“ And they were glorifying God because of me”–Galatians 1:23 (NASB)
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The man who made the claim above was Paul.
Typically, when Paul is referenced among believers today his name is preceded by an adjective or adjectival phrase, either spoken aloud or assumed in our minds. For example: the great Apostle Paul; the preeminent theologian Paul; the passionate missionary Paul; the first New Testament Church-planter and evangelist Paul; the inspired author of half of the New Testament Paul.
We understandably associate this most remarkable man with extreme greatness, a unique superiority, and a level of achievement that few have ever shared or will share. It is true enough that the power and grace of God was at work in Paul in most incredible ways!
However, this same remarkable man would strongly caution us about adopting him as some kind of a ‘hero of the faith.’ He reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 that he is, after all, no more than a grace-endowed servant of Christ, one deserving of no credit whatsoever.
Yet, we still (quite naturally!) assume that this man, and others like him whose stories dot the pages of Holy Scripture, was and remains far above us in stature and importance. We assign to Paul a status that is high above the average believer, seeing him as indispensable to the proclamation, defense, and spread of the Gospel to the world.
To be sure, Paul himself would strongly dispute this assumption! In 1 Corinthians 15:10 he states this emphatically: “ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”
Whatever there was in this man that might be termed ‘greatness’ was a result of God’s mercy in Christ Jesus alone!
This brings us to his inspired words taken from Galatians 1:23 that are quoted above. I would suggest that it is here that we discover the Apostle’s most impressive ‘achievement’ of all. Ask this man what he is most ‘proud of,’ what he finds the greatest satisfaction in, and he will tell you that his singular delight is in knowing that somehow the trajectory of his life resulted in the glory of God! Because of what divine grace was doing in his life, others were “ glorifying God.”
There is no doubt that none of us will ever author half of the New Testament, plant churches all across the known world, preach with unparalleled efficacy and power, defend the faith with awe-inspiring rhetorical skill, or be remembered as the “ Apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). And yet, we stand on equal ground with Paul as those whose main mission and calling in life is to live in such a way that any who encounter us along life’s path will glorify Him who has redeemed us!
Like the ‘Great Apostle Paul,’ each of us exists for one grand purpose. We are all equally partakers of the same mercy, recipients of the same sovereign and gracious calling to salvation, representatives of the same Lord, sent out to the same world, and filled with the same Holy Spirit! There are no celebrities among us, no upper echelon of super-saints or ‘heroes of the faith’! There are only forgiven and justified sinners who exist in order that the Name above all names might be glorified in their lives!
On this Monday, like every day, our status, calling, rank, and mission are ‘Pauline’ in every way! Our shared purpose is this: That as we carry out our daily duties and engage in our common routines, that our Father might be exalted, and that those who watch us might see something of His glory and grace in us! There is no higher vocation than this one!
May our gracious Father use us today to bring honor, glory, and praise to Himself in the sight of all!
I love you all so very much,
Mike
PS: Due to our travel and family vacation plans, the next Monday Encouragement will be delivered on June 21.
Our memories are both a blessing and a curse! It all depends on which ones we focus upon.
Our Heavenly Father has lovingly engineered our minds so that it is possible for us to recall events that occurred even decades in the past. I can imagine that prior to Adam’s sin, the human memory, though finite and creaturely, would have been truly ‘photographic,’ able to recall with remarkable accuracy all that previously transpired.
But on this side of the Fall, our minds are burdened by the effects of sin. As we grow older we lose memories of the past, many of them very precious to us. It gets harder to recall certain things. And our recollection of past events becomes sprinkled with inaccuracies that are due to the passage of time, disease, and other evidences of the pervasive corruption that our sin has brought to us.
Yet, despite the limitations of our minds, our memories remain a wonderful gift from God. And, surprisingly, our ability to remember plays a vital role in our sanctification!
Over and again, the Word of God calls upon us to “ remember” what He has done for us and in us in the past (for just one example, consider Deut. 5:15). The recollection of His mercy, grace, saving power, and faithfulness to us in the past is to be a powerful incentive to our present endurance and fidelity to our Lord and Savior.
