February, 2003 Newsletter

February 2003

Greetings,

If it’s February - it is baseball time. Yes every February veterans, rookies and major league wannabes report to Spring training.

It doesn’t matter if you have been playing baseball since you were 3, spring training means back to basics. It doesn’t matter what team you play for coaches will make sure that each player goes back to the basics.

Pitchers will work on plays at first.

Catchers will work on throw downs to second.

Shortstops and second basemen will work on turning 2.

Batters will work on sacrifice bunts.

Going back to the basics is an excellent practice, whether it is sports, academics, rehabilitation, or even faith.

The book of Ezra makes it very clear, that when the Israelites reported for Spring training, that is when they returned to Jerusalem, after being in exile for 70 years they went back to the basics. They built an altar, they offered sacrifices, and kept their feasts. Basically, pardon the play on words, they returned to the basic religious rites that God expected of them. They did this because they knew that as they started another chapter in their history they needed to worship God as God wanted to be worshipped and as God ought to be worshipped.

As Dave Brandon points out in the daily devotional Power Up, we don’t have to be exiled in Babylon, or to lose our edge spiritually to need a refresher in the basics. Sometimes we need to sit back and think:

Am I doing what I need to do
to get closer to God?

In other words are you:

Going back to the basics?

Setting aside time each day to meet with God?

Reading His word regularly and searching out its riches?

Developing the habit of praying for others?

Agonizing over sin and keeping a clean slate before God?

What spiritual exercise are you neglecting?

On Sunday, January 5^thI challenged the members and friends in worship to read and pray one verse of Psalm 119 each day. In February we will read and pray verse 27 through verse 54.

This will only take a minute or two of your time, but it will have a major impact on your life and your relationship with God because what you are doing is returning to the basics of life.

It’s time we get back to the basics of life.

Prayerfully yours in Christ,

Why Do We Sing Hymns?

Hymn singing provides a natural vehicle for the primary activity of most worshipping communities: the expression of praise and adoration to God.

Hymn singing strongly teaches and reinforces the faith and practice of the Christian community.

Hymn singing expresses the universality of Christianity

Hymn singing declares the equality of Christians with each other.

So lift up your voice and sing!

Sunday’s at 5 p.m.

There is a casual contemporary style of worship
for you to praise God every Sunday night at 5 p.m.

WORSHIP

The theme of worship for this year is

God Will Answer in 2003

Each week’s message will motivate you
and enrich your prayer life.

Communion & Children

Should there be a set age that children should be before they can take communion?

It has always been that a child must be confirmed before they receive communion. Why change it?

What does the Bible say about children and communion?

On Sunday, February 2^nd, following worship a discussion will be held in the social hall on these questions and others.

Why Bother Praying?

“Prayer is the conduit that connects us to God and opens up the possibilities of direction and understanding.”

Prayer is an expectation of Christ for the church. Jesus said, “and when you pray…” in Matthew 6:5, not, if you pray.” – Dutch Sheets

Important to Pray?

“When we pray, we offer ourselves to God. We become agents of God’s acts in new ways because we pray. By entering into intercessory prayer, we give God opportunities that God did not have before. If God is to intercede in human affairs, if God is to continue to bring His creative power of love and justice into our lives, God needs us to pray and to act.” – Jane Vannard

Help Me to Pray

Come to the choir room on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. for help and discussion on prayer. We will be using Ron Susek’s book God Will Answer as our resource. I guarantee you will grow in your intimacy with God.