“Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” (Psalm 115:1, ESV)
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SOUTHERN HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH!
It is my joy to serve as the pastor of Southern Heights during this very special time in our church’s history. This month, we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Southern Heights Baptist Church. On October fourth (10/4), we will celebrate this momentous event in our morning worship service by getting together with old members, staff, and friends and worshipping the LORD of the church together. We will hear the Word of the LORD from former pastor Monty Carter, a man who has himself experienced the healing and mercy of the LORD in the past year. Following the service, we will share a meal together and then enjoy an afternoon of celebration, reflection, and reminiscing. I do hope you will attend!
However, in the midst of all of this, let us never forget the WHO and the WHY of our celebration. As the words of the Psalmist remind us, we are not the ones deserving any applause. It is not our name that should be exalted or praised at the anniversary celebration, but rather the name of the LORD. Though our church is comprised of wonderful, loving, and godly people, we are not strong enough, smart enough, rich enough, or spiritual enough to have sustained a local church for fifty years. We acknowledge that, as human beings, we are flawed people who lack full commitment and faithfulness. Had the continued existence of our church depended on any one of us, we would have failed long ago! But thanks be to God that HE is the one who has remained present in the midst of our church for all of these years. He has guided us, sustained us, empowered us, and cared for us as His people. Without the LORD’s preservation, this anniversary celebration would not be possible!
And so our celebration this month should be more than just meals, memories, and reminiscing; it should be a genuine act of worship directed to the God who birthed, grew, sustained, guided, and still lives in the midst of the Southern Heights Baptist Church. Because it is His steadfast love and faithfulness that has brought us this far, we must direct all of our praise, thanksgiving, credit, honor, and glory directly to him as we celebrate our first fifty years. To do any less would dishonor God.
However, I hope that our anniversary celebration is more than just a look backward. It is natural at times like this to reflect on the past, but looking at God’s faithfulness through the years must do more than fill us with “warm and fuzzy feelings.” It should motivate us to look to the present and the future and anticipate the great things that God has yet to do in our church. In the letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor (Revelation 1-3), Jesus always begins by acknowledging some things that the churches had already done in their past, either right or wrong. However, he always goes on to include hopeful words of encouragement about the churches and the future reward that they could attain if they would only respond in faith and obedience to Him.
I believe that Southern Heights has a rich and blessed past, one for which we should always thank God. However, I also believe that the best years are yet ahead of us! God is not finished with our church. May we look to the wonderful foundation that has been laid during our first fifty years of ministry and build on that foundation in the years to come. Until the day that the Lord of our church returns, may we continue to minister and be found faithful!
So happy anniversary Southern Heights! And thank you LORD, for your faithfulness to our church! Thank you Lord, for the faithful, godly, loving, and supportive Christians through whom you have worked through the years to make this celebration possible, and may you continue to bless us and make disciples in our midst until Jesus returns!
Honored to serve,
Pastor Terry
