I woke up this morning and said my prayers and listened to a song called "Have your way with me oh lord" I just cried when I look and see all that God is continually doing in my life. My church was started by God on the first day of Advent Dec. 3, 2000. And I have to share what God is doing in Bozeman, Montana. St. Paul Community Church is made up of African-American, white, and Mexican people. There is no division based on color just "A coming together" based on our love of Christ. There is one story I have to lift up in praise of God!! We have a member who joined three weeks ago, the service that day was longer than usual for there was so much good news to share. The Holy Spirit had us in his hands and we were wrapped in the spirit! This member is white and very quiet. She left quickly, and I shared with the Ministerial staff I was concerned that since the service went overtime she probably would not come back. The next sunday she comes back 45 minutes early!! She must have seen the surprised look on my face. For she said "you probably thought I wouldn't come back." She said "I came early so I could volunteer to pick people up for church that need a ride." She doesn't even live in the same town as our church. She said the reason she came back was twofold she had not been to church in TWENTY-ONE YEARS! she lived in a small town in Kansas 21 years ago, and one day at church an interacial couple attended her all white church. The town had a population of 350 people. The pastor told the couple from the pulpit it was a sin for them to be married and they were not welcomed in the church. The couple immediately stood up and walked out. So did the member of my church, she and her mother said "The sin is you have treated God's children like this!" and they walked out never to go to church again. I am crying as I write this, her second reason for comeing back was this, she had announced her husband was in jail and the whole congregation, said "It is great that you are married we now have a new church member to meet and write letters to." She told me when she came back she had no friends because her husband was in jail and no one would speak to her and with us she felt such love. After fellowship one of our teens 13 years old said "The man that our church is named after; St. Paul murdered christians and did bad things and was also in Jail." And God still loved him he even has a church named after him. Two weeks prior to the new member coming my daughter our Religious Education Director had done a presentation on the Apostle Paul and our thirteen year old obviously was listening. Lastly I want to say to all my sisters and brothers do not be discouraged! God is doing great and wonderous things for us and through us. Do not worry if your church is big or small, but do concentrate your energy in giving love to everyone. This board is my SPIRITUAL GAS STATION you give me the fuel to continue and you model for me churches of love. During this lenten season let us draw so close to Jesus that we will always feel his hand in ours. I love you as Jesus has taught me to love you. And love sees beyond skin color. May the Joy, love of God empower you to do his work.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2001

Answers

If you are going to present any part of the scriptures or relate Christian stories to the general public you should do it as well as possible. That means using proper english, good spelling and punctuation. Your writing makes us Christians sound stupid and retarded. How can we expect the world to respect us at all when we look and sound ignorant?

And God apparently failed to bless YOU with kindness and tact. You yourself made grammatical errors, which in fact illustrates the point you were trying to make.

Rev. Rogers is a capable minister and Christian. I take offense to your tone, and invite you to leave the board.

Good day....

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2003