That’s why the author of Hebrews calls upon all of us to remember our past life, especially the early days after we were saved and received into the fellowship of our Lord’s Church. In Hebrews 10:32 he says, “ But recall the former days. . . .”
As we examine the words of Hebrews 10:32-34 this coming Sunday, we will discover how our memories of the past can result in an amazing blessing in the present. By simply remembering what God has done for us in Christ, how His grace has transformed us, and how His perfect faithfulness to us has been in evidence, we are equipped to live with peace and confidence today!
New Worship Time Begins This Sunday!
Don’t forget that our Summer Worship Schedule begins this Sunday.
A Coffee Fellowship will be at 9:00 AM.
Then, we will gather at 9:30 AM for Worship.
I love you all so much,
Mike
Announcements:
Summer Worship Time Change:
Beginning May 30 and continuing throughout the summer, Sunday worship will begin at 9:30 AM in the Sanctuary.
Youth Group:
Youth Group will resume in the Fall.
Children’s Ministry:
Summer Bible Club:
Our first event this summer will be our Summer Bible Club (modified VBS) on June 10th and 11th. We will spend time studying the themes in the book of Joshua, where godly characters like Joshua, Caleb, and Rahab, lend themselves well to teaching our Olympic “Athletes” who God is, what it means to be on God’s Team, and how to run the race of faith. The story of the people of Israel in the Bible is the story of how God loves and cares for His Team! Registration is OPEN. Cost is free but we ask for a donation towards the t-shirts. And they are AWESOME! Click HERE to see our registration page – both for children and volunteers (for your t-shirts). Payment links are there as well. NOTE THAT SUNDAY MAY 30 IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER!
A note from Amanda, our Nursery Coordinator:
First, a huge thank you to those you have volunteered in our nursery during Sunday worship over the past couple of months. It has been a great blessing to our children, nursery staff, and families.
I have created a new sign up extending through the summer months so please click on the link below if you would like to help in the nursery in the coming weeks. Don’t forget our new worship schedule this summer! Since service will begin at 9:30 as of May 30th, we ask that you arrive in the nursery at 9:15 to help welcome our children in. More details can be viewed on the sign up page.
If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to Amanda Dean or Ashley Turnbull. It has been such a blessing as a parent to see our church as a whole lovingly take part in helping raise our children in a way that points them to their Creator. Thank you all!
Love,
Amanda Dean
Women’s Ministry:
Monthly Lunch: Our next monthly luncheon will be on June 3 beginning at 11:30 at the Timbers Edge Clubhouse located at 1 Timbers Main, Brownsboro. It’s potluck – feel free to bring a dish or just yourself.
Wednesday Summer Fellowships: Make plans to join other ladies in the church for fellowship throughout the summer. Our goal is to connect across generational lines and encourage one another. All ages welcome! Groups will meet on Wednesdays at 10:00 am at Sharon Daughtry’s (5726 Jones Valley Drive, Huntsville 35802) as well as at 6 pm at Panera Bread on Airport Road. Contact Denise for more information.
Career/Singles:
The weekly bible study and fellowship for career/singles meets at 5:30 PM Sunday evenings at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry.
Senior Fellows:
On Tuesday, June 1 at 9:00 AM the Senior Fellows will enjoy breakfast, fellowship and a devotional at the Church. Guests are welcome. Please notify us at seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org if you plan to join us for breakfast.
FCA:
Hello All!
It is camp season for our Fellowship of Christian Athletes! Before FCA summer camps begin interns go through a spiritual boot camp preparing them for service in this ministry. We get the opportunity to provide a lunch for the staff and interns during this week! On Wednesday, June 2nd we are putting together a taco salad bar lunch for about 50 people. I have put together a sign up of what is needed if you are interested in providing food for this event:
Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Dave Angotti, Dustin and Katie Jackson, Zig and Virdia Jastrebski, Ramona Edwards, Bill Dent, Jacky Haynes, Steve Terry, Bill Cowley, Larrabee Kirkland, and Elizabeth Holton. Expecting: Please pray for the Deans, expecting in July, and the Prizingers, expecting in November. Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Noah and Karleigh Stephens (Thailand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); Amos and Jessica Williams (RUF at Alabama A&M); Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA); Franky and Alaina Garcia (church plant in Canada); Dieter Paulson (church plant in Scottsboro, AL); Gannon Miles (seminary student); The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center.
