The Americans and the Japanese decided to engage in a competitive boat race. Both teams practiced hard and long to reach their peak performance.

On the big day they felt ready.   The Japanese won by a mile. Afterward, the American team was discouraged by the loss. Morale sagged. Corporate management decided that the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found, so a consulting firm was hired to investigate the problem and recommended corrective action.   

The consultant's finding: The Japanese team had eight people rowing and one person steering; the American team had one person rowing and eight people steering. 

After a year of study and millions spent analyzing the problem, the consultant firm concluded that too many people were steering and not enough were rowing on the American team.   

So as race day neared again the following year, the American team's management structure was completely reorganized. The new structure: four steering managers, three area steering managers and a new performance review system for the person rowing the boat to provide work incentive.   

​The next year, the Japanese won by two miles. Humiliated, the American corporation laid off the rower for poor performance and gave the managers a bonus for discovering the problem.

I think my mother's favorite hymn of the church was "Love Lifted Me." It is one of my favorites too.

Listen to the lyrics of the song:

1 I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more;
But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.

Refrain:
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me.
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.

2 All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I'll cling,
In his blessed presence live, ever his praises sing.
Love so mighty and so true merits my soul's best songs; Faithful loving service, too, to Him belongs.

[Refrain]
3 Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves; He will lift you by His love out of the angry waves;
He's the master of the sea, billows His will obey;
​He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.

[Refrain]

​To listen to this song sung by Kim Green Hopper with the Bill and Gloria Gaither Singers you may Click Here.

Today, God would have us love someone who needs God's divine touch. Love is a vital force that can change our lives, our communities, our churches, and our nation.

When nothing else can help, love will lift up those who are discouraged and on the verge of defeat. You can be God's answer to help that person with the touch you can provide as a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ.

Your forever friend in all seasons,
Original signed
Hugh H. Morgan
Editor of Hugh's News & Commentary
Email: hugh@hughsnews.com

​

Who knew an empty closet can speak -- I certainly didn’t.  Just a few days ago I had the task of putting Janice’s clothes in a box.  I never would have thought that something so simple could be so hard to do and at the same time emotionally painful.  As I stood before the empty closet I saw nothing but empty. I never knew you could see empty, but I did that day. Waves of sadness swept over me that defy explanation.

All the nice clothes that Janice had were no longer needed.  Janice took great care in her personal appearance. Even when at home for the day her hair was styled, make up applied and she dressed as if she would be receiving guests—me, not so much.  Janice often said, “Wesley, you dress like a bum.” For the longest I thought jeans and a “Message Tee” was close to formal wear. On Sunday or when I had meetings or hospital visits; I would wear a suit, shirt and tie. Otherwise it was tee shirt casual.

On one of our many visits to doctors, her doctor said, “Mrs. Russ, when I saw your chart and noticed your age, I expected to see an older unkempt woman.  Not so. You are well dressed with your hair styled and tasteful makeup.” I always appreciated Janice’s concern for her appearance, but as I stood at the empty closet it hit me like a ton of bricks —Janice no longer needs any of these things.  I fact, the “things” are in a box and her closet is now empty.

Later that day, I remembered as Janice’s health continued to fail; her greatest concern was her support of IPHC missionaries.  For years Janice gave four hundred dollars each month to support the cause of reaching the lost for Christ. When I came back from Romania in 1990, I told Janice we should sell everything we have and go to Eastern Europe and preach and teach the Gospel. Janice said, “If that’s what you think you should do, I promise to write you every week.”  My “God” idea suddenly turned into not so good of an idea. Janice assured me we could do more by staying here and supporting national ministers who are already doing the work of the Lord. Of course Janice was right. We have ministry partners in several countries of the world who already know the language and culture and are preaching the Gospel to their own countrymen.  What a novel idea.

Among the last things Janice asked me was, “Can you ask that no floral arrangement be given at my funeral, but rather memorial gifts to missions?”  We made that request for Janice and to date the Janice Robinson Memorial Missions Fund has received over sixteen thousand dollars. Flowers are nice, but mission’s money is better.  Janice is in heaven but is still giving to missions.

