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Showing posts from 2023

When You Pray, MLK Weekend, NYE Service (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/31)

Ladies, the next W.I.S.E (Women Intentionally Seeking and Edifying) Bible Study Series will be the study called 'When you Pray': A Study of Six Prayers in the Bible . Please register for the study by 1/3.  Join us as we bridge the gap in racial communications on MLK weekend at It Takes a Village Meal & Discussion . Min Brandi Hancock, along with others, will facilitate an interactive cultural awareness experience. Please register for a free dinner including nursery, childcare, and sessions for children, teens, and adults. Contact Min. Matt Darby or Sis. Kim Roberts.   Mt. Zion Church has partnered with the Town of Cary to host a Prayer Walk on 1/15 as part of the MLK 2024 Dreamfest weekend to honor Dr. Martin L King Jr’s legacy through service. The Mt. Zion family, friends, and the community are invited to lace up the tennis shoes and walk to raise awareness for the unhoused/homeless in partnership with Love from Above & Oak City Cares .  Everybody is invited to come

New Baby, NYE Service, Merry Christmas (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/24)

Congrats to the Donnell and Jenae Fordham on the birth of their son Wade Emanuel on 12/6. Wade was born 6 lbs, 12 oz, and 19 inches long.   For New Year's Eve , we will have our normal morning service at 10am and then come back at 11pm for our NYE service. Normally, our NYE service starts at 10pm but this year we're keeping it to just one hour. Join us as we cross over into the New Year with praise, the preached word, and prayer.  Merry Christmas to everyone. No matter what highs or lows Christmas might bring to you this year, remember to keep Jesus Christ as the center.  

2024 Church Theme, NYE Service, A Village Gathering (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/17)

Our Church Theme for 2024 is “ Advancing the Kingdom of God ”. Jesus said that He would build His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Our focus will be to get equipped on how we as individuals and the church participate in Jesus' work to advance God's Kingdom.    There will be No Bible Study for the next two weeks. We will resume on 1/3. We will be studying the Torah or Pentateuch (first five books) all of next year. So we start in Genesis in January. Our New Year’s Eve Service will start at 11pm. We will have our normal service that morning and then come back at 11pm for an hour service to worship in the New Year.  Everyone is invited to “ A Village Gathering ” which is a Community Meal and Interactive Learning Experience on Policy Making and the Racial Wealth Gap on January 14. Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the learning experience and discussion will be 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at First Cary United Methodist Church. Mt. Zion, First Cary UMC, Dorcas Minis

Recently Came Forward & New Members, Coral Riding Mission Year in Review, M:T Meet & Greet (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/10)

Praise God for all those who came forward last Sunday: Britt Norton - Rededicated His Life to Christ  Lauran Lucas - Rededicated Her Life to Christ  Elizebeth Singleton - Rededicated Her Life to Christ  Roddric Scott - Joined on Christian Experience & Rededicated His Life to Christ  Payton Johnson (age 12) (daughter of Deacon Shaun & Deaconess Traci Johnson - Trusted Christ as Personal Savior & Candidate for Baptism  Celestine Ferguson - Joined on Christian Experience  We welcome our newest members who has completed New Members Orientation & their membership interview): Jonas & Alicia Welcher  Evangelist Tayon Dancy shared the Year in Review video of Mt. Zion's partnership with Coral Riding .    (RSS subscribers: click here to see the video) One of the things that came out of the Missions: Triangle conference is a desire for more opportunities to come together for prayer, learning, connection, and encouragement. On Thursday, 12/14, there will be a Meet &

December Birthdays & Anniversaries, Community Outreach, Sweetheart Ball (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/3)

Happy Birthday to our December babies... We give a special SHOUT-OUT to Sis. Lois Arrington who turned 98 yesterday! Happy Anniversary to our December couples...   Also, Rick and Maureen Holland will celebrate 38 years on 12/26   Our December Senior Birthday Surprise is Bro. Lance Armour!   Mt. Zion partners with Trinity Park Church to serve the local community on every 2nd Saturday of the month from 10am to 12pm,  The Raleigh Dream Center provides food for distribution. Volunteers will build relationships with an apartment community, fulfilling our call to share the gospel with all nations. For more information, contact Minister Matt Darby.    On next Sunday (12/10), the Men's Ministry & Titus 2 Women's Ministry will be praying at 8 am in the Sanctuary. Couples (married and dating), the Oneness Couples Ministry is hosting a Sweetheart Ball on February 10, 2024! Today is the last day to secure your spot by making a minimum deposit of $85.    Mt. Zion seniors and paren

