The Open Door is published monthly by the First Congregational Church

of Stanton

Stephanie Herzog, Editor

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April 2017

The Open Door

In this issue . . . Monthly Calendar . Inside Cover From The Pastor’s Desk ................ 2 For Your Marriage ....................... 4 Church At Work ........................... 5 From the Moderator .................... 6 Old Time Religion .......................... 7 Family Devotions ........................... 8 God at Work .................................. 9

From the desk of Pastor Jamey

Pastor Mark

Howdy Y’all,

One of my favorite songs that has been playing on the radio recently is a song by the group 7th Time Down, it is called God is on the Move. I love the energy of the song; but, more importantly, I love the message - it is a reminder that when people decide to take a step of faith, even in a small way, God is moving and working through that step.

Henry Blackaby, in his book Experiencing God, teaches us to see where God is moving and join Him and one way God is moving in our church is on Thursday nights. After months and months of prayer, God has brought several young adults together to meet on Thursday evenings. We meet for the purpose of reading and studying God’s word together and to discuss His word in a meaningful way that impacts our daily lives. It has been a great time of discussion, food, and fellowship, and I have been blessed by these young people who have a desire to know God more and to grow in their faith. God is moving and working in our community and through these young people, and it is exciting to see. And we are praying for more to join us. I want to encourage the young adults of our church and our community to come and join us. Come and talk about life with us, laugh with us, ask questions, give your opinion, or just sit and listen - it doesn’t matter. We are here to help each other, be a support for each other, and to have a good time. Jesus said in Matthew 18:20 - Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I will be with them. Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

That they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ ~ Colossians 2:2 Continued on next page

God Assists the impossible

On March 1, Ash Wednesday 2017, our FCC family kicked of our traditional Lenten dinners with an introduction to the idea of pursuing holiness out of reverence for God. At that meeting, I presented the Ash Wednesday message that recognizing our sin must remain a primary ingredient for properly understanding the power of the gospel. It is essential to remember, there would be no need for “good news” if it weren’t for the ruinous preexisting condition of our sin-sick souls. In other words, because of some very “bad news,” our hearts thrill at the announcement of some very “good news”— the gospel of our salvation. Forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life is indeed very, very good news. Another way to characterize the bad situation in which humanity finds itself is to understand our dilemma as a contrast between unholy people and their Creator, the One who is utterly holy. It’s the classic impossible union, similar to oil and water, or light and darkness. The two entities are incompatible and mutually exclusive. There is simply no way they can go together. As the NT book of James so aptly asks, “Can fresh water and salt water flow from the same well?” The answer is obvious. And, so it is with us and God. It would be outrageous to even hope that fellowship with God could ever happen unless we eliminate everything in us that is unclean and meet him on the compatible level of sinless perfection. The Mortification of Sin is a little book from the 17th century Puritan author and preacher, John Owen. In it he writes that followers of Christ must “make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.” St. Paul’s words undoubtedly had a measure of inspiration. In 2 Corinthians 7 he writes, “ . . . dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (NIV). And there it is—the command to be holy. Peter echoes it with his reflection of God’s command to “be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). And then, Jesus himself in the Sermon on the Mount, “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

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Join us for our Good Friday service at 12:45

on Friday, April 14 at FCC

Talking to God Thank God for the gifts He’s given you. Pray that you will use them to help others.

Diving In Take turns guessing how many muscles you have in your body. Try counting your muscles and come up with a total number.

Going Deeper The human body has more than 600 muscles! Some muscles are large and some are very small, but they all work together to help you get things accomplished. As they work together, you grow stronger. It’s also like this with God’s family. You need others. Ephesians 4:1516 says: “Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Just as each muscle has a unique function in the body, so each one of us has a unique place in the body of Christ. St. Paul writes: “The body is

a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). You have special gifts and abilities you can use to support others and help the body of Christ grow.

Talking to Each Other

• What are some things you do well? • How are you using your gifts and abilities to help others?

—Karen Schmidt and Janine Petry

Finding Your Place

Maundy Thursday Soup Supper

We have been enjoying our Wednesday evening fellowship suppers and study. Mark your calendars that we meet Wednesday, April 5, and then Thursday,

April 13, both at 6:00 pm.

For those that have not yet attended our Maundy Thursday Soup Supper, be sure to mark your calendars for this extra special service.

