The Jacksonville Assembly

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 18,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 7 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Friday & Saturday October 14 & 15 2011

In Joy I Remember The Potter

In joy I remember the potter’s first touch

I was young at the time, but his presence meant much

But the clay I was formed of was stubborn and stiff

But I tho’t I was good clay, he’ll be done in a jiff.

Through most of the night he worked with my clay

Forming and shaping, but I would not stay

A little more water, and working it deep

He again formed that shape that I would not keep.

Slowly he straightened and set me aside.

He knows I’m perfect, inside me I cried,

I thought I was special, why he’d set me alone

High on a shelf that was mine all alone.

As he worked with the others I lived in my cloud

And he set them lower; I stood there so proud.

Then taking the others he opened the door

And placing them inside, He went back for more.

Then counting he said, I’m short only one

And my work must be finished before morning sun.

Quickly he looked to his clay bowl so bare

Then slowly he turned and gave me a long stare.

I stood there so haughty, I knew he would come.

I was that special one he had done

He picked me down gently and looking me o’er

He shook his head slowly, then opened the door.

Why! Hundreds of others,

We all looked the same

Then the heat came on quickly,

I screamed out in pain.

Heat, white-hot with flames rising high

The others stood watching but I started to cry

I looked for the potter with eyes full of tears

Why can’t he see me, why isn’t he here?

Fear swallowed me up, like dark in a cave

I could think of but one thing and that was escape

Squirming and turning no more could I take

I felt myself falling, I heard something break

When I woke, I was sitting alone on that shelf

Where I’d tho’t to be special, so proud of myself

I’m all right I cried out, to suddenly stop

A long jagged crack ran from bottom to top

I was perfect; I thought I was the best

Cause he’d taken more time with me than the rest

I tried to call out, but my voice wasn’t clear

So distorted and weak that he couldn’t hear.

He looked not around he never looked higher

Than to see all the others that still stood in the fire

How could they stand it, down there in that kiln

To be in that heat and stay perfectly still.

I heard him exclaim and give a great shout

And raising his hand he turned the flame out

Then the oven door opened and I saw them again

They stood there in beauty, who started so plain.

The fire had done it, I now understood

That the heat I had fled from was just for my good.

But too late fore me, I was broken and marred

My own will had set up and left me too hard.

The potter kept searching as he muttered low

I’m all out of clay and there’s one more to go

Then he looked over, to where I still lay

And shaking his head, he started my way.

Quickly he walked to where he’d put me down

He picked me up gently then looked all around

As he held me I cried out with all of my soul,

Potter don’t scrap me, make me again whole.

Then smiling he took and he broke me apart

And back toward the potter’s wheel I saw him start.

Then slowly and surely he softened the clay

And working with water, kneaded the stiffness away.

On the wheel where he’d placed me I held very still

As deftly he worked and shaped me to HIS will.

As he worked on, his eyes shone and his touch was so cool

So intensely he watched as I turned on His tool.

Suddenly his shaping had come to an end

And I knew that the real test was about to begin

This was the test I had failed once before

And my heart almost stopped as he opened the door.

Then setting me gently he turned on the fire

And watching me closer, he turned it up higher

He stood watching closely to see how I would fare

But this time I took it; I knew he was there.

And as the heat tempered me there in that kiln

He knew I had yielded to His perfect will

A little while longer in heat like the sun

I heard him exclaim, and then you’ll be done.

When the heat died, I knew it was o’er

I stood there rejoicing and watching the door

Quickly it opened and his hand I could see

And grasping me firmly it lifted me free.

He turned me and squeezed me and struck me as well

But, the sound I gave off was as clear as a bell;

He placed me with others, who had passed his inspection

Who had come just as I had, thru the fire to perfection.

And as He placed me with others who had waited so long

From thousands of voices there burst a new song

It’s what they’ll be used for that’s caused them to sing

They are vessels of honor, in the house of the King.

Fall Camp Meeting: September 29th – October 2nd
T Rowe | September 16, 2011 at 2:11
Gospel of the Kingdom Campground
141 Mount Elmira Road
Shepherdsville, KY 40165 (Located on Hwy 44, Exit 117)

camp-ground-southwest-view-1949

Telephone: (502) 543-0875 (during campmeeting only)

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The camp-meeting opens on September 29th at 7:00 p.m.
Band Practice will begin at 5:30 p.m. September 29th – October 1st, which is the regularly scheduled time. Please be on time. Seats are not reserved in the band. If you do not attend band practice, you will not be guaranteed a seat (with an exception given to dining room help). All band members in good standing in your home assembly are encouraged to bring your instruments and are welcome to play.
Youth Choir practice will be Friday and Saturday afternoon at 4:00 PM.
Service Schedule:
Prayer Meeting: 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Morning Service: 11:00 a.m.
Evening Service: 7:00 pm.
As always, rooms on the Campground are “first come-first serve” and are few in number. Please check in at the office and/or contact Bro. Danny Rowe for vacancy inquiries. Cabins, rooms and dorms are not free for the taking. Guests must check-in.

For room and board not on the hill, a list of hotels/motels in down town Shepherdsville and neighboring cities are available on this website. Make your reservations early!!

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