Jesus said something about laying up treasure in Heaven.  Janice’s closet is empty here but I think rather full there.

The last message to me from Janice’s empty closet is: "Wesley, one day your closet will be empty too."

Meet our Guest Speaker: Duane White
​
I'd like to introduce you to our guest speaker, Pastor Duane White. He currently serves as Lead Pastor at The Bridge Church in Denton, Texas. You can visit their website at: http://www.findthebridge.com/about/.

Pastor Duane has traveled the world, ministering in over 50 different nations, and trained over 100,000 leaders around the world. For two years he and his wife, Kris, served as missionaries to the UK. Pastor Duane's anthem for his life is “Not for yourself were you born, but for the whole world.”  Among his accomplishments, he studied Leadership at Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Oklahoma. 

He is an anointed preacher with a strong prophetic gifting upon his life. I believe this conference is destined to be a powerful time of ministry for the entire family!

Kingdom Life Schedule 
Wednesday, June 6 
Evening Service: 7:00 pm at Swails Center 
-Pastor Duane White

Thursday, June 7 
Leadership Development Sessions: 9:00 am at Wellon's Science 
*Relationship Building 
*Practical Worship 

Morning Service: 10:45 am at Swails Center 

Evening Service: 7:00 pm at Swails Center 
-Pastor Duane White

Friday, June 8 
Leadership Development Sessions: 9:00 am at Wellon's Science
*Pastoral Care 
*Developing Leaders  

Morning Service: 10:45 am at Swails Center 

Evening Service: 7:00 pm at Swails Center 
-Pastor Duane White

Saturday, June 9
LifePoint Ministries Office Dedication: 8:15 am at LPM Office
LifePoint Ministries Vision Cast: 9:00 am at Swails Center with Bishop Tim Lamb

Jolene Maxwell has just posted a comment on your blog post, A Message from the Empty Closet--by Wesley Russ:
What a beautiful tribute! Having faced the same "empty closet" scenario some years ago I could relate. 
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Elwood Long has just posted a comment on your blog post, A Message from the Empty Closet--by Wesley Russ

Good morning, Dr. Morgan. I thank you for the beautiful article written by Reverend Wesley Russ regarding the disposition of the clothing his precious wife, Janice. I had a similar experience. My first wife Sylvia and I experienced almost forty-two years of wedded live together. After her home-going I experienced several weeks of heart-wrenching decisions including a disposition of her clothing (including many that were created by her own tailoring skills). After invitation to my children to select any they wished for a keepsake I invited FCH staff ladies to select items they could enjoy and gave all the others to FCH Alternative to Abortion thrift shop. I encourage others to provide in similar ways to meet the necessities of those who are "in need."  

​

Messsage by Archbishop Michael Bruce Curry, American Episcopal Church—preached at the Royal Wedding for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, May 19, 2018, St. George Chapel, at Windsor, UK.

In a message, which took to church not only those in attendance at the royal wedding of Britain's Prince Harry, 33, and American actress Meghan Markle, 36, on Saturday, May 19, 2018 — but millions watching from across the world — Bishop Michael Bruce Curry preached on the "redemptive power of love."

Curry, the first African-American presiding bishop of the American Episcopal Church encouraged all receiving his message to discover the power of love to make of "this old world a new world."

For many, his impassioned sermon — punctuated with themes of politics, social justice, civil rights and quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. and the controversial Catholic theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin — was a highlight of the historic matrimonial ceremony.

There's much to be said about the message delivered at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, but we'll let you read it for yourself.

Here's the full transcript of Curry's "The Power of Love" sermon:

And now in the name of our loving, liberating and life-giving God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

From the Song of Solomon in the Bible: Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.

The late Dr Martin Luther King Jr once said, and I quote: "We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will make of this old world a new world, for love is the only way."
There's power in love. Don't underestimate it. Don't even over-sentimentalize it. There's power, power in love. If you don't believe me, think about a time when you first fell in love. The whole world seemed to center around you and your beloved.

Oh there's power, power in love. Not just in its romantic forms, but any form, any shape of love.

