Pages

▼

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Blast from the Past II



This is the First Baptist Church in Herlong, CA. It is a congregation of black worshippers. It is an "integrated" church where all are invited to worship. When we were living in Herlong it was almost all black congregants. In a small town, population 1,000, one becomes friends with everyone. The Christian population was certainly  familiar and friendly with one another.

One day I was asked by the pastor of this church to speak in their morning worship service. I never had so much fun in church. The choir was right up my alley - real down home gospel music. The best thing to me is it seems the Holy Spirit missed the "No Overtime Without Authorization" memo. You know the memo that says church has to stop at Noon on the button because the Holy Spirit has gone home? Not this church, it's morning worship was about 3 or 4 hours in length. I got to speak for a hour and then we took a break and went back inside and I got to speak again. That was one of the few times I actually finished a complete message.

It was a real joy to stumble across this photo on Google Images.
at

6 comments:

  1. RHYTHM AND RHYMEMay 7, 2011 at 3:14 AM

    Another wonderful read Gregg.

    Take care,
    Yvonne,

    ReplyDelete
  2. AliceMay 7, 2011 at 4:15 AM

    That's a great picture:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. PersisMay 7, 2011 at 5:37 AM

    Another great blast from the past, Gregg.

    ReplyDelete
  4. TrishaMay 7, 2011 at 7:24 AM

    How wonderful...everyone being there to worship instead of watch the clock!

    ReplyDelete
  5. SharonMay 7, 2011 at 10:30 AM

    Love this picture of the church in Herlong. I'd have to agree with you - sometimes we "schedule" worship, and we fail to let it be spontaneous. God is a Person, not chairman of a committee - and sometimes His meetings just can't be fit into an agenda!!

    GOD BLESS!

    (Any news about another preaching opportunity for you?)

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 7, 2011 at 6:13 PM

    What a great memory you shared with us. I truly enjoyed reading your blast from the past :-)

    Our old pastor used to preach at E. V. Hill's church (Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles) and Mr. Hill would preach at our church every once and a while. What a treat that was :-)

    See what you did? You caused me to share a blast from the past :-)

    BTW, if you don't know who E. V. Hill was... Google him and find out.

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are always welcome on the Gospel Driven Disciples Blog. If you have been blessed by your visits here please consider praying for me and this blog and check in regularly. Please be advised I do not "auto-follow"; blogs that become a follower of this blog.

If you have a question about anything I have posted, suggested, included, or placed on my site; I will be more than happy to correspond with you by email

The purpose of this site is to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for His glory and your good!

THANK YOU, - Gregg Metcalf
gmetcalf73@gmail.com

Colossians 1:28-29

Gregg Metcalf has served as the Teaching Pastor of Surprise Valley Baptist Church (Cedarville, CA) and the Mirror Lake Baptist Church (Federal Way, WA.) He graduated from Shasta Bible College in 1989. Gregg is married to Irene and the Lord has blessed them with four daughters and six grandchildren, with a great grandchild on the way. Gregg invites your comments and interaction concerning his posts and this blog! Gregg enjoys reading, boating, song-poem writing, and his family.