August 16, 2009
"Thy Will Be Done"
One
of the fast food chains had a slogan: “Have it your way.”
No doubt it was popular because everyone seems to want to “have it my
way.” Everyone, that is, except
Jesus. He seemed determine to have
things God’s way. Perhaps that is
why he was hated by so many.
There
is probably no greater difficulty than that of imitating Jesus in the way that
he accepted his death. Yet Peter
tells us, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also
suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.”
At
the age of 12, Jesus was found by his parents in the temple.
He was in the midst of a discussion with the teachers there.
When his mother asked “Why have you treated us this way?” he replied,
in part, “Did you not know that I had to be in my Father’s house?”
(or, “about my Father’s business,” depending upon your
translation).
Whether
in the temple, or at his baptism, or going about his daily business, there was a
constant concern for Jesus that he be found doing what his Father wanted him to
do. “We must work the works of Him
who sent me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.”
As death approached, Jesus said, “What shall I say, ‘Father, save me
from this hour?’ But for this
purpose I came to this hour.”
It
is perhaps impossible to truly fathom the difficulties that Jesus endured during
his last week in Jerusalem. There
was conflict as he chased the merchants from the temple.
There was conflict as he answered the questions of the Pharisees and
Sadducees. There was mental anguish
as he faced the betrayal by Judas and the defection of the other disciples.
Beyond all of this lay his trials, the abuse, the scorn and the
crucifixion.
The
full range of his feelings was poured out in his prayer to God in the Garden of
Gethsemane. “My Father, if it is
possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will.”
“Yet not my will, but yours be done,” are Jesus’ words as Luke
tells the story.
Singing
“All To Jesus I Surrender” will never serve as a substitute for obedience to
the will of God, but it surely will pass as a place to begin.
The Christian life begins in an act of submission as one is baptized, yet
it does not end there. Jesus saves,
but God demands submission. Jesus
“learned obedience from the things which he suffered.
And having been made perfect, he became to all those who obey him the
source of eternal salvation.”
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Henrietta
Galpin has been in Charlotte Hungerford Hospital with a blood clot.
She was hoping to be out of the hospital today.
Þ Rick
Paganini is living and working in New Britain.
Þ Don
and Esther Roarabaugh will be arriving in Torrington on Tuesday, August 18.
They will need help unloading their truck that evening.
Þ We
will celebrate Ben Farleman’s high school graduation as well as the arrival of
the Roarabaughs with our potluck on August 23.
Þ The
Wheelers are away on vacation. Pray
that they will have a safe trip home.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Mark Lampognana
Next week—David Cooper
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Joanna Lorusso
Next
week—Tina Cooper
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Susan Nomelli-Crosley
Next
week—Mark Timmons
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Charles Lazarus
Next
Week—Ron Dombrowski
Scripture Reading
This week—Mark Timmons
Next week—David Cooper
Upcoming Events
August
23—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
Sept
17-19 Gander Brook Ladies’ Retreat
Sept
24-26 Gander Brook Men’s Retreat
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Bible Notes
“Thy Will Be Done”
Matthew 26:36-46
1 Peter 2:21
Luke 2:49
Matthew 3:15
John 9:4
John 12:27-33
Matthew 21:12-13
Matthew 21:23-27
Matthew 22:15-22
Matthew 22:23-33
Matthew 22:34-46
Proverbs 3:5-7
James 1:17
Isaiah 55:8-9
Romans 12:1-2
Matthew 7:21
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—30
AM
Worship—46
PM
Worship—10
Wed
Study—24
Contribution—$
?
August 9, 2009
Rich Toward God
Fool
is not exactly the word that I want God to use to describe me.
Proverbs has a lot to say about being a fool.
Psalms tells us that it is the fool who says there is no God.
(It is found twice in Psalms, perhaps to make sure one does not miss it!)
Jesus told a story about a rich man in which God ends by telling him that
he is a fool. It is just a story,
but I still would not want God to call me a fool.
The
story was prompted by a man who came to Jesus demanding that he make the man’s
brother share the inheritance. Jesus
refused to become embroiled in such matters.
He then told a story about a prosperous farmer.
It is the farmer who is called a fool, not because he was a farmer, but
because he was concerned only about his barns and his retirement.
(I do not plan to “eat, drink and be merry.”
I just want to rest and I am moving to a smaller house.)
The
rich man was concerned about his crops, his barns and his retirement.
There are some other things that probably should have been a concern to
him.
He
might have been concerned about his family.
Perhaps there were parents he could help, or children.
