Clayton News Daily

By Jason A. Smith

jsmith@henryherald.com

The pastor of a local church hopes the beginning of 2009, will be a time for renewal of spiritual goals for those in attendance at a special service this Sunday.

Heritage Baptist Church, at 1843 Peeksville Rd., in Locust Grove, will host a Fresh Start Sunday event, at 11 a.m.

Pastor Terrell Hopkins will speak on the topic of living for Jesus Christ in the new year.

Hopkins says the message he will bring, is one which is both timely and crucial for Christians. "There's no one who ... doesn't need a fresh start, whether it's in their job, their marriage, raising their children or especially in their spiritual life," he says.

"For people who look back to a time when they were in church, serving God and happier than they've ever been, there's no reason they can't get back to that spiritual place. God wants them to get there."

The sermon will be based on Philippians 3:13 in the Bible, which instructs followers of Christ on "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" (New International Version).

According to Hopkins, this mindset is essential for people who wish to move ahead in the future.

"You can't go backward," says the pastor. "The only thing left is to go forward with Jesus Christ."

For more information, call the church office at (770) 320-7771, or visit www.hbcga.com.