TableTalk
The Wednesday Night group and I have been walking through The Tangible Kingdom Workbook this winter, and it has been confirming my view of ministry at the turn of every page! This week we arrived at the chapter entitled "Living Out". Throughout the workbook, we have been discovering new things about the Gospel and about what it means to be a follower of Christ. In all honesty, we have had some very direct conversations on how to apply it in our lives.
Living out the Christian life is where the "rubber hits the road", and it begins with Jesus' call (in Luke 9:23) to deny oneself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. Hugh Halter says it this way: "Living out is the natural and deliberate process of living among, listen to, and loving people in our culture with the desire to connect them to our Christian community. As we learn to live the missional and incarnational way, we soon are faced with challenges to our daily living."
In other words - we have to come and die, and grapple with the issue of our willingness to take responsibility for our relationships with others and whether we'll let the mission of God to dictate the purpose and schedule of our lives.
So the group has discussed the 6 rhythms of life, and I invite you as well during this season of Lent to discuss them with your family and friends and think about what they might mean for you as a part of your daily and weekly rhythm of life as fellow Disciples!
- Know the Story - Read, and study the Scripture.
- Listen - Let God speak to you through His Word, and have your eyes and ears open to what God is doing in your community.
- Celebrate - Gather with a Community Life group and share stories of what God is doing among you.
- Bless - Intentionally bless others through words, actions, gifts.
- Eat - Regularly eat meals with others as a reminder of our common need for God and his faithfulness to provide; eat with one sojourner included each week.
- Recreate - Take time each week to rest, play, create, and restore beauty in ways that display the Gospel, resting in Jesus' completed work on our behalf.
I'll see you on Sunday,
Gene | |
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As We Pray for the Community of Chardon . . .
Into God's Arms by Ravi Zacharias
The difficult question of pain forms a thorny question on which volumes have been written. Why do the innocent suffer? Why do we face all these diseases? Why the suffering of millions because of natural disasters or the tyranny of demagogues? I do not pretend to have all the answers, but one thing I know: pain is a universal fact of life. Likewise, there are moral dimensions in the way we phrase our questions concerning pain, and every religion explicitly or implicitly attempts to explain pain.
But why do we even ask these questions about suffering within the context of morality? Why have we blended the fact of physical pain with the demand for a moral explanation? Who decided that pain is immoral? Indeed, almost every atheist or skeptic you read names this as the main reason for his or her denial of God's existence.
In the Judeo-Christian framework, pain is connected to the reality of evil and to the choices made by humanity at the beginning of time. The problem of pain and the problem of evil are inextricably bound. So when we assume evil, we assume good. When we assume good, we assume a moral law. And when we assume a moral law, we assume a moral law-giver.
You may ask, Why does assuming a moral law necessitate a moral law-giver? Because every time the question of evil is raised, it is either by a person or about a person - and that implicitly assumes that the question is a worthy one. But it is a worthy question only if people have intrinsic worth, and the only reason people have intrinsic worth is that they are the creations of One who is of ultimate worth. That person is God. So the question self-destructs for the naturalist or the pantheist. the question of the morality of evil or pain is valid only for a theist. And only in Christian theism is love preexistent within the Trinity, which means that love precedes human life and becomes the absolute value for us. this absolute is ultimately found only in god, and in knowing and loving God we work our way through the struggles of pain, knowing of its ultimate connection to evil and its ultimate destruction by the One who is all-good and all-loving; who in fact has given us the very basis for the words good and love both in concept and in language. Not far from my home lives a young woman who was born with a very rare disease called CIPA, congenital insensitivity to pain with anhydrosis. Imagine having a body that looks normal and acts normally, except for one thing: You cannot feel physical pain. that sound as if it would be a blessing. but the reason it's a problem is that she lives under the constant threat of injuring herself without knowing it. If she steps on a rusty nail that could infect her bloodstream, she wouldn't even realize it buy sensation. If she placed her hand on a burning stove, she would not know she had just burned her hand except by looking at it. She needs constant vigilance because she could sustain an injury that could take her life or cause serious debilitation. When her family was interviewed some years ago, the line I most remember is the closing statement by her mother. She said, "I pray every night for my daughter, that God would give her a sense of pain." If that statement were read in a vacuum, we would wonder what sort of mother she is. But because more than anyone else she understands the risks of this strange disease, there is no greater prayer she can pray than that her daughter feel pain and be able to recognize what it portends. I ask you this simple question: If, in our finitude, we can appreciate the value of pain in even one single life, is it that difficult to grant the possibility that an infinite God can use pain to point us to a greater malady? We see through a glass darkly because all we want is to be comfortable. We cannot understand the great pain of an all-knowing God who brings us near through the value of pain - or of disappointment with pleasure. And yet the very thing that enslaves and traps us becomes the indicator of our need for God and the means to draw us to the recognition of our own finitude and to the rescuing grace of God. The pain of pain clasps the lifesaving hand of God and draws us into God's arms. Ravi Zacharias is founder an chairman of the board of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries
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The Family Room
A Parent's Top Five
Dennis Rainey
President of Family Life Today
A righteous man who walks in his integrity -- how blessed are his sons after him. Proverbs 20:7
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Barbara and I have not been perfect parents. But when you have as many children as we do, God gives you a few hundred lessons along the way. And from our years of experience, we've come up with a list of five non-negotiables that all parents need in order to raise a family God's way.