J.Allen Lewis Scholarship Meetings, Community Outreach @ The Raleigh Dream Center (Pastoral Emphasis for 11/26)

Mt. Zion seniors and parents are asked to meet in Classroom 3 immediately after service on December 3rd and December 10th concerning the J. Allen Lewis Memorial Scholarship .  Every 2nd Saturday of the month. Mt. Zion partners with Trinity Park Church to serve the local community. The Raleigh Dream Center provides food for distribution. Volunteers will build relationships with an apartment community, fulfilling our call to share the gospel with all nations. For more information, contact Minister Matt Darby .  

Church-Wide Prayer, Happy Thanksgiving, Tayon for Apex (Pastoral Emphasis for 11/19)

Please pray for the following needs in our church family: Sister Kim Roberts’ father who is currently in the ICU unit in NY recovering from pancreatic surgery.  Sis. Mary Bailey, whose brother has passed away  Deacons Blango and Hardaway both had surgical procedures last week. Pray for their recovery.  Bro. John Thorne will have surgery on his back on 12/11. This will be a critical surgery necessary for him to walk, and it will be near his spine.    We welcome Bro. Isiah Smith who came forward last week to trust in Christ as his personal Savior, get baptized, and join the church.   Please join the Deaconess Ministry for our last Church-Wide Prayer Rally of the year on Tuesday, 11/21, at 7 pm. The focus will be healing and thanksgiving. Struggling and illness will come, but we can be thankful to God, and praise Him through it all!    There's no Bible Study on Wednesday due to Thanksgiving Eve   I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving . There are many families who will have an unoccu

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Guests, Happy Veterans Day, T2 TEA (Pastoral Emphasis for 11/12)

Today, the brothers from two chapters of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity worshipped with us. They graciously blessed us with a donation.    Yesterday was Veterans Day. Happy Veterans Day to all who served our country.   Ladies, you are invited to the next Titus 2 TEA for a time of Teaching, Encouraging and Affirming.    

November Birthdays & Anniversaries, Church Family Meeting (Pastoral Emphasis for 11/5)

  Happy Birthday to our November babies...    Happy Anniversary to our November couples..   Our November Senior Birthday Surprise is Sis. Doris Brown! We had our last Church Family Meeting for the year right after the service where we discussed new policies we're developing for shepherding and responding to mental health crises.

We Care: Ready. Set. Support; Church Family Meeting (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/29)

Working in a school system is often a thankless job, no matter the position, whether it's in administration, teaching, or one of the many support roles needed to ensure the system is well run. Mt. Zion in Partnership with Trinity Park Church , would like to invite Wake County and Durham County Public School staff to our “ We Care: Ready. Set. Support ” seminar to demonstrate that we care about the people who are tirelessly educating our children. The two-hour seminar will address depression, anxiety, self-care, and work-home life balance. There will be gift baskets and gift card giveaways. Registration required.    Next Sunday, after the service, we're having our last Church Family Meeting for the year. I'll send out the special Webex link via Realm this week for those attending virtually. All members are asked to attend.

Bereavement, School Staff Appreciation, Church Family Meeting (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/22)

Please be in prayer for my wife, Anita. Her father passed on Friday night. The funeral service is Saturday in Louisiana. Your prayers for the family and our travel will be appreciated.    Sis. Karen Gray is collecting gently-used sneakers for the American Cancer Society's “ Making Strides Against Breast Cancer ” until November. Sis. Karen thanks everyone for their donations, but some people have donated boots and Crocs. She doesn't need those; she is asking for sneakers...sneaks, kicks, kicks on fleek, footwear, Js, chucks, tennis shoes!   The Missions: Triangle Conference is almost here. Due to my father-in-law's funeral, I won't be at the conference in- person but it will be worth attending to strategize about fulfilling the Great Commission in Wake County and beyond! The conference is free with lunch being provided. You can register at missionstriangle.org .      Mt. Zion is partnering with Trinity Park Church to show our school staff some appreciation on 11/4 at

Community Health Fair, Missions : Triangle, Church-Wide Prayer (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/15)

