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Good morning, everyone! I hope you are all well, safe, and dry today. Emphasis on the dry! We have had some heavy rains these past few days, and I know those chances remain in the forecast. Today's update will be in two parts. I will send the remaining part this afternoon. TONIGHT at 7 pm - Join us for PRAYER, PRAISE, and PIE. We'll gather in the sanctuary for prayer and praise with Bro. M. R. Hamilton and his lovely wife, Katie, in preparation for the community-wide revival. We are inviting folks from the churches in the Maysville area to be with us to pray for God's Spirit to have His way in our hearts this week. Bro. M. R. will share a brief introduction to what he plans to preach this week, and Katie will share in a song. Afterward, we will enjoy pie (and other desserts) in the Fellowship Hall. Come on out and be with us this evening. What better way to spend a Saturday night? TOMORROW at 9:30 am - All adult and teen Sunday School classes will meet together in the Sanctuary for a time of teaching from Bro. M.R. This will be a great time to hear the word from our evangelist, especially if you are unable to make the evening services, although we want everyone to come who is able to attend. (Nursery, preschool, and children's classes will meet in regular session). Bro. M. R. will leave around 10:15 am to preach at Hopewell's morning service, and we will invest those remaining minutes in sharing prayer needs and praying for one another prior to morning worship at 10:40. 1:30 pm - All hands on deck to help set up tents, inflatables, and game trailer out at the fairgrounds, back side of the June Conley Building. Weather permitting, we will set up for our community revival services with M.R. & Katie Hamilton. 4:30 pm - FAMILY FUN NIGHT at June Conley Building. Hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone inside the building, inflatables and games for the kids outside. Bro. M.R. will be sharing a message especially for younger families, those with children still at home. 6:00 pm - REVIVAL SERVICE with Bro M.R. and Katie Hamilton under the tents outside June Conley Building, weather permitting. In case of inclement weather, we will meet inside the building. Bro. M.R. will be sharing a series of messages on spiritual warfare from God's word. MONDAY - WEDNESDAY
We use the word "revival" a lot to simply refer to a series of weekday services with an evangelistic thrust. And this is indeed what the community planning team has been praying and planning for. But true revival is a work of God's Spirit in the hearts of God's people. Bro. M.R. Hamilton will preach his heart out, Katie will sing her heart out, but it is up to the Holy Spirit of God to bring new life or renewal to those gathered to listen. Contrary to what the popular early 19th-century evangelist Charles Finney once wrote, revival is not simply a man-made result of the "right use of the appropriate means." True, biblical revival occurs when God's people return to Him in prayer, confession of sin, humble dependence on His sovereign grace, and intercession for the souls of men. While the context was different during the prophet Joel's day (much different due to the temple sacrifice system), the principle remains constant from Joel 2:12-14: 12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. 14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God? Grace and peace to you, Good morning, again, everyone! Here is part two: VBS 2021: DESTINATION DIG is just 2 weeks away! Dates are July 12-16, beginning at 5:30 pm with supper each night. Ending time is approximately 8 pm. Pre-K through completed grade six, with nursery provided for children of workers. Pre-registration forms will be available very soon, so watch this e-mail and listen for announcements at church! **VBS WORKERS' MEETING will be directly after morning worship tomorrow, so if you are helping, please plan to be there! THE LORD'S DAY SCRIPTURES: Please take a few moments to read and meditate on God's Word in preparation for corporate worship tomorrow.FIGHTER VERSES: Ephesians 6:10-11 CALL TO WORSHIP: 1 Peter 1:3-5 OT READING: 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 NT READING: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Psalm 130 ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Psalm 130:3-4 BENEDICTION: 2 Corinthians 13:14 COMING UP
ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message audio Luke 6:37-42 "Judging Rightly" Please visit our YouTube Channel to see the edited service video. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE Week 26 of the 5 Day Bible Reading Program. Read through the entire Bible following this plan, or read only the New Testament (in italics). Day One: 1 Kings 6; 2 Chronicles 3; 1 Timothy 1 Day Two: 1 Kings 7; 2 Chron. 4; Psalm 44; 1 Timothy 2 Day Three: 1 Kings 8; Psalm 30; 1 Timothy 3 Day Four: 2 Chron. 5-7; Psalm 121; 1 Timothy 4 Day Five: 1 Kings 9; 2 Chr. 8; 1 Timothy 5 Visit the website for more up-to-date information! BONUS: I was encouraged to watch/listen to this interview with Conrad Mbewe, the "Spurgeon of Africa" and pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church in Lusaka, Zambia, where he has served since 1987. Tom Ascol and Jared Longshore interview Conrad on The Sword & Trowel. God is at work through His people through faithful, biblical ministry worldwide. Here is a video devotional from Bro. M.R. Hamilton on how God blots out our transgressions and remembers our sins against us no more. I found it very encouraging, and I trust you will too! See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg Pastor Greg
