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[ Music ] [MUSIC] ♪ Hark the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the new born King ♪

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♪ O come all ye faithful ♪ ♪ Joyful and triumphant ♪ ♪ O come ye, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem ♪ [MUSIC]

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[MUSIC] ♪ To ask for joy till victory is won ♪ ♪ Stony the road we trod ♪ ♪ Bitter the chastening rod ♪

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♪ And in the days that draw ♪ ♪ One more can die ♪ [Music] ♪ We're leaving, and I'll be leaving ♪

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♪ Out to the place far beyond the sky ♪ ♪ We have come over a way ♪ ♪ That with tears has been watered ♪ ♪ We have come ♪

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♪ Spreading her flag through the blood of the slaughtered ♪ ♪ High on the gloomy west ♪ ♪ Till earth is at her last ♪ ♪ Ever we, the proud race, now is last ♪

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♪ One of our weary years ♪ ♪ One of our silent tears ♪ ♪ Thou who has brought us ♪ ♪ Back ♪

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♪ Far on the way ♪ ♪ Thou who has by Thy might ♪ ♪ Led us into the light ♪ ♪ Keep us forever in the path, we pray ♪

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♪ Blest our feet, stray from the places, our love where we met thee ♪ ♪ Blest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee ♪ ♪ Shadowed beneath thy hand ♪ ♪ May we forever stand ♪

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♪ True to our God ♪ ♪ True to our native land ♪ - Our call to worship. [ Applause ]

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>> Oh Christ our King, the throne that God has given you will last forever and ever. >> You rule over your kingdom with justice. >> Let us pray.

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Oh gracious God, thou who art the ruler of heaven and earth, we give you humble thanks this day for the privilege of gathering in this, the house of prayer, to glorify your name.

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We pray that your spirit may possess our souls, that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts may be acceptable in thy sight. Oh Lord, our strength and our redeemer, amen.

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[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] (dramatic music) (dramatic music)

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(audience chattering) [ Music ] [MUSIC - "OH LORD, I'VE JUST COME FROM THE FOUNTAIN"] I'm just from the fountain, Lord, I've just come from the fountain.

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His name's so sweet, oh Lord, I've just come from the fountain. I'm just from the fountain, Lord, I've just come from the fountain. His name's so sweet. Oh, sinner, you love Jesus.

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Yes, yes, I do love Jesus. Sinner, you love Jesus. His name's so sweet, oh Lord, I've just come from the fountain. [MUSIC]

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♪ I'm just from the fountain, Lord ♪ ♪ I've just come from the fountain ♪ ♪ His name's so sweet ♪ ♪ 'Cause we were new, Lord Jesus ♪

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♪ Yes, yes, we're new, Lord Jesus ♪ ♪ We were new, Lord Jesus ♪ ♪ His name's so sweet, oh Lord ♪ ♪ I've just come from the fountain ♪

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♪ I'm just from the fountain, Lord ♪ ♪ I've just come from the fountain ♪ ♪ His name's so sweet, oh Lord ♪ ♪ I've just come from the fountain ♪

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♪ I'm just from the fountain, Lord ♪ ♪ I've just come from the fountain ♪ ♪ His name's so sweet ♪ ♪ So I yell out the old one, Jesus ♪

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♪ Yes, yes, the new one, Jesus ♪ ♪ Hell, you know Jesus ♪ ♪ His name's so sweet ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, I've just come from the fountain ♪

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♪ I'm just from the fountain, Lord ♪ ♪ I've just come from the fountain ♪ ♪ His name's so sweet ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, I've just come from the fountain ♪

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♪ I'm just from the fountain, Lord ♪ ♪ I've just come from the fountain ♪ ♪ His name's so sweet ♪ Amen. Let's all say amen.

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Amen. Our scripture, responsive reading rather is number 546, God the creator, number 546. Let us all stand.

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[ Background noise ] Hear ye my word, ye children, I am thy God. Blessed are they who walk with the Word of the Lord in their hearts. ♪ Be silent ♪

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♪ For the Lord ♪ ♪ Speaketh to his children ♪ - In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. - And the earth was a platform and a board,

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and darkness was upon the face of the sea, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the harvest. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw the light, and it was good,

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and God divided light from darkness. And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night, and the evening and the morning were the first day.

