There are three events coming up in the life of our church to which I want to encourage your attention and attendance. 
 
First, be planning to stay after worship a week from this Sunday.  On August 8, we will have a congregational meeting immediately following the morning worship service.  One purpose of the meeting is to update you on the financial and property matters we have been discussing as a congregation this year. We will also brief you on several exciting ministry initiatives that will begin this fall, as well as highlight a number of opportunities for you to both serve and be served at Christ Community Church.  Following that 15-20 minute meeting (during which there will be childcare for infants through early elementary school children), we will have lunch with hotdogs, hamburgers, and lots of sides ($4 per person with a $10/family maximum).  Children (and any adults interested!) should bring a bathing suit for some water games on the grass after lunch.  Some of our musicians will also be playing during this time to facilitate a leisurely, slow pace so that we might enjoy as much time over the table in conversation with one another as you desire. Throughout the day, many ministry areas in the life of the congregation will have tables set up in and around the fellowship hall to help you have a full grasp of areas where you can serve your fellow members of Christ Community, as well as reach out to our community with the Gospel.
 
Second, look for details below on the event with Susan Hunt on Friday night, August 20.  Ladies of all ages will not want to miss this evening of fellowship and encouragement in Biblical womanhood.  Through the generous gift of a donor, we are able to enjoy a particularly nice evening at the O. Henry Hotel.  There are also men who have volunteered to help shuttle any of our ladies who live alone and would like someone to accompany them back safely into their homes.  Dads of young children, be on (friendly!) notice: you are on parenting duty that night so that your wife can be with the other women of Christ Community Church at the O. Henry for a few hours.  I'll make a promise here in writing: I'll give a refund from my own pocket to any lady in our church who attends that night and is not glad that she came out for this event.  I think I've just made a pretty safe offer!
 
Third, and finally, I want to encourage your attendance at our mid-week prayer meetings in C-105. We have two different times to make it as convenient as possible - Tuesdays at noon and Wednesday evenings at 7 o'clock.  After Lord's Day worship, these meetings are the highlight of my week at Christ Community. Depending on the number present and the "holy momentum" of our prayers, we usually meet between 30 minutes and an hour.  One of my prayers for our church is that we would see in increasing ways that the Lord does the most amazing things in response to our corporate prayer here; conversely, I hope we learn in the years to come the utter foolishness of ministry effort expended apart from the heartfelt intercession of the Lord's people.
 
Earlier this week, my friend, Jason Helopoulos, a PCA pastor in East Lansing, Michigan wrote an excellent blogpost on church life.  As you prepare for worship this upcoming Lord's Day morning, let me challenge you with one point from that article:
Each week, I see visible evidence at Christ Community Church that many of you already know that truth. It's one of the distinguishing marks of this congregation.  Still, a reminder is always helpful to spur us on in love and good deeds.
 
We will be in Mark 7:1-23 this Sunday morning.  Jesus' words to the Pharisees have had much heart-penetrating power to Christians since He said them and we are no different. They point us away from the foolishness of our own self-reliant religious efforts and toward our "only hope in life and in death" - the glorious Gospel of salvation through faith alone by grace alone in Christ alone.  I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.