Hopewell Cumberland Presbyterian Church news

Sunday was another beautiful autumn day.

A joyful congregation entered into worship with praise and song. Lonnie led us in “Revive Us Again.” Our church school supertendent welcomed each one. Then he presented a devotional scripture reading from 2 Thessalonians 1:1-7.

We sang “Happy Birthday” to Minnie Hazlewood and Gary Gardner.

After singing “I Will Tell the Wondrous Story,” our lesson, “Faith Inspires Gratitude,” was taught by Shirley Washburn.

Our prayers were for unsaved loved ones, the un-churched people of our community, those sick or injured, those serving in the military, families that had lost loved ones to death, and for many unspoken concerns.

Kevin Hazlewood was the pianist for the services. In our worship hour we sang “Victory in Jesus.” Minnie Hazlewood blessed us with a recitation, “If Jesus Came in Person to Spend Some Time With You.” Bro. Durwood sang “Lord, I Want to Go to Heaven.” His scripture lesson came from Mark 9:43-50. His sermon was “Hell Is An Awful Place.”  As surly as there is a heaven, there is a hell. 

In our modern day, many have rejected the notion of Hell altogether. That is true even in religious circles. A recent survey revealed that 52 percent of the people in mainline denominations of America do not believe in Hell. In that same survey, 71 percent of students attending the eight leading seminaries in the United States said they do not believe in either Heaven or Hell. Yet, according to the Bible, the Lord Jesus had a lot to say about a place called Hell. He revealed that Hell is terrible beyond all description; but the gospel (good news) is that no one ever has to go there. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Bro. Worley said he often asks other pastors he meets after their Sunday services if they gave their congregants “Up” or “Down” that morning. Even though there was some hell fire and damnation in his sermon, he actually presented a blessed alternative that was “Up: Heavenward.”

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