I pray Easter was a joyful and happy time for you all. I sent everyone an Easter greeting this year, and I hope everyone received it. I felt that was more personal than posting something on the bbs that you may or may not see. Fortunately, Rev. Harry A. Smith also posted an Easter greeting on the bbs, so between the two of us, we covered all the bases. Thanks, Harry! I'd also like to thank Brother Francis for a wonderful post about Good Friday on the bbs. I enjoyed it so much that I placed a temporary link to the post right on the front page of the web site. I then replaced that one on Easter with a link to a page about the death and resurrection of Our Lord. That one is still up, and I'll leave it up for a few more days. If you haven't clicked through that link and read the Easter page yet, I encourage you to do so, I think you'll really enjoy it. If that sort of thing proves popular, I'll try and do more of it in the future. Let me know how you like it.

Well, many of you have expressed a desire to use the seal of our church on your own web pages. Unfortunately, I have to reserve the use of that to certain papers and publications of our church, since that is the "official" seal of our church. However, I've come up with an "unofficial" seal just for this purpose, and this is it to the right. Please feel free to use it on your own web pages (but not on any printed documents, please). I only ask that if you do use it, you make it a graphic link back to our church. Fair enough?

A little bonus for our ordained clergy. I've designed a page with the "Minister's Oath" on it (sort of like the Hippocratic oath, but for ministers). It has to do with the ethical standards of the ministry, and is designed so you can print it up, sign it, and display it in your home or office. By the way, you'll find the "official" seal of our church on the Minister's Oath page. This is one instance when you have my blessing to print the seal yourself. If you don't have a printer and would like a printed copy of the oath, let me know, and I'll see what we can work out. Oh, the Minister's Oath is here. You'll also find a link to it on the School of Biblical Studies main page. I'll be posting more and more resources there, so you should try and drop by every now and then and see what's new.

Speaking of the School of Biblical Studies, I'm pleased to announce the graduation of our first student! One of our members, Steven Benton Smethers, has satisfactorily finished the prescribed course of studies and has been awarded his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies! Congratulations, Brother Steven (or should I say, Dr. Steven?). If you haven't visited the School of Biblical Studies yet, please be sure and do so soon. Who knows, maybe you'll be joining Harry A. Smith, Ph.D., as an illustrious alumnus (or alumna) of The First International Church Of The Web School Of Biblical Studies.

Finally, I have a praise and healing report I'd like to share with everyone tonight. The Lord has been working on my elbow, and it is now almost completely healed. The swelling has gone down, and the pain is almost entirely gone. I still keep it wrapped when I'm on the computer, though, to prevent re-injury and to insure the complete healing. I'd like to thank everyone for their prayers during this time. I've redesigned my computer work area, so hopefully I can avoid injuring myself in this way again. (I say redesigned, but basically that just means I've clamped a plank to my desk that I rest my "mouse arm" on when using the mouse. That removes any stress from the elbow. Simple, but effective.) Again, thank you, and praise be to Our Lord for His healing. Amen.

Well, brothers and sisters, that's about going to do it for this issue of our newsletter. As always, please keep those members of our church who are hurt or suffering illness or loss in your prayers. We are, after all, a church fellowship, and our prayers for one another help edify and strengthen the Body of Christ. Let us love one another at all times through prayer and through sharing one another's sufferings. Please know that you remain in my prayers at all times. I love you, and will always do my best to serve you as well as I can. God bless you.

Yours in Christ,
Brother Dave