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April 9, 2010 - Edition Number 81 |
| From the Pastor
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 Dear Friends, Worship is the central and essential activity in the life of the church. It is what we see in every picture of Heaven in the Scriptures. I remind you of that as I reflect on a wonderful morning of worship on the last Lord's Day, Easter Sunday, and on our Maundy Thursday communion service last week. We offer particular thanks to Bob and Paula Faub, our choir, and the instrumental musicians for your hard work of preparation over the past month. Ought every Sunday to be as special as Easter Sunday was for us? Yes! Let me explain what I mean. Historically, Reformed Christians have seen every Sunday as a remembrance of the Lord's resurrection. Indeed, we speak of Sunday as the Lord's Day because it was the day on which Jesus rose from the dead. We see the church in the New Testament meeting on that day ( Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2) to read the Bible ( 1 Timothy 4:13), hear the preaching of the Bible ( Romans 10:14), pray the Bible ( 1 Timothy 2:1), sing the Bible ( Psalm 92:1), and see the Bible in the sacraments ( Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Further, this 1-in-7 principle from the Old Testament is not set aside, though Jesus has fulfilled it and has secured for us a sabbath rest ( Hebrews 4:9). Because of His work, we gather together to worship Him every seventh day in the ways He has commanded us to worship Him. It's what we were created to do and we get to do it together not on a few holy days here and there, but 52 times every year! As one man said to me recently, "I don't have but a six-day spiritual tank. It has to be filled up every seven days." Interesting way to put it, but true of us all. Let me suggest some ways you might find useful in cultivating a sense of anticipation and more meaningful participation in the worship service on Sunday morning:
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Look ahead to the information about the upcoming service in each week's CCConnect. You can also find the bulletins posted late in the week prior to the service on our website. Read the Bible passages ahead of time. Meditate on the words of the psalms, hymns, and songs. Look at the confession of faith and consider each phrase and its importance in your own walk with God.
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Pray for the Lord's work in you and His people after last Sunday's service. Ask Him to impress the truth deep into our hearts and for the Holy Spirit to both comfort and convict us all. Pray for the upcoming week's service. Pray for the preacher as he prepares. Pray for the musicians as they learn their parts. Ask Him to put in us all a holy anticipation as Sunday approaches. Thank Him for the ushers, greeters, and nursery workers who help you to worship, whether you know it or not.
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Just as we spiritually prepare, so we also need to physically prepare. What can you do on Saturday that would make Sundays a more worshipful, restful, and festive day? Cooking ahead? Shopping ahead? Getting good rest on Saturday night?
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Resolve to sing. The quality of your singing is not determined in your lungs, vocal cords, or tongue. It is determined in your heart. Make a joyful noise to the Lord. The folks around you are encouraged in their worship as you add your voice to theirs. How it must delight our Father when we risk embarrassment to praise Him publicly.
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Work to keep your mind from wandering in worship. Pray along with the pastor during the morning prayer. Agree in prayer, adding your own intercession silently. Confess sin silently during that portion of the prayer. Bring your Bible and read along as the Scriptures are read. If taking notes in a sermon helps you pay better attention, do so. If you or your child get restless, sit in the back of the room and pace; I'd rather you pace quietly and hear the Word of God than to tune out or remove a restless child from the room altogether.
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If you find your mind on something else, offer a quick prayer to the Lord that He would help your focus. Maybe you could even pray for the preacher in that moment. If you remember something you don't want to forget, write a quick one or two word note to yourself and then resolve to get back into the sermon. If all else fails, start praying for the people around you. Pray for those hearing the Word who are not converted, asking the Lord to bring them to Himself.
These are just a few suggestions to help stoke your anticipation for and satisfaction in worship. If you have other ideas, send them to me. I'd love to collect them and share some in upcoming weeks.
