Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Weekly Schedule 10/28

Tuesday October 30rd-Dig Into the Sermon 6:30 pm in the Pastor's Study.

Wednesday October 31st-Trunkloads of Treats!
6:30-7:00pm in the Parking Lot
NO Kid's Club!

Friday November 2nd-Missionary Presentation by John and Sangi Vanlal
Carry in dinner at 6:00pm, Presentation at 7:00pm

Sunday November 4th- Sunday School 9:30 am
Fellowship Time10:30;
Morning Worship 10:45;
Iglesia Amigos Evangelicos 3:00 pm;

Monday, October 22, 2007

Weekly Schedule 10/21

Tuesday October 23rd-Friends Women Fellowship 9:30 am
Special Presentation by Donnetta Carpenter.

Dig Into the Sermon 6:30 pm in the Pastor's Study.

Wednesday October 24th-
Kid's Club! 5:30-7:00pm
Food, Singing, Bible Stories, and Fun!

Sunday October 28th- Sunday School 9:30 am
Fellowship Time10:30;
Morning Worship 10:45;
Iglesia Amigos Evangelicos 3:00 pm;

Area Rally at Gardner:

3:30 p.m. Executive Committee

4:30 p.m. Men, Women, and Youth meet separately

5:15 p.m. Supper is served (Potluck)

6:15 p.m. Brief Business session

6:30 p.m. Darin Kearns presents on Salt Shaker Nepal

7:30 p.m. Closing



This week's sermon: Stepping out in Faith- Giving

Matthew 6:3-4, 19-21, 31-33.
Jesus teaches us to trust God with our finances. What we have comes from God, and we need to use it for his glory. Our giving should not be done in order to build our reputation, or to check off an obligation, but to provide for the needs of others. In doing this, we build treasure in Heaven and are released from the trap of materialism. We can give in obedience to God's direction, because we are confident that he will continue to provide for our needs.

Acts 4:32-35.
This is one of the only passages of scripture dealing with local church giving. There are no percentages or set amounts for giving, only the example of the early believers who gave what they had to fill the needs of the body. The financial obligations of the local church belong to the members of that church. Early in the history of our own church, the members literally divided the budget between themselves so that all obligations were met.

2Corinthians chapters 8 & 9.
Paul writes to the Corinthians about their commitment to give an offering towards meeting the needs of the believers in Jerusalem, who were in severe financial hardship. Here we find scriptures often used to govern local church giving, when in fact they are referring to missionary giving and giving to relieve poverty. Paul says this giving ought to be a priority in our weekly giving, from what we have to meet the needs of others.

They aim of these principles on giving is to offer freedom, not burdens, for believers. We are set free to step out in faith in the area of our giving, both to the local church and beyond. We have this freedom because instead of following rules set forth by man, we give according to what God has laid on our hearts. Maybe that is a 10% tithe, maybe 20%, maybe 50% or more. But only as God guides each individual. Perhaps your giving is where it needs to be, maybe God is challenging you to give either to our church, or to missions through faith promise. Whatever your conviction, know you can step out in obedience and trust the results to God.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Weekly Schedule 10/14

Tuesday October 16th-Dig Into the Sermon 6:30 pm in the Pastor's Study.
Wednesday October 17th-
Kid's Club! 5:30-7:00pm
Food, Singing, Bible Stories, and Fun!

Sunday October 21st- Sunday School 9:30 am
Fellowship Time10:30;
Morning Worship 10:45;
Iglesia Amigos Evangelicos 3:00 pm;

This week's sermon: Stepping out in Faith in our Relationships

Mark 12:28-31. Deuteronomy 5:6-21.
Our relationships with other people are important. That is true whether they are our friends, family, acquaintances, strangers, even our enemies. Jesus says in Mark 12:28-31 that everything that God requires of us can be summed up in two commands: Love God, Love each other. And this is nothing new! If we take a look at the 10 commandments, they divide nicely between the fourth and fifth command on that line. The first four deal with our relationship with God, the last six cover our relationships with other people.

1John 1:7; 2:7-11. Matthew 5:44-48.

