Weekend Summary!

Due to our construction, we made plans to worship with my home church, Mt Sinai, as this was my pastor's last Sunday at the church. We arrived late to 8 o'clock service and HB was up preaching already. The atmosphere was filled with mixed emotions. Celebrative because the church celebrated 66 years of God's faithfulness to the church but also heart-breaking due to pastor's departure.

This was my first visit to the new location since they moved from 18th St, it's a nice facility in a good neighborhood. The 10 o'clock service still carried the same atmosphere of mixed emotions, celebrative and heart-breaking but they wanted to have church which was a good sign. Many of FGMBC members showed up of which I'm very proud of them, Thank you!

Pastor preached from Numbers 6:22-27; "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace."' "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."

His message was entitled; "A Great Blessing For A New Beginning" (I'll let him post his outline). But I have to give one point of the message that has stuck with me and is right on time for our church. He said in the message (to the Mt Sinai church but I'm taking home to FGMBC) that as you move forward, God has your back. Wow!!!!!!

He preached!!!

After the excitement of the message subsided, the room was filled with grief as he began to announce he and his families departure plans for the week and requested the prayers of family and friends. I must admit I too had to fight back the tears.

After service, Tracy and I went to my daughter Kari's house for tacos. The ride was very quite and here's why. HB is my wife's brother and my brother-in-law. We didn't say much during the ride because I know it's hard for her to see HB, Crystal, HB III, Natalie, and Haley leave. When we headed back to the church the ride was more intense with emotions and I really didn't know what to say so I kept quiet.

The afternoon service began with much excitement but the place was still filled with mixed emotions, celebrative and heart-breaking. As I listened to some of the guys give reflections about working alongside of HB through the years, I said to myself; "I have a lot of history here" because all that was said I remembered as well and the tears began to flow.

• I remembered being locked out of the church and having church on the lawn.
• I remembered, climbing through the window to open the doors to enter in and have church and on the other side of the window were security guards with weapons.
• I remembered, Tracy and I getting married at the church. We didn't take a honeymoon because of the church anniversary and we wanted to be there. And, we didn't want to go anywhere this time because we wanted to be there.
• I remembered, HB, Ronald, Scharmaine, and myself going to the music store to purchase microphones to install for worship.
• I remembered, the days that HB come to the Valley to pick me up for worship service and then we would travel to Woodland Hills to pick up Charles and then to Arcadia to pickup Ronald and stop at McDonald's for a breakfast sandwich before 8 o'clock service. This took place fot at least a year.
• I remebered, the classes we had on preaching every Saturday morning.
• I remembered, going to work at Mt Sinai full time as Pastor of Christian Education.
• I remebered, playing the drums when we didn't have a drummer.
• I remebered, when we didn't have a choir as HB, Ronald, and I led worship services. You would've thought we were a low-budget Commission.

The list of memories goes on and on. All I can say is thank God for letting me work alongside of HB Charles Jr for so many years.

Pastor Melvin V Wade of Mt Moriah church preached, wow, what a message!

With the room being filled with mixed emotions, worship was still excellent. It was good fellowshipping with the brethren again in worship and seeing familiar faces I have not seen in a while.

When we got home last night, it was still emotional for Tracy so I left her alone and watch the Cowboys spank the Green Bay Packers before falling asleep on the couch.

This week please be in prayer for pastor Charles and his family (Crystal, HB III, Natalie, Haley, Ellen Charles, Tracy, Harriette, Lil Harriette, Louis, and Muffy) as well as the entire Mt Sinai church and city of Los Angeles. He's not dead just moving and believe me, he will be back to preach real soon.

______________________________________________

As a testimony, the church and I went to Mt Sinai to be blessing to pastor. However, we left being blessed with a check as an investment towards our building project. God is faithful to perform.

"And My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory through Christ Jesus". - Phil. 4:19

_______________________________________________

This weekend Tracy and I plan to spend the weekend together without the kids. Friday, we're going to see Anita Baker at the Greek Theatre. Anita is one of our favorite RB/Jazz singers as well as our first official date when met some 20 years ago. Saturday, we're going to the Getty Center in Malibu. This is a Greek museum with scupltures, paintings, etc. Later that night, we're going to be teenagers with a burger and a movie. Sunday, I'm taking off from preaching and the church. So, I made reservations for a jazz brunch that I've been wanting to go to for years but could not. And then we're going to the LA County Fair with the kids for the rest of the day into the evening.

I'll close this blog the same way Pastor Wade closed his message; "May, the Lord watch between me and thee while we're absent one from another".