Filed under: Uncategorized
I’m quite sure you’ve seen these bulletin typos/mistakes before, but I had to pass them along… They’re still hilarious and make me that much more thankful for proofreaders.
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The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning: ‘Jesus Walks on the Water.’ The sermon tonight: ‘Searching for Jesus.’
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Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
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Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
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The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say ‘Hell’ to someone who doesn’t care much about you.
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Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang ‘I Will Not Pass This Way Again,’ giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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The Rector will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing: ‘Break Forth Into Joy.’
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24th in the church So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be ‘What Is Hell?’ Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM – Prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every
kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7PM. Please use the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’ s Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use the large double doors at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church’s new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday : ‘I Upped My Pledge – Up Yours’
Filed under: Mind Flush
- This weekend was ridiculously busy. Both days started before 8am and didn’t stop until about 2am. THEN I was up at 4am this morning.
- I got hang out with some great people! One friend I hadn’t seen in nearly a year, but seemed like we didn’t miss a beat… You’ve got to love that!
- Church was incredible and Pastor was so fired up! Notes here!
- And we did “God is in Control” and that Kirk Franklin medley I love!
- My boy, Brian, was super crunk yesterday too!
- Lately I’ve made a bad habit of assuming restaurants are open when I want to eat there… And there’s been 2 times within the past month that they’ve been closed and I’ve been disappointed.
- I’m glad I sucked it up and went to see Ron G on Sunday night, even though I was stupid tired and should have gone home and slept… I can sleep today! It’s important to me to support people in their passions and dreams
- I had some great food too… Spent too much money though… eeek!
- This week will be MUCH MORE low key than last. That’s a very good thing.
- I can’t believe my half marathon in NEXT weekend! Wow… it really creeped up on me!
- Then I’m going to DC for a few days to see my dad and get out of Atlanta! I’m excited about that for real!
- My softball team has GOT to get it together… we were definitely still a little rusty at our game on Friday.
- The flag football game with my girls on Saturday on the other hand, shows you how important practice is! They KILLED it!
- Trig is no joke!
- It’s hard trying to juggle connecting with 3 people at the same time… But we got everyone taken care of, thankfully!
- It was funny… as of Thursday, I had NOTHING on the calendar besides church tutoring and by Saturday morning, Saturday was fully booked and Sunday soon followed suit.
- I keep saying I’m going to write more, but somehow I keep forgetting… sigh…
5 Hour Energy was my best friend this morning! - There have been a lot of plane crashes lately… What’s that about?
- I feel like lately, I’ve been driving rental cars more than mine… This last time WAS my fault… But I learned my lesson. Hopefully it won’t cost me too much… I ain’t got that much!
- I’m excited about helping a friend of mine get him and his church connected to Facebook, Twitter, and having a great web presence! Technology is such an incredible tool that we can use for the Kingdom!
- I’m down for now… I’m gonna watch the video of Unleash 09 and take some notes!
Filed under: Uncategorized
My Pastor was FIRED UP about this message, so I figured I’d share a few nuggets that I grabbed from it:
What Will Heal America? Our Community? Our Church? Our Families? You?
Pastor Crute
March 22 2009, 12:30pm
We can no longer be Christians with no power, acting like God owns us a favor!
God doesn’t awaken you just so you can breath. He has a purpose and a reason for you today!
Why are Christians acting like they’re saved but there’s no real difference in their life?
If there’s going to be healing coming to this country, it must start from the REAL church.
Are you really salt or are you still saltY about what someone has done to you that you can’t receive all of what God has for you?
2 Chronicles 7:14 –> “my people” god doesn’t mean everyone? He doesn’t even mean everyone in churches… He is referring to those who don’t like to sin, how are truly born again and are walking like it. People who are Christ-like! In what you say, what you do, how you respond WHEN YOU’RE NOT IN CHURCH!
If you don’t meet the condition, you’re not in the right position to be blessed.
Are we too dependent on others relationship with God that I spend more time talking to our friends about our problems than we do talking to God about it!?
1. WE MUST CONFESS WITH HUMILITY (will humble themselves)
Why does he start with humility? Because the hinge letter of sIn and prIde is I… Its me!
James 4:6 –> Anytime you’re prideful, its God’s character to set himself against you.
