Tuesday Memo

Hi Five Oakers, Here are most of the comments and questions from the Communication Cards:

// Great message today, Henry!

// Wow Henry – so good! Great example of law vs. promise.  (Wow, God! This was a tough one.)

// Great sermon.

// The treadmill analogy was very clear. Thanks. It does not repair me, only God can. (That illustration was courtesy of Simon Manchester, a pastor in Australia.)

// Putting the spotlight on the cross during the singing was awesome.

Great examples to illustrate these points today, Henry! Story of God for pre-teens and teens? This format of breaking down the Bible into key messages would be PERFECT for 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders. Would be great for K – 6 kids to learn the pictures of the story and then each year kids go deeper into the Story of God.  (Great idea. It's something I'd like to do one of these days. Lois did it this year with her 5th-6th graders on Saturday and we might see it used more widely next school year.)

// Tim summed up our faith with his first announcement. How we have nothing of worth. Only Christ, allows us access. Let just have an altar call after the wonderful praise songs!

// Thank you Henry for this series. I am loving going deeper into the doctrine.

// Great message of salvation and explanation, how the law fits in!

// Sweet pictures of example to “see” works/law and faith. Exactly what we are studying in BSF Colossians – Saul/Paul is an amazing messenger of the Gospel message.

// What year did we move from Lake Jr. High?  [2002]

// Thank you so much for the Mother’s Day photo! What a treat! [SO well done. Thank you Davon Dong and team!]

Blessings, Pastor Henry

One More Thing

Hi Five Oakers, The weekend’s coming and there are a few things I don’t want you to miss:

The Weekend

Pick up your 8x10 Mother's Day pictures this weekend.

If you feel no one gets you, God does. If you feel like a square peg in a round hole world, God has shaped you to fit in perfectly with his family. If you feel like no one wants you, especially God, he wants you more than anyone. He has redeemed you, no matter what you've done. Those are only some of the implications of what Paul says in Galatians 3:15-25, our passage for this weekend. I'm looking forward to see you.

FYI

Sam Allberry on "Same-Sex Attraction in the Church"

Pastors as well as church members need to know that homosexuality is not just a political issue but a personal one, and that there will likely be some within their own church family for whom it is a painful struggle. When the issue comes up in the life of the church, it needs to be recognised that this is an issue Christians wrestle with too, and that the church needs to be ready and equipped to walk alongside such brothers and sisters.

N.D. Wilson on "Lighten Up, Christians: God Loves a Good Time"

Challenging ourselves to embrace the sense of fun infused in this world.

 One More Thing

Here’s a prayer I’ve been planted on for a couple of weeks. It’s from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Here’s an abridged version of it. You might consider praying it each morning for the next week.

"Morning"
Compassionate LORD,
Thy mercies have brought me 
    to the dawn of another day,
Vain will be its gift unless 
    I grow in grace,
  increase in knowledge,
  ripen for spiritual harvest.
Let me this day know thee
    as thou art,
  love thee supremely,
  serve thee wholly,
  admire thee fully.
Through grace let my will 
    respond to thee,
Knowing that power to obey 
    is not in me, but
  that thy free love alone 
    enables me to serve thee.
Here then is my empty heart…
Here is my blind understanding…
O ever watchful Shepherd,
  lead, guide, tend me this day…

Blessings to you all, Pastor Henry