Newsletter In This Issue Pg. 1 Oil of Joy Meetings A Brief Review Book Update Pg. 1 Church Schedule Pg. 1 Upcoming Events & Reminders Pg. 1 Contact Information Pg. 2 Testimonies: Oil of Joy Women s Ministry Pg. 2 Testimonies: Friendship Day Pg. 3 Youth Ministry Pg. 3 An Intelligent Heart Pg. 4 & 5 All In Good Fun Pg. 6 Kids Page Oil of Joy Meetings A Brief Review Book Update Oil of Joy, Women s Ministry continues to reach those ladies in need and will continue to be led by the Holy Spirit to minister and help them. We are currently diving into a book, Spiritual Warfare by Mary K. Baxter. As a group of Godly and diverse women we have so much to share and bounce off of each other. Join us at our next meeting for a wonderful time in The Lord. (Pg.2) Damascus Christian Church The New Life 175 Broad Street Staten Island, NY 10304 www.damascusnewlife.org (347) 861-7444 Church Schedule Sundays 11:00 AM, Service Children s Church Tuesdays 7:00 PM, Prayer Service Thursdays 7:00 PM, Women s Bible Studies Fridays 7:30 PM, Ministry Services Upcoming Events & Reminders April 8, 2016 (7:30pm) Women s Ministry Service April 15, 2016 (7:30pm) Youth Ministry Service April 22, 2016 (7:30pm) Men s Ministry Service April 23, 2016 (10:30am) Women s/men s Monthly Meeting April 30, 2016 (10:00am) Youth Congress Service Testimonies (pg.2) Reverend Jose Gonzalez & Lady Maria Gonzalez April 2016 Issue Editor, Sister Wendy Lugo Page 1
Friendship Day Sister Natty Castillo A few weeks ago I began to feel that I was moving away from God. I began to pray that God would bring me back to the place I was with Him when I first started coming to church. I used to feel so close to Him. The day we had planned for the Friendship Day at church, I was not going to come, but something told me to push through my feelings and go. I am so glad I did. Brother David began to speak about us getting closer to God, like in a Sea World show the closer you get, the more water gets splashed on you so the closer I get to God, the more saturated I get in His presence. I felt God was speaking directly to me, and I feel renewed in my relationship with Our Lord. Sermon Summary John 15:13-14 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. Reverend Norma Santiago was so inspiring. She spoke to our hearts and invited us to see The Cross as the highest symbol of friendship. Through The Cross, our eyes should be opened to see a true friend in Him. Because He sacrificed for us, we too should now make sacrifices. She explained that we need to say no to the things of this world, and yes to the things of God that s the sacrifice He wants from us. We need to share this love and friendship with others. We need friends that will lift us and not drown us. So as a church, we must keep each other in the true spirit of friendship. God will give us opportunities to show our friendship out there, to the world. The love and friendship of Jesus should pour out of us. She said we should examine our hearts and ask ourselves, What are we giving those we call friends? --Sister Wendy Lugo Women s Meeting Summary February 2016 Sister Milly brought us a wonderful teaching on The Freedom of Letting Go. 1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us to humble ourselves, wait on God s time, and to hand over our worries onto Him as He cares for us. We discussed the things that have held us back from doing what God wants us to. We learned that we must be willing to let go of things we hold tight under our control. We must give Our Heavenly Father whatever He asks of us. Sister Milly then showed us that in Genesis 22:1-3, we can see how Abraham s willingness to give up what was most precious to him was due to his total and complete trust in God. Sometimes God is asking us to give something up but it s for our good and for something bigger and better. --Sister Wendy Lugo Sister Norma Fite Hermana Jeannette Sanabria Mi experiencia y mis momentos en la Iglesia fue y an sido maravillosas, desde las alabanzas al Señor, las oraciones de Milly, al mismo, las palabras (mensajes) del Pastor y el mensaje de la Pastora Norma Santiago. The women's bible studies have taught me to build up my faith in God. It has helped me to understand how to have patience. I am also learning my purpose in life through Christ Jesus. El compartis, aunque faltaron varios de los hermanos(as) fue un momento gozoso. Me iré mas allá, estoy muy agradecida en el Señor, por sentirme con gozo en mi corazon desde que commencé asistir a la Iglesia, no tengo palabras, solo gracias. Gracias Señor por sentir paz y gozo en mi corazon. Quiero servirle, adorarle, glorificarle todo con gozo. Doy gracias por mi esposo, al ver como el goza de Dios. Queremos aprender, se que poco a poco aprendemos. En la Iglesia Damascus siento paz y amor. Dear Sister in Christ remember, this is not our home. HE has gone to prepare a place for us. We will finish this race together through prayers and praise. Page 2
Youth Ministry Sister Emelly Lugo John 13:16 -- Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. Sister Emmy spoke to us about her journey to discover what her role in God s kingdom is. Through testimony and her searching her heart, she shared with us that God has called her to be a servant. Colossians 3:23-24 -- And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. It s not about trying to be seen, or being rewarded. What we earn here is going to stay here. It s about getting to hear well done, my good and faithful servant. Praise God! Proverbs 18:15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. Know Your Bible The Book of Matthew By Barbour Publishing, Inc. Author Not stated, but traditionally attributed to Matthew, a tax collector. Matthew is also known as Levi. Date Approximately AD 70, when Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. In Ten Words Or Less Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of a coming Messiah. Details Please The first of the four Gospels (meaning good news ), the book of Matthew ties what follows in the New Testament to what came before in the Old. The book, written primarily to a Jewish audience, uses numerous Old Testament reference to prove that Jesus is the promised Messiah the Jews have been anticipating for centuries. Beginning with the genealogy that shows Jesus ancestry through King David and the patriarch Abraham, Matthew then details the angelic announcement of Jesus conception and the visit of the wise men