Gospel of John: The Word

Someone once told me that the best place to start ready reading the Bible was the Gospel of John. The opening of the book is like something straight out of Dickens. John 3:16 is probably the most quoted verse in the entire bible. The book is also an eyewitness account of the ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ. So I figure if you are thirsting for the good news, John is the best place to start. John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Wow! So beautiful. The Word that John talks about here is Jesus Christ. Christ has been around since before time began. Jesus was with God and Jesus was God. Through Christ all things were made. Everything. There is not one thing in this universe that God did not create. Verse 4 is one of the most profound statements about who Christ is. Christ is life! Our bodies will die, but through Christ we will not taste the second death of being thrown into the lake of fire. He is also the light of all mankind shining in the darkness. So when things are at their worst and darkness is closing in, turn to Christ and He will light your way. To paraphrase and old REO Speed Wagon Song, He’s a candle in the window on a cold dark winters night. In the last half of verse 5 John is proclaiming Christ victory over darkness. A victory that was gained when He rose from the dead. To sum up what John is saying, Christ was here in the beginning. Christ is God. God made EVERYTHING and without Him NOTHING was made. Most importantly, Christ is the life and the light of the world who defeated darkness.

If you don't have the light of Christ in your life, and you want it, please pray this prayer.

Jesus, my world is so dark. Everywhere I turn there is nothing but darkness. Lord, please shine your light into my life and show me the way. I want the life that is inside you. Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you in my heart my life is meaningless. I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus for give me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend. I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Call to Salvation

Matthew 19:16-30
Matthew 20:1-19

June 24, 2012
Pastor Scott

Matthew 19:16-30

• Jesus' call to salvation demands radical surrender.  It's a summons to lose your life, for Him.
• Jesus' call to salvation guarantees radical reward.

The first and the last
Matthew 20:1-16

• God's grace is surprising. It's not what we deserve.  Salvation is NOT fair.

God does what we would never expect according to what we could never earn.  He owes us nothing, but gives us everything!

• God's grace is sovereign.  He has the right to dispense His mercy as He pleases.

Why Jesus Came
Matthew 20:17-19

• Jesus came to suffer
• Jesus came to save
• Jesus came to be our substitute
• Jesus came to show us how to live
• Jesus came to serve

This means that Jesus is our servant.  This does NOT mean that we tell Jesus what to do--but, He gives us exactly what we need.

The Radical call to discipleship is accompanied by a Radical promise of service.
Salvation is all devine mercy, it is none of human merit.  That means our salvation has nothing to do with what we do.  It has all to do with what God has done.  We serve because we want to live like Him.
Since Jesus is our servant and he came to show us how to live, we are now His servants.  This does not mean He needs our help.  It means we submit to His authority. 
Acts 17:25 "And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else."

How we respond:

• We trust Jesus to serve us:

Jesus' service to us enebles our obedience to Him

• We exalt Jesus by serving others:

Our service to others glorifies God

• Boldly confess our need for His mercy
• Humbly believe in His power to do the miraculous

Announcments 6-24

Sunday Night Church - After two weeks of not having our Sunday Evening Service, we will be back in business at 6:00pm.  Come out and joins us.  If you have never attended our Sunday Evening Bible Study, we invite you to come this evening.  If you used to attending and haven't in a while, this would be a great time to start back.  Come and stay after the service and join our CHOIR.  See Gene Collins if you have any questions!

Prayer List - If you have a name to be added to our Prayer List, please place the name in the Prayer Box on the table outside the Nursery.  Names may be added to the Prayer List at any time.  Please note that names in the "OTHERS" category will be taken off the first Sunday of each month unless you indicate that you want them to remain on the list.

LBA Meeting -  The Local Board of Administration will meet this Tuesday, June 26th @7:00 PM.

Zumba Exercise Night - Zumba has been cancelled for the summer months and will begin again in the Fall. Thank You Megan Putnam for your willingness to lead this group.

  Coming in JULY to Pastor Scott's Sunday School Class.  Make your plans now to be a part of this TRANSFORMATIONAL study.


