Thursday, October 3, 2013

Oct 3 E-News

Announcements

Money Matters-- We're going to spend the next three weeks talking about money in the church and what God's Word has to say about it. This week? Redefining Wealth

Room in the Inn-- On October 10, Chattanooga Room in the Inn will be celebrating their anniversary from 5-8pm at Lyndsay Street Hall. Speak with Lizz if you're interested.

Wednesday Bible Study-- We start our Bible study at 6:30 and will be exploring the kings of Israel. Next week, 10/9, we'll begin by spending some time in prayer for our city.


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 on the bookshelf.
#10 cans - mixed vegetables / peas
#10 cans fruit
Dinner napkins
Plastic forks / spoons
Dry milk


New Hope News

Sunday School—This Sunday, we'll continue our study the 5th chapter of Matthew, which is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount.

Session Meeting—This Sunday, 12:30-1:30

Elder Nominations—Please be in prayer for our nominating committee as they seek out leaders for Christ's church. If there is someone you would like to see be an elder, please speak with them before nominating them. Rosie Sanislo is heading up the committee this year.



Pray For:
Lynn Meyer & Christine Dyer

Krissey Parker and her recovery



Links







Keith's Random Thoughts

There's a lot going on in the world.

On Monday, we heard from a Syrian pastor who reported on day-to-day life in Syria. He told us what it is like to live there and how heartbreaking the chaos has been. He also shared his view that the US needs to stay out of the country, as well as some other interesting insights that only a Syrian would have. (Imagine living in the city where Saul, now Paul, had the scales fall from his eyes.)

On Tuesday, the government officially stopped working, which was probably not much of a change from beforehand, only now the dysfunction of our political leadership is affecting the day-to-day lives of thousands of furloughed workers and frustrated would-be-park-visitors.

In the midst of all of this, Caleb's been sick and generally unhappy. We're still adapting to life with two kids, trying to figure out how to make all this work. Each and every one of us probably had ten things on a to-do list that probably won't make it on to the 'done' list.

So we hear God's call to 'be still' and we wonder what that's like. Even if we can still our bodies, can we really still our anxious minds and nervous hearts? Don't we need to be doing something? God knows we have plenty to do. Can't he just impart some peace on us as we move along?

I believe that God calls us to be still for a very specific reason, and it's not out of spite, as though God is trying to frustrate our efforts to plow through our to-do lists. There is a lot going on in the world, and God calls us to be still to remind us that the future of this world is in God's hands, not our own. I believe that God wants us to be still and recognize that we are pretty small, and we can't solve the world's problems. We probably don't even have enough time on earth to list them all. So the best thing we can do?

Trust God. Take a moment, slow down, look at all the chaos in the world and in our lives, and give thanks that we worship a God who promises that there will be peace in the end, and that he wants us to experience that peace here and now.

How do we experience it here and now? May the fact that all of this will work out, that all evil will be destroyed, that there will be nothing left but peace and joy and love, give a sense of calm to your life. Breathe deeply. Do what you can. Trust in God.




Text for this Sunday
2 Corinthians 8:1-15 (ESV)

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”


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