Online Donations:
If you would like to give to Christ Presbyterian, you can do so at the following link:
“. . . that he may comfort your hearts”–Ephesians 6:22 (NASB)
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Jesus,
Because all of the Word of God is equally inspired, every little fraction of it comes from the mouth of our Father.
In Paul’s prison letter, written to his Christian brethren in Ephesus, there is one of those little fractions of inspired truth that we should not overlook. It concerns a rather obscure man, one of the Apostle’s missionary associates, named “ Tychicus,” whom Paul affectionately regarded as “ the beloved brother and faithful minister of the Lord” (Eph. 6:21, NASB).
It was this man who personally delivered the Letter of Ephesians and likely read it aloud to the congregation of believers there. Tychicus had visited Paul in Rome where the Apostle was confined during the first of his two Roman imprisonments. Following his time with Paul, he was sent back to Ephesus with the Epistle and with an eye-witness report as to Paul’s well-being–“ so that you may know about us” (Eph. 6:22).
But there is another reason, a most vital one, that Paul was anxious for this dear and most faithful Christian brother to make it back to the Ephesian Church. Paul knew that the mere presence of Tychicus with the believers there in Ephesus would provide “ comfort” for their “ hearts.” Doubtless, this encouragement, or consolation, would result from the knowledge that Paul was healthy, although imprisoned for Christ. And, of course, there would be the power of the Epistle itself, the reading of which would result in the nourishment and edification of the Christian assembly.
But there is something else here that we need to see, and this will be the fount from which we draw today’s encouragement.
We’ve all heard it said, and correctly so, that we Christians have not been called to a life of ease and comfort, but to one of cross-bearing, suffering for our Lord, and patient endurance in times of hostility. In fact, in the sixth chapter of this very Epistle we find Paul’s most extensive treatment of the perilous warfare of the Christian life.
It is true, indeed, that we are in a fight, and that our calling is not to live comfortably in this world as if this is all there is. Rather, we are strangers in a world that hates us just as it hated our Savior before us. And we are also our Lord’s ambassadors, bearing the message of salvation that the devil despises and the lost mind-set finds utterly foolish.
And yet, in this one little portion of Holy Scripture we see something that our Father in heaven desires for each of us in the midst of this Christian struggle–that our hearts may find “ comfort.”
While we are not called to a life of coziness and ease, we are called to one of “ comfort.” In fact, we can put it this way: Our gracious Father desires that each of us who know His Son should ever experience true and lasting “ comfort,” even as we persistently “ struggle” against all the devil’s minions and strategies (Eph. 6:12). It is our Lord’s stated will that we find “ comfort” on the battlefield!
Well, this poses what might seem to be a contradiction of sorts. Have you ever encountered something so odd as this juxtaposition of warfare and comfort? They really don’t seem to go together at all. Either we have struggle, or we have comfort. But they appear to be mutually exclusive! Ask any of our veterans of war if they were ever ‘comfortable’ under fire. The answer will be “No” for sure!
So how does this work? What is this “ comfort” that Paul wanted so desperately for his beloved Christian brothers and sisters in Ephesus?
Perhaps the best and simplest way to get at the meaning of this word is to state what it is not:
It is not fear.
It is not anxiety, either more generalized or specific.
It is not a sense of foreboding or dread.
Rather, it is a calm assurance, a peace deep in the soul, which those who belong to Jesus can (and should) always have in all circumstances. And, above all, it is one of the blessed graces that the Holy Spirit provides us with. After all, our Lord taught that the Person of the Spirit is the great “ Comforter” (John 14:16, KJV).
This name suggests that the Spirit of God comes alongside each of us, stands with and in us, and constantly supplies strength and consolation for every moment of our lives, even when we are in the line of fire. With the “ Comforter” both with us and living in us, we have the peace and security that our Father, the “ God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3), desires for us!
