Connect E-Letter
March 25, 2011 - Edition Number 128
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From the Pastor
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Dear Friends,
I hope you have signed up for a shift at next Saturday's Spring Scrub and BBQ Grub⎯April 2 will be a big day for Christ Community Church, and you'll want to be part of it. Our Future Facility Team has planned a fun day for our church family to spend some time working hard and playing together. Sausage biscuits, coffee, and juice will be served beginning at 8:30 in the Fellowship Hall. We will open the day with prayer at 9 o'clock and then scatter to a list of both outside and indoor jobs. Sign-ups have been strong, but more are always welcome, as many hands make light work. Childcare is also being provided (ages 0-2 only in the morning, though). There will be an Easter Egg Hunt at 11:30 for the children before lunch is served for everyone beginning at noon. During lunch, we'll also have some adult games going on before the second shift begins at 1 o'clock. Sign up for one or both shifts. There are all kinds of jobs and something for everyone to do, regardless of skill or age. Look for the signup table in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday morning or email Adair Bolton to sign up. The more, the merrier!
You may have heard in recent months about a possible missions trip to Haiti this summer. Following David and John Robinson's trip earlier this month to scout out the mission and conditions, the Session met on Monday to hear from David. We quickly voted our enthusiastic support for the July trip to the Mission of Hope in Haiti. David Robinson will be holding an information session next Sunday, April 3, immediately following morning worship in D131-133. He will answer questions like "Why go on a missions trip?" and "Why Haiti?" and "What will we do on this trip?" (among others). This is a trip for teens and adults. You are not obligating yourself to anything by attending the meeting, so come and learn more about how you can support this trip even if you are not able to go.
As we near the mid-summer date when the Crotts family must move out of the Netfield Road house (located on the tract of land we are selling to the developer of the assisted living community), please let us know if you are aware of good, low-cost (or perhaps even no-cost!) accommodations suitable for a family of five for up to a year. Of course, we all need to be praying eagerly for the sale of their house in Huntersville, which would allow them to buy a home in Greensboro. Still, we are trying to prepare in case it is the Lord's good pleasure that their house not sell in time. Please contact Bryan if you know of a good possibility.
We come this Sunday morning to the fourth sermon in our series on prayer. In the first three sermons, we considered the Why, the Whom, and the How of Prayer. This week, we will be in James 5:13-18 in a sermon titled "Routine...Power!" You might think of this as the When of Prayer. When we started this series, my hope was that it would be a part of helping to reset our church's culture in prayer. I know that one series of six sermons cannot do that alone, but I hope that the Lord is stirring in us all a better understanding of and stronger conviction about the way He works through the prayers of His people. I look forward to seeing you then.
Your friend,
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Spring Scrub and BBQ Grub!
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Student Ministries | |
HORIZON AND QUEST (Summer Conferences) INFO: msmith@cccarp.org or check out www.facebook.com/cccstudentministry.
Spring Scrub on April 2nd... Student Ministry is playing a big part! We are helping with kids in the morning, and spending the afternoon working in the Attic. Plan to arrive at CCC at 9am. |
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Haiti Summer Missions Trip
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Opportunities for Ministry
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 Men's Fireside Gathering!
Our next gathering will be THIS MONDAY, March 28th at 7:30pm. We will be discussing the third seciton of Douglas Wilson's Federal Husband. You can pick up a copy on the book table located at the back of the Fellowship Hall. Even if you have not attended our previous gatherings, you will still be glad you came this week, as 15-18 men gather to talk about and work on faithfully leading our wives and homes.
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Our Book Table
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In an effort to get the best Christian resources into your hands and homes in a more systematic and consistent way, we will begin this week having a Book Table in the Fellowship Hall. Every book, booklet, and pamphlet has been reviewed by one of our pastors to make sure that we are offering you only the best of the best. There are helpful resources on family life, studying the Bible, some key Biblical doctrines, and growing in your Christian life. We don't have everything yet that we intend to have, but there is already a good supply. Stop and browse when you have a moment.
In addition to the Jesus Storybook Bible we have previously highlighted, The Child's Story Bible by Catherine Vos is an outstanding, time-tested resource that is available on the book tables. If you are not familiar with it, spend a few minutes thumbing through it. It makes a great addition to any home with young children. It is also an excellent resource for a grandparent to have on hand.
 We also have a fresh supply of booklets from the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF). These cover a broad range of topics and issues that are common to Christians trying to live faithfully in a broken world.