A sign-up sheet for soup varieties and side dishes is available

on the entryway table. 3

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Pastor Jamey’s article continued… For those of you who’ve worked in the restaurant business, you may be familiar with the practice of some customers who “dine and ditch” (it is also called dine and dash or chew and screw). Basically, the patron enters the restaurant, sits down, orders and eats the meal, then vanishes before paying the bill. In most states, it’s a petty theft misdemeanor if caught. In Mississippi, it’s a felony. I’m sure you would agree God would never do such a thing. Rather, he would pay for anything He orders. The same thing is true regarding the holiness commands in the Bible. God is not asking us to do the impossible, then damning those who fail. Not at all. Instead, God demands that we do the impossible, then provides the means for us to obey. In other words, He pays for what He orders. In Christ who paid our sin debt, we have a righteousness provided to us, and that is not of ourselves, but of him who knew no sin. By grace through faith, our unholy record is purged and written over as complete holiness. That is, indeed, very good news. What then? Since our sinful record has been purged, should we keep on sinning and take advantage of God’s gracious forgiveness? Absolutely not! Instead, we should—out of reverence for God—practice living a sin-free life. We should practice it every day and make it a disciplined part of our daily routine. If we are going to have holy lives then we need to have holy days, one at a time. During this Lenten season, contemplate ways in which you can rid yourself of unclean habits, then take responsibility for making the idea a reality. There is no clearer way to show your own adoration for the One who adores you.

Our Church at Work . . . From the Moderator . . .

Hello Church Family, I tend to be pretty self-reflective. I also tend to be very busy. The two do not often mesh well. In fact, lately I feel like I have only been thoughtful and reflective while I am trying to catch my breath in between all of our busy activities. Now I freely admit that my “busy-ness” is 95% due to things I have purposefully placed on our schedules. My shortage of air is really my own doing. And I have been feeling quite convicted of that lately. I would like to think that I keep my plates spinning on their poles just fine, but sometimes things slip. Sometimes a plate only slows, but sometimes one also comes crashing to the floor. Acting upon that conviction and in order to find some renewed balanced, I have been reading quite a few devotionals focused on being busy, maintaining priorities in that busy time, and determining what should actually be a priority. I have particularly enjoyed the book Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung recently. (It’s short, but deep - if you get what I mean.) A key point that I technically already knew, but struck home a little deeper lies in his word analogy reminding me that I’m not Jesus. I mean I already knew that I wasn’t Jesus (obviously), but Kevin made the point that there is only one groom at the wedding celebration of the Lord. I may be part of the bridal party and therefore get to enjoy and participate in some of the preparations (and definitely the bridal feast some day), but I am not now, nor ever will be the main provider for that party. I needed that reminder - that it’s not my job to fix everything here. In fact, I am in no way, shape, or form equipped to fix much of anything in this broken world. But I know who is capable - the groom. The one that promised He is coming back to set all things right and who already accomplished more than I ever could with His death and resurrection. In the end, it’s not my job to get all of the other attendants, preparations, and entire wedding celebration in place - it’s just my job to wait expectantly for the groom.

Operation Christmas Child

April’s donation items are: small balls and jump ropes. Donations may be left in the OCC box on the

table in the entryway.

Stephanie Herzog

Spring Fling Game Days

We’re continuing the game days on Saturday , April 8 & 22, which

will help us endure the rainy days of spring.

Bring a snack to share, a favorite game, a friend or relative, and a cheery smile . . .

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FCC Small Groups

Small groups are a fantastic way to fellowship within the church and grow

our love and knowledge of God through His word.

Our small groups are open, so that you can hop in at any time.

Here are some of our weekly small group opportunities:

Wednesdays at 10:00 am

Women’s Prayer Group

Wednesdays at 1:00 pm

Women’s L.I.F.E. Group

Thursdays at 1:00 pm

Group Bible Study

Thursdays at 5:30 pm

Millennials Bible Study

Starting this summer: A small group for married couples

with children in the home. More details coming soon!

Camp and College Scholarships

2017 Camp and College Scholarship forms are available. You can pick one up from the church office. Deadline for returning forms is June 1, 2017.

Love Talk Starters

On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to give your partner the benefit of the doubt?

In specific terms, what benefits are you receiving from your marriage that you would not have received if you had remained single?

What do you feel most appreciated for by your spouse?

If you were the President and First Lady of the United States, how do you think it would specifically impact your marriage? Why? Would you like this position or not?

