Thompson Preached at Providence
Triplets: Ben, Margaret Elizabeth, and Will Ritchie
On Sunday, August 9th, our Charlotte District Superintendent preached at Providence UMC at the invitation of Dr. Ken Carter. The services at the church this summer are each centered upon one of the Psalms; and, for the two services this morning, the assigned text was Psalm 90. You can reference all of the services of worship at Providence UMC by audio or video by visiting their website www.providenceumc.org. Pictured here are triplets who were baptized nine years ago on Father’s Day, 2000, when George Thompson was Senior Pastor of the church. They and their parents–David and Meredith Richie–were present for the morning worship. At this time Dr. Carter was on special mission to Liberia as the Annual Conference preacher at this vibrant and growing United Methodist conference in Africa. Dr. Carter was also the graduation speaker at this year’s commencement of the Methodist University of Liberia. He called on Liberians graduating from colleges and universities in specified career areas to avoid selfishness and share what they have achieved with their country for development. Kenneth Carter’s message to the United Methodist University graduates on August 11, 2009, was anchored in biblical theology. He said that God gives to people, but does not share with those to whom He gives. He said what God gives an individual is meant to be shared with others who do not have and therefore Liberians should make better use of their careers to develop their country.
―Education is the illumination of the mind and Liberia has been in a dark time. It is only Liberians who can bring light to their own country.
Dr. Carter also said it was about time Liberians thought of what they could do for their country and not what they could get from it. He said what an individual thinks about God is what he does with his life, noting that ―if a man thinks negatively toward God, he will always do things that will displease Him, and if good thinking he will manifest it by doing what will portray the true image of God that will positively reflect on his country.