Announcements – September 15, 2023

By AdministratorUncategorized
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
I suspect that the personal experience I’m about to share with you is one that many of you have also endured at one time or another.
Back in 1992, when we found out that Carol was expecting our daughter Brooke, we got serious about purchasing a home with an additional bedroom.  Up to that point, we had always either lived in a manse owned by the Church, or we had rented a house.  It would be the first time in our marriage that we would join the ranks of those who enjoy the joys and sorrows of home ownership.
A realtor in our Church at that time helped us find the right home, just down the street from the Church where we were serving.   It was, in every way, just perfect.
Everything was in order, and the day for the closing finally came.  However, the night before the closing day was one of great turmoil and sleeplessness for me.  We had never done such a big thing in our whole lives.  We had never committed to pay that much money each month.  What if something broke down, like the air conditioning system, or it needed some other costly repair in the future?  How could we pay for it?  After all, the price of the house was a whopping $65,000, and our mortgage payment would be approaching $700 per month!  I was a wreck!  But we did sign on the dotted line and, as always, the Lord was so gracious and faithful to provide what we needed to get by.
We’ve all experienced that big lump in the throat right before (or just after) making such a big commitment.
As we read the inspired words recorded Luke 14:25-33, we encounter a similar situation that, without a doubt, sparked such a reaction in the throats of those walking along the road with Jesus that day long ago.
In that remarkable setting, Jesus said this:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
In other words, our Lord was telling that large crowd that choosing to follow Him as a disciple, not simply as a fan or an onlooker, would be the biggest thing they had ever done!  And, it would be very costly indeed!  I would imagine that those shocking words would have surely caused a powerful and deep reaction in the pit of everyone’s stomach that day.
But what do our Savior’s words mean, and how are they applied?  Are we really to “hate” other people, those closest to us, and even our own lives, if we are to be His disciples?
On Sunday, we will come before our Lord with open hearts and open Bibles, and we will explore these sacred and astounding words of Jesus together.
I can’t wait to see you all!
Mike

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

New Members Class – For those interested in membership at CPC, our next new members class will be from 2 to 5 on Sunday, October 1st. Dinner and childcare will be provided. A sign up sheet will be in the narthex.

Children’s Ministry
• Nursery – If you would like to serve in our nursery during service, contact Amanda Dean.

Youth Ministry – Sunday night fellowship begins this evening at the church house from 4:30 to 6:30.

Women’s Ministry
• Senior Sisters meet monthly on the 3rd Thursday, 10-11:30am
• Senior Sisters exercise class meets Mondays at the church, 10-11:30am
• Monthly lunch 1st Thursday of the month at Timbers Edge Clubhouse at 11
• Tuesday Morning Fall Bible Study – Meets at 9:30am at the Church. Childcare will be provided. Topic: “When You Pray”.
• Evening Fall Study – Tuesdays at 6:00pm at the home of Cynthia Keen.We are studying Jen Wilkin’s “Abide” on 1, 2, 3 John.
• Women’s Morning Fall Bible Study – Wednesdays from 10-11:30am at the Church. Mike Calvert will continue his series on Ephesians.

Men’s Ministry
• Senior Fellows – Our next breakfast will be Tuesday Oct. 3rd at 9:00am.
• Men’s Friday Bible Study – Meets Fridays at 11:30 at the church.

Career Ministry – Bible study & fellowship meets at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry, Sundays at 5:30 PM.

Baby Shower
• A baby shower will be held to bless first-time mom Maggie Tomlinson on Saturday, September 30th from 2-4pm at the home of Denise Brown. Thank you for not bringing food and drinks into the Sanctuary.

See christpreshamptoncove.org for detailed news and upcoming events.

PRAYER REQUESTS Healing – Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Collins Bailey, Bill Cowley, Elizabeth Holton, Steve Terry and Kristy York.

Expecting – Please pray for the Prinzingers, Lancasters, Elliotts and Joe and Jennifer Calvert, all expecting in October and the Tomlinsons due in November.

Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries:
• Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland)
• Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand)
• Noah and Karleigh Stephens (Thailand)
• Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH)
• Marcus and Jessica Nobles (RUF at Alabama A&M)
• Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA)
• Franky and Alaina Garcia (church plant in Canada)
• Dieter and Marty Paulson (church plant in Scottsboro, AL)
• The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center