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These are the generations of the heavens and the earth, [inaudible] And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew,

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for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. [inaudible] [MUSIC]

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And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. By the word of the Lord, which heaven has made, and all the host of heaven have breathed into his mouth, he gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap, he layeth up the depth in storehouses,

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and all the earth revealed to the Lord, that all the inhabitants of the world were standing in awe of him. For he spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast. [MUSIC] ♪ To laugh unto thy feet ♪

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♪ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet ♪ ♪ And a light unto my pathway ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ (piano music)

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(piano music) ♪ I give my voice to the Lord ♪ I will give my voice to the Lord All the words I read, all the songs I sing

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I will give them to the Lord I will give my hands to the Lord I will give my hands to the Lord ♪ All the things I do will be good and true ♪

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♪ I will give them to the Lord ♪ ♪ I will give my heart to the Lord ♪ ♪ I will give my heart to the Lord ♪ ♪ All the things I love are for him alone ♪

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♪ I will give them to the Lord ♪ Amen. - Let us all say amen. - Amen.

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- All right. This is the children's hour. All of the children in the congregation from the kindergarten level through the fifth grade

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are asked to come forward at this time. All children from the kindergarten level through the fifth grade, those who were in elementary school.

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Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto me. "Forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of heaven. "Train up a child the way that he should go," said the wise men of old.

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And when he is old he will not depart from it. When I was a child, I thought as a child, I understood as a child. Except you become as a little child, said the Lord, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Good morning.

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How are you this morning? Good, you look very good this morning. As we consider the word of God, there is a passage of scripture that says that he shall keep you under his feathers and under his wings you shall trust.

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shall keep you under his feathers and under his wings you will trust. Now how many of you have seen a hen? Have all of you seen a hen? All right. All of you have seen a hen? You haven't seen a hen. All right. Now this is a story about a hen that was on a farm and this hen had some chickens and this hen took good care of

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of those chickens. She kept them with her and when the time came from time to time she gathered them under her feathers and protected them. But one day the hen house caught on fire and burned. And when they went in the hen house they found that this mother hen was dead. But they looked under her feathers and there they found all of the little chickens

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that were safe and sound, they were alive. Well, in a way, that's what God does for us. He keeps us and protects us. He takes care of us.

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So like that mother hen, we are under his feathers and under his wings so that we are safe because of him. Many years ago, there was a little baby. And the cruel king wanted to kill all of the Hebrew boy

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babies. But this baby was put in a little boat, a small little boat that was made and called an ark. And there placed on the river and his sister looked

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after him and God protected him until one day Pharaoh's daughter, the king's daughter came down and he was drawn out of the water and she liked him and she kept him and reared him.

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And that boy's name was Moses, Moses. So he does us the same way. He protects us. He looks after us.

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He gives us the breath we breathe. He causes our hearts to beat. He is the one who loves us and cares for us. Let us pray.

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We bless your name, oh God. And we pray that you will help us as your children to be protected underneath your feathers and to trust under your wings.

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Amen. God bless you and keep you. [ Background Sounds ] We come now to a dedication.

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It is a dedication of an infant by the parents. And we ask that they may come forward at this time, the parents as well as the godparents and the grandparents, as you come now for the dedication.

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(coughing) [ Background noise ] Parents Carrie and Rodney Swisher and the godparents of Amy Parham and the grandparents the Argon and Swisher.

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Children are a heritage of the Lord. it is the person who has his kiva full of them. They are gifts from God. They are blessings that he loans us just for a short time.

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We have them, but they are not really ours. We are but channels of his grace. And so you come this morning to present your child to the Lord as Hannah did of old.

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She came to the temple and presented her child. So do you as parents come to present your child and do you in presenting your child promise to rear your child in the fear

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and admonition of the Lord, God being your helper? What is the name of your child? Courtney Lee. Courtney Lee you are presented here to the Lord as

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His gift and the commitment is made that you will be raised in the fear and admonition of him Let us pray Eternal God our Father We pray that you would bless

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Courtney Lee, as she is presented now by her parents to you, with the commitment that she will be reared in the fear and admonition of the Lord, we pray that you will strengthen them, guide them in the way that they should go, so that this child may grow even as Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.

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May the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord cause his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you

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and give you peace. Amen. God bless you. Thank you.

