I was in Mrs. Gibson’s class in the fourth grade the first time I remember hearing the word geography. I’ll never forget our two major assignments. One assignment was to memorize the names of all 67 counties in Alabama . (To this day, I can look at the number on an Alabama automobile license plate and tell you with 90% accuracy which county the car is from.) The other assignment was to learn the names of all 50 states and be able to identify and label each state on a U.S. map.
Later that year we were introduced to the seven continents, and several of the major countries. I didn’t realize it at the time, but in that fourth grade class, I was beginning to learn how big the world is…. that it is much bigger than my hometown and larger than my home state.
All of these years later, as I continue studying the Bible, I am still learning how big the world is. In Acts 1:4-8, as Jesus promised his disciples the ongoing inner strength of the Holy Spirit, he gave to them a memorable geography lesson as he explained how the faithful witness of his followers could and would make a positive impact locally and globally.
This Sunday as we focus on that occasion, When Jesus Taught Geography, we will share in a colorful parade of flags from around the world as we celebrate and reaffirm our commitment to International Missions. Once again as a church family we will covet to pray for and support those missionaries who extend our witness to the “uttermost parts of the world.”
During this holiday season, Amanda and I invite you to join us in giving a generous gift to International Missions in honor of Lottie Moon. On your envelope you may designate your gift to your preferred mission partner.
This Sunday afternoon at I will be sharing a General Introduction to Jehovah’s Witnesses as we conclude our discipleship series on Religions of the World.
Don’t forget that this is the week we have Wednesday on Tuesday, as we meet for family dinner, AWANA, and children’s choirs at First Baptist. After dinner, we invite you to travel with us to First Presbyterian Church for our annual Community Thanksgiving Service which begins at . I will be sharing a message on The Hidden Power of Gratitude from I Thessalonians 5:16-18.
The holiday season is here. Make it a priority each week to participate in Bible study and worship as we discover more about God’s love and grace.