Pastor Jack's Weekly Chimings Message
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Weekly Inspirational Message & Church Happenings for the Upcoming Week
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Happy Friday!
Today's scripture comes to us from the Acts of the Apostles... and tells us a little more about the adventures of Paul and Barnabas... "Some of the Jews, however, spurned God's message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas." (Acts 14:2 NLT) It shouldn't surprise you to learn that we live in a pretty toxic culture. Constant social media use is driving up depression and anxiety, and steady, doom-laden news feeds are snatching away the hope that keeps us going. The background noise, once a mere static that could easily be ignored, has become something far more sinister -- a soul-sucking, vampiric force that seems to prey on the spiritual well-being of all those careless enough to pay it too much heed. It's poison of the most insidious sort. So, what's the cure, you ask? What could possibly cut through such a thick fog of despair and hostility? Frequent meditation on the truth on God's Word. The Bible doesn't exist simply to fill a slot on your shelf or to provide good reading material for when you can't sleep. No, it's less a book than it is a weapon -- a force that can cut down the enemies' temptations and unlock enduring power in the hearts of those who meditate on its words. It's also an antidote -- a well of life-bringing promises that can cleanse our hearts and minds of the stale, toxic air to which we've become so accustomed. Don't succumb to the poison of this world; use God's cure. I feel so worn down and defeated by the toxicity all around me, O God. Please strengthen my soul with your love and reassurance. Amen. +++ Many of us will gather for a Celebration of Life service for June Lawrence on Saturday here at Immanuel. There will be a calling hour from 11:00am-12:00noon, and the Celebration of Life worship begins at 12:00noon. We look forward to thanking God for June's time among us and celebrating the lessons she taught each of us! +++ We gather for worship on Sunday at 9:00am and this week we welcome Aaron James and Brooks Ryan through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. We will be hearing from Ephesians 6 and 1 John, and my message is entitled, "What Kids Wish Their Parents Knew". What do our young people need, in today's world, to safely navigate childhood? And how can we, as adults, offer those needs? Join me as I think this through for myself, as well! If you can't be with us here in our air-conditioned Sanctuary, look for us on our Facebook page for the "live-stream" at 9:00am and then on the church's YouTube channel for the completed worship, as well. We look forward to "seeing you" in worship at 9:00am on Sunday! +++ Next week Pam will be away on vacation and the office will be staffed each morning by church volunteers. Volunteers.... thanks for helping out as our staff is able to refresh and renew. +++ Vacation Bible School is coming! Each Wednesday night in August we will gather at 6:00pm for an evening of stories, songs, games, crafts, food and fun. Our theme this year is ROAD TRIP: On the Go with God. Make sure your kids are registered and ready for a great time of fellowship and learning together each week. You can register online here. +++ Our 16th annual Mini Golf Tournament for Missions is on Saturday, August 9th. Get your team organized and see Shelley to get your registration form! Forms are also available on our website here. Thanks for supporting the mission work we do here at Immanuel! Make this day a great day and always be ready to turn to God's Word! Pastor Jack Today's scripture comes to us from the Book of Psalms...
"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes." (Psalm 37:7 NLT) I don't know about you,,,, but I will be the first to admit that I often don't do that "patience" part too well! You see, I am often convinced that, not only do I know what God must do, I know when God must do it! Sometimes, I realize that I am treating God like a puppet on a string... not only do I want to control God's actions.... I want to control the timetable under which I expect God to act. Do you ever have these same feelings? But then I read a scripture like the one above and realize the folly of my thinking. I do not control God's actions or God's timetable. And, quite honestly, I think God is insulted that I would think God is incapable of acting in God's time! So... if I was to expound on the scripture from Psalm 37:7, I would do it this way: "You can look to Me for help because I am God your Savior. I will hear you. I may not answer as soon as you'd like, or in the way that you'd like, but I always answer your prayers in the way that's best for you." And when God says that to me... I need to listen and always remember that God loves me so much that God has what's best for me in mind! +++ We gather for worship in our beautiful sanctuary on Sunday at 9:00am. This week I am using 1 Timothy 1: 12-17 and my message is entitled, "It Doesn't Matter Who You Used to Be". In this day when so many feel such guilt about the past they've lived, we are reminded that God doesn't worry about any of that. God is most concerned with who we are right now. Had a bad past, not lived up to God's hope for you, or made some very painful and costly mistakes? God looks past our past and sees our hearts and the future we have ahead of us. We will be "live-streaming" on the church's Facebook page at 9:00am and then "uploading" the completed worship to our YouTube channel. However you can, join us for worship on Sunday morning! We'll save you a good seat and welcome you with open arms! +++ Don't forget to stop and help us fill our Outhouse project for the Food Pantry. We have published the list of needed items but toilet paper is at the top of the list since it cannot be purchased using SNAP benefits. Can you help us reach our 2025 goal of 1,484 items? Thanks for your ongoing support of the mission work we do here at Immanuel! +++ Speaking of missions, our Mission Trip back to Vermont will take place on August 3-8. We need some more folks to join the team so speak to Mike B. for more information. Click here to see pictures of our trip in May. +++ Two dates to save on your August calendar....
Make this day a great day and don't let your worries about yesterday inhibit your ministry today! Pastor Jack This Friday, I read these words from the Acts of the Apostles...
