TMG
Hello, Crossroads Family!
These seem like full and busy days, don’t they … even though the weather makes us feel like we ought to be curled up hibernating for a while!
Please pray for Shane and Angi Dahmer and family. Shane’s mom had hip replacement surgery this week. While we rejoice in the successful surgery, we should also pray for God’s strength now while extra care is required for Shane’s mom and dad.
Please pray for Julie Kemper’s son-in-law, Ben, as he and Tina wait upon God for additional help with Ben’s kidney illness.
Others at Crossroads have needs at this time ; please pray for those who come to your mind. We rejoice that at the Mooneyham house things are getting back more closely to normal!
Mike Mason, in his book The Gospel According to Job, makes some interesting observations about our struggle with illness and weakness. I’ve paraphrased here what he writes:
Miraculous healing, to be sure, is a vital part of Christian ministry today as it was in the first century. Nevertheless, it is possible to place so much emphasis on a miraculous cure that one completely loses sight of the inestimable worth of patient, faithful endurance of disease. We like to talk about “having the faith to be healed,” but what about having the faith to be sick? Jesus did not heal Lazarus; He let him die, saying, “This sickness … is for God’s glory” (John 11:4). Similarly, when Paul first met the Lord, far from being healed he was struck blind! Even his subsequent healing was accompanied by the prophecy, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9:16).
If we are to be true witnesses of Christ, we must witness of His death as well as of His resurrection. After all, we Christians have died already — we’ve died to sin, according to Romans 6:11. Our fleshly nature has been undone ; and our old nature is decaying amidst our new one. Why should we strive, as the unbelieving world does, to conceal such an obvious fact? We are like windblown fruit, sitting on the ground and rotting. But only in this way can the brand new seed that lives within us be uncovered and planted. “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:24-25).
Going on at Crossroads…
Baby Bottle Boomerang
There are three baby bottles left if you would like to participate in the Baby Bottle Boomerang to support Birthright of Nevada. You can sign up for a bottle this Sunday morning, or you can contact Kim Reedy (417-448-9396) if you’d like to get your baby bottle before Sunday.
Looking for Children’s Church Supplies
Do you have some extra craft supplies around? The children’s church could use some supplies like colored paper and glitter. (Currently, glue and fabric scraps are well stocked.) If you can help, please let Michaela know (417-684-3118). Thank you!
Next Home Group, February 5, 6 pm
Our final session in the “Church History Made Easy” series will take place Sunday evening, February 5, at 6:00 at my house, 628 W. Arch Street. Everyone is welcome. Good study and fellowship!
Worship this Sunday morning at the Community Center
I’m looking forward to our worship service this Sunday morning at 10:00. I feel the Lord has filled me to overflowing this week with thoughts on the subject of “What’s the Future of the Church?” I hope you’ll be there! I’ll be working today on paring the message down some! We’ll look at Seven Big Parts of Our Big Future.
One of the things I enjoyed so much about Diana is that she was a learner. She was always interested in knowing what I was learning, and she herself was always learning. That’s a great quality in any person! (I marvel to think she was my longest parishioner, a member of all four churches I’ve pastored except this one where it feels like she’s something of an honorary member!) We have a lot to learn from each other, and I hope you value that part of the church, as I do!
See you Sunday! I’ll have the sermon posted on Facebook by this weekend in case you’re not able to be with us in person.
— Tom
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