The blog contains daily devotions and notes from the weekly messages.  We encourage you to review the notes during the sermon or through the week!  Most of the posts will have an audio and/or video link at the end of the notes.  From time to time the pastors will share other insights and devotions here.
 
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We realize it isn’t easy to always find what you are looking for, so we are in the process of organizing these blogs.  Click HERE to go to an index of blogs that reference our YouTube channel in order to get you where you need to go…

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Seize the Moment – Day 1330

Be Wise with Foolish People!

Proverbs 26

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, November 7.

 

Have you ever been in a situation where you had no idea how to respond to a person who was acting like a fool; nevertheless, whether you should even acknowledge that they said something foolish? I’ve been in this situation in one-on-one conversations and in group settings, small and large. Clearly, Solomon has too, as Proverbs 26:4-5 instructs us how to handle people in such difficult situations, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, that he not be wise in his own eyes.” Solomon is not contradicting himself in these back-to-back proverbs; rather, he is teaching us situational awareness.

 

There are times to engage the person with truth, and there are times to ignore him or smooth it over, but there is never a time to be mean about it, even if the person has been casually cruel in his foolishness. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus gives clear instruction not to call anyone a fool:

 

You have heard that the ancients were told, “You shall not commit murder” and “Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.” But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, “You good-for-nothing,” shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, “You fool,” shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

 

While conflict is a necessary reality with certain people or situations, character assassination is never acceptable. When a person is acting a fool, be graceful with how you talk about the person, even when you must confront him about his conduct. Check your own heart so that you don’t act like the fool yourself.

 

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 26: be wise with foolish people!

 

God bless you!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

 


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Seize the Moment – Day 1329

Be Faithful at Work and in Life!

Proverbs 25

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, November 6.

 

Are you seeking a promotion at work? Are you trying to get ahead in life? Then build a reputation as a humble person who works hard to serve others and puts the team first. Trust God with your hopes for tomorrow by being faithful with what you have been asked to do today. Solomon taught the importance of humility in Proverbs 25:6-7, “Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better that it be said to you, ‘Come up here,’ than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.” Jesus taught this proverb as a parable in Luke 14:7-11:

 

And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

Don’t scheme for future success; instead, work hard today because that’s the best opportunity you will ever have to show your character. Be where you are supposed to be and do what’s right. Trust God with the results!

 

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 25: be faithful at work and in life!

 

God bless you!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

 

 
 

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On Mission

On Mission

 
 

Today is the International Day of Prayer

 
 
Video: What is Missions?
Luke 10:2-3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Heart of Missions is to take the Gospel to those who have never heard it.

 

Romans 10:8-15

Matthew 28:18-20

John 17:17-18

John 20:21 “I am sending you…”

 

Charles Spurgeon Quote:

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We share the BAD NEWS and the GOOD NEWS:

 

 
 

 

 

 

Video Short: Share Your Testimony – Tim Hawkins

 

Every testimony is a miracle!

Revelation 12:10-11

It’s all about the one who makes the miracle and makes it powerful!

 

Testimony: Elijah Abrams
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serving & Meeting Needs

Examples of ways / places you can serve.

They provide great opportunities in which you can share the Gospel.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He may call you to give up of your time, hobbies, rest, home, everything familiar…

He will call you out of your comfort zone.

There is a cost to following Jesus.
 
 
 
When we say yes, He blesses.
 
 

Story: John & David who were willing to commit, to give up their freedom in order to share the Gospel with others. They were called. They were passionate for Jesus!

“May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.”

Jesus is the Lamb that was slain. Our lives are the reward for His suffering.

 
 
 

If you would like to watch Keven present this message, Click HERE.

 

If you would like to watch the entire service including music, click HERE.

 

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Seize the Moment – Day 1327

Today’s hymn focus will be

Jesus Saves!

John 14:6 (NASB95)          

 

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

 

Priscilla J Owens was a school teacher in Baltimore, MD who loved to write songs for children’s services at Union Square Methodist Church. When asked to write a song for an upcoming missionary service, the words of 1 Timothy 1:15 inspired her. It states:
 
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
 

It originally sung to the chorus from an opera, but William J Kirkpatrick composed a vibrant melody for the words of her poem to become the song that we sing today.

 

            We have heard the joyful sound – Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!

            Spread the tidings all around – Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!

 

We need to wake up and proclaim the message of this song each and every day of our lives, until He calls us home. Don’t keep it a secret, but let it be known that Jesus Saves!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

 

If you would like to listen to this song, click on this link:

 
 
 

Jesus Saves!

 
1
We have heard the joyful sound:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land,
Climb the steeps and cross the waves;
Onward!—’tis our Lord’s command;
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
2
Waft it on the rolling tide,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Tell to sinners far and wide,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Sing, ye islands of the sea,
Echo back, ye ocean caves;
Earth shall keep her jubilee,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
3
Sing above the battle’s strife,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
By His death and endless life,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Sing it softly thru the gloom,
When the heart for mercy craves,
Sing in triumph o’er the tomb,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
4
Give the winds a mighty voice,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Let the nations now rejoice.
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Shout salvation full and free,
Highest hills and deepest caves,
This our song of victory,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
 
 
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 1326

Taste and See that the Lord is Good!