We’re having a Community Health Fair on 10/21 from 11 am to 2 pm. The health fair will consist of cancer education, spiritual wellness, suicide prevention & awareness, how to navigate the health system, and more. There will be games, prizes, and a food truck. This event is free and open to the public. Everyone is invited to the Missions: Triangle Conference on Oct. 28. The conference is free. You can register at missionstriangle.org .    (RSS Subscribers: Click here to watch the video)   Our next Church-Wide Prayer Rally is Tuesday from 7 to 8 pm. The Care Ministry will be hosting our time of corporate prayer. You can also submit your prayer requests online or in the prayer request box at the back of the sanctuary.  Our church website is in need of a redesigning. We recently sent out a survey via Realm that will help us design a site that is user friendly and will encourage all members to use it to its full capacity. Please take some time to take the survey .  Next Sunday, we&

Health Fair, MIssions: Triangle Conference, Image Bearer Session (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/8)

We welcome our newest member who has completed her New Members Orientation and Membership Interview: Sis. Veronica Uwabor We’re having a Community Health Fair on 10/21 from 11 am to 2 pm. The health fair will consist of cancer education, spiritual wellness, suicide prevention & awareness, how to navigate the health system, and more. There will be games, prizes, and a food truck. This event is free and open to the public.    Everyone is invited to the Missions: Triangle Conference on Oct. 28 from 9 am to 2 pm. This conference will address the challenges of church growth in Wake County, emphasize the importance of the Great Commission, and highlight the urgent need to reach the billions around the world who lack access to the Gospel. I am priveleged to be one of the featured speakers. The conference is free, and lunch will be provided. You can register at missionstriangle.org .    All men are invited to the next Image Bearer Session on Saturday, 10/14, at 8 am. This will be a gre

Theological Seminar, Missions:Triangle, My Hope Sunday (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/1)

Happy Birthday to our October babies...  Happy Anniversary to our October couples...   Our October Senior Birthday Surprise goes to Sis. Connie Whiting.   Join us for our next Theological Seminar on 10/7 addressing Church Hurt. Pastor Jerome Gay Jr . will be discussing the topic of his latest book, " Church Hurt: Holding the Church Accountable and Helping Hurt People Heal ". Here's an excerpt from the foreword of the book:  “There are two common responses. The first is to diminish church hurt as if it’s not real or as if people should simply get over it in the name of Jesus. This response fails to bear one another’s burdens as Jesus Himself, the Bearer of all our burdens, has commanded. The second response is to dismiss the church in light of the damage that has been caused and, at best, to exist as a believer disconnected from the body of Christ or, at worst, to walk away from the faith altogether. Neither of these answers is sufficient, for the church, though often

Evening of Praise, Speaking at CFCFC, My Hope Sunday (Pastoral Emphasis for 9/24)

Welcome to Sis. Juanetta Little who recently joined on Christian Experience. Have you ever been deeply hurt by the church? We all have the ability to cause church hurt, whether intentional or not. This kind of hurt is a pain that distances sufferers from their communities and from God. Join us for our next Theological Seminar on 10/7 addressing Church Hurt. Pastor Jerome Gay Jr. will be discussing the topic of his latest book, "Church Hurt: Holding the Church Accountable and Helping Hurt People Heal". This is a seminar you won’t want to miss. Register TODAY !    We are having an Evening of Praise event on Saturday, Sept. 30th at 4:00 pm. Mt Zion Choirs and Fine Arts will be ministering along with invited guest. Anyone with gifts and talents of Singing, Dance, Spoken Word, etc. are welcome to participate in this event. For more information, contact Spence Martin, Danelle Clark, and Ebony Mouzone Today at 4 pm, I'm speaking at Christ First Christian Fellowship Center for

Prayer Rally, Evening of Praise, Speaking at CFCFC (Pastoral Emphasis for 9/17)

Welcome to our newest members who completed New Members Orientation and their membership interview: Hilson & Shanna Sanon  Our next Prayer Rally is Tuesday, 9/19, from 7-8 pm. Our Children's Ministry will be hosting. Join us for an hour of corporate prayer. You can also submit your prayer requests online or drop them in the prayer request box.    We are having an Evening Of Praise event on Saturday, Sept. 30th at 4:00 pm. Mt Zion Choirs and Fine Arts will be ministering along with invited guest. Anyone with gifts and talents of Singing, Dance, Spoken Word, etc. are welcome to participate in this event. For more information, contact Spence Martin (Minister of Music), Danelle Clark, and Ebony Mouzone.    Next Sunday at 4 pm, I will be speaking at Christ First Christian Fellowship Center for their Ushers & Greeters 15th Anniversary . Everyone is invited to come out and support.    Our next My Hope Sunday is Oct. 8. All of our members are asked to commit to inviting at leas

Recently Joined, My Hope Sunday is Coming (Pastoral Emphasis for 9/10)

We welcome the following person who recently joined Mt. Zion on Christian Experience: Sis. Veronica Uwabor. Our next My Hope Sunday is October 8. All of our members are asked to commit to inviting at least one unbeliever or unchurched person to join us at church on My Hope Sunday. During that service, we will share the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Start praying about who you will invite for My Hope Sunday.

