Sunday is Coming!
When I was a teenager, my friends would make fun of me because I had this quirky habit when it came to my finances. I had a part-time job, so that paycheck is what I would use for “everyday expenses” like putting gas in the car, or buying food if my friends went out to eat or went to concession stands at football games, or if we went out to the movies (and of course, I would put a 10% tithe in the offering plate).
However, if I received any extra cash at my birthday or Christmas, I’d try to make sure to save that for “special things” that I wanted to purchase—“gifts for myself.” But sometimes when my friends would ask if I’d want to go out and do things, and the paycheck was a little small, I might say “all I have is Christmas Money and I don’t want to spend that.”
They thought that was worth teasing me about… maybe it was? It even became a nickname of sorts: “Christmas Money.” That still comes up sometimes 30 years later…
But if my friends would succeed in convincing me to go out and spend my Christmas Money funds on fast food or other frivolous things, I’d “borrow” from myself and write myself an IOU (IOMe?).
My wallet became full of Christmas Money IOUs that probably never got repaid…
That taught me a bit about budgeting and how quickly money can come and go, and the importance of priorities.
This weekend we will consider our financial priorities in view of what Jesus says in Luke 12:34 –
“where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
As we wrap up our study of Stewardship and Worship, we will discover that a key component of Worship is giving our financial treasures Back to God in obedience to Him and to help others—and when we do this, we can actually find freedom, Joy & Peace when we remember that our heart’s true home is not in this present world with all off its cares and concerns, but in the Kingdom of Heaven!
Take heed of a few more words of our Lord Jesus in Luke 12—
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
--Luke 12:27-31
This time of year, we are reminded that the ‘wild flowers’ and the ‘grass of the field’ are not permanent. As Autumn moves along, those things all begin to fade and die. Yes, they are beautiful, but they do not last. The leaves might become wonderful shades of color, but they will eventually fall to the ground…
Let this remind us that the things of this world are not permanent—financial security, wealth, clothes & cars—none are eternal…
Jesus reminds us that our priorities must be set based on what will last forever—the things of God that will never fail!
And yet, God does choose to clothe the grass of the field in beautiful flowers, and He also chooses to allow us to enjoy beautiful things in this life as well!
Furthermore, scripture quite often encourages us to work hard, and that “the worker deserves his wages.” (Deuteronomy 25:4, Luke 10:7, I Timothy 5:18)
So we can use our wealth and our material things to worship God when we keep a proper, heavenly perspective!
I like how James puts this—
“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
--James 1:16-17
Let’s remember that the good things that we have, as temporary as they may be, all come from Our Eternal God, and are meant to be used for His Glory and the benefit of others. How we handle earthly treasures prepares our heart for our Heavenly Home and the True Treasure that awaits us there!
When we have a proper perspective on all of this, we can rightly worship our God and find true joy & peace through at least 4 key things:
*Obedience *Thankfulness *Celebration *Compassion
I hope you’ll be able to join us this weekend as we study this all together!
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.
This is My Father's World #143
Seek Ye First #713
Be Thou My Vision #562
More Precious Than Silver #88
As The Deer #548
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
Contemporary Spotify Playlist
Living Hope
Graves Into Gardens
Reckless Love
I Thank God
Church Membership
This Sunday we will welcome new members during both of our services. As Christians, we are called to pursue long-term commitment to something greater than ourselves. We believe that a special way to deepen our commitment to God is to choose to be devoted to a particular church congregation through membership. As individual people committed to God and to one another here at SFCOG, members are encouraged to share of their time, talents, and treasures together as the Lord leads us, to advance the ministries of the church and to expand the Kingdom of Heaven. Each one has a part to play in the ongoing “team effort” of worship! Please keep our new members in your prayers as they take this step of faith.
Council Highlights
The officers of the SFCOG Council met for the monthly meeting this week. Several ongoing ministry matters were discussed, including the Agenda for the November Congregational Meeting, which was approved, including candidates for the ballot. The budget for 2027 was also presented and officially approved. A summary of the budget will be shared at the Congregational Meeting.
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.
Prayer Ministry
We want to remind you that anyone can submit prayer requests to be shared with the congregation. This is a wonderful opportunity to partner together to care for one another! You can contact our Visitation Director, Jessie Duggan, to have these requests shared: visitationdirector@shipfcog.org.
Please note that we do strive to have the personal consent from individuals & families whose needs are being shared. We will also do our best to send these requests in a timely manner, while also avoiding multiple emails being sent in one day. In general, Prayer request received by 4 pm will be announced the same day. Prayer request received after 4 pm will be shared the next day by 4 pm.
Additionally, there is a box located on the welcome desk where you can submit prayer requests which will be prayed for privately by our prayer team, which generally meets on Wednesdays at 11:00 in the prayer room.
New Facebook Page!
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
Young Adult Care Packages
Let’s work together to Send some Love!
We have many young people who are away from home for college, or serving in the military or in ministry. We want to show them a little love from all of us back home! We will be collecting the items listed below. If you are able to purchase any of these items, you can place them in the box in the entryway at the handicapped entrance (Near CRS). See Jennifer Bistline if you’d like to learn more or to help to pack & ship them in November.
Young Adult Care Package Needs:
--Snacks: Granola Bars, Small chip bags, Gum, Candy
--School Supplies: Sticky Notes, Pens, Highlighters, Index Cards
--Hygiene Products: small hand sanitizer, small tissue packs, chap stick, toothbrushes & toothpaste
Fall Fest
The Community Fall 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 cook-off:
shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/bonfire/
***More Entries are Needed! Come one and all to participate in the cook-off!
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:
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
Grief Share Surviving the Holidays
Losing a loved one is always difficult, and the grief we experience goes with us year-round. But holidays have a way of bringing that loss to the forefront of our minds. We don’t have to face this alone. “Surviving the Holidays” is a special ministry of Grief Share, a Christ-centered counseling ministry. This is a one-time event featuring video teaching, discussion, and prayer to help you navigate the bittersweet parts of the holidays.
We will be offering this program at two different dates & times to accommodate various schedules:
- Friday, November 13 at 6:30 pm in Room 108
- Saturday, November 14 at 10:30 am in the Annex
Learn more or pre-register by visiting the website: Find a Group - GriefShare
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
Church Center Update
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:
Website (shipfcog.org)
SFCOG Facebook – NEW Page!
SFCOG Instagram
SFCOG YouTube
Online Messages (shipfcog.org)
Online Giving (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
