Rick Lett was celebrating a birthday and Jerry Abercrombie opened our Sunday morning worship service with prayer as we gathered to worship at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Special prayers were requested for Doug Cory, Shirley Obenshain, Alesia Parish, John Adams, the Raymond Scott family, the Twila Martin family and Debbie and Bobbie.

A Vacation Bible School planning meeting will be held at 6 p.m.

Linda Abercrombie gave the devotional about no anxious presence in the midst of conflict. She read II Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Linda told us we need inner stability to transform a situation from conflict and build peace. To maintain that inner peace and calm, we need to be more Christ like. In the Bible, God reassures us and tells us how to stay cool in conflict as we are all imperfect people. Linda also presented our pastor, Brother Mark Hall, with birthday wishes from the congregation.

Tyrel Lett asked God's blessing upon the offertory and he and Rick Lett served as ushers. With piano accompaniment from Becky Johnson, Jerry led the congregational hymns of praise including "Standing On the Promises."

Jerry also sang a special "What A Day That Will Be."

Brother Mark brought us God's message "What to Give the Kid Who Has Everything," about raising kids and grandkids. Scripture was from Psalm 112:1-2.

"Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed."

He began by talking about how hard it is to buy gifts for kids these days because most seem to have everything. "So what then do we give our kids and grand kids?"

Brother Mark talked about seven gifts we can give them.

First, we can give them an example. Proverbs 1:7 says 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.' Bro. Mark said, "If they disrespect God, they will not learn about Him. They learn more from your lifestyle than your words. They will always know what your priorities are because they see them. Kids don't hear everything we say, but they see everything we do. We owe them a Godly example. There are many characteristics we should display to our children, but above all of them is Godliness."

The second gift we can give to our children is unconditional love. Proverbs 4:1-4 says "Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding for I give you good doctrine; do not forsake my law. When I was my father's son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, He also taught me, and said to me; 'Let your heart retain my words; keep my commands, and live.'" Brother Mark told us real love is giving someone what they need not what they want.

The third gift for our children needs to be encouragement. There is a difference between praise for what you do and encouragement for what you are. Brother Mark referred to Proverbs 3:21-36.

Instruction is the fourth gift we need to give our children. "We need to teach them the wisdom of God and with it comes the instruction of God." Proverbs 22:6 says "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Brother Mark told us restriction is the fifth gift to give our children. "A child who grows up with no restrictions doesn't respect restriction. God put restrictions on Adam and Eve from the beginning. We need to encourage them to see the right way about things."

A listening ear is the sixth gift we need to give our children.

"We need to take time to listen to them talk when they are growing up or why would they later come to us for advice on the important stuff in life?"

Brother Mark referred to Proverbs 18:13-15.

And the seventh thing we need to give to our children is a happy environment. Proverbs 15:13-17 tells us "A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted calf with hatred."

Brother Mark told us we can still be firm and fair with our children and still be fun.

"Kids who grow up in disgruntled homes tend to have disgruntled homes of their own. If they grow up in a happy home, they will tend to have one like it themselves. With a good church home and family home we can have a heavenly home. Jesus is the home builder."

In closing, Brother Mark asked, "Have you lost your burden for the lost? Get back to God and ask Him for the burden of the lost and our neighbors. It seems we are in a generation who doesn't know God.

"Apathy is a dangerous place to me. As Christians, we need to ask God to give us a burden for the lost in our own Jerusalem and help them to see and know Him."

Our hymn of invitation was "Without Him" and Steve Mason gave the benediction. We invite you join us next Sunday for Father's Day. It would be a great day to be in God's house and give thanks to Him for our fathers.

Mill Creek is located 31/2 miles east of Noel just off Highway 90. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m.

Everyone is welcome.