There's a certain sense in which when you are loved, and you know it, when someone cares for you, and you know it, when you love and you show it -- it actually feels right. There is something right about it. And there's a reason for it. The reason has to do with the Source. We were made by a power of love, and our lives were meant -- and are meant -- to be lived in that love. That's why we are here.

Ultimately, the Source of love is God Himself: the Source of all of our lives. There's an old medieval poem that says: 'Where true love is found, God Himself is there."

​The New Testament says it this way: "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God, and those who love are born of God and know God. Those who do not love do not know God. Why? For God is love." There's power in love.

There's power in love to help and heal when nothing else can. There's power in love to lift up and liberate when nothing else will. There's power in love to show us the way to live.

Set me as a seal on your heart... a seal on your arm, for love is as strong as death. But love is not only about a young couple. Now the power of love is demonstrated by the fact that we're all here. Two young people fell in love, and we all showed up. But it's not just for and about a young couple, who we rejoice with. It's more than that.

Jesus of Nazareth on one occasion was asked by a lawyer to sum up the essence of the teachings of Moses, and He went back and He reached back into the Hebrew Scriptures, to Deuteronomy and Leviticus, and Jesus said: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." And then in Matthew's version, He added, He said: "On these two, love of God and love of neighbor, hang all the law, all the prophets, everything that Moses wrote, everything in the holy prophets, everything in the Scriptures, everything that God has been trying to tell the world ... love God, love your neighbors, and while you're at it, love yourself."

Someone once said that Jesus began the most revolutionary movement in human history. A movement grounded in the unconditional love of God for the world -- and a movement mandating people to live that love, and in so doing to change not only their lives but the very life of the world itself. I'm talking about power. Real power. Power to change the world.

If you don't believe me, well, there were some old slaves in America's Antebellum South who explained the dynamic power of love and why it has the power to transform. "They explained it this way. They sang a spiritual, even in the midst of their captivity. It's one that says 'There is a balm in Gilead...' a healing balm, something that can make things right. "'There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole, there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.'

"And one of the stanzas actually explains why. They said: 'If you cannot preach like Peter, and you cannot pray like Paul, you just tell the love of Jesus, how he died to save us all."' "Oh, that's the balm in Gilead! This way of love, it is the way of life. They got it. He died to save us all. "He didn't die for anything he could get out of it. Jesus did not get an honorary doctorate for dying. He didn't... He wasn't getting anything out of it. He gave up His life, He sacrificed His life, for the good of others, for the good of the other, for the well-being of the world... for us. That's what love is. Love is not selfish and self-centered. Love can be sacrificial, and in so doing, becomes redemptive. And that way of unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive love changes lives, and it can change this world.

"If you don't believe me, just stop and imagine. Think and imagine a world where love is the way." Imagine our homes and families where love is the way. Imagine neighborhoods and communities where love is the way. Imagine governments and nations where love is the way. Imagine business and commerce where this love is the way. Imagine this tired old world where love is the way. When love is the way -- unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive. When love is the way, then no child will go to bed hungry in this world ever again. When love is the way, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like an ever-flowing brook.

When love is the way, poverty will become history. When love is the way, the earth will be a sanctuary. When love is the way, we will lay down our swords and shields, down by the riverside, to study war no more. When love is the way, there's plenty good room -- plenty good room -- for all of God's children. "Because when love is the way, we actually treat each other, well... like we are actually family. When love is the way, we know that God is the Source of us all, and we are brothers and sisters, children of God. My brothers and sisters, that's a new heaven, a new earth, a new world, a new human family.

And let me tell you something, old Solomon was right in the Old Testament: that's fire. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin -- and with this I will sit down, we gotta get you all married -- French Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was arguably one of the great minds, great spirits of the 20th century. Jesuit, Roman Catholic priest, scientist, a scholar, a mystic. In some of his writings, he said, from his scientific background as well as his theological one, in some of his writings he said -- as others have -- that the discovery, or invention, or harnessing of fire was one of the great scientific and technological discoveries in all of human history.

