 Connect E-Letter
June 25, 2010 - Edition Number 91 |
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From the Pastor |
Dear Friends,
It's been very busy around the church building this week as a wonderful group of teachers, helpers, directors, and teenagers have hosted our Vacation Bible School. Well over 120 children, many from outside of our church, have learned about God's love for them in Christ Jesus. It would be dangerous of me to begin listing all of the 60-some folks who were enlisted by our co-directors, Julie Streng and Stacey Barbour -- so, I won't! The children will join us up front on Sunday morning at the end of the service.
At our Monday evening meeting, the Session accepted Sam Cain's resignation as a member of the Session, which truly is a loss to us. In February, Sam came to me and asked to step down, citing both his own health challenges as well as the care his aging parents had begun to require. At that time, we prevailed upon him to consider a leave of absence with the promise that we would not try to change his mind when it expired. Sam wrote the Session last weekend, asking that his leave be converted to a resignation. Sam has been one of our most popular Bible teachers over the years, as well as a wise elder. In one of the most gracious resignation letters I have ever read, Sam encouraged your leaders in the work we have to do. Please be sure to thank Sam for his service.
Thank you for giving your tithes and offerings last Sunday. As you will see below, our giving was strong last week. Please continue to be diligent in your regular giving this summer. For instance, if you will be away for a Sunday, consider giving ahead rather than trying to catch up later.
I regularly get questions about various elements of our worship service and I thought it might be helpful if we took the opportunity in these letters to briefly explain some of them.
Maybe the most frequent question is: Why do we (have to) have a confession of faith? In our modern times, spontaneity is generally equated with sincerity and, conversely, recitation is associated with dull, insincere formality. Consider an alternative for a moment: When we confess our faith together using an ancient creed, we are confessing the same faith using the same words our parents, grandparents, and ancestors in the faith used. We are standing in the long line of the saints in Hebrews 11. We are exercising a godly humility by visibly "tipping the hat" to our fathers and mothers in the faith who gave expressions to the faith "once for all delivered to the saints." We are confessing the catholicity of the church by confessing the same faith with other Christians around the world in many tongues, tribes, nations, and centuries.
While the object of our worship is God Himself as the recipient of our confession, it is no small secondary matter that we are confessing our faith in the presence of one another. Some Sundays you might come to worship and all seems right in the world. On other weeks, we come because we know we should even when we don't feel like it. There are weeks when the person next to you needs to hear you confess, for example, that you believe in the resurrection of the dead because they are mourning a spouse who died years ago. There are weeks when you need to hear the person next to you confess that they believe that all things work together for the good of those who love God and who have been called according to His purpose.
Some weeks, our confession is from the Heidelberg Catechism, wherein we confess that all things work together for our good and that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. For all these reasons, let's confess our faith together each Lord's Day with vigor, confidence, and belief in the deepest parts of our souls.
Remember the prayer meetings at noon on Tuesdays and at 7 on Wednesday evenings. We confess much about how we really believe God works by our praying. I know that many of you pray regularly for our church in private settings. Still, I know that my private prayer for our church and the extension of the Kingdom is fueled and stoked as I gather with other Christians to pray. I am encouraged by their prayers and am filled with anticipation of how the Lord might be pleased to work. Please come and join us, if only by your presence as you silently agree with the spoken prayers of others.
What a delight it is to gather each week on the Lord's Day to worship together! Would you be praying for this upcoming Sunday? Ask the Lord to convict us where we need it. Ask Him to comfort us where we need it. Ask Him to bring people around us from death to life and darkness to light. Ask Him to open our ears and hearts to His Word; that His Spirit might plant it deep within us. Would that He would make it a taste of eternity worshipping Jesus Christ in the courts of the New Heavens and the New Earth! I can't wait till Sunday!
Your friend,
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Sunday Morning Inquirers' Class | | Intersted 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. Join us for a four-week one-hour class during the 9:15 Sunday School hour on June 27, July 11, and July 18. We will also be offering the same classes later in July and August. If you miss a class or two due to vacation, no problem. You can attend the one you missed the next time. If you have any questions or would like to reserve your seat, please contact Amy Munson, or call her at 288-2365 ext. 23. Hope to see you there. |
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First Presbyterial Women's Ministries | On August 21st, 2010, CCC is hosting the 103rd meeting of the 1st Presbyterial Women's Ministries. All ladies are invited! Susan Hunt will be the guest speaker. She is the Women's Ministry Consultant for Christian Education and Publications, a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Columbia Theological Seminary. She has authored numerous books and travels extensively speaking to various women's groups. Her desire to help women have a heart for each other, for the church and for the Reformed faith is unparalleled. Registration begins at 9 o'clock and a light breakfast will be offered with the program beginning at 10. Lunch is offered at $5 a person. (Nursery is provided for infants and toddlers. Please indicate the age and number of children when you respond affirmatively.) R.S.V.P. by July 30th to Amy Munson or call (336) 288-2365.
