The Solid Rock Church ~ 1410 Dundee Road ~ Winter Haven, Fl ~ (863) Weekly Epistle

Transcription

1 The Solid Rock Church ~ 1410 Dundee Road ~ Winter Haven, Fl ~ (863) Weekly Epistle Weekly Services: Sunday 1:00 p.m. ~ Wednesday 7:00 p.m. May 30, 2008 WOO HOO! Five months is all it took. We left TEC only five months ago, not having any idea where we were going. But like Moses in the desert, we followed the Lord. He has worked in us and in the congregation of Covenant Presbyterian Church so that we may mutually benefit from sharing their building. We thank them immensely, and we look forward to our first service there, Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. We re expecting great things from this arrangement that will be beneficial to all. Please join us on June 1 st to worship and to thank God for providing us with this opportunity. ~*~ And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known. I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16 ~*~ 1

2 The Season is: PENTECOST This week s readings are: Genisis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19, Psalm 46, Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28-31, Matthew 7:21-29, NOTE: First Sunday at Covenant Presbyterian Church building. 1:00 p.m. Food and Fellowship REMEMBER, there will be no Wednesday night supper this coming week, June 4 th. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A n E ncouraging W ord Our personal agenda: We come to our reading of the Bible with our own agenda, bias, questions, preoccupations, concerns, and convictions, and, unless we are extremely careful, we impose these on the biblical text. We may sincerely pray before we read, 'Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law' (Ps. 119:18), but still the same non-communication may persist. For even that introductory prayer, though to be sure it is taken from the Psalter, is suspect because it lays down the kind of message we want to hear. 'Please, Lord, I want to see some "wonderful thing" in your word.' But he may reply, 'What makes you think I have only "wonderful things" to show you? As a matter of fact, I have some rather "disturbing things" to show you today. Are you prepared to receive them?' 'Oh no, Lord, please not', we stammer in reply. 'I come to Scripture only to be comforted; I really do not want to be challenged or disturbed.' --From "The Contemporary Christian" (London and Downers Grove: IVP, 1992), p Excerpted from "Authentic Christianity", p. 133, by permission of InterVarsity Press. 2

3 Solid Rock Reaches Out to Community The first annual Memorial Day Celebration by Solid Rock Church was held Saturday, May 25, 2008, at PCC Student Center. While we did not have a completely full house, we had a very nice attendance for a wonderful and meaningful service. Many left with a renewed appreciation for both our Savior and our fallen heroes. The folks from Jus Smokin in Frostproof were on hand to serve the chicken dinners. We fed everyone who attended the service, the security crew at PCC, as well as all of the groundskeepers who were on duty Sunday. There was enough food left to send a considerable amount of dinners to The Mission on Central Avenue. Thanks be to God for all of the doors He opened in preparation for this event. Thanks be to Glenn Hanson and all of the folks from Solid Rock who worked very hard on this event. Thanks be to Jus Smokin and Polk Community College for their generous donations of time, equipment, and facilities. Matthew 25: Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' 45Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' Solid Rock Church 3 May 29, 2008

4 Classifieds: Solid Rock needs you! The following jobs are open. Please do not hesitate to apply. The work is easy, and the pay is all the blessings you can handle. Children s Chapel: This job is fun, fun, fun. Help Solid Rockers train up their children. Read a Bible story and watch the delight in the little ones eyes as they sing songs and do art work about the story. Please see Carol Ellis. ( ) Altar Guild: Several ladies urgently needed for Altar Guild duty. Enjoy the closeness of Christ as you prepare His altar. Please see Kim Doan. ( ) Overhead Projection Crew: Can you lay one square on another square? That s how hard this job is!! If you can lay a sheet of paper on the glass top of a projector, you are qualified. The projection crew is responsible for putting up the words to the service and words to the music on the screen for all to see. That s it. That s all there is to it. Please see Deb Barrieau. ( ) Youth Ministry: Folks, Solid Rock Church has a big, big need for help in this area. Please pray about working with our youth and see if you are being called to this ministry. If you are, please see Fr. Andy. ( ) Acolytes: At the birth of Jesus, the little drummer boy served the Lord by playing his drum. Today, boys and girls can serve the Lord as an Acolyte. There is no better place to be than at the altar, in the presence of God. Currently, there are only three acolytes serving at Solid Rock, and we need more. If you would like to be trained as an acolyte, please see Katie Ackenback. ( ) 4

5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50." The second boy says, "That's nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100." The third boy says, "I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon and it takes eight people to collect all the money!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ God s Groupies Small groups are alive and thriving at Solid Rock. If you re not a member of one, just look at what you re missing: MONDAYS, 9:30 a.m. - Group meets at Dick Ellegard home, 4002 Cypress Landings, S., Winter Haven. They will be starting a study of I Corinthians Chapters 1 and 2. Leader: Carol Ellis. Phone Tuesdays, 7 p.m. - Thursdays, 7 p.m. Zeller group meets at 308 Hernando Rd, Winter Haven. They are just finishing up with the Bell DVD's, and will return next week to a study of Luke Leader: Jim Zeller. Phone Plummer group meets at 672 Wakulla Dr., Winter Haven. They are currently untaking a study of Genesis. Leader: Joe Plummer. Phone Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Hanson group meets at 216 Overlook Drive, Winter Haven. They meet on Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. Phone Currently studying the book of Acts and how to apply its message to daily lives. Leaders: Glenn and Marilyn Hanson. Phone