Fire to a great extent made human civilization possible. Fire made it possible to cook food and to provide sanitary ways of eating which reduced the spread of disease in its time. Fire made it possible to heat warm environments and thereby made human migration around the world a possibility, even into colder climates. Fire made it possible  -- there was no Bronze Age without fire, no Iron Age without fire, no Industrial Revolution without fire. The advances of fire and technology are greatly dependent on the human ability and capacity to take fire and use it for human good. Anybody get here in a car today? An automobile? Nod your heads if you did -- I know there were some carriages. But those of us who came in cars, fire -- the controlled, harnessed fire -- made that possible.

I know that the Bible says, and I believe it, that Jesus walked on the water. But I have to tell you, I did not walk across the Atlantic Ocean to get here. Controlled fire in that plane got me here. Fire makes it possible for us to text and tweet and email and Instagram and Facebook and socially be dysfunctional with each other. Fire makes all of that possible, and de Chardin said fire was one of the greatest discoveries in all of human history.

And he then went on to say that if humanity ever harnesses the energy of fire again, if humanity ever captures the energy of love -- it will be the second time in history that we have discovered fire. Dr King was right: we must discover love -- the redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will make of this old world, a new world. My brother, my sister, God love you, God bless you, and may God hold us all in those almighty hands of love.

[Editor's Comment: Here's a sermon worth reading, meditating upon, studying, and allow the Holy Spirit to show us the power of love to show us the way this old world can be changed. That love is the love of Jesus.

May God bless Archbishop Michael Bruce Curry, American Episcopal Church. May his tribe increase.

J. Lee Grady
Some customers began boycotting Starbucks when they learned that a white employee called Philadelphia police after telling the two men they couldn't use the restroom without buying anything. 

Starbucks closed 8,000 of its stores this week so its baristas could undergo four hours of racial sensitivity training. The company took the drastic action to counteract negative publicity it got last month when two black men were handcuffed and arrested simply because they sat in a Starbucks store in Philadelphia without ordering any coffee.

The ugly incident on April 12 triggered angry reactions. Some customers began boycotting Starbucks when they learned that a white employee called Philadelphia police after telling the two men they couldn't use the restroom without buying anything. CEO Kevin Johnson then went on an "apology tour" and announced he would give his 175,000 employees a racial sensitivity seminar, but some people viewed the training as a publicity stunt designed to protect Starbucks—which makes $14 billion a year in profit—from a customer backlash.

I'll admit I don't have high hopes that a four-hour seminar will end racism in America. Yet when I learned about Starbucks' plan, my first thought was: Maybe we need to close our churches for a day and do the same thing. Because racism is alive and well in American congregations—and we need to face it.

If I were going to offer racial sensitivity training to a church, I would include the following steps:

1. Teach more about the Holy Spirit. Whenever the Holy Spirit shows up, racial barriers fall. The first Pentecost was a multicultural miracle; no one can be called a Pentecostal if he doesn't embrace racial and ethnic diversity. Many churches limit the work of the Holy Spirit's gifts and manifestations. Is it any surprise that churches that quench the Spirit are racially segregated? If you want racial diversity in your church, encourage people to be filled with the Spirit. He will tear down the walls that divide us!
2. Address racism from the pulpit. Jesus boldly confronted racism, especially the Pharisees' snobbish attitude toward Samaritans. Jewish leaders hated Jesus because He showed compassion to everyone, regardless of ethnicity. And the apostle Paul's decision to take the Gospel to Gentiles offended Jewish people who didn't believe God cared about anyone but them. The Gospel is not the Gospel if it doesn't call people to repent of racial pride!
3. Lead the way in apologizing for past injustice. In my city of LaGrange, Georgia, a black man named Austin Callaway was cruelly lynched by a white mob in 1940—and the murder was covered up. But 77 years later, our chief of police, who is white, organized a public apology service at a local church. Pastors, community leaders and descendants of Callaway joined hearts to heal an old wound. If your community has been divided by racial injustice, public repentance can bring transformation.
4. Model diversity from the church platform. I've talked to many white pastors who say they want racial diversity in their churches. Yet when I look at their stages, I only see white. At the church I attend, New Community Church in LaGrange, our pastor, Lamar Hardwick, is black; one associate pastor is a white man and another associate is a white woman. The music team rotates each week and is a perfect blend of white and black; even the greeter team at the front door of the church is mixed. It's no surprise that our congregation is about 70 percent black and 30 percent white.
5. Train leaders from all racial groups. For years, I've met African-Americans who attended churches led by white pastors; yet it's rare to find white congregants in churches led by black pastors. Why is that? Many white Christians hold an unspoken belief that they could never submit to a black leader. That's silly, especially when you consider that black leaders helped lead the early church. In Antioch, for example, Paul served alongside two black men, "Simeon who was called Niger" and "Lucius of Cyrene" (Acts 13:1). Simeon's nickname literally means "the black guy"!
6. Give immigrant groups a place to meet. Have you studied the racial demographics of your city? You may be surprised to learn there are immigrants from many parts of the world in your backyard. Perhaps you could invite a Hispanic, Congolese or Pakistani congregation to meet in your church building on Sunday afternoons.