Also, on Friday evening, August 20th, 2010, Mrs. Hunt will address Christ Community's teen girls and ladies (location TBA). Please R.S.V.P. by July 30th to Amy Munson or call (336) 288-2365 for this event as well. |
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Adult Bible Fellowship Classes |
Adult Bible Fellowship Class (in the D-Wing at 9:15am) Christianity Explored - Class Facilitators are Robert George and Ken Kunkel
Youth and Parents Bible Class (in the Attic, upstairs D-Wing at 9:15am)
How We Got Our Bibles - Bryan Crotts (June)
First Principles of the Christian Faith, for Parents and Kids - Jim Van Eerden (July)
A Study of the Attributes of God - Mackay Smith (August)
We offer the following ministries for children during the worship hour:
- 0-2 Nursery (B Wing, first floor)
- 2-3 year old class (B Wing, first floor)
Children's Church for ages 4, 5, and 6 (B wing, second floor) Children's Sermon for 2nd through 4th grades. (during sermon time)
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Opportunities for Ministry |
American Red Cross Blood Drive Come and join us as we "Lend a hand by giving from the heart" blood drive coming Tuesday June 29 from 2:45 to 6:45pm. Pam French will have a sign-up sheet for those interested on Sunday. You can also schedule an appointment or volunteer to help by getting in contact with Pam by email or calling her at 324-1110. Blood donors will receive coupons from Chick-fil-A. Let's help support this wonderful organization and help those in need. Middle School Youth
Summer Sunday School Series. Be sure to join us this Sunday for the final class of "How We Got the Bible" and again next Sunday for Round 2 of our family series taught by Jim Van Eerden. Summer Retreat, July 16-19. Talk to Ashley or Mackay for more details and to sign up. High School Youth
This Wednesday ... Summer "Oasis" goes Bowling! 7-9pm at AMF All-Star Lanes (Holden/Spring Garden) meet and pick up there and only $15 for two hours of great fun! The meetings are held each week on Tuesdays at noon and Wednesdays at 7pm. Join Pastor Bill or Pastor Bryan in prayer for our people and His church in C-105 (located on the left hand side of the fellowship hall).
ARP Women's MinistryThe Women's Ministry will be putting welcome baskets in rooms at Bonclarken in August for about 80 families participating in the Joni Eareckson Tada-sponsored camps that minister to the disabled community and their families. Nancy Myers, president of the First Presbyterial Women's Ministry has shared the need for donations of either money and specific gift bag items. Let Mandy Crotts or Janet Hurd know if you would like to contribute. These items need to be turned in by Friday, July 23 in order to be delivered to Bonclarken on July 27 during the Family Bible Conference. Items needed:
- Bottled water - one per family member or at least two per room
- Journals and pens/pencils
- Rolls of "Lifesaver" candies
- Fruit snacks (raisins)
- Kleenex
- Hand sanitizers
- Devotional thoughts
- Animal crackers
- NO LATEX OR PEANUT PRODUCTS
The theme for the week is cruise-related and any ideas you have for items related to this theme would be welcome. |
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Prayer Requests | - That our officers would have wisdom as they lead our congregation through difficult economic conditions.
- That God would continue to grow our congregation, enabling us to expose others to Biblically sound teaching, and that we might have a more effective impact on the community-at-large.
- Personal Missions: that we would prepared to give an account of the hope that is within us.
- Mission Churches: that God would raise up pastors who can enter communities that need a Presbyterian and Reformed witness and to serve the people with the good news of Christ and the ministries of grace.
- Local Missions: that God would grant our congregation the opportunity to meet a specific physical or spiritual need in the community where God has placed us.
- Foreign Missions: that World Witness, the agency for missions of the ARP Church, would be blessed with all the necessary resources to send and support our missionaries all over the world.
- Persecuted Christians: that those who suffer would be persuaded of God's ability to keep them whole.
- Governing Authorities: Supreme Court Justices Roberts, Alito, Breyer, Ginsburg, Kennedy, Scalia, Sotomayor, Stevens and Thomas.
- Our friends, relatives, and ARP Chaplains serving around the world in the U.S. Military.
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To Prepare for the Lord's Day Worship |
Sunday's Sermon "When One Head Is Better Than Two" Mark 6:14-29 Rev. Bill Marsh
Confession: Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made. Who for us men, and for our salvation he came down from heaven: and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets. And we believe in one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Worship Songs
Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
Days of Elijah
Ancient Words
O, the Deep, Deep / Shout to the North
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Last Week's Tithes and Offerings | June 20, 2010
Sunday Morning Attendance: 291
Tithes and Offerings: $21,799 |
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Food For Thought |
"Scripture calls us to pray for many things: for all saints; for all men; for kings and all rulers; for all who are in adversity; for the sending forth of laborers; for those who labor in the gospel; for all converts; for believers who have fallen into sin; for one another in our immediate circles."
---Andrew Murray
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