KNOWING CHRIST AND MAKING HIM KNOWN

Transcription

1 FAIRFIELD GOOD NEWS KNOWING CHRIST AND MAKING HIM KNOWN September 2015 Important Events: Sept. 8 Tuesday Prayer returns From the Desk of Pastor Sept. 13 Adult Class resumes Congregation meeting Sept. 15 Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study resumes Sept. 20 Welcome Fall Barbeque Fairfield Reformed Church 360 Fairfield Road Fairfield, NJ Prayer Line: Rev. Allan D. Conover, Pastor fairfieldreformedchurch@verizon.net Web site: The consistory continues to seek from the Lord his guidance concerning the next chapter in the life of the Fairfield Reformed Church. They have been in much prayer. They have devoted parts of their consistory meetings to the discussion of the future. They have consulted with others outside our church to seek ideas that have not previously been a part of our discussions. Recently, you received a survey from the consistory in which they asked for your input about the direction we should be going in seeking God s will for our church. Although the deadline has past to return your survey, and the consistory will be compiling the information at their meeting on August 31st, you will still have a chance to speak your mind on these matters. We will be holding a congregational meeting after church on September 13th. Following a light lunch we will review what we have received and attempt to highlight the choices that you, as members of this church, feel will provide for a future for Fairfield Reformed Church. It is very important that you attend this meeting. The consistory needs to hear from you. Some important decisions need to be made very soon. And we want you to be a part of those decisions. Please keep your consistory in prayer. And continue to pray for our future. We may not know what the future holds, but we know the one who holds our future in his hands. We need to come before the Lord seeking his will and guidance for these coming days. Allan

2 Cont. from page 1 WORSHIP September Sept 6 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21 God s Word Is Inspired COME AND WORSHIP THE LORD Sept 13 2 Timothy 3:15-17 God s Word Is Profitable Sept 20 Hebrews 4:1-13 God s Word Is Powerful Sept 27 Psalm 119: Why I Love God s Word BIBLE STUDY/PRAYER Sept 8 7 pm Prayer 13 9 am Romans 15 7 pm Prayer 16 7:15 pm Bible Study 20 9 am Romans 22 7 pm Prayer 23 7:15 pm Bible Study 27 9 am Romans 29 7 pm Prayer 30 7:15 pm Bible Study Sunday mornings we will continue our study of Paul s Letter to the Romans. We begin at 9:00 a.m. We meet in the Conference Room. Wednesday evenings beginning at 7:15 p.m. we pray for the needs of our people and our church. Our studies will focus on the many aspects of prayer. We meet in the Conference Room. Every Tuesday in the Conference Room, 7:00 p.m., we gather for an hour of prayer for needs of our church and beyond.

3 PAGE 3 FAIRFIELD September Wedding Anniversaries Birthdays September 15 Mal Vance 20 Allen Lentz, Guido Leone 21 Lynn Gianfrancesco 28 Doris Hyatt 30 Sarah Snider 13 John & Tannette Butterly Watch for announcement for date of September Eveready Circle meeting to discuss Chili Dinner. MARK YOUR CALENDARS LET YOUR FRIENDS KNOW Friday, Oct. 16 th 6:30 PM Eveready Circle Chili-Baked Potato Dinner

4 September 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Worship 10a 7 LABOR DAY ADULT 9a Worship 10 a Congregation Meeting & Lunch Bible Study 7:15p Adult 9a Worship 10 a FALL BARBEQUE FALL BEGINS Bible Study 7:15p Adult 9a Worship 10a Bible Study 7:15p

5 Sunday, September 13 Light Lunch will be provided before the meeting Consistory will report the combined survey results. This is an important meeting for all to attend to discuss the future of our church. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sunday, September 20 Welcome Fall Barbeque Fellowship Hall following worship service Job description for a Christian As a follower of Jesus, you ll share his love and gospel with everyone. Kindness and humility are vital as you speak about your hope in him. To battle evil, you ll receive a complete set of armor. Use it to defend against attacks by a prowling lion or the temptation to place self above others. Preferred qualifications: Share an end-of-the-summer, welcome fall hamburger, hot dog and salad with your brothers/sisters of the church. complete surrender to God a desire to follow his commandments a servant heart courage to face fiery furnaces or shipwrecks Don t forget to sign-up for coffee hour hosts. Check the calendar in the Fellowship Hall for open dates! Everyone s welcome, and training and support are provided. Though you can expect persecution and adversity, the rewards are life-changing and eternal! MaryAnn Sundby