As is often the case, we had a large number of visitors last Sunday. While some were family and friends of our members, others were completely new faces. I hope you will be on the lookout for these folks, as well as regular faces you don't know. Our moving beyond our comfort zones and greeting strangers warmly speaks something about how the grace of Jesus Christ has changed our orientation toward Him and others. Our hearts are naturally turned inward on ourselves. When God takes cold, stony hearts and gives them life, He begins to change that heart's orientation from its old object of worship (itself) to Him -- and to people made in His image. If you're not sure if someone is a visitor or not, introduce yourself by saying, "I'm (your name). I don't think we've met." or "Hello. I don't think I know you." Remember how good it felt to be greeted when you first came or how you feel when a warm changes your perspective in an instant?
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday morning and back for the Watoto Children's Choir on Sunday evening at 6 o'clock.
Your friend,  |
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| Save the Date! | |
Save the Date for these upcoming events:
- Watoto Children's Choir April 11th 6pm
- American Red Cross Blood Drive -Wed. April 14th
- Ladies Tea May 1st, 3-4:30pm
- Congregational Meeting either on May 2nd or May 16th - for purpose of approving next fiscal year's budget.
- Vacation Bible School - Mornings of June 21-25th
More information to follow soon on these events. |
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| Watoto Children's Choir |
 Join us this Sunday at 6pm for the Watoto Children's Choir
The choir will be performing at Christ Community Church on Sunday evening, April 11th, at 6 PM in the Fellowship Hall.
Bring someone along with you!
This event will be funded by a love offering that will be taken that evening. Please consider bringing a love offering from your family.
Consider setting aside what you might ordinarily spend on family
entertainment and support this ministry. |
| Ministry Highlight |
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Remembrance Fund
The Remembrance Fund was designed to acknowledge monetary gifts to the church in honor or remembrance of someone. A card is sent to the recipient or family in the event of death. The money may be donated to your favorite ministry like the building fund, the courtyard garden, library, youth ministry or special events. The names of the receipt and donor have been recorded into a special book by Robin Butler. The special cards are sent by Doris Sumner. Doris has sent hundreds of cards. The gifts have greatly benefited the church.
If you have any questions please call Mary Lou Klein at 288-0535. |
| Opportunities for Ministry |
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· The Watoto Children's Choir will be performing at Christ Community Church on Sunday evening, April 11 at 6pm. Please mark your calendars, plan your family's attendance and invite friends to hear wonderful music. This event will be funded by a love offering taken that evening. Please make checks payable to Christ Community Church.
· Inquirers' Class: Interested in finding out more about CCC? The Inquirers' Class is our way of orienting prospective members to the history, doctrine, and ongoing ministries of Christ Community. The first session will be Friday May 14th from 6:00-8:30pm with dinner provided at Marsh's House. Class will continue on Saturday (May15th) at 9:00am in room C 105. If you have any questions or would like to reserve your seat, please contact Amy Munson (amunson@cccarp.org or 288-2365 ext.#23). Hope to see you there.
· Children's Ministry Vacation Bible School will be June 21st - 25th, 9am -noon. The theme this year is HIGH SEAS, Exploring the Mighty Love of God. If you are interested in being on the VBS team/committee please contact Debbie Cain @ 288-2365, ext. 28 or see me on Sunday mornings. No one is too old to volunteer in VBS. If you are interested in volunteering in any way please contact Debbie. Please be praying for VBS-2010, as it is just around the corner.
· Children's Ministry is in need of the following positions a Director of JR Church. This program is for our 3rd - 5th grades at 10:30. We have several teachers (but could use more) to teach on Sunday one time a month. The Director would be responsible to oversee the teachers and the program. We also need several people to start up the puppet ministry in JAM and several people to lead one Sunday a month. This program is for K-2nd grades at 10:30. For more info please call Debbie @ 288-2365, ext. 28 or e-mail dcain@cccarp.org.
· Encouragement cards to college students The college Spring semester will soon be winding down. CCC college students will be studying for exams and preparing for the end of term. Help us to remember them during this stressful time with notes of encouragement and fast food gift cards. A donation box is set up in the back of the church for anyone wishing to help defray the cost of cards, postage and gift cards. Also, if you have the gift of encouragement and are interested in writing notes to our college students, please let us know. Any questions, please see or email Fran Barnes (frannielou@gmail.com) or Bonnie Johnson (bonnie@trslaw.com).
