Anniversaries are important events. Just ask any husband who has forgotten his wedding anniversary . . . and lived to tell about it. Our wedding anniversary celebrates God’s gift of our spouse to us. Birthdays celebrate the gift of life that God has given to us. And even family reunions celebrate God’s goodness in giving us our family. Some anniversaries call us to remember significant, and even somber, events, like the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor or the attack on New York City that we know simply as “9/11.” Regardless of what type of anniversary we celebrate, these are occasions for pausing to remember the special moments, significant events, and important people in our lives, and to thank God for his good gifts of life and family and friends.
God gave his people Israel instructions to stop and remember his work in their lives. God commanded the annual observance of Passover to cause his people to remember how he had delivered them from bondage in Egypt “by a strong hand . . .” (Exodus 13:3). He also gave instruction in the 10 Commandments that one day out of seven was to be reserved as a time of remembering the daily mercies and goodness of God – and that applies to us today. Various other feasts were given throughout the year to call God’s people together to remember, to worship . . . and to celebrate.
And so each year we stop to remember the goodness and faithfulness of God to Grace Chapel at our HOMECOMING ANNIVERSARY SERVICE. God began a work in the Dixiana community in the late 1930s that in October, 1940 became known as Grace Chapel. Miss Anna Rhett Holladay, a local school teacher, with the help of Dr. Robert C. McQuilkin and students from Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University), “planted the seeds” for Grace Chapel. Many people have been members of this church through the years, many more have worshiped with us for a time, and even more have been served by the ministries the church has offered. So we take the time to remember God’s faithfulness to Grace Chapel, and to renew our commitment to the vision for ministry in this community that he has given to us. We take this time to worship the true and living, ALMIGHTY GOD who has given us all that we have and enjoy. And we celebrate – our God, our heritage, our family life together, and our future. While we look back with gratitude for all that God has done, we must be sure to look forward to what God is calling us to become – to be and to do.
Dr. Johnny Miller, former president of Columbia International University, as well as a former pastor and missionary, will join us on Sunday, October 7 to lead us in celebrating our 72nd anniversary as a church family. Make plans to join with us as we thank God for his faithfulness in the past, and pledge ourselves anew to him to join him in his work of making disciples of all the nations.
Musings and Contemplations 