This! Agreed! Amen! SFCOG update for 9-3

Sunday is Coming, and you don’t want to miss “This!”

 

 

How many times in your life have you found yourself struggling to find the right words?

Maybe in a social gathering… asking someone out on a date… filling out a greeting card for a special occasion… talking to someone facing a difficult circumstance… ?

 

This weekend we will begin a new series on Prayer. Prayer can be another situation where sometimes we struggle to find the right words. Often times in life, we all have moments where we are not sure what to say when pray.

 

Have you noticed that in our increasingly connected world, communication seems to have gotten harder, not easier? This seems to affect our prayer lives as well.

 

There are many common cliché responses seen online when reading social media conversations. Sometimes to agree with what someone else has said, rather than crafting a new response, it’s easier to just type one word—“This.”

 

In short, it’s kinda like saying “Amen.”

 

Still confused? So was a user on Reddit who asked in the r/help forum “What does it mean when people type ‘This’?” one helpful commenter replied: “It basically just means that they agree with what the other person said. It’s a low effort, completely unnecessary comment…”                                                                                                              

And then, unsurprisingly, a whole bunch of other users commented… “This”

 

Perhaps the very fact that this needs to be explained --with pictures-- shows how convoluted communication can become!

 

Uncertain. Confusing. Frustrating… But maybe this is indeed how we feel when we come to God in prayer at times also. Sometimes we think we need to have the “right words” when we pray. Maybe there are times when we aren’t sure how to pray…

But you know what? That is Okay! You’re not alone in feeling this way, and God meets us right where we are!

 

Far from cliché, often the best thing we can do in prayer is to simply say “amen” and agree with and repeat what Our Lord has already said.

 

And fortunately for us, Jesus our Lord and Teacher, gave us some clear instructions about prayer. Over the next few weeks, we are going to study His words about prayer found in the Sermon on the Mount… Guess what? They’re quite short and sweet. You probably already know this. And take note of how he starts: “This…”

             

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

-Matthew 6:9-13

 

May we see that Prayer is not merely about words, but about a relationship with a Creator who wants to know us, and loves us as a perfect Father!

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

-Matthew 6:8

 

Amen

 

 

Take note of some very important events happening this week and next:

 

• This Sunday (September 3) is our “Get Connected” class. If you would like to learn more about our church and the small group ministries and Sunday School classes that we offer, this is a great way to do that. Get Connected meets on the 1st Sunday of every month at 9:45 in room 206 behind the balcony.

 

• Our Church Picnic is happening next week! On Sunday, September 10, we will not be in the sanctuary (or online) but we will be out in the community at Memorial Park. We will have a combined worship service at 10:00am, followed by a picnic lunch and some followship opportunities, including a Corn Hole Tournament! Please RSVP for the Picnic by signing up in your Sunday School classroom or in the Gathering Place, or by calling the Church office (717-532-8421). If you want to participate in the cornhole tournament, be sure to register when you RSVP.

 

 

Here is another opportunity to learn and grow with your Church Family as we consider some more words from our Savior & Lord:

 

 

Did you know that the term "Savior" focuses on what God has done for us, and the term "Lord" focuses on what we will do for Him?

Find out more at "The Commands of Messiah" seminar taught by Dr. Arnie Fleagle from Aim High Ministries. The Friday night session on September 22nd, will be from 6:30 pm. until 8:30 pm. The Saturday morning session on September 23rd will be held from 8:30 am. to 12 Noon.

*The event is FREE for everyone, but to help with preparations, please Register by signing up in your Sunday School room or the Gathering Place, or by calling the Church office at 717-532-8421.

Dr. Fleagle will also preach the message, "The Now But Not Yet Kingdom," at both services on Sunday, September 24th.

 

 

Have a great weekend! I look forward to worshipping and praying with you all very soon!

 

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org

 

 

Helpful Links:

Website (shipfcog.org)

Online Messages (shipfcog.org)

Online Giving (shipfcog.org)

Care Groups & Sunday School Classes

 

Weekly Order of Worship and FYI Newsletter (updated over the weekend)

shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/shipnews/index.html

 

Houses and Gardens - SFCOG update for 8/27

Sunday’s Coming, but today is the first day of school here in SASD!

 

 

This morning I had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with some neighbors as we were seeing our children off to school.