Perhaps there were brothers or sisters who could have used some help from
him. It is hard to imagine a person
who has no family that might need assistance.
He
might have been concerned about his neighbors.
Jesus said the second most important commandment is to love one’s
neighbor. There are always poor
people that one might find to help. If
the barns were not big enough it would have been a simple matter to take the
excess and help someone else.
There
are also spiritual concerns that sometimes require physical resources.
There might have been a community nearby in need of a synagogue.
We know that Jesus once healed the daughter of a Roman centurion who had
built a synagogue for the people of Capernaum.
If a Roman could do that, how much more might it be expected that a rich
Jew would show his gratitude in such a way.
The
rich man failed because he was not “rich toward God.”
Jesus said, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world
and forfeits his soul? Or what will
a man give in exchange for his soul?”
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Don
and Esther Roarabaugh will be arriving in Torrington on Tuesday, August 18.
They will need help unloading their truck that evening.
Þ We
will celebrate Ben Farleman’s high school graduation as well as the arrival of
the Roarabaughs with our potluck on August 23.
Þ The
Wheelers are away on vacation. Pray
that they will have a safe trip home.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney. He
has written to express his love for this congregation.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Charles Lazarus
Next week—Mark Lampognana
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Susan Saxby
Next
week—Joanna Lorusso
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Marie & Barbara
Next
week—Susan Nomelli-Crosley
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Mark Timmons
Next
Week—Charles Lazarus
Scripture Reading
This week—Dwight Dildy
Next week—Mark Timmons
Upcoming Events
August
23—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
Sept
17-19 Gander Brook Ladies’ Retreat
Sept
24-26 Gander Brook Men’s Retreat
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—27
AM
Worship—38
PM
Worship—12
Wed
Study—42
Contribution—$516
August 2, 2009
Accursed of God
One
of the most striking statements in the whole Bible is found in the ninth chapter
of Paul’s letter to the Romans.”For I could wish that I myself were accursed
from Christ for the sake of my brothers.”
This is from one who understood very clearly what it meant to be accursed
of God!
The
value Paul placed on his relationship with God is obvious in the comments he
made in letters that he wrote. “I
count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ
Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them
but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him.”
“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so
that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we
too might walk in newness of life.” “For
He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of
His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Another passage, written by Luke, quotes Paul, “The church of God which
He purchased with His own blood.”
The
evidence of Paul’s concern for the Jewish people is seen in his activities
after his own conversion. “Immediately
he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of
God.’” “And he (Paul) was with
them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the
Lord. And he was talking and arguing
with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death.”
“But going on from Perga, they (Paul and Barnabas) arrived at Pisidian
Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.”
After some preliminary activities, Paul was invited to speak and began to
tell them about Jesus. This practice
was continue by Paul in all the places to which he traveled.
Persecution by the Jews did nothing to dampen Paul’s enthusiasm for
preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.
Nor did it change Paul’s attitude toward them and his desire for their
salvation, even at the cost of being accursed himself!
The
Bible does not have a popular message, but it does have a message of salvation.
Paul, in his letter to Christians at Rome, points everyone to the example
of Abraham. Abraham left his country
and his family before he heard that God had counted him righteous because of his
faith.
What
have you left so that you could be saved? What
will you leave so that someone else might be saved?
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Please
pray that God will lead us to the right decision in the matter of a preacher for
this congregation.
Þ Henrietta
Galpin’s surgery on Monday went well and she was back with us for our midweek
Bible study.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Mark Timmons
Next week—Charles Lazarus
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Bonnie Wheeler
Next
week—Susan Saxby
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Dave & Tina
Next
week—Marie & Barbara
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Dave Cooper
Next
Week—Mark Timmons
Scripture Reading
This week—Mark Lampognana
Next week—Jerry Wheeler
Upcoming Events
August
15—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Bible Notes
Accursed of God
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 6:19-21
2 Timothy 4:6-8
Philippians 3:4-11
Romans 6:4-5
Colossians 1:13-14
Acts 20:28
Matthew 26:28
Acts 9:20
Acts 9:28-30
Acts 13:50; 14:1-2, 19; 18:1-4; 19:8
1 Corinthians 2:2
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—34
AM
Worship—54
PM
Worship—18
Wed
Study—28
Contribution—$1252
July 26, 2009
The Case for Attendance
On a typical Sunday about half of those in attendance
here are people who have been baptized over the past 6 years in Torrington.
A church in Torrington has been vital to your spiritual progress, for
your baptism, for your introduction to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Without a church in Torrington, many of you would probably not be
Christians today.
The New Testament has many stories of churches
beginning. The early chapters of
Acts tell us of the beginning of the church in Jerusalem.
