Central Christian Church

Big kudos to Alex Juarez who caught my TYPO in the Sunday Sheet this week! Apparently, I was in a big hurry to send it in to Candace and my fat fingers made a mistake…have you caught it yet? Go turn to the Scriptures and tell me what you see! (Hint: Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome was NOT that long!) Yep…that was supposed to be Romans 12:4-5!

I know it’s not really a big deal…I wasn’t trying to re-write Scripture or teach a “New Gospel”…I just made a typing error. But I’ve pondered about it for a couple of days now. Alex practiced an ancient tradition that the Bereans were COMMENDED for doing: EXAMINING THE WORDS! We often say we are a “Bible Believing and Bible USING” Church…we want our Bibles OPEN and looking at what the writers said in context so that we can follow the Teachings of Jesus as completely and correctly as possible. DON’T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT…we ALL need to look and make our understanding complete!
Thank you for practicing grace to me because Almighty God knows that I do NOT know it all! We really are learning TOGETHER!!

As we continue to dive into this word and theme for our year: ANOTHERING, I’m challenged at how MUCH we need to be “People of the Word” (Last year’s theme) and how we need to show that GRACE to others! Charles Spurgeon was once having a tough day-he said he came home discouraged, weary & depressed…when a verse flashed in his mind: “My Grace is sufficient for thee!” (2 Cor. 12:8) He said he started laughing and said out loud, “Of COURSE, it IS sufficient for me!” He went on to share this: “His Grace is so strong that it shall never run out! It was as though some little fish, being very thirsty, was troubled about drinking the river dry, and the Father of the River said; “Drink away, little fish, my stream is sufficient for you!” Or as if a little mouse in the granaries of Egypt, after 7 years of plenty, feared he would eat it all up, and Joseph came in to say, “Cheer up, little mouse-my granaries are sufficient for you!”

Part of ANOTHERING is going to be diving DEEP into the GRACE that Yahweh gives to us! And because that VAST OCEAN OF GRACE has been opened to you and me…then we need to SHARE that grace with one another! We are going to look at another passage this week: “Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2) SPOILER ALERT…it’s not as easy as just “saying” I care…it’s being Jesus to someone! Even KidZone will be looking at “Carrying each other” this week…and Kidzone will be in action on SATURDAY AND SUNDAY!

THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU HERE AT CENTRAL! Maybe you are here every week…maybe you haven’t been in a while-doesn’t matter, you are WELCOME and WANTED here! And you are valuable to God! May we look to Jesus as the one that perfects our faith, and may we link arms with one another as this new year continues!

God Bless You All- May HIS PEACE Be Upon Your Home and Heart!
(And keep your Bible and your Sunday Sheet OPEN!)
Don

Spectrum Meal SignUp:  Spectrum returns, Jan 16

Spectrum returns next week!  One of our college students favorite things each semester is the weekly meal provided my members of our congregation.  If you would like to provide a meal for our students this semester, please follow the link to sign up! 

https://signup.com/go/jEXhVpQ

Join us for the next
Men’s BACON BROS Breakfast!
5:45 am, Jan 17

WEDNESDAYS IN THE WORD RETURNS!!
Yes, we’ve been away for a while…but it’s coming back! Wednesday, January 24 at 10am – an open book Bible Study with coffee, laughter…and MAYBE a little learning! (But mostly, fun people hanging out together!)

We will meet in Ken’s Class and we plan to start a study called The Troubled Triumphant Church! We are going to dig deep into I Corinthans & learn from the church at Corinth!
Plan to join us on January 24!!

New Ladies Class begins January 22
Join us for a 7-week study, The Gospel on the Ground by Kristi McLelland. 
Babysitting will be available!
Please order your book online:  Amazon, Lifeway, Christian Books, etc.

L1 – Love God

L2 – Love Others
Our mission – our action plan – our best hope.

We are Central and we’re in this together!

TIC is our Text in Church text messaging service!  Want to get plugged in?  Text “Loop” to 575.300.5925.  We won’t share your personal info with anyone, but we will check in to see if you have any prayer requests.  We’ll even let you know of upcoming events.  Text “Loop” to 575.300.5925 to get started.  And, if you’re already in, thank you for being “in the loop!”
 

AMP, Sunday Nights!
at the Campus House
5 – 6:30 pm JH and HS

“I’m with you.”  No matter where we end up, no matter what comes next, I’m with you.  How comforting would that be to hear?  To know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that you will not have to face today (or tomorrow) alone.

There are two sides to anothering.  One side is serving others.  No longer on the sidelines, we are called to volunteer, to encourage, to make meals, to ring bells, to work KidZone, and to use our talents and gifts to benefit the Body and glorify God in the process.  Serving is essential for anothering.

Side two is the journey.  Think of the term “doing life” with one another.  The Early Christians were an excellent example of this.  Sharing what they had, eating meals together, text threads… wait, how did that get in there?  You get the idea.

“I’m with you” is a great way to think of “doing life” with someone.  Where you go, I’ll go.  Need to talk?  I’m here.  Power tools?  I’ve got them.  Why are you upset?  Sit down and tell me.

I pray you are challenged by this series and the choices you make that bring you closer to or further away from others.  I pray that God will send someone to speak into your life in a powerful way, whether by example, relationship, or words.  I pray that Holy Spirit will move in your heart and illuminate opportunities for connection.

I worked with Alan Dodd for several years at PJHS.  I reconnected with him while Marea and I were at Victory Life.  I had the honor of playing at his wife’s funeral last year.  He was there with his newsie cap and bright smile, but there was a line of people that wanted to talk to him.  I left after playing… and had the honor of playing at his funeral this past Saturday.

I should have made time to see him that day.  If I knew he would pass a couple months later, I would have.  As humans we don’t have that luxury.  Anothering is more that getting in the game, it’s listening.  Who is Holy Spirit telling you to reach out to?  Haven’t heard from _________ in a while?  They haven’t heard from you either.  Send a text.

The old me would internalize guilt and wish for yesterday.  Nowadays, I’m trying something new.  I prayed for his family as I played piano.  I played all his favorite hymns, not as an attempt to make amends, but as a way to honor his well-lived life.  Life is too short for condemnation.

God is with you.  He is for you in every way imaginable.  He wants you to get where He wants you to go MORE than you want to get where He wants you to go!  How can you another?  What is God saying to you today?  Are you listening?  Every day is an opportunity and we’re in this together!

May we be aware of His Presence.
Soli Deo Gloria!
F –

Our mailing address is:

Central Christian Church

1528 South Main

Portales, New Mexico 88130

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