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Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

This coming Sunday we will consider another one of our Lord’s parables that is recorded in Matthew. This parable is discovered in 18:23-35, and is typically referred to as ‘The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.’ It is one of the more well-known of Jesus’ parables. The subject of this moving story is forgiveness, and forgiveness on a scale that overwhelmingly exceeds all normal expectations.

Like all of the parables of our Lord, it is critical to see this one within its context, or setting. The wider setting for this story is revealed in verse 15 where Jesus teaches how His disciples are to deal with relational sins and offenses: “If your brother sins against you. . . .” Then, the immediate context is discovered in Peter’s question to Jesus in verse 21 about this matter of forgiving personal offenses: “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

In answer to this question, Jesus provides the parable that we find in verses 23-35. And be careful to note that once again, Jesus is comparing the eternal “kingdom of heaven” to something earthly. This time it is like “a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.”

Thank you for your faithful and kind prayers as we prepare for this Lord’s Day message, and I can’t wait to see you!

You are my joy, and I love you all so dearly,

Mike

Upcoming Events:

July 8, 6 PM – Women’s Book Club Potluck at Timbers Edge Clubhouse
July 11, 11:30 AM – Women’s Monthly Lunch at Timbers Edge Clubhouse
July 12, 11:15 AM – Senior Fellows Team A Downtown Rescue Mission feeding
July 13, 6 PM – Single Adults Fellowship at Daughtry Home
July 15, 6:30 PM – Senior Fellows attend Concert in the Park
July 17, 6 PM – Deacons Meeting
July 21, 2 PM – Davie Bridal Shower at Kim Fohrell’s house
July 30, 10 AM – Senior Fellows Bags of Blessings
July 30, 6 PM – Bags O’ Blessings packing at The CARE Center
August 11, 4:30 PM – Psummer Psalms recitation
August 12, 6 PM – Women’s Book Club Potluck at Debi Walker’s house
September 8, 9 AM – Sunday School resumes
September 20, 6 PM – Marriage Enrichment Evening and Dinner

Order of Worship:

You can access this week’s Order of Worship by clicking here

If you’d like to sing the songs with your family beforehand, the songs for this week are:

O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus – Hymn 535, all 3 verses
O Help My Unbelief
Amazing Grace – Hymn 460, vs. 1-3, 6
Why So Heavy

Counselor’s Corner:

The Tech-Wise Family Part I

Have you given some thought to your personal and familial use of technology? The impact of technology on our society is certainly a fashionable topic in our times. If you have not yet had an opportunity to read Andy Crouch’s The Tech-Wise Family, it is a helpful read for anyone wanting to think through their personal and familial use of screens and technology. As the church, we are called to live in wisdom before the face of God. Here is a brief plug on Crouch’s book, a work that I think might be useful in developing your thoughts regarding technology. https://www.christpreshamptoncove.org/2019/07/counselors-corner-the-tech-wise-family-part-i/

Announcements:

Summer Schedule: Christ Pres is on Summer Schedule, which means Sunday School and regular weekly activities are on hiatus. Our weekly time of fellowship begins at 10 AM, with worship beginning at 10:30 AM. Regular weekly activities resume September 3 and Sunday School resumes September 8.

Single Adults Fellowship: There will be a Single Adult Fellowship on Saturday July 13, at 6:00 PM at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry, 5726 Jones Valley Drive. This is for singles of all ages, including college students.

VBS UPDATE: We are getting closer to that wonderful week of VBS! Things are coming together, but we still need your help getting the word out to our people. Feel free to forward to friends and neighbors but remember, our guaranteed t-shirt deadline is Monday, July 8th. Please see the registration links HERE. All the information can be found on this page. Feel free to forward to those who may be interested!

**Volunteers, don’t forget that I need you to register as well so that you receive your FREE shirt 🙂 This includes any adult or teen volunteer.

Christ Pres VBS Registration

Bags of Blessings: Members, Our church will pack “Bags of Blessings” food bags at the Care Center, New Hope at 6 PM, Tuesday, 30 July. These food bags are given out by public school teachers on Fridays to children not receiving adequate food on weekends. We need about 25 church helpers to accomplish this important job. If you would like to help, sign up at the table in the narthex. The packing will take place in a warehouse on Main Street in New Hope, next to the City Hall (on right facing City Hall). Take New Hope exit off Hwy 431. This is Main street and it goes by City Hall. Please arrive before 6 PM. The job should take 1-1.5 hours to complete, and children can help. Thanks for your support.

Women’s Book Club Fellowship: Title of book is Even Better than Eden by Nancy Guthrie. Meets Monday nights starting June 10th from 630-8pm at 2 locations
Home of Sharon Daughtry 5726 Jones Valley Dr HSV 256-520 0824
Home of Debi Walker 8538 Sedgebrook SE 256 929-3214
July 8th from 6-8pm will be a joint potluck fellowship at TimbersEdge Clubhouse
Aug 12th wrap up potluck fellowship for both groups at home of Debi Walker
We will not meet the week of VBS July 15-18

Psummer Psalms: Everyone in the congregation is invited to memorize one entire Psalm this summer, then join us for a recitation at the church, followed by ice cream, Sunday, Aug 11, 4:30pm. “How sweet are your words to my taste…” Psalm 119:103 Recitation can be individual, or together in a group or family. We had a great group last year–young and old sharing God’s word out loud and with conviction. If interested, email darondrown@gmail.com for periodic encouragement and accountability.

Nursery: Baby nursery volunteers are needed for the summer semester. Please click HERE to sign up for 1-2 Sundays over the course of the summer. Our babies love our member volunteers!

Senior Fellows: The Senior Fellows teams will serve at the Downtown Rescue Mission. Team A will serve on Friday, July 12. They will meet at 11:15 AM and start feeding at 11:30 AM. Carpools will leave the church at 10:30.On Monday, July 15 at 6:30 PM the Senior Fellows will attend Concert in the Park to hear 60’s music in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Lunar Landing. Carpools will leave the church at 6:00 PM. Finally, on Tuesday, July 30 at 10:00 AM the Senior Fellows will meet at Sam’s Club on South Parkway to transport food to the Care Center in preparation for packing Bags of Blessings.

Bridal Shower for Maddie Davie : There will be a bridal shower for Maddie Davie (daughter of Gerry and Renee Davie) on July 21st from 2-4pm at the home of Kim Fohrell
3113 Haddonstone Dr, Owens Cross Rds, 35763
Maddie and Matthew are registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond, MyRegistry.com, and Amazon.

Prayer Requests:

Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: John Baxter, Pat Galecki, Jim Daughtry, Bill Cowley, Larrabee Kirkland, Chris Smotherman, Elizabeth Holton, Janet Chou, Ramona Edwards, and Nolan Osmer.
Expecting: Please pray for the Bryant family, expecting in September, and the Thoms, expecting in November.
Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); RUF at Alabama A&M; Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA).

Emails:

general inquiries: admin@christpreshamptoncove.org
benevolence needs: benevolence@christpreshamptoncove.org
counsel and ministry needs: matthew@christpreshamptoncove.org
men’s ministry: men@christpreshamptoncove.org
women’s ministry: women@christpreshamptoncove.org
children’s ministry: children@christpreshamptoncove.org
youth ministry: youth@christpreshamptoncove.org
senior fellows: seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org

Address:
288 Old Highway 431
Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763