“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day
there were added about three thousand souls.”
“Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread
from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and
sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.
And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being
saved.” “And every day, in the
temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus
as the Christ.” The establishment
of the church in Jerusalem was characterized by daily meetings.
The following relates to the churches established by
Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary trip.
After establishing churches in Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derby, they
were “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue
in the faith.” Later Paul and
Silas returned to these churches: “he
was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”
Later, we read again, “So the churches were being strengthened in the
faith, and were increasing in number daily.”
The planting of churches, the continued growth of those
churches and the strengthening of those churches all involve Christians coming
together in a common assembly. Meeting
together with the church on Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday evening
is about participating in the growth and the strengthening of the church.
The absence of Christians from those meetings contributes to the
weakening of the church and does nothing to further the growth of the church.
Perhaps it was with this in mind that Paul wrote these words:
“not forsaking the assembling together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
Do you have to go to church?
Do you need to be strengthened in the faith?
Do you have to be in the assembly and encourage others?
No. But wanting the church to
grow demands that you participate in those assemblies and by your presence be
strengthened and encouraged to live a life dedicated to God.
The church cannot exist without meeting together.
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Joe
and Teresa Bryan, from the Falls Church congregation that supports us, were here
on a visit on Wednesday.
Þ Henrietta
Galpin will be having surgery on Monday.
Þ Please
pray for Bonnie Wheeler’s friend, Samantha, who has had a heart transplant.
Þ Pray
for the men who are seeking a new preacher for this congregation.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—David Cooper
Next week—Mark Timmons
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Johanna Buckley
Next
week—Bonnie Wheeler
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Dwight Dildy
Next
week—Dave & Tina
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Steve Bastin
Next
Week—Dave Cooper
Scripture Reading
This week—Jerry Wheeler
Next week—Mark Lampognana
Upcoming Events
Today—Congregational
potluck dinner following the morning service.
Today—Don
and Esther Roarabaugh will be visiting with us as Don is scheduled to preach
both services and teach the adult class. We
are considering the possibility of them working with this congregation.
August
1—Men’s prayer breakfast.
August
15—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—26
AM
Worship—37
PM
Worship—11
Wed
Study—30
Contribution—$506
July 19, 2009
Parables of the Lost
About 100 years ago, many churches began moving their
emphasis to what was called a “social gospel.”
In the social gospel it was of first importance to take care of the
physical needs of people. Only after
their physical needs were met was it deemed appropriate to speak to them about
their souls. As time passed, those
churches who went down this path put less and less emphasis on the salvation of
souls and more and more emphasis on “humanitarian” needs.
Today, many of them no longer understand anything about how one is to be
saved!
One could put forth any number of theories as to why
this happened, but there is no disputing the outcome.
Those churches that pursued the social gospel are experiencing alarming
declines in numbers and many of their congregations have failed to survive.
Churches that preach the old Jerusalem gospel continue to thrive.
In the end, those churches that emphasize the need to save souls, will
save souls and they will also provide more help for the physical needs of people
than those churches that put the social emphasis above the spiritual.
Jesus said he came “to seek and save the lost.”
Jesus came to die and his blood was given for the forgiveness of sins.
When Mary anointed his body for burial, Jesus said, “She has done a
good deed to me. For you always have
the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not
always have me.” There will always
be opportunities to do good to the poor, but if we do not preach the gospel to
save their souls, they will be poor forever.
The stories that Jesus told in Luke 15 are about caring
for lost souls. The shepherd
searches for the one sheep that was lost. The
woman searches for the coin that is missing.
The father anxiously awaits the return of his lost boy.
Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents and is “found.”
It matters not what a person has been, when that person
is saved they become a saint. It
matters not whether they are poor, naked, hungry and blind, for they have been
reunited with God. A full stomach
will not save your soul. Three
houses, a swimming pool, a high definition TV and a ranch will not get you to
heaven. (Not even an iPod.)
Jesus wanted to make sure that his disciples cared
about lost people. Thus he told
these stories. He wanted us to
understand that being lost is the worst thing that can happen to a person.
Like a sheep without a shepherd, like a coin mingled with the dirt, like
a boy away from his father, God wants every sinner at rest in Him.
God bless those who care about the lost.
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Debbie
Dombrowski is recovering from abdominal surgery a week ago.
She is now home from the hospital.
Þ Annie
Gildersleeve, a friend of Steve and Maryann continues her recovery from her
stroke. She is out of the hospital.
Þ Rick
Paganini has moved to New Britain.
