Ramblings--20090901

CHBC Ramblings

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

This Past Week
Even with my faux pas of announcing last week that my sermon would be entitled “Money Matters,” we had a good crowd of over 180 in worship. I was very encouraged by all of you who told me how inspiring the entire service was. A big part of that was the testimony shared by Philip Karl, the chairman of our Finance Committee. He shared his ups and downs in life and how God has always been with him, never leaving him nor forsaking him. He did know that verse would be part of the passage I would be preaching from, but it was another reminder to me of that very truth: He is always with us. While the message included some explanation of what the Bible teaches about tithing, the scope of the message was far broader—how God wants us to view and handle money in general. He is not just interested in the portion in the offering plate; God wants to show each of us how to be wise in the way we live our entire lives and the key to it all is finding our securing in God, not in money. I hope that all of us will commit, as the Finance Committee has challenged us, to live on 90% for 90 days so that we might observe God’s faithfulness to us as a church.

Sunday night featured “An Evening of Hymns,” and for those who were here, it was a wonderful time of worship. For this particular service, I selected eleven that are among my favorite hymns in four categories: Hymns of Praise, Hymns of the Word, Hymns of Testimony and Faith, and Hymns of the Gospel (Death, Resurrection, Eternal Life). I shared why each was among my favorites and what each hymn has contributed to my own faith. We will do this again; maybe next time you can pick the hymns!

This Coming Sunday
Except for this past Sunday’s message to kick off our “90% for 90 Days” stewardship emphasis, I have been preaching throughout August on some of the psalms. I will conclude that series this Sunday with a look at Psalm 19 as we consider “God’s Work and God’s Word.”
Also Sunday morning, we will welcome Teresa Royall, one of the campus ministers at Georgia State University, who will share a brief testimony of her work. Each September, we take a special offering for State Missions, and the emphasis this year is on Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM). I have known Teresa for many years, and BCM—or BSU, for those of us who knew it by the older Baptist Student Union name—was for me a great catalyst for spiritual growth during my college years. Please consider giving a bit extra sometime in September to this State Missions Offering.

Church Picnic Sunday Afternoon
This weekend is also Labor Day weekend, and we will be enjoying our second annual Church Picnic at Mason Mill Park from 4-8. Come any time and stay as long as you like, but we will eat at 6:00 p.m. The church will provide the burgers and dogs; please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Bring a ball glove or a game if you like; don’t forget a folding chair, either. We will have use of the pavilion as last year. Let’s have a good time of fellowship together.

Head, Heart, Hands, and Feet
Beginning September 13, I be seeking to help all us evaluate where we are in our growth in following Jesus. Jesus says that He came to give us life, and we will find the most joy in that life when we are experiencing balanced, consistent growth. Come see how we will speak of this in terms of Head, Heart, Hands, and Feet. This DiscipleLIFE emphasis is designed to be a simple but useful tool in measuring your progress in your journey with Jesus, both now and in the future. It will not only be used in evaluation of our lives but the ministry of our church as a whole, including our Life Groups (Sunday School classes).

Sunday Night DiscipleLIFE classes begin September 13
Our fall program will resume in earnest the week after Labor Day weekend, and we will have three classes from which adults can choose:

A Life God Rewards

Led by Steve Powell, meets in the Chapel
An eight-week interactive Bible Study based on the book by best-selling author and teacher, Dr. Bruce Wilkinson. This in-depth study will explore startling statements Jesus made about our eternal future and students will learn how these surprising truths can dramatically change life for the better, now and forever. Each participant will receive a 64-page study guide, and each session will include a video segment by Bruce Wilkinson and group discussion.

Praying God's Word: Breaking Free from Spiritual Strongholds

Led by Ruth McClain, meets in the Media Library
Based on the book by Beth Moore, Praying God’s Word is the perennial favorite Scripture-prayer resource designed to help us decisively overcome specific strongholds: pride, idolatry, addiction, loss, depression, unbelief, temptation, and more.

The Chronicles of Narnia

led by Pastor Fred Pitts, meets in the Living Room
This is an eight-week discussion of the seven children’s books by C. S. Lewis. Perhaps the best known of these is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Why do I say that this set of books is my favorite of all for spiritual growth outside of the Bible? Come read and discuss. We will read a book a week, which is easy because of their length. The first week will be an overview. If you need a set of books, let me know, and we can order you a set for $25, but we will have to do so this week!

And for Children…
On Sunday evenings at 5:30, His Kids (children’s choir) will begin work on a Christmas musical, “Dr. Newheart’s Christmas Cure.” Many of the children have already previewed it and are already excited about its start. If you want your child involved, make sure they come on the 13th.
At 4:30 on Sunday afternoons, Sue Rother will once again lead out in Bible Drill. Do you want your children to become more familiar with the BIble as a whole and the main message of the Bible in particular? Talk to Sue for more about this opportunity.

Don’t forget also that we have Wednesday night Children in Action (CiA) at 6:00 p.m. Come on at 5:30 for the Fellowship Meal, but don’t forget to make a reservation.

My daughter Lydia is starting a year as a volunteer Children’s Intern this month, and she will be leading His Kids and CiA.

Whew! That’s a lot of Rambling for one week, and I am sure I could have added more. Congratulations to those of you who made it all the way to the end!

God bless,
Fred O. Pitts