Winter Weather Policy 2012

Brothers and Sisters in Christ -

With the Weather Channel predicting snow this Sunday, I think it is wise to clarify our policy in terms of winter weather.

In general, it will not be our policy to cancel our main service at 10:30. We have a contract with a snow removal company who will clear and salt the parking lot in time for service, so the church will be accessible.

Sunday school, which depends on a greater number of volunteers to function, may be cancelled, since our volunteers may be unable to make it. The decision to cancel Sunday school (or the main service, in the case of truly horrific weather conditions) will be made by 7:00 AM on Sunday morning. As in the case of Irene and several winter storms of the past, advance speculation served little or no purpose, the resulting storm proved relatively minor, and the main roads to church have been clear and drivable.

Cancellations or revisions to the schedule will be communicated via WOLC 102.5 FM, WBOC ch 16, and WMDT ch 47. If you are unable to listen to or watch the listed stations, please contact an elder: Chris Vlaming, Scott Reckeweg, Mark Swope, Jerry Bier or Keith Myer. Our contact info is listed in the bulletin each week.  Feel free to text me. I might not be able to provide an answer, but I’ll let you know if we decide to cancel. Additionally, we'll post the cancellation on the blog at the church website, our Facebook page, and on Twitter. You can find my tweets (sigh) at http://twitter.com/pastakeith.

Use caution when making a decision to travel in snow. I live on major roads, and so the weather will have to be horrible to prevent me from attending, but if conditions keep you from traveling, then please take caution and stay home.

Thanks for taking the time to read this... looking forward to worshiping with you this coming Sunday!

In Him,

Pastor Keith

Fighter Verse for 1/29 and 2/5 - Proverbs 3:5-6

Proverbs 3:5-6

Fighter Verse for 1/12 and 1/19: Psalm 119:9, 11

Theme: Guard Your Heart with God’s Word
Verse: Psalm 119:9-11

 9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
   By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
   let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
   that I might not sin against you.

Honoring the Son of the King in 2012

As I mentioned this morning in the message from Psalm 2, (and highlighted in our Fighter Verse from Psalm 1:1-2) one of the ways in which we can honor the Lord and grow in service to Him is to have a time, a place, and plan for prayer and reading God's Word.

Here is a post from Justin Taylor's blog with a list of bible reading plans, and here is the plan I'm going to be using this year.

Also, just this morning I saw this post on systems for prayer, which you might find useful if you struggle to organize your prayer requests or order your prayer life.

Let me urge you strongly to consider integrating some of these ideas into your life in 2012, for His glory and your joy.

Keith

The Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16)

In connection with the message this morning about lifting the Shield of Faith and moving it to the point of attack, here are the forty (thirty-nine, actually) identity truths for defense in the Christian Life.

The file is here.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2880531/fortyThings.pdf

Church Services cancelled on 08-28-11

Veterans Day and Romans 13:7

It is good to honor those to whom honor is due.

Paul instructs us in Romans that is is good and right to obey the government (when those commands do not conflict with the commands of God), to honor our governing officials because they are the appointed agents of God in our lives to enforce laws and dispense justice.

Paul articulates a principle in Romans 13:7 that extends far beyond respecting government officials or obeying laws. He commands the giving of honor to all who deserve it. Romans 13:7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

As Christians, we should be first and foremost to obey when our nations laws do not conflict with the law of God. We should pay our bills on time and pay our taxes. (We should also vote for representatives who will lower those taxes if we feel they are too high!)

The final two commands in this passage command respect to those who deserve it, and honor those who deserve it as well. We might not like war or guns, we might not agree with whether the Vietnam or Korean War were just or necessary... but we should never make the mistake of disrespecting someone who has put their own life at risk in the service of our nation. We should honor those who have lost their lives in conflict and combat, and honor those who have put themselves in second place so that their people might enjoy freedom.

So take joy in honoring those to whom honor is owed. I am proud to say 'thank you' to all who have served the great nation in which we are blessed to live. I am honored by your service and enriched to know you! Thank you for the freedom to speak God's Word without restraint, to raise my children as I believe I ought, to worship God in the manner I am convicted He has revealed Himself, and to delight in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.

Freedom rings in our nation because you refused to let anyone silence the beautiful sound of liberty.

May you know in truth the honor and gratitude we wish upon you on your day!