The Cedar Springs Post has a very nice follow-up article about this year’s United service on August 26, 2012 (you can read the full article by clicking here). We especially liked the opening paragraph—

Several hundred Christians across the Cedar Springs area dropped their denominational differences last Sunday and gathered for a time of worship together in Morley Park in the annual “United” worship service. At least 11 churches participated in the event.

This is exactly what we desire! No denominations, just Christians united in their worship of God.

Our prayer is that this attitude of being united in our love for God and for each other will continue all throughout the year, which will make next year’s United service even sweeter! If you’re counting down (like we are), our next gathering is only 360 days from today!

All of these pastors in Cedar Springs are totally committed to making sure everyone hears about Jesus Christ. So we put aside any denominational tags, joined hands and hearts in prayer, and believed that God would be revealed in our UNITED worship.

And from all of the reports we have heard, He was!

We are already praying and planning for our next UNITED service. Please plan to unite with us on Sunday, August 25, 2013.

What a fantastic day we had yesterday! All of the churches in Cedar Springs joining together in a united worship service. How appropriate that we called it UNITED!

In the book of Acts there is a great word that characterizes the first Church: together.

They all joined together constantly in prayer (1:14)

They were all together in one place (2:1)

All the believers were together and had everything in common (2:44)

Every day they continued to meet together (2:46)

They raised their voices together in prayer to God (4:24)

They gathered the church together and reported all that God had done (14:27)

We came together to break bread (20:7)

All of the pastors in the Cedar Springs Ministerial Association want to work together. We realize that it will take our combined efforts to make a significant impact in our community for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Our annual UNITED service is a visible reminder of what’s going on year-round in Cedar Springs. We are together to bring glory to Christ.

By the way, UNITED is already scheduled for next year.

Mark it down: August 25, 2013.

A special thanks to Delbridge Langdon, Jr. for the pictures of UNITED.

“When brothers and sisters in Christ UNITE in the common bond of the Word of God and prayer, they are strengthened in their faith and witness.” —Billy Graham

Join us tomorrow, Sunday, August 26, as the churches in Cedar Springs UNITE in worship, the study of God’s Word, and fellowship. Our united worship service begins at 11am Sunday morning in Morley Park.

In the 1730s, George Whitefield figured prominently in the Great Awakening in America: a revival that swept through the colonies, calling people back to their biblical roots. One day while preaching from the courthouse steps in Philadelphia —

“Father Abraham,” Whitefield cried, as he looked up to heaven, “whom have you in Heaven? Any Episcopalians?”

“No!” Whitfield called out, answering his own question.

“Any Presbyterians?”

“No!”

“Any Independents or Seceders, New Sides or Old Sides, any Methodists?”

“No! No! No!”

“Whom have you there, then, Father Abraham?”

“We don’t know those names here. All who are here are Christians – believers in Christ.”

“Oh, is that the case? Then God help me, God help us all, to forget having names and to become Christians in deed and in truth!”

This is what UNITED is all about… no names, no labels, no denominations.

Just Christians — believers in Christ — worshiping Him together.

Join us THIS SUNDAY, August 26, at 11am.

As we are counting down the days until UNITED 2012, we are taking a quick moment to look back on an earlier UNITED service.

The Cedar Springs Post reported —

“We weren’t Methodist, or Baptist, or Pentecostal, or Christian Reformed, or any other denomination,” explained one worshiper. “We were just Christians, worshiping as a community, and remembering what we all had in common, rather than what separates us.”

This sounds like a scene right out of the Bible, that John records in the book of Revelation…

I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there—all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb and heartily singing: Salvation to our God on his Throne!

Please join us as Christians from all over Cedar Springs UNITED together in worship.

Sunday, August 26, at 11am in Morley Park

There are a series of psalms in the Bible called “The Songs of Ascents.” Since Jerusalem was at a higher elevation geographically, pilgrims going to worship at the temple literally went up to worship God. But the Bible also teaches that when people praise God, the aroma of their praise also ascends up to Heaven.

One of The Songs of Ascents is found in Psalm 133 —

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!

For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.

Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion.

And there the Lord has pronounced His
blessing, even life everlasting. (New Living Translation)

The worshipers recognized that there was such a huge blessing in the harmony of worship.

That word harmony is a great description for a choir and for our UNITED service. We come from many backgrounds and many denominations, but all of us will be together in harmony on August 26. We hope that you will be able to lend your voice to our harmony as we believe our UNITED praise will bring unity and blessing to Cedar Springs.