Sunday, March 06, 2005
Our Can-Do Kids Can Sell Colorful Canna Bulbs
KIDS ENJOY TINNEY CHAPEL UMC'S NEW FAMILY LIFE CENTER. Photo by Angela Wylie.
CHAPEL NEWS TODAY:
CANNA BULBS SOLD OUT BY TINNEY CHAPEL KIDS
Supporters of Tinney Chapel’s Kids Ministries have been busy ordering canna * 5-packs @ $5.00 and canna 10-packs @ $10.00.
In fact, if you don't already have your cannas, it's already too late!
"All the cannas have been sold," reports Tinney Chapel's Bill Knoop, a retired Texas A&M scientist, who facilitated this entire canna bulb program for our kids ministry. "Please remove all references to them from [the] E-Letter."
During this short but successful fund-raiser, supporters of Tinney Chapel Children purchased, and presumably will plant, the following canna varieties :
President: red
Black Knight: red
Wyoming: yellow orange color
Yellow King Humbert: yellow
Cleopatra: light yellow & red colors
Maudie Malcome: pink peach color
If you bought cannas from Tinney Chapel Kids Ministries, Bill requests that you write a letter of thanks to the firm that donated the cannas to this church fund-raiser. Look for that firm's name and mailing address on your copy of the canna instruction sheet. (If you did not receive an instruction sheet with your cannas, contact Bill Knoop for that information.)
* Canna. Any of various perennial tropical herbs of the genus Canna, having clusters of large, showy flowers and including an edible variety (Latin canna, cane).
NATIVE AMERICAN CLUB FORMING AT TINNEY CHAPEL
At the announcement period today after morning worship, Ronny Ellison announced his intention to form a Tinney Chapel Native American Club at our church. Yet to be determined are frequency of meetings, activities, goals and projects.
If you are of Native American ancestry, and are interested in helping to get this club started at our church, contact Ronny.
He said that several have already expressed interest, including June Ewing, Joe Dan Boyd and George Jordan.
TRUSTEE MARCELLA SALTER SPEAKS OUT ON CHURCH OFFICES
During today’s announcement period, after morning worship, Trustee Marcella Salter briefly addressed the congregation. Marcella said her purpose was to assure everyone that her participation in the ongoing office issue will be based solely on her judgment of what is best for Tinney Chapel, and that her personal feelings will be put aside during that deliberation: “Ego and personality will not be a part of it,” she declared.
“From my dad, I learned to think analytically,” Marcella added. “And, from my mom, I learned to ask where the money is coming from.”
On balance, Marcella’s presentation appeared to suggest that, at this time, she sees a need for relatively small church offices enclosed by temporary walls in the old fellowship hall. As most of the congregation knows, the old fellowship hall was once divided into class rooms by temporary walls that were mounted in sliding tracks, some of which are still visible on the ceiling.
Marcella concluded her presentation with this observation: “Walls don’t divide a church; hearts do.”
SUNDAY WORSHIP TODAY:
MORNING SERVICE, 9:00 A.M.
Greeters: Roger Schneider & George Jordan
Soundman: Stacey Stanley & Matthew Hallman
Ushers: George Jordan & Roger Schneider
MUSIC
Pianist: Pat Hollingsworth.
Songleader for hymns: Senior Pastor Duncan Graham & Angela Wylie.
Songs: Oh How I Love Jesus; Sanctuary; Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus.
SPECIAL MUSIC BY TINNEY CHAPEL CHOIR, directed by Pat Hollingsworth.
The Sacrifice Of The Lamb/Like A Lamb Led To The Slaughter
Arms Open Wide/And Can It Be
Choir singers included: Bobbie Hollingsworth; Judy Spears, Sadie Jordan, Linda Hallman, Mollie Stanton, Emmaline Hallman, Angela Wylie, Stacey Stanley, Randy Stanley; Clay Spears, Ronny Ellison, George Jordan, David Stanton, Derrell Hollingsworth; Josie Garrett; Marcella Salter; Jamie Smith; David Wylie.
