OUTHSIDESCOOP

Edition

25 16

Fresh Dew

BULLETIN info@sside.org|www.sside.org

This has been a wonderful week of study and fellowship here at Southside! As we continue to delve into exploring how GOD repurposes (regenerates, remodels, reprocesses…) us for His glory without regard to our past imperfections, let’s peer into a few verses found in the Second Chapter of Colossians. It appears that in his deep concern for the intended audience, Paul wrote to them expressing his desire (his urgent prayer) that their hearts might be comforted (encouraged and knit together).

919.688.3535

Staff

OrlanderR.Thomas

SeniorMinister

WilliamA.Stephens

MinisterEmeritus

WileyShearin,Jr.

ElderEmeritus

RickiFuller

Women’sCounselor

CandiceP.Blount

ChurchAdministrator

QuentellaWilliams

ExecutiveAssistant

Deacons

JohnAlcox

AnthnoyGreen,Sr.

ArthurHackney

JohnMathis

ChesterMayfield,Jr.

RogerMcDougal

JoeWilliams

KeithWright

Take a look at an article published in a local newspaper to, hopefully, grasp a sense of knitted hearts and the resulting comfort… While this is not a reporting of a ‘Christian community’ per se, this excerpt from an article in the INDY week demonstrates what can likely occur when people’s hearts/minds are knit together for a common purpose. Some twenty-seven (27) tenants were subject to being evicted from their homes by this coming September. Note: the houses are situated in a beautiful area near the banks of the Eno River.

The tenants banned together organizing themselves as a united front. They “forged a legal agreement with the Eno River Association (ERA)” nonprofit organization. Due to the unity of the tenants and due to their legal defense(s) the ERA rescinded the eviction notices. Plus, ERA set in motion “a plan to transfer most of the houses to a housing nonprofit that will ensure they’re forever preserved as affordable homes in Durham”.” A remarkable result of those knitted hearts is that many of them may become homeowners instead of tenants!

Can you imagine the glee and the comfort of those tenants’ hearts (who will not be evicted, and who may become owners of the properties they inhabit)? They met, they organized, and they agreed on their purpose. And, despite their former mishaps with the property management company and with ERA, their unity of purpose was successful rendering them ‘repurposed’ in their and GOD’s eyes!

In a sense, this example demonstrates what Paul was empathetically sharing with his audience in that Colossians letter. We are directed to love GOD and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We are called to work together, to pray together, to share with each other, to truly hear each other, to fellowship together, all so that the glory of GOD can be seen in us.

The more we exercise faith in Christ, and believe GOD’s Word, the more we will be assured and comforted due to our having been baptized into Christ – knitted to Him forever!

WEEKLY 1