NEWSLETTER
Monday Edition
March 14, 2011 |
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Greetings!
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We hope this Newsletter is useful to you as a reminder, a resource, a tool or for whatever reason it might serve you. Please send in any news bits or happenings within your small group, experiences in your ministries, appropriate announcements that need to be publicized, or any other communication that may serve our readers well.
Above all, may this Newsletter be all that, as well as a source of enrichment for our daily routine, and hopefully, in some way or another, reveal God's truth to us and to others as well. There is a link at the bottom of the page if you should want to forward the Newsletter to a friend or family member.
The Church Staff
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Family Finance Workshop
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We had a moderately well-attended Family Finance Workshop yesterday afternoon after the Fellowship Lunch. Although Pastor John made a special announcement about its importance at the beginning of the church service, coupled with the fact that it was also announced in the Church Bulletin as well as in the previous issue of the Newsletter, the hoped for number of attendees did not quite materialize. The seminar was well worth attending. It was a very well prepared discussion on God's prosperity plan for Christians, why He wants His people to prosper, how to be open to His blessing of prosperity, as well as biblical principles of investing and financial planning. Those who missed the seminar will definitely want to have a copy of the handout given, entitled "Christian Principles of Resource Management and Investment." There are some copies at the back table in the sanctuary. Like Pastor John said, we would have been definitely on the blessing end of the equation had we had the chance to attend something similar to this when we were younger and raising our families. Our youth, our young couples and young families will do well to apply these principles in their own personal finances. |
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Other Scheduled Workshops
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A couple of other workshops previously scheduled are cancelled for the moment. These are the Teenagers' Workshop and the Youth/Collegiate Workshop which were on tap for Sunday, March 20 and March 27.
However, the Ministry Classes on Homiletics will continue as scheduled. The first class was held on Saturday, March 12, and the second and third sessions will be held on Saturday, March 26 and April 9 at 9:30 a.m.
"Homiletics" is defined as the art of preaching. It may not be too late for others who wish to catch up and attend the next two sessions to plan ahead and do so. Even those who do not intend to do "active preaching" will benefit from these classes as it was pointed out that when we speak to others, whether we are talking about spiritual/religious matters or not, we are actually preaching or witnessing.
Doesn't that sound similar to the saying, "I'd rather see a sermon than hear one?"
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Registry Form
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We just want for you to be aware that there is a "Registry" form at the church foyer that can be used both by our guests and members to request for one or more of the several listed items on the form, including a line for "other" requests.
Please avail yourselves of this service, and drop the form into the offering basket when the latter is passed around.
The form is clipped on the inside front cover of the guest registry book laying on the credenza against the wall by the entry doors. You may ask the greeters to help you if you need one of the forms.
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Marketplace Ministry
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The University of Adversity
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12-13). I've observed a principle: The pathway to leadership almost always takes us through the valley of adversity. We see this principle not only in the story of Joseph, who endured thirteen years of adversity, but also in the lives of many other leaders in both the Old and New Testament. Moses was raised in the royal splendor of Pharaoh's household in Egypt, but he was forced to flee and spend 40 years in desert exile before God spoke from a burning bush and called him to lead the Hebrew people out of slavery. Joshua spent the years of his youth as a slave in Egypt and his middle-aged years wandering in the desert at Moses' side. He was well acquainted with adversity when God called him to lead Israel's armies in the conquest of Canaan. The prophet Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions before he could reach a place of power and influence in the Babylonian courts. And we see this same pattern played out in the lives of David, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea and other Old Testament leaders. Turning to the New Testament, we see that even Jesus had to face adversity in the desert, suffering hunger, thirst, temptation and opposition from Satan. Only then could He begin His public ministry. The Lord's disciples had to endure the loss of their Master, the failure of their own faith and character, and the dark days of despair between the cross and the empty tomb before they could become the founding leaders of the Lord's church. It's hard to find anyone in Christian history who became a great leader without earning an advanced degree at the "University of Adversity." (TGIF Today God Is First, Volume 2, by Os Hillman) |
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Gift Boxes
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Remember the large boxes of clothing, shoes, laptop computers and other things that were sent off to the Philippines in January? They all arrived safely and intact at their different destinations! Praise the Lord for that.
We received word from Pastors Prom and Norma Amoguis that the "Balibayan Boxes" containing all the things we sent off were received. Two weeks ago, four boxes were received in Davao, three boxes in Cebu and two boxes in Palawan. Last week six more boxes arrived in Palawan. In all, 13 boxes sent in January and 2 boxes sent in December arrived with no reported losses.
You will remember that Pastor Prom will conduct computer classes both on how to use them and how to repair them. Some of the things that were sent off will be used to replace their sound system, thanks to Lelit and Tony Luciano.
Ms. Norma wants to make sure that those who helped pack the boxes and get them ready for shipping are thanked again and given the good news of the safe arrival of those boxes there. Thank you, Lorie Mahr and Eunice (Baby) Alinsod.
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The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control." Psalm 32: 8,9 (NLT)
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