Sunday is Coming, and Spring is inching closer!
There are many signs of spring in Pennsylvania—the days are getting longer, the rain is making the grass turn green, and daffodils are starting to bloom!
In our house, we have another sign of spring: Shelly the Turtle is waking up from hibernation!
I’ve had Shelly as a pet since I was in 8th grade. Every winter, she stops eating, slows down, and spends most of her time sleeping in the muck at the bottom of her tank. In the wild, turtles bury themselves in the mud away from the frost, conserving their energy, waiting for warmer weather when energy from the sun and food is more abundant. Even though she is in a warm house, our turtle still hibernates, and becomes so inactive that we often check on her to make sure she’s still alive and not dead.
This house-turtle has lived in captivity for nearly 30 years and could have access to food everyday, but she still feels the need to hibernate.
She also knows when to wake again! Her God-given instincts tell her body when to stop sleeping and stop conserving energy, and awaken to the abundant new life of Spring!
In a similar way, God’s Holy Spirit awakens new life within all who believe in Jesus!
Yet, often we might still find ourselves in a state of “Spiritual Hibernation” even though we have access to the power of the Spirit.
-Sometimes we feel dead, lifeless, or buried in the mud & messiness of sin or despair.
-Sometimes we conserve our energy, avoiding putting too much effort into our faith, or fearful of not having enough… even making excuses.
-Sometimes we hide away from the light—just ‘sleeping’ life away, or ‘sleepwalking’—merely going through the motions.
How can we “wake up” to the new life that is ours in Christ Jesus?
In the same way that SPRING brings new life and awakens hibernating reptiles, the Holy Spirit has come, and can bring new life for believers, calling us to actively enjoy the beauty that is unfolding around us according to God’s Purposes!
This week we will continue examining Romans 8, which tells us all about the assurance that we have for New Life through Jesus, and the way it grows within us by His Holy Spirit.
Paul says,
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death… 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”
--Romans 8:1-2, 10-11
According to Paul, the Holy Spirit of Life who raised Jesus from the dead can also awaken in us the power to:
· Promote Life instead of Death
· Work for Freedom instead of Slavery
· Enforce Jesus’ New Law of Love, rather than the Old law of condemnation
· Focus in the work of the Spirit rather than focusing on ourselves
Like a new pair of glasses, when we view the world through the lens of the Holy Spirit, we can see how our relationships, our workplaces, our schools, and our communities are all full of opportunities to celebrate the life-giving power of Jesus here and now!
In Paul’s own words from Romans 8:6, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
This Sunday
*Don’t forget to move your clocks forward an hour this Saturday Evening!
At least our phones and smart watches take care of some of that for us now…
To help you prepare your hearts for worship this week, check out the songs we plan to sing together:
8:30 –The choir will lead us in step with the Spirit towards praising our Savior with a variety of Hymns:
345 - What a Wonderful Savior
503 - Since Jesus Came into My Heart
502 - In My Heart There Rings a Melody
389 - Spirit of the Living God
11:00 –The Contemporary Worship team will share some songs exalting God for who He is and what he has done:
In Tenderness
Blessed be Your Name
Revelation Song
You are My Vision
**Got any song requests?
Feel free to reply to this email with songs that you love, and our worship leaders will consider adding those to an upcoming worship time!
(Watch for song request forms in the Gathering Place soon!)
Jon has put together a Spotify playlist featuring a variety of songs we sing on Sundays at 11:00. Enjoy!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7E8YRF1NCIGbFoMNYNPn9K?si=ZivXqX5MRWe3nIDG1nx_qw&pi=u-Y90v2ygGSTKK
Upcoming Opportunities
You are all invited to our first Fellowship Meal in the newly renovated Cross Roads Station fellowship hall!
It will take place on Sunday, March 17, at 12:15 (following the 11:00 worship service). We will be providing baked spaghetti, garlic bread, and drinks, and we will invite each family to bring a salad or desert. Sign Up sheets are located in Sunday School classes and around the building to RSVP for planning purposes. Please RSVP by this Sunday, March 10! You can also RSVP to this email, or contact secretary@shipfcog.org.
The annual Good Friday Luncheon provided to Senior Citizens (60+) by the Busch Trust Fund will be taking place in the Cross Roads Station fellowship hall on March 29 at Noon. Sign-up sheets are located in the Sunday School classes. Please RSVP by March 22 for planning purposes.
Children & Youth
- Our children’s ministry is preparing some special Easter activities for kids and families on Saturday, March 23 from 6:00-8:00pm. Families are invited to join us in the Lower Level for an Egg Hunt and some other easter-themed games and activities!
- Our Youth Retreat is taking place at Camp YoliJwa this weekend! 19 students and 4 adult leaders from our church family will be joining with more teens and adults from the Greenvillage COG on Friday evening till Sunday. Please keep them in your prayers!
Let us embrace life and peace from Jesus today, and see the world as the Holy Spirit sees it!
Pastor Rodney Bistline
Shippensburg First Church of God
seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org
Helpful Links:
Online Messages (shipfcog.org)
Care Groups & Sunday School Classes
*Weather Alerts/ Schedule Changes (shipfcog.org)*
Weekly Order of Worship and FYI Newsletter (updated over the weekend)
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