The Pastor’s Blog
Missions Rally Saturday, May 3, 2014 Guest Speakers: Ed & Marie Cammack
10:30 a.m. at Medford Friends
Friends Women invite everyone to attend the annual Southern Oregon Area Rally. The Cammack name has been a part of mission work in Bolivia since the 1930’s. Come hear Ed & Marie Cammack share about their recent 3 month visit and also catch up on other current news and needs. Lunch will follow the presentation.
Please be praying for the Garrett family following Lance’s passing on April 27, 2014. There will be a memorial service celebrating Lance’s life and relationship with Jesus on Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Valley, 2065 Upper River Rd., Grants Pass, OR.
2014 CAMP AUCTION – WEDNESDAY, MAY 14th
Help our kids go to camp!
Mark your calendars and start planning for Camp Auction 2014! Great selling items are baked goods, hand crafted projects and manual labor. Everyone can participate by donating and/or buying the items to be auctioned off. The auction will be held on Wednesday May 14th. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the Auction Starts at 7 p.m. Sign-Up Sheets & additional information are located in the Fellowship Hall, Hallway, Harmony Hall and Ross Chapel.
Ladies Meetings:
Ladies Fellowship Group We will meet on Tuesday, May 6th, at 7 p.m. at the home of Dawn DuLong. All ladies are invited and welcome to join us for sharing & caring fellowship.
Friends Women Missionary Fellowship Group Ladies join us in the fireside room at MFC, Thursday, May 15th, at 10 a.m. for our missions meeting. Following the meeting we will have lunch at Wendy’s.
Pastoral Candidate to Visit on May 18th
On May 18th our top pastoral candidate and his wife will be with us for worship and he will be speaking. There will be a meet and greet time following the service with no adult studies at 11 am that day. We ask everyone to make it a priority to be here for this important time. Please bring cookies to share and continue praying for God’s clear leading through our transition process.
Financial Report
April 2014 Year-to-date
Income $16,851.00 $66,766.58
Expenses 19,357.88 72,546.92
Difference -2,506.88 -5,780.34
We thank God for His continued support of Medford Friends and everyone who gives to, works in and supports our ministries.
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I’ve had cortisone injections in my knee on multiple occasions so I thought how could it be any worse to have injections in my thumbs. Boy was I wrong! As I learned, there is much more pain involved in injecting the smaller thumb joints than in injecting the larger knee joint. I wish I’d known that before so I could have been better prepared for what was to come.
This experience reminded me that when we face trials, pain, and difficulties, the things that we go through to work through those problems can sometimes be more painful than we expected, and at the time we are going through them it may even be more painful than what we are trying to change, fix, or do.
However, throughout scripture we have example after example of the fact that very often trials, difficulties, pain and hard work often precede a new work or blessing of the Lord, so rather than run from the pain, we can go through it with God’s grace, looking forward to all that He is doing and is going to do.
I’m hoping and praying that the pain I went through with the injections in my thumbs will result in significant relief after the medication takes effect, but we can know without a doubt that when we face trials, difficulties and pain that God will use it for our growth and our good. In James 1:2-4 we read:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
What trial, difficulty or pain are you facing? Trust God to meet your needs, to see you through and to bring growth and good out of whatever you face.
Trusting and Praising,
Mark
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Home Study for April 28 through May 3, 2014
Monday – Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9
According to this passage, what place should God hold in our lives?
Why are we to talk to our children/family about this?
How can we live to show our love for God to the people around us?
How does this passage challenge you? How will you respond?
Tuesday – Read Matthew 22:34-40
What did Jesus say was the greatest commandment in the Law?
Which is harder, to love God whom you can’t see or to love your neighbor whom you do see? Why?
How do loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves put the rest of life into perspective and order?
Wednesday – Read Joshua 24:14-15
Living for Jesus and putting Him first in our lives is all about the choices we make. What choice did Joshua make?
Why do we need to make this choice each day?
How does making this choice bring order and peace in our lives?
Who do you choose to serve today?
Thursday – Read Matthew 19:16-26
Jesus gave this man a choice, at what point did he chose to not follow Jesus?
What other kind of things besides wealth can get in the way of us choosing Jesus?
What happens when we choose anything besides Jesus?
What is this passage saying to you? What will you do?
Friday – Read Galatians 5:1-6
Paul is responding to people who insisted that a person is justified by obeying the Old Testament Law. In verse 4, what does Paul say that does to our relationship with Jesus? Why this important to understand?
According to verse 6, how should our faith by expressed?
How can this help others to see Jesus?
How does this passage challenge you? Encourage you?
Saturday – Read Matthew 10:40-42
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Home Study for April 14 through 19, 2014
Monday – Read Matthew 5:1-12
Which of these blessings surprises you the most?
From these verses, how vastly different is Jesus’ kingdom from the kingdoms of men?
How does this challenge you? How does it encourage you?
How will you respond?
Tuesday – Read John 10:1-10
What does it mean to “have life, and have it to the full?”
What does Jesus want to give us to “the full?”
Why do we too often miss it?
What does Jesus want to do in you? How will you respond to Him?
Wednesday – Read John 6:35
What does Jesus mean that He is the “bread of life?”
What can we do to be more fully filled with Him?
How does this verse challenge you?
How will you respond?
Thursday – Read John 13:34-35
Who is our example of how to love one another?
What did Jesus do out of love for us?
How can we love others in the same way?
Why is love such an important testimony?
How does this passage challenge you? How will you respond?
Friday – Read Galatians 5:1-6
Paul is talking about trying to be justified by the Old Testament law rather than by faith – trying to be justified by outward actions rather than a heart changed by Jesus.
At the end of verse 6, what does Paul say in the only thing that counts?
Why must our faith be expressed in acts of love?
How does this encourage you? Challenge you?
How will you respond?
Saturday – Read Luke 24:1-12
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