THOUGHTS FROM OUR SENIOR MINISTER
We began the solemn and reflective season of Lent yesterday with our Ash Wednesday service in collaboration with Community Baptist Church. (If you were unable to attend the service, a recording can be found online at our church’s website and Facebook page). This season of Lent calls us to journey alongside Jesus Christ in His suffering, sacrifice, and ultimately, His triumph over sin and death. Lent is a time of spiritual renewal, a period of forty days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter, during which we are invited to deepen our faith through prayer, study of scripture, and reflection upon the blessings God has bestowed upon us.
Prayer is our lifeline to God, our direct line of communication with the Creator of the universe. It is through prayer that we express our hopes, fears, joys, and sorrows to God, knowing that God’s presence is eternally with us and each prayer is heard. During this season of Lent, let us commit ourselves to a regular and fervent prayer life. Let us carve out moments in our busy schedules to sit before God. Join us each Sunday for worship as we reflect up the theme of Covenant in my Lenten Sermon Series.
Scripture study is another essential discipline for deepening our relationship with God. The Bible is so much more than a mere book of ancient stories; for it is capable of transforming our hearts and minds. This Lent Season, we are resuming our Wednesday evening Bible Study. And, I am excited that Jada will now be hosting a gathering for our children and youth. Make Wednesday evenings a time for the whole family to gather at church to open our hearts to the scriptures. Each Wednesday from 6-7pm, you and your children are invited to join us.
I would also encourage you to continue your reflection upon gratitude this Lenten Season. In a world that often encourages us to focus on what we lack rather than what we have, cultivating a spirit of gratitude is not only important to building joy but can be the antidot to discontentment and despair. Continue to make time each day to reflect on the blessings that surround you. You will be hearing about our Tuesday meditation opportunities in the church sanctuary from 11-12 each Tuesday through Lent. I would encourage you to bring your gratitude journals with you and meditate upon all that you have to be thankful for this Lenten Season.
As we embark on this journey through Lent together, may prayer, scripture study, and reflection upon gratitude be our guiding lights. May these disciplines deepen our faith, prepare us for the resurrection, and strengthen our relationships with God and one another. May we truly be transformed into the vessels of God’s love and grace for the world. May the overwhelming joy of Christ’s face shine brightly upon each and every one of us as we begin this journey toward Holy Week and Easter.
Peace Always,
Rev. David Clifford
Taste and See that the Lord is Good
By Carolyn Dorsey
Sometimes gratitude can be for the very basics of life. It doesn’t have to for some big, overall thing like music or nature or Spring…..it can be for the senses we use to experience these wonderful things that God provides. We “smell” fresh baked bread, we “hear” a favorite song, we “feel” the soft fur or our kitten or dog, we “taste” our favorite ice cream, we “see” the sunset. These five senses make life exciting for us because without them there would be complete darkness, nothing really to experience.
Some of us may have had problems with some of our senses, especially as we grow older. I have had a time that I could not see clearly. Everything was double and crooked, and I could not see to read or play my music. That was a very frightening time because I had lost something that I truly had taken for granted. I had to stop doing a lot of things I loved, like crocheting and crafting, reading a book, or driving my car safely. I had to endure several eye surgeries and special glasses to try to fix my eyes. But during that time, I found a way to be grateful, especially for the doctors who were so kind and caring and reassuring to me that all would be ok again. And I found a way to be double thankful for my sense of smell, hearing, feeling and tasting!
I think it would be good on our Gratitude journey to take some time to reflect on our five senses and really focus on the blessings that they provide. Instead of focusing on maybe the thing we have lost, focus on what is still there. And if you are blessed enough to have all your five senses intact, give thanks to God, and then go out and encourage and pray for those who are suffering.
Open up your Gratitude Journal every day for a while and as if you are talking to God, express in words your gratefulness for each of your five senses. Maybe choose one for each day and focus on a particular sense and the joy it provides for you each day. Today I sat down with my special glasses and played beautiful music on the piano, something I haven’t been able to do for a long while, and I am oh so grateful to be able to play all my favorite pieces and even learn some new ones.
Won’t you join me and others in our Year of Gratitude and experience the joy that a simple “thank you” to God can bring. Joy spreads like wildfire…lets spread the joy today and all year long.
Yours in Christ, Carolyn Dorsey
The Art and Science of Leadership
FCCH leaders gathered on Saturday, February 3, for a workshop about the Art and Science of leadership with
Rev. Dr. Don Gillett is currently the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Regional Minister for the State of Kentucky and adjunct professor of pastoral leadership at Lexington Theological Seminary. Dr. Charisse Gillett is president of Lexington Theological Seminary.
The central message of the workshop was that both the left brain (scientific principles) and the right brain(relationships and intuition) are important for good leadership. Photographs by Mara Beth Womack
13 Reasons Not to Worry About the Future of the Church
Several readers of the Spirit read an article from Rev. Dr. Lon Oliver’s Facebook page and requested that we publish it. The article was by Rev. Karl Vaters and published on his website (karlvaters.com). A former pastor, he is a consultant to small churches, the author of five books about small churches and principal of the website which focuses on small churches. In the article, he urges a stop to worrying about churches becoming smaller. The 13 points of that discussion are listed below, but individuals interested in the entire article will find it on the website.
The church belongs to Jesus Christ, not us. And Jesus knows what he is doing.
The picture is not as bleak as we think.
The church always thrives under persecution.
Loss of privilege (such as prayer in school or posting the 10 commandments in public buildings) is not the same as persecution.
The church is at its best when we are counterculture.
The church is bigger than our buildings and our denominations.
Loss of privilege (such as prayer in school or posting the 10 commandments in public buildings) is not the same as persecution.
The church belongs to Jesus Christ, not us. And Jesus knows what he is doing. The picture is not as bleak as we think.
The church is at its best when we are counterculture.
The church is people who love Jesus, God’s word, and each other.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday School classes meet at 9:30 every Sunday @ 9:30 a.m. prior to worship. These classes include teens, children and adults. The nursey is also open at this time.
Lenten Sermon Series: Covenant. Join Rev. David's Six-Week Lenten Sermon Series as we are reminded to trust in God's everlasting covenant with us. This sermon series will explore God's covenant with us. The coming Sunday we begin our Lenten Journey with a sermon titled, "A Global Guarantee" based on Genesis 9:8-17.
The Outreach/ prayer group will meet on Mondays @ 9:30 a.m.
Senior Saints will meet on Tuesday, February 20 at 11:30 a.m. Homeplace will host and provide lunch. Please rsvp, with Evina or the church office if you plan to attend.
The First Lenten Service & Luncheon will be at First Presbyterian Church at noon on February 21. FCCH will host the following week, February 28 at noon and host the luncheon.
Weekly Bible Study for Adults-(on Psalms) and Youth Group Activities begin on Wednesday, Feb.21st from 6-7 pm.
If you would like to send June Skaggs, a note while she is at Colonial Terrace, the address is 142 Roger Powell Rd, Sebree, KY 42455 Rm 47
