ELDERS: Roger Spencer Paolo Di Luca (304) 758-4924 Evangelist rgspencer@frontier.com (304) 559-7735 paolo05@gmail.com

DEACONS:

Jr. Daugherty Gary Durig

Herb Jung Dave Moser

Office: 304.455.2130

Email: office@bridgestreetcofc.org

Web: www.bridgestreetcofc.org

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BRIDGE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST PO BOX 292 NEW MARTINSVILLE WV 26155

God’s Plan for Man’s Salvation

* * * * * * * * * * * * “Sirs, What must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:30

The Gospel Must be HEARD Rom. 10:17 John 8:32

The Gospel Must be BELIEVED John 8:24 Mark 16:16

Sins Must be REPENTED OF Luke 13:3, 5 Acts 2:38

Christ Must be CONFESSED Matt. 10:32-33 Rom. 10:10

There Must Be BAPTISM (Immersion) for the Remission of Sins Acts 2:38 1 Peter 3:21

There Must Be CHRISTIAN

GROWTH and FAITHFULNESS 1 Peter 2:2 Rev. 2:10 2 Peter 3:18

May 14, 2017

— Paolo Di Luca

A Godly Mother

Christian mothers must never underestimate their God-assigned mission. It is an extremely difficult, challenging, and tiring assignment, but the reward is in proportion to the task. God has given principles in His word to guide mothers as they navigate through the challenges of raising children. 1. Godly mothers delight in their children and tenderly nurture them. “But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children” (1 Thess. 2:7). There is great comfort, rest, and security in a mother’s embrace: “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you” (Isa. 66:13). “Like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Psa. 131:2). Men can be nurturing, but there is just some-thing unique about the tender embrace of a mother to her child. Children can sense the difference, and they crave a mother’s gentle touch and love. Women should not run from bearing and nurturing children, thinking that there is something supposedly more important or significant for them to do. Hannah dedicated her son Samuel to serve the Lord but still took him home to nurture him until he was weaned (1 Sam. 1:22-24). God honors mothers who invest in their children, and mothers should treasure the moments that they have with their young ones. 2. Godly mothers recognize that children are a great gift and reward from God. Eve affirmed: “I have ac-quired a man from the LORD” (Gen. 4:1). It is imperative that mothers recognize the value of children and that they are indeed a gift from God: “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a re-ward” (Psa. 127:3). If a mother views her children as a punishment or an inconvenience, she needs to change her perspective quickly, lest she treat her children as such. Godly mothers value their children as rewards from God and are motivated to do all they can to nurture, care, and train them according to His will. 3. Godly mothers instruct their children in God’s truths. Solomon pleads: “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother. . . . My son, keep your father’s command, and do not for-sake the law of your mother” (Prov. 1:8; 6:20). Timothy’s godly heritage of faith was a result of his mother and her mother before her (cf. 2 Tim. 1:5). Mothers must never underestimate the role that they play in teaching their chil-dren about God, about the Bible, and about the salvation of their soul. From as early as possible, God is to be cen-tral in a mother’s instruction to her children. Even in the case of a father who is an unbeliever or is absent, a moth-er must still teach their children the godly faith (1 Cor. 7:14). Teaching children the Bible is a gigantic task with eter-nal consequences, and godly mothers are honored to take up the challenge. 4. Godly mothers are willing and faithful to discipline their children. In Proverbs 29:15 we read: “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.” Mothers who allow or tolerate their children disrespecting and disobeying them do not serve God properly in the assigned mission. Solomon states that they should be ashamed of themselves, and they must become willing and faithful to discipline. Unconditional love for children and fairness in discipline is essential to being a godly mother. Regardless of a mother’s marriage or work situation, God is faithful to honor the faith and obedience of those mothers who do whatever they can to follow His principles in raising godly children. Mothers can follow biblical prin-ciples and be godly mothers. Mothers, as you have opportunity to be with your kids, to love them, to nurture them, and to care for them with all your heart in the Lord (Col. 3:23). God will remember and honor your faithfulness. Motherhood is certainly wearying, but mothers must stand fast in their calling: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9).

— Paolo Di Luca

WORSHIP SCHEDULE Sunday

Bible Study 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. Evening Worship 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

Week of May 7

Bible Study 45 AM Worship 66 PM Worship 50 Mid-week Bible Study 48

ATTENDANCE RECORD:

CONTRIBUTION $3,078.00

SCHEDULED TO SERVE May 21: ANNOUNCEMENTS: R. SPENCER SONG DIRECTOR: am R. SPENCER pm B. CAMPBELL PRAYER: am J. RICE pm D. MOSER READING: R. SPENCER WAIT ON TABLE H. JUNG D. MILLER SERVE CONGREGATION: Ju RICE De HOOD CLOSING PRAYER: am JR. DAUGHERTY pm A. SKINNER GREETER B. REED’S Wednesday Invitation: May 24

B. Campbell

PREPARE COMMUNION - May Linda Whittaker

Bridge Street

Church of Christ 1139 S. Bridge Street - PO Box 292

New Martinsville WV 26155

Messenger

We are honored to have you with us to-day! We invite you to return this even-ing—6:30 pm, and again 7pm Wednesday evening for our mid week Bible Study. It is our desire to be a congregation of the Lord’s church as described in the pages of the New Testament. If you have any questions about who we are and what we do during worship services, we invite you to speak with our elders. Their names and phone numbers are on the back of today’s bulletin.

A LOOK AHEAD. . . . May 14 — Birthday Fellowship

This month’s bakers:

Helen Starkey, Scarlet Hood, Lisa Wade

May 16 — Ladies Bible Class

IN SEARCH OF THE LORD’S WAY

Every Sunday morning Channel 7 - Wheeling

May 21, 2017

“Consider”

WEEKLY SERVICES

NMHCC – Wednesday 1:30 pm

KEEP IN PRAYER

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AREA EVENTS May 14 - 19: Long Valley Church of Christ is scheduled to host a Gospel Meet-ing with Kriss Cecil-Crihfield speaking, 7pm weeknights. May 15 - 21: Gospel Meeting hosted by

Pricetown Church of Christ with David Stevens scheduled to speak. 7pm Mon-

day—Saturday. June 5 - 9: Vacation Bible School hosted by Hillview Terrace Church of Christ “God’s Team: Stories of God’s Power” 7-8 pm.

Flyers posted in the foyer

Mike Moore Rona Grimm Bill Longwell Dave Miller John Brown Wilda Thomas Maricel Cabral Russell Jones Lisa Wade Joyce Campbell Barb Nolan Xie Goddard Pete Day John Powell Clair/Doris Twyman Jim Jung

Larry/Neoma Spratt Anna Robinson Will Byers Jim Darling Patrick Ferrebee Gene Cline Terry Varner Paul Inman Tina Faye Stillwagoner Hazel Miller Shirley Hood Matt Ferrebee Brenda Riggs Mike Yost

Bless My Child

Prayer is over—to my pillow, With a good-night kiss I creep,

Scarcely waking while I whisper,“Now I lay me down to sleep.”

Then my mother, o’er me bending, Prays in ernest words, but mild,

“Hear my prayer, O heavenly Father, Bless, oh, bless my precious child.” Anonymous

“Even He that died for us upon the cross, in the last hour, in the unuttera-ble agony of death, was mindful of His Mother, as if to teach us that this holy love should be our last worldly thought, the last point of earth from which the soul should take its flight for heaven.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A Mother’s Love Helen Steiner Rice

A Mother’s love is something That no one can explain, It is made of deep devotion And of sacrifice and pain, It is endless and unselfish And enduring come what may For nothing can destroy it Or take that love away. . . . It is patient and forgiving When all others are forsaking. And it never fails or falters Even thought the heart is breaking It believes beyond believing When the world around condemns, And it glows with all the beauty Of the rarest, brightest gems. . . . It is far beyond defining, It defies all explanation, And it still remains a secret Like the mysteries of creation. . . . A many splendored miracle Men cannot understand And another wondrous evidence Of God’s tender guiding hand.