Last week, Tony and Bethany Massara did a great job helping us to prayerfully reflect on children, educators, the back-to-school season, and how we call all be good students and teachers in our faith. We also had the chance to pray for the upcoming school year.

 

Central to all of this is the reminder that as a church and as individual Christians, we must seek the wellbeing of our neighbors in our community, as God instructs His people in Jeremiah 29. We want to be in prayer for and to work intentionally towards making Shippensburg a better place for all people. Maybe this can be seen most clearly when we consider the next generation.

 

Among the many wonderful things about children is that they help us consider the passage of time and the importance of planning for the future in a variety of ways. This can guide us as we set our priorities in line with God’s plans. Jeremiah 29:4-7 reads,

 

4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

 

These words remind us to “build houses” and “plant gardens” –two very important directives that are symbolic and practical commands for the people of God today as well. Houses and Gardens emphasize the need for long-lasting ways to make the world a better place for the “sons and daughters” who will come after us. Even more directly, God reminds His people to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city,” and to “Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

 

Remember, God was telling the people exiled from Jerusalem to pray for and seek the peace and prosperity of Babylon—the city of their enemy captors. I believe we can apply the same principle to the world we find ourselves in today, with all of it’s merits and flaws.

 

In what ways do we Seek the peace and prosperity of Shippensburg?

How often and earnestly do we pray to the Lord on behalf of our neighbors in the community?

 

Remember also, that Jesus directed us to “love our neighbor as ourselves” and even went to the fullest extent to model this for his followers. There is a popular paraphrase of John 1:14 in The MSG that gives us another beautiful image of how Jesus exemplified this:

“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”

 

Let’s get involved with our neighborhoods, pray for our community, and continually ask God to open our eyes to see His Plans to prosper our neighbors and the next generation!

 

Here are a few ways that can help us to do that:

 

• Support the Corn Festival this Saturday! As in past years, our parking lot will be the site of the annual Car Show!

 

• If you were not able to make it to the “Biblical View of Identity Seminar” 2 weeks ago, a recording of it will be shared in the sanctuary on Tuesday night (August 27) at 6:30

 

• Wednesday (August 30) at 6:30-8:00 our Community Night ministries resume! Our youth group will be meeting at the Southampton Township park on airport road, and our Children’s Awana program will kick off in the lower level. There are 3 adult Bible Studies to choose from as well.

 

• Next Sunday (September 3) is our “Get Connected” class. If you would like to learn more about our church and the small group ministries and Sunday School classes that we offer, this is a great way to do that. Get Connected meets on the 1st Sunday of every month at 9:45 in room 206 behind the balcony.

 

• Plan ahead for our Church Picnic happening in 2 weeks! On that Sunday, September 10, we will not be in the sanctuary but we will be out in the community at Memorial Park. We will have a combined worship service at 10:00am, followed by a picnic lunch and some followship opportunities, including a Corn Hole Tournament!

 

 

See you around the community!

 

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org

 

Helpful Links:

Website (shipfcog.org)

Online Messages (shipfcog.org)

Online Giving (shipfcog.org)

Care Groups & Sunday School Classes

 

Weekly Order of Worship and FYI Newsletter (updated over the weekend)

shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/shipnews/index.html

CGGC eNews--Maui Burns, but the Aloha Spirit Burns Brighter

Dear Family,

 

Below is an update we received this morning from Global Reach Churches of God General Conference.  This report contains oral and written information concerning the challenges the people of Maui are encountering.

 

The resilient people of Maui have come together to fight the elements and to support each other during this disaster.    Click on the following link to read the article and video from our missionaries, Pastor David and Kenda Kapaku.    https://cggc.org/cggc-enews/maui-burns-but-the-aloha-spirit-burns-brighter/?mc_cid=b5f145c22e&mc_eid=30cf5ec8c6   Our mailing address is: Global Reach, Churches of God General Conference, PO Box 926, Findlay, Ohio 45839

 For His Glory,

 

Pastor Gary

 

Pastor Gary

 

 

Gary Hornbaker

Shippensburg First Church of God

Pastor of Visitation and Discipleship

Church Phone: 717-532-8421

 

 

Sunday's Coming

Dear Family,

 

Please read the attached file for upcoming ministry.  So glad we can walk this journey of life together as we point people to Jesus!

 

Trust you have a great rest of the week!

