Announcements and Order of Worship – October 13 2017

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My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I first want to express my love and appreciation to Rev. Jim Daughtry for preaching for us while I was away last Sunday. Jim did an excellent job expounding the glories of Sola Fide, ‘By Faith Alone,’ from Romans 1:16-17.  This coming Lord’s Day, I will be continuing our sermon series on the ‘Five Solas of the Reformation’ with a message from Ephesians 1:3-14 on Sola Gratia, or ‘By Grace Alone.’

The medieval Church of Luther’s day affirmed that salvation was by divine grace. But there was a critical caveat. Divine grace, according to Rome, was granted to the sinner by faith, empowering him to perform good works. Then, as the Church maintained, the sinner was justified before God on the basis of these righteous deeds that grace enabled him to accomplish. However, the Reformers, moved by the teaching of Scripture, summarily rejected this distorted view of grace. They argued that the grace that comes from God leading to salvation stands alone.  Good works, they proclaimed, are not added to grace, nor are they required for salvation. Grace is enough! The repentant sinner is justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone! Only then, after the sinner has been justified freely by God’s grace alone, do good works appear as the fruit of saving faith. That is, righteous deeds necessarily follow one’s experience of saving grace, but they do not cause or contribute in any way to one’s salvation.

Perhaps there is no book in Holy Scripture more saturated with grace than Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.  There, the Apostle employs the word “grace” thirteen times in the six chapters of the epistle, and frames his letter around it as the supporting superstructure for his message. Paul’s bold affirmation in 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” sends shattering shock waves through every claim that sinners may contribute anything to their salvation in addition to what God has done in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Grace is sufficient!  Grace is efficient!  Grace is all the sinner needs!

In 1:3-14 Paul has much more to tell us about the sufficiency and efficiency of God’s grace, and we will explore this rich passage together on Sunday.  I hope you will meditate on these blessed and inspired words, and pray most diligently that our Lord will speak to us as we joyfully come together before Him in worship.

I love you all so very much,

Mike

Upcoming Events:

October 15, 12:30 PM– Visitor’s Luncheon
October 15, 2:00 PM– Flower Guild Demo
October 15, 4:00 PM – Children’s Choir
October 16, 6:30 PM – Young Adult’s Study
October 17, 6 PM – Women’s Evening Study
October 18, 9:30 AM – Women’s Morning Study
October 18, 6 PM– Diaconate Meeting
October 22, 4:30 PM – Youth Group
October 25, 6 PM– Women’s Potluck Dinner
October 26, 6 AM– Men’s Morning Bible Study
October 27, 6 PM – Reformation Walk
October 28
– Church Work Day
October 31
– Senior Fellows Breakfast at the Church House
November 5
  – Bryant Baby Shower
December 6
– Women’s Christmas Party

Announcements:

Meals for Robin Holloway: We have set up a meal schedule for the Holloway’s to help them while Robin is recovering. They are needing three meals a week, but we thought that one freezer meal a week on top of that would be helpful, so the SUNDAY sign up is for that freezer meal. If you would like to bring both a regular meal and a freezer meal please sign up for a Sunday as well as a regular meal scheduled on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. You can sign up using the link below. Thank you ahead of time for signing up and of course if you have any questions feel free call, text, or email me at Fhornist1@gmail.com

Link to Meal Schedule:

Women’s Bible Studies: There are two Fall Women’s Bible Studies going on, Tuesday evenings at 6PM and Wednesday mornings at 9:30 AM. For more information about these or any other women’s ministries please contact Denise Scrip.

Senior Fellows: The Senior Fellows will have breakfast at the Church House at 9 AM on October 31. It’s Halloween, so come dressed as your favorite Senior Fellow.

Youth Group: Youth Group will meet again on October 22 at 4:30PM at the church. All students in grades 6-12 are encouraged to attend, and please bring friends!