Understand the times. In past societies, the culture helped reinforce the values that parents were trying to instill in their children. Not today. That's why you need to be surrounded with a few like-minded parents who can support, encourage, and counsel one another through the choppy waters of modern life. A great church is where you'll find them.
Have a sacred commitment to each other. Your kids need to see your vows lived out in every circumstance, in times of both peace and conflict. Make it a priority to resolve disagreements with your spouse, to forgive each other, to remain faithful. these qualities of love build a powerful, profound sense of security in children.
Know what you believe. You are the textbook your children read. Your deeply held values about life will influence your interactions with your children. As parents, you need to know what your unshakeable convictions are.
Remember God's perspective on children.
Never forget that children are a gift from God. Raising your children is a privilege and responsibility that He has given to no one else, and they should be raised to know Him and walk with Him.
Strive for the right goal. More than anything else, your children need to grow to love and fear the Lord. That's more important than ensuring they have a good education, develop different skills or learn how to succeed in today's culture. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Discuss
Which of these purposes strike the deepest chord in you? Which ones need the most work?
Pray
Pray that your priorities will be shaped by God's Word and will influence your choices for you and your family.
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 Malley's CandyEaster Fundraiser
Carroll Middlemiss has generously offered to piggy-back Christ Church in the Malley's candy fundraiser that Little Learner's runs every spring. The benefit proceeds of the purchases by Christ Church members will come to Christ Church. Malley's fundraisers operate on a tiered benefit system: the larger the total order, the greater the percentage that is returned to the organization. So both Little Learner's and Christ Church receive a greater amount when we combine orders and Carroll is gracious (and diligent enough) to do the math and keep the orders straight. That's no small feat!
Carroll will be at a table in "Grand Narthex" this Sunday with order forms. We will also have order forms in the church office. Don't miss your chance.
Please put on your "Easter Bunny' thinking cap and start to plan your Easter baskets now to take advantage of this opportunity.
Thanks, Miss Carroll and Little Learner's
for letting us join the fun and fundraising!
(Yum! Chocolate bunnies and jelly beans!) | |
| Go! Make Disciples, Follow Christ!
Christ Church members live this statement every day, both personally and in caring for and assisting others, especially those among us who are studying for the ministry or in preparation for active discipleship and evangelistic roles.
You can help with a special gift to support members of our congregation in these endeavors. We currently have three opportunities for support.
The Seminarian Fund - A special fund for those who are attending seminary or pursuing theological degrees. Kevin Krumenauer is currently studying at Ashland Theological Seminary, pursuing a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies in preparation for ordination.
Missionary Support - Kelsey Johnston will attend the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism and Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, this summer. John Malone will attend a summer session at the YWAM Discipleship Training School.
Please consider a gift to support Kevin, Kelsey, and John as they pursue their studies this year. | |
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The Remnant
Saturday, March 10th
7:30 p.m. Auburn Hall, BPC
The Remnant, a 7-person praise band featuring our own Tammy and Ron Bosley, will present an hour of uplifting music followed by a time of fellowship, Saturday March 10th at 7:30 p.m. in Auburn Hall at Bay Presbyterian Church.
Please come and enjoy the music! |
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It's a Girl!
Congratulations to Katie and Ward Collins on the birth of their daughter Cora Marie on February 23, 2012. She arrived at 2:00 a.m., weighing 8 lbs, 1 oz. with a height of 19 inches.
Mom, Dad, and Baby are doing well ! |
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| Upcoming Events
Saturday March 24 Mount Union College IVOP Choir concert
Sunday March 25 Brookside Meal
March 30 - April 1 Family Life - Weekend to Remember
Saturday March 31 Ladies' Spring Luncheon, "Women of
Wonder"
Sunday April 1 Brookside Hunger Center food collection
Sunday April 1 Packing Easter baskets for CCW homebound
April 20 - April 21 OSL Healing Conference
Saturday May 5 Building Hope in the City service day
Details about these events and more are available in the weekly announcements in the bulletin and at:
www.ChristChurchWestshore.com | |
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In This Issue
Chardon
Why Does God
Allow Pain?
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Malley's Fundraiser
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Seminary / Missions Support
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The Remnant
Praise Concert
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Upcoming Events* * *
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This Week's Scriptures
1 Thessalonians 2:1-16
Psalm 16
Acts 17:1-15 |
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Serving
This Week
Sunday
Sybil Mundy
Carroll Middlemiss
Lynette Maistros
Samantha Behm
Maddy Hamp
Julia Barnes |
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