Faith in RUTHERFORD county Rutherford County is rich in places of worship By Jean Gordon jgordon@thedigitalcourier.com
From the church in the valley by the wildwood to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on West Main Street in Forest City with its magnificent murals, the faith community in Rutherford County has many places of worship with diverse services. Members gather on Sunday for worship and they also gather on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and other days of the week. There is a church building on nearly every corner of the county with numerous denominations or non-denominational congregations gathering to worship. There are places of worship for all races, ethnic groups, the non-hearing, the handicapped and those who may have lost their way in a traditional setting. Gathering for worship on Sunday at a traditional Baptist church generally means worship service between 10 and 11 a.m. with Sunday School before the worship service. “Rutherford County is blessed with so many wonderful churches,” said Dr. Bobby Gantt, pastor of Florence Baptist Church. “Walk through most any church door and be spiritually fed and experience wonderful Christian fellowship. “But my fear is that Rutherwww.thedigitalcourier.com
ford County mirrors society in general in that we are spiritual beings made by the Almighty God and redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ, but we are less and less church people.” Gantt said of the spiritual climate of Rutherford County. “My daily prayer is that we will experience spiritual renewal in our souls and part of this renewal will be renewed excitement and enthusiasm about the church, in short that we will take advantage of what God has placed right at our finger tips. What if all of us simply observed the Lord’s Day by attending church on Sunday? Many, if not most, of our problems will be solved.” For some churches such as Florence Baptist Church on South Broadway Street in Forest City, there is a contemporary service on Sunday at 8:45 a.m. in the church’s Life Enrichment Center where over 450 people gather for praise and worship songs and the pastor’s sermon. A praise team leads the service before the pastor delivers the morning message at 9 a.m. At 11 a.m., the church worships in a more traditional fashion with hymn book singing, a sermon, special music by the choirs and the pastor’s sermon. More than 450 attend the 11 a.m. service.
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Churches First United Methodist Church Forest City Dr. Neil Haynes
Worship Schedule 8:30 AM & 10:30 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM 341 East Main Street 828-245-6446 fumcforestcity.com
Advent
Lutheran Church Invites You to Sunday School at 10:00am Worship Service at 11:00am Sharing God’s Word and Celebrating God’s Gracious Gifts 118 Reveley St. Spindale, NC 28160 828.287.2056
2014/2015 Everything Rutherford
First United Methodist Church 264 North Main Street Rutherfordton, NC 28139 (828) 287-3704 www.fumcrutherfordton.org
Open Hearts • Open Minds • Open Doors
Worship Services
Sunday School
8:45 and 11:00 AM
9:45 AM
Rev. David Philbeck
Worship Abide in Live for Love Serve God
Baptist Church Sunday School 9:45am Sunday Morning Worship - 11:00am Sunday Evening Worship - 7:00pm Wednesday Prayer Meeting - 7:00pm
749 Walls Church, Bostic NC
453-8981
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