This is the last news-letter column I will write as your
Pastor. I have been privileged to serve this great
church for thirty-five years. I am grateful to you and
our Lord for that wonderful opportunity. I carry with
me many wonderful memories of our time together.
These include baptisms, weddings, baby dedications,
building dedications and many others that would be
too numerous to name. We have experienced
moments of sadness together also, but the joyful
moments have far exceeded the sad ones.

As I leave, I want to encourage you to:

1. Maintain the centrality of Christ in all you do. Christ
should be the center of our personal life and our
church life.

2. Stay in the mainstream of conservation Baptist
theology. Do not be pulled away by extremes.

3. 3. Continue your strong support for missions
through the Cooperative Program and the special
mission offerings of our convention. We are stronger
together than we are apart.

4. Do not lose your compassion for hurting people
around you. The world we live in has a lot of hurting
people and God’s people are the ones equipped to
minister to them.

5. Continue to love and support one another.
CHristians are a family of believers in the Lord Jesus
CHrist. Always support your family members.

I will be a strong cheerleader for the Mount Zion
Baptist Church in the days and years to come. I ask
for your prayers. I want to serve the Lord in some
way as long as I live.

It has been a joy to serve as your Pastor.

Brother Sammie