Allow me to express my excitement and enthusiasm as we return to a full schedule of ministry opportunities. Restart Sunday proved once again to be a joyous occasion for the church family to come together. It was made even better by the appearance of the Kona Ice truck. Over the past 2 years we have missed out on a lot of great moments because of the precautions put in place to protect us from Covid. Now, regular Sunday and Wednesday opportunities are happening for our church. Our children are getting reconnected, our youth are getting reconnected, and adults are reconnecting. We truly are “Better Together.” We can look forward to a Wednesday meal beginning this month as well.
Unfortunately my excitement has been diminished by the number of members we have lost in recent weeks. With each death announcement, my heart aches for the families whose loved ones have departed this earth. I am reminded of some truly great people who have been a part of this church for many years. People who have sacrificed, taught, served and loved others as God has loved them. They will definitely be missed by each of us who have known them. The other side of the coin is that we have hope. Because of our belief in the resurrection we know the promise the words of Jesus hold,
“ I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
We know will be together again one day in the presence of almighty God and our Savior Jesus Christ. What a glorious day that will be. Well done good and faithful servant.
During October we will return to our annual celebration centered around Missions both locally and in the world. It is always a joy to see how your faithful support enables our church to make a difference in the Kingdom of God. Each week we will be able to focus on a different mission/missionary and receive and update. On the last Sunday of the month we will have our year in review. This year’s Generosity project will draw our attention to the ministry of Hammer’s and Nails here in Canton. You can read about it within this newsletter. Beyond the financial contributions we will come alongside one another to serve on a work project at a house Saturday, October 9th. This is that moment we have been looking for where we get the be the hands and feet of Jesus. This is the moment those words of Jesus ring true, “Whatever you do for the least of these, its has if you have done it to me.” Matthew 25:40 Won’t you please show your support and sign up to join hands in hands with others from our church to complete this God assignment?
Our sermon series for the month is entitled “I Choose.” For beginners I hope you will choose to live generously through the generosity project. We will also focus on the truth that we are the result of our decisions. While we agonize over little things like what to wear and what to eat, are we glossing over the big choices? Are we missing out on the bigger picture of life. Do we make too much of the trivial and not enough about the things that truly matter. Of course the answer is usually, yes! There might be more on the line than you think when you say “I Choose.” In this series God will challenge you to be intentional about the choices you make. How can you learn to live differently than the world? We'll cover topics like surrender, urgency, and priorities. Please plane to be with us each week as we explore God’s word and make the most of every opportunity to be better together!
Again, I hope to see you in-person or online in the month ahead. You are all dearly loved!
