LET YOUR. Prayin Time 2. Smithton Church of the Nazarene LIGHT SHINE IN THE DARKNESS

Transcription

1 Smithton Church of the Nazarene 157 Fitz Henry Road Smithton PA Receive, O Lord, all my freedom, my memory, my understanding, and will. All that I have or cherish, you have given. I return it all to you that it be guided by your will. Only your love and grace I ask. With these I am and ask for nothing more. Ignatius of Loyola LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE IN THE DARKNESS Prayin Time 2 Wesleyan Core Term. Prayer John Wesley s understanding of prayer reflected influence from the Christian mystical tradition. Prayer is more than a declaration of our needs and our praise. It is a return to God of the divine breath (or Spirit) that animates our life toward God. Through the Spirit, we receive the life of God. In the Spirit we are enabled to give this life back to God in the form of praise and prayer. Prayer thus completes the circuit of God s life: God s life comes into the world, affects our transformation, and returns as we faithfully respond to God. Prayer is the outstanding instance of our response, for in prayer we stand gratefully before God as those who have received and who now offer back to God the holy sacrifice of praise. Because prayer is the expression of our life toward God in its totality, it includes the articulation of our deepest feelings as well as our desires for God s presence. Wesley Study Bible. I John 5.14 And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. NRSV II Cor Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments 5 and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. NRSV The Gospels reveal that Christ often withdrew to a place of solitude for prayer. He instructed us when you pray in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). He also tells the disciples that prayer is necessary for ministry to be effective. Fasting is connected to prayer several times. Prayer is necessary to the life of the Church and the individual Christ follower. I read somewhere that the Church is as great as its prayer life is deep. This leads us to a challenge. Do we want to be a great (local) church? Do we want to be part of a great church? The next logical reflection would be How is our/ my prayer life? The answers to these questions will greatly affect your/our response to the following prayer guide for April. (This is the point where you evaluate your prayer life) Our forefathers read the Bible persistently, eagerly, prayerfully; and as they read its sacred pages, they heard holy men of God speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (1 Pet. 1:21)... When they found their lives below the standard of God s Word, they tampered not with its plain teachings but rather sought the grace it promised. Thus, instead of seeking to bring the Scriptures down to the level of men s lives, they sought always to bring men s lives up to the level of the Scriptures. Hardy C. Powers On the Kingdom Road, Pastor Mike

2 Smithton Clean-Up Day Saturday, April 21 Meet at the Smithton ball field at 9:30 AM Desserts are needed for lunch. See Cindy if you plan to volunteer. We will receive this offering on Easter Sunday, April 1. Our goal is $1,700 Friday & Saturday, April 6 & 7 5:00 to 5:00 PM What to bring: ~ Craft supplies, tools, machines, etc. ~ Extension Cord for machines or lamps ~ Snacks to share ~ Pillow, air mattress, sleeping bag, toiletries, towel (to shower), etc. ~ Drinks (coffee, tea, hot chocolate provided) Please RSVP to Julie by Thursday, April 5 MEN S BREAKFAST & WORK DAY Saturday, April 7 Meet at Denny s at 8:30 AM Mission Emphasis Sunday, April 8 ~ 6:00 PM FELLOWSHIP LUNCHEON & ANNUAL ELECTIONS Mark your calendars! June 10-14, 2018 This year, our VBS offering will go toward purchasing Pal Packs for Inez, Kentucky. We will also be collecting shoes. However, they are in need of a few additional items. We will be collecting these different items each week throughout the next few months. Please be in prayer about supporting our local NMI in providing for this need! Here is the list of all the items being collected. Soap ~ Week of March 18 (unscented bars of soap) Deodorant ~ Week of March 25 Toothbrushes ~ Week of April 1 Toothpaste ~ Week of April 8 Hairbrushes ~ Week of April 15 Lice medicine ~ Week of April 22 Hair bows / holders ~ Week of April 29 Socks ~ Week of May 6 (New in package/various kids sizes) Underwear ~ Week of May 13 (New in package/various kids sizes) We will still be collecting thru June 10 so there is plenty of time to donate! Sunday, April 15 Following Morning Worship Sign up on foyer table. MONTHLY FINANCE REPORT Every Thursday from 6:30-7:30 PM Bible Story, Craft, Snacks, Puppet Show, Games & much more! For all children thru age 12. Received FISCAL YEAR (as of 3/18/2018) Needed NMI Funds Paid WEF & Faith Promise $3, Balance $86,006 $103,303 -$17,297

