The Mustard Seed September 2015 P a s t o r s C o r n e r Meditation on a Holy Love Song - psalm 45 When does your heart bubble or boil with enthusiasm? Does you heart ever boil so that your tongue can speak nothing except that which is boiling in your heart? The Psalmist's heart is boiling on a good matter. The cause of his bubbling enthusiasm are matters pertaining to his King. Thus his tongue is the pen of a ready writer. What are the characteristics of the King that cause the Psalmist's heart to boil enthusiastically? The King is fair. He is more appealing in every respect than all other men. The King opens His mouth and grace pours forth. God has blessed our King for eternity because grace pours out of His mouth. Our King cannot be praised too highly. No tongue is able to praise Him as He ought to be praised. Our King is a warrior King. His sword is on His thigh and His chariot is pulled by the three horses of truth, humility, and righteousness. The arrows from His bow and in his quiver are sharp piercing the heart of the enemies of the King. Our King's throne is forever. He will never resign. He will never be defeated. He will never have a successor. He will always rule in Truth and Righteousness for He loves Righteousness and hates Wickedness. Blind are the eyes that cannot see God in Jesus Christ. Do we comprehend the tender condescension of the Lord of Glory becoming a man and becoming one flesh with His Church? What a joyous thing that our Savior is God. God to be adored. God reigning. He reigns on a throne that will never pass away. He reigns on a throne of justice and mercy. He is the lawful monarch of all things that be. His rule is founded in right, its law is right, its result is right. Our King is no usurper and no oppressor. Even when He shall break his enemies with a rod of iron, He will do no man wrong; His vengeance and His grace are both in conformity with justice. Hence we trust Him without suspicion; He cannot err; no affliction is too severe, for He sends it; no judgment too harsh, for He ordains it. O blessed hands of Jesus! the reigning power is safe with you. All the just rejoice in the government of the King who reigns in righteousness. Christ Jesus is not neutral in the great contest between right and wrong: as warmly as He loves the one He abhors the other. What qualifications for a sovereign! What grounds of confidence for a people! The whole of our Lord's life on earth proved the truth of these words; His death to put away sin and bring in the reign of righteousness, sealed the fact beyond all question; His providence by which he rules from his mediatorial throne, when rightly understood, reveals the same; and His final regulation will proclaim it before all worlds. We should imitate Him both in His love and hate; they are both needful to complete a righteous character. Jesus as Mediator owned God as His God, to whom, being found in fashion as a man, He became obedient. On account of our Lord's perfect life He is now rewarded with superior joy. Others there are to whom grace has given a sacred fellowship with Him, but by their universal consent and His own merit, He is prince among them, the gladdest of all because the cause of all their gladness. At Oriental feasts oil was poured on the heads of distinguished and very welcome guests; God Pastor s Corner cont. on pg. 5
P a g e 2 T h e M u s t a r d S e e d Fall Schedule begins September 13th 9:15 am -Sunday School for Pre-K thru Adult 10:30 am-worship Service Diaconate - 2nd Monday of Month - 7:00 pm Stewardship - 3rd Monday of Month - 7:00 pm Missions - Tuesday of each Month (varies) - 7:00 pm Church Council - Quarterly, 4th Tuesday of Month - 7:00 pm August, November, February, May Fall Church Fair Meeting Following service on September 13th we will meet to plan Church Fair. Looking for volunteers and ideas. We will meet in Edna Lowe Room. Church Theme 2015-16 Serving to Glorify God Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Romans 12: 9-13
P a g e 3 Prayer Hour Wednesday at 7:00 pm Gather together to pray for the church each Wednesday in the 2nd Floor Meeting Room Many opportunities to gather together to learn, grow in faith, encourage one another through studying God s Word. Thursday Morning Bible Study - 10:00 am, 2nd floor meeting room Friday Night Bible Study - 7:00 pm, Miranda home Women s Breakfast & Study - 9:00 am, 1st Saturday of the month (September will meet 2nd Saturday due to Labor Day) Men s Breakfast & Study - 8:00 am, 4th Saturday of the month Monthly Potluck Luncheon 3rd Sunday of the month following service Bring a dish to share as we gather to fellowship and share a meal together. September 20th will be our Welcome Back Luncheon! Red Cross Community Blood Drive Saturday, September 19th - 8:00 am to 2:00 pm Give the gift of life through your blood donation, call 1-800-REDCROSS to schedule an appointment, walk-ins welcome! Volunteers needed to assist with sign-in, handing out snacks and juice. If you are able to help, please see Peter James.