From Love Talk Starters by Les & Leslie Parrott

PASSION FOR CHRIST * PERSEVERANCE * HUMILITY * SACRIFICE

The love of Christ constraineth us. - 2 Corinthians 5:14

The love of Christ is too large for any heart to hold it. It will overflow into others’ hearts: it will give itself out, give itself away, for the enriching of other lives. The heart of Christ is a costly thing for any one to have. It will lead those who have it where it led Him. If it cost Him the cross, it will cost them no less.

—J.M. Campbell

Thoughts for the Quiet Hour D. L. Moody, ed. (1900)

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Studying our wedding photos, my six-year-old asked, “Did you marry Dad because he was good-looking?”

“Not really,” I replied.

“Did you marry him for his money?”

“Definitely not,” I laughed. “He didn’t have any.”

“So,” he said, “you just felt sorry for him.”

—Linda Watson, Edinburgh, Scotland

When a soldier came to the clinic where I work with an MRI, he was put into the machine by an attractive, young technician.

Some time later, when the examination was over, he was helped out of the machine by a far older woman. The soldier remarked, “How long was I in there for?”

Joanne Korman, Bedford, Nova Scotia

First Congregational Church of Stanton Worship Service: 11 a.m. Phone: 989.831.5240 Email address: beverlyb@fccstanton.org Website: www.fccstanton.org

Noisy Change Offering

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Luke 24:6-7—He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”

1 RESERVED

Fellowship Hall 10 - 3

2 9:30 am - Choir Practice 9:45 am - Sunday Morning Ministry 11 am - Morning Worship 12:30 pm - Diaconate Meeting 4-6 pm - Teen Ministry

3

4

5 10-11 am

Women’s Prayer Group

1 pm - Ladies L.I.F.E.

6 pm - Lenten Supper

6 1 - 2:30 pm

Small Group Bible Study

5:30- 6:30 pm Millennials Bible Study

7

8 8:30 am

Men’s Ministry

1 - 4 pm Spring Fling Game Day

9 9:30 am - Choir Practice 9:45 am - Sunday Morning Ministry 11 am - Morning Worship 4-6 pm - Teen Ministry

10

11

12 10-11 am

Women’s Prayer Group

1 pm - Ladies L.I.F.E.

13 1 - 2:30 pm

Small Group Bible Study

6:00 pm Maundy Thursday Soup Supper and

Communion

14 9 am

Chit Chat and Coffee at FCC

12:45 pm

Good Friday Service at FCC

15

16

9:30 am - Choir Practice 9:45 am - Sunday Morning Ministry 11 am - Morning Worship

17

18

19 10-11 am

Women’s Prayer Group

1 pm - Ladies L.I.F.E.

20 1 - 2:30 pm

Small Group Bible Study

5:30- 6:30 pm Millennials Bible Study

21

22 8:30 am

Men’s Ministry

1 - 4 pm Spring Fling Game Day

23

9:30 am - Choir Practice 9:45 am - Sunday Morning Ministry 11 am - Morning Worship 12:30 pm - Quarterly Council Meeting 4-6 pm - Teen Ministry

24

OPEN DOOR DEADLINE

7:00 pm

Stanton OFD Meeting

25

6:30 pm - THM Study and Accountability

Group

26

10-11 am Women’s Prayer Group

1 pm - Ladies L.I.F.E.

6 pm - Lenten Supper

27

1 - 2:30 pm Small Group Bible Study

5:30- 6:30 pm

Millennials Bible Study

28 29

30

9:30 am - Choir Practice 9:45 am - Sunday Morning Ministry 11 am - Morning Worship 12:30 pm - Board of Trustees Meeting 4-6 pm - Teen Ministry

April 2017

01 Nancy Brush 02 Ryan Hansen 02 Porter Long 03 Luke Myers 03 Micah Myers 05 Christopher Swanson 06 Janet Baldwin 06 Jody Butler 06 Damon Davis 06 Betty Guziak 06 Francine Lingeman 11 Anna Slater 11 TJ Terry 12 Waylon Lingeman 14 Jane Gage 16 Taylor Long 18 Mike Barnwell 19 Kari Wuelfing 20 Devin Fike 21 Janet Brundage 24 Mitchell Nichols 27 Wilma Baldwin 27 Amy Cannon 28 Al Laper 29 Richard Johnson 29 Elaine Muilenburg

Anniversaries

14 Tom/Geraldine Burge

Resurrection Sunday

Palm Sunday