Sunday School: 9:30 AM
Worship Service: 10:30 AM
Shepherding Groups: Wednesday evenings
Women’s Bible Study: 10:00 AM
Men’s Saturday Breakfast: 7:00 AM
Jail Visits: Saturday 9:00 – 11:00 AM (applications are in) Staff Meeting TOMORROW at 430, at Pastor Tom’s
Our church shed has arrived and has been set in place. We plan on moving the storage of seasonal things, music equipment and sundry other stuff into the shed. Those who've signed up to help with this move please coordinate with Margaret Brown and Kathy Cop eland.
Scott and Cindy Mascolo spoke with Pastor this week. They said "Hello!" to all. They are getting settled in at their ranchett near Ganado. NM. Be praying for them. They have much to do. Cell phone service is weak; their land line number is 575-773-4299.
A "Preparedness Handbook" is available at the back of our chapel for those who are interested. Given the current events that are troubling our nation, we recommend that each of us do some storage of food and necessities. Preparing for emergencies is a good idea generally, and in light of long term shortages, we're wise to stock up now.
On Sunday, June 27th at 2:00 pm, we will have an ordination service for Pastor Jim Powell. Jim was saved in our church, baptized in our church and called to ministry in our church. He has diligently served our congregation for eighteen years, practicing the functions of ministry to evangelize, baptize, marry and bury God's people. He continues to be our worship leader and a NHCF elder.
If you haven't noticed...we're growing. This means that we need a vision for the future. We've already expanded our parking lot, and we're in the process of modifying our building space as the need arises. Plans tentatively exist for a new chapel, and we could be going to two worship services in the near future. All of these things weigh upon our leadership because we don't want to miss God. Please pray with us.
We've had an enlightening conversation in our Shepherding Group on the sovereignty of God. Well actually, we've considered an all-powerful God and what this means for human free will. It came about as we have been in the first chapter of Ephesians, where the text says, "He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will" (Ephes.1.5).
The issue is "predestination." Traditionally, the church has fallen off in two teachings. The one says that God's will prevails and we have no say in the matter; the other says that we still have a choice, even though God's in control. God says, "I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants'' (Deut.30.19).
If we did not have a choice, if God's sovereign will prevailed, then why have Ten Commandments? Or, for that matter, why have any moral code? Our free agency has to enter in.
More importantly, why pray? If it's all locked down, already decided by an Almighty God, then prayer is nothing more than wishful thinking, but we just know that's not true. Too many prayers have been answered.
When Jesus taught us to pray to our "Heavenly Father," and when the NT evangelists taught us that "God is love," we must understand that God, like a father, is sovereign over His children but at the same time, He's merciful and permissive, like when Abraham pleaded for Sodom (Gen.18.22ff).
It's important that we trust God for who He is as the Almighty, sovereign Creator, but at the same time, we need to recognize our free will as a gift to choose the way of righteousness (Matt.6.33).
Pastor Tom
Pulpit Greeter: Javier Sanchez
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse”
(Rom. 1.20).
Pastor Tom Brown
Church Staff
Pastor Tom Brown
Pastor Jim Powell, Assoc. Pastor/Worship leader Terry Lowry, Elder
DEACONS:
Bill Bujnowski, Lee Copeland, Lanny Dameron, Chris Lewis, Roger Brown and Lee Larson
Lora Slater, Secretary
John Greer, Media ~ Ron Hall, Custodian
Tami Powell, Nursery and Kitchen
Loretta Stumbaugh, Prayer and Finances
Linda Lindsey ~ Card Min istry
