MIDWEEK MESSAGE #142
Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #142. I hope your week is going well and you have seen God working in your daily activities. After the snow event which didn’t happen (I’m not complaining) last week, this week is supposed to be pretty tame. I have not, however, heard a teacher or student complain about the day off. I know I never did!
Please remember to pray for Hope East, our Educator of the week. Hope homeschools her three children as well as being actively involved in the youth program as she works alongside Ryan. Sunday, Pastor Ryan asked us to pray hard for Hope. I’m not sure why… ☺
This past Sunday I mentioned during the sermon about the way each letter to the churches of Revelation flowed. I was unable to include it in the weekly outline for the bulletin and I know it was a lot of material to write down, so I mentioned I would include it in this Midweek Message. Here is the material I used concerning the flow of thought in each letter:
- Jesus presents Himself with certain attributes suitable to the church being addressed.
- The situation or particular problem is addressed.
- On the basis of #2, Jesus issues either an encouragement to persevere or to repent.
- That forms the ground for issuing a call to respond by heeding to what He has said needs done.
- Finally, if they respond correctly they are promised an inheritance.
As I said in the sermon, this formula can be applied to each of the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3. My hope is that you will go back over the two chapters with this flow of thought in mind and look for these ideas. In fact, it will make a great personal study for you.
We all had a great time at the Tivoli this past Sunday night for the church movie night. Many thanks to Linda St. John for offering the evening for Pastor Ryan to use for ROOTS. Thanks to Ryan for inviting our OVCF family to participate. It is good to see your church family and friends outside of the church gathering. It is really good to laugh together and joke around. I also saw a lot of faces I had never seen before. Many of them were young people who attend ROOTS. I love it! And I loved seeing so many with young children there.
Let me remind you again about our mission for February: New Beginnings Pregnancy Resource Center (NB). I know you save every one of the Midweek Messages sent your way (Ahem!), but just in case you don’t, please let me reiterate to you what we are trying to do for NB. Every year they have an annual diaper drive in February to prepare for the many clients that come their way. Donations may be brought to OVCF during the month or you may choose to take them directly to New Beginnings at 189 N. Main St here in Spencer. The following is a list of their most needed items:
- Baby wipes
- Diapers, size 3 and up. *Pampers and Huggies brands especially needed due to skin sensitivities.
- Pull-ups, ALL sizes needed.
I would love for us to overwhelm NB with our love and support in supplying these needs beyond their wildest dreams! Let’s make it happen!
This past Sunday was our 5th Sunday Family Worship. It was a great day. I honestly believe it was the best attended 5th Sunday we have ever had. At the end of the second service, I made a comment which I believe I should make again. We had a large group of teenagers present Sunday, as well a pretty large group of elementary students. I have to brag on all of our young people. They were phenomenal! I know it isn’t easy listening to some old codger yap on about churches in the Bible, but Parents! You would have and should have been proud of your young person if they were in that group. They were attentive (unless they have great poker faces) and very respectful. So….
- Thank you young people for being so respectful.
- Thank you young people for making your parents proud you are their child. ☺
- Thank you mom and dad for bringing your child and staying to worship with them. I think the young people deserve some ice cream and you deserve a well-earned pat-on-the-back and a big Atta Boy! (The young people can thank me later for that suggestion).
The next 5th Sunday Family Worship is April 29th and Lord willing, Pastor Ryan will be preaching. April holds many good things. Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday on April 2 & 9. Will and Theresa Reed will be back with us (Will is preaching) on the 16th. They will soon be heading to Colorado for training and then on to Nairobi, Kenya. We want to give them a great send off. April is also the second month of the Revelation “break.” May 7th should get us back on track for that series: The Lamb Wins.
My sermon for Sunday is “He Knows-Part 2.” We will be studying the impact of God’s Omniscience in chapter 3. I look forward to seeing you there. Laughing with you. Studying with you and allowing God to change our lives. Remember: I love you.
Pastor Bill