P a g e 4 T h e M u s t a r d S e e d 9:15 am - Sunday, September 13th Welcome Back! Below is a registration form to be filled out for first day of class. Forms will also be available in the classrooms. The Congregational Church in Wilmington Sunday School Registration Form Pre-K thru High School Parent s Name Address Parent Email Address Phone Children s Name*: Allergies: Concerns or Comments: Attending Adult Sunday School Class? Interested in a Bible Study during the week? Where could you participate? Substitute teaching Class Assistant Providing refreshments Helping with special programs (Christmas Pageant, Christian Ed Sunday, other) Photo release: I give or do Not give permission to use photo s of my child in publications, display or website. No names will be used when displaying pictures. *Parents of PreK class must remain in the building during Sunday School in case child needs you. We encourage you to join our Adult Sunday School class.
Pastor s Corner (cont. from pg. 1) P a g e 5 himself anoints the man Christ Jesus, as He sits at the heavenly feasts, anoints Him as a reward for His work, with higher and fuller joy than any else can know; thus is the Son of Man honored and rewarded for all His pains. Observe the indisputable testimony to Messiah's Deity in verse six, and to his manhood in verse 7. Of whom could this be written but of Jesus of Nazareth? Our Christ is our Elohim. Jesus is God with us. The divine anointing causes fragrance to distil from the robes of the Mighty Hero. He is delightful to every sense, to the eyes most fair, to the ear most gracious, to the spiritual nostril most sweet. The excellences of Jesus are all most precious, comparable to the rarest spices; they are most varied, and to be likened not to myrrh alone, but to all the perfumes blended in due proportion. The Father always finds a pleasure in Him, in Him He is well pleased; and all regenerated spirits rejoice in Him, for He is made of God unto us, "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." Note that not only is Jesus most sweet, but even His garments are so; everything that He has to do with is perfumed by His person. All His garments are thus fragrant; not some of them, but all; we delight as much in His purple of dominion as in the white of His priesthood, His mantle as our prophet is as dear to us as His seamless coat as our friend. All His dress is fragrant with all sweetness. All sweetness's meet in Jesus, and are poured forth wherever He is present. The abode of Jesus now is imperial in splendor, ivory and gold but faintly image His royal seat; there is He made glad in the presence of the Father, and in the company of His saints. Oh, to behold Him with his perfumed garments on! The very smell of Him from afar ravishes our spirit, what must it be to be on the other side of the pearl gate, within the palace of ivory, amid those halls of Zion, "conjubilant with song, "where is the throne of David, and the abiding presence of the Prince! To think of His gladness, to know that He is full of joy, gives gladness at this moment to our souls. We poor exiles can sing in our banishment since our King, our Well beloved, has come to His throne. The church stands in derivative majesty beside the King. As Jesus' garments are perfumed, our lives are to be perfumed. Our perfume is to be the perfume of Jesus, the Christ. If we are fragrant with Christ we will smell of death to those who are perishing and smell of life to the saints. Our abode is imperial in splendor and we are glad in the presence of the Father and the company of the Saints. Does your heart boil over with enthusiasm concerning the matters of our King? Pastor Russell with CH Spurgeon
The Congregational Church 220 Middlesex Ave Wilmington, MA 01887 Moved? Please update your address with the Church Office. Thank you. M u s t a r d S e e d N e w s l e t t e r Pastor: Russell Kent Secretary: Heidi Kumm Music Director: Lydia Okumura Sexton: Don Armstrong October Newsletter Deadline September 23, 2015 Office Hours Mon-Thurs - 9:00-3:00 pm Phone: 978-658-2264 Email: office@wilcong.org www.wilcong.org The Mustard Seed - A publication of The Congregational Church in Wilmington, 220 Middlesex Avenue, Wilmington, MA 01887. Editor: Heidi Kumm. The Mustard Seed is published monthly, excluding the month of August, to keep members and friends informed of programs of the church and to report news about the congregation. Deadline for copy: Third Wednesday of the month