Weekly Bulletin – August 2, 2009

Posted on July 30, 2009 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

The Lord’s Day!
August 2, 2009
Welcome to our Church!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP
We come hungry and thirsty for your Word, O Lord. Feed us, and then we shall be satisfied.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you are visiting us, please fill out a visitor’s card (available in the foyer) and drop it in the offering plate or hand it to an usher, as your contribution today. Thank you.

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

HEARING FROM GOD
Today’s sermon title: “NEO”     Micah 3:1-11

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE STAY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT!

TONIGHT :  No Evening Service

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Missionary Christmas in July – $1313.68 has come in.  Our goal is $2000.  “Nothing is impossible with God”
We will continue to collect funds thru the month of August.

Volunteers Needed: Looking for a team of 6 people, with some knowledge of building, to put a deck on the home of a needy family. If interested, see Jill Jackson.

Visitation Team: Members on call.  (July 26 – Aug 8)
If you or someone you know needs a home or hospital visit, please call:
Jeff Bushong, (570) 853-2821    Ben Willis  (607) 235-0969

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Protected: Prayer Requests – July 29, 2009

Posted on July 29, 2009 
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THE SOCIETY OF JESUS Matthew 11:19

Posted on July 25, 2009 
Filed Under Pastor's Blog, Sermons

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“At the Holy Supper we take our places in the wildly generous world of salvation, lavish in grace…..Every meal- breakfast, lunch and supper- whatever the menu, wherever and with whomever we eat it, puts us in the company of Jesus, who ate his meals with sinners and gave himself for us.” Eugene Peterson

The society of Jesus is open, not closed. This is starkly demonstrated in Jesus’ call of and identification with Matthew the tax collector. Simply put Matthew had a  career in legalized extortion. Running his toll booth, charging whatever fare, surcharge, tax (whatever you want to call it) he felt like. He had to get his quota required by the Roman Empire and the rest was gravy. Ironically extortion was his livelihood. It’s how he put bread on the table for his kids.

Matthew was so overwhelmed with Christ that he threw a party for him (he must not have realized that Jesus doesn’t “party”) and invited the rest of his scum-bucket friends. Jesus was too happy to attend. Thus the accusation that Jesus was a “glutton and a drunkard.” To us these are harsh words. To Jesus and his society they were damning words. The accusation is from the Torah. It’s what parents did when they got sick of their rebellious children (likely adult-children), dragged them to the priest and accused them of being “gluttons and drunkards.” A fancy way of saying they are rebellious and a disgrace to our good name. The Torah thing to do was to take the brat out back and promptly stone him/her to death.

There, does that help it all make sense? The Pharisees were accusing Jesus of being rebellious and that he deserved to die. All because he ate with the wrong people? When you take communion, remember the society of Jesus is open, not closed. The table is a powerful reminder that Jesus has identified with us in every way. He is the friend and savior of sinners. He is the only door of the society. That is he is the only way in. As the “way” he is open, not shut.

Jesus is also the table of the society. He is the bread and he is the cup. He is the holy meal (don’t freak out over the metaphors). Even he himself said, “I am the bread of life.” “This is my body, this is my blood.” Jesus is the center of our lives. He is the means of our spiritual formation. Without him, without communing with him it is hard to grow. Meals are sacred things. Which a fast food culture has largely been abandoned. Jesus invites you to take a load off. And have a drink on him. Enjoy him and the society which ebbs and flows from him. The society of Jesus is open, not closed. All who come through the door and long to commune with him are welcome.

Finally, Jesus is the grace of the society. No family gets very far without grace. The friends of Jesus are “sinners and tax collectors”. The only way we can commune with Christ is by grace. In and of ourselves we are unworthy. In Christ we are righteous. “He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God, in him.” Jesus is the one who holds the society together. Runs after prodigal sons, searches for lost sheep and treats prostitutes like ladies (like Mary of Magdala, the woman at the well, the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair, the woman caught in adultery; you get the picture).

The society of Jesus is open, not closed. Even you and I are welcome. So eat this bread, savor this wine. For they are his body, broken that we may be whole and his blood shed for the remission of our sins. As you taste and see that the Lord is good, sneak a peek and look around the table at your family. These are your brothers and sisters, sinners and tax collectors. All Jesus sees is friends. Thank God the society of Jesus is open, and not closed.                 WHB

Weekly Bulletin – July 26, 2009

Posted on July 23, 2009 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

The Lord’s Day!
July 26, 2009
Welcome to our Church!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP
Loving Lord, please keep us fixed on you so we may receive all the benefits of your grace and follow your will for our lives.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you are visiting us, please fill out a visitor’s card & drop it in the offering plate as your contribution today. Thank you.

