Weekly Update 08/03/2021
Greetings!
We’re seeing some good progress with the building/remodeling project. The “fire lane” required on the south side of the property was poured this week. It looks nice but is a road to no where! I’m sure some of the kids will find good use for it since we prefer that the fire department never have a need for it! Most of the walls are up in the new children/preschool area (excluding the addition which hasn’t begun), as is the electrical and plumbing (mostly). Okay, you know my secret, I love to see progress on building projects! So, I’m kind of pumped that things are progressing at a better clip after the slow down due to waiting on “red tape” from the city government.
We’re excited that after a long wait, we have plans for Mercy for Memphis at Shelby Farms on August 29th, 4 pm–6 pm! There’s also an opportunity for those inclined to sewing to help at World Relief on Saturday, August 28th, 9:45 am–Noon, to do some ministry with local refugees. See Chris for info on both of these opportunities!
Matt Merker has written some wonderful hymns, as well as a very helpful little book, Corporate Worship: How the Church Gathers as God’s People. The ladies got started last Wednesday’s STINT, working through the book. Tomorrow night the guys are up to discuss it. There are copies on the book rack if you don’t have one. Why do we read and discuss worship? Quite simply, worship is the one thing we’re doing now that we will do for all eternity. It’s central to our lives as followers of Christ. It’s also critical to our gathering as a local church. We can easily presume on worship but we must not. The Word of God is filled with direction for how to worship the Lord as the people of God. Tomorrow, 6:30 pm, men, let’s gather and learn more of how to be a worshiping people. Children preK–6th grade will be taking part in Wisdom Wednesdays, too!
We’re so thankful for our preschool volunteers that have resumed this very special aspect of our church’s ministry to the little folks in our congregation! Why do we put such important emphasis on this ministry? In short, it is a lynch pin for our corporate gatherings so that the body of Christ might hone in on receiving God’s Word and worshiping. Recently, as I preached on Acts 6, I cited a couple of applicable quotes from the great reformer John Calvin. Calvin noted that through the God-appointed means of pastoral exposition, two things happen in the church. First, the Lord comes among us through the preaching of the Word. Second, the exposition of Scripture serves as the “sinews” that hold the church together, shape its life and ministry, and give it direction. Our preschool volunteers enable our pastors to keep focused on expounding the Word and the participants to be locked in on what the Lord is speaking to us from His Word. Additionally, as one of our members commented to me recently, the children in the nursery/preschool get the chance to interact with other children besides their siblings, plus, they get to know and be known by the adults and older teenagers who spend that time with them. Thank you, volunteers! Thank you, preschool leadership! Thank you, parents, as you not only entrust your children to these faithful workers, but volunteer yourselves to help to serve the body of Christ!
I was deeply ministered to by Pastor Matt’s exposition on Sunday. I felt as though I was with Peter getting nudged in the ribs by the angel, sleepily making my way out of the prison and on to the house where the church was gathered to pray for him. I thought of how often I pray, and then when an answer comes, I’m just like those saints who could not believe that Peter was knocking at their door to come in after deliverance from Herod Agrippa’s devious plans, just as they prayed. Our Lord, as Matt so clearly pressed upon us, accomplishes His plans despite our sometimes weak efforts to believe Him. He’s at work, not always the way that we want Him to work, but in ways that will display His glory and work for our good. You can listen to the sermon and/or read it here.
I’ll be following through on the end of Acts 12, which is a rejoinder to what Matt preached on Sunday: Our Lord reigns! Do pray as we gather to worship that the Lord might meet us in the proclamation of His Word.
I’m grateful for you!
Phil N.
We’re seeing some good progress with the building/remodeling project. The “fire lane” required on the south side of the property was poured this week. It looks nice but is a road to no where! I’m sure some of the kids will find good use for it since we prefer that the fire department never have a need for it! Most of the walls are up in the new children/preschool area (excluding the addition which hasn’t begun), as is the electrical and plumbing (mostly). Okay, you know my secret, I love to see progress on building projects! So, I’m kind of pumped that things are progressing at a better clip after the slow down due to waiting on “red tape” from the city government.
We’re excited that after a long wait, we have plans for Mercy for Memphis at Shelby Farms on August 29th, 4 pm–6 pm! There’s also an opportunity for those inclined to sewing to help at World Relief on Saturday, August 28th, 9:45 am–Noon, to do some ministry with local refugees. See Chris for info on both of these opportunities!
Matt Merker has written some wonderful hymns, as well as a very helpful little book, Corporate Worship: How the Church Gathers as God’s People. The ladies got started last Wednesday’s STINT, working through the book. Tomorrow night the guys are up to discuss it. There are copies on the book rack if you don’t have one. Why do we read and discuss worship? Quite simply, worship is the one thing we’re doing now that we will do for all eternity. It’s central to our lives as followers of Christ. It’s also critical to our gathering as a local church. We can easily presume on worship but we must not. The Word of God is filled with direction for how to worship the Lord as the people of God. Tomorrow, 6:30 pm, men, let’s gather and learn more of how to be a worshiping people. Children preK–6th grade will be taking part in Wisdom Wednesdays, too!
We’re so thankful for our preschool volunteers that have resumed this very special aspect of our church’s ministry to the little folks in our congregation! Why do we put such important emphasis on this ministry? In short, it is a lynch pin for our corporate gatherings so that the body of Christ might hone in on receiving God’s Word and worshiping. Recently, as I preached on Acts 6, I cited a couple of applicable quotes from the great reformer John Calvin. Calvin noted that through the God-appointed means of pastoral exposition, two things happen in the church. First, the Lord comes among us through the preaching of the Word. Second, the exposition of Scripture serves as the “sinews” that hold the church together, shape its life and ministry, and give it direction. Our preschool volunteers enable our pastors to keep focused on expounding the Word and the participants to be locked in on what the Lord is speaking to us from His Word. Additionally, as one of our members commented to me recently, the children in the nursery/preschool get the chance to interact with other children besides their siblings, plus, they get to know and be known by the adults and older teenagers who spend that time with them. Thank you, volunteers! Thank you, preschool leadership! Thank you, parents, as you not only entrust your children to these faithful workers, but volunteer yourselves to help to serve the body of Christ!
I was deeply ministered to by Pastor Matt’s exposition on Sunday. I felt as though I was with Peter getting nudged in the ribs by the angel, sleepily making my way out of the prison and on to the house where the church was gathered to pray for him. I thought of how often I pray, and then when an answer comes, I’m just like those saints who could not believe that Peter was knocking at their door to come in after deliverance from Herod Agrippa’s devious plans, just as they prayed. Our Lord, as Matt so clearly pressed upon us, accomplishes His plans despite our sometimes weak efforts to believe Him. He’s at work, not always the way that we want Him to work, but in ways that will display His glory and work for our good. You can listen to the sermon and/or read it here.
I’ll be following through on the end of Acts 12, which is a rejoinder to what Matt preached on Sunday: Our Lord reigns! Do pray as we gather to worship that the Lord might meet us in the proclamation of His Word.
I’m grateful for you!
Phil N.
Posted in Weekly Updates