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There are things that get repeated so often that we begin to believe their truth simply because of the number of times we hear them. For instance, have you ever heard that George Washington had wooden teeth? Most people accept this as a fact, but it's not true. Washington started losing his teeth in his 20's and actually had four sets of dentures made from gold, hippopotamus ivory, lead, and human and animal teeth (horse and donkey teeth were common in the day). There's mythinformation spread about the Bible as well. For instance, many will talk with confidence about how three wise men showed up to present their gifts to the baby Jesus on the night of his birth. But reading Matthew 2 will point out that they found Joseph, Mary, and Jesus living in a house and that Jesus was probably between one and two years old at the time of their arrival. Why do we get this detail wrong and include the wise men in our Nativity sets? Because the story has been repeated and depicted this way so often that it's been accepted as a fact - even by Christians who claim to read their bibles carefully! When it comes to what scripture teaches about marriage and the roles of husbands and wives, lots of mythinformation is spread around. The result of this is often the rejection of what the bible says as "out-dated", "irrelevant to the 21st century" and even "misogynistic". But is that really what scripture teaches? This Sunday, July 28th, we'll continue in our ROOTED series by looking at Colossians 3:18-19 and Paul's instructions about marriage relationships. I hope you'll be able to join us as we cut through the mythinformation and discover the wonderful and hope-filled truth. Sunday, August 4th, 6:30 PM On Sunday evening, August 4th, at 6:30 pm, we'll be having a special Baptism service at the home of John and Melody Fleming. The time will consist of some singing, scripture, testimonies, prayer, and baptisms in the river. Plan on being a part of this wonderful celebration as these individuals publicly declare their commitment to Christ and his Body. If you would like to be baptized or simply learn more about it, please contact Pastor Jeff.  EXPLORING CHURCH MEMBERSHIPHave you ever wondered, "Just what is a Covenant Church?" Would you like to know about the history of our denomination and our church here in the Methow Valley? Do you have an interest in formally joining with us in church membership?
Pastor Jeff will be holding an "Exploring Church Membership" class soon. Attending the class does not mean you will have to join, but it is a prerequisite for membership. Let him know of your interest and availability so that he can set a date for the next class. When I was growing up in the 70's, I spent hours in front of the TV watching Saturday morning cartoons. In an attempt to redeem this mind-numbing parade of commercials interspersed with cartoons (which were often just longer commercials for toys based on the cartoon), ABC inserted a series of educational animated shorts with catchy melodies. "Schoolhouse Rock" taught my generation multiplication tables, grammar, science, and history. As proof to the power of a lesson put to music, I remember an 8th grade history test in which we had to write out the Preamble to the Constitution from memory. My entire class wrote as they quietly sang the Schoolhouse Rock melody: "We the people, in order to form a more perfect union..." And everyone got an A+! Perhaps you've also memorized things thanks to it being set to music. It's a great way to commit things to memory - and that includes scripture. There are plenty of scripture songs out there: a ministry known as Seeds Family Worship has created lots of scripture songs geared towards families that you can listen to here. Rick Altizer composed an album of pop music scripture songs you can listen to here This Sunday, July 21st, we'll be continuing our study in the book of Colossians which is all about being rooted firmly in Jesus so that we can become more and more like him. Paul tells us that we should let the Word of God dwell in us. The "God's Word" translation of Colossians 3:16 says Let Christ’s word with all its wisdom and richness live in you. Use psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to teach and instruct yourselves about God’s kindness. Sing to God in your hearts. Music is a great way to do that. Why don't you try filling your mind with God's Word by using scripture songs. You'll be surprised how quickly you will find it dwelling richly within you!  Plan on sticking around this Sunday, July 21st following worship. The purpose of the meeting is twofold: 1) We will discuss and vote on an amendment to our church by-laws which would allow for proxy voting at church meetings. This amendment was first presented at our last congregational meeting on May 19, 2019. 2) We'll review and discuss the preliminary engineer’s report and preliminary cost estimate for the proposed bank erosion control project. This will simply be an informational meeting. There will be a second meeting on August 11th to review, consider and vote on the bank erosion control project. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend this meeting, but only church members will be able to vote on the amendment to the by-laws. We hope to see you there.  Saturday, August 3rd, 6:30 PMOn Saturday evening, August 3rd, at 6:30 pm, we'll be having a special Baptism service at the home of John and Melody Fleming. The time will consist of some singing, scripture, testimonies, prayer, and baptisms in the river. Plan on being a part of this wonderful celebration as these individuals publicly declare their commitment to Christ and his Body. If you would like to be baptized or simply learn more about it, please contact Pastor Jeff.  Have you ever wondered, "Just what is a Covenant Church?" Would you like to know about the history of our denomination and our church here in the Methow Valley? Do you have an interest in formally joining with us in church membership?
Pastor Jeff will be holding an "Exploring Church Membership" class soon. Attending the class does not mean you will have to join, but it is a prerequisite for membership. Let him know of your interest and availability so that he can set a date for the next class. No, the people in these photos are not Kate Middleton, Cher, or Johnny Depp. They're just people who happen to look exactly like these celebrities and have made a profession out of showing up at events to impersonate their doppelgangers. When I was growing up I would often hear people comment that I looked like my dad. I didn't see it at the time, but, as I got older, there was no denying the resemblance. As followers of Jesus, our goal is to be imitators of Christ. In Colossians 3:10, Paul instructs us to Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you This Sunday, July 14th, we'll be considering how to go about becoming more and more like Jesus as we look at Colossians 3:12-14. I hope you'll be able to join us - and that people will begin to look at our lives and say, "You look just like Jesus!" Congregational Meeting - July 21stHopefully you've all received an email informing you about a congregational meeting that will be held on Sunday, July 21st following worship. The purpose of the meeting is twofold: 1) We will discuss and vote on an amendment to our church by-laws which would allow for proxy voting at church meetings. This amendment was first presented at our last congregational meeting on May 19, 2019. 2) We'll review and discuss the preliminary engineer’s report and preliminary cost estimate for the proposed bank erosion control project. This will simply be an informational meeting. There will be a second meeting in August (to be announced) to review, consider and vote on the bank erosion control project. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend this meeting, but only church members will be able to vote on the amendment to the by-laws. We hope to see you there.  We're in the initial planning stages for a special baptism service that will take place in early August (TBD). If you have interest in being baptized, please contact Pastor Jeff.
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Pastor JeffThoughts about living as a Jesus follower and life at Community Covenant Church Archives
December 2020
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