PASTORAL SESQUICENTENNIAL ADDRESS A Rededication To Submit To Almighty God And His Word
Need: "Members of this Church who celebrated past anniversaries of Nepaug Church all celebrated the date of 1848. Today we recall our birthdate as 1846. Why do we use 1846 and not 1848?!"

1. Today's celebration recalls the formation of the Church's constitution in 1846 instead of the birthdate of its building in 1848.
1. (Report on the discovery of the 1846 Constitution this year.)
2. It was decided that since our Church is not our building so much as its people bonded by common beliefs, we should observe the birth of its constitution representing its people's beliefs above the building's origin.
2. We explain HOW our beliefs are worth more than our building:
1. Our beliefs were the widespread faith of Congregationalist forefathers: our first Statement of Faith records the Congregational Churches and leaders who were in consociation with our doctrine, and they hailed from Winchester, Torringford, and Wolcottville (now Torrington)!
2. These beliefs defined how man receives eternal life: Article Seventh of our first Statement of Faith reads: "We believe that those who are finally saved will owe their salvation to the mere sovereign mercy of God in Christ Jesus, through repentance and faith in him, and not to any works of righteousness which they have done."
3. These beliefs noted the sure authority of faith and practice to be the Bible: Article Second of our first Statement of Faith reads: "We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were written by holy men, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; and are the only i nfallible rule of doctrine and duty."
4. The departure from these beliefs has harmed our American society:
1. Leaving these beliefs has led to discrimination against the unborn:
1. (Show the case where if a women traveling to an abortion clinic miscarries due to a car accident where the other driver is at fault, and if the baby dies, the other driver is guilty of manslaughter!)
2. A baby in the birth canal can be slain, but just outside he is safe!
2. Leaving these beliefs as led to a rise in crime by children (Sally Jesse Raphael Show this week where parents fear uncontrollably evil children, and an expert's testimony that with both parents out of the home , there is no one self controlled to control them!)
3. Leaving these beliefs has led to uncertainties in the CHURCH:
1. Many people in mainline denominations today have no assurance of gaining heaven as they are confused as how to get there!
2. Some who know Christ are experiencing abuses in Church groups: (Jim Jones tragedy in Guyana and financial fleecing by televangelists who are imprisoned, representing dictatorial manipulation on a grand scale i n local churches!)
4. However, heeding Scripture solves all of these problems:
1. Psalm 51:5 makes all abortion-on-demand murder as David says that he was a person, responsible for sin at his conception. Thus, no discrimination is tolerable against the unborn, thus eliminating discussions about late term and clinics and accidents.
2. Heeding Titus 2:4-5, 1 Tim. 5:14 & Ep. 6:1-4 puts mothers back in the home as their first career, and the father back in the home as responsible overseer, thus eliminating growing youth crime.
3. Heeding 1 Peter 5:1-3; James 3:1-18 and Rev. 3:14-22 eliminate pastoral abuses in the Church: (a) 1 Peter 5:1-3 makes pastors lead not by dictatorship, but by example; (b) James 3:1-18 makes pulpit delivery not flashy or domineering, b ut gentle and peaceful to yield a harvest of righteousness; (c) Rev. 3:14-22 calls leaders to avoid suppressing people legalistically or unleashing their emotions charismatically, but to feed the flock and let God do all manipulating. Thus, we get back to a spiritual ministry that produces results.
4. Ephesians 2:8-9 and 1 John 5:13 dictate that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, and assure that this method produces eternal salvation. Thus, all can examine and adjust for salvation.

Application: (1) We choose to celebrate the 1846 date as that marked the organization of people committed to God's truths. (2) We also rededicate ourselves to the spread of this belief in Scripture's authority and in its Gospel of salvation fro m sin and hell unto heaven and eternal by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, and we desire to spread it to all other men in all nations, beginning here in Northwestern Connecticut. (3) In accord with our State flag's motto taken from the original Colonial banner, we believe that to accomplish this, we will depend upon divine providence. After all, "Qui transtulit sustinet": "He who transplanted (us to these shores from the old world) still sustains." To that end, we now call upon Rev. Dr. Pat Cate and Rev . Bob Bouffard to join me in our dedicatory prayer to Almighty God to that end!



Lesson: Therefore, we hereby rededicate ourselves to the adherence to Scripture's authority as first held by our forefathers, and to the spread of this belief to our countrymen and to the world for man's blessing.