Senior Pastor Joel Gray
LETTER TO THE CHURCH During Covid-19
To the Marion First Family:
It is with a grateful heart that I write this letter. During these challenging times, we have seen this church pull together in an amazing fashion. From distributing food, providing “Loads of Love” laundry detergent to laundromats, and delivering goody bags to our Sunday School children, to simply checking on one another, the unity of our church is as strong as it has ever been.
For many years, we have been told that we are living in the last days. This pandemic has given us a glimpse into how these events might unfold. That being said, as we look to come back together, we are required to recognize that the vision for our assembly has become laser-focused. Our mission is to reach the lost!
Our growth isn’t about status, or being able to brag about numbers. The growth of our congregation is all about transforming lives for the glory of God.
Although we have missed many things during this time of sheltering-at-home, it has also served to sharpen our view on what is really important. The love of Jesus, our neighbors and the truth are truly the only essential parts of the church. Buildings, schedules, traditions and personal preferences are all negotiable, but building the kingdom of Jesus is not.
Reopening our church will take patience and wisdom. We have faith in the healing power of Jesus name, but He has also given us the ability to use common sense. We may go slower than some would like, and we may go faster than what others prefer. However, each step of the way will be covered in prayer, and done according to the leading of the Holy Ghost.
My family and I love this church! We pray for you all every night, and we thank you for your prayers. There is victory on the other side. We are in this together!
Humbly yours,
Joel E. Gray | Senior Pastor
To our visitors
We are so happy you came to visit Marion First online! We hope you feel welcome and were spiritually enriched by your experience. We’ve seen some amazing miracles here at Marion First, and we believe God is going to continue to do amazing things in our congregation. We would like you to be a part of what God is doing!
Marion First is an Apostolic Pentecostal Church. For many people, “Pentecostal” is a new word, but its roots go back to the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the earliest Christian believers. Because this initial outpouring of the Spirit took place on the Day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), those who experience a similar infilling of the Spirit are known as Pentecostals.
Some of the beliefs of the modern Pentecostal church include:
• An understanding that the Bible is the infallible word of God
• An appreciation of Jesus’ identity as God
• Adherence to the biblical plan of salvation, which includes repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in tongues are necessary for salvation. (Acts 2:38)
• The responsibility of the believer to live according to God’s word
• Participation in passionate expressions of authentic worship
• Exercising faith to allow the Gifts of the Spirit (Ephesians 3:20) to work through us as Spirit-filled believers
If you would like to know more about any of these beliefs, please let us know. We’d love to answer any questions you might have. Our church email is marionfirstac@gmail.com.