3 Date Psalm OT Epistle Gospel Sun Apr 1 am: 148, 149, 150 pm: 113, 114 am: Exod 12:1-14 pm: Isa 51:9-11 am: John 1:1-18 pm: Jn 20:19-23 Mon Apr 2 am: 93, 98 pm: 66 Exod 12: Cor 15:1-11 Mark 16:1-8 Tues Apr 3 am: 103 pm: 111, 114 Exod 12: Cor 15:12-28 Mark 16:9-20 Wed Apr 4 am: 97, 99 pm: 115 Exod 12: Cor 15:29-41 Matt 28:1-16 Thur Apr 5 am: 146, 147 pm: 148, 149 Exod 13: Cor 15:41-50 Matt 28:16-20 Fri Apr 6 am: 136 pm: 118 Exod 13:1-2, Cor 15:51-58 Luke 24:1-12 Sat Apr 7 am: 145 pm: 104 Exod 13:17-14:4 2 Cor 4:16-5:10 Mark 12:18-27 Sun Apr 8 am: 146, 147 pm: 111, 112, 113 Exod 14: John 1:1-7 John 14:1-7 Mon Apr 9 am: 1, 2, 3 pm: 4, 7 Exod 14: Peter 1:1-12 John 14:1-17 Tues Apr 10 am: 5, 6 pm: 10, 11 Exod 15: Peter 1:13-25 John 14:18-31 Wed Apr 11 am: 119:1-24 pm: 12, 13, 14 Exod 15:22-16:10 1 Peter 2:1-10 John 15:1-11 Thur Apr 12 am: 18:1-20 pm: 18:21-50 Exod 16: Peter 2:11-25 John 15:12-27 Fri Apr 13 am: 16, 17 pm: 134, 135 Exod 16: Peter 3:13-4:6 John 16:1-15 Sat Apr 14 am: 20, 21 pm: 110, 116, 117 Exod 17: Peter 4:7-19 John 16:16-33 Sun Apr 15 am: 148, 149, 150 pm: 114, 115 Exod 18: John 2:7-17 Mark 16:9-20 Mon Apr 16 am: 25 pm: 9, 15 Exod 18: Peter 5:1-14 Matt 1:1-17 Tue Apr 17 am: 26, 28 pm: 36, 39 Exod 19:1-16 Col 1:1-14 Matt 3:1-12 Wed Apr 18 am: 38 pm: 119:25-48 Exod 19:16-25 Col 1:15-23 Matt 3:13-17 Thur Apr 19 am: 37:1-18 pm: 37:19-42 Exod 20:1-21 Col 1:24-2:7 Matt 4:1-11 Fri Apr 20 am: 105:1-22 pm: 105:23-45 Exod 24:1-18 Col 2:8-23 Matt 4:12-17 Sat Apr 21 am: 30, 32 pm: 42, 43 Exod 24:1-22 Col 3:1-17 Matt 4:18-25 Sun Apr 22 am: 63, 98 pm: 103 Exod 28:1-4, John 2:18-29 Mark 6:30-44 Mon Apr 23 am: 41, 52 pm: 44 Exod 32:1-20 Col 3:18-4:18 Matt 5:1-10 Tue Apr 24 am: 45 pm: 47, 48 Exod 32: Thess 1:1-10 Matt 5:11-16 Wed Apr 25 am: 119:49-72 pm: 49, 53 Exod 33: Thess 2:1-12 Matt 5:17-20 Thur Apr 26 am: 50, 59, 60 pm: 114, 115 Exod 34: Thess 2:13-20 Matt 5:21-26 Fri Apr 27 am: 40, 54 pm: 51 Exod 34: Thess 3:1-13 Matt 5:27-37 Sat Apr 28 am: 55 pm: 138 Exod 40: Thess 4:1-12 Matt 5:38-48 Sun Apr 29 am: 24, 29 pm: 8, 84 Lev 8:1-13, Heb 12:1-14 Luke 4:16-30 Mon Apr 30 am: 56, 57, 58 pm: 64, 65 Lev 16: Thess 4:13-18 Matt 6:1-15

4 Saturday, May 5 10:30 AM Sign up on the foyer table by Sunday, April 29

5 Join us for Sunday School 9:45 AM Morning Worship 10:45 AM Evening Gatherings 6:00 PM (Unless otherwise noted) Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Easter Sunday :30 AM Men s Breakfast Craft Around the Clock 5:00 PM 5:00 PM :00 PM Mission Emphasis 15 Fellowship Luncheon Annual Elections 7:00 PM Board Meeting :30 AM Smithton Clean Up Day Double Tithe Sunday 30 Everyone thinks of changing humanity and no one ever thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy The minister's task is to lead men from what they want to what they need. Ralph W. Sockman 6:00 PM Open Mic/ Talent Night May our private lives and our public actions be consistent with our prayers. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Peter Marshall