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(footsteps) [ Pause ] (piano music) ♪ Go on and sing my lullaby ♪

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♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Gonna do a little singing ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Gonna do a little singing ♪

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♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪

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♪ Gonna do a little praying ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Gonna do a little praying ♪ Yes I am

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Gonna do a little praying Yes I am Yes I am Yes I am

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Yes I am Gonna do a little shouting Yes I am Gonna do a little shouting

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Yes I am Gonna do a little shouting Yes I am. Yes I am.

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Yes I am. Yes I am. Gonna do a little clapping. Yes I am.

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Gonna do a little clapping. Yes I am. Gonna do a little clapping. Yes I am.

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Yes I am. Yes I am. ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Gonna sing about Jesus ♪

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♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Gonna sing about Jesus ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Gonna sing about Jesus ♪

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♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪

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(audience murmuring) Amen. Persons who are worshipping with us not members of this church

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would you, if you have not signed a visitor's card, raise your hand at this time. If you're a visitor and you have not received and signed a visitor's card, would you raise your hand? All right, ushers, will you see that the persons with uplifted hands received a visitor's card. I see one right here near the rear in the center section. Is

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there another? Here's another. We would appreciate it if you would complete that card and return it to an usher during this time, please. Let us pray. Under you, O God, we lift up our hearts in grateful praise for every expression of your love and bounty. We pray that you will bless us now in this

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time of sharing, that we may freely and lovingly share ourselves and our substance for the furtherance of your kingdom on earth. Amen. (gentle music) (gentle music)

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(gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music)

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♪♪ ♪♪ (gentle music) (gentle music)

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(gentle music) (gentle piano music) (gentle music) (gentle music)

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[MUSIC PLAYING] (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (piano music)

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(gentle music) (dramatic music) [Music] (soft music)

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(gentle music) ♪♪ ♪♪ (gentle piano music)

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(gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music)

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(gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music)

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(gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music)

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(gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music)

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(gentle piano music) (audience symmetrical laughing) - Amen? Among many things that we emphasize during this particular season of the year, time of the year,

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is the fact that on the denominational calendar, January is, excuse me, make your will month. Make your will month. And I always take time to say a word about the importance of making your will. It's very important not only to make the best use of the administration of your affairs while you're alive, but as best you can make the necessary arrangements so that

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when you're gone that things will be in order. It sort of pains me as I look in my ministry over a period of some 30 years, that I have emphasized this every year, and there are people sometimes who sit in my congregation

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and listen to me, and they die with all of these things in a mess. That ought not to be. That's happening right here.

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They think that the Reverend doesn't know what he's talking about, or they're not gonna leave this world. But we all gonna leave.

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I'm trying to stay here as long as I can, and I'm trying to hold it off as long as I can, and you are too. But the truth of the matter is we're on our way, and we'll have to leave. And it's very important in the stewardship of our affairs, Christian stewardship, that

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we do this. So there are some forms available that may be helpful in this connection to you, but we certainly want to urge you to take advantage of the opportunity that you have to make your will if you have not already.

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Now the 50th District of Travis County, State Representative Wilhelmina Delco of this district honoring the black members of the 68th legislative session and the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King at a reception today from 4 to 6 p.m. at Carver Library 1161 Angelina Street and you're encouraged to take advantage of that

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opportunity. This afternoon at four o'clock also an important event will take place in the sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church. A service of worship is scheduled to which all the members of the 68th Texas Legislature have been invited as well as members of the executive branch and the press corps. This worship time has been

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planned under the auspices of the Austin Area Conference of Churches on the occasion of the convening of the legislature. So that is an opportunity that I hope those of us who can will take advantage of today also.

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The youth of our church will have a retreat under the leadership of Sister Vanna Coleman, the youth of our church, to participate in a retreat. We're talking about those junior and high school students, senior high school as well

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as junior high school. So we're talking about from the seventh through the twelfth grades. Those are the persons eligible to participate in this retreat, which will be held on Friday and Saturday. That is Friday evening and of course it will close Saturday afternoon. I

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just asked Sister Coleman how many had enrolled. Today is the deadline. If you wish to enroll, you still have all day today. And I would hope that each parent would recognize the significance of making it possible for your youth to participate. The fee is just $15. That includes your meals, the place to stay, everything. And that's possible because we

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do have a lovely facility out there that is available to us. I understand that 25 youth registered, so we have about 60 within that age level. I would urge all of you who have children to see to it if it is possible that they are enrolled.