So, allow me to put it this way: What your Father, our Heavenly Father, wants for each of us today is for us to live a life of comfort! Not comfort as defined by the world, but as He defines it–a life of trust, peace, assurance, confidence, hope, and joy! In other words, a little bit of what we shall know perfectly in heaven for all eternity, present in our hearts even now–“ eternal comfort” (2 Thess. 2:16).
I love you all so much, and I always pray for your comfort as you serve our great King!
Invariably, when we think of the Epistle to the Hebrews, our minds travel in the direction of two very difficult passages in this inspired letter. Both are ‘warning passages,’ which speak of the dreadful possibility of committing the sin of apostasy.
Historically, these two passages have been the focus of much debate and even controversy over their intended meaning, as well as their applicability to New Covent believers. Of course, I am speaking of Hebrews 6:1-8, and Hebrews 10:26-31.
This coming Lord’s Day, we will begin our examination of the second ‘warning passage’ in chapter 10. But let me encourage you to read the larger section from 10:26-39. If you do this, you will see that this warning, like the one in chapter 6, also contains a great word of assurance.
In chapter 10, the transition from warning to assurance is found in verse 32: “ But recall the former days . . . .” How interesting it is that some of the greatest assurances of our indestructible and everlasting salvation in Christ our Lord appear within the context of some of the strongest warnings in God’s Word.
I look forward to all that our Father will teach us as we gather before Him this Sunday!
Don’f forget that this week is our final week of Sunday School for the summer.
Then, on May 30 we will begin worshipping at our new time of 9:30 AM.
All my love,
Mike
Announcements:
Summer Worship Time Change:
Beginning May 30 and continuing throughout the summer, Sunday worship will begin at 9:30 AM in the Sanctuary.
Youth Group:
Youth Group will resume in the Fall.
Children’s Ministry:
Summer Bible Club:
Our first event this summer will be our Summer Bible Club (modified VBS) on June 10th and 11th. We will spend time studying the themes in the book of Joshua, where godly characters like Joshua, Caleb, and Rahab, lend themselves well to teaching our Olympic “Athletes” who God is, what it means to be on God’s Team, and how to run the race of faith. The story of the people of Israel in the Bible is the story of how God loves and cares for His Team! Registration is OPEN. Cost is free but we ask for a donation towards the t-shirts. And they are AWESOME! Click HERE to see our registration page – both for children and volunteers (for your t-shirts). Payment links are there as well.
A note from Amanda, our Nursery Coordinator:
First, a huge thank you to those you have volunteered in our nursery during Sunday worship over the past couple of months. It has been a great blessing to our children, nursery staff, and families.
I have created a new sign up extending through the summer months so please click on the link below if you would like to help in the nursery in the coming weeks. Don’t forget our new worship schedule this summer! Since service will begin at 9:30 as of May 30th, we ask that you arrive in the nursery at 9:15 to help welcome our children in. More details can be viewed on the sign up page.
If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to Amanda Dean or Ashley Turnbull. It has been such a blessing as a parent to see our church as a whole lovingly take part in helping raise our children in a way that points them to their Creator. Thank you all!
Love,
Amanda Dean
Women’s Ministry:
Monthly Lunch: Our next monthly luncheon will be on June 3 beginning at 11:30 at the Timbers Edge Clubhouse located at 1 Timbers Main, Brownsboro. It’s potluck – feel free to bring a dish or just yourself.
Wednesday Summer Fellowships: Make plans to join other ladies in the church for fellowship throughout the summer. Our goal is to connect across generational lines and encourage one another. All ages welcome! Groups will meet on Wednesdays at 10:00 am at Sharon Daughtry’s (5726 Jones Valley Drive, Huntsville 35802) as well as at 6 pm at Panera Bread on Airport Road. Contact Denise for more information.
Career/Singles:
The weekly bible study and fellowship for career/singles meets at 5:30 PM Sunday evenings at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry.
Senior Fellows:
On Tuesday, June 1 at 9:00 AM the Senior Fellows will enjoy breakfast, fellowship and a devotional at the Church. Guests are welcome. Please notify us at seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org if you plan to join us for breakfast.
FCA:
Hello All!
