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There's a funny scene in the very silly movie "Airplane" in which some black men attempt to communicate with the flight attendant, but she is unable to understand what they're saying. Up comes an older woman (played by Barbra Billingsley, the mother from "Leave It to Beaver") who offers to help by saying, "Oh stewardess. I speak Jive". Have you been in a situation in which you couldn't understand what was being said? Have you ever felt that way about the Bible? While there are portions of scripture in which we may need the help of commentaries and theologians to fully comprehend, the good news of the message of the gospel is very clear. That's why we celebrate that one of the attributes of God's Word is its Clarity - that it is understandable. This Sunday, September 23rd, we will look at how "God's Word Is... Understandable". This will be an important topic as we prepare for our "Immerse: Beginnings" reading experience through the first 5 books of the Bible - which includes some of the great stories of our faith along with some very difficult passages. I hope you'll be able to join us!  This Sunday, September 23rd, we will be putting our faith into practice as we go out to serve our community. Following our worship celebration, we will enjoy a BBQ lunch (NOT a potluck - just come and enjoy the meal) along with folks from 3 other congregations (Cascade Bible Church, the United Methodist Church, and the Friendship Church). Then we'll divide into work teams and serve others for a couple hours. Here's a list of the types of projects: * Yard clean up * painting * cutting and stacking firewood * writing encouraging notes * picking up trash You should plan on wearing appropriate work clothes to church (you have my permission) or bring a change of clothing. It might also be good to bring some work gloves or other yard tools in case you need them.  Are you interested in the history of our church? Would you like to understand what makes a Covenant Church different from any other Protestant church? Have you considered becoming a church member? You're invited to attend the Exploring Church Membership class on Sunday afternoon, September 30th, at the home of Pastor Jeff and Tami. Following our Worship Celebration, we'll have a light lunch and go through a fast-paced and informal time of answering these and other questions as well as sharing our own faith journey. Attending the class does not mean you must become a member, but it is a prerequisite to membership. Let Pastor Jeff know of your interest (jeff.palmberg@outlook.com)  Join us this October and November as we read through the first 5 books of the Bible using the volume Immerse: Beginnings. Over the course of 8 weeks we will be reading approximately ten pages each day, five days a week. Each Sunday the message will be taken from a part of the previous week's readings.
We encourage you to pick up a copy of this unique volume of scripture at the church ($10 suggested donation) or purchase a Kindle version for your e-reader. You can also subscribe to the free podcast "Immerse Beginnings" to listen to a daily audio version of the readings. You're also encouraged to join one of the small groups which will be meeting during this 8-week time period. They will function similar to a book club in which participants will share what they discovered from the readings as well as what challenged them. Learn more by going to the Immerse: Beginnings website at immerse.covchurch.org/beginnings You can also find resources such as weekly video introductions and a family version you can use with your children.  One of the most common desires that Christians express is that God would give them clear guidance about His will for their lives. Whether it's a big question (Who should I marry? What career should I pursue?) or the daily, small ones (How should I use my free time this weekend?), we long for clear direction and the confidence that we're following the mysterious "will of God". The thing is: while we most likely will not receive audible directions from the Lord, God has already given us everything we need to know how to get in a right relationship with Him and how to live a life in the center of His will. The Bible is the Word of God and, as the catechism states, it is "the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct". We need to put our trust in scripture and understand its necessity, sufficiency, clarity, and authority. Our current sermon series, "God's Word Is..." will be continuing this Sunday, September 16th, on the topic of how the Bible is enough and all we need to know how to experience salvation and to know how to live life as a Jesus-follower. Do you believe the Bible is enough or are you relying on a bible teacher or other literature? I hope you'll be able to join us.  Sunday, September 23rd, following our worship celebration, we will put our faith into action by spending a couple of hours serving our community along with a few other congregations. We'll enjoy a BBQ lunch here at the church and then divide into work teams to take on a number of projects such as picking up trash, helping the elderly, and writing encouraging notes to people. You have my permission to come to church on the 23rd dressed for work. We'll finish up by around 3:00. Let's unite with our brothers and sisters from other churches in the valley and love our community in word and action. Let's Start at the Very Beginning... it's a very good place to start (as you "Sound of Music" fans well know). And that's exactly what we'll be doing this October and November as we read together through the first 5 books of the Bible using the "Immerse: Beginnings" volume. Over the course of 8 weeks, we'll read about 10 pages a day, 5 days a week, and experience scripture in a new way. You can pick up a copy of "Beginnings" at church for $10 or, if you prefer, you can purchase a Kindle version from Amazon. There is also an audio podcast you can subscribe to so you can listen to it as you read or exercise or drive. We're encouraging everyone to join an Immerse Small Group during this time which will function like a book club: no "teacher", but just fellow readers sharing what they discovered, were challenged by, and what God is revealing to them through His Word. You can learn more by going to the website www.immerse.covchurch.org/beginnings Valuing Our Children Children have always been an important part of our church family. Many of us have seen our children grow from being in the church nursery, through elementary years, and on through junior high and high school. Some of those former children of our church are now active as adults within our congregation raising children of their own among us.
But a larger portion of each generation is walking away from church and faith. Our legacy of faith is in danger unless we are intentional about how we care for our children and nurture them in their faith. Thankfully, we are not alone in trying to address these issues. Our Denomination has developed a strategic approach to enable us to re-imagine our children’s place of priority within our church and God’s Kingdom. Legacy is a four-dimensional framework which will help us to reach, equip, and empower our children towards becoming the church of today and the future. On Saturday, October 6th, Steve Burger, the Director of Children, Family, and Inter-generational Ministry for the Evangelical Covenant Church, will be meeting with our church leaders and those involved with our Children’s Ministry. During a half-day experience, we will · Assess and celebrate our current ministry · Identify which area to focus on · Dream of possibilities · Turn the dream into a reality · Develop a plan Please join us in prayer for our time with Steve and consider joining us as we make strategic plans for a strong children’s ministry here at CCC. For more information, contact Naomi Murray at MountainFlowerFitness@gmail.com or 509-668-7517 |
Pastor JeffThoughts about living as a Jesus follower and life at Community Covenant Church Archives
December 2020
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