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 We attended All Nations Church in Newport News |
Cojak |
We were at the second service. The church was near capacity. I do enjoy variety on visitations. A couple weeks ago we were in a great service in Williamsburg, leaning to a modern venue, pastor used a 'tablet' very effectively and spoke mostly seated. I liked that. Last week an older small AG with a very traditional approach, also a blessed time.
Today was a combination of those two. Very warm welcome the congregation was a very good range in children to older adults. I enjoy the mixed races of us humans and the genuine love shown. Brother Forrester did a masterful job and eased into a sermon before I even realized he had begun his sermon. (It coulda been because no offering was received)
No notes, no Bible stand, and no Bible. I enjoy a 'story telling' approach to a sermon because the sound is received much better by my implants. Today again I was able to hear MOST of the sermon. (All scripture was displayed and used very well) His subject was Night to Day and using the coming Eclipse as a hook, kept the congregation with him. Needless to say, we were blessed and again it was a church suggested from here on Acts, THANKS MAT!
Oh I didn't mention the MAIN ENTRANCE was marked and obvious. We visit many churches and cannot tell which door to use. Once in Kentucky we entered behind the preacher!
_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/ |
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Posts: 24275
8/13/17 3:37 pm
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| Re: We attended All Nations Church in Newport News |
Mat |
| Cojak wrote: | We were at the second service. The church was near capacity. I do enjoy variety on visitations. A couple weeks ago we were in a great service in Williamsburg, leaning to a modern venue, pastor used a 'tablet' very effectively and spoke mostly seated. I liked that. Last week an older small AG with a very traditional approach, also a blessed time.
Today was a combination of those two. Very warm welcome the congregation was a very good range in children to older adults. I enjoy the mixed races of us humans and the genuine love shown. Brother Forrester did a masterful job and eased into a sermon before I even realized he had begun his sermon. (It coulda been because no offering was received)
No notes, no Bible stand, and no Bible. I enjoy a 'story telling' approach to a sermon because the sound is received much better by my implants. Today again I was able to hear MOST of the sermon. (All scripture was displayed and used very well) His subject was Night to Day and using the coming Eclipse as a hook, kept the congregation with him. Needless to say, we were blessed and again it was a church suggested from here on Acts, THANKS MAT!
Oh I didn't mention the MAIN ENTRANCE was marked and obvious. We visit many churches and cannot tell which door to use. Once in Kentucky we entered behind the preacher! |
I am thank you and your wife had a "blessed" experience. Even the best churches can have an "off" day or just one person can overshadow the wonderful spirit of the majority of a church.
You refer to the multi-racial nature of the church (I'm going to boost, please forgive my pride). In the 1990s I added the first African-American and Hispanic members to that local church (called Lakeside when I was pastor). I preformed the first mix-race marriage there and first funeral for a African-American held at the church.
It is a very different church today, but I feel the "seeds" of "All Nations" were planted in some unplowed ground then. God helped us with the race and outreach issues, the building of the family life center, the adding of the first full-time staff and the various battles such as music style and praise teams. Just thinking back to those days makes me want to retire.
It has been a generation (20 years) since I was there. If the praise choir ministered yesterday, the young man (Chad) who led the choir was about 12 years old and just learning the keyboard then. Wow, now I want to go and walk those streets of gold.
I may have said this before, but just in case, my wife and I were appointed to the church after the pastor before us and his wife split up and split the church. Our first Sunday we had 50 angry people in church (the church would end at twelve and five minutes later it would be empty - no one wanted to talk to anyone). With in the first week I was told that the pastor's benefits had be cut (they felt the pastors had abused the church), that I had to fire the youth pastor (be wanted out anyway) and stop paying the Minister of Music (it was a small amount, but his wife was our pianist). Everybody in town knew about the problems at the church, including the people at the Christian Bookstore (when I introduced myself that's what they brought up).
The previous pastor was a well know preacher in the denomination and had served under appointment at the general level. Many members told me they "missed his preaching" and he was good to keep in touch with the wealthy members of the church (if you know what I mean).
Yet, despite the issues, God blessed mightily. Within six months we hired our first full-time youth pastor. We formed praise teams and new musicians came our way, we began a licensed Before & After School Program with paid staff, and build the long overdue Family Life Center, against the resistance of those who wanted to wait and pay cash or who did not believe we could make the payments (I told the church if we could not make the payment they could have my salary and i would work a job - I never missed a check).
By the time I left over seven years later, many who had left at the split had returned, we were winning new people (something that church had not done for a long time) and attendance grew to 250-300 on a regular basis). We had one Easter with three services where we had over 1000 total attendance. We had cut the dept in half on the building, they paid it off about seven years early (on a 15 year loan).
