Good News is the same in an language

Hola! Como esta? Today we worshiped with our sisters and brothers from Buenas Nuevas. Pastor Jorge Morales and I led the service together alternating between English and Spanish. I did the English part of course. Members of our Spanish congregation took part and led us in singing three songs that they know and enjoy. Our choir sang "O Be joyful" and Muriel Roderick talked to the children about Jesus' trip to the temple.

I preached my second sermon in the Ezra Series and Wanda Morales translated it into Spanish. It was a good service. I know that it was hard for some to follow. It wasn't our usual service but sometimes we come to worship God for His sake. We gathered today to glorify God. The simple fact that two congregations drawing from two cultures can come together to praise God says something to the world about the universality of the Gospel.


The day began with Sunday School. George Rezendes is teaching the kids the books of the Bible and today we sang a song that will help them remember them. We are focusing on the New Testament right now. Can you name the books? Matthew, Mark, Luke John, Acts, Romans, Corinthians... If you can't name the rest in order, maybe you should join us at Sunday School. It is not just for kids.

Cynthia Strouse has been teaching the kids new songs this year. We are working our way through the song book mixing old favorites, with traditional hymns and new songs. This Books of the Bible song fits right in.

This afternoon I represented us at the Stonington Union (SUNL) Association meeting at the First Hispanic Baptist Church in New London. The meeting began with worship and the host church had the group singing and praising God. Then Pastor Daniel Martino preached a message about vision from the book of Habakkuk. He is the prophet who said, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." He introduced Pastor Morales and members of Buenas Nuevas and shared how God gave them the vision to plant a church in Norwich. After a year the church is averaging close to seventy people each Sunday. That is quite a testimony for vision.

At 6:00 p.m. I returned to Norwich for our Conversational Spanish class. Cheryl Dutrumble is teaching us and we are bungling along. She has the patience of a saint. We began the class with a the thought it might help those who are thinking of going back to Mexico. But it has evolved into something much bigger. It is fun too! Just look at these photos from tonight's session.





Sundays are busy at First Baptist. That's a good thing. Especially when we can sing God's praises in English, Spanish and and other language on earth.
Cal