Þ Henrietta
Galpin will be moving to a new apartment soon.
Þ Please
pray for Bonnie Wheeler’s friend, Samantha, who has had a heart transplant.
Þ Pray
for the men who are seeking a new preacher for this congregation.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Mark Lampognana
Next week—David Cooper
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Tina Cooper
Next
week—Johanna Buckley
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Dan & Marissa
Next
week—Dwight Dildy
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Ron Dombrowski
Next
Week—Mark Lampognana
Scripture Reading
This week—Dwight Dildy
Next week—Jerry Wheeler
Upcoming Events
July
26—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
July
26—Don and Esther Roarabaugh will be visiting with us as Don is scheduled to
preach both services and teach the adult class.
We are considering the possibility of them working with this
congregation.
August
1—Men’s prayer breakfast.
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Bible Notes
Parables of the Lost
Luke 15:1-7
Luke 15
Those who grumble
Those who rejoice
Those who are lost and do not know the way
Those who are lost and do not know that they are
lost
Those who know the way, but do not feel a need to
come home to God
The grumblers among the saved
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—26
AM
Worship—35
PM
Worship—10
Wed
Study—22
Contribution—$978
July 12, 2009
Jesus Explains the Scriptures
As one reads through the gospels, it is no surprise
that Jesus is called, “Teacher.” Officers
sent from the chief priests returned empty handed..
When questioned, they replied, “Never has a man spoken the way this man
speaks.”
Luke begins his account of the gospel with a brief
explanation of how he acquired his information.
He closes his account of the gospel with two references to Jesus
explaining the Old Testament Scriptures to his disciples.
Our faith is increased by an understanding of the
prophecies that have been fulfilled. Some
of the most remarkable of the prophecies are the ones that relate to Jesus.
In the Law, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, God predicted the coming
of one who would save the world. The
details of the birth of that one, his life, his ministry, his death, his
resurrection and his ascension to power at the right hand of the Father are all
the subject of Old Testament prophecies.
The New Testament is filled with quotations from the
Old Testament. These mostly relate
to prophecies that were fulfilled by the events that occurred, surrounding the
life of Jesus. Those quotations
probably reflect what the disciples had learned as Jesus “opened their minds
to understand the Scriptures.”
Many theologians, in our time, do not believe in
miracles. Therefore, they do not
believe in prophecy. The prophecies
concerning Jesus, in particular, are troubling to such people.
They want to be able to explain everything without recourse to the
miraculous. They believe that
present processes are sufficient to understand everything in our world.
Their minds cannot grasp an infinite God who is able to tell people,
before the event, what is going to take place.
Their god is not able to foretell the future.
Their god is not able to raise the dead to life again.
Their lives are impoverished because they do not understand the God who
created all things and will bring all things to a conclusion at a time of His
choosing.
Matthew, in particular, in his gospel has told us of
the prophecies fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus.
He was among those to whom Jesus opened the Scriptures.
It is evident in his writing that he was paying attention to the teaching
of Jesus about the prophecies he had fulfilled.
Jesus is the Son of God because he is the one who has
fulfilled the prophecies made by those who went before him.
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Annie
Gildersleeve, a friend of Steve and Maryann continues her recovery from her
stroke
Þ Maryann
is home with shingles today.
Þ Savannah
Dildy has chicken pox.
Þ Please
pray for Bonnie Wheeler’s friend, Samantha, who is seriously ill.
Þ Pray
for the men who are seeking a new preacher for this congregation.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Charles Lazarus
Next week—Mark Lampognana
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Joanna Lorusso
Next
week—Tina Cooper
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Mark Lampognana
Next
week—Dan & Marissa
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Charles Lazarus
Next
Week—Ron Dombrowski
Scripture Reading
This week—Dan Greenwood
Next week—Jerry Wheeler
Upcoming Events
July
26—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
July
26—Don and Esther Roarabaugh will be visiting with us as Don is scheduled to
preach both services and teach the adult class.
We are considering the possibility of them working with this
congregation.
August
1—Men’s prayer breakfast.
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Bible Notes
Jesus Explains the Scriptures
Luke 24:44-49
Genesis 3:15
Genesis 12:3
Genesis 49:10
Leviticus 16:8-10
Deuteronomy 18:18-19
2 Samuel 7:12-13
Psalm 2:1-6
Psalm 22:16-18
Psalm 110:1
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:2-7
Isaiah 53:1-12
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Micah 5:2
Zechariah 9:9
Malachi 4:5-6
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—29
AM
Worship—40
PM
Worship—15
Wed
Study—24
Contribution—$1041
July 5, 2009
"I Press On"
The Bible is much more than a “book of rules.”
