July 24, 2000 HERE'S MY HEART... Dixie Lee Baptist Church was "the church scattered" and "the church gathered" on Sunday. "Scattered", we were at Centrifuge, a Southern Baptist Youth Camp, at Carson-Newman College, in Jefferson City, Tennessee, and at Emmanuel Baptist Church, in Chesapeake, Virginia, where construction work on the church will continue this week. We were also "scattered" in different churches in resort areas, as our families on vacation worshipped with different churches. "Gathered", we had a great day, in spite of the lower attendance due to the number who were away. There was a sweet spirit of worship in all three services, and an exceptional number of visitors who came to worship with us. If you were here, I hope your heart was blessed, touched, and changed. This Sunday, July 30th, will be "Homecoming". It will be a time for reflection and celebration. I look forward to these special days in the life of any church, because it gives the opportunity for people to rejoice in God's blessings of the past, and it allows new members to rejoice in the heritage they have become a part of. This year's homecoming, with the addition of attention being given to "Old-Fashioned Day", should prove to be a wonderful time in the Lord. I hope you have a good week. Let's continue to pray for each other and for the important "growth decisions" that are directly ahead of us. May God grant us wisdom, courage, faith, and patience as we listen to Him. God bless you. - Jim Clayton, Pastor