Men's Prayer Breakfast - All men are invited to join us on Sunday Morning, July 8th @ 8:30 AM for the Men's Prayer Breakfast


YOUTH Camp - "FLIPSIDE" - this year's Youth Camp will be held July 8-13.  Any questions see Pastor Drew.


KID'S Camp - Sr. High - July 22-25 & Jr. High - July 25-27.  Any questions see Phyllis Howard

What fathers do

Photo Credit: Andrea Ward

In honor of Father's Day and the sermon we heard on Sunday and read on Wednesday, I asked our youth something they love or respect about their father.  Some answers are goofy and some are serious.  They all reflect what we heard or read in the sermon.  Kids notice when dads use their words, their time, and their lives for them.

Dads listen to some of these responses and think about the time you are spending with your kids, think about the words you are using with your kids, and think about how you are using your lives for the betterment of your kids.

What do you love and/or respect about your dad?

He listens to my problems.
He's always there for me by listening to my problems.
He's great at playing golf and has excited leadership.
He's always there to talk to me and listen to me.
He brings me to church and to youth group.
He's always happy and nice to people.
He has quiet leadership.
He loves me very much.  I know because he helps me wash dishes.
He is the Christian leader of our house.
He is not bald, so I get to keep my hair.

I want to be just like you, DAD

Judges 2:6-12
Romans 1:28-32

Sermon: June 17, 2012
Pastor Scott

How Can We Win The War For Our Children?

With our words
"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children."  Deuteronomy 6:6-7

With our time
"Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:7-9

With your lives
"Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.  For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just." Genesis 18:18-19

Speaking of Amaziah: "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD... In everything he followed the example of his father Joash." 2 Kings 14:3

Announcements 6-17-12

District Conference Opening Rally - "Back To The Future" -  Please join us for this special service as we revisit our heritage and discover how our priorities for the furture are connected to the sacrifice of those who have gone before us.  Dr. Bob Black will share events that are of specific interest to our District.  The service will feature several clips from important leaders and important times and music will be interwoven throughout the eventing. The Opening Rally is TOMORROW, Monday, June 18th, at 7:30 PM at the Hickory Metro Convention Center and ALL are invited to attend.


Prayer List - If you have a name to be added to our Prayer List, please place the name in the Prayer Box on the table outside the Nursery.  Names may be added to the Prayer List at any time.  Please note that names in the "OTHERS" category will be taken off the first Sunday of each month unless you indicate you want them to remain on the list. 



SRWC Youth Fundraiser - The SRWC Youth will be having a Spaghetti Supper this WEDNESDAY, June 20 @ 6:00 pm.  The meal will be on a donation basis and the funds raised will be used to send our youth to the Wesleyan Youth Convention in Louisville, KY in December.


ZUMBA Excercise Night -  THIS Thursday, June 21st @ 7:00pm


Open Arms Food Pantry Meeting - There will be a meeting for the Open Arms Food Pantry NEXT Sunday, June 24th @ 4:00 pm.


  Coming in JULY to Pastor Scott's Sunday School Class.  Make your plans now to be a part of this TRANSFORMATIONAL study.

Thank you to ALL who served, brought a child, and prayed for our Vacation Bible School so it would be the great success that is was!!

Growing in Grace

Photo Credit:  Andrea Ward


I have been learning a lot about grace recently.  The things that I keep coming back to are the scope and sufficiency of God's grace.  It knows no limits and is always enough.  How is that possible?  No matter what I do His grace is big enough to cover it.  No matter how far I run His grace is there waiting for me.  I sit and try to wrap my mind around that and I can't.  I can't fathom how God loves me that much to give me that much grace.  Although I don't understand it, it is there and those facts are true.  They are not based on my understanding or belief.  

However as a believer, grace is like oxygen to me.  Or it should be.  I should be growing in grace.  I should be slowly understanding it more.  I should be giving it more.  I should be accepting it more.  That is a pretty tall order, but we don't grow overnight.  We grow a little bit day by day.  That's how growing in grace should be.  I should be understanding it a little more every day.  I should be giving it a little more each day.  I should be accepting it a little more each day.  

