From The Pastor's Desk - April 2025

Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!

We have officially entered into Spring, which means Easter is on the horizon! While we continually celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, this is a day recognized by the whole world. It’s a wonderful time to celebrate, and it’s also an amazing opportunity to invite others to visit our church. Don’t forget-Easter is on April 20th! Let’s make an intentional effort to invite as many people as possible and fill our Sanctuary to capacity!

For our Easter service, in addition to our praise and worship, our children will be singing, and we will enjoy a special drama presentation. After service, every child will receive a gift bag, and everyone in attendance will receive a sweet treat from the church. Be sure to invite your family and friends, and don’t forget to share the social media posts promoting this special service.

Throughout the month of April, we will be releasing one video devotion per day. Each devotion will be 3 to 5 minutes long and will follow the Impact 30 Devotional Guide written by Rema Duncan. We have a few devotional books available for purchase at $5 each—please see me if you would like one. The videos will be posted on our YouTube channel and shared across our social media pages. You will also be able to find them in the Church Center app.

Please note, we are currently working to update our church records. We will be sharing more information during our upcoming services. At the bottom of this letter, you will find a QR code—scan it to access the form and update your information. We are asking everyone who calls SOP their home church to complete this.

If you have not downloaded the Church Center app yet, here is how to do it:Open your app store and search for “Church Center,” then download and install the app. Once installed, open it and tap “Get Started.” The app will help you find our church—either allow location access and select “Sanctuary of Praise,” or enter our zip code, 29625. When you see the SOP logo, tap it, and choose “This is my church.” If you do not have an account, the app will guide you through setting one up.

Be sure to check out all the upcoming events listed below. You can also find these events in the Church Center app.

As we continue to pursue growth and revival in our homes and in our church, let us live with compassion, humility, and love—forgiving one another as Christ forgave us, allowing His peace and His Word to guide our hearts and actions, and doing everything with gratitude in the name of Jesus (Colossians 3:12–17).

Many Blessings,

Pastor Russell Drake