Proverbs 28:13 –> Sometimes God stops our progress because we’re not ready. He stops us to prevent us from embarrassing Him. You shouldn’t be content with sinning.
People who are hungry wants something legitimate.
Don’t think you’re in the right place just because someone pats you on the back. You have to be right before GOD!
The more you carry known sin in your life, the less of an appetite for God’s Word you will have.
James 5:16 –> Why would I pay someone to tell me that the issues in my life are because of me and the sin issue in my life? That’s not to say that counselling is bad, but make sure that as you do go, visit the Word of God and follow what it says.
2. WE MUST PRAY WITH TENACITY(and pray)
tenacity – persistent determination, doggedness, perseverance, persistency, determination, purpose – the quality of being determined to do or achieve something.
Colossians 4:2 –> One of the problems we have in prayer is that we give up too soon.
We have to stop praying ‘whimsical prayers’, asking for things ‘on a whim… “God I want this…” Didn’t get it? Oh well, on to the next thing!
As you mature in Christ you will find that you don’t always get everything you ask for the first time you ask.
Ephesians 6:18
3. WE MUST SEEK GOD WITH INTENSITY (and seek my face)
Intense – focused, like a white hot flame.
Hebrews 11:6b
Matthew 6:33 –> We must seek God for who is, not what He can do for us.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31a –> He doesn’t destroy or abandon His children, but He will set it up so we have to come back to Him.
You will either know God by revelation or tribulation.
When men get right with God, church get right. Families get right. Communities get right.
It’s a shame that some men can rattle off whose in the sweet 16 for March Madness and the scores of every game, but you don’t know where your children are!
God is God enough to give you what you need in order to fulfill your God ordained purpose and leave a legacy to your children and their children.
Cultural success isn’t the same as Kingdom success. Kingdom success is when you can stand before God and give Him your everything and He knows that He can trust you to give you something and you can take it and multiply it for His glory.
I don’t want to talk a good game… I want to walk it out.
4. WE MUST REPENT WITH SINCERITY (and turn from their wicked ways)
2 Timothy 3:2-5 –> Paul was writing a 19 character list of ‘wicked ways’. “Stay away from people like this!”
Philautos – self absorbed, egocentric
Philarguros – money focused, greedy
Alazon – self promoting, always talking about you
Huperephanos – status conscious, snobbish
Blasphemos – God insulting
Apeithes – rude, disrespectful
Acharistos – unappreciative
Anosios – crude, course
Astorgos – unkind, heartless
Aspondos – unwilling to forgive, unbending
Diabolos – slander, gossiping, false accuser. When you gossip, you are as close to the devil as you can get.
Akratess – impulsive, uncontrolled
Anemeros – loves violence
Aphilagathos – cynical
Prodotes – double dealing, backstabbing, two-face-ted
Propetes – reckless
Tuphoo – puffed up with pride, intellectual wind bags. Having a doctorate doesn’t mean you have wisdom. Beware of those that have knowledge but aren’t concerned about Kingdom business.
Philedonos – choosing pleasure over God, addicted to lust, allergic to God (The Message paraphrase)
Acts 3:19
Filed under: Relationships
A friend of mine posted this note on Facebook the other day and I had to respond, but it was so long that I figured I’d post it here as well…
Dear Shirley, I am seeing this guy and he is great!! He is in the church and treats me amazing. We have only been dating for a little while and when we started I told him I didn’t want to have sex until we are married he was cool with that and upholding my standards, however before I met him I was in a sexual relationship with someone else. I don’t want to cheat but I can’t help it because it is so GOOD!! I don’t want to have sex with my man because its going to mess up the beautiful relationship we could have blessed by God when we get married. When my phone rings and I see Mr. Good’s name on the caller ID I can’t help but to set a date and time to let him break me off! My man has no idea about the other guy, and intend on breaking my fling off in a couple months with Mr. Good. Should I tell him, or keep it a secret? The only thing I’m worried about is that everything that’s done in the dark comes to light. Please help me because I can’t help myself.
