95 anniversary]

 

I had the privilege of representing my denomination today at a celebration! Parties are the fun activities associated with my position.   The Warrington Indiana Church of the Nazarene celebrated 95 years of holiness ministry.  The town of Warrington was started in the 1800’s.  It had a post office at one time, but it was closed in 1919.  I have looked at several sources and can not find a population for Warrington.  One place said zero.  It has zero population!  My GPS does not  recognize Warrington as a real place.  I have to type in Wilkinson (the closest town) and then drop popcorn to find my way back.  I took a picture of the town and counted around five to seven houses.  I counted two churches and that was all I could find.  A Baptist and Nazarene church, and they are across the road from each other.  Safe to say, Warrington can be called a small, a very small town.  There were far more people in church today than live in the village.  The church sits on a site of a former flour mill.

Five former pastors brought greetings and told of their favorite memories.  It was quite moving.  The music was good and meal was outstanding.  I preached from Mark 2, where Jesus returns to the small town Capernaum.  Capernaum had a population of approximately 1500, making it a large metropolitan area compared to Warrington.  Yet this is the town where people gladly received Jesus and placed their trust in Him. Unlike his hometown of Nazareth, where the towns folk were skeptical of his claims to be a God’s anointed one.  Yet Mark tells us that when Jesus came to town the “people welcomed Him home.”  Capernaum wasn’t His hometown, but it was a place of faith and Jesus felt at home among them.  Jesus always makes Himself at home where people believe in Him and receive Him.

Jesus will come anywhere and at anytime to those who gladly receive Him and believe in Him.  No place is too small!  Now back to Warrington.  This church has ministered to the surrounding area in Hancock and Henry counties and many have put their trust in Him.  No place is too small for Jesus to do big things in their midst.  I heard today of Pastors serving faithfully, of people sacrificially following the Lord.  There were stories of lives and homes reclaimed and set free.  There were tears of joy remembering the goodness of the Lord.

Do you think you are too small and insignificant to be used of the Lord? Do you think the highways of life have passed you by?  Remember Capernaum and Warrington.  God does some of His best work in places that seem out of the way.  Remember it is not out of the way if it is where you live. God still shows up in our towns and villages and transformational impact is the result.

Congratulations Pastor Wall and Warrington Church.  Thanks for hanging in there, regardless of the circumstances and your testimony is still being heard.  Celebrate the goodness of God  Keep serving the Lord

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