This Sunday we will continue walking through Jesus’ teaching in the Upper Room, as we look at John 15:1-8, and think about “Spiritual Intimacy With Christ.”  

This is one of the best known and loved passages in the New Testament.  What does it mean to “abide” in Christ?  Let’s talk about it on Sunday!  

Sunday also marks 10 years that I have been privileged to serve as your pastor.  I will reflect more on this in next week’s column, but I want to say now how deeply grateful to God that I am to be your pastor.  You have been such a loving church to me, Melissa, and our children.  This is the church where my parents came to know Christ, and therefore enabled me to grow up in a godly family.  This is the church that nurtured me in children’s ministries and student ministries.  This is the church where I first felt the call to vocational ministry.  This is the church where I met my wife – and married her!  This is the church that ordained me.  This is the church that called me home as pastor in 2012.  And this is the church I hope to be pastoring for years to come.  

I love you so much, and look forward to Sunday.   

By His Grace, For His Glory, To The Nations,   

Dr. Thurman Hayes, Jr.