to be, “back in the day”. Sunday was a day when nothing was open. There were no restaurants or shops open, and it was a day everyone went to church and then the family got together for dinner. It was truly a Sabbath day of rest.
In our culture today, soccer teams and other sports have found Sunday morning a time to meet. We have several generations of families that are not churched and do not hold Sunday morning as sacred. I recall substituting one Sunday morning at a church that was slowly dying with low membership and attendance.
As I drove out of town, I was shocked as the soccer fields were packed! Cars and vans lined up to get in and there were kids everywhere.
The church has much to do to outreach into our culture and become relevant again. Meanwhile on this Memorial Day weekend, we want to take time to remember those who have died and gone on before us. Many, including me, will go to cemeteries and lay wreaths on the gravesites of loved ones.
On this Memorial Day weekend, we remember. And every day, whether Sunday or not, we remember Jesus. In our Second Lesson this week from Revelation 22:12 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End!”
We can take these words with us this day and go to work to change the world and impact our environments for Christ! A Blessed Memorial Day weekend to you all.
Pastor Doug Givan
INKY Spiritual Director
Eric is our current Webmaster and works on the NLS Communications Team. Raised in Judaism, he found Christ and the New Testament at age 16 in a Southern Baptist Church. He searched many denominations for the real church, only to find the Holy Spirit is present in all of them. He's worked for One for Israel, a group of native Israeli believers who are sharing the gospel in the holy land in Hebrew and is part of the only Hebrew speaking seminary in Israel.
