Norwalks One Day Meeting

On Saturday I met my pastor and a few of our saints in the Norwalk Assembly. Also in attendance; Bro Antoine from Westbury, NY, Bro Remy from Boston, MA, and Bro Ermlieus from Philadelphia, PA along with some of their saints. The greatest surprise was Bro Cesar. We have not seen him in a meeting in a ong time and it was nice to see him doing so well after his recent illness.

Bro Moses, pastor of the Norwalk Assembly, opened the pulpit to the visiting ministers, the band was blended and the spirit of the Lord was present. It was nice to see how the assembly had grown and changed since last year. The staff was a little more efficient, the food was well presented. As the Lord works in that church and with Bro Moses I'm sure that the church will continue to thrive.

Bro Singh started the main thread of the meeting which was that we are not trying to build Haitian churches or Canadian churches but churches that truly represent the Body of Christ. Bro Singh encouraged the local assembly to support the ministry and keep holding fast to the promises of God. My prayer is that the Lord will bless the efforts in Norwalk and lead Bro Moses in the way he should go.


While I was in New York I learned something about myself. I will not and cannot follow my friends and do what pleases them. For myself, it's important for me to keep my pastor in my mind and my heart as he is the one that the Lord sent to minister to the needs in my life. When things look rough or my friends backslide I must keep on, keeping on. I found this little story that I hope is an encouragement for anyone thinking of leaving the church.

The Call of the Barnyard


A flock of wild ducks were flying in formation, heading south for the winter. They formed a beautiful V in the sky, and were admired by everyone who saw them from below.

One day, Wally, one of the wild ducks in the formation, spotted something on the ground that caught his eye. It was a barnyard with a flock of tame ducks who lived on the farm. They were waddling around on the ground, quacking merrily and eating corn that was thrown on the ground for them every day. Wally liked what he saw. "It sure would be nice to have some of that corn," he thought to himself. "And all this flying is very tiring. I'd like to just waddle around for a while."

So after thinking it over a while, Wally left the formation of wild ducks, made a sharp dive to the left, and headed for the barnyard. He landed among the tame ducks, and began to waddle around and quack merrily. He also started eating corn. The formation of wild ducks continued their journey south, but Wally didn't care. "I'll rejoin them when they come back north in a few months," he said to himself.

Several months went by and sure enough, Wally looked up and spotted the flock of wild ducks in formation, heading north. They looked beautiful up there. And Wally was tired of the barnyard. It was muddy and everywhere he waddled, nothing but duck doo. "It's time to leave," said Wally.

So Wally flapped his wings furiously and tried to get airborne. But he had gained some weight from all his corn-eating, and he hadn't exercised his wings much either. He finally got off the ground, but he was flying too low and slammed into the side of the barn. He fell to the ground with a thud and said to himself, "Oh, well, I'll just wait until they fly south in a few months. Then I'll rejoin them and become a wild duck again."

But when the flock flew overhead once more, Wally again tried to lift himself out of the barnyard. He simply didn't have the strength. Every winter and every spring, he saw his wild duck friends flying overhead, and they would call out to him. But his attempts to leave were all in vain.

Eventually Wally no longer paid any attention to the wild ducks flying overhead. He hardly even noticed them. He had, after all, become a barnyard duck.

Sometimes we get tired of being wild ducks-followers of Jesus Christ. It's not always easy to be obedient to God and to discipline ourselves to hang in there for the long haul. When we are feeling that way, that's when Satan tempts us to "fall out of formation" and to join the barnyard ducks - the world.

But look what happened to Wally. He thought he would just "check it out" for awhile and then leave when he wanted to. But he couldn't do it. Sin is like that. Sin is a trap, and it has a way of changing us into people we don't even want to become. Eventually we lose touch with who we really are--the sons and daughters of the Most High. We become barnyard ducks.

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

We had a beautiful weekend of fellowship in our local assembly this past weekend. Thanksgiving, overtime has become a day of excused gluttony, rather than a day of remembering our Creator as it was originally intended.

We had a few out of town visitors, the spirit of the Lord was rich and I realized just how much I had to be thankful for. Bro Rudy from the Elmont assembly spoke about the process an oyster goes through to make that precious pearl. The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle and the shell, which irritates the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The mantle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl
He mentioned this in reference to what a child of God has to go through to become an over comer. Sometimes we have an irritant in life and our reaction is what will help us to be presented holy, and acceptable to our Savior. Do we cover that irritant with the Word of God in an effort to be more like Him? Sometimes we allow Satan room and have the wrong reactions to those irritants in life. Do we trust that no matter what God has our best interest at heart

Though He Slay Me, Yet I Will Trust Him
Satan laughs, he thinks I'm had
Seeing my countenance, knowing I'm sad
But no matter my plague of feelings Grimm
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

Though there is sadness, there is no despair
My hope is in Him, I've nothing to fear
Even as forgotten aches are creeping back in
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

I've emptied my heart, all that's left are the moans
Please curtail my suffering, or call me on home
Each moment a struggle, daily chagrin
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

My spirit's melancholy but 'tis well with my soul
My flesh, its weak but His blood has made me whole
My heart feels as if being torn limb from limb
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

I thought you would be the supreme anesthesia
That there would be no more pain since you are my healer
I pray for another dousing, filling to the brim
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

Bring me back to where we first did begin
Where my only craving was Your touch on my skin
Through my tears, my vision grows dim
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

I don't understand why this must be
How have I displeased You that this must happen to me
Your perfect will is why, and Your timing is when
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

Salvation in check, peace at rest
My joy may be wavering, but I still know I'm blessed
I resist drowning, and continue to swim
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

I lay it in your hands and trust that you will
My unrest- quiet, my requests -fill
My hands lifted in praise, my mouth spilling hymns
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Written by Annette M. Parrott