Many Christians are actually afraid of foreigners, and our current political climate fuels xenophobia. Come alongside immigrant pastors and help them reach their own. Provide translation and headsets for visitors who don't speak English. Better yet, invite a local Hispanic pastor to speak to your congregation.

     7. Identify your "Samaria." Jesus told His disciples to take the gospel to 1) Jerusalem, 2) Judea, 3) Samaria and 4) the ends of the earth (see Acts 1:8). Many churches sponsor overseas mission trips, but how many of us are reaching our Samarias?

Your Samaria is the part of your local area where "those people" live. Samaria is what people refer to as "the other side of the tracks." It's the part of town you might avoid. Yet Jesus calls us to go there. Why is it that we will fly to another country to share the Gospel, yet we rarely venture near the government housing projects, slums or trailer parks that are only a few miles from our house?

Let's stop pretending that racism doesn't exist inside the church. Let's own it, confront it and renounce it so we can finish the job of sharing the love of Jesus with everybody.

J. Lee Grady was editor of Charisma for 11 years before he launched into full-time ministry in 2010. Today he directs The Mordecai Project, a Christian charitable organization that is taking the healing of Jesus to women and girls who suffer abuse and cultural oppression.

Author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, he has just released his newest book, Set My Heart on Fire, from Charisma House. You can follow him on Twitter at @LeeGrady or go to his website, themordecaiproject.org.

J. Lee Grady is an ordained minister of the IPHC. He is the executive editor of Experience online digital magazine for the IPHC. 

J. Lee Grady is a friend of mine and has granted me permission to publish his articles in Hugh's News.

James 4:6-10

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

"God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble." 

Humility Cures Worldliness

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 
NKJV

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James 4:6-10
 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. 
NASU  New American Standard Updated

​A young couple were having their first fight, and it was a big one. After a while, the husband said: "When we got married, you promised to love, honor and obey."

His bride replied: "I know. But I didn't want to start an argument in front of all those people at the wedding."​

Micah 6:8

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. 
NIV

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Micah 6:8

8 Human being, you have already been told
what is good, what Adonai demands of you — 
no more than to act justly, love grace
and walk in purity with your God. 
CJB  Complete Jewish Bible

A man took his contact lenses out every night and stored them in a cup of water on his nightstand.  One morning, he woke up to find the cup empty and the contact lenses missing. 

"Honey," he said to his wife, "do you know what happened to my glass of water?"

"I woke up thirsty during the night and drank it," she said.

He exclaimed, "You swallowed my contact lenses!"
​
"Well," she said, "I wish I hadn't done that, but I guess that explains why my hindsight is now 20/20."

What is EC Mission?

EC MISSION is an opportunity for alumni and friends to express in practical ways their gratitude for the significant impact Emmanuel College has made in their lives! 

EC MISSION is an opportunity to invest your talents, skills, and time in a ministry and institution making an eternal difference in people’s lives. 

EC MISSION is a Construction Mission Trip to a Christian Institution that needs our help, now! 

EC MISSION is an occasion to gather with like-minded alumni and friends of Emmanuel to work, play, eat, and fellowship together! 