There are rules (who can live without them.)
Yet there is much that falls in the category of good advice from God
about how to live. Paul’s letter
to the church at Philippi is filled with such advice.
A passage in chapter three is a good example.
“Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I
press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus.”
There are three suggestions that one might take from
this passage. First of all, there is
a need to forget the past. Yes, we
should learn from our mistakes, but there comes a time when we need to “move
on.” What others have done to us
or against us may have greatly impacted our lives.
But there is no need to allow those events to control our future.
Others may want to “pigeon hole” us based on what we have done, but
we do not have to do the same to ourselves.
Paul’s second suggestion is that we “press on.”
There needs to be a clear vision of where we want to go.
I want to travel does not qualify as a clear vision.
I want to be a better husband, or wife, or parent, or Christian is not a
clear vision of where we want to be. Better
might be a completion of the sentence: “I
will be a better husband by ….” Or, “I will be better equipped to provide
for my family by …” Or, I will
be a better mother by …” In each
case one needs to fill in the blank with specific things that one intends to do.
We need to set a time when we will begin to take action to “press
on.” We need to set goals along
the way that will enable us to measure our success in reaching toward our dreams
and hopes.
A third direction that may be derived from Paul’s
remarks is the need to persevere. Pressing
on is of no value if we quit and return to old ways shortly after beginning a
new plan. When one climbs a
mountain, one must continue to put one foot in front of another until the summit
is reached. Standing still or taking
a break by going down hill will not lead to success.
The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is the story
of a young man who had a dream. In
spite of many obstacles thrown in his way by his family and by his employer,
Joseph persisted in his steady progress toward his goal.
His faithfulness led to his success.
Life is full of trouble, but the one who forgets what
lies behind, presses on toward the goal and perseveres to the end, will be
rewarded. There is no better plan
for your life than God’s plan.
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Annie
Gildersleeve, a friend of Steve and Maryann suffered a stroke this past week and
is in the hospital.
Þ Tamara
Hargrove’s mission trip to Honduras has been cut short with her return on
Thursday. Political unrest dictated
the change in plans.
Þ Rachel
Burkett, Steve and Maryann’s daughter, has suffered through kidney stones this
past week.
Þ Johanna
Buckley is home from the hospital and recovering from surgery.
Þ Please
pray for Bonnie Wheeler’s friend, Samantha, who is seriously ill.
Þ Pray
for the men who are seeking a new preacher for this congregation.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Mark Timmons
Next week—Charles Lazarus
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Susan Saxby
Next
week—Joanna Lorusso
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Jerry & Bonnie
Next
week—Mark Lampognana
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Mark Timmons
Next
Week—Charles Lazarus
Scripture Reading
This week—Charles Lazarus
Next week—Dan Greenwood
Upcoming Events
July
12—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
August
1—Men’s prayer breakfast.
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Bible Notes
“I Press On”
Philippians 3:7-14
2 Corinthians 12:23-27
Philippians 4:13
Revelation 2:10
Hebrews 12:1-2
“Forgetting what is behind”
“Press on” to what is ahead
Persevere to the end
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—24
AM
Worship—34
PM
Worship—15
Wed
Study—28
Contribution—$424.04
June 28, 2009
Can a Man Be Saved By Doing Nothing?
Many religious controversies generate more heat than
rational discussion. Arguments in
which both sides toss out Scripture only to be “refuted” by Scriptures
thrown out by the opponent do nothing to bring understanding.
“What about this one?” countered with “What about this one?”
deserve an answer, not another Scripture.
Some seem to think that the Protestant Reformation was
about grace versus works. It really
was not that simple. Luther opposed
some works that were being proposed by some people.
He did not oppose an understanding that baptism was essential to
salvation. Calvin seems to have
taken a position that man can do nothing on his own initiative, but rather the
sovereignty of God makes God responsible for everything that happens.
Luther would seem to have been closer to the Bible than Calvin when it
came to understanding the role that people play in their own salvation.
If the sovereignty of God makes man incapable of acting
independently of God, then what is one to make of God’s decision to give
people the rule over animals, fish and the rest of Creation, per Moses account
in Genesis? How is one to understand
that prayer is effectual if there is no effect upon God by the person who prays?
How is the will of God frustrated by those who will not repent if God is
absolutely sovereign?
The Bible presents a picture of God commanding and
people having a choice whether they will obey or not.
That seems to be the case in the Garden of Eden when Eve reached out her
hand and took of the forbidden fruit. That
seems to be the case when God instructed Noah and Noah built an ark.