6 SISTERS OF OUR SAVIOR S.O.S. meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Great Hall at Covenant. A Nooma DVD will be watched and discussed throughout the summer months. All members are asked to prayerfully consider topics for study in the fall. During your summer travels, keep your eyes and ears open for what the Lord would have you dig deeper into with HIM. Sisters of Our Savior extends an invitation to all women of the parish to join them as they serve Our Savior through prayer, study, and evangelism. President is Barb Anderson; Vice-President is Katie Ackenback. For more information on the Sisters of Our Savior, please call Barb Anderson at O n a Personal N ote Mr. & Mrs. Joe Plummer are proud to announce the addition of a daughter-inlaw and new grandchild into their family. Their son, Christian, married Heather Atha (and her two-year-old son, Ryan) on May, 23, (Send your submissions to The Church Mouse at yplum@tampabay.rr.com) I Shall N ot W ant Since no want ads have been submitted, The Church Mouse assumes that everyone has all the blessings they can handle at this particular time. So, Praise Be To GOD. (Send your wants to The Church Mouse at yplum@tampabay.rr.com) 6

7 Tree of L ife W ish L ist Overhead Projection System $1500 Office chair for Rector: $130 Projector screen: $ 400 Extra office chairs: $ 35 ea & up Office desk for Secretary: $ 500 Office work tables (2): $60 ea. Office desk for Rector: $ 500 Storage cabinet for office: $270 Office chair for Secretary: $ 130 Four-drawer File cabinets (2): $160 ea. Box of Name Badges $ 80 Sound System $1000 Missal Stand $200 Donations in kind will be graciously considered by the Vestry. Please mark check with the name of the item you are purchasing. A LETTER FROM FR. ANDY May 27, 2008 Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We come to a point of significant transition in the life of the Solid Rock Church. I urge you to read the entirety of this letter, as it contains vital information. This past Sunday, May 25, 2008, marked a milestone in our life of mission. We sponsored our first Memorial Day weekend Sunday worship service that was geared for more participation from the broader community. This was a big step of faith to sponsor this, having the limited resources we have. Having our venue as Polk Community College gave us the freedom to reach into the community of Winter Haven that we cannot have by staying in a church building. A neutral location will oftentimes encourage those who do not think about attending a church service to attend, and there encounter the loving people of the congregation. I want to thank so many for all the hard work and toil that went into 7

8 planning the festivities and the prayer support that came from all as well. (Some don't want me to mention their names, but you likely know who they are.) This coming Sunday, June 1, marks the first Sunday we worship at Covenant Presbyterian Church, at 1410 Dundee Road, Winter Haven. Our service time is 1:00 P.M. Fellowship for a time will take place afterwards. We will continue to have our Sunday services at that time and place until further notice. The Vestry is well aware that the afternoon time slot will be a bit of a challenge to us. However, we are convinced this is what God is leading us to at this time. I can't encourage each one of us too much to do everything we can to stay together over this transition. Everyone will be challenged. Everyone will need to make some sacrifice not only to maintain unity, but to grow - both spiritually and numerically. Think for a moment how far we have come. We took a positive step of faith back in January, believing God was leading us and He would be glorified and honored by our affiliation with the Anglican Mission in America. We walked away from a facility that held us back, and we walked away from an association that also held us back. It was one of the most gratifying things I saw when sixty one people showed up for our first Wednesday worship service at the Lake Hamilton Woman's Club on January 9. It happened again on the following Sunday when 81 arrived to give thanks to God for what He was doing in their lives and in the community through the start of a new church family. Now we come to the next hurdle, the next test. Do we believe God is leading us, or do we believe this has been a mistake? We will answer that question by our willingness to stay together and continue to witness to the goodness of God by our love for one another and for those who do not yet know Jesus Christ. I choose the word "willingness" deliberately. It will be an act of the will, not of the emotions, to stay together and worship God as a faith community. It will be by our choosing that we will not merely get past this season of uncomfortableness, yes... of testing, and we will be stronger and better equipped when this time is past. It's our choice. One of the verses often quoted during our time of inquiry and our decision to venture out was Joshua 24:15 which reads, "...choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Again and again we heard that call in various places and in various ways. We are hearing it again. And it is likely we will continue to hear that as we follow the leading of God. This is not unusual for God's people to feel this way. Paul exhorts the believers in Galatia, in Thessalonica and in Corinth with words of encouragement. He writes, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Gal. 6:9) "As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good." (2 Thes. 3:13) And in 1 Cor. 15:58 we read, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always 8

9 abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." Why would they need so much encouraging if they were not also being tested, in being called to make choices for the good of the mission? This really is pretty standard for the faithful Christian. We will get through this by the grace of God AND by the choices we make. Wednesday, June 4, we will begin our Wednesday evening worship services at the same location, Covenant Presbyterian Church, at 7:00 P.M. There will be no gathered dinner for the Solid Rock Church that particular evening because Covenant has a special once a year gathering in their Great Hall. However we will still gather to give thanks to God again for His love and provision. Meet in the main church building at 7:00 P.M. The following Wednesday evening, June 11, we will resume our dinners. The time for dinner gathering will be 6:00 P.M. and every Wednesday will be a covered dish supper. We will join with members from Covenant for a combined dinner and fellowship, and we will join in cleaning up after dinner too. Come and taste what I'm sure will be scrumptious fare, both in food and fellowship, and don't forget to bring your favorite dish! Then our worship service will begin in the main church, again at 7:00 P.M. To recap the new times at Covenant Presbyterian Church: Sunday, June 1, Worship at 1:00 P.M. (and each Sunday thereafter) Wednesday, June 4, Worship at 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, June 11, Covered Dish Dinner at 6:00 P.M. and Worship at 7:00 P.M. "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (Jude 24-25) I remain Yours in Christ, Fr. Andrew S. Doan Rector Til Next Week, 9