You are invited to come by yourself, come with a friend, or come with your spouse, to the Emmanuel College Campus during this year’s EC MISSION event – July 15 through July 28.  You can sign up for either Week 1 or Week 2, or for both.  Your room and board will be provided.*

During the day you will work on your assigned projects and in the evenings you can play, fellowship, or relax.  There will be opportunities for you to use Emmanuel’s Athletic facility without additional fees.  You can swim, workout in the fitness center, shoot hoops, or bowl! Golf anyone? (special pricing arranged for weekends on nearby course) 

Click on each of the STEPS (in order) on this page to see if this is something you want to be a part of!  Why not for Emmanuel?   Why not EC MISSION 2018! ​ (*see STEPS for fees)

STEP 1 - The Backstory STEP 2 - The Plan STEP 3 - The Details STEP 4 - How To Get Involved

Please Click Here to hear ​The Concordia Choir, (Moorhead, MN) Concordia Homecoming 2008,  Dr. René Clausen, Conductor.  Beautiful arrangement of this African-American Spiritual.

Here are the lyrics to this great spiritual song that will touch your heart and soul.

There Is a Balm in Gilead By: African American Spiritual

Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul. 

If you cannot preach like Peter,
if you cannot pray like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus and say, "He died for all."
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul. 

Don’t ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend;
And if you lack for knowledge, He’ll never refuse to lend.
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.

[Editor's Comment: It is my sincere prayer that God will speak to you and your particular need or needs this day through this spiritual song. It is touched me, and revived my spirit. God can do it for you, too!]

​

Douglas MacArthur told West Point cadets, May 1962:

"The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training-sacrifice.

In battle and in the face of danger and death, he discloses those Divine attributes which his Maker gave when He created man in His own image ...

No physical courage and no brute instinct can take the place of Divine help which alone can sustain him.

However horrible the incidents of war may be, the soldier who is called upon to offer and to give his life for his country is the noblest development of mankind."
Memorial Day in America began during the Civil War when southern women scattered spring flowers on graves of both northern Union and southern Confederate soldiers,

In the War Between the States, over a half-million died.
Many places claimed to have held the original Memorial Day, such as:

-Warrenton, Virginia;
-Columbus, Georgia;
-Savannah, Georgia;
-Gettysburg, Pennsylvania;
-Boalsburg, Pennsylvania;
-Waterloo, New York.

One such place was Charleston, South Carolina, where a mass grave was uncovered of 257 Union soldiers who had died in a prison camp.

On May 1, 1865, former slaves organized a parade, led by 2,800 singing Black children, and reburied the soldiers with honor as an act of reparation and gratitude for their ultimate sacrifice which gave slaves freedom.

In 1868, General John A. Logan, commander of the Civil War veterans' organization "The Grand Army of the Republic," called for a Decoration Day to be observed annually on May 30.

American Minute-Notable Events of American Significance Remembered on the Date They Occurred

President James Garfield's only executive order was in 1881 where he gave government workers May 30 off so they could decorate the graves of those who died in the Civil War.

During World War I, a Canadian Expeditionary gunner and medical officer, John McCrae, fought in the Second Battle of Ypres near Flanders, Belgium.

Describing the battle as a "nightmare," as the enemy made one of the first chlorine gas attacks, John McCrae wrote:

"For seventeen days and seventeen nights none of us have had our clothes off, nor our boots even, except occasionally. In all that time while I was awake, gunfire and rifle fire never ceased for sixty seconds ...

And behind it all was the constant background of the sights of the dead, the wounded, the maimed, and a terrible anxiety lest the line should give way."
Finding one of his friends killed, John McCrae helped bury him along with the other dead in a field.

Noticing the field covered with poppy flowers, he composed the famous Memorial Day poem, "In Flanders Fields":

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."