John tells us in 1John 1:7 that fellowship is a direct result of walking with God. Conversely in the next chapter, he says when we live in hatred, bitterness, and discord with our brothers we are walking in darkness, spiritually blind and separated from God. Jesus tells us that our relationship with God is not shown genuine unless we learn to love, not only our brother, but our enemy as well.

1Peter 3:1-2, 7.

Our relationship with God directly affects our relationships with other people. The love of God working in us can so affect our relationships with others that they can come to know Christ without our having to say a word. In 1Peter 3:1-2, Peter tells us that there have been some men won over to Christ simply because of the change they witnessed in the lives of their wives. And our relationships with other people directly affect our relationship with God. When we are in disharmony with others, it causes a break in our fellowship with God. In 1Peter 3:7, Peter warns husbands that they ought to live with their wives with understanding and respect so that nothing interferes with their prayers. The way we interact with others is important.

1Peter 2:23.

The means of staying in harmony with others and learning to love even our enemies is putting our trust in God. 1Peter 2:23 says that when Jesus was facing betrayal, false accusations, and torture, he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. That is how he was able to bear the suffering. That is how he was able to say on the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." When we are faced with injustice, we want to defend ourselves, justify ourselves, stand up for our "rights." God calls us instead to put our trust in him to work out the situation for our good. When we step out in faith and obedience in our relationships with others, we can trust that the God who judges justly can handle the consequences of our obedience.

Sunday October 14th, Relationship Building

The sermon was on relationships, and we had blessing after blessing celebrating those we love, and fellowshipping together!

Blessing Barb's Socks OFF!



Being Goofy!



Riding on Hay!Eating Good Food, and Praying for a delay of the rain!



Women's Retreat Pictures

The 9 Brave Souls who went to Women's Retreat in Joplin, MO.









Monday, October 8, 2007

Weekly Schedule 10/7

Tuesday October 9th-Elders Meeting 6:30 pm.
Wednesday October 10th-
Kid's Club! 5:30-8:00pm
We will be going to the fair grounds to the Fire Fighter's presentation.
Please sign permission slips for transportation.


Sunday October 14th- Sunday School 9:30 am
Fellowship Time10:30;
Morning Worship 10:45;
Business Meeting Following Service;
Iglesia Amigos Evangelicos 3:00 pm;
Fall Gathering and Hayrack Rides at Miller's Farm 5:30 pm

This week's sermon: Stepping out in Faith-The Lordship of Christ

Matthew 14:22-33.
Peter went out walking on the water to Jesus because he had Faith in Jesus as Lord. He said, "Lord if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water." Jesus called him, and Peter stepped out of the boat and began walking on the water toward Jesus.

Habakkuk 42:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38.
"The righteous will live by faith."
Four time in scripture it repeats this phrase in contrast to corrupt living, striving to earn our salvation through the law, trying to walk in our own strength, and giving in to fear and persecution. In each of these areas--lifestyle, salvation, perseverance--it is easy to become distracted by our surroundings and lose our focus. When our eyes are fixed on Jesus as Lord, we are walking by faith. When we choose to trust ourselves rather than His leading, we walk according to the flesh.

Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 3:15.
Paul said in Galatians that the life he lived in the body, he lived by faith in the son of God who gave his life for him. If we believe Christ gave up Heaven and came to live and die for us; if we believe that he rose from the grave to give us life in him, there is nothing that is safer than trusting him. Peter writes in 1Peter 3:15 that we ought to set apart Jesus as Lord in our hearts in order to gain victory over fear. Sometimes we, like Peter give way to fear, and the Lord is waiting to scoop us out of the water with a warm embrace and a reminder that our faith still needs to grow.

1 John 1:6; 2:4.
Part of trusting Jesus as Lord is being obedient to his call on our hearts and lives. We have to listen for his voice, and we have to follow through with whatever he is directing us to do. It may be an outward visible action--like Peter getting out of the boat. It may also be something just between God and ourselves--like an attitude change. Whatever the nature of the command, we need to obey. His word to us will always be in line with his commands in scripture, and they will always move us toward Christ-likeness in ourselves and wholeness in our relationships, family, and fellowship. Only you can choose to trust him as Lord of your life, only you can choose to follow his commands and watch him grow your faith as he proves himself faithful. Trust him to handle the consequences of your obedience.