January 23rd, 2022

GREETINGS, EVERYONE! Thanks to all who have prayed for and wished me well as I have been sick with "Fluvid" (combination of Flue B and COVID). I am officially out of quarantine but will still be keeping my distance from folks tomorrow. My plan is to be at morning worship and at the Grief Seminar, Lord willing, as I hope you will too. 

MEN'S DISCIPLESHIP.  The home is key to Christian discipleship across the generations, and husbands and fathers are the key to the home. It has long been my hope to see the men of our church being discipled as the spiritual leaders in the home and church. To have even a single men's small group reading a substantial book together has been a dream of mine. So I'm excited about a new Men's Discipleship initiative. Russ Wright, Robert Kendall, and I will be starting small groups for men. We will be reading the Kent Hughes' modern classic book Disciplines of a Godly Man. Kent was long-time pastor at College Church in Wheaton, IL, and his book has been a great encouragement to many over the last 30 years. We will be using the updated version with study guide. Discount cost for the book is $14. Here is the tentative list of small groups with day and time, meeting weekly with the beginning date shown:

• Russ Wright: Wednesdays at 10 am (Jan. 26)
• Robert Kendall: Tuesdays at 7 pm (Feb. 1)
• Greg Dixon: Thursdays at 6:30 am or 7 pm (Feb. 2)

Other groups and leaders may be added. Men, please find a group that fits your schedule and make the commitment. Sign up lists will be available during Sunday School and in the narthex tomorrow, or use the Sign Up Genius link that will come out in a subsequent e-mail. 

THE LORD'S DAY (1/23/22)

• Bible Study for All Ages, 9:30 am. The new year is a great time to resolve to join a Bible Study group, of which we have several to choose from for adults. Age-graded Sunday School classes for nursery through high school also meet at the same time. Let's study God's Word together and be blessed!
• Worship Together at 10:40 in the Sanctuary. Steve Sewell will be preaching.
• Grief Seminar at 4 pm with Steve Sewell. An article is attached to this e-mail describing Steve's ministry in greater detail. Snack supper to follow with finger foods and desserts. You bring the food, the church will provide the drinks and table service. This event is free and open to the public. Steve will also be available for personal counseling following the snack supper on a first request basis. 
  • Times available: 7 pm and 8 pm
• Scriptures for Sunday. Here are the Scriptures we will be reading that will shape our corporate worship. Take a few moments to read and meditate on them. Also, we have seven different Scriptures in our morning worship, so they make a great resource for personal or family worship Sunday through Saturday. Click anywhere on the link to see a printable version of these passages on biblegateway.com
  • Fighter Verses: Romans 15:1-2
    
  • Call to Worship: Psalm 19
    
  • OT Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-10
    
  • NT Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31
    
  • Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 32:1-2
    
  • Sermon Text: Psalm 107:28-30
    
  • Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26
    

MONDAY (1/24)

• Steve Sewell available for individual counseling appointments. Times still available:
  • 2 pm
  • 3 pm
• Sewing Circle meets at 5 pm in the Fellowship Hall
• Steve Sewell speaking at Midland Ministries in St. Joseph, 6 pm
• Monday "Sunday School" online via ZOOM at 7 pm. See Pastor Kyle to join this virtual Bible study group. To Join Zoom Meeting, follow this link:
  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87573789453?pwd=Zjg5ZWZ2N1h5WklxOEFjM3IrVUt1QT09
  Meeting ID: 875 7378 9453 Passcode: 478672

WEDNESDAY (1/26)

• Kids' Club at 3:20 - 5:15 pm
• Worship Choir Rehearsal at 5:45 pm 
• Midweek Service, 6:30 pm in the Great Room. In person or via ZOOM (use the above link to access)

COMING UP:

• Lord's Supper will be observed Sunday, Jan. 30. This was postponed from Jan. 16.
• Monthly Member Meeting will be Sunday, Feb. 6, at 6 pm. This meeting will combine reports for January and February.
• Superbowl Party Chili Cookoff, Sunday, Feb. 13 at 4:30 pm, kickoff at 5:30 pm. Bring chili to be judged at 4 pm.

ICYMI: Last Sunday's Message The Word of God (Jerry Scott)
Please visit our YouTube Channel to see the edited service video. 


READ THROUGH THE BIBLE The Five-Day Bible Reading Plan is attached to this e-mail for your convenience. You may want to access additional resources to support your reading available at this website.


GIVING ENVELOPES: Envelopes are available at the back of the sanctuary for your convenience in giving throughout 2022. While an envelope is not absolutely necessary for your contribution, giving records are compiled from those envelopes for end-of-year contribution statements. Pick up as many packs of 25 envelopes as you will use.


BONUS: I heard a song this week that I would like to share with you entitled All of Our Tomorrows from Sovereign Grace Music. Mckenzie Miller is the vocalist with the incomparable Bob Kauflin at the piano. What an encouragement to trust in our Sovereign Lord for everything future as we have the past! I trust you will be blessed in listening to it. (You may hear it in the worship service tomorrow as well).


Incidentally, the song was sung Friday morning at the National Founders Conference held in Cape Coral, Florida. (Thank you Jan McElwain for asking me about it). I shared the live stream link with you earlier in the week, and those conference messages are available for free at this link. The theme is The Church: Militant and Triumphant. I highly recommend you listen to the panel discussion on the video link for Sessions 8-9, at the 2:00 mark. The discussion centers around the proper response of the Church to various mandates of civil authorities, what love for neighbor really means in our current context, and how Romans 13 has been properly or improperly employed by churches and church leaders in efforts to "submit to the ruling authorities."




Grace and peace,


Pastor Greg