· American Red Cross Blood Drive coming April 14th, 2:30-6:00pm Please join us in giving blood. A sign up sheet will be set out this Sunday in the breezeway. Please contact Pam French with any questions you may have at 324-1110 or frenchyfri@triad.rr.com.
· The Ladies of Christ Community are invited to a Tea, May 1st, 3-4:30 in the afternoon. The theme is GENERATION TO GENERATION ~ all ages are welcome and little ladies are welcome to bring a doll to accompany them! Please R.S.V.P. to amunson@cccarp.org
· Sunday Night Suppers
Join us 5:30pm Sundays for fellowship, dinner, and prayers.
We will be coming together on:
April 25 (American Cookout pot luck)
May 9 Mother's Day (Meal Provided)
| | Introducing New Member |
Peter Gregory joined us here at CCC as a member a few weeks back. He is a young man of 14 years. His hobbies include playing football and x-box. He is also serving as a student leader with Youth for Christ , and is one of the youth servers in JAM. He is excited about being a member and wants to become more involved in the church along with contuing to serve in JAM. Please welcome him when you see him to our churhc family. Check out Peter's picture on the new members board outside the fellowship hall. |
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Prayer Requests |
- Kevin Hanner's mother - prayers while in hospital with cancer
- Jean Herndon - healing from recent fall
- Helen Alburo's Aunt Estella - For her health and spirits as she recovers in a nursing home
- Our Sunday School and Preschool Teachers
- Pray for the our current preschool children and thier families.Pray for Art and Andrea as they are establishing relationships in Southeast Asia so that they can effectively reach tribes who have no Gospel witness. Praise the Lord for their service. Pray for spiritual and physical strength
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Continue praying for Susan Pannel as she continues her physical therapy and recovery from a bicycle accident this past November. Pray for strength for Barney and her daughters as they care for her
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For the labors of our greeters & ushers, as they welcome & assist people coming to our church
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That we would have a deeper intimacy with Christ through continued consciousness of our sin before a Holy God, an acute awareness of our need for a Savior, and a desire to worship and serve Him to the best of our abilities. That we would glorify Him!
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Personal Missions: for the doors of opportunity to open that we may minister the Gospel to others
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Local Missions: that the Gospel would be evident to those who seek help through Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center
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Foreign Missions: that God would protect our missionaries in volatile political environments
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Persecuted Christians: for the perseverance of the saints who bear distress for the sake of Christ
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Governing Authorities: pray for our local police, fire and rescue personnel - especially those in our church
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Our friends, relatives, and A.R.P. Chaplains serving around the world in the U.S. Military
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| Last Sunday's Attendance and Tithes and Offerings |
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Attendance April 4th: 406
Tithes and Offerings April 4th: $21780.54
| | To Prepare for the Lord's Day Worship |
Sunday's Sermon: "Coming, Going and Bringing"
Rev. Bryan Crotts Matthew 28:16-20
Call to Worship: Psalm 72:16-18
Confession of Faith Heidelberg Catechism #1 Leader
Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?
Congregation
That I am not my own,1
but belong body and soul,
in life and in death-2
to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.3
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,4
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.5
He also watches over me in such a way6
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven:7
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.8
Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life9
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.10
1 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 2 Rom. 14:7-9, 3 1 Cor. 3:23; Titus 2:14, 4 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:2; 5 John 8:34-36; Heb. 2:14-15; 1 John 3:1-11, 6 John 6:39-40; 10:27-30; 2 Thess. 3:3; 1 Pet. 1:5; 7 Matt. 10:29-31; Luke 21:16-18, 8 Rom. 8:28, 9 Rom. 8:15-16; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 5:5; Eph. 1:13-14, 10 Rom. 8:1-17
Worship Songs:
Psalm 146
Thine be the Glory
Prince of Peace (You are Holy)
The Power of the Cross
No Righteousness of Mine |
| Food For Thought |
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"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful-
for he cannot deny himself."
- The Apostle Paul to Timothy (2 Timothy 2:8-13)
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