The Pastor s Page: 500 Years Later

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1 Loch Raven Press October 2017 The Pastor s Page: 500 Years Later We Must Do More Than Just Commemorate an Event Keeping Christ 500 years ago, an Augustinian monk in Germany took action to protest an abuse within the church. Although it was not clear at the time, looking back we recognize this as the beginning of the Reformation. One way we commemorate this event as Protestants is to gather on the last Sunday of the month with other reformed believers to worship. We humbly celebrate how God used Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, and others to issue a clarion call for God s people to return to the Bible as their final authority in faith and practice. Pre-eminent In All Things Inside this issue: Missions 4 Women s Ministries 6 Evangelism & Outreach 7 Opportunities to Serve 8 Sunday School 9 Events 10 Job opportunity 11 Calendar 12 By God s grace they understood with new clarity that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, all to the glory of God alone! Luther had struck the spark that began the firestorm when he posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg church the evening before All Saints Day, that is, on All Hallows Eve, October 31, Out of the ensuing controversy Protestantism was born. Five slogans became the rallying points for the Reformation, and we still need to know them and hold onto everything they convey. I hope that you are already familiar with these five Latin mottos, the Solas of the Reformation. Because 2017 is such a significant anniversary, there are multitudinous opportunities to learn more about the Reformation and how these doctrines are fundamental for us today. You will certainly not regret taking the time and effort to learn more about them. While we should not be arrogant or antagonistic, we should be clear in what we believe and deeply commit- Continued next page

2 2 ted to what the Bible teaches. So this month, let s give some attention to the study of Reformed theology and wholeheartedly embrace all that is good and true of the Reformation. The 5 Solas certainly exhibit Biblical Truth, so I hope that we will understand and love these Latin phrases. Sola Scriptura = Scripture Alone Sola Fide = Faith Alone Sola Gratia = Grace Alone Solus Christus = Christ Alone Soli Deo Gloria = Glory to God Alone Please take advantage of some of the resources readily available and spend 5-10 minutes a day this month to both increase your understanding and your zeal for God and the Gospel. Check out the daily podcast devotional from Desiring God, Here We Stand (you can subscribe on their website or itunes). R. C. Sproul s Renewing Your Mind broadcast and Ligonier Ministries website have plenty to offer. Two recent introductory books are very good: The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation by Michael Reeves and Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation by Erwin Lutzer. Special Events Mark Your Calendars Sunday, October 22nd, 7 PM Evening of Worship Saturday, October 28th, 5 PM Fall Harvest Party and Chili Cook-off However we remember and even learn about our history, we must beware of treating it as some ancient relic with little relevance to our lives today. The gains of the Reformation, the essential Biblical truths that were recovered, the doctrines for which they were willing to die these things can be lost! If we only commemorate the Reformation once a year (or once every five hundred years!) and the rest of the time we hardly think about the Gospel truths they championed and the blessings that are ours because of it, then we are the losers. So I invite you to join us as we remember and perhaps relearn our heritage! May it be a daily lesson that prompts us to pause and thank God for His mighty and amazing Grace. I look forward to hearing about your month-long journey and can t wait to see what God does as we give Him all the glory. On October 29 th, 2017 we will gather at Timonium Presbyterian Church in the evening to celebrate in worship the wonders of God s love, my prayer is that it is the culmination of an entire month of growing in our faith and not merely the commemoration of a long-ago and far-away event. Soli Deo Gloria! Pastor David

3 3 The Tuesday afternoon class celebrated their third year. We had 110 answered prayers. All honor and glory to God! Please feel free to join us at 1 p.m. every Tuesday. Everyone is welcome!