Proverbs 24

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, November 3.

 

I like to put honey in my coffee; it’s a natural sweetener that has some health benefits to it, especially if you use local honey. I love how Solomon references honey in today’s rich chapter on wise living, instructing his students in Proverbs 24:13-14, “My son, eat honey, for it is good, yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” There are health benefits for your soul when you live your life according to the wisdom of God. Life is sweeter when you live with hope for the future.

 

It appears that Solomon caught his love for honey from his father. David used the same imagery in Psalm 19:9-11, “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” There is a great reward to living your life according to the judgments of the Lord. This is a truth you must learn for yourself.

 

More important than learning how good honey is from David, Solomon picked up his love for God and His wisdom. More important than trusting me that honey is good in your coffee, test me and see for yourself if spending time with God in prayer, and in studying His Word, is the sweetest of all. Have you cultivated a taste for the goodness of God?

 

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 24: taste and see that the Lord is good – spending time with Him is sweeter than honey!

 

God bless you!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

 


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Seize the Moment – Day 1325

Practice Self-Control!

Proverbs 23

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, November 2.

 

Proverbs 23 provides warnings against overindulgence, which is when a person has too much of something enjoyable. When people think about overindulging, their minds usually go to one of two places: food or drink. Solomon covered both in today’s chapter, starting in Proverbs 23:1-3, “When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for it is deceptive food.” [emphasis added] While there are two dangerous forces at play here, overindulgence and manipulation, there is one solution for both, practicing self-control. That is what the idiom, to “put a knife to your throat,” means; it is saying that if you are tempted to overindulge, you need to practice self-control, or else you will be easily deceived. Self-control is a sign of wisdom.

 

While overindulging in tasty food seems pleasurable in the moment, many of us can testify that it is not comfortable for long, often leaving us feeling physical discomfort and emotional regret. The same phenomenon happens when a person overindulges in fine wine, or any alcoholic beverage, especially when doing so in the company of friends, called social drinking. Everything is better with friends, right? Solomon, who has experimented with everything to experience happiness, teaches us the importance of self-control in Proverbs 23:20-21, “Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eaters of meat; for the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe one with rags.” Regardless of whether you are talking about food or drink, the essential ingredient to the life of wisdom is self-control. For the Christian, self-control is a sign of the Holy Spirit at work in you (Galatians 5:22-23).

 

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 23: practice self-control in all things, especially anything that threatens to master you (1 Corinthians 6:12-13). Don’t overindulge, “but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

 

God bless you!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
 
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 1324

Be a Motivated Learner!

Proverbs 22

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, November 1.

 

Are you paying attention? What motivates you to stay focused in your devotion time? Since he is beginning a new section of his book, Solomon, like a wise teacher, grabs your attention with some incentives in Proverbs 22:17-21:

 

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, that they may be ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the Lord, I have taught you today, even you. Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge, to make you know the certainty of the words of truth that you may correctly answer him who sent you?

 

Solomon knows that it’s easy to get distracted when reading (or listening) to verse after verse of wisdom sayings, so twenty-two chapters into his thirty-one-chapter book, he refocuses his students on why they should pay attention. This is important because the crucial ingredient to effective learning is motivation. A motivated learner has found a reason to remain focused on the instruction of their teacher. The promise of something better keeps us motivated to learn and grow. Solomon gives the following three reasons why you should diligently heed his instructions:

 

  1. Your life will go better! Memorize these truths and apply them to your everyday life circumstances. You will make wise and discerning decisions that lead to God’s blessings.
  2. You will trust God more! There is nothing more valuable to a person’s well-being than having a right relationship with God.
  3. You will be valuable to your community! Wise people are essential workers in any workplace or community because their words are trustworthy, and their actions are reliable.

 

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 22: be a motivated learner and you will diligently heed the words of truth!

 

God bless you!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

 

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Seize the Moment – Day 1323

Trust God for His Victory!

Proverbs 21

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, October 31.
 
Throughout the book of Proverbs, Solomon highlights the importance of the fear of the Lord, which is a reverence or awe of God that prioritizes Him above all. The wise person lives her life according to the fear of the Lord. As we see in the Ten Commandments, this principle is prioritized as the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). This teaching was brought into the New Testament by Jesus, in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Paul described it as the preeminence of God, stating of Jesus in Colossians 1:17, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
 
Solomon taught his students in Proverbs 21:30-31, “There is no wisdom and no understanding and no counsel against the Lord. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord.” In other words, no human argument can stand against God, and no resource of creation can achieve the upper hand over Him. While there are battle fields raging throughout the creation, there is a battle within your mind and heart vying for the loyalty of your soul. The victory over sin and evil is found in Christ alone. He is the way of victory; trust Him by living according to His Word. This is the firm foundation for you to walk in the victory of God. This is the way to win the battlefield of the mind, as Paul commanded in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” God is to be first in all things, and not to put God in His rightful place is to be foolish or prideful.