It is camp season for our Fellowship of Christian Athletes! Before FCA summer camps begin interns go through a spiritual boot camp preparing them for service in this ministry. We get the opportunity to provide a lunch for the staff and interns during this week! On Wednesday, June 2nd we are putting together a taco salad bar lunch for about 50 people. I have put together a sign up of what is needed if you are interested in providing food for this event:
Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Dave Angotti, Dustin and Katie Jackson, Zig and Virdia Jastrebski, Ramona Edwards, Bill Dent, Jacky Haynes, Steve Terry, Bill Cowley, Larrabee Kirkland, and Elizabeth Holton. Expecting: Please pray for the Deans, expecting in July, and the Prizingers, expecting in November. Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Noah and Karleigh Stephens (Thailand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); Amos and Jessica Williams (RUF at Alabama A&M); Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA); Franky and Alaina Garcia (church plant in Canada); Dieter Paulson (church plant in Scottsboro, AL); Gannon Miles (seminary student); The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center.
Online Donations:
If you would like to give to Christ Presbyterian, you can do so at the following link:
“ the Word of the Lord has sounded forth from you . . . in every place ”–1 Thessalonians 1:8( NASB).
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
‘ The Little Church with the Big Voice’
That’s the theme of the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians. The Church of the Thessalonians was a small fellowship of believers in Christ that met in a private home owned by a man name Jason. The Christian congregation in Thessalonica (a very significant city in the ancient Roman world, and the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia with a population in excess of 100,000 citizens) had been established by the Apostle Paul a few months before the first of his two inspired letters were sent to them.
The Thessalonian Church was a little fellowship of infant believers that had been immediately cast into the fiery furnace of affliction and pain right at the beginning of their existence. There was no ‘honeymoon’ phase for them. Within just days of their first meetings in the name of Christ, they came under fire for their loyalty to Jesus, some of them even being dragged before the city officials and charged with sedition (see Acts 17:5-7). It was no overstatement at all when the Apostle reminded them that they had, indeed, “ received the word in much tribulation” (1 Thess. 1:6).
If we didn’t already know how their story turned out, we’d likely guess that this little flock of our Lord’s redeemed sheep would have been persecuted into silence, it not extinction! After all, to avoid any further trouble all they had to do was calm down, lower their voices, and stop talking about this One whose sovereignty, power, and worthiness far exceeded that of Rome’s esteemed emperor. Just be quiet about it! Everything will be OK if you keep your religion to yourself!
However. . .
This is not at all what happened! Rather than suppressing the Good News of salvation for the sake of their own safety, the Gospel “ sounded forth” from them, extending far beyond the borders of the city, echoing out deeper into Macedonia, flowing vibrantly even into the neighboring province of Achaia and beyond (1 Thess.1:8).
And what’s even more impressive is that this expansion of the Gospel from that little, sorely affected house-church was not part of some well-devised, strategic plan for evangelization. Rather, it was the spontaneous result of their simple reception of the message of salvation. They could not keep silent!
But Paul gives us a little more insight into this amazing thing in verse 6. Here he pinpoints their ‘secret.’ He shows us how such an apparently imperiled and troubled little congregation made such a big racket everywhere:
“ having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit.”
There it is, the secret to the spontaneous spread of the Gospel, as well as the most powerful means of encouraging other believers. It’s “ thejoyof the Holy Spirit”!
In this same verse, Paul also makes it clear that the experience and outward expression of such Spirit-produced “ joy” was first seen in his own life, and, more importantly, even earlier in the life of the Lord Jesus Himself:
“ You also became imitators of us and the Lord.”
Time and space will not permit me to further establish this point. But, suffice it to say, the New Testament is replete with the evidence of Paul’s irrepressible joy in Christ, which was but a reflection of His Lord’s own joy. If I could cite just one passage, it would be Hebrews 12:2. There, Jesus is set forth as the One,
“who for the joythat was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Perhaps as you read these words, you are also prompted to remember another passage from the New Testament. In John 17, which includes the verbatim record of our Savior’s impassioned prayer just prior to His crucifixion, Jesus beseeches the Father to give the Church, you and me, His own “ joy”:
“But now I am coming to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves”(v. 13).
