By Larry Stover

Valley Grande resident and pastor at Praise Park Ministries Church of the Nazarene

 

This is a busy weekend in Dallas County with the Bridge Crossing Jubilee and all that goes with it.

At Praise Park Ministries Church of the Nazarene, we celebrate our annual Homecoming on the first Sunday of March every year at 10 a.m.

For both of these events, “It’s all about coming home.”

The church of the Nazarene has been in Dallas County since 1921. We have a very rich heritage. We are Wesleyan in our theology, evangelical in our mission and vision of the community and informal in our worship style. Most of all there is an awesome presence of the Holy Spirit when we gather to celebrate our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Homecoming is a time for the “Family,” past and present, to come together to celebrate our heritage.

We have been honoring the senior adults of our church for several weeks now. Some of them have called our church home all or most of their lives. They add a rich perspective to the growth and expansion of the church during nearly a century of existence.

They take us back to the days of our beginnings on Alabama Avenue.

The transition to 2310 Summerfield Road is highlighted by the many acts of faith, determination, and hard work that allowed them to relocate into a structure that met their growing needs. Hurricane Ivan, in 2004, changed the church in many ways. Through that experience, God led us to our new home in valley Grande.

We are more determined than ever to impact our community and all of Dallas County for the Kingdom of God.

Homecoming is also about catching up with news and events from some folks we have not seen in a while. The church is always buzzing about life and family as the day goes by.

It is also about a celebrating what Jesus Christ is doing in our lives and through the church into the community. There will be a lot of music from different groups of people as well as a celebration message.

No homecoming is complee without enjoying a time of food and fellowship after the service.

Today is about coming home. Whether you are in town for the Bridge Crossing Jubilee, a family reunion, a church homecoming or maybe a little of all three, celebrate the past while pointing to the future.

God has some great things in store for all who live for him and enjoy a daily relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s all a reason why life is “Simply Beautiful!”