I will be honest and say that some days are better than others.  Some days I'm not growing.  Some days I'm shrinking, but those days don't go on forever.  I do come back to God and receive more grace.  The learning starts all over again.  

Are you growing in grace?  Is it oxygen to you?

Wrapped in Grace

Titus 2:11-14

Sermon: June 3, 2012
Pastor Charles

Due to Homecoming on June 10, we have no sermon notes from this week.

The apostle Paul wrote more about grace than any other.  He mentioned 'grace' more than 20 times.

1. Some Basics of Grace
       Defined: God's love in action toward men who merited the opposite of love.
      Isaiah 30:18 'Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he raises to show you compassion.'

•      God is gracious because he is our creator
•      God is gracious because he is our Heavenly Father
•      God is gracious because he is Love

A.  The strength of grace is Salvation

B.  The source of grace is the Heart of God.

C.  The scope of God's Grace Knows No Limits

D.  The sufficiency of God's Grace is always enough

2.  The Need For Grace

       If we are a believer, you survive on grace.

       If you are an unbeliever, grace has kept you from going into eternity before now.

3.  The Believer's Relationship To Grace

       Romans 5:2; Romans 6:14: 2 Corinthians 9:8; 2 Timothy 2:1

APPLICATION

• For the believer - Always remember the abundance of God's grace belongs to you.  Ephesians 2:8-10.
• For the unbeliever - Grace for you gives you the opportunity to call on God for salvation before it's eternally too late.  

Announcements June 10, 2012

You're a Blessing The flowers in the sanctuary this morning are placed there to thank our "Praying Church" and to praise our Heavenly Father for answering those prayers.  When John was first hospitalized, he had Stage 3 lymphoma and is now diagnosed as CANCER-FREE.  His doctor calls him "Lazarus" and we BELIEVE IN MIRACLES! We also appreciated the pastoral visits, cards, and calls that came just at the time they were most needed.  Blessings to all, the Mowrey family.


District Conference - The NC West District Conference will be held on June 18-20 at the Hickory Metro Convention Center.  Make your plans now to join us for the Opening Rally on Monday, June 18th for a special "Heritage" program filles with special singers and a time of reflecting on the past years of our District and what the future holds.


Communion Stewards - Pastor Scott is in need of three to four people who would be willing to prepare Communion for the District Conference on Tuesday morning, June 19th.  If you can help please see Pastor Scott.

Church Calendars -  The JUNE Prayer calendars are now available on the table in front of the Nursery.


Prayer List - If you have a name to be added to our Prayer List, please place the name in the Prayer Box on the table outside the Nursery.  Names may be added to the Prayer List at any time.  Please note that names in the "OTHERS" category will be taken off the first Sunday of each month unless you indicate you want them to remain on the list. 

Items needed for the Open Arms Food Pantry- Please remember to bring food items on a regular basis so we can continue to be a blessing to those in need.  Currently we are in need of the following items: Dry Spaghetti, Quick Oats (plain oatmeal), Powdered Milk, Canned Meats, Peanut Butter, Fruit Bars, Pasta Sauce, & Canned Tomatoes.


Open Arms Food Pantry STATS for MAY -
Total Families Helped:                 9
Total # of People Helped:             23
Food Distributed:                        286.7 Pounds
Total Amount of Food Received:   207.2 Pounds
          Church:                              134 Pounds
          Girl Scouts:                        42.4 Pounds
          Clyde Campbell School:      30.8 Pounds


Vacation Bible School - Please mark your calendars for June 11th - 15th from 6pm-8pm.  We need:  Your Prayers for God to prepare the hearts of the children & workers so we'll all be ready and willing to listen as he speaks to us, that He will give us the wisdom we need as we prepare for everything, that He will provide for all our needs, and that He will be glorified as we unite to share His truth.  Your Help If you can help during VBS on any day, please let Phyllis or Patty know.  Flyers are in the foyer for you to begin giving out.  Please invite your family, friends, neighbors, and any other child you know to come.  Registration forms are available as well.