Now, let’s be quick to state that this “ joy” is not a frothy giddiness, nor a mere sense of happiness that endures only so long as good and pleasant things are happening to us. Rather, it is a deep and abiding satisfaction, an experience of fulfilment in Christ Jesus alone, which is produced by the Holy Spirit uniquely in the hearts of those who love and know the Savior.
And it is both visible and audible! It is totally impossible to have our Lord’s joy in our hearts without anyone knowing about it! Joy is neither invisible nor silent. It’s obvious, and it’s makes a loud racket!
This exalted species of joy explodes out from our hearts. If it is true joy, it is uncontainable! And, amazingly, it is also divinely powerful as a means to the spread of the Gospel, and for the encouragement of our fellow Christians as well!
Our joy in Christ, which the Holy Spirit births in us as we receive the Word of God, infects everything around us, in a good and God-glorifying way! It will wonderfully change our home, family, and marriage. It will positively impact our work environment, and our neighborhoods. It will spread to all of our relationships out in the world. And it will do all of this spontaneously, even when our lives are hard and filled with affliction! Such is the nature and power of this amazing gift of “ joy”! It is, for certain, a blessing that will infect and transform the whole wide world!
On this new Monday, let us seek this divine “ joy”! Let us pray that our Lord’s own eternal joy will fill our hearts, despite what may be happening around us, in us, or to us! Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to make a lot of noise in us, a holy and joyful sound, that will reverberate in all directions from our little flock! By God’s grace and power, let’s be ‘ The Little Church with the Big Voice’!
May you be filled with joy, His joy, today and every day!
I love you all, way more than I have words to express,
I am continually amazed at the timeliness of our Father’s Word, and the beauty of His sweet providence.
This has been an especially difficult week for us, added to an already arduous season in the life of our fellowship that began early last year with the pandemic.
Whenever the Lord receives one of our beloved members into His presence through death, it is a bitter-sweet event that touches all of us. We grieve with those who grieve and have been called to travel through the valley of death’s shadow. And yet we rejoice that another one of our Father’s precious, elect, blood-purchased children is now in His presence, beholding the face of His Only-Begotten Son, set free from suffering, immersed in celestial Light, sharing in the Savior’s sovereign reign, and awaiting the resurrection of their body on the Last Day! How could we not also rejoice!
And then, there are the many infirmities, pains, sorrows, times of extreme testing and temptation, and various afflictions that are presently being experienced and endured by so many in our beloved little flock. As Paul said to his Corinthian brethren, “ the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance” (2 Cor. 1:5 NASB).
On this coming Lord’s Day, like so many that have preceded it, we will worship yet again with a mixture of very real sorrow and an equally real experience of joy.
But there is something special about this Lord’s Day!
While the four Sundays of Advent and Easter Sunday direct our hearts to studious reflection upon the two greatest events in the history of redemption, Ascension Sunday is often overlooked and its message unheard. I have thought of it as ‘The Forgotten Day.’ While even the lost world around us recognizes Advent and Easter to one degree or another, Ascension Day receives no press at all.
I must sadly confess that for the larger part of my own ministry as a preacher of God’s Word, this Day passed without so much as a nod. My heart breaks that for many years as a pastor, I unwittingly robbed my own people of the rich treasure of blessings that this Day brings.
Now, we don’t want to be guilty of what Paul warned about, the sin of making one day more important than another (Rom. 14:15; Col. 2:16-17). But we do recognize that it is a good thing to sound certain notes and themes at special times of the year.
So, on this Lord’s Day we will reflect upon the inspired words of Luke 24:50-53, the only explicit Gospel-account of our Savior’s ascension into heaven.
As we excavate this rich Biblical soil, we will uncover some truths that are meant to sustain us, not only in the valley of death’s shadow, but in all seasons of life as we seek to serve our Lord. And like our emphasis upon the miracles of Advent and Easter, the fact of the ascension of Jesus will also profoundly encourage us and thoroughly change our daily outlook and conduct, even and especially when we are sorely afflicted. As the first disciples were so long ago, we too will be filled with great joy and the determination to obediently serve our Savior as we live for Him who died and rose again on our behalf!
