Vernon Park Church of God

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2 Greetings Family, Well this is the swift and sudden change season. It s when winter turns to spring, snow storms give way to warm rain and the ground thaws and softens. Such can be the same for our personal and corporate lives. As our 40-day consecration finds us looking intentionally and corporately towards heaven, we could be seeing a great change of landscape. I was introduced to the practice of fasting and praying when I was a teenager. It seemed strange at first that I should intentionally give up part or all of my meals. To grow hungry on purpose seemed so counter-productive. But God s Word instructs times of fasting and prayer as a manner of strengthening and discipline. After decades of walking with the Master, I am now a proponent and spokesperson of this powerful practice. I'm a witness it's possible to see yesterday s storms and sorrow turn into bright and sunny days of joy and laughter. Let s be intentional and set the atmosphere to receive all that God has for us this new season. My Pen is Positioned, Pastor J Your life can come into greater focus as you join your VP family this month in consecrating before the King. Praying each morning from 6 a.m. to 6:15 a.m. via our prayer cell is a fantastic way to see maximum impact of this time. Some of us may not be able to follow the fast schedule line by line, but I encourage you to do what you can. It s the intent of the heart that God notices. Page 2

3 A Community Supported Agriculture Project of Full Share - $ For the Harvest Season Half Share - $ For the Harvest Season SHAREHOLDERS WILL RECEIVE ALL NATURAL PESTICIDE-FREE PRODUCE EVERY OTHER WEEK DURING THE 2018 HARVEST SEASON For more information on the Mother Carr s Farm Project, please contact the church office at or visit our website at vpcog.org James and Zandra Dixon - 16 years, March 3 rd Rick and Cheryl Nelson - 13 years, March 19 th Quincy and Sharyn Dyer - 10 years, March 22 nd Page 3

4 March 4, 2018, Psalm 65:8-13, "Praise of Creation" Lead: The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. Cong: You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. Lead: You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. Cong: You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. Lead: The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. Together: The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing. March 11, 2018, Psalm 37:1-7, "Trust in the Lord" Lead: Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. Cong: For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Lead: Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Cong: Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Lead: Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Together: Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him. Page 4

5 March 18, 2018, John 1:1-14, "The Word Became Flesh" Lead: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. Cong: All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Lead: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. Cong: The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. Lead: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. Together: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. March 25, 2018, John 12:12-16, 23-26, "Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King" Lead: The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. Cong: They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel! Lead: Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey s colt. Cong: Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Lead: Jesus replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Together: Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. Page 5

6 On Sunday, April 29th, during the 10 a.m. service, VPCOG will have a Baby Dedication ceremony. If you are parents with a new baby or a child 2 years of age or younger and would like to participate, please contact the church office at Please support the Scholarship and Education Ministry s 2018 Dollars for Scholars Campaign The donation containers are located on the Media Table in the foyer. Page 3 Pick up your 2018 Consecration Schedule at the church or download it from our website at vpcog.org Page 6

7 Speaker: Sermon: Date: March 4, 2018 Speaker: Sermon: Date: March 11, 2018 Speaker: Sermon: Date: March 18, 2018 Speaker: Sermon: Date: March 25, 2018 Page 7

8 There s still time to get your ad into the Souvenir Journal a collector s item that will commemorate the opening of our new main sanctuary. Full Page Color - $250 Full Page Black & White - $200 Half Page Color - $175 Half Page Black & White - $125 Quarter Page Black & White - $75 Patron - $25 For more information, contact the church office at