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FAMILY NEWSWEATHER PROCEDURE. We are in that time of year when the weather can cause us to need to cancel a class or a worship service out of concern for the safety of all of those who would attend. Some of us drive over 35 miles one way to get to services, and our location and lake effect conditions can make the conditions at the church building different than what is going on in South Bend. For that reason we are asking Bill and Patty Gibson to make the call as to whether to cancel services or not. If conditions in Dowagiac make it unwise to have people traveling, or if the parking lot is not cleared the Gibsons will call Tracey Brewer, the Hoyts, and the Claytons who will in turn call others. If you have doubts call Bill and Patty Gibson or the Claytons. The bottom line is that if you have doubts about whether you can make the trip safely or not, stay home. We do not want anyone getting hurt. NO DEVO THIS MONTH. Our usual third Tuesday Devo at the Claytons' will not be held this month. Between darkness and weather we feel it is better not to try to have the night sessions. TIMBERS NURSING HOME program was cancelled because of them, not us. The flu epidemic caused them not to allow patients to leave their rooms, and that is why we did not have our monthly worship with them. We apologize if anyone went there not realizing that Timbers was shut down. DOES GOD EXIST REPORT. The Does God Exist? ministry, which is sponsored by this congregation, prepares a Year End Report for all the individuals and congregations that help in this ministry. John Clayton and Karl Marcussen both work full time with this ministry, and while it is not funded by this congregation, it is supervised by us, and we are recognized as the supporters of this work. The scope of this work is global and involves prison work and video and printed material. Our mailing list is over 12,000 and our presence on the Web is enormous. It is important for you to know what is going on and what the results are of this effort. Copies of the 2019 work of this ministry are available, we encourage you to pick up a copy if you have not been given one. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO STAYED for our congregational business meeting last Sunday. See THE BACK PAGE below for a report of this meeting. TODAY'S LESSON
INTRODUCTION
A. Last week we talked about personal worship.
I. HOW DO WE DECIDE WHAT TO DO IN OUR WORSHIP SERVICE?
B. The most fundamental point is that worship is for our benefit, not God's. C. We are also called to corporate worship — Hebrews 10:24-25 1. How are you spurred on to love others?
D. It is a question of pleasing God, not being judgmental.
2. How much help do we need in good deeds, encouragement 1. If you don't “get anything out of worship”, why not?
2. The denominational world struggles with why we are to worship.
A. Do we “do what we have always done”?
II. THERE ARE WORSHIP ACTIVITIES THAT ARE WRONG.
B. Do our traditions trump God's Word (Mark 7:1-13)? 1. Time of service, when do we have communion, preacher's role.
2. Is the church building a tradition? How about the song leader? 3. Not all traditions are bad — 2 Thessalonians 2:15. A. Matthew 15:3-9 — “Nullify the Word of God.”
III. SO WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING IN WORSHIP?
B. Some worship activities today do that — physical goals versus spiritual ones.
1. Prosperity gospels
C. Some worship is built on “the basic principles of this world.”
a. Simon in Acts 8:9-25;
2. Political gospels — Mark 10:35-40.b. Matthew 10:35-40. 3. Pop psychology gospels — Colossians 2:8 1. Colossians 2:8, 20
2. Galatians 4:3, 8-11 3. Romans 1:24, 28-31 A. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 — Standing firm on just what God's Word says.
1. No other source.
B. John 1:1, 14 — “Logos” is translated “Word” — message is from God
2. 100% participation 2 Timothy 3:16-17 — Our only source.
C. 1 Corinthians 14:15-17, 20 — Let us all have understanding.D. Our message — read the first two sentences of the bulletin welcome. E. The Bible's message is plain, complete, and something we can all do. 1. Be a part of God's church.
2. Obey God in your life and your worship. THE BACK PAGEBUSINESS MEETING REPORTLast week after our potluck meal we had a congregational meeting. We had good representation from the congregation, but we realize that not everyone could attend. Here are some reports from various ministries and work areas. See last week's bulletin to have a description of our several ministries. FINANCES. The expenses involved in fixing the building problems hit us pretty hard financially with over $30,000 being spent to save the building. In spite of that we still have $9,873.73 in a savings account and $7,098.87 in the checking account. We need to replace the tractor we mow with or hire a lawn service. We can buy a tractor that will do the job for $7,000. Estimates to have the mowing done range from $60 a mowing to $100. Bill Gibson is researching this question. FAMILY FUN FAIR. We had unanimous support for doing our Family Fun Fair again this summer. The date will be July 11. Mandy Wallace will do the set up, but her baby is due a few weeks before the 11th, so we will all need to pitch in. COAT GIVEAWAY. Other churches and businesses are now doing what we started, so we are scaling back and waiting for requests rather than stock piling coats. Lana Fox and Tracey Brewer will maintain this project. FOOD BANK. We are one of seven authorized “Feeding America” sites, and recently we served twenty-nine families with 109 people being fed. This program has grown and there is high recognition of our work by the community including $150 in donations for purchasing food from local business and government leaders. We have spent as much as $600 in a month even with us paying just 18 cents/pound for meat. We encourage our food bank team of the Hoyts, Gibsons, and Tracey Brewer to continue this work. AREA WIDE SINGING. It was decided we will have an area wide singing for the community and area congregations on July 18, using the tents and materials set up for Family Fun Fair. KIDS TO CAMP INDOGAN (our church Bible camp). There was strong support for sending kids to Bible camp whose families cannot pay for it. In the past four to twelve kids have been sent. GLYNN LANGSTON. It was decided to continue to send $100/month to Glynn's blind ministry work. There was some discussion of raising that amount. SHULTS-LEWIS. The caring for young people at Shults-Lewis Child and Family Services will be continued with $100.00/month. H.O.P.E. MINISTRY will be continued with $100.00/month. HIGHWAY CLEANUP. It will be continued in 2020. CHRISTMAS FLOAT. It will be repeated in 2020. YOUTH RALLY. Was not discussed because Samantha Wheeler was not able to be with us. If you have questions about anything in this report, see John Clayton — John Clayton Our sign by the street! Sign saying from Henry Winkler, Guideposts, Novermber 2019, page 10. Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website. www.dowagiaccoc.org |