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If there are persons who are not able to send their children because you because you just don't have $15, well then we would like for you to report that to us. But if you possibly can,

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we would hope that you would take advantage of this opportunity, and we would like to remove every stone that might be there to keep you from participating,

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because this is a meaningful experience we would like for the youth to have the advantage of. Brother Lee Lewis Jones, who was very faithful in the life of our church and he was particularly identified with the bus ministry in the Ushers, passed away last week.

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In fact, it seems that he was found in his place and he had possibly been there three, maybe two days or so before he was found. And he will be funeralized here at our church on Wednesday at 3.30. Wednesday at 3.30.

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Now it will not be necessary for you to come early to view the remains because his body was in such a condition that we will not have it viewed. It will not be open for viewing. Let's remember this family in our prayers.

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I think he has a brother who is in New York who will possibly be here by Tuesday and maybe other relatives here, but let us remember the members of this family in our prayers and as many of us as possibly can to be present to encourage the family in connection with the memorial services Wednesday at 3.30.

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I have asked Brother Doc Overton, who is already identified with the bus committee, to serve as the chairperson of the bus committee. I am completely confident that he'll be able to do the kind of job that is necessary with the support of the members of the bus committee, which is a splendid group.

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Brother Overton is very faithful. I want you to stand, Brother Overton. Just let him see this fine-looking young man that we have here.

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Thank you so much. And he's going to be the one to carry on this bus ministry. Now, Brother Overton, I think the first thing that they are asking that the bus ministry will do

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is to sort of arrange if we have some persons available who are drivers of the bus to take our young people to camp. And that will be possibly Friday. And so if you'll get with Sister Coleman,

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and we'll arrange that. So what we want you to do is to make your request officially through the office. and then the office will get in touch with Brother Overton,

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and then it'll go on that way. We don't want you going around or trying to arrange these things without coming through the proper channels,

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so that we don't want people checking out the bus when we don't know where the bus is. Y'all can understand that, can't you? All right.

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And if you forget that, I'm gonna remind you. All right. Now, Brother James Lee, Mrs. James Lee, it is, father passed away in Gonzales. That funeral is going to be Tuesday afternoon.

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I have been asked to serve in connection with that in Gonzales, Texas on Tuesday afternoon. The Robeson Hill Project, which is a project that has been under discussion for some time, borders right here on the church, it goes down 11th Street. has to do with the development of that area, the redevelopment of that area.

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I would like for all of the property owners, now how many persons, let me see your hands here this morning, who own property in the Robeson Hill area? I'm not talking about people who live in the area, but who own property in the area. Let me see your hands.

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All right. own property in the Robeson Hill area. Thank you. So we would like for you to meet for a short period following the benediction today because there are plans and discussions concerning the redevelopment of the area and unless

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some initiative is taken on the part of property owners in what we want to see in this area, we will find ourselves like we often do, always reacting to something that's already going. If we do that, we can possibly shape what's going to happen if we are out there. Mrs. Jo Stewart of the Berkster Malforce Base Chapel, would you stand?

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Mamie Parham of the Good Hope Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, visiting here with Carrie and Rodney Swisher. Sergeant Dennis R. Turner of Fort Worth, the Beth Eden Baptist Church there. Kenneth and Theron Bentley of Round Rock Sweet Home Church, the guest of Carrie and Rodney Swisher. Ronnie Sterling of this city, the Mount Zion Baptist Church. Oh yes,

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there she is. All right. James M. Wilson, New Hope, visiting here with Lisa McNeil, Is that right? All right. A.R. Evans of the First Christian Church in Paris.

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Is that right? All right, would you stand? Are there others worshiping with us who did not register? If so, would you stand?

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Delighted indeed are we to have you to share with us in our services today. We extend to you a warm welcome for our entire church family.

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We invite you to follow the benediction that we may have the privilege of greeting you in a more intimate way. Will some member or members near those persons standing,

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would you stand at this time and greet those persons that are standing? Oh, that's Brother Evans that was with the African observance that we had here the other night,

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which was a very beautiful ceremony, who's sharing with us in the service today. We thank you all for being here. Let's stand.

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[ Silence ]