Call to Worship & Opening Prayer: Rev. Gene Miller.
Morning Prayer & Lord’s Prayer: Senior Pastor Rev. Duncan Graham
LITURGY BY ASSOCIATE PASTOR GENE MILLER:
Offertory Prayer
Doxology
Gloria Patri
Apostles Creed
Senior Pastor Rev. Duncan Graham talked to the children today about Gatorade. All seemed to be familiar with Gatorade, and knew that it is a highly advertised sports drink that makes certain beneficial claims that seem to present it as almost a miracle drink.
“Jesus was actually talking about how believers can take in the Lord, our Living Water and source of Eternal Life,” explained Pastor Graham. “So, if we do that, we will never thirst again, which seems like a far better deal than Gatorade!”
In his closing prayer, the Pastor thanked the Lord for guiding the children and all of us as well, then the Pastor asked God to continue to be the center of our lives always and forever. He asked the Lord’s guidance in keeping the children from being deceived by false advertising and steering them on the righteous path so that they might always know their Savior, Jesus Christ and spend Life with Him forever.
ADULT SERMON TODAY:
Senior Pastor Rev. Duncan Graham’s sermon title today was “The Final Week, Temple Discourses,” and was based on Matthew 24:1-51. To view New King James Translation of today’s Scripture, click HERE
“In today’s Scripture, Jesus is telling them to be about the business of Disciples as if Jesus would be coming back tonight,” explained the Pastor. “Of course, that’s good advice for anyone in any time: Live our lives as if Jesus will return in the next moment. It’s the only course of action that makes any sense, really.
“Meanwhile, as this and other Scriptures remind us: The Temple of the First Century must have been a truly beautiful building that might have ranked as one of the seven wonders of that world,” added Pastor Graham. “It was built by skilled craftsmen, and was also overlaid with gold. The way it was carved and put together, it must have been the envy of the world.
“Jesus reminded them that it was not the Temple building they were to worship,” explained the Pastor. “If you do that, then you have missed the point. He told them they were called to worship the God Who sanctifies the Temple. He also told them that the day would come when not a stone would be left, and sure enough—in about 40 years the Temple had been totally destroyed. The only stones left were foundational stones at the western Wailing Wall.
“Today, people write prayers on paper and stick them in little cracks of that wall,” said Pastor Graham. “They think that practice makes the prayer special to God, I suppose. But Jesus said that stones are not an object of worship. When the Romans set fire to the Temple, they pried some of the stones apart to salvage some of the gold.
“Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives, which is about a mile long and at a high elevation,” explains the Pastor. “Between the Mount of Olives and the Temple is the Kidron Valley. When on the high ridge of the Mount of Olives, you have a ringside seat. How do I know? I’ve been there, and if you ever go, you will want to go back. It will feel like home. Jerusalem really is the center of the universe. It’s very emotional to walk where the Lord walked.
“In today’s Scripture, they are questioning Jesus about the future,” adds Pastor Graham. “Jesus tells them of famines, rumors of wars, and such. Today, we see so many signs of disasters, perhaps more than ever. Just think of the recent tsunami disaster. Even when we are warned with a voice ringing out, we often fail to hear it because we are so comfortable with our lives today. Some say that a loving God would not allow such things to happen, but dearly beloved, sin comes at a price.
“What God expects of us is absolute obedience, and it is essential that we walk that way and give all the glory of the world to God,” declared the Pastor. “That glory is not to be shared in any way with any other being. Satan, in the form of a man, will try to take over the Temple, and he will for a season. That was the original trouble. Jesus said there will be false prophets to deceive us by the signs and wonders that they do. When Jesus returns, it will be like lightning flashing and all the world will know: This is the Advent of Christ.