4 4 Loch Raven Press October 2017 MISSION POSSIBLE October 2017 Neil & Wannee Thompson Overseas Missionary Fellowship GIVE LIFE TO YOUR STORY After a recent trip to Thailand and Cambodia, Neil shared the following information about their visit to Manorom, the location where Neil had ministered as a doctor in the hospital. After we had been at Manorom for a few days, Mali stopped by our newly refurbished house to invite us to attend and share at their Manorom Church cell group. What she didn t tell us was that it was her birthday as well! So, I[Neil] shared from II Corinthians 5 that we are first of all a new creation in Christ and then ambassadors for Christ. Who is Mali? She was an excellent scrub tech and surgical assistant in the Operating Room. In between cases, as we talked about God, she said Christianity didn t make much sense to her. But she observed Christians lives and the work of Manorom Christian Hospital and many years later came to know the Lord! That much I already knew, but that night I learned that she was the first Christian in her family and first Christian in her village. Her two daughters (a nurse and medical student) became believers as children, then her younger sister and recently a niece followed! At her birthday party, just a month ago [August] many people shed tears of joy because of her influence on their lives. Praise the Lord! Please pray for Mali s husband to believe. Manorom International Christian School (MICS) Our prayer on going to Thailand was that we be a blessing to those we met. We were certainly blessed in the process! Wannee filled in as a hostess (& manager) for 4 days, relieving Vaughn and Cathy Pirie at the Pines. A week later, the moment we had been waiting for arrived: on Monday morning, 31 July, Wannee and I became teachers! MICS has grown from 3 students to over 40 in less than 3 years very amazing! We focused on ten of them, 8-14 year olds who are studying and using the excellent Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum.as we reflected on our week there, we could see the similarities between the former medical ministry and the current educational ministry. Both are high quality, with outreach to the margins, introducing new values into people s lives and reaching beyond the students to their families and neighbors! Please pray for MICS. Mercy Medical Center (MMC) MMC is a multi-organizational partnership. Our expatriate staff represents six different Christian mission organizations worldwide. We also work hand in hand with the Cambodian Church and over 30 like-minded Referring Partner organizations to share the love of Christ, incorporate new believers into the Body of Christ, and give excellent, compassionate medical care to the poor. And we have partners from around the world who have committed their resources and participate in the MMC ministry. (from mercymedcambodia.org/our-mission/) We (OMF) have about 20 medical missionaries in Cambodia, some of whom work at Mercy Medical Center. We visited there to meet the leaders and to familiarize ourselves better with their ministry.each medical professional commits to teaching (medicine) and discipling (spiritually) the Khmer staff. Sichuan Province Vision Trip We (OMF) have about 20 medical missionaries in Cambodia, some of whom work at Mercy Medical Center. We visited there to meet the leaders and to familiarize ourselves better with their ministry.each medical professional commits to teaching (medicine) and discipling (spiritually) the Khmer staff. Sichuan Province Vision Trip October Pray for Neil & Wannee.

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6 6 Mission Possible continued Women in the Church Circle Meetings

7 7 It is not too late to join the Tell Someone class and have Greg Laurie help us to grow bolder and more loving as we become more effective ambassadors for our Lord and Savior! Our Job as Ambassadors We are therefore Christ s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20) Christ made each of us His ambassadors here on earth. He is no longer here in the flesh, and so now He expects us to faithfully and effectively represent Him. As His ambassadors or representatives, He has given us two basic tasks to perform. First of all, we are to spread the good news of salvation in such a way that unbelievers will be drawn to the light and out of their darkness. To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me (Acts 26:18). To do this, an ambassador must live a life of conformity to His life and teachings. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do (1 Peter 1:15), adequately representing Him. Secondly, we are to saturate ourselves totally with the knowledge of His will and His Word so that we will be enabled to encourage other Christians, strengthening them for their duties as ambassadors as well. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), applying our attention to His directives. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It has rightly been said that the only two things that will last for eternity are people and the Word of God. These things must occupy our attention if we are to be effective ambassadors for Christ.... Taken from Days of Praise, Institute for Creation Research: John D. Morris, Ph.D. All Scripture is from the NIV translation. Presented by the LRPC Evangelism and Outreach Committee, and edited by Chuck Holzman