Announcements June 3, 2012

Homecoming - Our annual Homecoming will be on Sunday, June 10th.  Invite others to come and join us on this special day.  The gospel group - The Good News Trio - will be with us and will minister to us during the Morning Worship hour.  We will have lunch together after service, so bring your covered dishes and stay and eat with us.  Check out The Good News Trio at http://www.goodnewsmusiconline.com/ 

District Conference - The NC West District Conference will be held on June 18-20 at the Hickory Metro Convention Center.  Make your plans now to join us for the Opening Rally on Monday, June 18th for a special "Heritage" program filles with special singers and a time of reflecting on the past years of our District and what the future holds.


Communion Stewards - Pastor Scott is in need of three to four people who would be willing to prepare Communion for the District Conference on Tuesday morning, June 19th.  If you can help please see Pastor Scott.

Church Calendars -  The JUNE Prayer calendars are now available on the table in front of the Nursery.
Prayer List - If you have a name to be added to our Prayer List, please place the name in the Prayer Box on the table outside the Nursery.  Names may be added to the Prayer List at any time.  Please note that names in the "OTHERS" category will be taken off the first Sunday of each month unless you indicate you want them to remain on the list. 

Items needed for the Open Arms Food Pantry- The community is becoming familiar with our Open Arms Food Pantry.  March has been our busiest month.  Please remember to bring food items on a regular basis so we can continue to be a blessing to those in need.  Currently we are in need of the following items: Dry Spaghetti, Quick Oats (plain oatmeal), Powdered Milk, Canned Meats, Peanut Butter, Fruit Bars, Pasta Sauce, & Canned Tomatoes.

Zumba Exercise Night- Thursday, June 7 @ 7:00 PM.

Vacation Bible School - Please mark your calendars for June 11th - 15th from 6pm-8pm.  We need:  Your Prayers for God to prepare the hearts of the children & workers so we'll all be ready and willing to listen as he speaks to us, that He will give us the wisdom we need as we prepare for everything, that He will provide for all our needs, and that He will be glorified as we unite to share His truth.  Your Help If you can help during VBS on any day, please let Phyllis or Patty know.  Flyers are in the foyer for you to begin giving out.  Please invite your family, friends, neighbors, and any other child you know to come.  Registration forms are available as well.

Announcements May 27, 2012

Chruch Barbeque- Thank You to ALL who helped with our BBQ!  We raised a little over $10,000 which is wonderful considering the obstacles we faced (This is a HOLIDAY week-end and many are out of town).  The Lord was good to us as usual and for that we are very THANKFUL!

Church Yard Sale - The $1,000 raised at the Yard Sale last week will be split between three local ministries: Pregnancy Care Center, Christian Cooperative Ministries, and Sipes Orchard Home.


Homecoming - Our annual Homecoming will be on Sunday, June 10th.  Invite others to come and join us on this special day.


Prayer List - If you have a name to be added to our Prayer List, please place the name in the Prayer Box on the table outside the Nursery.  Names may be added to the Prayer List at any time.  Please note that names in the "OTHERS" category will be taken off the first Sunday of each month unless you indicate you want them to remain on the list.


Items needed for the Open Arms Food Pantry- The community is becoming familiar with our Open Arms Food Pantry.  March has been our busiest month.  Please remember to bring food items on a regular basis so we can continue to be a blessing to those in need.  Currently we are in need of the following items: Dry Spaghetti, Quick Oats (plain oatmeal), Powdered Milk, Canned Meats, Peanut Butter, Fruit Bars, Pasta Sauce, & Canned Tomatoes.

Zumba Exercise Night- Thursday, May 31 @ 7:00 PM.

Vacation Bible School - Please mark your calendars for June 11th - 15th from 6pm-8pm.  We need:  Your Prayers for God to prepare the hearts of the children & workers so we'll all be ready and willing to listen as he speaks to us, that He will give us the wisdom we need as we prepare for everything, that He will provide for all our needs, and that He will be glorified as we unite to share His truth.  Your Help If you can help during VBS on any day, please let Phyllis or Patty know.  Flyers are in the foyer for you to begin giving out.  Please invite your family, friends, neighbors, and any other child you know to come.  Registration forms are available as well.