Dear Graduate:

CONGRATULATIONS!  You have achieved a significant milestone in your life.  How proud we at FMBC are of you.  This, of course, is the first step in the marvelous, yet challenging, journey called life.

 You have demonstrated the over-coming spirit necessary to accomplish whatever you choose to do or to be.  With that in mind, I need not remind you of the importance of making wise choices.  Early on, you were taught the necessity of making wise choices in life, knowing that there are consequences for our actions.

 This is an exciting time for you and for your parents.  As you prepare for the next phase in life, set your sights high.  For you know that you can do all things through Christ who gives you over-coming power

 And now dear one, In whatever endeavor you choose: 

“The Lord bless you and keep you; 

The Lord make His face shine upon you,     

and be gracious unto you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give

thee peace.”

 In His Service,

 Pastor J. Amos Jones

Praise God for the divine institution of motherhood and for loving, caring mothers everywhere.

If you are reading this (and for those who are not), you owe a debt of gratitude to your mother.  It is altogether fitting and proper that there is a special day where we honor our mothers.  The woman who has given birth to us, nourished and provided for us as we grew from dependent children to independent adults.

Mothers wear many hats:  maid, cook, nurse, doctor, chauffeur, counselor, just to name a few of the tasks lovingly performed by these extraordinary women.

Whether she is called mother, mom, mama, ma or dear; mothers we honor you and we thank God for you.  We love you and we recognize your contributions to the Kingdom through Godly children.  Of course you know that our love for you transcends one day of recognition, however, today is tangibility.  What we feel and say today is representative of everyday of the year.  Mothers, we honor you today and every day.  Be blessed on this, your day.

Happy Mother’s Day!

 Pastor J. Amos Jones

A  big “God Bless You” and our sincere appreciation goes out to the Greeters.  Very much like the members of the Usher Board, the Greeters are un-sung heroes.  They work without being honored or celebrated, and with little to no publicity.  That not withstanding, the Greeters continue to do an excellent work for the Master.

Dear Ones, the Greeters are truly the embodiment of Romans 8:37-39:  “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  That is it my brothers and sisters, the Greeters have it.  They have experienced God’s love for them through Jesus Christ our Lord, and now they are demonstrating the love for Him in the work they do.

Greeters, thank you for the work that you do, and be blessed as you continue in Him.

  Pastor J. Amos Jones

MISSION.  What is it?  What is the significance of Mission?  Who is it that is “on the Mission?”  What is the purpose of Mission?  Are all members of the body of Christ commanded to be actively involved in Mission?  The answers to these questions and many others are found in your Bible.  Jesus summed up the whole matter of Mission in this marvelous conclusion:  “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

(Luke 19:10)

Jesus “came” with a mission to this world, oh glorious fact!  That mission was to search for the lost until He found him; and to save him when he was found.  Jesus, in His great high-priestly prayer found in John seventeen, prays for the sanctification of those that are His.  To do this mission, they must go on in growth and perseverance to maturity.  The ultimate purpose and concern of Jesus in all His petition for them is that they may go forth prepared, as the Missionaries of the Kingdom campaign—the great world movement which He has initiated.  He is sending them (and us) out on the identical mission that the Father had given Him to accomplish in the world.

In Matthew twenty-eight, Jesus assigns to His disciples of all time the great task of the Kingdom, that of world evangelization.  As a preface to the great commission, the Magna Charta of Christianity which He now entrusts to His larger body of  believers, the church, the exquisite realization that the mission is evangelism.  Once more for effect:  The Mission is Evangelism!  We are to go-whether it is to the back room, next door or to another country, and make disciples.  It is not an option, but a command to all who call Jesus “Lord.”  We are not all evangelists, but we have all received gifts that we can use in helping to fulfill the Great Commission.

Be blessed as we follow Him in Mission.

Pastor J. Amos Jones