Weekly Bulletin – November 2, 2008

Posted on October 30, 2008 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

THE LORD’S DAY
November 2, 2008
WELCOME!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP 
We come to You, O Lord, at the beginning of this important week when we choose the president. We need clarity of thought and your guidance in our decision making.

ANNOUNCEMENTS 
If you are visiting us today, we extend a hardy welcome to you.  Please fill out a visitors card found on the pew pocket, and drop it in the offering plate as your contribution to our service today.  Again, we say WELCOME!

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

(Jr. Church children ages 4 -7 may be dismissed))

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

____________________

Quarterly Business Meeting during the Sunday School hour.
No Sunday School classes  today.

THANK YOU: Thank you from Pastor Bill & Pastor Justin for your wonderful cards, gifts and kindness at last Sunday’s pastor appreciation celebration! We are so grateful to serve such a loving church family!!!

TONIGHT :  Financial Peace University, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS:

 Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH IN A WORLD WITHOUT A COMPASS

Posted on October 25, 2008 
Filed Under Announcements, Pastor's Blog, Sermons

This weekend it is a contemplative conversation between Scott Roloson (missionary to South Africa) and I (Pastor Bill). Wr are concerned about the future of the Church in a world that does not leave much place for truth. It would seem the Church itself struggles with what “truth” is. A converstaion like this could go in lots of directions (and it may do just that). But we will be guided by several texts: 1 Chronicles 12:23 for it emphasis on discernment of the times; Matthew 28:19-20 as the epic mandate of Christ to his people to produce disciples; Jude 1:3 for its call to contend for the faith once given to the saints and 2 Peter 3 with its anticipation of the return of Christ as a driving force affecting how we ought to live today.

I am deeply concerned about the Church’s future in America. It’s not that i doubt God. I am quite sure he will build his Church. I’m just not sure he will build it here. I am of the opinion that America may be the most idolatrous nation on earth. From the richest to the poorest we are the most arrogant, self-absorbed, entitlement oriented people on the face of the earth. We really believe the world exists to satisfy our own desires. And the Church is not far behind in that kind of thinking. For many God exists to satisfy our desires. The church has become an organization that we judge like any other commodity or service. While conveniently forgetting that we (the people) are the church. We are not victims of some moral/spiritual meltdown. We re the culprit. We have no one to blame but ourselves but it has become far too easy to simply blame someone else. Not that we have time to dwell upon that anyway. I’m far too busy being consumed with myself today. No wonder Jesus wept.           WHB

Weekly Bulletin – October 26, 2008

Posted on October 23, 2008 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

PASTOR APPRECIATION DAY
October 26, 2008
WELCOME!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP 
Loving God, come to us just as we are, and make us into what You desire us to be.

ANNOUNCEMENTS 
If you are visiting us today, we extend a hardy welcome to you.  Please fill out a visitors card found on the pew pocket, and drop it in the offering plate as your contribution to our service today.  Again, we say WELCOME!

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

(Jr. Church children ages 4 -7 may be dismissed))

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL, NEXT!
There are classes for every age.

TODAY: Harvest Dinner at the Fellowship Ctr. right after the morning service.  Please join us!

TONIGHT :  Financial Peace University, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS:
  New Membership Class – date to be announced.  Sign-up today.

         ~ Financial Peace University, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

          ~ Baby Shower, 2:30pm/chapel for Marcy Ryclewski who is expecting a baby girl.
  
        ~ Young Adult Mtg. 2:30 – 5PM, our church is joining 8 area churches for an afternoon of food, fun & fellowship. We’re meeting at W. Windsor Baptist Church, 166 North Rd. If you want to meet other Christian young adults, like playing volleyball or just want to enjoy praise & worship and a dynamic message, please join us! The event is free, but if a few people from FCC would bring desserts that would be awesome! Contact Pastor Justin if you have questions: justinlovesannie@yahoo.com 

       ~ Last day to bring in donations for Operation Christmas Child.  Our goal is 52 boxes.

Active Love Note: “Christmas in July” donations are going out this month to our Missionaries. Thanks to your generosity we are sending $430.00 to each Missionary family.
  
