First Christian Church Pennington Gap, VA

05/12/2026

05/06/2026

Dear Church Family & Friends,
I wanted to let you know that Eddie will be transferred to Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital this afternoon. His room number is 304B. Encompass address is: 113 Cassell Drive Kingsport, TN 37660. Their visiting hours are 12-noon to 8:00 pm.

Please continue to keep Eddie and his family in your prayers.

--
Bob Richards, Pastor First Christian Church 41481 W. Morgan Ave. Pennington Gap, VA 24277 Office: (276) 318-0389 E-mail: [email protected]
Website: myfirstchristianchurch.com

05/06/2026

This coming Sunday is MOTHER'S DAY!

Astounding records are set on Mother's Day. For instance, Mother's Day is the 3rd largest attended day at churches (Easter is 1st and Christmas is 2nd) ... it's the 2nd busiest day of the year for restaurants ... Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year for phone calls (nationally and internationally) ... Mother's Day brings in millions of dollars to card stores, flower shoppes and candy companies. All of this occurs as we attempt to express our heartfelt love to our wonderful mothers.

I like how one six-year old boy conveyed his love to his mother ... "Mommy, I love you as many times as God can count!" That sums it up pretty good for many of us ... doesn't it?!

I came across this prayer for 'mothers' and I hope that you will pause and pray this prayer for your mother and then pass it along to all the mom's you know. May God's love and grace surround and empower our mothers!

"Make me a wise mother, O Lord. Keep me calm and give me patience to bear the small, irritating things in the daily routine of life. Give me tolerance and understanding to bridge the gulf between my generation and that of my children. Let me not be too ready to guide my children's stumbling feet, but allow me to be ever near to bind their bruises. Give me a sense of humor that I may laugh with them but never at them. Let me refrain from preaching with words. Keep me from forcing their confidences, but give me a sympathetic ear when my children come to me. Help me to teach them that life must not be filled with compromises, but must be replete with victories. Make me humble. Keep my children close to me, O Lord, though miles may separate us. And let Your light shine upon me so that they will see Your glory. Amen."

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

** Please worship with us this Sunday on Facebook Live at 11:00 am **
Due to Mother’s Day there is NO evening service

# # This Sunday’s Message: “7 Ways To Love Your Mother”

# Women’s Bible Study on Facebook Live on Tuesdays at 10:00 am.

(Don’t forget Wed. PM Bible study will be Facebook Live at 6:00 pm. We are studying the New Testament book of Acts Chapter 9+)

This devotional thought is sent to you by:

Bob Richards, Pastor
First Christian Church
41481 W. Morgan Ave.
Pennington Gap, VA 24277
Office: (276) 546-1315 E-mail: [email protected] Website: myfirstchristianchurch.com

04/29/2026

You may be familiar with the term Seasonal Affective Disorder, usually abbreviated with the initials SAD. It’s associated primarily with locations that experience wintry weather. When the weather stays gray, cloudy, and gloomy over an extended period of time, it can affect the mood of some people and they become sad. They miss seeing the sunlight and other features of springtime. And so when spring comes, they gladly welcome more sunlight, warmer temperatures, and flowers and trees starting to bloom and bud again.

Consider another type of SAD: Sin’s Affective Disorder. This condition has nothing to do with climate or change of weather, though gloomy weather may add to the sadness that this disorder produces. This SAD can be traced to what happened in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God.

Immediately after their act of disobedience, they knew something was wrong; what had been “very good” was now in disarray. Since Eden, every person who has entered this world has been impacted in some way by SAD; some in especially devastating ways. And this SAD doesn’t diminish with the arrival of a new season; in fact, it can make even the sunniest day seem as dark as midnight.

Perhaps it is only fitting, then, that Jesus, the Light of the world, was born at nighttime—God’s way of highlighting what Jesus’ arrival was intended to accomplish. Isaiah described his coming in these words: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2, NIV). John 1:3 offers this assurance: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Followers of Jesus are called “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). Yet we must still reside in a world that continues to reel from sin’s disorder and darkness. In Jesus, however, we have found the “order” or stability that he alone can provide to help us navigate through the times when the spiritual version of SAD threatens to throw us off course.

* Please worship with us Sunday on Facebook Live at 11:00 am & 6:00 pm.

# This Sunday’s Message: “When Tears Asks Questions” Romans 8:28-39

# # Women’s Bible Study on Facebook Live on Tuesdays at 10:00 am.

(Don’t forget Wed. PM Bible study will be Facebook Live at 6:00 pm. We are studying the New Testament book of Acts Chapter 7+)

This devotional thought is sent to you by:

Bob Richards, Pastor
First Christian Church
41481 W. Morgan Ave.
Pennington Gap, VA 24277
Office: (276) 318-0389 E-mail: [email protected] Website: myfirstchristianchurch.com

(Devotional thought written by: Doug Redford)

04/27/2026

Dear Church Family & Friends,

Due to an emergency with the surgeon Alice's procedure has been postponed and is tentatively re-scheduled for Thursday, May 7.

Please continue to keep Alice in your prayers. Thank you.

--
Bob Richards, Pastor First Christian Church 41481 W. Morgan Ave. Pennington Gap, VA 24277 Office: (276) 318-0389 Email: [email protected]
Website: myfirstchristianchurch.com