Sunday, July 31 2011

02Aug11

There is no time to waste on this earth. Every day presents us with the opportunity to advance the spiritual kingdom of our Lord and to contribute in ways great and small to the salvation of the lost and the strengthening of the found. We need more believers like Jonathan Edwards, the American preacher and theologian of the 18th century. The following is an excerpt from a letter to his son, Timothy, on news of his son’s serious illness.

That which you met with, in your passage from New York to Newark, was the occasion of your fever, was indeed a remarkable mine, a dispensation full of instruction, and a very loud call of God to you, to make haste and not to delay in the great business of religion. If you now have that distemper, which you have been threatened with, you are separated from your earthly friends; none of them must come to see you; and if you should die of it, you have already taken a final and everlasting leave of them while you are yet alive, not to have the  comfort of their presence and immediate care, and never to see them again in the land of the living. And if you have escaped that distemper, it is by a remarkable providence that you are preserved. And your having been so exposed to it, must certainly be a loud call of God, not to trust in earthly friends, or anything here below. Young persons are very apt to trust in parents and friends, when they are sick, or when they think of being on a deathbed. But this providence remarkably teaches you the need of a better friend, and a better parent, than earthly parents are; one who is everywhere present, and all-sufficient; that can’t be kept off by infectious distempers; who is able to save from death or to make happy in death; to save from eternal misery and to bestow eternal life. (Jonathan Edwards on Heaven and Hell by John Piper, 135-36).

It is time to meet God.  Please take the moments prior to the service to prepare for worship by prayer or Bible reading.

JULY SCRIPTURE MEMORY – Ephesians 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

FIFTH SUNDAY – Tonight we meet in homes for fellowship and Bible study. Everyone is encouraged to invite others to their homes. Study handouts are available in the lobby.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEALS – Join us this Wednesday night for a meal at 6pm followed by prayer meeting, Student Impact, and Kid’s Club at 7pm.  To aid in our preparation, please sign up in the lobby if you plan to attend the meal.  In addition, we need hosts for the last two meals August 10 and 17.

CHILD PROTECTION MEETING – Any who desire to work in our nurseries and children’s ministries must attend our child protection  training.  If you did not attend the June training session, you must attending the training session next Sunday, August 7 at 5pm. Please see either pastor with questions.

ABOUNDING IN THANKSGIVING OFFERING – Our third AIT offering is Sunday, August 28.

DIRECTORY PICTURES – Family pictures for our new church pictorial directory are August 11-13.  Please show up at your appointment time.  See Pastor Chris with any questions.

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP – Is First Calvary Baptist Church your church?  Do you share in the responsibility of the ministry?  Are you willing to have the accountability of the pastors and members?  Have you considered church membership? We strongly encourage all who call First Calvary Baptist Church their church to become members of this assembly.  Applications are available at the information center or from either pastor.

GET TO KNOW YOUR MISSIONARIES  – Take a moment to stop by our Missionary Bulletin Board and learn about our missionaries.  There you will find updated photos, a map of where they are serving, along with current prayer letters, brochures, prayer cards and much more. 

ONLY THREE WEEKS AWAY – Our small groups begin the week of August 21.  We hope that every adult member and attendee will choose to take part in one of our six groups.  Sign up for groups begins next Sunday, August 7.  See the hallway bulletin board for a complete listing of small group locations, meeting dates, and leaders.

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