Shippensburg First Church Of God Blog Site: Who Are We? SFCOG updates for 5/5

Sunday is Coming!

We've had several children in our family compete in various sports, which means we've had many different uniforms over the years to keep everyone looking ready to play!

When athletes compete on a team, they put on a uniform so they all can be identified together.

What if everyone started adding extra layers of clothes over their team uniform? The team would be in Confusion! Teammates might start leading each other astray. The team would be more likely to lose the game.

In Galatians, Paul says Christians must be "Clothed with Christ" over top of everything, like putting on a uniform—

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you.

Galatians 3:26-29 (NLT)

A uniform conforms our identity to something bigger than ourselves (those in the military or law enforcement know this as well).

If we are followers of Jesus, then Christ must be the #1 identity shaping factor in our lives.

As unique individuals, with different spiritual gifts, passions, abilities, personalities, and experiences, our identity in Christ may be expressed in different ways, like different field positions on the team, or different events in the Olympic Games, but Christ should be the unifying factor and first priority at the center of our identity. We are all on the same team, wearing the same uniform. Everything else must be subordinate to Christ.

Consider for a moment:

Who are you? How do you introduce yourself? What's on your resume? What do you share on your social media profiles? Maybe:

Your job or occupation
Family
Where you live or where you're from
Where you went to Highschool or College
Hobbies, sports, & interests
Accomplishments
Your race or nationality
Other?

All of these things have meaning and value, but they must be secondary to our identity in Christ.

As we will see in Galatians, if we aren't careful, the things that make us unique can also become the things that divide us and cause us to stray from the "True Gospel" which says that all people can be saved by Faith alone through the Grace of God shown by the saving work of Jesus on the Cross.

This month we will be studying this somewhat 'feisty' letter that Paul wrote to Early Christians in the city of Galatia. It demonstrates Paul's own unique personality and passions, while addressing some very important truths about our own Identity in Christ.

Paul says believers are "children of God through faith in Christ Jesus." Like a uniform or a new pair of clothes, this is how we are to see ourselves and present ourselves to the world. The things that divide the world can be unified in Christ! Let all God's Children praise and worship him together, clothing ourselves in Christ, and freely inviting others onto the team & into the family by faith in Jesus and grace alone!

This Sunday

In addition to our regular tithes and offerings, you will have the opportunity to give towards the Busch Trust fund, which is a special memorial fund that helps senior citizens facing unforeseen needs. You can give at the end of either worship service, or use the special envelopes in your Sunday School classrooms.

8:30 –

O to Be Like Thee! #551

Whiter Than Snow #653

Change My Heart, O God #654

Take My Life and Let it Be Consecrated #597

Living for Jesus #605

11:00 –

God so Loved

Grace Alone

No Longer Slaves

This is Amazing Grace

Be sure to give a listen to our Contemporary Team Spotify playlist to prepare your hearts for worship:

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

Spring Congregational Meeting

May 5, 2024 at 6:00

Plan to join us this Sunday evening for a celebration of the growth we have been experiencing, a financial update, and a report on council actions since the November Congregation Meeting. The meeting agenda was posted on April 21, in accordance with our Constitution and Bylaws. Minutes and Agendas will be available in your church mailboxes this weekend and at the meeting.

Upcoming Opportunities

This Sunday we have our "Get Connected" class at 9:45 in the prayer room. This is a chance for you to learn about our Sunday School classes and small groups and other ways that you can find community here at Shippensburg First Church of God.

We are planning a Wild Game Dinner for Saturday, May 18 at 5:00 in Crossroads Station. This event is designed as a night of fellowship and outreach for sportsmen (and sportswomen) and will feature food from the field and a special presentation the by PA Trappers Association. Service opportunities are available if you'd be interested in helping, or would like to share some wild game dishes from your own hunting experiences. See the sign-up sheets in the Gathering Place or Sunday School Classrooms, or reply to this email for more info.

Photo Highlights

Children in worship following Camp Presentation

SHAPE Seminar team building "10 minute mission trip"

Communications Updates

The May edition of our "FYI" Newsletter is now available. Look for it at the Welcome Desk or in the center section of the Sanctuary.

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

Let us find our identity in Christ alone, who makes us one with God our Father, and unifies us with our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org