Shippensburg First Church Of God Blog Site: The tremendous kicking force of an 8-year-old

Sunday is Coming!

This is being sent a day early, since I have the opportunity to attend the Global Leadership Summit tomorrow.

Our daughter, Ella, loves sports, and anytime she gets interested in a new sport, she wants to get new gear. About a year ago, she got excited about football, so she wanted a kicking tee. Her big brother, Joel, has a 3D printer, and he was happy to produce one for her!

However, there’s a problem with 3D-printed football kicking tees that are made out of lightweight PLA plastic: they are not engineered to handle the tremendous kicking force of an 8-yr-old. Ella’s Kicking Tee lacked structural integrity, so it broke on the first kick…

“Structural integrity is the ability of an item—either a structural component or a structure consisting of many components—to hold together under a load, including its own weight, without breaking or deforming excessively.”

-- Wikipedia

With all structures, the strength of the whole thing depends on the integrity of its many parts.

The same may be true when it comes to organizations made up of of many people.

When building a strong Christian Community, we want the whole church to be strong, but this requires individual people with personal integrity. This weekend we will conclude our study of integrity as we will reflect on the “small” parts we each play as individuals within some of these “big” issues—remembering that the small parts are essential to the whole.

In recent years, we’ve seen that many churches have faced some “structural failures” or “breakdowns” as they face the pressures of our modern world (SFCOG has had our own share of troubles in the past). Across our country, worship attendance numbers have been in decline, public opinion of the Church in America is dropping, and scandals have spoiled the public witness of the Church.

But the church is not alone: In our world today, many institutions seem to be breaking down, partly because they’ve lost integrity. This includes government agencies, schools, healthcare systems, news media, and so on.

In some cases, maybe these institutions have gotten too big and too complicated; in other cases, key components (such as leaders) have been compromised, and so the systems start to fail…

I am reminded of some words of the prophet Isaiah which are echoed in the Psalms, then quoted in Hebrews 1:10-12 in reference to Jesus: “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.”

The things of this world (including its nations & institutions) will wear out, but the things of God and His Kingdom will persist. As followers of Jesus, let us remember that we must be building for eternity, not for what is temporary. “Structural Integrity” is different when you are building for eternity and not focused on temporary things…

Jesus taught that Structural Integrity in God’s Kingdom is built on Service & Submission, not Power & Privilege.

As we’ve seen in this series: God’s Order is different than the world’s order. When comparing his disciples to the leaders of the world, Jesus says in Matthew 20:26-28,

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Followers of Jesus must follow the Way of Jesus—the way of service, submission, and even self-sacrifice. With this in mind, Paul shares with Titus a new way of viewing our place in the world as Christians. He says in Titus 3:1-2,

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.”

Paul is saying that when Christians submit to authority and live peaceable, considerate, and gentle lives, we reflect and re-present Christ to the world, which ultimately points to the Eternal Reign of God the Father. Submission finds its clearest meaning in the example of Christ, who submitted Himself even to death for the sake of others.

To put it another way, when we live lives of personal integrity within the structures and systems of the world (as fallen as they may be), it prepares us for eternity, and it reminds us that our ultimate hope is in Heaven, not the temporary things of this world.

We all have a part to play in building the Heavenly Kingdom of Christian Community and moving God’s mission forward!

We need each part to be strong! But ultimately our hope is in the Eternal Goodness of God, not our own goodness.

Borrowing Paul’s words from his greeting to Titus in Chapter 1:1-3, We find the source of integrity in God Himself and the “knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light!”

This Sunday

8:30 Traditional Worship

We Are Called to Be God's People #415

Fill Me Now #383

Make Me a Blessing #670

Lord, Speak to Me #667

We continue our Summer Special Music series, with an Ensemble of teenagers,

including vocalists Annie and Elyse, and instrumentalists Evie and Audrey.

9:45 Sunday School for all ages

Check out our Sunday School classes and other Care Group ministries on our website, or visit the welcome desk to learn more.

Membership Class will be offered in the second-floor classroom on the right, behind the balcony.

11:00 Contemporary Worship

Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me

Tremble

No Longer Slaves

Who You Say I Am

Contemporary Spotify Playlist

Church Membership Class

Our next Membership Class is going to be this Sunday, August 10th at 9:45. This one-time class will tell you more about our church and what membership at SFCOG entails. Please sign up on the sign-up sheet in the Gathering Place, or contact Pastor Rodney for more information (feel free to reply to this email).

Back to School Sunday

On Sunday, August 17 at both the 8:30 and 11:00 worship services we will focus on education and helping us all to better understand the joys, challenges, prayer requests, and ways to be more informed, engaged, and supportive of what God is doing through education.

This year we will have panel discussion with Phil Schiavoni as our facilitator. The panel will include representatives from public, private, & home-school models, as well as therapy support services. At the end of each worship time, we will offer a prayer of commissioning & blessing over educators, parents, and students.

That afternoon from 2:00-4:00, we also have the opportunity to participate in a community prayer service at the Spiritual Center at Shippensburg University. All are invited to pray for our schools, our communities, and our world.

Church Picnic

On the first Sunday of September (September 7th), we will have our annual Church Picnic. This takes place at Memorial Park and features a combined service at 10:00 am followed by a meal together. The church will provide chicken & ham, drinks, and paper products, and we invite each household to bring side items to share. To help us plan for the picnic, please RSVP by signing up on the clipboards located around the church: at the side entrances, in the gathering place, in your Sunday School classrooms, and in the Children & Youth areas. We hope to see you all there!

Summer Bible Studies

Ladies in Step have been having some special activity nights throughout the summer. The final one is August 6 from 6:30-8:00 in the Annex, and it will feature Water Color Painting on greeting cards. Please RSVP to Joyce Hornbaker to help with planning for materials.

A summer Men’s Bible Study and Prayer Time is being held at the home of Jerry Underkoffler. This will take place every Wednesday morning at 8:00-9:15 until the end of August. Coffee cake will be served each week with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Please inform Jerry if you plan to attend.

Please Note, Men’s Bible Study WILL NOT meet next week (8/13)

And looking ahead to Fall-- The Ladies 1st and 3rd Monday Bible study will resume on September 15, at 9:30 am in the Annex. They will be using Max Lucado’s book, Unshakable Hope. If you have questions, please contact Mary Ann Fogelsanger.

Community Night

Our Wednesday night ministries will be resuming on September 3^rd from 6:30-8:00! There’s something for everyone at community night, including Awana for Children, Youth Group for Teens, Young Adult Bible Study, and 3 other Adult Bible studies to choose from.

Learn more on our website: Shippensburg First Church of God | Wednesday Community Night

There is a great need for additional helpers with AWANA! This is a fun and rewarding way to help Children learn God’s Word and make a difference for eternity. Please contact Becky Cramer, reply to this email, or call the church office to learn more.

Living Stones Activities

Harrisburg Senators Game and Fireworks Friday, August 29 5:00 PM

Location: FNB Park, 245 Championship Way, Harrisburg, PA 17101

Leave Annex (Church van and carpooling) at 5:00 PM.

Communications Updates

*Be sure to check out our Activities Calendar and the Events page on our website to learn about more upcoming opportunities!

The August edition of our “FYI” Newsletter is available in the Gathering Place or the center section of the Sanctuary. The FYI contains information about upcoming events, care group opportunities, giving and attendance information, and more.

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

Looking forward to worshipping with you in the Sanctuary or Online this Sunday!

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org