Sincerely, Almost a Good Girl
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Dear “Almost a Good Girl”,
Let me address these issues in order. The first issue I see here is that HE is in the church… are you? This whole problem seems to be more an issue of spiritual maturity and controlling your flesh more than an issue between which man you should choose. Good character is corrupted by bad company. You become who you hang out with and if you continue to hang out/sleep with Mr. Good, you’ll soon enough become more like him and less like Christ.
Secondly, you say you “can’t help but to set up a date” when Mr. Good calls, but how many times are there when you really could have helped it. You could have no answered the phone, not gotten in the car, not took off your clothes, not spread your legs. You WANT to sleep with this man whether you admit it or not. The bible says that there is ALWAYS a way of escape out of every temptation. It’s up to you to choose that way.
You need to evaluate what means more to you: Sex, however good it may be, with Mr. Good, or the future or your relationship with Church Boy. I think it’s foolish that you presume that you’ll be able to break off your ‘fling’ in a few months. Why not do it now? And who’s to say that you’ll be the one to break it off. Did you think about the possibility that one or both of them might break off the relationship(s) first? Don’t always think that you’re in control because there are 2 people in these relationships.
This situation WILL come to the light, it’s only a question of when. If you’re honest and up front with Church Boy now, he may be much more accepting than if he were to find out about through some other avenue. There’s obviously no guarantee that he’ll still want to be with you, but you should have thought of that when you were out fornicating.
So, having said all that, what do you need to do? First of all, you need to end it with Mr. Good and delete all his information from your life. If you can’t get in touch with him, you can’t sleep with him. Period. Secondly, you need to tell Church Boy everything that’s happened and take the relationship from there. Give him space and time to process because you’re going to put a LOT on him. IF he takes you back and wants to continue the relationship then you both need to be intentional about setting boundaries and guidelines for personal and spiritual growth. You also need to, not only get to church more, but develop your personal relationship with Christ.
Sincerely, Stu
Filed under: Uncategorized
My Pastor preached an incredible message last night at our Midweek Service and I just wanted to share the notes that I was able to take down. Enjoy.
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Clothe Yourself in Love
March 5, 2009 – 7:30pm
There should never be a time in our lives where we forego communion with God. The enemy wants us isolated so it’s easier for him to knock us off. But if we stay connected to the Father there is nothing that the enemy can do that would throw us off balance
Colossians 3:12 –> God doesn’t want us to wait for someone else to dress us. Every day we have an option to get dressed, not only physically. We must “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together”
1 Corinthians 12:27 – 13:13
God has a way of making love tailor fit to your body when you put it on from the inside out. There are certain character traits and gifts that should be seen in our lives if we have clothed ourselves in love.
Is the state of your house out of order because of the fact that you forgot to put on love from the inside and are expecting someone else to put it on from the outside? Being dressed in love has to do with daily practices that determine whether or not what we do that day is credited to Him.
He has an expectation that when he wakes you up, BECAUSE He is the one that woke you up, He would be the first person we should talk to. But the fact is that more often than not, we’re ‘too busy’ and we overlook him. His heart breaks when he sees us make decisions and bump our head when he would have never endorsed those things. BUT because we didn’t spend time with Him, we have to go through those trials.
How can you say you love God but you don’t send time with Him. If you don’t spend time with him, you AT BEST have a counterfeit relationship and are living on your own power and with your own devices.
You can’t get impartation and character transformation with a ‘courtesy visit’.
When the pressure comes, what’s really in you comes out.
We gloat in our imperfections as if God tells us, “Go ahead and me a Christian and act the way you’ve been acting!” God wants to give us a greater glory but He will only give it to people that can carry the burden. God will bring people around you to test and see if you live what you say. When you stoop to their level in order to please and placate them, you block the blessings of God in your life.
When you spend time with God daily, anything that comes into your life that day that is contrary to it, will stick out and be noticeable.
All the good things you’re doing for the Lord will mean nothing if they’re not motivated by love.
Why is it that we want to be so socially connected but spiritually disconnected?
Should God move on the basis of the amount of quality time that you spend with Him? Sometimes He loves us enough to NOT come through for us until our hearts are completely turned towards Him.
When you walk with God you don’t have to yell and let people know that you’ve got the big stick. He wants to show off through you if you’d just get out of the way and let Him do it.
When you really walk with God the enemy will take one bite out of you and spit you out because he recognizes that we taste too much like Jesus.