Sermon Preview
Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
One thing that all people everywhere have in common is the predisposition to cover up one’s mistakes and sins. There’s just something in all of us that seems to drive us to hide them, to explain them away, to deflect attention from them, to assign blame elsewhere, and to do all within our power to make them go away.
We’ve all done this, multiple times. And we have done it from our earliest days as little children who did something mommy or daddy had forbidden. Perhaps you have even covered up something recently, maybe not on the scale that we will examine this Sunday morning from the life of David. But you have hidden something from your parents, your spouse, your boss, or your neighbor. In a moment when you were most keenly aware of your guilt, you have done your best to sweep away the evidence of your sin, and attempted to effect some repair of the damage you’ve done.
These cover-ups involve sins and transgressions of all types and sizes. Such sins range from those that appear to be the most trivial and inconsequential, to those that are abysmal, catastrophic, and involve consequences that are ultimate.
This is the story of 2 Samuel 11:6-27, king David’s story. And it is our text for this coming Lord’s Day message. David will attempt a cover-up. But, as we will see, things don’t go as planned. And chapter 11 ends with those dreadful words of verse 27, “ But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.”
Let’s be sure to read this story again as we prepare our hearts for worship this Sunday.
Men’s Retreat
Men, don’t forget that tonight at 6:30 PM we will meet at the Church for our Fall Men’s Retreat. We will be considering the subject of ‘Authority,’ and we will enjoy a great time of fellowship around the Word of God.
Then, Saturday morning at 8:15 AM we will gather at the Church for a delicious catered breakfast (my well-placed sources tell me that Cracker Barrel is providing the meal), followed by more study and fellowship. Our retreat will conclude by 11:30 AM.
I hope to see all of our brothers there!
Time Change
Finally, our clocks roll back one hour Saturday night, so enjoy that extra hour to sleep before we gather for Lord’s Day worship.
I love you all so much!
Mike
Upcoming Events:
Nov 1, 6:30 PM – Men’s Retreat at Church – Session 1
Nov 2, 8 AM – Men’s Retreat at Church – Breakfast and Session 2
Nov 5, 9 AM – Mother’s Morning Bible Study
Nov 5, 9 AM Senior Fellows Breakfast at the Church House
Nov 5, 11:15 AM Team B lunch feeding at Downtown Rescue Mission (DRM)
Nov 5, 6 PM – Women’s Evening Bible Study
Nov 6, 10 AM – Women’s Morning Bible Study
Nov 7, 11:30 AM – Women’s Potluck Lunch at Timbers Edge Clubhouse
Nov 8 – 11:15 AM Team A lunch feeding at DRM
Nov 13, 6:30 PM Seniors Fellows & Wives Night Out at Luciano
Nov 19, 10 AM Bags of Blessings Food Pickup at Sam’s
Nov 10, 12 PM – Second Sunday Fellowship Lunch
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:
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty – Hymn 53, vs 1,3-5
Spirit of The Living God – Hymn 726
Jesus, What A Friend For Sinners – Hymn 498, vs 1-2,5
The Precious Blood
Announcements:
Men’s Morning Study:
Rise early. Drink coffee. Meet with brothers to discuss the Word of God using Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. 6:00-7:15 AM, Panera – Bridge Street. Day TBD. If interested, email darondrown@gmail.com
Men’s Retreat:
Men’s ‘Stay at Home Retreat,’ Friday November 1 and Saturday November 2 at the Church. All the men of the Church and visitors are invited. Schedule: Friday 6:30-9:00 PM, and Saturday 8:15-11:30 with breakfast included. Mike will be leading sessions on the subject, ‘A Man Under Authority, and Entrusted With Authority.’ See Mark Cooper with questions.
Men’s Lunch Groups:
Men’s Lunch Fellowship Groups are forming. More information and sign up sheets may be found in the Narthex. For questions please see Norman Dean.
Youth Group:
Youth Bible Study for Middle and High School is the following dates:
Sunday November 10–4:30 PM at the Church
Sunday November 24–4:30 PM at the Church
Sunday December 8–4:30 PM at the Church
Second Sunday Lunches:
Please click the link HERE to view the sign up for our November Fellowship Lunch on Sunday November 10th.
Many of you remarked to me that you’ve only been able to come to one or two lunches because of forgetting or making other plans – well let me encourage you to mark your calendars! 😉
We plan to continue each 2nd Sunday of the month from December through May. The May lunch will most likely move to the 3rd Sunday because of Mother’s Day.
November 10, December 8, and January 12 are the next three coming up. Please make plans to join us in the Fellowship Hall after worship. And please welcome visitors to stay and join us to eat!
***A word of thanks to all the MANY helpers who prep, set out tables, serve the meals, bring food or dessert or tea, and those who linger to clean up – THANK YOU for making these lunches a great success. It is a pleasure to work alongside you and serve the church body this way.
Sincerely in Christ,
Denise Brown
Women’s Fellowship Opportunities:
The women will continue their “First Thursday” monthly luncheons on November 7. They start at 11:30 am at Timbers’ Edge Clubhouse. There will not be a Thursday Luncheon in December.
The Christmas Brunch for the weekly bible studies is December 4th.
The annual Ladies’ Christmas Dinner is Tuesday, December 10th, at 6 pm at Huntsville Country Club.
Mark your calendars for these fellowship opportunities. Contact Denise Scrip for any questions.
Senior Fellows:
Here is a list of Senior Fellows events for October:
Nov 5 – 9 AM Senior Fellows Breakfast at the Church House
Nov 5 – 11:15 AM Team B lunch feeding at Downtown Rescue Mission (DRM)
Nov 8 – 11:15 AM Team A lunch feeding at DRM
Nov 13 – 6:30 PM Seniors Fellows & Wives Night Out at Luciano
Nov 19 – 10 AM Bags of Blessings Food Pickup at Sam’s
Roots Retreat:
Check this space for updates on the upcoming youth retreat for the teens in our presbytery. The Roots Retreat will be January 24-26, 2020. This year’s guest speaker is Daniel Hightower. Daniel is the RUF campus minister at Jacksonville State University (and former Youth Director at Grace Presbyterian Church in Fort Payne).
Prayer Requests:
Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Steve Terry, John Baxter, Bill Cowley, Larrabee Kirkland, Chris Smotherman, Elizabeth Holton, Janet Chou, and Nolan Osmer.
Expecting: Please pray for the Thoms, expecting in November, and the Brackins, expecting in March.
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