Southside Church of Christ
800 Elmira Avenue
Durham, NC 27707
info@sside.org | www.sside.org
919.688.3535 STAFF
Orlander R. Thomas
Senior Minister
William A. Stephens
Minister Emeritus
D’Andrea Fanning
Director of Ministry Operations & Non-Profit
Candice P. Blount
Church Administrator
Quentella Williams
Executive Assistant
DEACONS
John Alcox
Anthony Green, Sr.
Arthur Hackney
John Mathis
Chester Mayfield, Jr.
Roger McDougal
Joe Williams
Keith Wright
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
W E E K L Y W O R D
BOXED IN
By RICKI FULLERSeveral years ago (seems like a hundred or so years) in another era and dimension of my life, I was invited to various religious venues to speak on several topics of import/interest to those who petitioned me During those days, it was my style to never use the same materiallesson-sermon That means studying GOD’s Word (as best I could with the tools I had) was a joyfully intrinsic undertaking for me
There were times when the revelations from my studies did not match up with what was quite apparent in the lives of those of us who claimed to worship GOD As a matter-of-fact, I remember declaring to an audience of attendees the perception that people had placed GOD in a beautiful/nicely adorned box. Each person’s protected/boxed GOD (as though GOD needed human protection) was carefully transported to their ‘church’ on Sundays and Wednesdays (when they attended) GOD was mostly allowed to be exposed on those special days wherein The Lord GOD was lauded via prayers, songs and acts of praise, Scriptural readings, and sermonic dissertations
It was as though those were the only two days people felt it safe (or saw the need) to expose/demonstrate affection/respect for their God Other times GOD was un-boxed were during funerals, and at weddings.
Please note, this was, nor is not an indictment against people for erroneously protecting GOD It is a mere effort to help us open our minds by ushering us into recognizing that GOD has allowed us to show/live our limited understanding of Who He Is! He has been, and continues to be, patient with us so we will intentionally learn to trust Him through His Word
When we/people are able to let more and more light into our boxes, we (and those around us) will see and experience great
multitudes of GOD’s Love, Power, Resilience, Consistency, Wisdom, Eternality, etcetera! Truth be told, as long as we keep GOD in our boxes, the longer we are boxed in also!
Think about it, the more we limit GOD, the more we are limited by fear, failure, shame, trauma, and every negative stronghold being studied by Southside this year Ultimately, when we box GOD in, we also box ourselves in
So, let’s take GOD, and our Bibles, out of our beautiful boxes. This world is in tremendous hatred, distrust, and turmoil We are GOD’s conduits through whom the world can be healed No more being boxed in (both GOD and us)! Instead, study and practice Proverbs 3:5-6, II Corinthians 12:10, Isaiah 41:10, etcetera
When you/we love GOD, we are encouraged to strive to learn and to live what is written in I John 4 – “there is no fear in love, but perfect (complete) love casts out fear ” Hence, we do not allow GOD, nor ourselves, to be boxed in ever again by anything nor anyone PERIOD!
Therefore, let the beauty of The Lord shine through you to the glory of GOD as expressed in Matthew 5:14-16!
**3RD ORLANDER THOMAS
**4TH
DOROTHY HOLMAN
**5TH
JOEL BISHOP
DOCK CULVER
IRENE JACKSON
CHESTER MAYFIELD JR
**6TH
JACQUELINE MAYO
**7TH
ALVIN HESTER
LETEALIA OLIVER
**10TH
NETTIE ALLEN
LAJEANIA DIXON
KANYA STILES
**12TH
KRISTI DAVIS
ARTURO WATSON
QUENTELLA WILLIAMS
**13TH
CHRISTOPHER BURGESS
SHERMAN CARTER
ISAAC CASTRO
BRIAN SUMMERS
**14TH
CAITLIN LEGGETT
MOSLEY
19TH JOHN ALCOX
JYNELLE BEASLEY
JASPER GORHAM
22ND
YVETTE HOLDER
JAMIR LEE
JAMISON SPEED
23RD
QUENTIN GERMAIN
MALEIKA TWITTY
24TH
ALEXIS HOLLAND
BOBBY SINGLETON
MARCUS HAWLEY
CANDICE BLOUNT
31ST EVON PALMER
LORRAINE WILLIAMS
P E T I T I O N S WEEKLY
April 28, 2024
Church of Christ