“So, you will know that when people say that He has returned and is in a desert somewhere, don’t listen to them,” declared Pastor Graham. “He has already told us that all will know. What is so grievous is that the love of many will grow cold. The King James Version says because of lawlessness, because of chaos, many will not recognize the authority God sends into the world. Jesus came to establish an order of people who hear, discuss and obey the Word of God and walk in harmony with one another. Jesus said to love thy neighbor.
“Now, we can say that I don’t have to love my neighbor, but then you can’t face God: It does not work,” added the Pastor. “When Jesus prepared to walk the road to Calvary, he imparted to His Disciples that we would be God’s people: Here and now. So, if He returns today, we will be ready, recognized as people of God.
“People always get in trouble looking for signs, putting too much stock in signs,” concluded Pastor Graham. “But, for the true worship of the Living Lord, do the things that He has commanded and you will truly live.”
CLASSES TODAY:
SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS TOPICS:
WISE ONES, Frankie Brewer: No One Is Righteous.
LADIES BYKOTA CLASS, Peggy Boyd: Jeremiah: The Weeping Prophet.
TINNEY CHAPEL MEN, Bill Knoop: The Case For Christ, a study by Lee Strobel.
OVERCOMERS, Jenna Nelson: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
YOUTH, Ronny Ellison: Life Lessons From 1 & 2 Peter, a study by Max Lucado.
CHILDREN, Linda Hallman: Those Who Follow Me.
REMNANT, Joe Dan Boyd: Healthy Churches Study by Stephen Macchia, Part 1.
The Remnant Righteousness handout is below:
Life Lessons # 257 from the book, Becoming A Healthy Church, 10 Characteristics, by Stephen A. Macchia.
1. We can’t be Christians by ourselves. Every Christian, to be complete, must be a member of a body of men and women who are followers of Christ. We must “do church.”
2. This book’s outline of health (10 characteristics) is written so that any biblically based congregation can use it, regardless of church size, denominational affiliation, ethnic diversity, geography or community.
3. If a church is to be healthy and vital, it needs to be led by a pastor and leadership team who are themselves pursuing health in their personal lives and in their shared leadership capacity.
4. Among the essential ingredients of a healthy ministry, the Word of God and prayer are fundamental.
5. From 100 churches in this study, came 9 common indicators of health: # 1 is love, acceptance and forgiveness.
6. Health indicator # 2 is relational integrity: integrity, honesty, communication, conflict resolution, building trust and learning how to forgive. A big factor in this expression is the prevalence of small groups in a church.
7. Health indicator # 3 is a hunger for personal growth in both congregations and individuals. This requires an often-difficult-to-obtain balance between a church’s experience of God and its knowledge of God and His Word.
8. Health indicator # 4 is a shift from traditional to contemporary worship, with larger congregations frequently offering both in ways that engage the heart, mind, soul and strength of the people. The operative word here is engage.
9. Health indicator # 5 is prayer. The traditional mid-week prayer meetings of the past are being replaced by powerful experiences of united prayer all during the week.
10. Health indicator # 6 is a movement from program-based ministry to a relationship-centered ministry. In effect, this is a deprogramming of churches, freed to make changes and unencumbered by political systems.
11. Health indicator # 7 is the use of personal stories, or the celebration of the power of story. This reflects an understanding of the importance of ongoing reminders around the theme of life change. On a regular basis, these churches provide members with opportunities for public sharing, giving testimony to what God has done in their lives during the past week or month. How wonderfully like Christ, the greatest storyteller of all!
12. Health indicator # 8 is service, which is serving God with all the talent, time, giftedness, passion, temperament and energy one can muster, often after going through a self-evaluation to discover individual spiritual gifts, or after being encouraged to define individual personal vision and mission.
13. The final health indicator, # 9, is networking, sometimes expressed by interdependent church relationships within a city or county, sometimes to the extent of churches sharing facilities, resources, programs and even staff.
ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT SUNDAY: 03-13-05
Begin study of Old Testament Book of Proverbs: Read Chapter 1.
BIBLE READINGS TODAY:
