Sunday is Coming!
I have always enjoyed working with words.
As a child, I would actually read through the dictionary for fun! “Zygodactyl” was one of my favorite words that I found in the last chapter. I would also write stories and make up songs which I then recorded onto cassette tapes. In Jr. High I even entered some writing contests and won a few awards. When I formed a band with some friends in High School, I put words together to write lyrics for several of our songs. When I became a college student, I usually had no trouble coming up with enough words to write papers. This love for words eventually led me to pursue further education through Seminary, and I fell more in love with the Word of God and even the Hebrew and Greek words in which it was written.
Is it any wonder that I genuinely enjoy crafting sermons each week and writing these emails to you?
I humbly admit that God has granted me a talent and a passion for words, and I desire to use it for God’s Glory.
I want to challenge us all this week to consider how we are using our talents for God, recognizing that they come from Him to begin with.
Let’s talk about that key word a bit: “Talent.”
Speaking of the Dictionary, According to Merriam-Webster’s (online), the definition of a talent is as follows:
talent
noun
1. a : a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude
b : general intelligence or mental power
But if you scroll down the Merriam-Webster entry you find this regarding the Word History & Etymology of the word:
“Middle English, from Old English talente, from Latin talenta, plural of talentum unit of weight or money, from Greek talanton pan of a scale, weight; akin to Greek tlēnai to bear; in senses 3–5, from the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14–30”
Phil Schiavoni did an excellent job teaching on that parable back over the summer time, so I won’t revisit that passage, other than a brief summery—Go back in the “reruns” on our YouTube channel to August 2 to see Phil’s teaching on it: Shippensburg First Church of God 830 AM Sunday
10/10 would recommend!
But in summary: Jesus tells a story about a “Generous Master” who bestowed upon his servant different amounts of money to be used to further the masters’ investments.
The Disciples & Apostles understood the meaning of this parable in ways that go beyond finances. The word “Talent” was quickly transformed from a unit of measure or currency to be used to talk about different gifts and abilities.
As a side note regarding apologetics— when words in a language transform in this way, it can serve as hard, solid, historical evidence for the truth or significance of someone or something. The fact that the usage and meaning of this word (and others) was fundamentally changed & adopted worldwide across multiple cultures and languages adds weight and significance to the Historical Truth of Jesus!
The parable in Matthew 25 is also where our concept of “stewardship” finds its source & definition as well.
God as the generous master has entrusted each of us with certain “talents” or gifts & abilities, and one of the key ways that we worship God is by stewarding our uniqueness to glorify him, not ourselves.
There are many passages in the Bible that we could turn to where we can see this explained, but this Sunday I will draw your attention to Romans 12. It’s a passage I have referred to a lot lately, but I want us to look at the full context in light of worshiping God as good stewards of our talents.
Paul writes,
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Notice how in verses 6-8, Paul refers to an assortment of “different gifts”:
i.e. prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, and showing mercy.
And Paul actually makes it overly simple! For example—if you’re a teacher, then teach. If you’re a leader, then lead. if you’re a giver, then give. If you’re a servant, then serve. If you’re an encourager, encourage. If you care about mercy, show mercy. If you have the wisdom or passion to share the Word of God (prophesy), do it in faith!
In other words, do what you’re designed to do! Don’t keep it to yourself. Don’t bury your talent in the ground (Matt 25).
I think this is Paul giving us permission to “be ourselves” – to be who God created us to be.
Don’t feel like you need to be somebody else, or be more than you already are, just be yourself, to the Glory of God.
I hope you’ll join us this weekend as we consider how we can do this in worship to God as good stewards of the talents He has given us!
This Sunday
8:25 Traditional Worship
We will share our welcome and announcements at 8:25, followed by a musical prelude for a time of quiet reflection.
We Bring The Sacrifice Of Praise #213
Living for Jesus #605
I Surrender All #596
Take My Life and Let it Be Consecrated #597
9:45 Sunday School for all ages.
–Check out our Care Groups & Sunday School Classes on our website, or visit the welcome desk to learn more.
11:00 Contemporary Worship
Day by Day
Glorious Day
Our God
This Is Amazing Grace
Fall Congregation Meeting
Our Fall Congregation meeting is set for November 1 and it will include elections for new officers for the 2027 year, a presentation of the 2027 budget, and several other ministry updates. The agenda will be distributed on October 18th.
*If there are topics you would like to recommend to the council for consideration to be included at the congregational meeting, please submit those requests to Council President Denny Fleagle by this Sunday, October 11th.
We have launched an updated version of our SFCOG Facebook page which will allow us to better utilize this tool for communicating with our friends and neighbors (the old page will eventually be deactivated). Feel free to follow us there: SFCOG Facebook
And don’t forget, we are also on Instagram and YouTube as well: SFCOG Instagram SFCOG YouTube
Fall Fest
The Community Harvest Fest is Returning on November 7th!
Like last year, we are partnering together with several other churches in our Shippensburg Community to host a fun filled evening of fall activities at the Shippensburg Fair Grounds. Featuring live music, games, free food, activities for kids, food trucks, and a cozy bonfire, this event is designed to bring us together for a memorable evening with our friends and neighbors. We will also have a Soup & Chili Cook-Off which will benefit a local ministry!
There are a lot of ways that you can be part of this special event! Visit the link to learn about how to get involved:
CommUNITY Fall Fest Volunteer Sign Up
And click here to sign up for the soup & chili cookoff:
shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/bonfire/
Operation Christmas Child 2026
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox collection is underway! We already have about 300 boxes to begin with, but we hope to double that number to 600 by the time collection week rolls around in November. Will you join us in packing a shoebox this year?