 

 For His Glory,

 

Pastor Gary

 

Pastor Gary

 

 

Gary Hornbaker

Shippensburg First Church of God

Pastor of Visitation and Discipleship

Church Phone: 717-532-8421

 

Please pray!!!!!!!

Dear Family,

 

Please join us in praying for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and their families:

 

Lois Ann Glessner’s (Joy El missionary our church supports) 93-year-old mother passed away August 10.

 

Luke Perry (4 ½ year-old son of Aaron and Renae Perry) had a sleep study yesterday that did not go well, and he is in the hospital.

 

Randy Shenk’s heart cauterization was rescheduled from yesterday to early this morning.  He is in the York Hospital.

 

Staci Wickard was diagnosed yesterday with cancer.

 

“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”  Jeremiah 33:6

 

 For His Glory,

 

Pastor Gary

 

Pastor Gary

 

 

Gary Hornbaker

Shippensburg First Church of God

Pastor of Visitation and Discipleship

Church Phone: 717-532-8421

 

Hound Pack Food Drive

Church Family,

Each school year our church collects food items along with other area organizations to help the Shippensburg Community Resource Coalition (SCRC) put together “Hound Packs” for students in the Shippensburg Area School District who have food insecurities.  These packs include food items that are easy for students to make and eat at home. 

This year to get a head start on the school year, SCRC is having a food drive this Saturday, August 18^th from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.  Anyone who would like to help them get a head start can donate food items that are individually packaged (no glass), unexpired, and non-perishable.  Some examples of items they need are cans of soup, cans of pasta, oatmeal packets, cups of macaroni & cheese, fruit cups, granola bars, pudding cups, juice boxes, etc. 

To donate your items on Saturday, you can drive to their building located at 206 E Burd Street, park near their building (grey house w/ red door), and drop your items off on their front porch.  It’s that easy, but it is only a few days away! We are sending you this email so you don’t miss this opportunity if you would like to help.

Thanks,

Sonja on behalf of the Outreach Committee

 

Church Secretary

Sonja Shively

Shippensburg First Church of God

Email Secretary@shipfcog.org

Office Phone 717.532.8421

 

Word from our missionaries in Maui and an update

Dear Family,

 

Please pray for Randy Shenk who is being transported to York Hospital today for heart cautherization.

 

The following is from Ben Tobias, Churches of God Global Reach Director, and David and Kenda Kapaku, Churches of God missionaries in Maui, Hawaii.

 

The world was shocked last week to witness the sudden devastation from wildfires in Maui, Hawaii. We thank God that Pastor David and Kenda Kapaku were and are safe, but we also want to support their work as they reach out to their devastated neighbors through the ministry of Kahana Door of Faith Church. Please read this heart-felt letter from David [below] and give as the Lord directs.

Thank you,

Ben Tobias

CGGC-Global Reach Director.

Subject: Maui Devastation Report from David Kapaku

Aloha! No— Greetings, Church, friends and family.

People on the west side of Maui are numb but moving forward. Time does not heal, but it is an essential part of the healing process. Trauma is an understatement. Chaos comes from a lack of Communication. Because there is no cell phone services, internet use, etc. church members are still in the dark about things. Everyone on the outside world is feeding news for people in Lahaina. And those news feed can be suspect.

We visited Kahana Door of Faith folks, the ones we were able to see. Traffic lights are out. Confusion on the roads. Those we saw are helped through family and community. The Hawaiian community and locals are pulling resources together to assist the needs of many in the area. Families from Moloka'i are bringing their boats full of supplies to the Kahana boat ramp to be distributed. No government involved, just community workers assessing and accessing resources. Those who had titles of leadership are nowhere to be found; and yet, those who lay dormant on the side have taken the leadership roles making things happen. As pastor, I'm proud of the Kahana community making sure people's needs are being met -regardless of race, religion, gender, etc. they are first human beings. The church is open for those displaced and in need of rest and shower.

Several church families have lost their residence. Some are still being accounted for due to no phone service and internet. As of August 14, about 100 people are dead, with around 1,000 still missing. Over 270 homes and businesses were destroyed. Several business people in the church lost their offices in the fire. Over thirteen churches and religious institutions are no more. About 40,000 tourists have been evacuated home or to Oahu within the last couple of days. Hawaiian Airlines and Southwest Airlines dropped their fares to $19 and added additional flights to the wee morning of 2am. United Airlines is bringing empty planes to haul tourists back. The world is responding to Maui. People all over the world is offering help and donating.