Notable individuals who fought in World War I include:
-Sergeant Alvin York, took out 35 machine guns and captured 132 enemy;
-John J. Pershing, General of the Armies;
-Douglas MacArthur, Brigadier General;
-George S. Patton, tank commander;
-Leonard Wood, future Army Chief of Staff;
-Harry S Truman, artillery officer and future 33rd President;
-Eddie Rickenbacker, commander of 94th Aero Squadron;
-Quentin Roosevelt, shot down, son of President Theodore Roosevelt;
-Charles Whittlesey, commander of the "Lost Battalion" behind lines;
-Frank Luke -"balloon buster";
-Irving Berlin, composer of "God Bless America";
-Edouard Izac, naval office captured on U-Boat, who escaped;
-Henry Johnson of the "Harlem Hellfighters";
-Dan Daly, Marine Sergeant charged and captured machine gun nests;
-Ernest Hemingway, author of A Farewell to Arms;
-J.R.R. Tolken, British author of The Lord of the Rings;
-C.S. Lewis, British author of The Chronicles of Narnia.

American Minute-Notable Events of American Significance Remembered on the Date They Occurred

Also, Orval William Epperson, the grandfather of the writer of this article. He was born on a rugged Ozark farm near Anderson, Missouri, fought in France, assigned to the 338th Machine Gun Battalion 88th Division.

His son, Orval Wilford "Billy" Epperson, served in World War II as a bombardier on a B17 Flying Fortress, 525th Squadron, 379 Bomb Group A.P.O. 550 (#0-768946).

23-year-old "Billy" flew from Camp Crowder in southwest Missouri, over his hometown of Neosho, headed for Kimbolton, England. He wrote a Mother's Day note to his mom, tied it with a handkerchief to a small weight and dropped in from the plane. A neighbor got it and brought to his mother.
​
That was the closest they would ever be again, as Billy was shot down by the Nazis over the English Channel near Holland on July 9, 1944.

Miracles in American History (Vol. 3: Episodes 21-30)

​Pray Together Sunday is a simple opportunity for churches to join with other churches across the country and ask God for spiritual renewal. Together we will lift our voices on behalf of our communities and nation. Will your church commit to a time of prayer during your worship service on Sunday, July 8, 2018?

Register Your Church

Set aside a time for prayer during your Sunday worship service — joining with churches across different denominations and traditions — and lift a collective prayer for spiritual renewal in our communities and nation.

At the heart of Pray Together Sunday is the belief that Jesus changes everything. With one voice, we will worship Him and ask Him to transform our congregations, communities and nation for His glory. We will ask God for renewal in our own hearts and in those around us.

Resources

Bulletin Insert
This free, downloadable bulletin insert includes a list of prayer points and is designed for use by your church on Pray Together Sunday on July 8, 2018. Download the bulletin insert.

Social Cards
We created some graphics for you to share on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other social media accounts as you garner interest in Pray Together Sunday among those in your church and community. Download a zip file with social cards.

Radio Spots
Non-exclusive, ready-to-use radio spots are available in English and Spanish for radio networks to spread the word about Pray Together Sunday. Download the radio spots.

Podcast
In Today’s Conversation podcast, NAE President Leith Anderson and Daniel Henderson, president of Strategic Renewal, talk about Prayer in America — What’s Happening and What Should We Do. Listen in.

The Circle Maker
Mark Batterson, author of The Circle Maker, believes God honors bold prayers, because bold prayers honor God. “Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn’t just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It’s a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us,” he says. Churches who register for Pray Together Sunday will automatically receive a free excerpt of the book.

Amen: The Prayer App
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Amen: The Prayer App is an interactive way to share prayer requests and pray for others right in your own community. Post a prayer request from your mobile device, desktop computer or the iOS app, then wait for notifications that you’re being prayed for by others.
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Spread the Word

Help us spread the word about Pray Together Sunday by sharing with other pastors and churches in your community and network.

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease" (Genesis 8:21-22, NIV).

In spite of the sin and rebellion that God knew lurked in the very next generation of Noah’s sons and would increase with every subsequent generation, God committed Himself to spare the earth His previous judgments. While He did not remove the curse He had placed on Planet Earth following Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden, He vowed He would not increase the curse. And He promised that never again would He destroy all life on the planet as He had done during the Flood.

