Announcements – August 2, 2024

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
One of the great joys of parenthood (and grandparenthood!) is watching the development of our children as they learn how to walk.  That’s the way we always speak of it . . .they ‘learn’ to walk.  But to use this language seems to imply that someone is teaching them.  Yet, we all know that our little ones, if they are healthy, just do it. They first roll over. Then they crawl.  Then they stand.  And then comes the very first step, and they are off walking all over the place to our great delight or consternation!
Strictly speaking, however, no one really ‘teaches’ them to do this.  Our babies don’t attend walking classes, or watch instructional videos, or read manuals on the subject.  There is something designed into them by our Heavenly Father that prompts them to move, to progress towards that first step.
This coming Lord’s Day, we will consider something else that just happens to us, that is, to Christians.  Having been redeemed and given a new nature, it comes naturally to us as new creations in Christ Jesus.  The Apostle Paul once put it this way:
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:9).
All who are in Christ have already been taught to practice brotherly love.  The ‘teaching,’ conducted by our Father as He deposited His Spirit within us, was accomplished when we received a new heart in the miracle of regeneration.    Now, we just need to do it!
This is why the Apostle Peter, in 1 Peter 1:22, commands all God-taught believers to “love one another earnestly from a pure heart.”   We know how to do this.  We’ve graduated from our Lord’s school.  The desire and the ability to love stirs us to move just like our Father’s design for our children’s bodies makes them roll, wiggle, and eventually stand and walk.
We just need to put love into practice!
Our text for Sunday’s message will come from 1 Peter 1:22-23, and we will address the next ‘Gracious Command of the Gospel’ that calls us to do what we already know how to do–to love each other deeply and energetically!
I love you all so much,
Mike

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Church Ice Cream Social/Field Day – Please come and join us for ice cream and afternoon games on August 25th from 3-5pm.

Women’s Ministry
• Fall Bible Studies are set to resume September 10th & 11th. The Tuesday morning study, led by Amy Schnorrenberg, will be using the book “Marriage: 6 Gospel Commitments Every Couple Needs to Make” by Paul David Tripp (childcare provided). Both the Wednesday morning and the Tuesday evening groups will be studying the book of Revelation using Jen Wilkin’s new study, “Revelation: Eternal King, Everlasting Kingdom.”
• Women’s monthly luncheon is held the first Thursday of the month at Timbers Edge Clubhouse at 11am.
• Senior Sisters monthly meeting is on the third Thursday from 10-11:30am.
• Senior Sisters weekly exercise class meets Tuesdays at the church, 10:00 to 11:30am.

Men’s Ministry
• Senior Fellows – Our next breakfast will be at 9:00am on Tuesday, August 6th.
• Summer Book Study – “The Gathering Storm – Secularism, Culture and the Church” by Albert Mohler, Jr. meets at 9am on the following Wednesdays at the church: August 14, 28. Please contact Joe Sims with questions.

Career Ministry – The career group will have a cookout Sunday at 5:30pm at the home of Jim & Sharon Daughtry.  They will also meet on Monday evening for the last concert of the summer at Big Spring Park. Contact Jim or Sharon Daughtry for more details or questions.

Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center – Dinner for the parenting class will be on Thursday, August 22nd. We are also collecting items HPRC needs for their clients. There is a collection box in the narthex for donations. Contact Tina Alhorn for more details. 

See christpreshamptoncove.org for detailed news and upcoming events.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Care and Healing – Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Collins Bailey, Maurice Belrose, Bill Cowley, Amy Fortenberry, Ken Galecki (brother of Leon Galecki), Sonny Henry, Elizabeth Holton, and Steve Terry

Expecting – Please pray for the Thornhills due in September and the Kings due in October.

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)
Marcus and Jessica Nobles (RUF at Alabama A&M)
Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA)
Franky and Alaina Garcia (church plant in Canada)
Dieter and Marty Paulson (church plant in Scottsboro, AL)
The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center
Southside Presbyterian Church