<p class="s18"><span class="s17">HAPPY</span><span class="s17"> 67</span><span class="s17">TH </span><span class="s17">ANNIVERSARY</span></p>
<p class="s21">​<span class="s19">On today, we celebrate </span><span class="s19">67 years of ministry</span><span class="s19">. </span><span class="s19">For </span><span class="s19">67</span><span class="s19"> years, God has blessed </span><span class="s20">PILGRIM REST</span><span class="s19"> to be a shining light in the community and a place where a </span><span class="s20">PILGRIM</span><span class="s19">, weary and worn from the journey of life, may find </span><span class="s20">REST</span><span class="s19">.</span></p>
<p class="s21"><span class="s19">​</span>​<span class="s19">On this day of celebration, we look back at all of the blessings and miracles that God ha</span><span class="s19">d</span><span class="s19"> given to, and worked through </span><span class="s19">those who came before us</span><span class="s19">. </span><span class="s19">Their faith created a foundation upon which we </span><span class="s19">now stand. </span><span class="s19">They believed God for </span><span class="s19">what He could do</span><span class="s19">, trusted God for </span><span class="s19">what He would do, and God honored their faith. </span><span class="s19">Indeed, as we look back, we see the hand of God in the life of Pilgrim Rest over and over again.</span> <span class="s19">We are the</span> <span class="s19">benefactors </span><span class="s19">of t</span><span class="s19">heir faith</span><span class="s19">.</span></p>
<p class="s21"><span class="s19">​</span>​<span class="s19">As much as </span><span class="s19">it is necessary to </span><span class="s19">look back, we also look forward. We look forward to the blessings and miracles that God will continue to give to us, and work through us. We look forward because those who have gone before us were looking forward. They sacrificed, making choices and decisions in their day to meet the ministry needs of today.</span><span class="s19"> It remains a mystery how they prepared us then for what we need now…</span><span class="s19"> Therefore, we pause to remember their sacrifice.</span></p>
<p class="s21"><span class="s19">​</span>​<span class="s19">In addition, we continue pressing, in expectation of those who will come after us – trusting that we are laying an appropriate foundation upon which they will build, </span><span class="s19">sacrificing, </span><span class="s19">and </span><span class="s19">making choices and decisions today to prepare them for what they will need on tomorrow. </span></p>
<p class="s21">​<span class="s19">As we are responding to the question</span><span class="s19">, “What did Jesus have in mind when He died to establish the church?</span><span class="s19">” </span><span class="s19">This anniversary celebration </span><span class="s19">provides a</span><span class="s19">n opportunity for us to look back </span><span class="s19">as we look forward.</span></p>
<p class="s21"><span class="s19">​</span>​<span class="s19">Receive these quotes that I have previously shared, and </span><span class="s19">are</span><span class="s19"> yet appropriate to what God is doing where we are today:</span></p>
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<p class="s21"><span class="s19">• “Together shall we continue to grow and this church shall be as a flaming mountain standing out as a beacon light leading men to Christ, giving our children better religious training, our mission giving aid to those in need and here may the downtrodden find solace and peace.”   ​</span><span class="s20">Pastor C. V. Harrington,  1964</span></p>
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<p class="s21"><span class="s19">• “Our hope is that these facilities will enable Pilgrim Rest to engage in a more fruitful Christian ministry to the Milwaukee community.”  </span></p>
<p class="s21"><span class="s19">​    ​</span><span class="s19">                                                                          </span><span class="s20">Pastor Leroy B. Mixon,  1983</span></p>
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<p class="s21"><span class="s19">• “Pilgrim Rest possesses the power necessary to stabilize the downward spiral of hopelessness and despair that is prevalent in our community. Even more, we possess the vision and resources requisite for the liberation, transformation and re-unification of our community.”   ​</span><span class="s19">  </span></p>