Dearest Christ Church Family,

Thank you so much for praying for me and for all who attended the conference last week in Pensacola. Though I missed being with my church family, it was a wonderful week of ministry, instruction, and fellowship. The theme of the three-day conference was One Voice: The Word of God, the Love of Christ, and Human Sexuality. Pastor Rick Phillips and I spoke six times on the controversial and weighty topics of Biblical marriage, Revoice, and the Sexual Revolution. The Gospel was central in all of the talks, reminding us all that Christ is sufficient for the salvation and sanctification of sinners. There was a combined attendance (in-person / virtual) of almost 600 people. If you’re interested, you may access the videos for free by registering on the One Voice Conference link.

On the Lord’s Day I preached at Mcllwain Presbyterian Church in Pensacola and Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ft. Walton Beach. The senior minister at Westminster, Rev. Chad Watkins, was my pastoral intern fifteen years ago in Atlanta (yes, I feel old!).

Christ Church, I joyfully anticipate seeing you this Lord’s Day. Pastor Michael and I spent an hour on Tuesday praying through our church directory— interceding for every member of Christ Church by name. It’s amazing how one’s heart is kindled with affection towards those for whom we pray. It’s a work of the Spirit. God binds our hearts together through prayer, and mysteriously uses our prayers to carry out His eternal purposes. In light of the power and efficacious nature of prayer, I strongly encourage you to join us on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. this summer for our congregational prayer meeting. We pray for 25-30 minutes. It’s a wonderful way to commence our Lord’s Day at Christ Church and prepare for public worship. Children are welcome to attend. Two weeks ago Lily Cochran added some hearty amens! It’s also a great way to get to church on time, and to create proper margin for fellowship. Please join us if you are able.

This Lord’s Day we will continue our expository series’ through Romans and the Psalms. In the morning we will begin chapter two of Paul’s magisterial epistle to the Romans, and continue learning about the nature and implications of the fall, the universal depravity of mankind, and the glorious gospel of grace. We will unpack Psalm 30 in our evening service, a majestic portion of Scripture that teaches us: “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Ps. 30:5b). By God’s grace we will receive a full diet of God’s Word from both Old and New Testaments this Lord’s Day. Please make plans to attend and invite a friend or a neighbor.

Next week I, along with Pastor Michael, Mike Royal, and Tobe Hester, will be attending the 48th PCA General Assembly in St Louis, Missouri. Please be in prayer for these meetings. Denominational tensions are very high this year, as some of you will already know. Pray for reformation, revival, unity (in the truth), clarity, courage, and peace in the PCA. Pray that God’s truth would prevail as we consider two-years-worth of overtures. Remember, due to the pandemic, there was no PCA General Assembly last year. We’ve got a lot of work to do!

Since Pastor Michael and I will be very busy next week with denominational business, there will be little time for sermon preparation. Thankfully, my dear friend, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Master, President of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, has agreed to preach both services for us on July 4th. It will be a wonderful blessing to sit under his ministry. My family and I will take a couple of weeks off in July. Please pray for a refreshing and rejuvenating time away.

Dearest Church family, we are in a very exciting season in the life of our church — a new facility, lots of new members, new/numerous baptisms, many new/weekly visitors, a renewed zeal for evangelism, gospel-centered discipleship, and the means of grace, and a renewed passion to stand firm against cultural ideologies that seek to get a foothold in the church. I’m very encouraged, and I hope you are as well! But let us be vigilant, knowing that the Lord is precious above all else, and He is on our side. Soli Deo Gloria!

It remains a profound honor to be your pastor, servant, and friend.

Here are a few announcements to keep in mind and mark down in your calendars:

Lord’s Day Schedule

Congregational Prayer Meeting | 9:30 AM
Each Lord’s Day we hold a congregational prayer meeting. Please join us for this vital time of prayer for all ages. Make plans to pray with us on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM.

Sunday School | On Summer Break
Our Sunday school program is on Summer Break until August 22nd.

Refreshments after Morning Service
Beginning today, we are starting a new weekly post-morning-service fellowship time! Join us in the lobby after the service to enjoy various snacks, tea, and coffee. Our aim is to cultivate a hospitable environment for our new visitors and increase our body life as a congregation. We only ask that parents accompany their small children to the foyer. We are hoping to avoid the “mad rush of little ones” looking for cookies after the service.

New Members Class | Beginning July 25th
If you would like to take part of our next New Members Class, beginning Sunday July 25th at 4:15 PM, please contact Pastor Michael. This is a great opportunity for visitors to learn more about the distinctives of Christ Church and to understand what it means to be a member of the church.

Announcements & Upcoming Events

Young Mother’s Bible Study Fellowship | Beginning June 26th
Led by Ruth Peterson, all young moms are encouraged to attend the young mother’s Bible study fellowship at Christ Church. The fellowship will meet Saturday mornings, beginning June 26th, 9:30 AM. It will be a time to help equip young moms—both biblically and practically—to raise their infants and toddlers for the glory of God. The study will use Ginger Hubbard’s book, Don’t Make Me Count to Three. Childcare will not be provided; thus, (when possible) dads are encouraged to spend time with their children during the study.

PCA 2021 General Assembly | June 28th—July 1st
Please be in prayer for the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America which meets in St Louis, Missouri, June 28th—July 1st. Pray for your elders [Pastors Jon and Michael, Mike Royal, and Tobe Hester] as they attend and do the work of the church. Pray for reformation and revival in our beloved denomination.

MUSC & Young Professionals Cookout | July 21st
MUSC & Young Professionals: Please join us for a Cookout and time of Fellowship at the Payne’s home on Wednesday, July 21st. More information to come!

Church Picnics | Save the Dates
We have reserved space at Palmetto Islands Country Park [444 Needlerush Pkwy, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464] for both summer and fall church picnics. The SUMMER picnic is on Saturday, July 24th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM (Yes, we know, it’s going to be hot!). The FALL picnic will be on Saturday, September 11th from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Please take a moment to mark your calendars and plan to attend these wonderful times of fun and fellowship with your church family.

Missionary of the Month | Josh and Gina Rieger
Please join us in praying specifically for one of our supported missionaries and their families each month. June’s missionary of the month is Rev. Josh Rieger, a pastor and church planter in Hexham, England. Specifically pray for Gina Rieger, Josh’s wife, who has been battling breast cancer for the last year. Praise the Lord that she has completed chemo treatment in Houston, TX and is recovering well. Please pray that the Lord would bless their work as they return to England very soon.