September Birthdays & Anniversaries, 2024 Calendar Planning Meeting, Invite Your One (Pastoral Emphasis for 9/3)

Welcome to our newest member who completed New Members Orientation and her membership interview: Sis. Tiffany Bryant  Happy Birthday to our September babies...  Happy Anniversary to our September couples... Our September Senior Birthday Surprise goes to Sis. Daureen Richards! To all Ministry Directors and Ministries, the 2024 calendar planning meeting is on 9/9 at 9 AM in the MPR. This meeting is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT for any ministry that is interested in presenting a program for the 2024 Calendar. At the meeting, we will introduce a change from the old format to a more collaborative process that should hopefully generate events where ministries will work together to meet the goals of the church mission.  All women are invited for a time of prayer at 8 AM in the Sanctuary on September 10th.  Don't forget that every second Sunday is Invite Your One Sunday . Many people will come out to church when invited by a friend. So who is your one? And next Sunday is a great one to invite s

Knowing When to Judge, Back to School Prayer, Testimony (Pastoral Emphasis for 8/27)

Minister Matt Darby delivered the message today on the topic " Knowing When To Judge " from 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 .  Christians are to hold each other accountable.  Holding each other accountable is a loving act.  We ought to welcome accountability when it's shared in love. Check out the full sermon here . Today, we had our Back to School Prayer .  It was a blessing to see parents anoint and stand by their children as we prayed for a successful and safe school year. Deacon Phil Blango shared his testimony of having completed chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer. He especially thanked his wife of 40 years, Lora, for being by his side during this trial.

Suffering from Depression, New Members, Corral Riding (Pastoral Emphasis for 8/20)

We have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. This month's prayer topic is Suffering (Physical, Mental Depression). Today, we focused on “ Suffering From Depression ”. It's a false assumption that a Christian is always “happy”. A Christian can struggle with depression and yet have the joy of the Lord. Today's call to worship scripture is a psalm of lament . A lament is a passionate expression of grief (like a loud cry). A biblical lament is a prayer in pain that leads to trust in God.  The Psalmist cried earnestly in the night from his troubled spirit, searching his soul for an answer to his distress. He found comfort in meditating on God’s mighty deliverance in the Exodus. My prayer is that when the dark clouds of depression surround God's people that they remember all the mighty work of God in their lives, especially the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross. If you're struggling with depression, I would encourage you to get connected to the ri

Recently Came Forward, Titus 2 TEA, Church-Wide Prayer Rally (Pastoral Emphasis for 8/13)

Today, we recognize some who came forward recently :  Bro. Blake Hunter rededicated his life to Christ  Sis. Aaja Chambliss trusted Christ as her personal Savior & joined Mt. Zion  All ladies are invited to the next Titus 2 TEA on Saturday, 8/19, for a time of teaching, encouraging, and affirming. The deadline to register is today.  Our next church-wide prayer rally hosted by the Missions Ministry is Tuesday, 8/15, from 7 to 8 pm. Everyone is invited to join us for an hour of corporate prayer. You can also submit your prayer requests online .

New Members, August Birthdays & Anniversaries, Titus 2 TEA (Pastoral Emphasis for 8/6)

I want to recognize one who recently joined : Sis. Tiffany Bryant who joined on Christian Experience and is a candidate for baptism . Welcome to our newest member who completed NMO & membership interview: Sis. Teresa Gaddy  Happy Birthday to our August babies...  Happy Anniversary to our August couples...    Our August Senior Birthday Surprise is Sis. Brenda Tyrance! Ladies, you are all invited to the next Titus 2 TEA on Saturday, 8/19 for a time of teaching, encouraging, and affirming. Don't forget to register by 8/13.

God works miracles, Family Fun Day (Pastoral Emphasis for 7/30)

We've had a lot of illness lately to pray for and we've seen God work miracles . For those of you who may not know the background, we had a young member named Trinity who drowned and was on a ventilator. But check out this video .  We had have our Church Family Meeting after the service and then enjoyed a time of food, fun, fellowship, and outdoor games at our Family Fun Day .   

