Newsletter | December 27, 2023

Worship Times

Wednesday, December 27
No Activities

Sunday, January 31, 2023
Sunday School 9:45 AM
Worship 11:00 AM
No Evening Services

Wednesday, January 3
No Activities


Ladies Bible Study Coming IN February
Sign Up Now

“Knowing God By Name”
by Mary Kassian

The study begins on February 6th, at 1:30 PM, at the Family Ministry Building. Please call the church office at 567-9320 or text/call Elizabeth See 567-1708 by January 10th to register.

2024 Church Directory

The church is working on the 2024 church directory.  If you have a new phone number, address, or email that you would like in the directory, please let Nikki know as soon as possible.

Church Flower Calendar

If you would like to place flowers in the sanctuary in memory or in honor of someone, please call the church office so Nikki can get it on the calendar.  Please call early to get the date you want.

Giving as of December 26, 2023

This week’s giving will be in the printed newsletter and posted on next week’s online newsletter.

MID-WEEK DEVOTION

Don’t forget to check out Brother David’s Mid-Week Devotion. They are uploaded each Wednesday on the sermon page.

From Our Pastor

Happy New Year!  I hope that 2024 is a wonderful year for you.  I pray we all grow in grace and experience God working in our lives as never before.

While I’m sure we all have those desires for ourselves and each other, merely desiring won’t bring them to reality.  We need to be diligent in pursuing them.  We must live for God’s blessing.

King Josiah of Judah is a wonderful example of living for God’s blessing.  Although he became king at a very low point in the nation’s history, he led the nation into a wonderful time of revival and renewal.  His priorities as king should be ours in this new year.

As we read about Josiah in 2 Chronicles 34-35, we find that Josiah’s first priority was in seeking God.  2 Chronicles 34:3. This began when Josiah was a youth.  This seeking God set the pattern of His life.

May that be our first priority!  Our Lord made it clear that seeking Him is to be our first priority (Matthew 6:33).  When we put God first, everything else will find its rightful place.

Next, Josiah cleansed the land of idolatry.  He tore down, chopped up, and melted all the various idols throughout Judah (2 Chronicles 34:3-4).  He left none of them standing.

What a picture of dealing with sin in our life!  In these hours before the New Year, we should prayerfully search our life.  We must confess every sin.  We need to seek God’s enablement to put those sins out of our life.

Josiah then restored the temple.  He had the priests remove all the uncleanness and to repair the temple.  It could once again be used for worship.

Again, this is a powerful picture for us.  1 Corinthians 3:16 tells us that we are temples of God and that the Holy Spirit of God lives within us.  We need to be as careful in making our lives ready for God as Josiah was with the temple.  This involves the cleansing of sin and the focusing upon Christ as our Lord (1 Peter 3:15).

Last, Josiah was committed to walking in obedience.  In 2 Chronicles 34:31-32, Josiah led the nation into a covenant with God that they would keep His commandments, testimonies and statutes. 

That needs to be our commitment this year.  Our resolutions, goals, and “to dos” need to be expressions of obedience.  Like Joshua, we need to choose to serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).

I know all of us are thinking about our goals and plans for 2024.  I hope all of yours are realized.  But, more than anything, I pray that we live as His people and experience His blessing.

Sunday, December 31

Deacon of the Week:  Carl Hobbs

Deacon Greeters
Front Door:  Carl Hobbs
Organ Greeter:  W. Greg Brown
Piano Greeter:  Tom LaRocca

Sound:  Daniel West
Video:  Julie West

Nursery Workers
Sandra Ellis & Elizabeth See

Sunday, January 7

Deacon of the Week:  Daniel West

Deacon Greeters
Front Door:  Daniel West
Organ Greeter:  David Flake
Piano Greeter:  Dwane Lewis

Sound: Chris McCard
Video:  Saskia Perry

Nursery Workers
Sue Mastrario & Jane Smith