Homecoming Service
Welcome/Occasion
Good afternoon!
To Pastor Baggett, Rev.
Muse, (other ministers) pulpit guest, Homecomers, family and friends.
v Again this year, I’m wearing many hats. But that’s ok,
I know that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I can do this.
v Brown Chapel would like to “Welcome” you to another homecoming. Each year we look forward to
this gathering, to see family, old friends and to look back on previous
homecoming memories. The occasion of homecoming is wrapped up in this welcome,
as well.
v Let’s go back for a bit. Picture, as this is me in the
1960’s, sitting in our old wooden benches, it’s summer, the windows are open,
Cousin Chuck and Elizabeth are sitting in the women’s amen corner and Cousin
Joe, Lester and Arsby are in the men’s amen corner. It’s hot, we’re all fanning
with those funeral home fans, swatting the occasional wasp or fly that has
buzzed in thru the open windows. At this time, we don’t have a musician and
every adult is tapping his/her foot on the wooden floors to lend sound to an
old hymn like Blessed Assurance or At The Cross. The young ones like me, well
our feet can’t reach the floor yet. Remember that anyone?
v My next memory is of the choir marching in from that
tiny choir room in their white robes, pausing around the Altar as Rev. Malone
said a prayer or some other tradition, before they marched in to the choir
stands. We kids only sang at Easter
mostly as our parents gave us the evil eye to keep us straight.
v Remember those homecomings, when the different
families would bring food from each home and serve from the trunks of their
cars? Then we had the tiny kitchenette with 6 long tables for folks to eat
around and visit.
v Next, with the encouragement of our homecomers, family
and friends, some who live far off, others….close (I’m talking about Cousin Creolia, The
Johnsons, Cousin Virginia family members, Fedalma & Buck Malone ,…. we
moved onto adding an awning , got some window units, new Altar (built by Uncle
Kenchion Jones) and thought, wow have we come a long way!
v With God’s guidance and our obedience, we expanded
with a vestibule, restrooms, larger fellowship hall and better parking.
v Of course, we are not forgetting what our four-fathers
accomplished. We are thankful for the many sacrifices they endured that now
propel us forward.
v My mom has mentioned several times, that there was a
church back over near Cousin Alvin Johnson’s way but it wasn’t, at that time,
named Brown Chapel. Only when the church was moved closer to where it is now,
was it named Brown Chapel. Wow, I
thought, what a legacy our fore-fathers and mothers built!
v With all of these improvements, it reminds me that we,
as Christians, are in the mode of improving ourselves as we journey thru our
lives awaiting our eternal rewards.
v So, to close out this Welcome/Occasion….we here at
Brown Chapel are so happy to see you and welcome you with open arms and love in
our hearts.
Sermon by Rev. Mittie Muse, Sr.
Jeremiah 29:10-11 - This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you." declared the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Subject: I'm Thinking About You
- Be careful who you listen to.
- Finding hope in a lie rather than standing in the truth is what most would do.
- Don't give up because of uncertainty.
- God already knows everything about us.
1. What you did in your past will cause you to deal with things in your present.
2. Just because your past looks bleak, God hasn't forgotten about you.
3. Because God was thinking about your past and present, He will prepare us for the future.
- God has been thinking about us down through the years.
- Remember, God has the last Word!!!
You can download a booklet by clicking on the following link:
Slideshow of Homecoming Booklet
No comments:
Post a Comment