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

HEARING FROM GOD

COMMUNION

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE STAY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT!
Check out the Sr. Adult class in the Chapel. We will interrupt our series on “Where Your Church is Going” as Al Denny brings us a lesson on “Where the Church Started” from Hebrews 12.

TONIGHT :  No Evening Service

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Missionary Christmas in July – $988.68 has come in.Our goal is $2000.  “Nothing is impossible with God”

FCC DIRECTORIES:  Yes, the new picture directories have come in! Unfortunately we did not qualify for lots of extras this year, so if you didn’t get your picture taken, we do not have a color copy for you.  But I did make up some rough black & white copies that are available on the cabinet in the foyer for anyone that would like one.

New Addresses:  Here are a couple addresses that you could add to your new directory; Paul & Laura Doane, 775-4794, PO Box 372 Kirkwood, NY 13795 &  Jennette Hartman, 775-2065, PO Box 277  Kirkwood, NY 13795

Volunteers Needed: Looking for a team of 6 people, with some knowledge of building, to put a deck on the home of a needy family. If interested, see Jill Jackson.

Summer Reading – The Ladies Book Club has a new book.  “Some Gave All”  It has the stories of 4 people that gave their all for the cause of Christ.  If this is of interest to you, the cost is $3.00 for a copy. See Terry Johnson for a book. The club will probably not be meeting again until Sept., so you would have lots of time to read the book.  For the avid reader – the Church Library, located behind the Chapel, is a good source of free books to read.  There are also copies of most of the books that the Ladies Book Club has read over the last year or so.  Feel free to check it out before or after church. See Gail Macaulay if you have any questions.

Visitation Team: Members on call.  (July 26 – Aug 8) If you or someone you know needs a home or hospital visit, please call: Jeff Bushong, (570) 853-2821 or Ben Willis  (607) 235-0969

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Protected: Prayer Requests – July 22, 2009

Posted on July 22, 2009 
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Weekly Bulletin – July 19, 2009

Posted on July 16, 2009 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

The Lord’s Day!
July 19, 2009
Welcome to our Church!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP
Stir us up, dear God, that our attention may not drift away from your Word and your direction for us.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you are visiting us, please fill out a visitor’s card & drop it in the offering plate as your contribution today. Thank you.

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

A few words about Davis College from Conroy Lewis

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE STAY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT!

TONIGHT :  No Evening Service

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Missionary Christmas in July – $980.00 has come in. Our goal is $2000.  “Nothing is impossible with God”

Life Choices Center: Way to go FCC! We’ve returned 19 baby bottles for a grand total of $408.56 that will help Life Choices Center keep their doors open to women and men needing help with an unplanned pregnancy. However, 1 bottle is M.I.A. If you have a bottle, please return it a.s.a.p. (even if it’s till empty). Each missing bottle costs Life Choices Center $1.10 to replace.

Stewardship Update: June Offerings – $9655.40
Disbursements – $8832.54
Bal. forward – $3893.25

Visitation Team: Members on call.  (July 12 -July 25)
If you or someone you know needs a home or hospital visit, please call:
Ralph Jackson (570) 663-2414 & Steve Roe (570) 967-2750

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Protected: Prayer Requests – July 15, 2009

Posted on July 15, 2009 
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RIGHT RELIGION

Posted on July 13, 2009 
Filed Under Sermons

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The July 12, 2009 sermon was preached by guest speaker Wil Reichel, deacon and member of First Christian Church – Kirkwood.

Weekly Bulletin – July 12, 2009

Posted on July 9, 2009 
Filed Under Weekly Bulletin

The Lord’s Day!
July 12, 2009
Welcome to our Church!

PREPARE TO WORSHIP
Dear Creator, keep us entirely focused on you as we worship in spirit and in truth.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you are visiting us, please fill out a visitor’s card & drop it in the offering plate as your contribution today. Thank you.

PRAISING GOD WITH SONG

GIVING TO GOD  Offering  /  SPECIAL MUSIC

( No Jr. Church for the summer )

HEARING FROM GOD

WORSHIPING GOD IN SONG

PLEASE STAY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT!

TONIGHT :  No Evening Service

THIS WEEK :

UPCOMING EVENTS:


Missionary Christmas in July – $755.00 has come in. Three Sunday’s left in July!  We’re still looking for $1,245.00 in order to reach our goal this year.  Times are hard for all of us, but especially hard for those on the mission field.  Please consider giving to these folks that work full time at furthering the gospel.  Remember this money will be given to our Missionaries as a Christmas gift.  Thank you for any amount you are able to give.

Visitation Team: Members on call.  (July 12 -July 25)
If you or someone you know needs a home or hospital visit, please call:
Ralph Jackson (570) 663-2414 & Steve Roe (570) 967-2750

Thanks for attending FIRST CHRISTIAN, please come again!

Protected: Prayer Requests – July 8, 2009

Posted on July 8, 2009 
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