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We made it back from the SBC Annual Meeting! We got home from Nashville in the wee hours Friday morning, and were glad to be back. Eight of us (6 messengers, 2 teenage guests) traveled on Sunday, attended two different conferences on Monday, and spent Tuesday and Wednesday in the business sessions. Thursday morning we checked out of the airBnB, saw a few sights in Nashville, then drove out to Mt. Juliet for lunch at an Italian restaurant recommended to us (the chef grew up in St. Joe, so that was the connection).
I will be preparing a fuller report for our church family on what took place during the convention. The short version is, there was much to rejoice over, some things to be concerned about, and a few "aha" moments. My advice is not to accept uncritically everything you read or hear in the media, left, right, or center. Talk to some people who were "in the room where it happened" and you will probably get a better idea of the grassroots level opinion of things. TOMORROW is THE LORD’S DAY! As we prepare for corporate worship tomorrow, take a look at these lyrics from Eva B. Lloyd from over 50 years ago. Eva was born in Jameson, MO, in 1912, and was a long time member and WMU leader at FBC Maryville until her death in 2006. This hymn, "Come, All Christians, Be Committed," was written in 1966 and found its way into a Baptist Hymnal for the first time in 1975. It has been included in the two successor Baptist Hymnals in 1991 and 2008, as well as a host of others: "Come, all Christians, be committed to the service of the Lord. Make your lives for Him more fitted, tune your hearts in one accord. Come into His courts with gladness, each his sacred vows renew, Turn away from sin and sadness, be transformed with life anew. "Of your time and talents give ye, they are gifts from God above, To be used by Christians freely to proclaim his wondrous love. Come again to serve the Savior, tithes and off'rings with you bring. In your work with Him find favor, and with joy His praises sing. "God's command to love each other is required of ev'ry man. Showing mercy to a brother, mirrors His redemptive plan. In compassion He has given of His love that is divine; On the cross sins were forgiven; joy and peace are fully thine. "Come in praise and adoration, all who on Christ's name believe. Worship Him with consecration, grace and love you will receive. For His grace give Him the glory, for the Spirit and the Word, And repeat the gospel story till all men His name have heard." Meditate on the following Scriptures that will shape and inform our worship tomorrow: Fighter Verses: 1 Peter 1:3-5 Call to Worship: Psalm 9:9-20 Old Testament: 1 Samuel 17:1a, 4-11, 19-23, 32-49 New Testament: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Prayer of Confession: Psalm 51:1-4 Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 32:1-2 Sermon Text: Luke 6:37-42 Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26 THIS WEEK
ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message audio Please visit our YouTube Channel to see the edited service video. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE Week 25 of the 5 Day Bible Reading Program. Read through the entire Bible following this plan, or read only the New Testament (in italics). Day One: Proverbs 29-31; 1 Thess. 4 Day Two: Song of Sol. 1-3; Psalm 72; 1 Thess. 5 Day Three: Song of Sol. 4-6; 2 Thess. 1 Day Four: Song of Sol. 7-8; Psalm 127; 2 Thess. 2 Day Five: 1 Kings 5; 2 Chr. 2; 2 Thess. 3 Visit the website for more up-to-date information! BONUS: Here is a video with Todd Friel interviewing pastor Mike Stone, who ran as the conservative candidate for SBC president. He did not win, losing to the more moderate candidate Ed Litton by the margin of 522 votes with over 13,000 votes cast. Full disclosure, I voted for Mike Stone on both the first and second ballot because I believe he was the best candidate. That being said, please pray for Ed Litton. He is a good man by the estimate of everyone who knows him. Pray for godly leadership, godly appointments to the committee on nominations (the only officially prescribed duty of the SBC president aside from presiding at the annual meeting), and a godly direction for our convention of churches. Please understand when I say "conservative" and "moderate," these should not be thought of in standard political or theological terms. All of the candidates are biblical inerrantists. How the Bible is applied to specific issues is where these candidates differ. See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg Greetings, everyone! Summer is upon us with ball games, vacations, camps, Bible school, and all manner of patriotic holidays and celebrations. We had a great evening watching "The Peanuts Movie" on the bank parking lot on Friday evening with about 35 or so turning out. Our goal was to present a gift of a fun family night to our community and hopefully to engage with members of the community. It was a great first effort this summer, and thanks to all those who came and especially to those who helped.