Welcome New Member, Church Family Meeting, Family Fun Day (Pastoral Emphasis for 7/23)

Welcome to our newest member who completed NMO and membership interview: Sis. Gwendolyn Henderson  Next Sunday, we'll have our Church Family Meeting after the church service. We have a board of directors election and an important announcement. All members are asked to attend. For those attending virtually, I'll send the special Webex link out this week.  After we take care of family business, we'll switch to family fun with our Back to the Basics Family Fun Day . All are welcome to join us for an afternoon of food, fun, fellowship and outdoor games. We are asking the congregation to bring their favorite "homemade" dessert.

Church Family Meeting, Family Fun Day, Prayer Rally (Pastoral Emphasis for 7/16)

Congrats to Howard and Earlene Evans on getting married on Friday.   Members, mark your calendar for our upcoming Church Family Meeting on Sunday, 7/30, right after the church service.  After the church family meeting, we'll have a Family Fun Day sponsored by the Men's Ministry. The theme is Back to the Basics. It will be an afternoon of food, fun, fellowship, and outdoor games. We are asking the congregation to bring their favorite "homemade" dessert.  On Tuesday, 7/18 is our next Church-Wide Prayer Rally from 7 to 8pm. Our MAPS ministry (Mature Adults Praying & Studying) will be hosting. All are welcome to join us for corporate prayer. You can also submit your prayer requests so we can pray for you.

Welcome New Member, Revelation Sermon & Bible Study Series (Pastoral Emphasis for 7/9)

Welcome to our newest member who has completed NMO and membership interview: Bro. Jerry Howard   Today, we started our sermon series in Revelation called " The Victory of Jesus and His Church ". The theme of Revelation is “Jesus has already gained victory over evil through His death and resurrection, but the church will face great tribulation before its victory is fully realized”.    Revelation is not meant to be scary or overly confusing but a source of comfort and encouragement to the church during suffering because our victory is certain. This Wednesday, we start studying Revelation in Bible Study . During Bible Study, we'll be able to take a deeper dive than what we can cover during the sermon series.

July Birthdays & Anniversaries, No Bible Study on 7/5, Revelation Sermon Series (Pastoral Emphasis on 7/2)

Sis. Phyllis Boulware's mother, Emily Walker, passed away yesterday morning. Please pray for the comfort and peace of the family as they go through bereavement . Happy Birthday to our July babies...   Happy Anniversary to our July couples...   Our July Senior Birthday Surprise goes to Deaconess Naomi Hunter.   There will be no Bible Study on 7/5. Be safe if you are traveling for the 4th of July holiday .    Next Sunday, we are starting our new sermon series in the book of Revelation entitled “ The Victory of Jesus and His Church ”. We will also start studying Revelation in Bible Study starting on 7/12. 

VBS Success, Speaking at Ebenezer Church (Pastoral Emphasis for 6/25)

Vacation Bible School was a great success this year! Thanks to all who came out and participated in VBS. And a BIG SHOUT-OUT to the VBS planning committee for all their hard work.   I had the wonderful privilege of preaching for Ebenezer M.B. Church 's Minister Ordination service today. The pastor, Dr. Cornelius Battle was so gracious to me. The Male Choir accompanied me and did a wonderful job. There's no quite like hearing men singing praises to God. I preached from Amos 7:7-16 about the Opposition to the Message and the Messenger . I thank God for the grace to serve this congregation with God's Word.  

VBS, Speaking at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Happy Father’s Day (Pastoral Emphasis for 6/18)

Congratulations to Phillip & Jakayla Credle on getting married yesterday! We welcome Sis. Teresa C. Gaddy who recently joined the church on Christian Experience. VBS starts this Wednesday, June 21st through Friday the 23rd, 6PM to 9PM each night. Then on next Sunday, we'll have our VBS wrap-up during the church service. Right after the service, stick around for a Family cookout. To each of our Mt. Zion families, please feel free to bring your favorite dessert to share Come dressed comfortably in your VBS T-shirts and jeans.  Don't eat too much at the cook-out because later that afternoon, I will be speaking at Ebenezer M.B. Church in Durham at 4pm for their Ministers Ordination Service. The Male Choir will be accompanying me. All are welcome to come out. Your prayers and support is appreciated.  Mt. Zion is blessed to have men who are taking responsibility for their children.  Mt. Zion is blessed to have men who are following God.  Mt. Zion is blessed to have men who are

