Announcements
Special
Guest—This
Sunday,
we'll have a special guest with us. Marilyn Borst
from
the Outreach Committee will be with us. She'll be preaching on
Sunday morning about the church's call to look beyond itself and
serve others. If
you're interested in attending a luncheon to talk more with Marilyn
about how New Hope might be involved in God's work beyond the bounds
of our church, please email me.
Church Website—It's working again! Yay! Newhopechattanooga.org
Church Website—It's working again! Yay! Newhopechattanooga.org
Community
Kitchen Spot
There are a lot of hungry and homeless children of God
and the community needs some help feeding them. If you would like to
help out, please bring the following items to church this Sunday &
put them in the grocery cart.
8 oz. Styrofoam bowls
Dry Milk
Styrofoam Plates
Plastic Forks/Spoons
Pasta
New
Hope News
Sunday
School—This Sunday, the adult class will study 1
Peter.
VBS—Will
be the week of July 15-18. Make your plans accordingly!
Pray
For:
Russell
Mabry
John
L. Wright
Links
Keith's
Random Thoughts
D-Day was 69 years ago today. Several years ago, I had the
opportunity to visit the beaches in Normandy. They are peaceful,
serene locations, a far cry from the violent chaos that descended
upon them on June 6, 1944. At the top of the cliffs there is a
cemetery, a place that breaks your heart as you read the names and
dates on the white crosses. You can't help but wonder what might
have become of these young men had they not given their lives for
their cause.
Standing on the beach, you look up toward the cliffs, and you wonder
how in the world they ever ascended those heights. You wonder at the
courage that must have coursed through the veins of those who charged
forward. You marvel at the fear that must have overtaken many in the
moments leading up to the lowering of the doors of their landing
crafts. It is an imposing place, and the fact that D-Day led to the
defeat of the dug-in German troops is amazing when you consider the
obstacles that had to be overcome.
D-Day is not something I could have achieved on my own. It required
the sacrifice of many others in order to overcome a powerful enemy.
Without it, my life today would be very different. I don't know how,
but I am certain this world would be a different place.
So how do I live in reflection of this event?
I think the best way to reflect gratitude is to strive for the same
ideals that drove the D-Day invasion. British, American &
Canadian forces stormed those beaches in an effort to liberate Europe
from an overpowering foe, one intent on destruction and domination.
They did not invade in the hopes of conquering Europe, but of setting
it free to determine its own future. The best way I can honor their
sacrifice, I believe, is to strive for my own life to be useful to
others, recognizing the powers at work in the world that seek to
dominate and destroy and working to free others from these powers.
This entails sponsoring children through World Vision to help set
them free from the powers of poverty. It may mean joining in with
the fight against trafficking, or striving to feed the hungry or help
minorities obtain equal rights. It might mean something different
for each of us, but remembering the sacrifice others made should
change the way we see our own lives, that we live not for ourselves,
but to benefit others. There is a greater good.
As a Christian, the sacrifice of Christ should drive me to examine my
own motives. Am I living out of selflessness, or am I motivated to
strive for peace and prosperity only in my own little kingdom? Do I
build up others, or stride over them when the need arises? Christ
loved at cost to himself. Am I willing to let the needs of others
infringe upon my life?
These are hard questions, ones that I often avoid. But the more they
are asked, the more I must wrestle with them. The more I wrestle,
the more I recognize the truth that it is God's Kingdom I am called
to serve, rather than my own.
Text
for this Sunday
Romans
1:8-12
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because
your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve
with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness
that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that
by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I
am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual
gift to strengthen you— or rather so that we may be mutually
encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
New
Hope on iTunes
Keith's
Blog
& Devotionals
for your Kindle
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