Monthly Archives: July 2024
2432 – Did God Kill Ananias and Sapphira?
“Did God Kill Ananias and Sapphira”—this Sunday
I asked the question last time:
“Did God kill Ananias and Sapphira?
I got several interesting answers—but I want more. Read the story in Acts 5:1-11. Send me an e-mail with your opinion.
Feel free to explain why you say “yes” or “no.”
I will read some of the e-mails in my sermon this Sunday (without giving your name.)
Truth is, the question is not hard to answer. And I will give you the definitive answer in my sermon this Sunday at 11:00.
+++
We have an interesting study of NDEs, just starting Sunday mornings, taught by my sister, Jackie.
I will chime in at times.
The class meets at 9:45 and will run for four Sundays.
Each week we will hear from someone who has had a near-death event.
Expect to be lifted and encouraged by this study.
And here is really good news: It is followed by breakfast!
+++
The 4-week NDE study will be followed by an extended study of my not-yet published book, Discovering God.
The book is continually changing as I work on it. It will be out by next Easter.
The study will be part of my closing work on the book.
Discovering God covers over 100 remarkable and moving encounters with God.
We will discover in this study that God’s love for us exceeds anything we could ever imagine.
And God is closer to us that most people believe.
So: study at 9:45 every Sunday morning.
And Sermon Sunday: Did God Kill Ananias and Sapphira? 11:00 and after.
Max’s Corner
Service for Julie
The memorial service for Julie Maxwell will be this Saturday at 1:00 pm, followed by lunch for family and friends. Julie was a beloved member of this church and cherished by her husband, Tracy, and her friends.
We hope you can be present.
NDE Study Off to a Good Start
We had 23 present for the first session at 9:30 am last Sunday. This will require us to move to the larger classroom next door for the remaining three or four sessions.
Each week someone who has had a near-death experience will share their story with the class.
This NDE study will be followed by an extended study of my to-be-published book, Discovering God. This study will also meet at 9:45 am each Sunday.
Breakfast This Sunday
It’s a “Winston Sunday.”
We had all 23 people from the NDE class join breakfast last week.
Food and fellowship at 10:30 am.
This Sunday
This is it: the sermon that will answer the question: Did God Kill Ananias and Sapphira?
See you in worship.
God Bless—MB
I have forgotten the date of our upcoming concert (and it is too late at night to call anyone to find out).
We will remind you on Sunday.
Or Jason or Mary may mention it in this newsletter. It is coming. And it will be great.
Mary’s Corner
Greetings dear church and extended church family,
Blessings to all of you in the name of Jesus from Matthew 25. Blessings upon blessings to you for being who Jesus describes in Matthew 25. Our church is not the picture painted in the comments of Kaitlin Shelter that I read to you on Sunday morning. Our church is an affirming, welcoming, loving congregation that stands with arms wide open to our community. We do many things for our colleagues at Eastside Community Assistance. I do not doubt your engagement or your willingness to be the hands, feet, mouth, and resources of Jesus Christ to the least of these in our neighborhood. And then I stood before you on Sunday morning and asked you to consider doing more. I listed several things that we could do: groceries for folks who cannot buy food; a place to be when the temperatures are dangerously cold and maybe even when they are dangerously hot; a safe space for folks recovering from the trauma of addiction and/or abuse. There is a Title I elementary school just down the street from us. Those kiddos could use a friendly neighbor, I am almost certain. We could make an appointment with the counselor at the school to determine exactly how we can help.
I cannot do this alone, though, and I don’t want to do it without you. School starts in about 30 days. I am tentatively scheduling a meeting for August 4th after church at 12:30. Please plan on bringing a sack lunch with you to church. We will fellowship and discuss some feasible plans.
Blessings to all, Mary