Jesus is said (in the letter to the Hebrews) to be the author of
salvation to those who obey him. John
considers faith and disobedience to be opposites (see John 3:36).
The letter to the Hebrews uses unbelief and disobedience as synonyms.
(See Hebrews 3:19 and 4:6.)
With a proper understanding of the sovereignty of God
and with a proper understanding of faith that obeys, one can easily understand
the place of baptism in one’s salvation. Mark
16:16 is not a problem for those who have correctly understood the matter.
Neither is Acts 2:38 or 22:16 or 1 Peter 3:21 a problem as well.
When it is understood that we have to make a response
in order to be saved, it is a simple matter to find the correct Biblical
response that will lead to our salvation. Misunderstanding
the sovereignty of God and the nature of faith will leave one confused and in
darkness about salvation.
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Johanna
Buckley is home from the hospital and recovering from surgery.
Þ Please
pray for Bonnie Wheeler’s friend, Samantha, who is seriously ill.
Þ Pray
for the men who are seeking a new preacher for this congregation.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Dave Cooper
Next week—Mark Timmons
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Bonnie Wheeler
Next
week—Susan Saxby
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Mark Timmons
Next
week—Jerry & Bonnie
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Steve Bastin
Next
Week—Mark Timmons
Scripture Reading
This week—Mark Lampognana
Next week—Charles Lazarus
Upcoming Events
July
4—Men’s breakfast at the church building.
July
4—Cookout at the Bastin’s house. Everyone
is invited at 2 pm. Bring meat to
grill and a dish to share.
July
12—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Bible Notes
Can a Man Be Saved By Doing
Nothing?
Mark 1:1-11
Genesis 1:28
James 5:16
2 Peter 3:9
Hebrews 5:8-9
John 3:36
Hebrews 3:19
Hebrews 4:6
James 2:24
Acts 2:38
Acts 10:48
Acts 22:16
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—33
AM
Worship—46
PM
Worship—10
Wed
Study—25
Contribution—$513.12
June 21, 2009
A God-Fearing Father
Moses
was not a great man until he humbled himself before the Lord at the burning
bush. In his last days he wrote the
messages we have in the book of Deuteronomy.
In a moving passage he speaks of what God desired from those who were
fathers in Israel. They were to
recognize Yahweh alone as God. They
were to love him and let His word dwell in their hearts.
They were to diligently teach their sons the commandments of God and
remember all the good that Yahweh had done for them.
We
do not get to choose our parents, but we do get to choose what kind of parents
we will be. Babies may not come with
instructions, but God has given us a book on life.
That book covers parenting and everything else that is important.
Parenting
begins with godliness. The old “do
as I say and not as I do” is a recipe for disaster.
Righteousness will not be found in the play room until it is found in the
living room.
When
parents lie, cheat, steal and use abusive and profane language, then do not be
surprised when the police come calling to tell the parents about the misdeeds of
their children. When parents do not
go to church, do not expect that their children will go when they become adults.
Solomon
wrote a book about life. It is
called Ecclesiastes. In that book he
describes a journey to find meaning and concludes that all is vanity (useless).
Near the end of the book is the only positive direction one can find.
“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth. . . Fear God and
keep His commandments.” He would
have done well to have followed that advice instead of the adventures he chose
instead. While brought up by a godly
father, Solomon soon departed from his father’s ways when he became the king.
Instead of being impressed by God he was impressed by the wisdom which
God had given him. Amorous
adventures led to marriage with many ungodly women who soon turned his heart
away from his God.
A
God-fearing father is a blessing to every child.
To be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is a prize
that every child ought to enjoy. To
be led to church, to be led to God, to be led in righteousness by a father is
all that any child might ask. May
God bless father’s with a vision of what they might become for their own sake
and for the sake of their wives and their children.
Amen.
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Dwight
and Wendy Dildy were baptized into Christ on Thursday evening.
We welcome them into God’s family and pray that God will bless them in
their new life in Christ.
Þ Johanna
Buckley had surgery on Monday at Hartford Hospital.
Please pray for her successful recovery.
Þ Please
pray for Bonnie Wheeler’s friend, Samantha, who is seriously ill.
Þ The
neighbor of Penny Harrison has a brain tumor.
Þ Chris
Paganini has pancreatitis.
Þ Emerson,
Silmara and Nicolas left yesterday for an extended visit to Brazil prior to
their move to Canada.