"When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter helped him up and said, "Stand up! I myself am also a man." (Acts 10: 25-26 HCSB) Gemstones are arguably the most interesting rocks in the world. When they are found, most of them look like smooth, shiny rocks -- unique enough to be singled out in a pile of pebbles but not brilliant enough to be placed on a necklace. But when they are faceted --- meticulously cut and chipped by the hand of a skilled expert --- they glow and glimmer like kaleidoscopes in the light. Similarly, on our own, we're far from spectacular, even less so than a gemstone in its natural state. We arise from the dust, covered in the sins and imperfections of our fallen nature. The image of God that dwells inside us is hidden by mud and grime. But whenever we allow God to clean us, cut away our imperfections, and shine God's holy light on our souls, we suddenly transform into spectacular displays. Peter understood this --- that's why he deflected Cornelius' worship toward God. By accepting God's process at chipping away his natural self, and by reflecting God's light instead of absorbing it, Peter was able to glow brighter than any mortal could on his own, pointing thousands of souls to Christ. Lord, help our faith grow brighter each day -- not because of our own efforts but because of my strengthening reliance on You. Amen. +++ When we gather for worship on Sunday at 9:00am, we will hear about Jesus meeting a sinful woman at the home of Simon the Pharisee. This story from Luke's Gospel account will encourage us to think about "A Lesson in Forgiveness". What does it take to truly be forgiven? And what does it take to truly forgive? Join me on Sunday as I try to think through these questions with you. If you are traveling or away at camp, join us on our Facebook page for our "live-streaming" at 9:00am. We will then "upload" the completed worship service to our YouTube channel after it is completed. And if you're joining us from home or vacation.... leave a "Hi" in the Facebook comment section and tell us where you are worshipping from! +++ On Tuesday night 7/15 there will be an organizational meeting for folks planning on attending the next Mission Trip to Vermont on August 3-8. Join with Mike Block and lend your hands to help those suffering after flood losses to get back to some normalcy in their homes and communities. +++ Make sure to grab a flyer about the upcoming Mini Golf Tournament for Missions on August 9th! We need lots of golfers, and hole sponsors to make this successful. It's our 16th annual event and we hope you are forming your team for the big and fun event! Anyone can have fun.... because we even offer "mulligans" for sale for a very reasonable price! Talk to Shelley to get your sign up sheet and get involved! Click here for the registration form on our website. +++ And we hope you are planning to bring the kids to our annual Vacation Bible School on Wednesday nights in August! This year's theme is: ROAD TRIP... ON THE GO WITH GOD! We'll have a lot of fun and enjoy these evenings together all month! Sign up on the church website to join the fun! Click here to go straight to the registration form. NOTE: Pastor Jack will never send an email or text requesting any kind of financial assistance. We have had reports that the scammers are at it again. Please DO NOT respond!! Make this day a great day and think about reflecting God's light as well as absorbing it! Pastor Jack Happy Independence Day, Friends! As I am writing this early in the week, I hope the weather cooperates and you have the chance to celebrate the great nation we live in! Hear these words from the Acts of the Apostles...
"And the believers from among the circumcised (the Jews) who came with Peter were surprised and amazed, because the free gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed and poured out largely even on the Gentiles." (Acts 10:45 AMPC) This Independence Day, we celebrate the freedom that was gained through the blood and tears of those who went before us. Without their sacrifice, America as we know it may have never come to fruition, and the unique form of liberation we enjoy today would have remained just a dream. But today's verse describes another type of freedom. In it, the cage that locked the world away and prevented it from reaching God was suddenly shattered, opening the floodgates for a global spiritual awakening. The Holy Spirit had fallen not just on the Jews but on the Gentiles -- people who were once believed to be outside the reach of God's salvation. On this day, Peter realized that the gospel wasn't a message for the elite -- it was freedom for the masses. All who heard it could leave behind sin's shackles and pursue a relationship with God. The phrase "God's people" suddenly became synonymous with "everyone who believes." Today, as you dwell on the sacrifices of our ancestors that set this nation free, meditate also on Jesus' sacrifice that brought freedom to our souls. Lord God, please strengthen my understanding of just how revolutionary Your grace is. Teach me to appreciate Your salvation more each day. May I never squander this amazing freedom. Amen. +++ We continue on our summer worship schedule this week when we gather at 9:00am in the Sanctuary. This week we will hear Paul's thoughts about suffering from Romans 5 and my message, "What Good Is Suffering?", will have me trying to come up with how suffering can enhance our character and our relationship with God. We will also celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion this week and you can look for our "live stream" on the church's Facebook page at 9:00am. Following the completion of our worship service, the recorded version will be "uploaded" to our YouTube channel, as well. We hope to see you in worship on Sunday in our beautiful, air-conditioned Sanctuary! +++ On Sunday you should look for a decoration that returns to our Sanctuary as we start our July mission project for St. Joseph's food pantry! +++ On Wednesday morning, I will be offering worship at Camillus Ridge at 11:00am. +++ Interested in being God's hands and feet in the world? Plan to attend the next organizing meeting for an August mission trip to Vermont to help with rebuilding from flooding damage. The meeting is on July 15th at 7:00pm in the Fireside Room and the mission trip is planned for August 3 - August 8th. See Mike Block for more information, please! +++ Make sure you have the following dates on your calendars, please!
Make this day a great day and pause to give thanks for our freedom and those who gave so much to secure it for us! Pastor Jack |
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