Urgent Prayer Requests
* Pete Koelling, health concerns
* Brida’s daughter-in-law, Dawn
* Special prayer for Zachary
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Health of Cynthia’s mother and mother-in-law
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Sandy & Rachelle, working many hours (plus Rachelle is under the weather)
* Julie at Mizzou plus problems with ex-boyfriend.
* Dan, health concerns
* Mueller family, illness plus Alicia’s pregnancy
* Marilynn Norvell
* Gene & Lois Schulze at home
* Mark & Julie Johnson and the situation with their Illinois home
* Our church and need for revival
Upcoming Activities
1. Ladies Book Study, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
2. Business Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
3. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
4. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
5. Discipleship Training (Elisha), Sunday,
5 p.m.
Operation Christmas Child
Thank you everyone who participated in this year’s Operation Christmas Child. Our final tally is 39 boxes! May the Lord be praised and the children receiving these boxes blessed!
Sermon Extras
1. As I mentioned in yesterday’s message, the seven verses of the sermon’s text contain 8 commands. Each of these commands is what is known as a present tense verb. This implies these commands are not one time actions but on-going, continuous commands. “Keep on rejoicing always”, “Constantly pray without ceasing”, and “Continuously give thanks in everything” are examples of what Paul was communicating.
2. To “rejoice always” is certainly not an easy task if you think rejoicing is smiling, laughing, and being “upbeat”. There are days in the life of every Christian where such behavior is not only inappropriate but also impossible. Nevertheless, one may truly rejoice spiritually even in such days. As Spurgeon once said, “There was a day when Job lost his cattle and his children and yet blessed the name of the Lord. All days are not wedding days.”
Nominating Committee
How would the Lord have you serve Him through our church in 2014? Contact the Nominating Committee (Sandy Brandel and Debbie Walker) and let them know.
“Ours is an undisciplined age. … Above all, the discipline of divine grace is derided as legalism or is entirely unknown to a generation that is largely illiterate in the Scriptures. We need the rugged strength of Christian character that can come only from discipline.
V. Raymond Edman
Thanksgiving Fellowship
A reminder that our Thanksgiving Fellowship this year will be a potluck dinner following the morning worship service on Sunday, November 24. The church is providing all the meat. So, bring a side and dessert (and yourself) and enjoy a time of thanksgiving, fellowship, and food.
“If Jesus is yours and you are his, have you not cause for rejoicing and praise and thanksgiving and love?”
John A. Broadus
Pastor’s Postscripts
Now that we are nearing the end of our exposition of 1 Thessalonians, a couple of members have asked me “What’s next?”. The Lord is certainly free to change my direction at any time but, for now, here is how I believe He is leading us in terms of His Word.
* This Sunday we will complete 1 Thessalonians.
* On November 24, the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I will bring a message of thanksgiving based on a text from Revelation chapter 4.
* The remainder of 2013 (5 Sundays) will be messages on the birth of Christ as well as the exposition of some Psalms.
* We will begin 2014 by opening the Word to Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. That should take us through the first quarter of 2014.
Please keep me in your prayers as I seek the Lord for the word He wishes us to have each Sunday morning.
Also, we are planning a Christmas Eve service for December 24. It will be less than an hour in length but hopefully a time of inspiration and worship in light of our Lord’s birth. Please plan on attending this special service.
Finally, on a personal note, most of our church family is aware that I am no longer fully employed. This past July my previous employer, IBM, decided my position was no longer needed. So I was part of a large work force reduction (i.e., layoff). Since then I have continued to serve as your pastor, continued teaching at Missouri Baptist University, and began collecting my pension. Also I have spent much time looking for another full time job and have applied for many with no success to date.
Well, some anonymous individual(s) blessed Debbie and me Sunday with a significant monetary gift. From the bottom of our hearts we thank whoever this was! The gift was quite a surprise and we are very, very grateful. May the Lord pour out blessings upon you!
I continue to ask church members to pray that the Lord will lead me to the position He has for me. May He be praised for all the blessings we have.
Have a wonderful week!