The Pastor’s Blog
Home Study for December 8 through 13, 2014
Home Study
Monday – Read Matthew 5:1-12
Blessing, God’s favor, comes to us in some of the most surprising ways. What do these verses tell us is important to God?
Take time to pray through this passage and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to your heart.
Tuesday – Read James 4:6-10
Why is God so opposed to human pride?
Why does He honor humility?
What encouragement do you find in verse 7?
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you? How will you respond?
Wednesday – Read Ephesians 4:1-6
How do the qualities of love, humility, patience and gentleness allow us to live a life worthy of God’s call upon our lives?
How do those qualities allow us to live in unity under Jesus?
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you? How will you respond?
Thursday – Read I Peter 2:13-17
What do you find to be the most challenging in this passage?
Why?
According to verse 15, why are these instructions important?
How are the church and God’s people doing at fulfilling this call in the U.S. in these days?
How does living as we read here give our testimony more authority in the eyes of people?
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you? How will you respond?
Friday – Read I Peter 2:21-25
How can we follow Jesus’ example but still proclaim His truth?
How should these verses impact how we view Jesus and ourselves?
How can we live out this challenging call?
Saturday – Read Galatians 5:22-23
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New Sunday School Class Begins December 7th This will be a multi-generational class that will look at current events through the eyes of scripture. The class will be led by Bruce Workman and Janelle Ralph. All junior high and high school youth are welcome. The class will meet in the conference room, room #6.
At our business meeting on November 23, 2014 it was approved to extend to Jesse Davis an initial 3 year call to serve as pastor at Medford Friends. Jesse has humbly accepted that call and the Elders will meet on December 4th to discuss the timing of this transition. More details will be shared as decisions are made. Please be praying for Jesse and our church family as we look forward to all that God is doing.
Annual Ladies Ornament Exchange – Friday, December 5th @ 6:30 p.m. All ladies are welcome to join at us at MFC for this festive event! There will be a reading of the Christmas Story. Bring a wrapped ornament and a favorite holiday goodie to share.
FWMF: A reminder that we will not meet in December. The next meeting will be January 20, 2015, 10 a.m., in the fireside room with a buffet lunch at the close of the meeting. All ladies are welcome.
Fellowship Hall and Main Hall Improvements
We are thankful for the generous gifts that are allowing us to paint and install new carpet and new windows in the fellowship hall and kitchen.
The windows will be installed beginning December 3rd and the carpet will be installed beginning December 8th.
We will remove the old carpet on Saturday December 6th, beginning at 8:30 am. Many hands will make the removal go quicker so if you can help please plan to be there.
Giving Tree – This year we will be doing our giving tree a little different than in the past. We will be collecting a variety of gift cards that can be given to people and families in need this Christmas season and throughout the year as needs arise. You can use the envelopes on the tree or just bring in your gift cards on a Sunday Morning. Cards from stores like Target, Walmart and Fred Meyer will provide the greatest options to meet a variety of needs. Thank you!
Christmas Program – Sunday, December 21st at 11 a.m.
Once again we will be having our Christmas program in the morning and we have room for those who would like to share a Christmas themed musical number, sketch or reading. If you are interested in sharing in this Christmas celebration please circle “C” on the back of your friendship, found in the Sunday bulletin and write what you would like to do or contact Mark Burton.
There will be a time of fellowship following the program, please bring finger foods to share.
Christmas Eve Service Please join us in the sanctuary Wednesday, December 24th at 5 p.m. for our traditional “Come As You Are Family Celebration.”
Financial Report
November 2014 Year-to-date
Income $20,729.00 $177,973.05
Expenses 18,094.25 $177,296.13
Difference 2,634.55 676.92
We are thankful for all of the ways that God provides for the needs of Medford Friends Church and for all of the ways that everyone contributes through your giving, your time, your work and your prayers.
Year-end gifts must be received at the church by Wednesday, December 31, 2014 to be reflected in your 2014 giving report. Thank you.
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It has been a blessing to watch as God has moved among us to lead us to the person that He has prepared to be the next pastor of Medford Friends Church. In the days to come, please continue praying for God’s blessing and work in the transition process and for His touch and blessing upon Jesse Davis as he looks forward to moving to Medford to serve as pastor.
Moving toward the completion of this process as I transition into retirement has forced me to get serious about cleaning out my office. Through the last 24 years I’ve given my office a thorough cleaning on several occasions, but it’s been nothing like I need to do now.
As I’ve gone through drawers and shelves, more than once I’ve found myself scratching my head and saying, “Why did I ever keep that?” I’m amazed at how many garbage bags of “important” stuff I’ve carted off to the dumpster without missing a single thing that I’ve thrown out.
This experience got me to thinking about the “important” stuff we allow to clutter our lives; stuff we allow to hang around, even store, even though it no longer has any use or relevance in our lives.
This can happen in our spiritual lives too. We allow our lives to become cluttered with stuff like sins and regrets from the past, worries in the present and fear of the future. We hold on to old dreams that God has not chosen to fulfill in our lives, anger over past hurts and the pain of past failures. If we aren’t careful we can clutter our lives with so much useless stuff that Jesus has no room to work in us or through us.
This month, take some time to take an inventory of the things that you have been hanging onto in your heart and life. As you examine each thing, invite the Lord to tell you what you can get rid of. As you find stuff that needs to be thrown out, take time to confess, forgive, learn the lessons, make the changes, receive healing and let go. I think that you will find that you are both blessed and relieved as the old clutter is cleaned out, making room for even more of what God wants to do in and through you.
God’s Grace and Peace,
Mark
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Home Study for December 1 through 6, 2014
Monday – Read Psalm 34:8
How is the Lord described here?
What does that mean to us?
What hope does that give you?
How can you share that hope with those who need to hear it?
Tuesday – Read Psalm 23:1-6
Who is the source of the goodness and love mentioned in verse 6?
How can we experience that goodness and love every day?
How can we share that same goodness and love with others?
How does this passage encourage you? How does it challenge you?
How will you respond?
Wednesday – Read Psalm 37:1-9
What direction do we receive here about doing good?
What promises do we see here?
How does this passage encourage you? How does it challenge you?
What will you do?
Thursday – Read James 1:22-25
What direction do we receive here about growing in goodness?
How have you found this to be true in your life?
What does it take for us to both know what’s good and to do it?
How will you respond to this passage?
Friday – Read Matthew 7:15-20
What does it take for us to produce good fruit in our lives?
Why is this important?
What can we do to grow in goodness and good fruit?
How does this passage challenge you? How will you respond?
Saturday – Read Galatians 5:22-23
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