Þ Pray
for the men who are seeking a new preacher for this congregation.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Mark Lampognana
Next week—Dave Cooper
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Tina Cooper
Next
week—Bonnie Wheeler
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Susan Nomelli-Crosley
Next
week—Mark Timmons
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Charles Lazarus
Next
Week—Dave Cooper
Scripture Reading
This week—Jerry Wheeler
Next week—Mark Lampognana
Upcoming Events
June
21-24—Vacation Bible School at the New Milford church.
See bulletin board for details.
July
4—Men’s breakfast at the church building.
July
4—Cookout at the Bastin’s house. Everyone
is invited at 2 pm. Bring meat to
grill and a dish to share.
July
12—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Bible Notes
A God-Fearing Father
Deuteronomy 6:4-15
Ephesians 5:25
1 Timothy 5:8
2 Thessalonians 3:10
John 5:13
Matthew 22:37
Ecclesiastes 3:1
1 Timothy 4:13
Psalm 119:97
Proverbs 3:1-6
1 Peter 3:7
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Romans 13:7-8
Ephesians 6:2
John 4:24
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—34
AM
Worship—49
PM
Worship—15
Wed
Study—27
Contribution—$547
June 14, 2009
A Burning Fire
Jeremiah was a great prophet of God during a disastrous
time for God’s people. Unbelief
and idolatry were rampant among the people of Judah.
Corruption and greed were everywhere.
Israel was caught between Babylon to the east and Egypt to the west.
Their Israelite neighbors, to the north, had already been overrun and
destroyed by the Assyrians. Jerusalem
had barely escaped and, but for the help of God, would have fallen as well.
Jeremiah lived through the destruction of Jerusalem by
the Babylonians. He would be left in
the land of Judah with a remnant of God’s people.
Those people would then force him to flee, with them, to Egypt where they
would end up under Babylonian domination when the Babylonians conquered Egypt.
Jeremiah’s teaching brought him nothing but trouble.
At one point he was thrown in a cistern and left to die.
An Ethiopian rescued him and saved his life.
Kings sometimes sought his counsel. At
other times, they cut up the words that he had written on parchment and threw
them in the fire. Still Jeremiah
continued to proclaim the truth of God.
His haunting cry is found in the 20th chapter of his
book. “But if I say, ‘I will not
remember Him or speak anymore in His name, then in my heart it becomes like a
burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot
endure it.’” He continues by
proclaiming, “But the Lord is with me like a dread champion; therefore my
persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They
will be utterly ashamed because they have failed, with an everlasting disgrace
that will not be forgotten.”
There ought to be in us a burning fire to understand
people. We ought to understand one
another in order that we might fulfill our Biblical obligations to “one
another.” We ought to care about
the people with whom we worship God. We
ought to be constant in our prayers for each other.
There ought to be in us a burning fire to understand
God’s word. We need to know what
we believe. We need to know why we
believe as we do and we need to understand our beliefs so that we can
communicate them to others.
There ought to be in us a burning desire to serve the
Lord. That desire ought to be
expressed in our desire to be with God’s people for worship.
That desire ought to be expressed in our daily struggle to live a godly
life before unbelievers. That desire
ought to find fulfillment in reaching out to lost people to rescue them.
No one can light the fire for you.
You will choose to be on fire for the Lord or you will choose to be just
a bystander in the war against evil.
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ Please
pray for Bonnie Wheeler’s friend, Samantha, who is seriously ill.
Þ Frank
Paganini was not able to be with us on Wednesday because of severe pain in his
legs.
Þ The
neighbor of Penny Harrison has a brain tumor.
Þ Chris
Paganini has pancreatitis.
Þ Emerson,
Silmara and Nicolas will be leaving on June 20 for an extended visit to Brazil
prior to their move to Canada.
Þ Pray
for the men who are seeking a new preacher for this congregation.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Charles Lazarus
Next week—Mark Lampognana
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Joanna Lorusso
Next
week—Tina Cooper
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Marie & Barbara
Next
week—Susan Nomelli-Crosley
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Charles Lazarus
Next
Week—Ron Dombrowski
Scripture Reading
This week—Dan Greenwood
Next week—Jerry Wheeler
Upcoming Events
June
20—Youth group activity. Details
to follow.
July
4—Men’s breakfast at the church building.
July
12—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service.
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Bible Notes
A Burning Fire
Jeremiah 20:7-13
Hebrews 10:23-25
Mark 6:34
James 5:16
2 Timothy 1:12
1 Peter 3:15
Deuteronomy 16:16
Leviticus 1:3
Psalm 122:1
Romans 12:1
Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 16:15-20
Luke 24:46-47
Acts 1:8
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—38
AM
Worship—50
PM
Worship—25
Wed
Study—36
Contribution—$1082
May 31, 2009
Leadership for Christ
Everyone has a stake in leadership.