ONE-ON-ONE SPIRITUAL MENTORING
We are committed to taking interested people and purposefully guiding them through a systematic study of the basic foundations of the faith. This is a personalized approach to bible study, and is geared to fit your time schedule as well as your learning style.  Please contact Mike Reed for more information – reeddad@aol.com

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD:  Three ways you can participate! 
1. You can fill a shoebox with things for a boy or girl.
2. You may drop donations into the large box & we will pack it for you. 
3.  Or, you can make a monetary donation in the small box under the bulletin board. We need $7.00 for each box that we send.

Dec. 5 – Carols by Candlelight Christmas Dinner @ Montrose Bible Conf.
Think you’d like to attend?  See Sue Fisher for details.

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Protected: Prayer Requests – October 22, 2008

Posted on October 23, 2008 
Filed Under Prayer Requests

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Weekly Bulletin – October 19, 2008

Posted on October 16, 2008 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

THE LORD’S DAY
October 19, 2008
WELCOME!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP 
Grant us harmony with You, Lord. May this time of worship result in deeper dedication to Your will in our daily lives.

ANNOUNCEMENTS 
If you are visiting us today, we extend a hardy welcome to you.  Please fill out a visitors card found on the pew pocket, and drop it in the offering plate as your contribution to our service today.  Again, we say WELCOME!

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

(Jr. Church children ages 4 -7 may be dismissed))

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL, NEXT!
There are classes for every age.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD:  Three ways you can participate! 
1. You can fill a shoebox with things for a boy or girl yourself (there are boxes available in the foyer if you  need one). You need to follow the directions on the brochure, also available on the shelf under the bulletin board.
2. You may drop donations into the large box & we will pack it for you. 
3. Or, you can make a monetary donation in the small box under the bulletin board. We need $7.00 for each box that we send.

TONIGHT: Financial Peace University, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

THIS WEEK:

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Protected: Prayer Requests – October 15, 2008

Posted on October 15, 2008 
Filed Under Prayer Requests

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THE BLACK RIDERS Colossians 3:1-7

Posted on October 10, 2008 
Filed Under Pastor's Blog, Sermons

Then from the far caverns

Of dead sins

Came monsters, livid with desire.

They fought,

Wrangled over the world,

A morsel.

But of all the sadness this was sad-

A woman’s arms tried to shield

The head of a sleeping man

From the jaws of the final beast.

- Stephen Crane

So the world turns or should I say, ‘spirals into chaos.’ It’s easy to watch the world burn fom a distance. But it’s altogether another thing to see your friend burned. We are at that place where we need to consider what the world is coming to and what will become of us. It would seem we are at the precipe of a gaping hole and the whole world is being pulled into the abyss. We have the privilege of living in a watershed moment. We are on the verge of extrordingary change. The way mankind thinks is changing. Now the financial world is burning around us. We are in a global meltdown of epic proportions (and it’s not because of global warming).

This is a classic tune which is regularly played by doomsdayers. Only Jesus can save us now. While such statements are true I fear they are often stated from the wrong perspective and with the wrong attitude. Woven into the opening lines of Colossians chapter 3 is the chilling statement that the “wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.” This is one of about four eschatological references in the text. They are generally one-liners with little or no elaboration. An example is, “when Christ appears you will appear with him in glory.” It’s there, on the edge of our existance though we rarely notice because we are too busy with life as we know it today. It would seem that it takes a “wake up call” to make us consider eternity.

This text says so much that I am going to focus on a couple of things so as to be very pointed. I will leave the rest for you to dwell upon yourself. First, The wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience. That would be the best way to translate that verse. It is in the present tense. In Romans Paul says, “the wrath of God has appeared.” With all the debate about the last days it’s hard to get a response from someone who will simply let the Bible speak for itself. Hear me clearly now. The last days are now. And they have been here ever since the ascension of Christ. That being said. Where are those black riders? Is the book of Revelation one big word picture or should I be thinking about that stuff as being literal (whatever that is)? The answer is yes and yes, oh and the black riders will show up, sooner or later.

Someone once asked Francis of Asisi what he would do if he knew the world would end tomorrow. His response; “I would finish weeding the garden.” Or something of that sort (everybody tweaks what Francis said). The point being he would keep being who he already was. So much for skydiving or whatever it is that stupid song says. If you would radically change your life if you knew Jesus was coming back tomorrow then that is a sure indication you are not living right today. Which brings up the 2nd thing I want to stress. Wrapped around the wrath of God coming on the sons of disobedience is the call for us to set our minds on things above and to put off the sinful life. Never take your walk with God for granted.