Take a look at this video to learn more: operation-christmas-child-2026-promo
CGGC Learning Opportunities
There are several upcoming events hosted by our denomination and our sister churches that could be great opportunities to learn and grown and be challenged in our faith. Take a look at all these options:
Across
Our brothers and sisters at the Brownsville Church of God would like to invite you to attend a four-part Gathering series titled "Across."
The Across Documentary (www.acrossdocumentary.com ) is a four-part docuseries that explores the migrant crisis by following three Central American women and their children who escaped abuse and violence in Honduras and Guatemala. It documents their treacherous journeys, the U.S. asylum process, and the Midwestern churches in Texas and Illinois that stepped in to help.
Immigration is a topic that is often sensationalized and steeped within the divisiveness of politics. The goal and focus of this Gathering is NOT that!
The purpose of the four-part Gathering series will be:
• Unpack and examine the human side of immigration
• Answer the question: How does Jesus ask us to respond so that His Kingdom comes on earth through us as His followers AND through the church He established?
This gathering will take place on four separate occasions, including two evenings this fall: October 9th and November 13th from 6:30-9:00 at the Brownsville Church of God 6390 Lincoln Way East, Fayetteville, PA. The other two events will occur later this winter on January 8th and February 12th at the same time and location.
Each evening will involve dinner together (pizza plus the fixings), watching the film of the evening and an engaging discussion. Sign-ups for the two fall Gatherings can be made at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/qr_code/H2YHPDX. Another link will follow to sign up for Gatherings 3 and 4.
The Brownsville Church of God has recently been in the news because the National Parks Service recognized its cemetery as a place of National Historical Significance.
Cumberland Valley Mission Celebration
Sunday, October 25, 2026 Carlisle First Church of God
Mission Team Displays 2:45 pm
Celebration Service 3:15 pm
Speaker: Jacob Day, Gamerco, New Mexico
Global Reach Southwest Ministries
Mission Project Goal: $50,000
1. Global Reach Southwest Ministries
2. Ministerial Training Institute
Pizza and Chiz Rider Trumpet Concert to follow the celebration at 6 pm
A Narrative of Place
Listening to the Land of the Bible
Biblical Seminar Day with Dr. Cyndi Parker - October 26
At Doubling Gap Center (home of Camp YoliJwa)
What if the land itself is one of the Bible's most overlooked characters? Discover how the geography, climate, and landscape of the Holy Land shaped biblical events, influenced the lives of God's people, and deepened the meaning of Scripture. Through maps, images, and biblical texts, you'll gain fresh insight into familiar stories, uncover rich theological connections, and experience the Bible as a living story rooted in real places.
This seminar supports our mission to deepen spiritual growth. Visit the following link to register, share who’s attending, and help us prepare well for your time of learning and reflection. $20 per person (Lunch is included).
Biblical Seminar Day: Listening to the Land of the Bible with Dr. Cyndi Parker
Online Apparel Shop
Represent SFCOG at work or in the community!
We have partnered with Creative Engravings here in Shippensburg to set up an online apparel shop—you can custom order various shirts with our church logo embroidered on them. Select from 4 different styles (polo, t-shirt, long-sleeve t-shirt & sweatshirt) and several different colors. Items can be purchased online and picked up right here in Shippensburg at the Creative Engravings shop, or you may also reach out to us if you would like us to pick it up and deliver it to your church mailbox for you (select “Store Pick Up” and let us know when you receive notice that it is ready).
Visit the store:
Creative Engraving Plus, LLC| Ship First Church of God | CreativeEng&Apparel
We have been gradually rolling out a new database tool called “Church Center.” It will be utilized for scheduling, record-keeping, giving, and many other ministry functions. You will be hearing more about it in the coming weeks as we implement new aspects of this resource, such as:
- a directory feature,
- an online giving option,
- and upcoming changes to our Children’s Ministry check-in system.
- You may have already received an email with an invitation to join the Church Center Directory or to update your information. This is a great tool to enable ongoing connections, communication, and support for one another if you would like to “opt in” to this feature. It is up to each person & family to choose what information they wish to share with others within our church database. This information is secure and only accessible by others who are part of the directory.
(please note that our current “Instant Church Directory” app will eventually be phased out as we make the change to the new system)
- You may have also received some “Donation Receipt” emails or may receive them in the coming days as we begin entering weekly tithes & offerings into the database. You can access your records online and adjust your preferences regarding these emails.
You can learn more and start exploring Church Center by visiting this page on our website to create your own log-in or update your information.
Shippensburg First Church of God | Church Center
Communications Updates
Bulletins and newsletters are available for you as you enter for worship—you can find them right outside the main doorways into the sanctuary on a table or stand for easy access. Some are usually available at our welcome desk also, but we encourage you to keep access to our welcome desk (and our handicapped accessible seating) open and available for those who may need it.
*Be sure to check out our Activities Calendar and the Events page on our website to learn about more upcoming opportunities!
*If you or your small groups, committees, etc., are planning special events involving the facilities, please be sure to communicate with the church office so we can best accommodate your needs and coordinate planning details between various ministries—Thank You!
The latest monthly edition of our “FYI” Newsletter is available in the Gathering Place or as you enter into the Sanctuary. The FYI contains information about upcoming events, care group opportunities, giving and attendance information, and more.
If you have events or information you would like to communicate, communication request forms are available from the church office, in the Gathering Place, or online.
Let us continue to worship our Good Creator together in the Sanctuary or Online this Sunday!
Pastor Rodney Bistline
Shippensburg First Church of God
seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org
Helpful Links:
SFCOG Facebook – NEW Page!
Online Messages (shipfcog.org)
Our Activities Calendar & Events
Care Groups & Sunday School Classes
Shippensburg First Church of God | Church Center
Weekly Bulletin (updated over the weekend)
shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/shipnews/index.html
