Don’t forget our Annual Meeting of the Congregation. Immediately after he morning worship service, we will meet downstairs for a Love Feast. (Each family should bring a hot dish and a cold dish to share.) Afterward, we’ll be blessed to hear a presentation of new directions in Missions, a report on increased ministry, a presentation of the budget, and an update on the Elder process. ALL who attend Elim are encouraged to attend!
On the Lord’s Day:
9:15 am — Sunday school classes for all ages: Classes for graded age groups meet to learn from the Scriptures. To see Sunday school classes, ages and meeting locations, click on the red “Ministries” button under the category “Pages” (to the right).
10:30 am — In October and November, we examined “Seven Things the Lord Loves.” We also need to know from the Word “What God Hates.” We continue our look at Proverbs 6:16-19 this week, focusing on the abomination of hands that shed innocent blood.
During the Week:
- Our Ten-thirty Tuesdays Bible study continues this Tuesday in our chronological look at the Old Testament. This group meets at 10:30 am in the Fireside Room
- Awana Clubs meet at 6:30 pm with “Beat the Clock Night!”
- The Thursday Night Toolkit Bible study continues our survey of the New Testament, “Knowing Jesus and Living Like It.”
Upcoming and Ongoing:
- A new family Sunday School class begins February 7th, a class for families who desire to attend Sunday school together, and for adults who want an alternative curriculum. This group, looking a true biblical discernment, will meet in the Fellowship Hall.
- Check your bulletins this week and next for information about the Grace & Truth Conference for Women on April 30 & May 1st. Ladies, you’ll want to set aside this Friday & Saturday for biblical teaching on cultivating a fruitful life for the glory of God.
- If you are planning on graduating from high school or college this spring, please contact the church office.
From the Pastor’s Recent Reading:
The emphasis is on God’s work for us…preaching focuses on God’s work in the history of redemption from Genesis through Revelation, and sinners are swept into this unfolding drama. Trained and ordained to mine the riches of Scripture for the benefit of God’s people, ministers try to push their own agendas, opinions, and personalities to the background so that God’s Word will be clearly proclaimed. In this preaching, the people once again are simply receivers—recipients of grace. Similarly, in baptism, they do not baptize themselves; they are baptized. In the Lord’s Supper, they do not prepare and cook the meal; they do not contribute to the fare; but they are guests who simply enjoy the bread of heaven…as this gospel creates, deepens, and inflames faith, a profound sense of praise and thanksgiving fills hearts, leading to good works among the saints and in the world throughout the week. Having been served by God in the public assembly, the people are then servants of each other and their neighbors in the world. Pursuing their callings in the world with vigor and dedication, they win the respect of outsiders. Because they have been served well themselves—especially by pastor-teachers, elders, and deacons—they are able to share the Good News of Christ in well-informed and natural ways. And because they have been relieved of numerous burdens to spend all of their energy on church-related functions throughout the week, they have more time to serve their families, neighbors and co-workers in the world.
—Michael Horton, from the book Christless Christianity
Posted on January 22nd, 2010 by Janet
Filed under: This Week @ Elim