Shippensburg First Church Of God Blog Site: Love Songs

Sunday is Coming!

Have you ever tried to write a love song? I was never quite sure how to begin… It’s hard to get the words just right to express something as profound and important as love.

Our church mission statement is all about Love - “Loving God, Loving His family, & Loving Our Neighbors.”

Before we can properly see and love others, we must realize that we are seen and loved deeply by God.

This weekend, we will read Psalm 139 which is a wonderful description of God’s Love.

It is kind of like a “Reversed Love Song” –It’s not about how much the singer loves someone else, but how much someone loves them. That might sound a little self-centered, but David is singing about how much God loves him. We must remain God-focused, not self-focused, but it is so important to know how Much God loves us, so that we can allow the Love of God to overflow to others, as Jesus our Savior taught and modeled for us.

Psalm 139 is written in a way that you can put yourself into it. It is fitting to put yourself in David’s place. Consider these words today as a love song written to you, telling of our God who LOVES you so much!

Psalm 139

1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Which part stands out to you today? Pause and consider…

Recall that last week we learned that our God is El Roi, “the God who Sees.”

David declares in this poem that God’s Spirit sees us every waking and sleeping moment of the day and night. God sees us every day, from even before we were born, and every day is already known by God, as if it were scripted out. God’s thoughts about us outnumber the sand on the seashore! God knows us inside and out, he knows our thoughts, and knows what we will say before we say it. He searches us. God goes before and behind. There is nowhere that we can go where God cannot see us. No height nor depth where we can’t be found. No darkness that can hide us from his sight.

These thoughts can be a comfort to those in trouble and in need of God’s Help, but also cause conviction to those who would be tempted to create trouble, or do anything in disobedience to God’s Will.

But perhaps the greatest hope is that even though God’s Spirit can see our hearts and know our thoughts, God still Loves us! The full poem of Psalm 139 (when considered in light of the teachings of Jesus) alludes to how we can see and love others more clearly as Jesus redefines concepts like:

-Enemy

-Neighbor

-Family

The end of Psalm 139 summarizes a wonderful response as we strive to “Love God, Love His Family, and Love Our Neighbors”--

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

This Sunday

Both services will have a brief update about Camp Joy El by Elijah Shively. Elijah will also be installed as a church member!

8:30 –We will Praise our God in Spirit with a variety of Hymns:

794 Let All Things Now Living

382 Come Holy Spirit

392 Holy Spirit, Light Divine

657 Cleanse Me

Our prelude will include an extended time of Harp & Violin music by Anita & Kristin.

11:00 –We will Magnify our Savior with some favorite songs:

Indescribable

Waymaker

How Good is He

Christ be Magnified

Contemporary Team Spotify playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7E8YRF1NCIGbFoMNYNPn9K?si=ZivXqX5MRWe3nIDG1nx_qw&pi=u-Y90v2ygGSTKK

This Week

Saturday morning, April 20^th, from 8:30-12:00, we will be hosting the Kiwanis Club’s Pancake Breakfast (8:30-10:30 in Crossroads Station) and Bike Rodeo (10:30-12:00 in our Parking Lot). This event is for the benefit of Children of our Community. Proceeds from the Pancake Breakfast will allow the Kiwanis Club to continue their efforts to support local children in various ways, and the Bike Rodeo, provided in partnership with the PA State Police, will feature a bicycle obstacle course and safety instructions for children 4-13 years old. Free books and other giveaways will also be available. Pancake Breakfast is $10 at the door.

Our CGGC Eastern Regional Conference annual meeting is being held on Monday & Tuesday (Staff and office Availability subject to change).

On Monday, April 22 at 7:30pm, we will be hosting a concert for the Shippensburg University Concert Choir and Madrigal singers. Come out for a great night of music and to help us show some Christian love and hospitality to our local university students.

Wednesday April 24 is our Community Night closing program. Even if you haven’t been able to come throughout the year, this will be a good time to celebrate and hear what God has been doing through these ministries!

Spring Congregational Meeting

May 5, 2024 at 6:00

Plan to join us for a celebration of the growth we have been experiencing, a financial update, and a report on council actions since the November Congregation Meeting. Any items to be brought to the meeting from the congregation should please be given to President Troy Shively for consideration by April 17. The meeting agenda will be posted by April 21, in accordance with our Constitution and Bylaws.

Upcoming Opportunities

Even though Community Night is ending, there are a lot of opportunities to stay connected through our Sunday School Classes, Bible Studies, and Care Groups. Our youth will be meeting in some different ways, and our Children’s Ministry is already looking ahead to VBS in July 23-27. See the FYI newsletter for more information about many of these activities.

On 4 Wednesday evenings in May (beginning May 1), we will be holding a special seminar to help you discover your SHAPE! SHAPE is an acronym for Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. This special 4-part class will help participants learn how God has uniquely designed each of us to serve the world for his purposes! Sign-up sheets are located around the building. We are hoping to learn if childcare would be beneficial to provide, and are looking to line up some people who may be willing to serve in this way. Feel free to respond to this email if you are interested in participating in any way or have any questions.

The Monday Night Men’s Bible Study will not meet on April 22, but when it resumes on April 29^th, they will begin a new study on sharing your faith: "Tactics: A Guide to Effectively Discussing Your Christian Convictions." Here is a brief intro video: click here. All men are welcome to attend.

The Ladies in Step Bible Study has a number of activities planned for every other Wednesday Evening in June and July, beginning June 5^th at 6:30-8:00 in the Annex. All ladies are welcome to attend.

Communications Update!

Our weekly and monthly communication methods have been updated!

We are returning to a weekly bulletin that lists the worship songs for both services each Sunday, some helpful information to help you stay connected, and brief announcements for the week.

The “FYI Newsletter” has been a weekly printed publication, but we will be switching this to a monthly format and expanding it slightly. The first monthly edition for April is available now.

If you have information you would like to communicate, communication request forms are available from the church office or in the Gathering Place.

Look for both of these resources at the Welcome Desk or in the center section of the Sanctuary. The weekly bulletin will also be available online.