Governor Green, Mayor Bissen, and Senator Brian Schatz met on Maui, Lahaina area to assess the carnage. President Biden allocated federal resources to Maui.

On a personal note: This morning around 1:30am, I woke up, went to the living room, lit a candle to pray. Brothers and sisters, this is overwhelming. I wept. One cannot fathom the depth of this moment. Emotions down deep are surfacing. I tremble at the thought of this devastation. As I go through the morning, I stop and weep. Embracing change will be slow and painful. Priorities will shift. But the memories will be imprinted forever. The LORD is telling me I don't have to be strong; I just have to be transparent. And as people see through me, they will see the Christ in me.

Psalms 46 reads "God is our Refuge and Strength, an ever-present help in troubled times. Therefore, we will not fear..." Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego coming out of the fiery furnace, we too will emerge from this fiery debacle to glorify the LORD.

Pray for us, encourage us, as we share the aloha of Jesus Christ. Kahana Door of Faith's boots are on the ground.

Blessings.

Kahu (Pastor David Kapaku)

 

If you wish to donate support, you can use the following link:

cggc.shelbynextchms.com/external/form/37514670-68a7-4a97-9d79-b2283453b08e and submit your amount at the bottom of the page,

or mail in a check marked, "9085 Maui Disaster Relief" to Churches of God General Conference, P.O. Box 926, Findlay, OH 45839.

Thank you for your partnership!

 

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”  2 Corinthians 4:8-9

 

 For His Glory,

 

Pastor Gary

 

Pastor Gary

 

 

Gary Hornbaker

Shippensburg First Church of God

Pastor of Visitation and Discipleship

Church Phone: 717-532-8421

 

Please pray!

Dear Family,

 

Thank you for your prayers and support of our session this afternoon on the Biblical Worldview of Identity.  We had guests from four neighboring Churches of God.  Jomar did a fantastic job.

 

We plan to show the recording of the session in our church sanctuary at another date so those who wanted to attend but were not able to do so, can come and view her recorded presentation.  We strongly urge any youth or children’s workers to make it a priority to come and view the recording.

 

Please pray for Randy Shenk who has a heart catheterization tomorrow.

 

Trust we all have a great week ahead!

 

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”  Isaiah 40:29

 

 For His Glory,

 

Pastor Gary

 

Pastor Gary

 

 

Gary Hornbaker

Shippensburg First Church of God

Pastor of Visitation and Discipleship

Church Phone: 717-532-8421

 

SFCOG August Council Meeting Highlights

Hello Church Family,

 

“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart”

-Luke 6:45a NLT

 

This week, the Church Council meet together for our monthly meeting. We began with a devotional time (Luke 6:43-45) reflecting on how we have seen “good fruit” from our various ministries.

The list of praises included—

• The youth mission team and youth involvement in other areas of ministry
• Comradery between services and ministry teams
• Outreach events and opportunities
• New members and new volunteers, teachers, & helpers
• Bible School
• Prayer support for one another
• Cross Roads Station progress and giving
• And more!

 

A few other matters of business to highlight:

• Matters related to the nominating process for Fall elections were discussed and acted upon.
• An update about the ongoing building project in Cross Roads Station was shared.
• An update about the financial status of the Cross Roads Station project was shared, highlighting the generosity we have seen from so many of our worshippers. The project is about 68% funded. We are very encouraged and grateful, and certainly welcome additional support! Online Giving (shipfcog.org)

 

On behalf of the council, we truly appreciate the generous giving of your time and talents and finances as we seek to Love God, Love His Family, and Love our Neighbors! We are very optimistic about the state of Shippensburg First Church of God!

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org

 

Correction

Hi Again, Church Family!

 

Correction—Hayleigh Wall will be singing for us on August  20^th. This weekend Larry Kline will share a special number during the first service. We hope you enjoy these musical additions to our worship!

 

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org

 

What you Need to Hear... SFCOG update for 8/13

Sunday’s Coming, and as always, we’ve got News to Share!

 

 

“I’ve got Good News and Bad News”

—Has anybody ever told you that? And then asked you which you wanted to hear first? Which do you prefer?

 

Similar question-- Is it better for people to tell you what you want to hear, or what you need to hear?

Sometimes what we need to hear is not what makes us feel good in the moment, but it will certainly be more helpful for us in the long run.

