STIRRINGS AT BETHESDA
A Monthly Publication of
Bethesda Baptist Church
August 31, 2015
September Fellowships
Please note the changed dates.
* Fellowship BBQ: Immediately following the morning worship on Sunday, September 13, we’ll join together for a BBQ fellowship downstairs. The church will provide the buns and the meat. You provide salad, side or dessert and drinks.
* Family Campout: This fellowship is now scheduled for Friday and Saturday, September 18-19. For more details contact Jeff or Karla.
* Coming in October! Our church bonfire will be held on a Friday night this year. The fun begins on October 9 at 6:30 p.m. The church will provide the hot dogs. You bring some munchies, drinks, and a lawn chair!
HAPPY … !
September celebrations! Happy Birthday to:
* Dennis DePriest on the 2nd
* Aaron Wordlaw on the 3rd
* Brida Lovett on the 26th
The Luther Monthly
Politics have been heating up in our country over the past couple of months. Luther had some words on that subject as well. Here are three of his thoughts concerning government.
“You ask whether the magistrate may kill false prophets. I am slow in a judgment of blood even when it is deserved. In this matter I am terrified by the example of the papists and the Jews before Christ, for when there was a statute for the killing of false prophets and heretics, in time it came about that only the most saintly and innocent were killed. … I cannot admit that false teachers are to be put to death. It is enough to banish.”
“There are lazy and useless preachers who do not denounce the evils of princes and lords, some because they do not even notice them. … Some even fear for their skins and worry that they will lose body and goods for it. They do not stand up and be true to Christ!”
“The spiritual government or authority should direct the people vertically toward God that they may do right and be saved; just so the secular government should direct the people horizontally toward one another, seeing to it that body, property, honor, wife, child, house, home, and all manner of goods remain in peace and security and are blessed on earth. God wants the government of the world to be a symbol of true salvation and of his kingdom of heaven, like a pantomime or a mask.”
BUSINESS MEETING
Wednesday,
September 9
7 p.m.
MMO
Two More Weeks to Contribute to the Missouri Missions Offering!
We will be collecting gifts to the MMO for two more weeks. Our church goal is $500. The church will match up to $500.
Pastor’s Postscript
For several months I have been filling in as the adult Sunday School teacher. We worked our way through the book of Ecclesiastes and will wrap up the book of Esther in two weeks. IF you’re not attending class, I urge you to consider joining us. If you have any thoughts on what we should tackle next in class (whether you are a part or not), please met me know.
The men have been looking at J. C. Ryle’s book “Holiness” for several months. Although we are NOT having our study this month (I will be out of town), I am hopeful we will finish the study in 3 to 4 months. With that thought in mind, I am appealing to the men for some input on our future men’s meetings beginning in 2016. Do you still want to meet on the first Saturday of each month at 8 a.m.? Is there a better day or time? What would you like to do at these meetings? I would love to know why more men do not attend our meetings and change that trend in 2016. So, PLEASE, if you have any thoughts on how to improve our monthly time together, please let me know!
May Christ grant you a terrific month!
Pastor Bruce