From the Pastor:

God is so AWESOME! God in His supreme providence has, during this season, provided opportunities for us to be used in ways that have stretched, challenged, and further developed the gifts that He has given us. My prayer is that we will rise to the occasion and prosper in the purposes that God has predestined for our lives to His glory! Thank you for continued commitment to the cause of Christ and the disciples of the congregation of the Sweet Home MB Church. I love yall!

Please know that if you have any ideas or submissions, you can send them to us at info@sweethomembcgary.org.

In Anticipation of Greater,

Rev. Marlon C. Mack, Sr., Senior Pastor

Sweet Home Community News - September 2023

Upcoming Events

*Minister's Meeting

Date: Sunday, September 3rd, 2023

Time: 9:30am

*Sweet Home Corporate Prayer

Date: Sunday, September 3rd, 2023

Time: 10:30am (in-person)

*NBCUSA, Inc. Annual Session (Kansas City, MO)

Date: September 4th - 8th, 2023

Time: 10am

*Church Fellowship with Sweet Pilgrim of Faith

Date: Sunday, September 10th, 2023

Time: 11am

*Fellowship at Gethsemane MBC, 1095 Jackson St., Gary

Date: Sunday, September 24th, 2023

Time: 11am

*Men's Ministry meets every 2nd and 4th Sunday @ 9:30am.

*S.A.S.S.Y. meets every 3rd Sunday @ 10am.

*Happy Birthday to all of our September birthday members!

Member Spotlight:

Brother LC Mangum

The Member Spotlight for the month of September is Bro. LC Mangum! We are excited to recognize our greeter, parking lot attendant, resident jokester, and the member who won't take a frown for an answer! Bro. LC is one of our long-time members who is never at a loss for words. His favorite biblical story is Ruth and Boaz, and highlights the moment that Ruth presented herself at Boaz's feet. This pre-telling of Jesus' lineage speaks to commitment and holy alliances. Bro. LC truly exemplifies his commitment to the holy alliance he has to Sweet Home, as well as the entire Christian community!

Bro. LC is from a small town in Mississippi, by the name of Longtown. He says that if you blink too long, you'll pass it up! lol

He moved to Indiana in 1968, and is currently a resident of Gary, IN. He is the proud husband to Sis. Gail Mangum, a loving father to Chanel and Tracy, and a sentimental grandfather to Lawrence, Jeremiah, Aniah, Sara, and Xzavier.

After joking around a bit, LC answered a serious question - How does he conquer storms in his life? "Everyday, I talk to God about the plans He has prepared for me. I want to make sure I'm doing what God wants me to do, so the devil won't catch me off guard!"

Of course, Bro. LC ends his interview with some words of wisdom:

"Be prayerful of all things. Thank God Almighty for each day in, and every day out!" Absolutely, LC, we will take those powerful words to heart. We are truly thankful to have LC as a part of the Sweet Home family!

Ministry Spotlight

This month we would like to highlight our Outreach/Evangelism Ministry, led by Min. Stephanie Harden. This ministry is responsible for producing our Livestreams across five different platforms. Additionally, this ministry manages the Social Media platforms of the church. The Outreach/Evangelism ministry works closely with our Discipleship Ministry to provide New Member Orientation, assisting the Christian Education Ministry in assessing the needs of our family and developing the curriculum that suits our specific needs.

"Make It Personal"

Having a personal relationship with God is mandatory if you’re going to be a true follower of Christ. You can be taught about God by your parents, the preacher, and the Sunday school teacher, but there comes a point where your learning of God has to be deeper than a lesson coming from others. While it’s great to listen to other peoples' testimonies about what God has done for them, it’s also necessary to reflect on what God has done for you, and with you personally. As you go through life, there are things that happen that you can only make it through if you have a personal relationship with God. Romans 10:10 says “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” You have to believe and profess for yourself. Salvation by association is not a thing. God is not going to give you credit just for being surrounded by people who believe Him and His word. Talk to God. Take time to really learn God through his word. Strengthen your relationship with Him and watch your life change for the better.

Sis. Alicia Allen