with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew introduces the character of John the Baptist, relative and forerunner of Jesus, and describes the calling of key disciples Peter, Andrew, James, and John. Jesus teachings are emphasized, with long passages covering His Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7), including the Beatitudes ( Blessed are they )and the Lord s Prayer ( Our Father, which art in heaven ). As with all four Gospels, Matthew also details the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and is the only biographer of Jesus to mention several miracles the tearing of the temple curtains, an earthquake, the breaking open of tombs, and the raising to life of dead saints that occurred during that time (27:50-54). Quotable She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. (1:21) Ye are the salt of the earth.ye are the light of the world. (5:13-14) Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. (5:44) Judge not, that ye be not judged. (7:7) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (28:19) Unique And Unusual Matthew is the only Gospel to use the terms church and kingdom of heaven. So What? As Messiah, Jesus is also King and worthy of our worship. Page 3
All In Good Fun 1.) On the first day, God said, Let there be light created the dry land called it Earth made the two great lights, to rule the day and the night created the firmament 2.) The Firmament was Earth The space between Heaven and Earth Heaven The two great lights 3.) On the third day, God created the great whales said, Let the earth bring forth grass created cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth created man 4.) On the sixth day, God said, Let fowl fly above the earth created herbs and fruit trees created man rested 5.) God formed man from clay mud dust detritus 6.) The tree, the fruit of which man was forbidden to eat, was the tree of knowledge of good and evil knowledge of evil evil life 7.) Of the four rivers that branched from the river of Eden, one was the Euphrates Abanah Jordan Halys 8.) God made woman to aid man in his struggle against the serpent because no help mate for man was found among the beasts of the field and the fowl of the air because man had been created with too many ribs to endow mankind with the symmetry of the heavenly bodies 9.) God made woman by taking from Adam one rib two ribs three ribs four ribs 10.) In the specific language of Genesis, a man and his wife become one flesh, as the father and mother are left by the man, who is joined to his wife the woman, who is joined to her husband both the man and woman who are joined to each other neither, who nevertheless are joined to each other G E N E S I S 11.) Adam and the woman became aware that they were naked after talking with the serpent, but before eating the forbidden fruit after talking with the Lord God just before talking with the serpent after eating the forbidden fruit, but before talking with the Lord God 12.) When the Lord God made inquiry, the man blamed the woman woman blamed the man man blamed the serpent serpent claimed he said not a word 13.) For dust thou art, and unto dust thou return, said the Lord God to Adam the woman Adam and the woman the serpent 14.) Adam called his wife Eve because she came after God had caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam she was the mother of all living it was evening, when the Lord God questioned them the word eve signifies in Hebrew, woman 15.) When Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, they were wearing coats of skin aprons of fig leaves sandals of snake skin nothing 16.) Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden to prevent them from repeating their previous offense eating of the three of life remaining under the influence of the serpent believing they could disregard the Lord s edicts with impunity 17.) Cain quarreled with Abel because Abel had been made a keeper of sheep, but Cain only tiller of the ground Abel claimed a half-share in the property set aside for the sons Abel taunted Cain on his vicious habits the Lord accepted Abel s offering, but not Cain s 18.) Am I my brother s keeper? asked Abel of Adam Abel of the Lord Cain of Adam Cain of the Lord 19.) The Lord set a mark upon Cain to protect him against murder warn others against him identify him as a tiller of the soil disfigure him 20.) The land of Nod was where Cain had raised the fruit of the ground he offered to the Lord where Abel was buried where Cain went, after he killed Abel the term Adam used, to refer to Eden Answers in next issue Page 4
Adam & Eve God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from a tree in the middle of the garden. But they did Read about it in Genesis 2-3. SERPENT ADAM EVE GOD GARDEN OPENED EVIL KNOWING FOOD WISDOM APPLE FRUIT TREE DIE BIRDS MIDDLE TOUCH WOMAN MAN EAT Help Paul find his way to Jerusalem to preach to the people. Watch out for the soldiers along the way who want to arrest Paul! Paul was an A-MAZE-ing missionary in Bible times. But Paul didn t always believe in God. In fact, earlier in his life, Paul s name was Saul. He hated Christians and even stoned and persecuted them! One day, when Saul was on a journey, he saw a bright light that blinded him. He heard a voice saying, Saul, why do you persecute me? It was Jesus speaking to Saul! From that day on, Saul believed in Jesus. He traveled the world, telling thousands of people about Jesus love. (Read more about Paul s conversion in Acts 9:1-19) Paul s A-MAZE-ing Change Pablo era un misionero en los tiempos bíblicos. Pero Pablo no siempre creía en Dios. De hecho, al principio de su vida, el nombre de Pablo era Saúl. Odiaba los cristianos e incluso apedreado y los persiguió! Un día, cuando Saúl estaba en un viaje, vio una luz brillante que lo dejó ciego. Oyó una voz que le decía: "Saúl, por qué me persigues? Fue Jesús que le hablaba a Saúl! Desde ese día, Saúl creyó en Jesús. Viajó por todo el mundo, contándole a miles de personas del amor de Jesús. (Más información acerca de la conversión de Pablo en Hechos 9:1-19) March 2016 Issue s Answers Page 5
KIDS PAGE Mark 10:14 Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. De qué manera Dios me muestre Su amor? Me da un mundo hermoso para vivir. Tengo árboles para subir o para sentarme de bajo. E6054 Copyright 2002 Warner Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 2015 Warner Press, Inc. All rights reserved E4772 Spot the 5 differences Page 6