Sure the world is coming to an end. God will destroy it with fire. There will be a new heavens and a new earth. And those who were not found to be written in the Lambs book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire. All very good reasons for us to get our act together like St. Francis. To be so confident in our obedience to Christ that the return of Christ does not need to change the way we live. For we already have the mind of Christ shaping every breath we take and every move we make. To live without fear of Christ saying, “depart from me I never knew you.”                                      WHB

Weekly Bulletin – October 12, 2008

Posted on October 9, 2008 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

THE LORD’S DAY
October 12, 2008
WELCOME!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP 
It is you alone, O Lord, who can give us the inner peace we need. Your presence can make us whole.

ANNOUNCEMENTS 
If you are visiting us today, we extend a hardy welcome to you.  Please fill out a visitors card found on the pew pocket, and drop it in the offering plate as your contribution to our service today.  Again, we say WELCOME!

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

(Jr. Church children ages 4 -7 may be dismissed))

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL, NEXT!
There are classes for every age.

TONIGHT  

THIS WEEK

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Protected: Prayer Requests – October 8, 2008

Posted on October 8, 2008 
Filed Under Prayer Requests

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SYSTEM’S FAILURE Colossians 1:4-15

Posted on October 2, 2008 
Filed Under Pastor's Blog, Sermons

“Wormwood…. He has not been anything like long enough with the Enemy to have any real humility yet. What he says, even on his knees, about his own sinfulness is all parrot talk. At bottom, he still believes he has run up a very favourable credit-balance with the Enemy’s ledger by allowing himself to be converted, and thinks that he is showing great humility and condescension in going to church with these ‘smug’, commonplace neighbors at all. Keep him in that state of mind as long as you can. Your affectionate uncle SCREWTAPE” (C.S. Lewis).

Lewis’ the Screwtape Letters is a collection of correspondences between a senoir and lesser demon. Scewtape is trying to instruct Wormwood on how best to destroy the young convert to Christ. It’s a book that has a way of getting you thinking. Our most recent sermon series “God’s answers to life’s toughest questions” is oriented toward the mind. How we think about and see the world in which we live.

Of course it is painfully obvious that our world is broken. We are broken and struggle to hold water. The drip, drip of our lives is enough to keep us up at night. And nothing we try seems to stop the leaky faucet of our souls. We mask our emptiness with extravagance and indulgence. Not unlike our current financial crisis. Let’s pour gasoline on a raging inferno. Try as he might , the physician is unable to heal himself.

Paul’s instruction is to walk in Christ the Lord whom you have received. The constant threat is to be deceived and led astray (see v. 4 and 8). Christ is offered up as the solution to our boken world. He is the Savior of sinners. The restorer of souls. The remainder of the discourse up through 15 answers the why of trusting and following Christ. Paul uses the powerful metaphors of circumcision and baptism (in or by Christ) to illustrate the work of Christ in our lives. He assures us of the forgiveness of sins.

I highlight our circumcision by Christ and the handwriting nailed to Christ’s cross. Circumcision is an identification mark which signals a course correction. Abraham’s circumcision signalled a change of perspective on Abraham’s part. Ishmael was not the child of promise. Even in old age Sara would bear a son and Abraham believed. That is he rested in the supernatural power of God and rejected all that his understanding of the natural order of life taught him. He would not be deceived but followed hard after God, even to the point of offering his own son, Isaac as a sacrifice. And what do you know, God gave the lamb in place of Isaac.

The handwriting nailed to Christ’s cross is altogether another thing. Powerful images converge. The law of God, Torah; permanently nailed to a bloody cross. Paul takes no prisoners. He takes what is utterly holy, the law of God and hangs it on that cruel tree. They say justice is blind. But we are not. At least not to the the Law. We break it, manipulate it, take advantage of it, abuse it, exploit it. Broken people mishandling that which is holy. Even Satan abuses the Law. The text tells us that God made a spectacle of Satan (dominions). We need to realize that Satan used the Law to accuse us, demonstrate to God just how broken we are. Lady justice demands a verdict and Christ stepped forward to pay the price. Ironically Christ is not on the tree but apparently God let the Law lie. Leave it nailed to the tree that we not forget justice has been served and we are free in Christ.

Screwtape would have us forget the cruciality of the cross. He wants Christ to lapse into insignificance, be relegated to the History Channel and join the world of “reality tv”. A reality that is not real. Do not be easily deceived.                WHB

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