August 31, 2015

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

February 17, 2014

STIRRINGS AT BETHESDA

Weekly Newsletter of Bethesda Baptist Church

February 17, 2014

 

Recent Prayer Requests

* Elijah Mueller
* Alicia as she is nearing her due date
* Alicia’s mother
* Brida, recovering from a fall
* Brenda Koelling
* Meghan Bartner
* Zachary Mueller
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Marilynn Norvell
* Debbie, recovering from foot surgery
* Prayer for the conversions of the lost, especially those in our community
* Our church and need for revival

Upcoming Activities

1.  Bible Study & Prayer Meeting,
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
2.  Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
3. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
4. Discipleship Training, January Bible Study,
Sunday, 5 p.m.

Science Center Trip

Join us for a fellowship outing to the St. Louis Science Center and a viewing of “Jerusalem” in the OmniMax Theater on Saturday, March 1.  We hope to see the 1 p.m. showing on that day.  Tickets are $10 for adults.  If you are interested in going with us, please contact Karla as soon as possible.

“Glory is the end; grace is the means to it.  There can be no glory without grace.”
J. R. W. Stott

Bowling Fellowship

Bethesda Baptist has reserved some lanes at the Harvest Lanes Bowling Alley for Sunday, March 9.  We have lanes from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.    One of lanes will be designated a “child’s” lane with bumpers.

Please sign the sheet in the foyer indicating how many bowlers will be coming.  This headcount will allow us to adjust the number of lanes we reserve.

Bethesda Congratulations for the Week

Happy Birthday wishes this week to:

* Marilynn Norvell – Monday
* Jeff Mueller – Saturday

This Sunday’s Message…

“The Day of the Lord and the Man of Lawlessness” from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 and the Lord’s Supper

Deacon Ordination

We will ordain brother Steve Brook to the deacon ministry on Sunday, March 16 during our morning worship service.  Please invite your friends and family to this special service.

Men’s Breakfast

Our next men’s breakfast is scheduled for Saturday, March 1.  We will begin a new book study on that day.  I encourage all of the men to participate.  Yes, the hour is early for some of us.  But by meeting together early your other Saturday plans are not interrupted.

We meet at 8 a.m. with a time of fellowship and then begin our study.  Our time together ends at 9 a.m.

If you are considering attending our breakfast, please contact Pastor Bruce and let him know so he can have the correct number of books available.

Sermon Extras

The final phrase of verse 12 reads “of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ”.  It is grammatically possible that Paul is referring to only one person, namely, our God who is named Jesus Christ.  However, the insertion of the word “Lord” makes it more likely Paul has two persons in mind:  God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.  The former understanding would provide an additional proof of Jesus’ deity.  However there are plenty of “proof texts” of that truth already!

By the way, the gent to the left preached 7 sermons on the text I used yesterday!  Thomas Manton (1620-1677) was an English Puritan and a Presbyterian pastor in London.  His works fill 22 volumes, most of them sermons.  Spurgeon highly valued Manton and called his works “A mountain of sound theology.”

Since I am very much inferior to my brother Manton, I will move on in the text to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 this Sunday!

Directory Update

Brenda Koelling
206 Donner Pass, Apt. B
St. Peters 63376

Mission Trip

Julie Brandel has a two month mission trip to San Diego this summer.  If you wish to help her financial, you may do so by writing a check to Bethesda and designating it towards Julie’s trip.

Pastor’s Postscript

The Lord is good and has blessed our church in a number of ways.  We thank Him for making Bethesda what it is and continuing to grow our church.  Let each of us pray that our Lord would make us worthy of His calling and fulfill every desire for goodness we have and every work of faith which we attempt!

And we will give Him all the glory for His abundant grace!