POPLAR GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH

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1 Sp ecial p o int s o f int erest : POPLAR GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH Volume Issue February 1, 2016 The greatest love of all love possible. An early start to Spring Cleaning... On Valentine s Day, we remember that God is the source of all love in the world. His perfect love for us has made all human Although Lent starts early this year before spring appears in many areas, it s an appropriate time for spring cleaning. Indeed, Lent comes from old German and English words for spring. So, while it might be too soon to open windows or hang clothes on the line, now is the ideal time for some spiritual spring cleaning. Lent calls us to examine our beliefs, confess and dispose of old grudges and selfish habits, dust off our Bibles for a new routine of study and prayer, air out our hearts and brighten up our attitudes. Lent cleaning lets the Holy Spirit freshen our faith and it s never too early for that. LOVE NOTES When it comes to relationships, kid quotes are priceless: I love you so much that even God is amazed! I m sorry that I ve been chasing you outside. If you start to like me, I will not chase you. Responding to a note that asked, Do you like me? a child wrote, I don t know myself yet. Plus I m under a lot of stress at home so, I can t tell. P.S. You don t know yourself until you re 18. Inside this issue: Pastor s Page 2 BIG Big Heart Sunday 2 Calendar 3 Kids Page 4 I Want a Good Marriage 5 Media Menu 5 Carol s Corner 6 Lifelines is published monthly by Poplar Grove Baptist Church 3476 Poplar Tent Rd., NW (704) Editor: Carol Cooper secretary@poplargrovebaptist.com Pastor: Jimmy Barrett pastor@poplargrovebaptist.com Deadline for copy: The fifteenth of the month prior to publication. Editor reserves the right to edit for content and space.

2 P A G E 2 BIG BIG HEART SUNDAY Valentine s Day falls on a Sunday this year and we have an opportunity to make a major impact on our community for the Kingdom of God. For over twenty years we have celebrated Big Heart Sunday. This annual collection of food and clothes for the Baptist Sharing House has grown from a few boxes of food and clothes in the back of Elsie Ellington s truck into a huge delivery that fills up our large church van. You have the opportunity to be part of the longest running mission work of the Cabarrus Baptist Association that weekend. Every week hundreds are served through this important ministry. Not only do they receive food and clothes, but they also hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and many have come to know Him as their personal Savior there. We are asking you to bring canned food items along with dry goods like rice and beans for this weekend. Big Heart Sunday will really be BIG Big Heart Sunday this year as we partner with other Baptist churches in our area for iwantagoodmarriage.com. I am encouraging you to pick up some of the promotional cards and use them to invite people to church on February 14. There will be yard signs, banners, and social media advertising to support this event. We are believing God for a great day! One of the key parts of the event is prayer! I am asking you to think of three people who are far from God then pray for them for three minutes at 3 pm each day. As you pray for them, look for ways to invest in their life and let them see God s love flowing through you. Currently there are almost thirty churches participating and I believe that when this many churches cooperate that God will honor their labor - don't you? Let's all pray and work together to make this a great day! In His Grip, BIG big HEART SUNDAY FEBRUARY 14 Show your to those who need it most! On this special Sunday, designated each year for us care... and not just one time a year, PGBC will be for the Baptist Sharing House. These may include: to show how much we bringing all kinds of items Non-perishable food items, such as canned fruits and veggies, canned meats, peanut butter, crackers, dried fruits, cereals, oatmeal, grits, rice, sugar, (small bags) Paper Products, such as paper towels, tissue, napkins Toiletry items: toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, soap, lotions Also needed are cleaning products, baby articles-diapers, wipes Seasonal clothing as well as bed linens, & towels are also welcome and much appreciated. The items will be loaded onto the bus and then delivered to the Sharing House on Monday.

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4 P A G E 4 I Want a Good Marriage Friend Day Campaign February 14, 2016 Bible quiz At a time of deep struggle in Elijah s life, God made his presence known to him. How? A. In a strong and destructive wind B. In an earthquake C. Through fire D. Through silence Look for the correct answer in March s newsletter. The answer to January s Bible Quiz was F. (See John 1:40-42, 45) Media menu Perhaps one of ancient Israel s most famous women the story of Bathsheba, Reluctant Beauty, as written by Angela Hunt, has been added to the church library. Bathsheba is one of the Bible s most misunderstood and misjudged women. However, in this novel, Bathsheba comes to life in this new Biblical reimagining. Combining historical facts with detailed fiction, this book will make you reconsider everything you thought you knew about her. After King David s deception, deceit, and the murder of her husband, Bathsheba finds herself pregnant and in the king s harem. She struggles to understand and to protect her son after losing a child. This book is a Dangerous Beauty Novelsecond in the three novels of Esther, Bathsheba, and the upcoming Delilah. All of these novels tell the story of three beautiful women who lived during turbulent Biblical Old Testament history.

5 POPLAR GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH 3476 Poplar Tent Road, NW Phone: Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Permit Paid #124 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED WE RE ON THE WEB!!! poplargrovebaptist.com Carol s corner Got a problem? Who hasn t? Got the perfect solution? Not hardly!!! Everyone of us on earth has some type of problem, whether it be financial or health issues. It might be relationships with others at work, in the neighborhood, at church or within our own family. There are problems surrounding us and some things we humans just can t fix! A friend told me recently she was in a great deal of pain physically but then she added, But I m not like some people who are in worse shape. (A beloved church member who wasn t old had passed away and the effects were taking a toll on so many people.) What defines us? When their minivan was hit by a drunk driver, Gerald Sittser lost his mother, wife and daughter all at one time. Sittser, a religion professor, escaped without physical injury but was then forced to navigate his extreme loss. Eventually he concluded that the experience of loss does not need to be the defining moment of our story (quoted in AHA, by Kyle Idleman.) Instead, the defining moment can be our response to the loss, Sittser says. In this world you will have trouble, Jesus warns in John 16:33 no sugar-coating or pretending there. But then he says, Take heart! Jesus doesn t want our troubles to define us; he wants to define us! The defining truth of our story is that Jesus has overcome the world - even at its worst. He s stronger than our struggles and sorrows. And in him, so are we. Heidi Mann