Let’s all take time to read Luke 24:50-53 as well as Acts 1:1-11. And then let us pray that our eyes and hearts will be made ready to receive our Father’s Word by the power of His Spirit.
I love you all so much, and my heart is always bowed before our Father in prayer for you,
Mike
Announcements:
Summer Worship Time Change:
Beginning May 30 and continuing throughout the summer, Sunday worship will begin at 9:30 AM in the Sanctuary.
Youth Group:
Youth Group meets May 16 at 4:30 PM at the church house.
Children’s Ministry:
Our first event this summer will be our Summer Bible Club (modified VBS) on June 10th and 11th. We will spend time studying the themes in the book of Joshua, where godly characters like Joshua, Caleb, and Rahab, lend themselves well to teaching our Olympic “Athletes” who God is, what it means to be on God’s Team, and how to run the race of faith. The story of the people of Israel in the Bible is the story of how God loves and cares for His Team! Registration is OPEN. Cost is free but we ask for a donation towards the t-shirts. And they are AWESOME! Click HERE to see our registration page – both for children and volunteers (for your t-shirts). Payment links are there as well.
Nursery:
We are so excited to have had an increased number of children in our nursery! We now feel the need to have a flex volunteer to assist our nursery workers during church service on any given week. The volunteer should arrive at the nursery after Sunday School and help welcome the children in. When service begins, if there are three or fewer children, the volunteer may then go to worship (or stay if you’d like). With more than three children, we ask that you stay and assist our workers in any way needed (this usually means playing with our sweet babies!). Any Chris Pres woman or young lady (12 and up) who would like to serve our parents and children in this capacity can sign up at the link below. We plan to continue this system through the summer and will prayerfully return to our regular two nurseries in the fall.
Thank you for being such a wonderful body that loves and cares for our parents and children so well!
Women’s Ministry:
Monthly Lunch: Our next monthly luncheon will be on June 3 beginning at 11:30 at the Timbers Edge Clubhouse located at 1 Timbers Main, Brownsboro. It’s potluck – feel free to bring a dish or just yourself.
Wednesday Summer Fellowships: Make plans to join other ladies in the church for fellowship throughout the summer. Our goal is to connect across generational lines and encourage one another. All ages welcome! Groups will meet on Wednesdays at 10:00 am at Sharon Daughtry’s (5726 Jones Valley Drive, Huntsville 35802) as well as at 6 pm at Panera Bread on Airport Road. Contact Denise for more information.
Career/Singles:
The weekly bible study and fellowship for career/singles meets at 5:30 PM Sunday evenings at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry.
Senior Fellows:
The Senior Fellows have resumed their in-person breakfast meetings. All church members are welcome to attend. Please notify us at seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org if you plan to join us for breakfast.
Prayer Requests:
Bereavement: Please pray for David O’Neil, who is mourning the death of his wife Sharon. Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Dave Angotti, Dustin and Katie Jackson, Zig and Virdia Jastrebski, Ramona Edwards, Bill Dent, Jacky Haynes, Steve Terry, Bill Cowley, Larrabee Kirkland, and Elizabeth Holton. Expecting: Please pray for the Deans, expecting in July, and the Prizingers, expecting in November. Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Noah and Karleigh Stephens (Thailand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); Amos and Jessica Williams (RUF at Alabama A&M); Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA); Franky and Alaina Garcia (church plant in Canada); Dieter Paulson (church plant in Scottsboro, AL); Gannon Miles (seminary student); The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center.
Online Donations:
If you would like to give to Christ Presbyterian, you can do so at the following link:
Recently, your Session and Diaconate have been carefully considering a change in our morning worship schedule during the summer months.
As you know, we do not have Sunday School from May 30 through September 5.
With this in view, on Sunday May 30 we will begin our new Summer Worship Schedule with worship starting at 9:30 AM each Lord’s Day. Our pre-service time of Fellowship will begin at 9:00 AM.
We trust that this change will enhance our Lord’s Day Worship and better accommodate our Sunday Fellowship Lunches, which will continue through the summer months.
Please help us spread the word, especially to our guests.