 

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 21: trust God for His victory! It is done!

 

God bless you!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

 
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 1322

Embrace this Season of Your Life!

Proverbs 20

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, October 30.

 

I love my long grey beard. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but it’s grown on me. It’s distinguished; it’s colored by wisdom (Proverbs 16:31). We live in a culture that idolizes youth and beauty, and rewards novelty and sensuality, but the Bible calls us not to find our identity in that which passes like the seasons (Proverbs 31:30). Instead, the Bible calls us to grow closer to Jesus in every season. When you make spiritual formation (Christlikeness) your primary ambition – the gaining of wisdom and the training of godliness – you will embrace every season of your life as a gift from God.

 

There are different reasons for each season, and we gain insights on what those are when we look at creation. There can only be the new life of spring after the deep power of winter’s rest, and we can’t reap the harvest until we’ve experienced the abundant growth of summer. Solomon explained in Proverbs 20:29, “The glory of young men is their strength, and the honor of old men is their gray hair.” I encourage the youth, as Paul exhorted his protégé in 1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” Use the spring and summer seasons of your life to grow strong and sow good seed, in preparation for the harvest seasons which will come later.

 

I encourage the mature to embrace the gift of their autumn and winter seasons to reap what has been sown, and to trust the investment of their lives (like good seed) to burst forth with good fruit. Walk in the way of righteousness today, and you will grow closer to Jesus in every season of your life.

 

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 20: embrace this season of your life!

 

God bless you!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

 

 

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Proclamation, Preparation & Positioning

Proclamation, Preparation & Positioning

Deuteronomy 32:2-4; Ephesians 5:15-19; Philippians 4:5-9

 

 

 

Today is going to be a different type of Sunday. We are starting the service with each point of the message being reinforced with our worship in song. For those taking notes, the three key points are 1) Proclamation; 2) Preparation; and 3) Positioning. These three “P’s” will help us in both our prayers and our praise.

 

I. PROCLAMATION: Moses told the people of Israel

 
Deuteronomy 32:2-4:
 

“Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like dew. Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants. I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God! He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!”

 

When we proclaim something, we are making it known to those around us. When we pray, we are to proclaim who God is to us. When we sing our praises, we are to lift our voices and proclaim the goodness and the greatness of our God. In Psalm 71:19-19, the psalmist David writes:

O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God?

 

He also writes in Psalm 105:1-2:

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.”

 

And then in Psalm 145:4-7, we are told to:

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.”

 

Finally, we are encouraged by John, the beloved disciple in 1 John 1:1-2:

“We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.”

 

So, as we prepare to lift our voices in worship, remember we are all to proclaim praise to the One Who was, Who is, and Who always will be.

Worship in Song 1: Living Hope, Goodness of God, Trust in God

 
 

II. Preparation: Preparation is important for both heart and mind.

 

QUOTE: “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.”

 

A. Preparing the heart.
 
1. Confession is where it starts.
 

1 John 1:9:

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
 
2. We have to clean house of the things that affect our heart.
 

Ephesians 5:15-19: So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.”

 

*Previous verses warned us not to live like we used to, because we are to live our lives to please God.

 

B. Preparing the mind: A Call for holy living: 1 Peter 1:13

 

“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.”

 

Currently, mental health has become a hot topic. We need to realize that the battle of the mind is something that has been a part of human struggle for a long time, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. Moses, King David, the prophet Elijah and Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi are just a few examples of those who battled some form of mental illness and the Bible records their struggles. As we face issues like work-related stress, seasonal depression or even chemical imbalance, there may be some that requires that require medical assistance. This is not a bad thing! That is why we have the medical professionals to help in these times.

 

However, we are also told in scriptures to bring everything to Jesus. 1 Peter 5:7 states:

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

 

AND…we are to care for one another. Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 12:25:

“This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.”

 

This is not an either/or thing, but rather a both/and. We as the church are to be here to help one another as we see Christ transforming people’s lives and their stories. BUT, it is also important that each person take responsibility to turn EVERYTHING over to God by preparing our hearts and our minds.

 

Worship in Song 2: Lavish, Who You Say I Am

 

III. Positioning: Surrendering our wants and desires

 
A. What Christ did for you and me: Philippians 2:6-8:

 

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
 
B.What we are to do for Him: 1 Peter 5:6-10
 
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”
 

 

“Christ demands first place. There’s no room on the throne of your heart for two gods.”

– Billy Graham
 
This is something that you must do for yourself, because I cannot. HOWEVER, I can hold you accountable, which is what I am doing today!

 

Philippians 4:5-7:

“Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

 

I want to close out the service with a response time. Coming to the altar is not a sign that you have done something, but rather you making a public demonstration of presenting yourself as a living sacrifice, making sure that your sacrifice is still on the altar! Position yourself with a fresh surrender.

 

Worship Set 3: Hold On to Me, It is Well with My Soul

 

 

If you would like to watch the service in its entirety with the music, click HERE.

If you would like to watch just the message, click HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 


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