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FAMILY NEWSJUNE 16 — FUN FAIR: We have a lot of activities lined up and our advertising blitz is starting, but we need people to work each activity. We need a few people here Friday afternoon to help set up the canopy. See Bill Gibson if you can help with this. We can also use some more “cookie bakers” — we cannot have too many cookies because we can freeze them if we have some left over. If you have a large trash can or barrell, please bring it. If you have a T-shirt from the Cass County Fair with “Church of Christ” on it, please wear it next Saturday. Mandy has a sign up sheet for different areas of work. Please see her! We can use everyone, even those who cannot walk or stand. The program will be in the afternoon (1:00 to 5:00 P.M.), but if you can only work part of that time, we can work that out. See THE BACK PAGE below for more on this. OUR SICK: We have a lot of illness among us, and several people who are in need. Leon Forbe's wife Maragaret passed away last Sunday night. The funeral is Monday at Faith Victory Fellowship church in Buchanan with visitation at 10:00 and the funeral at 11:00. See Karl and Julie for our prayer list and addresses. TODAY'S LESSON
INTRODUCTION
A. What are you doing right now? Are you “in church”?
I. THE BIBLE TELLS US “CHURCH” CAN BE ANYWHERE.
B. Webster has six definitions of “Church”: (1) all Christians regarded as a spiritual body, ....(2) a building for public worship, (3) a congregation, (4) a religious service, (5) any ....Christian denomination, (6) ecclesiastical power as distinguished from the secular.” C. Ekklesia — “that which is called out,” as opposed to hierosulos — “a temple” (see Acts 19:37) D. Do you think God wants us to “go to church”? Would we not get more out of … ? A. In an upper room — Acts 1:13-15 — 120 people
II. CHURCH IS A PEOPLE, NOT A BUILDING
B. Large facilities — Acts 5:12 — 1000s C. People's houses — Romans 16:3-5; Acts 16:40; Philemon 1:2 (My house on June 19 or at ....the Timbers of Cass County nursing home in Dowagiac on the first Sunday of the month) A. Ekklesia — “that which is called out,” as opposed to hierosulos — “a temple” (see Acts 19:37)
III. HOW CAN THE SPIRIT OF GOD BE IN ROTTEN ME?
B. To be “called out” is special — peculiar to Christians 1. 1 Corinthians 3:16 — naos — a dwelling place
C. This does not just happen at 11:00 on Sunday morning.2. 1 Corinthians 6:16-19 3. 2 Corinthians 6:16 A. We can “walk in the light” — 1 John 1:5-10. Christ acts in the lives of the “called out.”
B. Mattheew 25:31-46 — Goats and sheep — deliberate acts 1. Matthew 7:16 — Fruit John 15:5-17 — Vine/branches
C. Who responded to Peter in Acts 2:37 ?2. 1 Corinthians 12:4-31 — God knows my strengths. 3. We get forced into using our gifts. 4. Meeting together reinforces our gifts — Hebrews 10:25. D. You “go to Church” every time God uses you. THE BACK PAGEFUN FAIR TAKES OFF!Unless you have been in a cave somewhere, you know that our “Fun Fair” program next Saturday has taken off in a big way. As you came in today you saw the four-color professional signs in the yard, and as you drive around Dowagiac you will see them all over the city. Mandy had hoped to get a notice in our local newspaper, but instead what she got was a front page article! Our neighbor has volunteered to let us use his driveway, and we had a clerk at a business in town make up her own flyer which she has been passing out to people letting them know about the activity. Her statement was that she felt this was a way to give back for blessings she had enjoyed from the city of Dowagiac and she knew our Fun Fair would bless them, too. Next Saturday is going to be quite a day for this congregation. We have people bringing in refreshments; we have a brochure that will be given to everyone who comes to the Fun Fair; we are setting up the canopy on Friday, as well as the bounce house and dunk tank that we have rented; and we have the pony ride set up to operate out of our tree shaded area. Due to predicted high temperatures the pony rides may be cancelled. We have asked surrounding congregations and friends of our congregation to come and help us do all of this, and it appears that we will have hundreds of people from the community coming for an afternoon of family fun and getting to know our congregation. It is important to understand that while there is not a huge financial burden on the church for all of this, there is some cost for rentals, preparing the building, and getting the advertising out. Our purpose in all of this is to advertise to the community that we are here; that we want to be part of the community; and what we do and plan to do as we bring the gospel to this area. We could just put an ad in the paper or on TV, but this is a far better use of the Lord's money. We desperately need every member of this congregation to be here Saturday afternoon (1:00 to 5:00 P.M.). Passing out food and keeping folks safe and feeling welcomed is something we can all do. Plan to be here! — John Clayton Our sign by the street!
Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. www.dowagiaccoc.org |