 

However, sometimes in the difficult moments of life, it can be hard for us to look forward to a day when things could be better. It is sometimes hard to believe the Truth that God is in Control and He wants what is best for us, particularly when our present situation is not what we want…

 

When we consider God’s Plans, there’s an underlying question that we must consider-- Do we Trust God?

Do we TRUST in God’s PLANS for us? Do we Trust what His Word says regarding his plans for us?

 

The prophet Jeremiah delivered a message that was not what people in his day wanted to hear, but what they needed --it also contained a hopeful word for the long-term future, even though the short-term news was not good news.

 

This weekend, we will continue studying the letter that Jeremiah sent to the exiled people of God who were living in Babylon. Recall that the people of God were in a place where they did not want to be, and God sent them a message that they did not want to hear… but it is what they needed to hear, and it reminded them that better days were ahead, even if they couldn’t see it now, and even if they weren’t happy with where they were at the moment.

 

We all have to wrestle with that question from time to time—Do we trust God, even when things don’t go our way? Do we seek Him in the hardships and uncertainties of life? He wants to be found by us, and that’s Good News!

 

I hope you’ll join us this weekend in the sanctuary or online!

 

“I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

-Jeremiah 29:14

 

 

Here’s some more Good News:

 

We will have special music provided by Hayleigh Wall during both the 8:30 & 11:00 services this weekend.

 

This Sunday we will be hosting a Seminar for all Youth & Parents, ministry leaders who serve Children & Youth, and Anyone who would like to learn more about the Biblical View of Identity and how to care for people in a culture of confusion. The event is this Sunday, August 13 beginning at 2:00 PM in the Sanctuary. There will be a similar session for youth during their Sunday School time that morning. More information was put in church mailboxes and has been distributed by our Youth Ministry to parents. Feel free to ask myself or Pastor Gary for more details. The event will not be on our live stream, but it will be recorded and shared again in house at a later date.

Childcare will be available Sunday Afternoon, but please let us know if you will be bringing children so we can plan accordingly. You can reply to this email.

 

Next Sunday, August 20, we will have some opportunities to support our local teachers, administrators, and support staff as they prepare for a new school year. We will hear from two educators, Tony & Bethany Massara, during our Sunday morning services, and on Sunday evening at 6:00, we will also have a special time of prayer in the Annex.

 

Add the following to your calendar:

•                     August 22 – Trivia Night at University Grill at 7:00pm hosted by Pastor John Culbertson (outreach opportunity). Teams of up to six people can participate, or you can just come for the food (Taco Tuesday). Best to call the University Grill to make reservations – 717-530-1148

•                     August 30 – Community Night Resumes on Wednesday evenings, 6:30-8:00, with classes for all ages!

•                     September 10 – Combined Worship Service and Church Picnic at Memorial Park. This year we will include a Cornhole Tournament! See sign-up sheets in classrooms or in the Gathering Place.

•                     September 22-23 – “The Commands of Messiah” Seminar with Dr. Arnie Fleagle, Friday evening at 6:30 and Saturday morning 8:30-noon.

 

I look forward to worshipping with you soon!

 

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org

 

 

Helpful Links:

Website (shipfcog.org)

Online Messages (shipfcog.org)

Online Giving (shipfcog.org)

Care Groups & Sunday School Classes

 

Weekly Order of Worship and FYI Newsletter

(updated over the weekend)

shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/shipnews/index.html

 

 

 

Update

Dear Church family,

 

Thank you for praying for one another as we journey through what God has entrusted to us:

 

Darlene Bodkin’s insurance company approved the new chemo treatment.  She had her first treatment with this medicine last Friday and the next one will be this Friday.

Nancy Cramer is continuing her battle with cancer.

Carol Davis is recovering at home, still feeling fatigued.

Sharon Dick is home recovering following shoulder surgery on Tuesday.

Connie Heberlig will be receiving a port on Tuesday in preparation for her chemo treatments possibly starting on Wednesday.

Pat Hockensmith is home recovering following cancer surgery on Tuesday.

Joyce Hornbaker is home recovering following surgery on Monday.

Kaiden Rowe, son of Keith and Heather, has a medical test today.

Randy Shenk went to the hospital yesterday and will probably be there until at least Saturday.

Any others that you are aware of who need God’s healing touch.

 

Again, I say THANK YOU for walking with one another.

