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November 20, 2016

WELCOME!
WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE

We are a group of believers who simply try to follow the Bible as a guide for all we do. Everything done in our worship service is something for which we have a Bible basis. You are welcome to participate as much or as little as you wish. We will sing hymns together and we will observe the Lord's Supper or Communion together. We will also have an opportunity to give to the work of God in this area. This collection is for the members here, and if you are visiting you should not feel and pressure to give. Our lesson time will be divided into two groups. The young children will go to our classroom area in the basement where they will be taught the Bible at a level they can understand. The adults will stay in the auditorium for a lesson at an adult level. We do try to serve the community, and if you have some needs that we can help you with, mention it to one of the members. Thank you for worshipping with us.

FAMILY NEWS

DATES: Wednesday, November 23 — NO Bible study so that Thanksgiving activities with family can be carried on. Friday, December 2 — Christmas parade with our usual float at 6:30 pm.

TIMBERS BLANKET MINISTRY RENEWED: Two years ago, we began a ministry in which members of the congregation made fleece cut-and-tie lap blankets for residents of the Timbers Nursing Home. After we had made quite a few, we were informed that another church was providing knitted blankets for all the residents and that they no longer needed the fleece blankets. However, recently in a conversation with the assistant activity director, we were informed that they would welcome the blankets again. Therefore, we are starting to make them again. Each week Julie Marcussen will bring 3-5 blankets ready to tie. If you are willing to help with this project, take a blanket home, tie the fringe at your leisure, and bring it back to Julie who will finish up the process. You can do it every week or just occasionally. It is an easy project and can be done while watching television, and even children can help with this project. If you do take home a blanket, there will be a card to put your name on just to keep track of the blankets. If you have never done this and wish to be involved, please check with Julie for a couple of minor details in the process. Thank you!


TODAY'S LESSON

GRATITUDE

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John Clayton
INTRODUCTION — Romans 1:18 – 22
A. Our ability to be thankful is a measure of our spirituality — Romans 1:8.
B. Gratitude is a feeling — not political correctness.
C. We can build that feeling.
I. ALL OF US NEED TO SHOW GRATITUDE TO PARENTS.
A. It was a commandment (see Eph 6:1 – 3).
1. Honor — suggests a worship attitude
2. Have you given $175,000 worth of gratitude?
B. Tragedy — late life anguish over neglect — David Gates (song: "Everything I Own")
C. Jesus is our example — John 19:26 – 28.
II. WE NEED TO SHOW GRATITUDE TO OUR CHILDREN.
A. Genesis 37:3 – 4 — the neglect of Israel
B. Ephesians 6:4 and Colossians 3:21 — Broken kids
III. GRATITUDE TO MATES CAN ELIMINATE DIVORCE.
A. Ephesians 5:33 — two elements
1. Unselfish love (song: "Love Like Crazy")
2. Reverence = deep respect (gratitude versus nagging)
IV. GRATITUDE WITHIN THE CHURCH
A. Paul sets an example in Romans 16
Notice their gift is mentioned.
B. Congregations having gratitude to Paul
Acts 20:36 – 38; Acts 28:10
C. Do we find fault or support and encourage?
Song leaders, teachers, maintenance people
V. GRATITUDE TO GOD NEEDS TO GROW.
A. 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2
B.

What do you owe God you ask?
Suppose He sent His bill: $100,000 for the Sun upon the hill.
$2000 for the little brook that runs along the way.
$500 for the night time and $1000 for the day.
$600 for the little birds that chirp and trill and sing.
$600 for the tiny flowers that tell us when it’s spring.
These are bills which every one of every clime forget.
If God should charge you what you owe, you’d never pay the debt.
— Ida J. Smith

VI. OBEDIENCE TO GOD IS A FORM OF GRATITUDE.

THE BACK PAGE

BEING THANKFUL WHEN YOU'RE NOT

There is a lot going on among our church family here at Dowagiac, and it is not all good. Several of us have had a death in our family, and in every case it was someone we might feel was too young to die. We also have a lot of serious health issues among us. Nearly every family has someone who is battling some kind of health issues with cancer and heart issues being at the top of the list. This week we will celebrate Thanksgiving as a national holiday, but it is hard to focus on the holiday when you are immersed in grief, anxiety, loneliness, and/or loss.

The Bible addresses this question by allowing us to see the heart of David and other biblical heroes as they confront this same dilemma. In Psalm 13 David cries out to God expressing that he “has sorrow in his heart daily.” Many of the Psalms of David find him angry, frustrated, and confused about why God allows him to have such distress. At the end of Psalm 13 David gives us a key to managing this conflict. “But I trust your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.”

When life has pushed us to the depths of frustration and loss, we need to refocus and look at what God has done for us. Do we really believe “Jesus Loves Me” when we sing it as we did last Sunday? Do we really have faith in the promise of Romans 8:28 that God can take the awful situation we are in right now and make some good things come out of it?

One of the things we do not use enough is each other. We need to feel free to say to our brothers and sisters “I need your prayers, your support, your hugs.” We need to find a way to sing about the good things that God has given us, and again one of those good things is each other. We sing “Count Your Blessings” in our song book, but do we do what David did? Read the message in that song. Do not just sing it here, but sing it at home. When you break down in tears, sing the song and think about the good things God has given you. Thanksgiving is every day for Christians.

— John Clayton


Our sign by the street!

Our sign on the street says, BEING THANKFUL IS NOT FOR ONE DAY, IT IS A LIFESTYLE.

Sign saying from www.sayingsforchurchsigns.com