Churchgoers attend first Sunday service of new year
JACKSON, Tenn. — Sunday, churches all over Jackson held their first service of 2016.
“It’s always good to be back in church,” said Englewood Baptist Church member Elizabeth Courtner. “Every year you want to get the doors open and get people in hearing abut the word of God.”
“I think everybody always looks forward to the new year,” said Kids Pastor Bronson Stewart. “It’s a chance to start over. It’s new hope. It’s new vision. So the new year always comes with excitement regardless of how good or bad the previous year was.”
Sunday morning, Englewood Baptist Church opened their doors and people were excited to be in the house of worship.
“With it being the first service of the year that we put the Lord first in everything that we do so why not start out the new year putting the Lord first,” said church member Elizabeth Baker.
Lighthouse Pentecostal Church also had their first service of the year Sunday.
“The beginning of a new year is that season to reach out to people as they take inventory, and let them know we can help through God’s Word,” said Lighthouse Senior Pastor Donald Lance. “We can help them find direction and have a greater life to come.”
For one church member, the day had dual meaning. It was her 94th birthday.
“94 years I’ve been in good health and ive been in church 94 years,” said the birthday girl Ruth Hill.
With so many people making New Year’s resolutions to go to church more, both pastors explained why coming to church at the beginning of the year is so important.
“Even though they are looking for reset buttons,” said Pastor Stewart, “they can know a God who doesn’t change and that doesn’t reset and doesn’t start over again. I think that’s the greatest message we can share with Jackson in the New year.”
“For the church this is the brightest day,” said Pastor Lance. “2016 is going to be a year that we can give people hope.”
