First Sabbath Offering for Winchester, Kentucky, USA

We are told: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house” (Matthew 5:14, 15).

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, (population over 4.5 million), is a state within the southeastern U.S.A. and is perhaps best known for Kentucky “bluegrass,” a distinct species of grass especially nutritious to thoroughbred horses—a major source of revenue for the state.

More than half of Kentucky’s population consider themselves to be “highly religious”—most professing Christianity. Over 25% are of the Baptist faith, 8.4% Catholic, 1.8% Pentecostal, 1.1% Presbyterian, with the remainder being of other Christian and non-Christian faiths. How important it is, then, to have a memorial to the true and living God in this state!

The message of Reformation came to Kentucky in the 1990’s and the Lord opened doors in amazing ways in those early years. A 2-acre property with an old house that had been converted into a church was purchased at a miraculously low price. The neighbor adjacent to the property then bought a portion, plus a pair of religious artifacts in the building were auctioned, so the exact cost of the church was paid off—and when the members had moved away/passed away, the property was sold at a profit. By another miracle, the Lord soon provided a huge, beautiful church in the capital city for our use free of charge.

Yet over time, the location of our membership had already shifted to the city of Lexington—so all resources gathered were now focused on this area. Land and buildings are quite costly in this nation, so God made another miracle: A church came for sale in the nearby town of Winchester. Our members in Kentucky, few in number, have struggled much to acquire it. They have put their utmost into this project and here the everlasting Gospel is being presented to the community, and new visitors attend Sabbath worship services regularly. We are encouraged to see this lighthouse in Kentucky—and are eager to see it free of debt as soon as possible, that the name of the Lord may be honored.

Your generous gifts are greatly appreciated!

Your brothers and sisters from the Winchester, Kentucky Church