Good Morning!
Vacation Bible School, what is the best word, blessed? Michelle and I both think this year's VBS was the best one we've been involved with. The content was focused and fun. The delivery, meaning the way our leaders presented the material and engaged with the students, was outstanding. And the results were an answer to our prayers. Twenty-one children came forward saying, "I believe and want to be baptized." The next step is to follow up with the parents, so I would ask for your prayers for the families and for our church as we move forward toward a growing faith.
Student camp is June 19-22 in Gatlinburg, TN. There are a few ways you may be able to help.
Sponsorship: The cost is $120 per student. If you want to help cover the cost for a student to attend camp please contact Justyn Keller or me or call the church office.
Food Donations: If you want to provide any of the items below contact Michelle Hodges and let her know so she can coordinate the amounts. Her cell is 334.313.6672. Items can be dropped off at the church this week, no later than Sunday morning.
Thin noodle spaghetti 4 boxes
Prego Sauce 6 jars
Gallon size Green Beans
Potato Chips, large bags
Gallon size Baked Beans
Snack Items (Little Debbies/Crackers/Apples/Oranges/Cookies)
Grits 3 boxes
Sausage Patties
Ketchup/Mustard/Mayo
Pop Tarts
Cereal
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Cheese Singles
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Money to purchase Milk and Ice Cream
Father's Day
Father's Day is June 18th and we will honor all father's in the morning service.
The Five Love Languages
Michelle and I will team teach The Five Love Languages beginning July 9th at 6pm at the church. This is a three week group that includes the personal assessment, an overview of each of the love languages, and lots of examples of how the dynamics work in personal and family life. Books will be available for a small fee and you can sign up Sunday at church or contact me by email.
Breakfast for Students
Each Sunday morning volunteers serve breakfast to our students. A schedule is on the white board in the fellowship hall. See Barbara Rackliff if you would like to provide the breakfast one of the available weeks.
Plug-In To A Group
Ongoing groups are held Sunday mornings at 9:30 and Wednesday nights at 6:30. Other groups are available. A list of all groups is on the table in the foyer of the church. You can find out more about groups by calling the church office or emailing Debbie Bohannon.
Monday Morning 5
1. Kay Warren: ‘We Were in Marital Hell’
2. Tragic Church Bus Crash Ends Student Mission Trip Before It Can Start
3. Seven Things Evil Is Not: What the Death of My Son Taught Me
4. Finding Your Identity in Christ Looks Like Death
5. ‘Wonder Woman’: A Peculiar and Unexpected Heroine
Monday Meditation
SBC Devotions June 5, 2017
Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter (Esth. 2:5-7).
Over the past two weeks, we have read through the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah and have explored some of the events that occurred after the Jews had been given permission to return to their homeland from their exile in Babylon. Today, we turn our attention to the Book of Esther and to an account of what was happening among the Jews that were still living in the land of Medo-Persia.
As the Book opens, we are given an insider's view of royal life in the Shushan palace of the Persian king, Ahasuerus. At the conclusion of a long and drunken party (1:1-9), the king made certain demands of his queen, Vashti, which she point blank refused to honor (1:10-12). This sent the king into a towering rage and resulted in him issuing an unbreakable decree banishing her forever from his presence and stripping her of her title as queen (1:19-22). Not long afterwards, the king gets lonely, and decides to hold "auditions" for a new queen (2:1-4).
It is at this point that we are first introduced to Esther and her cousin/adoptive father, Mordecai. Scripture tells us that they were Jews descended from those that had been taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar (2:5-7). Their presence in the country, then, had not come about through personal choice. Likewise, when the king decided to search for a new queen, Esther did not volunteer. She was brought to the king's house along with other maidens to be trained and judged. Neither her consent nor the consent of Mordecai, her adopted father, was asked. These events could have easily led to bitterness and dissatisfaction on the parts of Mordecai and Esther. Instead, we find in each of them an attitude of quiet confidence. Esther trusted completely in the counsel of her father as she had been raised to do under the Law (Ex. 20:12; Esth. 2:10), and Mordecai trusted utterly in God (Ex. 20:2-6; Esth. 3:1-4).
A person that has surrendered their life to God is the recipient of a peace that can be found in no other way. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7). When you KNOW that God is in control, then you are able to accept any situation that comes your way with equanimity and grace. You can stand strong in the face of adversity, confident in the fact that, no matter your current struggles, God's plan will prevail and your eternity is secure!
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God (I John 5:4-5)?
Thought for Today:
Despair does not come from God. Even in the bleakest of circumstances, God has a plan.
Over the past two weeks, we have read through the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah and have explored some of the events that occurred after the Jews had been given permission to return to their homeland from their exile in Babylon. Today, we turn our attention to the Book of Esther and to an account of what was happening among the Jews that were still living in the land of Medo-Persia.
As the Book opens, we are given an insider's view of royal life in the Shushan palace of the Persian king, Ahasuerus. At the conclusion of a long and drunken party (1:1-9), the king made certain demands of his queen, Vashti, which she point blank refused to honor (1:10-12). This sent the king into a towering rage and resulted in him issuing an unbreakable decree banishing her forever from his presence and stripping her of her title as queen (1:19-22). Not long afterwards, the king gets lonely, and decides to hold "auditions" for a new queen (2:1-4).
It is at this point that we are first introduced to Esther and her cousin/adoptive father, Mordecai. Scripture tells us that they were Jews descended from those that had been taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar (2:5-7). Their presence in the country, then, had not come about through personal choice. Likewise, when the king decided to search for a new queen, Esther did not volunteer. She was brought to the king's house along with other maidens to be trained and judged. Neither her consent nor the consent of Mordecai, her adopted father, was asked. These events could have easily led to bitterness and dissatisfaction on the parts of Mordecai and Esther. Instead, we find in each of them an attitude of quiet confidence. Esther trusted completely in the counsel of her father as she had been raised to do under the Law (Ex. 20:12; Esth. 2:10), and Mordecai trusted utterly in God (Ex. 20:2-6; Esth. 3:1-4).
A person that has surrendered their life to God is the recipient of a peace that can be found in no other way. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7). When you KNOW that God is in control, then you are able to accept any situation that comes your way with equanimity and grace. You can stand strong in the face of adversity, confident in the fact that, no matter your current struggles, God's plan will prevail and your eternity is secure!
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God (I John 5:4-5)?
Thought for Today:
Despair does not come from God. Even in the bleakest of circumstances, God has a plan.
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