Announcements
SYMPATHY: to Tammy Brooks; Isaac, Lucas, & Jacob Brooks; and Jean Brooks at the passing of their husband/father/son, James Brooks, on Tuesday, March 17. Arrangements are pending.
SYMPATHY: to Jacki Wilson at the passing of her husband, Bruce Wilson, on Sunday, March 15, and at the passing of her mother, JoAnn Golden, on Monday, March 2. A family graveside service will be held for both on Saturday, March 28, in Cacapon, WV.
SYMPATHY: to Rob & Terri Ward and their family, at the passing of Terri’s great niece, Brielle Lindstrom, on Thursday, March 12. A memorial service was held yesterday in Lewistown, PA.
SYMPATHY: to Lee & Joan Dillon at the passing of their cousin, Bob Massicot, on Tuesday, March 17. Arrangements are pending.
CONGRATULATIONS: to Ed and Mary Dannettel on the birth of their twin granddaughters, Isla Rose (5 lbs., 11 oz.) and Isabelle Grace (3 lbs., 13 oz.), born on Sunday, March 15. The proud parents are Phill and Rachel Stroh.
PARKING LOT ATTENDANTS: are still needed for each night of Living Cross. We need at least 3 more volunteers. If you would be willing to serve in this area, please sign up at the Welcome Desk or see Sam Mosley.
LIVING CROSS NURSERY: There is still a need for 5 experienced nursery workers for toddlers to be filled during the week of Living Cross. If you can help, please text or call Anne-Marie Albaugh at (443) 375-2078.
DEACONS: Please pick up your packets at the Welcome Desk.
From My Heart
I am terribly sorry, but I am away today. I am preaching for Pastor Mark Siers in Sanford, Fla., today. Pastor Siers was my youth pastor and music director for several years when I was pastoring in West Virginia. Last year about this time, he called and invited me to come down for a weekend celebration of his mother’s 90th birthday. His mother, Mrs. Martha Siers, was the director of the teen choir when I was saved in 1970. She had a huge influence on my life and helped me in many ways. She is very special to me, and I feel honored to have a part in her special day.
There is another connection I have with this family. Martha’s parents pastored a church and ran a summer camp in Ripley, W.Va., where I served as a “counselor” in the jr. camp and then was a regular camper for the next week of teen camp. Dr. John Reynolds was the preacher during that week of summer camp. John and Martha are brother and sister, and Pastor John was Dr. Curtis Hutson’s music pastor when he was the pastor at Forest Hills Baptist, in Decatur, Ga. Anyway, on Friday night, after John Reynolds preached, I surrendered to preach and told the Lord I would go wherever He wanted me to go. The point is, I go back a long way with this family. I will be back for Wednesday night service.
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is getting more and more convincing, and it is being used and abused in many ways. Just this last week, AI has been used to claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was killed! In another story, they claim the USS Abraham Lincoln (one of America’s newest and most modern Aircraft Carriers) was hit by Iranian missiles and was burning in the Persian Gulf. Neither of these was a true story, but the story of the Aircraft Carrier even had President Trump calling one of his admirals to verify that what he saw was not real but was AI.
The use of AI can be harmful, and I would think that in the future, it can be used as a means of hurting people. Through AI, they can take your image and even use your voice to make you say things you would never say in a million years. They also could cause real and lasting harm to someone by placing your image and likeness in incriminating and compromising situations. I read just this week where some of the left-wing YouTube programs tried to use AI to make it seem like the United States was losing in our fight against the radical Muslim extremists in Iran. This is being done to make the Trump Administration look bad and to reflect poorly upon Trump and America.
Living Cross begins next Sunday evening, at 7:00 p.m. Please invite, pray, and be here to support this tremendous outreach opportunity! Have a great day, pray for me, and I will see you on Wednesday evening.
Pastor Norris