8 8 Assistance Center of Towson Churches is again having a Thanksgiving Basket Collection and LRPC s DEACONS are asking you to help. There are three options for donations: 1. Make your own basket ---Please include ONLY the following items in each basket. (All additional items should be in separate bags and marked MISCELLANEOUS.) 1 can sweet potatoes/yams (23-29oz can) 2 cans meat/main dish (example: beef stew or chili-15-24oz cans) 1 large can fruit (20-30oz can) 4 cans vegetables (example: green beans, peas or corn-15oz cans) 1 cranberry sauce 2 pkg. macaroni & cheese 1 box instant mashed potatoes 1 cake or brownie mix 1 bag or box of stuffing mix 1 lb. bag or box of rice * PLEASE DO NOT PUT MONEY IN BAGS. TIPS FOR PACKING: 1. Pack large cans on bottom & lighter items on top. 2. If possible use a Reusable Grocery Bag /OR a double brown grocery bag inserted in double plastic bag. 3. Mark bags as COMPLETE or INCOMPLETE (list what is missing). 2. Purchase pre-packaged Thanksgiving Baskets from any of several supermarkets in the area for a reasonable price (approximately $17.00). Bags will be available as of November 1st, Giant Supermarket (Across from the fairgrounds) 2145 York Rd., Timonium, MD Kimberly Carr Manager Giant Supermarket (across from the Drumcastle Center) 6340 York Rd., Baltimore, MD Judy Simon, Manager ShopRite 37 Aylesbury, Rd., Timonium, MD Steve Starzynski Manager Once you pick up your basket or baskets you can bring them to church on November 5 th or12 th and place in the Narthex or Lobby. 3. Give a check for any amount to Sharon Mariani ( ) made PAYABLE TO ACTC. (Monetary contributions will be used to fill additional baskets or to help with the cost of supermarket gift cards that are given to our clients for the purchase of their turkey.)

9 9 Fall is the time for reorganizing and cleaning. As I was doing just that at home, I came across a book I had purchased many years ago. Dr. Howard Hendricks, a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary wrote Teaching to Change Lives. book. Let me share some excerpts from the first chapter. If your interest is piques, you may borrow the The Law of the Teacher The effective teacher always teaches from the overflow of a full life. If you stop growing today, you stop teaching tomorrow. If you don t know it-truly know it-you can t give it. The Word of God, of course, does not change, but my understanding of it does change because I am a developing individual. If you want to minister to others, ask God first to minister to you. Maintain a consistent study and reading program. Understand that leaders are leaders and leaders are readers. Enroll in continuing education courses-to improve your content and skill. Get to know your students. Become an authority on the needs and general characteristics of their age group, but also know your student individually. The good teacher s greatest threat is satisfaction-the failure to keep asking, How can I improve? As with all evaluation, any self-examination should be built on three questions: What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? What do I have to do to change?

10 10 Announcing the 4th Annual Fall Harvest Party and Chili Cookoff, Saturday, October 28 th. Come and enjoy an evening of fun, games, singing, world famous chili and hot dogs & S mores over a crackling bonfire on Saturday, October 28th from 5:00pm to whenever the last person leaves! Church members and families of all ages are welcome to come, and we hope you ll invite your neighbors and friends. Please bring a dessert to share, a lawn chair to sit around the bonfire, and a blanket if it is chilly. Children are encouraged to dress up in costumes hopefully some of their favorite Bible characters! Additional information will be coming over the next few weeks so keep watch in the church bulletin and the church website. Hope to see you there! Light reception immediately following ceremony-we hope to see you there! Mr. and Mrs. Michael Alger and Mr. and Mrs. David Milligan REQUEST THE HONOR OF YOUR PRESENCE AT THE MARRIAGE OF Rachel Esther Alger Saturday Walter Benjamin Milligan December 23rd, 1:00 p.m. Loch Raven Presbyterian Church 9318 Old Harford Road Parkville, MD REGISTRY & RSVP on theknot.com (Please RSVP no later than November 23rd, 2017.) Search Walter Milligan & Rachel Alger December 2017

11 Job Opportunities Mercy Ridge Retirement Community has several job openings for anyone who may be seeking employment. It's a great place to work and treats its employees well--free parking, free hot lunch, paid day off for your birthday with two movie tickets, free use of fitness center and more. You may call and ask for HR or go to for more information. On your application, mention that Patti Palmisano referred you. Positions Available: Full-time server in Dining Services Full-time housekeeper in Facility Services Full-time porter in Facility Services Full-time renovations technician in Facility Services Part-time resident assistant in Health & Wellness

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