As evidence that He was good and would keep His promise, God pointed to the very cycles in nature. As you and I see the winter snows give way to spring flowers and the summer’s heat give way to autumn’s briskness, we are reminded that in back of the changes is the God Who never changes. The sun that rises every morning and sets every evening, the stars that come out in the night sky, and the moon that goes through its monthly phases—all reveal the glory of God, Who is good! How do your daily habits and lifestyle bear witness to the glory of God?

Blessings,

Anne Graham Lotz

Copyright © 2014 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org.

​

Psalm 24:3-6   Are you prepared to meet the Lord?
Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place? 
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully. 
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation. 
6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face.
NKJV

+++++

Psalm 24:3-6

3 Who may go up to the mountain of Adonai?
Who can stand in His holy place? 
4 Those with clean hands and pure hearts,
who don’t make vanities the purpose of their lives
or swear oaths just to deceive. 
5 They will receive a blessing from Adonai
and justice from God, Who saves them. 
6 Such is the character of those who seek Him,
of Ya‘akov, who seeks Your face. (Selah) 
CJB  Complete Jewish Bible

++++++

Ps 24:3-6

3 Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place? 

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully.  [Matt 5:8.] 

5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 

6 This is the generation [description] of those who seek Him [who inquire of and for Him and of necessity require Him], who seek Your face, [O God of] Jacob. Selah [pause, and think of that]!  [Ps 42:1.] 
AMP

Ps 24:3-6

3 Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place? 

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully.  [Matt 5:8.] 

5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 

6 This is the generation [description] of those who seek Him [who inquire of and for Him and of necessity require Him], who seek Your face, [O God of] Jacob. Selah [pause, and think of that]!  [Ps 42:1.] 
AMP  Amplified Bible

​Bob was in his usual place in the morning sitting at the table, reading the paper after breakfast. He came across an article about a beautiful actress about to marry a football player who was known primarily for his lack of common knowledge and his fairly low IQ.

He turned to his wife Marlene with a look of question on his face. "I'll never understand why the biggest jerks get the most attractive wives."

Marlene replies, "Why thank you, dear!"

President Ron White, president of Emmanuel College, is a man of faith and prayer.  He has wisely chosen to lead Emmanuel College on his knees.

The Bible says, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16, NKJV).

Let us join with Dr. Ron White in daily prayers for Emmanuel College and for Dr. White and Carol, his wife. Here is what he wrote on Monday, May 28, 2018:​

Those Who Follow

"Happy are those who follow His commands, who obey Him with all their heart" (Psalm 119:2, GNB).

Today's meditation:

The best state of mind is found through obediently following God's direction, wherever it may lead, whatever it may require, and the result is deep satisfaction and contentment in being precisely where God wants us to be.

Pray today:

For our lives to be aligned with His, for our hearts beating in unison with His, for our actions to mirror His intent, for our joy to be His joy.   

Our prayers make a difference in our outcomes. Please continue to pray over the list below that focuses on key needs at Emmanuel College. 

 “. . . they raised their voices together in prayer to God” (Acts 4:24, NIV).

PRAY FOR THE TOP FIVE NEEDS OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE

• To successfully achieve reaffirmation of accreditation in June 2018.
• To be accepted into active membership in the NCAA Division II in July 2018.
• To enroll more than 1000 students in August 2018.
• To continue reducing our debt over the next five years with the purpose of becoming debt-free.
• To hear the Word of the Lord regarding life after debt and our vision for an expanded mission for 2018 and beyond.

PRAY FOR OUR SUPPORTERS

    To supply resources, both financial and otherwise, that create a bright future for the College.

PRAY FOR THE LEADERSHIP TEAM

    To be guided by the Holy Spirit with gifts of wisdom, knowledge and discernment.

PRAY FOR IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

    Recruiting at Conference Youth Camps this summer. 
    EC Serve mission trip to Appalachia, June 3-9.
    EC Serve mission trip to Uganda and Kenya, June 12-29.
    EC Mission on campus, July 15-28 (http://www.ec.edu/ecmission).
    Recruiting at Youth Quest, July 19-22.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Ron White, Ed.D.
President
Emmanuel College
181 Springs Street
Franklin Springs, GA 30639

706.245.2803