Those who lead need to understand the demands of leadership.
Those who follow need to understand the kind of leaders they need to
follow and make their choices accordingly.
The Bible provides all the information that is needed
for a godly leader. It gives
qualifications for those who are to be leaders.
It gives great examples of leaders, showing clearly the good leaders and
the bad. Among the great leaders in
the Bible are men such as Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus and Paul (in
chronological order).
The first demand of a great leader is commitment to a
set of principles, or ideals. Great
leaders (for those who follow Jesus) are people who have made a great commitment
to Jesus. They have committed their
time and their resources to the kingdom of God.
They lead by doing, not by talking. They
lead in the right way because they are going in the right way.
Great leaders are people of great humility.
They understand that they are nothing without the help of God.
They understand that everything is dependent upon God and they are
willing to be used by Him in service to others.
Their concern is for those who follow them.
Personal achievements are unimportant.
The glory belongs to God.
Those who lead must understand that God is the best
source for information. His Word is
their daily food. Bibles are meant
to be worn and dog-eared. God’s
Word in the heart is the best hope for a successful life.
The Scriptures are meant to be read, to be studied, to be memorized.
Meditation upon the Words of God is the key that unlocks the door to
greatness. What others have said
about the Bible may be useful and great leaders learn from others who seek first
the kingdom of God.
Leaders for Christ do not wait to be told what to do.
They see the opportunities that God sets before them and seize them with
zeal and determination. They are
always looking for ways in which they can carry out the will of God in their own
lives. They not only generate new
ways of doing old things, but they are on the front lines of those who put ideas
into practice. They understand that
an idea is of no use until it is produces fruit.
God is looking for mothers and fathers who will lead
their families in spiritual matters. He
is looking for young people who will lead their friends to Christ.
He seeks Christians who will seek to win others, who will care for those
in need, who will teach and sacrifice that others might reach heaven with them.
God seeks those who will count the cost and take up their cross to follow
Jesus.
News, Notes & Prayer Requests
Þ We
appreciate the good work that was done by those who filled in for us in our
absence. We thank Ron, Charles and
Glenda for teaching our classes. We
thank David and Mark for preaching.
Þ Bonnie
Wheeler’s grandmother passed away. Her
funeral was on Friday.
Þ Emerson,
Silmara and Nicolas will be leaving on June 20 for an extended visit to Brazil
prior to their move to Canada.
Þ There
are several books on the table at the door when you come in that are available
at no charge. You may take copies to
give friends as well.
Þ Pray
for the men who are seeking a new preacher for this congregation.
Þ Pray
for Marissa Greenwood that her pregnancy will go well.
Þ Please
continue to pray for Louis McBurney.
Þ Tell
your friends about our program on Channel 5 of Cablevision.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way” is scheduled to be broadcast each
Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Þ Get
in touch with those who are absent. Pray
for them and reach out to encourage them.
Þ
Remember the times when you have been discouraged.
“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.” (1
John 4:21)
Usher
Assignments
This
week—Emerson Guimaraes
Next week—Mark Timmons
Nursery
Assignments
This
week—Bonnie Wheeler
Next
week—Susan Saxby
Cleaning
Assignments (after Wed)
This
week—Emerson & Silmara
Next
week—Dave & Tina
Lord’s
Table
This
week—Emerson Guimaraes
Next
Week—Mark Timmons
Scripture Reading
This week—Mark Timmons
Next week—Dave Cooper
Upcoming Events
June
6—Men’s prayer breakfast.
June
7—Michael Meals will be preaching and teaching here.
He is interested in coming to Torrington to work with this congregation.
June
7—Congregational potluck dinner following the morning service
June
12 and 13 - Men’s retreat at Kent, CT.
June
13—Congregational fellowship at the Greenwoods to give our blessing to
Emerson, Silmara and Nicolas as they leave this congregation.
We will begin at 4 pm. Meat
and buns will be furnished. Please
bring a side dish to share.
Please
check the bulletin board for other events and items of interest among our
brethren.
Bible Notes
Leadership for Christ
Abraham—Genesis 12-15
Moses—Deuteronomy
David—2 Samuel 12:1-15
Jesus—Matthew 26:36-68
Paul—Philippians 3:2-16
Matthew 5:3
Ephesians 4:1-2
Colossians 3:12
Luke 14:25-35
Record Last Week
Sun
Bible Study—21
AM
Worship—37
PM
Worship—18
Wed
Study—23
Contribution—$403