This week we commemorated three special days of national importance: May 31,Memorial Day, in honor of the war dead and all service members who have died, whether in wartime or not; June 4, 1944, the liberation of Rome by the 3rd Army (thank you, Kyle Carroll, for pointing this one out); and of course June 6, 1944, D-Day marking the beginning of the allied invasion of Normandy and the 10-month countdown to victory in Europe. If you know a service member, veteran, or family of a deceased veteran, be sure to thank them. The blessings of liberty come from God, but they are secured for us by those willing to fight, bleed, and die for them. TOMORROW isTHE LORD’S DAY! I never tire of reminding us of the fact that "Sunday" is more than a "fun day." In fact, the Lord's Day is intended to be set aside for corporate worship, study of God's word, fellowship with Christian believers, reading of Christian books that build us up in the most holy faith, and doing deeds of mercy and necessity. Tomorrow, you have the opportunity to join in Bible study at 9:30 am, worship at 10:40 am, and member meeting at 6 pm. Scriptures that will frame our worship together are: Fighter Verses: Psalm 85:5-7 Call to Worship: Psalm 138 Old Testament: 1 Samuel 8:4-20; 11:14-15 New Testament: 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 Prayer of Confession: Psalm 130:1-6 Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 130:7-8 Sermon Text: Luke 6:29-31 Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26 Click anywhere in the link to go to a printable version of the Scriptures for worship. THIS WEEK
COMING UP
Please visit our YouTube Channel to see the edited service video. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE Week 23 of the 5 Day Bible Reading Program. Read through the entire Bible following this plan, or read only the New Testament (in italics). Day One: Proverbs 3-5; Romans 10 Day Two: Proverbs 6-7; Psalm 7; Romans 11 Day Three: Proverbs 8-10; Psalm 144; Romans 12 Day Four: Proverbs 11-13; Psalm 8; Romans 13 Day Five: Proverbs 14-15; Romans 14 Visit the website for more up-to-date information! BONUS: I don't know Pastor Brad Ball or Bethsaida Baptist Church in Dublin, Georgia, but I believe he has done a good job of laying out some of the issues within the SBC that I hope to address this Wednesday evening. You can preview the issues by watching this video of Pastor Ball speaking to his congregation (about 45 minutes). Baptist Polity 101: I used the word "messenger" several times in this e-mail, and it bears defining for our purposes. A messenger in Baptist life is similar to a delegate or a representative in other contexts. A local Baptist church is entitled to elect messengers to any other Baptist body to which it belongs, i.e. the local association, the state convention, and the national convention. Our church voluntarily relates to a local association, the St. Joseph Baptist Association. We voluntarily relate to a state convention, the Missouri Baptist Convention. We voluntarily relate to a national body, the Southern Baptist Convention. And we voluntarily elect and send messengers to each of these bodies as we are able. Messengers are elected to vote in accordance with their Christian conscience at the annual meetings of these Baptist bodies. See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg |
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