6 Operation Christmas Child To meet our goal of 50 boxes for our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes this year we already have: Shoeboxes have 51 Pencils have 245 wooden + 40 mechanical Spiral-bound notebooks have 51 Toothbrushes have 58 We still need: Need 3 Pencil erasers have 47 (some very small) Need 22 Pencil cases/pouches have 28 Need 40 Pencil sharpeners have 10 Need 19 Pens have 31 (some very small) Need 49 Glue sticks have 1 Need 27 Boxes of Crayons have 23 Need 26 Tubes toothpaste have 24 Need 20 Stuffed animals/dolls have 30 Rulers only need for older children have 4 Coloring books only need for younger children none Soap/wash cloths have 1 (have bag with many small bars) Some fun items we include: Bracelets (we have a couple), Sunglasses (we have 1), Baseball-type caps (we have none), Balls (we have none), Girls headbands (we have 20), Slinky s (we have a couple), Pinwheels (we have 2), Jump ropes (we have 1), Toy cars/trucks (we have a few), Girls jewelry (we have a few bracelets), girls pocketbooks (we have 11), Books (have a few) We also include: Hard candy (nothing that will melt, NO chocolate). Have box of candy canes. NO LIQUIDS OF ANY KIND. Remember there are 3 age groups (boys 2-4 yrs., 5-9 yrs., yrs. and girls 2-4, 5-9 and 10-14). Also remember it costs $7.00 shipping for each box so any donations to cover that cost are appreciated. So far $ has been given. Extra toothpaste/toothbrushes, soaps and washcloths will be given to Good Shepherd Mission. A PRAYER FOR UNCERTAIN TIMES An hour before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, pastor and author Stan Purdum was reading Psalm 66, which includes the words, We went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a spacious place (v. 12, NRSV). After watching the destruction, Purdum composed a prayer that remains relevant today, as terrorism and threats often make peace seem more specious than spacious : O God of heaven and earth, who s bigger than nations and factions, be with us as we live through times of terror, despair and danger. Be the strength of people who ve been touched personally by disaster. Come with healing to those who are injured. Be the eternal rest of those who ve died. Be the energy, compassion and fortitude of those who must pick through the wreckage. Grant our leaders courage and a double portion of your wisdom. The day of universal brotherhood seems farther off than ever, O God, but help us not despair of trying to accomplish it. Strengthen our faith. In Jesus name. Amen.

7 MISSION UPDATE One of the staff members spotted a former Program member (I ll call him Mr. E) in the park across the street. He said he went over to talk with him and as he was about to approach him, another individual seemed to come out of nowhere and handed Mr. E a Christian tract with a picture of a broken heart. It seemed strange because they were in the middle of the park and the other man left as quickly as he came without saying a word. Both Mr. E and staff member felt God had sent a special delivery message. Two days later Mr. E admitted himself back into the Discipleship Program. Later that same day another staff member said he received a phone call from a grieving mother whose 25 yr. old son passed away a couple hrs. before in her back yard. He had just gotten out of prison and had spent the last 4 days in the shelter. God gave him the opportunity to hear the Gospel one more time. The finished work of salvation is made complete according to His promise. John 6:39 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given me, but raise them up at the last day. Pray for the needs of The Good Shepherd Mission, it s work, staff and the men in the program. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Extra personal hygiene items collected for OCC will be given to Good Shepherd Mission for the men to use. Remember the church-sponsored Compassion Int l child is Utukufu Yohana Heli, a small child in Tanzania. Utukufu goes into kindergarten the next school year. Check out the Missions Bulletin board for a letter from Utukufu, find out.. The meaning of his name He is the first child in his family How tall he is His hair color is black & His eye color is black (& white) What he does well What he likes to do (a sport) What he wants to be when he grows up What his school grades are (his report card) Pictures he drew for us A letter he wrote to us (translated) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Missions Bulletin Board is updated regularly with letters, newsletters & pictures sent to us by the missionaries and agencies our church supports. Check it out during a coffee hour.