Shippensburg First Church Of God Blog Site: Same Old Story

Sunday is Coming!

This weekend we will “gather around the campfire” once again to hear some stories that Jesus told, and some stories about what God is doing within our church family.

Have you ever noticed that many Good Stories are full of Repetition?

Campfire Stories (& songs) are often very repetitive:

“The moose, the moose, swimming in the water, swimming in the water…”

In recent weeks, my younger kids have been singing some campfire songs over & over again in excitement and anticipation as they look forward to their time at camp. VBS songs are also repetitive – I have had the theme from “Illumination Station” on loop in my head on occasion ever since Bible School!

Repetition has value because we often have short attention spans… and sometimes we don’t hear things the first time…

So many stories have familiar lines that repeat to draw in the listener with predictable refrains.

“I’ll huff and I’ll puff…”

“Did Pete Cry? Goodness no!”

“So it goes.”

So, this weekend, we will review a few things about the Kingdom of Heaven that we talked about last Sunday Morning and Sunday Evening at communion, and we will also look back at what God did through our Bible School program, because it all bears repeating.

But first, let’s set this up with another (new) part of Matthew 13 where Jesus explains his use of parables to his disciples, and addresses this matter of our occasional failure to hear things the first time…

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them…

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

--Matthew 13:10-11, 16-17

May we have eyes to see and ears to hear the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven and the blessings of the Lord each day!

And my we long to see and to hear that “same old story” even more clearly!

As we study the words of Jesus, we will see that the ultimate power of a “Good Story” is that it can explain huge, abstract, eternal truths in smaller and more understandable ways that also speak to our present moment in time…

C. S. Lewis was an atheist who became a Christian apologist and celebrated storyteller. He explains that often stories speak to the “longings” of our heart in ways beyond our own understanding. In Jesus, all the “myths” or “legends” of the ancient past find their True fulfilment! As Lewis says, when we study the life and history surrounding Jesus, we discover that “The heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact… It happens—at a particular date, in a particular place, followed by definable historical consequences.”

In the true story of Jesus, we find Real Truth that shapes all of the other stories of history past, present, & future, and all of the events in our own day-to-day lives!

*What events in your life right now could God be using to open your eyes & ears to a greater understanding of the story He is telling?

Throughout the pages of our Scriptures, we are reminded of the importance of remembering God’s actions in history, as in Psalm 78:1-4--

1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—

3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation

the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Let us remember “the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.”

Let us tell the Next Generation! – That’s what we did at VBS, that’s what is happening at Serve Ship, and that is what we do every week as we gather & worship & study. Let us remember again and again “the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.”

This Sunday

Both services will include a special time of prayer and commissioning for our Bible Quiz Team!

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.

I Gave My Life For Thee #675

Take My Life and Let it Be Consecrated #597

Something For Thee #671

We Are an Offering #678

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

Battle Belongs

Build Your Kingdom Here

Christ Our Hope In Life And Death

Death was Arrested

Council Meeting Recap

The SFCOG council met this week for our July meeting. Several matters were discussed, including continual developments for how we can more fully worship God through our services, our various ministries, and in our personal lives in community with one another as we “offer our bodies as living sacrifices” (Romans 12). We approved nominations for the council elections at the fall congregational meeting, and we heard a report from the building committee regarding renovation possibilities for our Children’s Department. Please continue to keep your council in your prayers as we seek the Lord’s direction with you all.

Serve Ship

Serve Ship is returning July 15-17!

Cookies, Baked Goods, & Flowers are Needed!

The Youth Group are doing an “at-home” mission event this week!

Wednesday through Friday, the youth are serving the local community by doing various service projects throughout the community, and hosting a free meal for the community on Thursday, July 16^th at 5:30 (while supplies last).

They are inviting you to be a part of this mission as they reach out to our community. Here are some ways you can help--

The youth need cookies & cupcakes for the community meal. They will need enough of these items to provide dessert for 500 people. You may drop off cookies and cupcakes on July 16th between Noon -3PM in the CRS kitchen.

The youth are also in need of flowers that can be put into flower arrangements to be shared with our friends at home. If you have fresh-cut flowers in your gardens that will hold up well in a flower arrangement, you can bring those to CRS on Thursday, July 16th also, to be distributed on Friday.

You may also use the white envelopes in the pews at any time to make a designated financial gift towards the event (write “Serve Ship” on the envelope). Thank you for giving as the Lord leads you!

Happening Tonight:

Bible Quiz Team

Next week on July 22, our Jr. & Sr. High Bible Quizzers will be heading to the CGGC national championship at Camp Sonrise Mountain in western Pennsylvania. They will enjoy several days of quiz-meet competition against teams from other states in our denomination to determine the Quizzing annual champions. Pray for safe travels, good fellowship, friendly competition, and above all, that God’s word would be internalized in their hearts for a lifetime of following Jesus.

“Movement”

We want to invite you to an evening of “Mobility, Memory, & Muscle” at a special event we are calling “Movement.” This will be on Wednesday, August 5 at 6-7 in Crossroads Station. It is being hosted by the Living Stones 50+ group, but it is for people of all ages and abilities who would like to enjoy an evening of fellowship together as we consider how we can keep our bodies in good health to glorify God with our heart, soul, mind, & strength in all seasons of life. To learn more, talk to Visitation Director Jessie Duggan or Bethany Massara.

Men’s Summer Bible Study

Jerry Underkoffler will once again be leading a Bible Study for all men on Wednesday mornings, 9:00 -10:15.

Dates: JULY 8 - AUGUST 26

Location: 23 Oak Lane, Shippensburg

Theme: "Thy Kingdom Come"

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

Shippensburg Community Fair Vespers

To begin Fair Week, this Sunday Evening (July 19^th), our local churches will collaborate to hold an evening worship service at the concert stage at the fairgrounds. The service starts at 7:30, but the Town Band will begin playing music at 7:00. Bring a lawn chair and a heart ready to praise the Lord alongside of other believers from our community!

Church Center

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 months 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 can begin learning more and start exploring it by visiting this page on our website to create your own log-in:

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 savior together in the Sanctuary or Online this Sunday!

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org