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Bulletin cover

September 8, 2019

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

LOTS GOING ON in Michiana. Here are some of them. See THE BACK PAGE below.

  • September 14 — Ladies' Prayer Breakfast at Grandville.
  • September 17 — 7:00 P.M at Claytons' — Monthly area wide devotioanal. Everyone is welcome.
  • September 21 — Annual Day — Shults Lewis Breakfast, Rummage Sale, Tours, Auction.
  • September 21 — Our highway cleanup day at 10:00 A.M.
  • September 28 — Ladies' Day — Breakfast & Lunch at the Goshen Church of Christ. See Tracey or Patty.
  • October 19 — Willie Franklin here for our youth rally. More will be coming on this.

The announcements of these events are posted on the bulletin board in the lobby. Some of us are going to some of these events and car pooling is possible. Check with the Gibsons or Claytons for more information about rides.


TODAY'S LESSON

THE LIGHT OF LIFE

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John 8:12 and Matthew 5:14-16

John Clayton
INTRODUCTION — ANALOGY
A. Imagine you are coming into the channel in Benton Harbor under bad conditions and no lights.
1. There are dangers all around you.
2. There is only one safe channel.
B. Richard Bliss wrote this song from that experience.
I. JESUS IS SAFETY; WE ARE THE LOWER LIGHTS.
A. John 1:1-5 — Life in Jesus is man's only hope.
1. Shines in the darkness. Darkness rejects light.
2. Light a match in a cave.
B. John 1:6-9 — John was a lower light. So are we.
1. Ephesians 5:8-14
2. Colossians 1:13 — The “dominion of darkness”
a. Politics, pop philosophies, materialism, drugs.
b. Religion, human rules and controls.
c. Evil is all around us. Look up and down highwat M-51 in Dowagiac.
II. YOU ARE TO BE A “LOWER LIGHT.” Take it seriously!
A. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11
1. Why do we meet together?
2. What do we do with the money we have?
B. Philippians 2:14-16 — BE POSITIVE! Shine like stars!
1. Our attitude speaks for our conviction.
2. No one wants to hear good news from a grump.
C. Make it so others can see it (Matthew 5:16)!
1. 1 John 1:5 — Note — have fellowship.
2. Know what you stand for and why.
3. Live what you preach.
4. Pray with intent.
III. DO NOT EXPECT THE LIGHT TO BE APPRECIATED.
A. John 3:19-21
1. “Men love darkness”
2. “Hate light”
3. How much light is there in your local saloon?
B. How much light does it take to light up a cave?
C. Song “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning.”


THE BACK PAGE

A BUSY FALL

In the listing of activities in this bulletin, we ran out of room for some comments about what is going on in the area this year and about some special activities here. We encourage anyone who can and who is interested to take advantage of the programs being offered by sister congregations in the area. Several of the ladies are interested in fne special workshops for women and the activities associated with them.

The most immediate thing happening here at Dowagiac is our highway cleanup which the state asks us to take care of between September 20 and 29. We have typically designated a day to do this, in this case the 21st has been selected starting at 10:00 A.M. For some of us who want to participate, there are other things going on during that day, and there is no reason why a person could not do the clean up during the week instead of on Saturday.

The one thing we would ask is that you coordinate this with Richard Hoyt who is overseeing this project. PLEASE LADIES, DO NOT DO THIS ALONE ON YOUR OWN. There are several of us men who have flexible schedules and will be glad to team up with you to pick up the trash. Richard also needs to keep track of what has been done, so call him.

We are planning to do something different in our next potluck, which will be on October 6. Instead of just having a “bring anything you want” system, some of our ladies are organizing a theme so that we avoid duplications. This coming potluck is going to be an “Italian Potluck.” We have a sign-up sheet on the table in the fellowship room. If you would like to sign up to bring an Italian dish, please do so and tell us what you will bring. That way we will not have ten dishes of the same thing. Some have already signed the sheet as to what they are bringing, so that will give you some ideas about what to bring.

Near the back door of the feflowship area there is a table with some freebies on it. We have had some medical supplies donated on that table, and there are calendars: and both secular and Christian publications. That is all there for the taking, so help yourself.

We are having record numbers of people requesting food from our food bank, including some folks that do not live in Dowagiac. Word is getting around that we serve people in need. Our coat giveaway is about to kick off, so things are happening. Stay tuned.

— John Clayton


Our sign by the street!

Only one plan always works--God's now and forever!

Sign saying from another church sign in central Florida

Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website.


www.dowagiaccoc.org
09/10/2019