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2026 Railsplitter community
worship service
[September 02, 2026]
Sunday morning at the
Railsplitter Festival Ryan Edgecombe led the annual community
worship service beginning with a prayer and hymn singing followed by
a short message.
Hymns included “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” “The Everlasting Arms,” “Have
Thine Own Way” and “Near the Cross.” Edgecombe said all these hymns
were sung when Abraham Lincoln was alive.
The passage for Edgecombe’s message
was Romans 12:9-21, in which the apostle Paul tells us not to just
pretend to love others, really love and show love in action. We are
to hate evil, be devoted to one another in love, serving the Lord,
be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. We
should share with those in need and show hospitality.
If someone persecutes us, we should bless them and try to live in
harmony and peace with everyone. We should not “repay evil with
evil” or take revenge on people but should do what is right. Verses
19-21 tell us to feed our enemy if he is hungry and “give him
something to drink” if he is thirsty for “in doing this, you will
heap burning coals on his head.” Finally, we are told to “not be
overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
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Romans 12 begins
by tell us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God
because of all he has done. Christ loves us, died for us and was
risen for us.
These verses show what it looks like to live holy, honor God
daily, worship God every day and be a good witness to the world
by sharing God’s love in how we live. Paul gives us a big list
to follow but it is not about being good enough. Edgecombe said
the list of how we should act is not legalistic but shows how to
remain holy flowing from gratitude for all God has done for us.
Expressing love in everyday life means putting the needs of
others above ourselves. Edgecombe said what we do should be
motivated by love. It should be love for those both inside and
outside the church.
The best way to get rid of an enemy is to turn them into a
friend. Edgecombe said the list does not gain us God’s favor
rather it helps us lead with love.
[Angela Reiners]
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