Friday, January 23, 2009

New Hope E-News

Announcements

Interested in going roller skating? The youth will be going roller skating on January 25 at Hamilton Skate Place from 2-5. RSVP, please.

It’s time for the Souper Bowl of Caring! We’re going to do it a little differently this year—the food will be taken directly to the Chattanooga Rescue Mission on February 14 (what better way to celebrate love?), while the money will go to the Food Bank. Food will be collected from Feb. 1-8.

Calling all young adults (21-40)! If you’re interested, or know anyone who would be interested, in taking part in a young adults group, we’re having a kick-off Super Bowl party at Keith & Rachel’s house. We plan to meet weekly, usually on Saturdays. Activities will include Bible Study, local events (concerts, bowling, etc.), outdoors stuff (hiking, rafting, etc.), and whatever else the Spirit might lead us towards!

The John Knox Center has a staff position opening for an Interim Program Director if you’re interested.

Pray for…

Mike Bryant

What to pray for a new president


Links

Obama's speech

World Reaction to Obama

Faith leaders call on Obama

Muslim Reaction to Obama

The Greatest Social Need

Church History Quiz
(Answer Below)

Q: Who were the flagellants?

Text for Sunday, January 25

Jonah 2

2Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2saying, ‘I called to the Lord out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. 3You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. 4Then I said, “I am driven away from your sight;
how* shall I look again upon your holy temple?” 5The waters closed in over me; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped around my head6 at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the Pit, O Lord my God. 7As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. 8Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty. 9But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the Lord!’ 10Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon the dry land.

A Reading from the Confessions

The Larger Catechism 7.290

Q. 180. What is it to pray in the name of Christ?

A. To pray in the name of Christ is, in obedience to his command, and in confidence on his promises, to ask mercy for his sake: not by bare mentioning of his name; but by drawing our encouragement to pray, and our boldness, strength, and hope of acceptance in prayer, from Christ and his mediation.


The Monastic Moment (From the Monastic Way)



Learning to surrender has its own cheap counterfeits. Passivity it is not, nor is it clenched-teeth conformity. Authentic self-gift requires freedom’s consent and leads to growth in freedom. Strain is its antithesis. When individuals try too hard, when they attempt to do more than they can, they become exhausted, anxious, or chronically irritated. What should free them enslaves them. Formation becomes deforming. (Mari Beha OSC)


Church History Answer


A: They first appeared in 1260, but it was the 14th Century that saw their numbers swell. It became a popular craze to whip oneself in penance for sin. Thousands of Christians from all walks of life lashed themselves until they drew blood. The movement had rigid and ritualistic discipline, and those who wished to join did so for 33.5 days. After this period, they were committed to whipping themselves every year on Good Friday. They soon began to speak of their ritual as a ‘second baptism’ and the movement was eventually abandoned.

(Answer taken from Justo Gonzalez's The Story of Christianity, Volume I, pg. 360.)


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