All of the resources are offered well below retail price, but we do not want price to be an issue. Our policy is for you to take what you will read and to pay what you can. A small sticker with the price of each item is on the back cover. Our purpose is to get good resources into the homes of our members and visitors. This is not a money-maker, but we hope to cover our costs.
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Let's Pray Together This Week...
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Sunday, March 27
Thank the Lord for those who served in quiet ways today and each week to make our time together richer. Thank Him for the nursery workers who serve our young families joyfully. Thank Him for ushers and greeters who make us warmer in our fellowship. Thank Him for the Goads, who faithfully serve on the sound board. Ask the Lord to raise up others to serve in these areas with zeal and joy.
Monday, March 28
Pray today for our three seminary interns: James Dickson, Ken Kunkel, and Mackay Smith. All three men are completing their Masters of Divinity either this spring or summer. Ask the Lord to give them joy amid much weariness. Pray that they push strongly toward the finish line of their studies and that they would not be just hearers (or teachers) of the Word, but doers also (James 1:22).
Tuesday, March 29
Pray for the Lord to bring a buyer for land and/or buildings that would result in our church being debt-free. Ask the Lord to bless the efforts of those who are working diligently to resolve this problem. Pray that God would increasingly orient our ministry to be driven by a vision for Gospel ministry in our congregation, community, and world. Beg Him to give us big, holy aspirations for His glory through our prayers and efforts.
Wednesday, March 30
Pray for the young mothers of our congregation who care for their children. After decades of being told that their work is not as important as "real" work, pray that the Lord would encourage them with the vital importance of the eternally significant work they do. Pray for their contentment and joy in this season of their lives (Titus 2:4-5). Ask the Lord to help them manage their homes well so that they might be places of respite and hospitality.
Thursday, March 31
Pray for our college students as they head toward the completion of the spring semester. Pray that they would do their work heartily, as unto the Lord and not for their own glory and praise (Colossians 3:17). Ask the Lord to fortify them to stand firm against the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Pray that the Lord would connect them to good churches while they are away from us.
Friday, April 1
Pray for our "Spring Scrub & BBQ Grub" tomorrow. Ask the Lord to help us complete the most important tasks and to do them safely. Pray for our fellowship as we labor together. Ask the Lord to bind us together as different parts of the Body of Christ who need each other (1 Cor 12). Pray that the joy of our time together would prepare us well to worship together on the Lord's Day tomorrow.
Saturday, April 2
Pray for CCC Member Paul Walmsley, President of Christ for the Island World, and the rest of the Board of Directors as they meet today to discuss the ministry in Indonesia. Ask Him to use this group for the proclamation of the Gospel to the whole earth (Colossians 1:5-6).
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Prepare for the Lord's Day
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Sunday Sermon
Routine... Power! Rev. Bill Marsh
James 5:13-18
Confession of Faith Heidelberg Catechism #116,117, and 125
Leader:
Why do Christians need to pray?
Congregation:
Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. And also because God gives his grace and Holy Spiritonly to those who pray continually and groan inwardly,asking God for these gifts and thanking him for them.
Leader:
How does God want us to pray so that he will listen to us?
Congregation:
First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God,
who has revealed himself in his Word,
asking for everything he has commanded us to ask for.
hiding nothing, and humble ourselves in his majestic presence.
Second, we must acknowledge our need and misery,
Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation: even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. That is what he promised us in his Word.
Leader:
What does the fourth request mean?
Congregation:
"Give us today our daily bread" means,
Do take care of all our physical needs so that we come to know
that you are the only source of everything good, and that neither our work and worry nor your gifts can do us any good without your blessing.
And so help us to give up our trust in creatures and to put trust in you alone.
Morning Worship Hymns and Songs:
Come People of the Risen King
O Day of Rest and Gladness
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
A Mighty Fortress is Our God
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Important Information
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Last week's Tithes and Offerings: $12,542
Nursery Workers for March 27th:
9:15 Nicole Tate, Steve Teague, and Patty Marsh
10:15 Brachel Brown, Bill and Barbara Sykes
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Food for Thought
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Grace does not make us unearthly, though it makes us unworldly. True religion distinguishes us from others, even as our Lord Jesus was separate from sinners, but it does not shut us up or hedge us round about as if we were too good or too tender for the rough usage of everyday life. It does not put us in the saltbox and shut the lid down, but it casts us in among our fellowmen for their good. --Charles H. Spurgeon in Counsel For Christian Workers
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