 

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

 

 For His Glory,

 

Pastor Gary

 

Pastor Gary

 

 

Gary Hornbaker

Shippensburg First Church of God

Pastor of Visitation and Discipleship

Church Phone: 717-532-8421

 

Special Music

https://youtu.be/GCGUD-4CKUw

Plans! SFCOG update for 8/6



Sunday is Coming, and we've got lots of things Planned for the future!

 

Have you ever wondered about God's Plan for your life? Do you have your own goals and dreams and plans?

 

I find the end of summer to be the time of year that I often stop to think about plans. As Fall approaches, it would seem that calendars start to fill up. Maybe your last few weeks of summer you try to pack in as much summer fun as possible: last minute vacations, afternoons at the pool, back to school shopping, home projects, etc… When Fall comes, our days and weekends may fill up with many other activities. Depending on our place in life, planning can take a lot of different forms during this time of year.

 

Sometimes in life we also face difficult seasons, like health struggles, searching for a job, or finding a new home. In those seasons, planning for doctors' appointments, job interviews, or meetings with realtors & bankers might dominate our schedules.

 

We've all got plans & schedules that we must manage & maintain, and things that we hope to look forward to.

I know here at Shippensburg First Church of God, we've got some exciting things planned—two important seminars, back to school Sunday, the return of community night, a church picnic, and an ongoing renovation project, just to name a few.

 

As we consider all the plans and schedules in our lives, there is one verse in particular that is often quoted related to this topic—Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

 

If you go to Hobby Lobby or shop online, you can find this printed on canvases, framed art, wall decals, stickers, pillows, coffee mugs, and more! Maybe you know that verse, or have it memorized… But do you know the context? Who was the Lord originally "declaring" this to through his prophet? What was going on in the world around the People of God at that time?

 

Over the next few weeks, we will take a deeper dive into the context of this influential verse.  It is a beautiful promise indeed, but as with any passage of scripture, it's meaning is best appreciated when you understand the whole story around it.  When we handle the Word of God, we must always consider context—the historical and spiritual setting.

 

We will see that this verse is indeed a promising and hopeful and optimistic message for the People of God—including you and me if we trust in Jesus—but it also carries with it some challenges and expectations, especially regarding how we use our time and fill our schedules and make our own plans! I'll look forward to considering all of this together in August!

 

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬

Here is some more information about some of those things we are planning--

 

• This Saturday, August 5, is the next Outreach hiking trip to the Abandoned Turnpike Tunnels. See the Gathering Place or your Sunday School classrooms for more information and to sign up. A group will meet at church parking lot at 9:00 am to carpool or caravan. Bring your friends & neighbors!

 

• This Sunday Morning, we will hear a report from our Youth Missions Team about their trip to Kentucky.
• They also wish to express their THANKS to all of you who supported them through prayer and financial giving as well!

 

• We will be hosting a Seminar for all Youth & Parents, ministry leaders who serve Children & Youth, and Anyone who would like to learn more about the Biblical View of Identity and how to care for people in a culture of confusion. This will be Sunday, August 13 beginning at 2:00 PM in the Sanctuary. There will be a similar session for youth during their Sunday School time that morning. More information was put in church mailboxes and has been distributed by our Youth Ministry to parents. Feel free to ask myself or Pastor Gary for more details.
• Childcare will be available Sunday Afternoon, but please let us know if you will be bringing children so we can plan accordingly. You can reply to this email. 

 

• On August 27th, we will include Child Dedication as part of our morning worship. If you would like to have any children in your family presented before the church as a part of this special prayer time, please reply to this email for more information, contact me at the office or on Sunday, or sign up in the Gathering Place.

 

• Save the date for the following:
• August 30 – Community Night Resumes on Wednesday evenings
• September 10 – Combined Worship Service and Church Picnic at Memorial Park
• September 22-23 – "The Commands of Messiah" Seminar with Dr. Arnie Fleagle

 

Whatever we're planning, may we Seek the Lord in all things! As the Lord reminds us in Jeremiah 29:12-13,

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

 

 

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org

 

 

Helpful Links:

Website (shipfcog.org)

Online Messages (shipfcog.org)

Online Giving (shipfcog.org)

Care Groups & Sunday School Classes

 

Weekly Order of Worship and FYI Newsletter

(updated over the weekend)

shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/shipnews/index.html