Youth Day, JA Lewis Scholarship Recipients, VBS (Pastoral Emphasis for 6/11)

Today was our Youth Day service. Our youth led and participated in the service. Gabrielle Harris summarized Creation in Genesis 1, Noah Exum covered Man being made in the image of God in Genesis 2 and Nevaeh Sykes talked about the Fall and our hope in Christ in Genesis 3. Congratulations to our High School graduates : Amare Oliver, Micah Jones, and Laurent Bracey, Jr. I was pleased to announce this year's JA Lewis Scholarship  recipients. The scholarship committee reviewed the submitted essays, and they were written in depth. Each recipient did well academically and has volunteered in school, church, and community activities. This year's recipients are: 2nd Place winner ($500) - Micah Jones   1st Place winner ($1,000) - Amare Oliver   VBS will be running from Wednesday, June 21st through Friday the 23rd, from 6PM to 9PM each night, coming together Sunday, June 25th, at 10am to wrap up our VBS weekend with a Church Family cookout following service. To each of our Mt. Zion fami

June Birthdays & Anniversaries, Youth Day, Invite Your One (Pastoral Emphasis for 6/4)

Happy Birthday to our June babies... Happy Anniversaries to our June couples...  Our June Senior Birthday Surprise is Sis. Sandra King  Next Sunday is our Youth Sunday . The youth will be presiding and participating in the service. We will have youth speakers. And we will recognize our High School graduates and announce the recipients of our JA Lewis Scholarship.  Next Sunday is also Invite Your One Sunday . This will be a great opportunity to invite others especially those with children to see our youth ministry in action.  Also, next Sunday, Sisters That Pray will be gathering at 8am to pray for our service and each other. All women are welcome to participate.

Welcome New Member, VBS, Mental Health Awareness (Pastoral Emphasis for 5/28)

Please keep Minister of Music Spence Martin and his family in your prayers after the passing of his mother. Welcome to the following New Member who completed NMO and his membership interview: Howard Evans  Vacation Bible School will be 6/21-23, 6:30-8:30pm (nightly with dinner), and then wrap up on Sunday, 6/25. How do I get involved? Oh, we are so glad you asked! There is something for everyone! You can sign up to participate in skits, teach, decorate, facilitate activities, clean up, and/or set up for the next day of events. If none of the above sounds exciting enough or you are feeling really amped to get involved in other ways, check out our Amazon wish list and donate some of the really neat activities, décor, and/or supplies. l For questions or more information, contact Tina Wyche. May is Mental Health Awareness. We need to break the stigma in the church. This week, our goal will be to encourage individuals to seek help if they need it, as well as show the importance of supp

VBS, Habakkuk Sermon Series, Mental Health Awareness (Pastoral Emphasis for 5/21)

Vacation Bible School will be 6/21-23, 6:30-8:30pm (nightly with dinner) and then wrap up on Sunday, 6/25. The theme is about being Change Makers . There will be music, Bible trivia, art, evangelism, and drama. VBS is for the whole family. Registration is open now.      Habakkuk Sermon Series Next Sunday, we’re starting a new sermon series in Habakkuk called F aith in Confusing Times . Just like Habakkuk, we live in a time of chaos and injustice. And just like Habakkuk, we may wonder why God seems to not be doing anything about it. Join us for this series about having faith when life doesn’t make sense.    May is Mental Health Awareness Month . We need to break the stigma in the church. This week will be on promoting acceptance and compassion surrounding mental illness. Language matters; let’s work together to avoid derogatory terms. The language we use to talk about mental health can either perpetuate prejudice and discrimination or promote acceptance and compassion. When it come

Happy Mother's Day, Prayer Rally, Mental Health Awareness: Self-Care (Pastoral Emphasis for 5/14)

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers! But we should acknowledge that Mother's Day can be a tough day for many. Some of us have lost our mother. Take comfort in God, our heavenly Father. The Bible says that God watches over His people like a hen who protects her chicks under her wings. If you are in Christ and your mother was in Christ, then you shall see her again. Some mothers have lost children (some by miscarriages or abortion). God has mercy on children, and I do believe you shall see your child one day in eternity. And even if you have aborted a baby, there is forgiveness in Christ. Christ can remove your shame and guilt. There is no condemnation for those in Christ!  There are some women who desire to have children, but it has not happened yet. Trust in the sovereignty of God and know that your self-worth and identity are not in motherhood, but it is in Jesus Christ.  For all you mothers who feel like you don't measure up, you don't have to be perfect, Christ was pe