All that said, emotionally it just about "killed" my wife and me. We may not recover until we get to heaven.
Mat |
Acts Enthusiast
Posts: 1979
8/14/17 7:53 am
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| Re: We attended All Nations Church in Newport News |
Old Time Country Preacher |
| Mat wrote: | | I preformed the first mix-race marriage there. |
Mat, how does a feller preform a marriage?
Is this like a ceremony before the main ceremony? Kinda like ya preform the marriage an then perform the ceremony?  |
Acts-pert Poster
Posts: 15564
8/14/17 9:02 am
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| Re: We attended All Nations Church in Newport News |
Mat |
| Old Time Country Preacher wrote: | | Mat wrote: | | I preformed the first mix-race marriage there. |
Mat, how does a feller preform a marriage?
Is this like a ceremony before the main ceremony? Kinda like ya preform the marriage an then perform the ceremony? |
You build you're forms first and then have the cement truck come and pour concrete. Afterwards, you work and smooth the concrete, remove the forms and you have "performed" and concrete marriage. Don't forget to sign and mail the license. 
Mat
PS I need grammar check along with spell check. |
Acts Enthusiast
Posts: 1979
8/14/17 10:06 am
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Cojak |
I mentioned the mixed congregation because I do have several good friends 'of color'. Truthfully the last couple guys I met in the construction business. The brick mason I learned was actually a COG preacher.
Anyway A very big black guy sat behind me with the 'quietest 'sweet' AMENS' I ever heard. After church I hugged his neck and told him I truly enjoyed sitting in front of him, funny, I had never been blessed that much by simple 'amens' it is hard to explain.
The young man on the piano was a fantastic guy. I was impressed. I only mentioned the mixture of humans because in my opinion it ADDED greatly to the worship. I only spoke to a couple folk, most had only been there a few years.
I can imagine it is very hard to follow a situation you described. But my friend, that is one very impressive church at present!
It is a wonderful feeling to attend church and 'NOT be disappointed'.
We head across the CBBT tomorrow! What do they call that part of Virginia that is not part of Virginia? LOL I lived in Norfolk a couple years and never asked. 
_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/ |
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Posts: 24275
8/14/17 11:00 am
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| Re: We attended All Nations Church in Newport News |
Cojak |
| Mat wrote: |
PS I need grammar check along with spell check. |
No worry someone will always take care of it for you! 
_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/ |
01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011
Posts: 24275
8/14/17 11:03 am
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| Re: We attended All Nations Church in Newport News |
Cojak |
| Mat wrote: | ...
All that said, emotionally it just about "killed" my wife and me. We may not recover until we get to heaven.
Mat |
And YES my friend I can imagine that, especially the wife. 
_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/ |
01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011
Posts: 24275
8/14/17 11:04 am
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| Eastern Shore |
Mat |
| Cojak wrote: | I mentioned the mixed congregation because I do have several good friends 'of color'. Truthfully the last couple guys I met in the construction business. The brick mason I learned was actually a COG preacher.
Anyway A very big black guy sat behind me with the 'quietest 'sweet' AMENS' I ever heard. After church I hugged his neck and told him I truly enjoyed sitting in front of him, funny, I had never been blessed that much by simple 'amens' it is hard to explain.
The young man on the piano was a fantastic guy. I was impressed. I only mentioned the mixture of humans because in my opinion it ADDED greatly to the worship. I only spoke to a couple folk, most had only been there a few years.
I can imagine it is very hard to follow a situation you described. But my friend, that is one very impressive church at present!
It is a wonderful feeling to attend church and 'NOT be disappointed'.
We head across the CBBT tomorrow! What do they call that part of Virginia that is not part of Virginia? LOL I lived in Norfolk a couple years and never asked. |
It's the Eastern Shore.
Mat |
Acts Enthusiast
Posts: 1979
8/14/17 11:13 am
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| Re: We attended All Nations Church in Newport News |
georgiapath |
| Mat wrote: | | Old Time Country Preacher wrote: | | Mat wrote: | | I preformed the first mix-race marriage there. |
Mat, how does a feller preform a marriage?
Is this like a ceremony before the main ceremony? Kinda like ya preform the marriage an then perform the ceremony? |
You build you're forms first and then have the cement truck come and pour concrete. Afterwards, you work and smooth the concrete, remove the forms and you have "performed" and concrete marriage. Don't forget to sign and mail the license.
Mat
PS I need grammar check along with spell check. |
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Acts-dicted
Posts: 7587
8/14/17 11:46 am
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| Re: Eastern Shore |
Cojak |
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