Alleluia Choir: The Children’s Choir (Grades 2-6) is now the Alleluia Choir, and they meet every Sunday 4:00-4:50 pm upstairs in the Church House. New choristers are always welcome!

Young Adults Study: Monday nights in October, sthere will be a Bible study for young adults at 6:30 PM at the home of John and Leslie Jeffery. The topic is “Humility.” This is open to anyone who considers themselves to be a young adult, single or married.

Flower Guild Demo: The Flower Guild is hosting a floral demonstration this afternoon from 2-4:30 in the Fellowship Hall. If you haven’t signed up see Donna Henry or Virdia Jastrebski in the Narthex immediately before and following church

Women’s Fall Potluck: 

Hey there ladies, I want to invite you all to our Fall fellowship dinner. We always enjoy events like this as opportunities to get to know each other better in a more relaxed and casual setting.

The event is at the home of Isabel Rodriquez on October 25, 2017 at 6 PM. Her address is 14 Huntleigh Place, Gurley, AL 35748 A meal sign up is below.

The theme for this fun potluck is Welcoming Fall, so bring your favorite fall recipe! If you are unable to bring something, or all of the potluck signups have been filled come on anyways! Sweet Isabel will provide the paper produces, utensils, drinks, and coffee. Fall food and fellowship. Can’t wait!!!!

www.PerfectPotluck.com/PSPP8767

Reformation Walk:

As you saw in the announcement last week, the Christ Pres Children’s Ministry Team would like to invite adults and families to our Reformation Celebration on Friday, October 27th from 6 to 9 pm.
Families will be able to walk together through Martin Luther’s town, visiting various tables where the children will learn more about his life and times as they complete a small activity or craft. There are over 15 tables! We will end the evening with hymns, the Reformation Play, and dessert following the program.
Note about Volunteers
We have asked adults with non-elementary aged kids to volunteer as table leaders. Youth are also encouraged to volunteer! We are asking that parents of young children use this time to walk around with them so they can better understand the activities! We have a program to use as a guide that will help you as you travel the town!
I still have a couple of needs to be filled. Please check our sign-up HERE to grab a vacant spot, dessert, or to help with clean-up at 9 pm. God has raised up some AMAZING volunteers! Thank you! Amy Drown will be contacting you soon to help with your table set-up instructions.
We have also invited the children of our neighbors at Cornerstone Presbyterian. Please be praying for this event as it comes together! May God be glorified through it all and may our children learn more about HIM!
Thanks!
Ashley
PS. Do I have any woodworkers? I need to fill a baby pool with sawdust. I also need someone to grab big boxes at Lowe’s for our obstacle course. If you are able to help with either of these, please email me at aoturnbull@gmail.com

Bryant Baby Shower: All women of the church are invited to a baby shower honoring Stephanie Bryant on Sunday, November 5th, from 2 to 4 pm, at the Timbers’ Edge Clubhouse. RSVP HERE.

Church Work Day: We will have a Church Workday Saturday, October 28, starting at 8 AM. The purpose is to perform needed maintenance including landscaping and cleaning at the Church and Church House. In doing this we will have a great time of fellowship. We need the help of about 20 -25 adults and teens to help with this job. We also need tools. Please sign up to help and to bring designated tools in the narthex starting Sun, Oct 1. We will provide a light breakfast (coffee and donuts) and snack food. We plan to finish around noon. If the weather is bad, our backup day will be Saturday, November 4.

Women’s Christmas Dinner: Save the date for the Women’s Christmas Dinner at the Monte Sano Lodge on December 6 at 6 PM.

Prayer Requests:

Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Robin Holloway, Chris Smotherman, Elizabeth Holton, Janet Chou, Ramona Edwards, Nolan Osmer, George Boyd, John Baxter, and Joyce Bosley
Expecting: Please pray for the Bryant family, expecting in December, the Townsley family, expecting in March, and the Staffords, expecting in April.
Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); RUF at Alabama A&M; Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA); Franky Garcia (seminary student).