Sunday, August 7 2011

04Aug11

This is the will of God, your sanctification (1 Thess. 4:3).  People often ask, “What does God want me to do? What is His will for me?”  His will for every believer is sanctification.  Sanctification is that daily practice of putting off sin and putting on righteousness.  It is a major theme of every New Testament epistle.  It is the work of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5), accomplished through God’s Word (John 17:17), and it is to be the pursuit of every believer until she meets God.

Sanctification takes a very sober approach toward the “old man” and his ways.  Oswald Chambers put it this way, It is the great moment of our lives when we decide that sin must die right out, not be curbed or suppressed or counteracted, but crucified.

Where is sanctification taking place in your life?  Can you name the arena that God is changing in you?  Let’s pray for ourselves.  Let’s help each other to change to be more like Christ. Sanctification is one of the driving points behind our small groups. When we are living in Biblical community, intentionally growing those relationships with one another and with God, we have no choice but to be a work in progress—to be God’s work in progress. Let’s pray for our church that we would do God’s will and sanctify ourselves (1 Pet. 3:15).

It is time to meet God. In the quietness before the service begins, please prepare your heart to worship God.

AUGUST SCRIPTURE MEMORY – Proverbs 28:13 He who confesses his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

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 on 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 this Sunday, August 7 at 5pm. Please see either pastor with questions.

ABOUNDING IN THANKSGIVING OFFERING – Our third AIT offering is Sunday, August 28.  The first $2500 will go toward the needs of Pastor Bittu Samuel, a national pastor in North India.  A gift of $2500 will provide nearly all the support for Pastor Bittu and his family for one year.  Pastor Bittu is the younger brother of our missionary in India, Henry John.  The remainder of our offering will go to supplement our general fund.  Our prayer is that everyone who calls FCBC his church will participate in this offering.

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

LADIES’ COFFEE – All ladies are invited to Caribou in Inver Grove Heights at 6:30pm this Thursday, August 11, for a time of fellowship over coffee.

ONLY TWO 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 today, August 7.  See the hallway bulletin board for a complete listing of small group locations, meeting dates, and leaders.

BAPTISMS – Our next baptisms are scheduled for next Sunday, August 14.  If you desire to participate in Believer’s Baptism, please talk with one of our pastors.

PROMOTION SUNDAY – Our Sunday School promotion is scheduled for August 21 at 9:15am. All Sunday School classes will meet in the auditorium and will be dismissed from there.

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