Christ Press Newsletter Christ Presbyterian Church Flower Mound, Texas January 2016 Happy New Year, brothers and sisters in Christ! The new year represents a new beginning in which the old is made new. The same is true of the gospel. Paul tells us, If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). In Christ, all things are made new. That’s the message of hope that comforts us and that God has entrusted to us to share with the world. To that end, the ministries of our church exist to better enable us to apply the gospel to our lives and to those around us. So, with the new year, we will gather soon to discuss the church’s ministry and mission at the most important meeting held annually in our church, the Annual Congregational Meeting. In this Meeting, we will look back at where we have been and how things have gone in 2015. We will also look forward to consider this new year in service to our Lord and to explore decisions that will greatly impact our progress through it. Our Meeting will take place on Sunday, January 31 st , immediately following our worship service, where we petition God’s aid for our deliberations and for our entire year of ministry. The Meeting is more than an administrative affair, though it has an administrative element to it. It is in fact a spiritual meeting, because we are coming together not as individuals contending for our personal interests, but as the people of God — to do things that will make us better people for him, a people whose service glorifies him and
Transcript
Christ Press
Newsletter
Christ Presbyterian Church Flower Mound, Texas
January 2016
Happy New Year, brothers and sisters in Christ! The new year represents a new beginning in which the old is made new. The same is true of the gospel. Paul tells us, If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). In Christ, all things are made new. That’s the message of hope that comforts us and that God has entrusted to us to share with the world. To that end, the ministries of our church exist to better enable us to apply the gospel to our lives and to those around us.
So, with the new year, we will gather soon to discuss the church’s ministry and mission at the most important meeting held annually in our church, the
Annual Congregational Meeting. In this Meeting, we will look back at where
we have been and how things have gone in 2015. We will also look forward to consider this new year in service to our Lord and to explore decisions that will greatly impact our progress through it. Our Meeting will take place on Sunday, January 31st, immediately following our worship service, where we petition God’s aid for our deliberations and for our entire year of ministry.
The Meeting is more than an administrative affair, though it has an
administrative element to it. It is in fact a spiritual meeting, because we are coming together not as individuals contending for our personal
interests, but as the people of God — to do things that will make us better people for him, a people whose service glorifies him and
ministers his love to our community and world. So, the Meeting is not about us, individually or corporately. It is all about God and his will for us. For this reason, our prayers need to be that we will allow him to lead and direct us and that our actions in ministry will secure what he knows is best for us at this time.
Before the Annual Meeting, we will come together for a Fellowship
Meal immediately after the worship service. How fitting that our Meeting takes place after we have been fed not only physically in our Fellowship Meal, but spiritually with the Word and sacrament during worship. As we eat during the Fellowship Meal, we have before us the table of the Lord where we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. As has been said elsewhere, the Lord’s Supper is a sign that reminds us:
• of what we cost God to redeem us, and thus reminds us of his great love for us and how precious we are to him;
• of the account we must render him of ourselves at his coming again; • and therefore of the obedience, service and love he is justly due
from us.
These are exactly the things which should be in our minds and hearts as we gather as his people to discuss the welfare of our church.
As we prepare to gather for this Meeting, let us pray God to help us get ourselves out of the way so that he may work his will among us. The inevitable result will be that our place will become even better than it now is. And may it be to the glory of our God.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor John
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The Annual Congregational Meeting: Sunday, January 31st, following the worship service. All members, long-time and new, are encouraged to be at this important meeting. Those of you presently sharing in our life and considering becoming part of our church family are most cordially invited; we do hope you will join with us in this most important meeting of the year. Following the worship service, there will be a Fellowship Meal before the Meeting. At it, we will consider the state of the church, review the year just ended and look ahead. Men’s Grill Night: Tuesday, January 5th 6:00 p.m. Bring your own meat, beverages, lawn chairs, and cigar (if desired). It’s a great time of fellowship and encouragement for us as husbands, fathers and Disciples of Christ.
Family Game Night: Friday, January 22nd from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Everyone bring enough pizza for your family and your favorite board or card game for a time of fun and fellowship. We’ll also show a fun and wholesome movie on the projector. Drinks and popcorn will be provided.
Fellowship Dinner: Our quarterly fellowship dinner will be Sunday, January 31 immediately following morning worship. Everyone is invited! This is a great time to invite friends to church. Contact the church office (972-355-5892) for more information.
Please bring both of the following: 1. A main dish 2. A side dish or dessert Salad or Side Dish Dessert
The TBD Small Group
will oversee set-up and clean-up, and provide bread and ice. TBD Jan 31 A-M salad/side, N-Z dessert Iglesia Gracia May 15 N-Z, salad/side, A-M dessert White Aug 14 A-M salad/side, N-Z dessert Bridgeman Oct 23 N-Z, salad/side, A-M dessert
Ladies’ Monthly Breakfast Please mark your calendars and join us Saturday, January 30 at 9:30 a.m. at the Canales’ home for a time of fellowship and breakfast. We will also continue to look at the vision for our women’s ministry and how we can better serve the church and one another in a biblical way. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Jo Canales.
Northwood Boutique Donations: If you would like to donate gently used household goods and clothing for our annual outreach and giveaway for needy residents at Northwood Mobile Home Park, please take your donations to room 303 in the annex building. For more information, contact Jahaziel Cantu.
Session Meeting: The monthly meeting of our elders.
Life Change Offering: This is a monthly opportunity for our children to save their money and give an offering to other children in need. This offering benefits ONEchild, Mission to the World’s Ministry to Street Children. (See more information at mtw.org/onechild)
Lost and Found: In the copier room.
Email List: If you want to receive bulletins, prayer requests, and other updates, send a request to [email protected] to be placed on the church email list.
Church Directory: Hard copies are available in the church office. For a link to a digital copy, contact [email protected].
Worship Aids for the Impaired:
Hearing Assistance – available at audio desk in sanctuary.
Large Print Bulletin – available in the Foyer each Sunday.
Giant Print Bulletin – available by email each week. Contact the church office to be placed on this email list.
Large Print Hymnal – available for purchase through the office. (There is also a copy that anyone may borrow. It is in the church office.)
Ministerio de guitarra ~ Guitar ministry Northwood Mobile Home Park, Lewisville 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Evangelio de Juan ~ Gospel of John
Miércoles ~ Wednesday
Clases de Inglés ~ ESL CPC 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. ¿Que es la Biblia- What is the Bible?
Viernes ~ Friday (every other week; 1 s t and 3 rd)
Estudio de la Biblia ~ Home Fellowship Group Cantu’s House 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Regresando a lo Basico ~ Back to Basics
BBooookk RReeccoommmmeennddaattiioonnss
Rather than presenting a book recommendation this month, we’ll have a look at various Bible reading plans. The start of the New Year is the perfect time to start reading your Bible. If you’re looking for a structured way to read through the Bible for the first time, or perhaps you’re looking for a new and fresh approach to your daily Bible reading, check out one of these plans:
Thematic The Bible reading plan found in this calendar is thematic in approach. Developed by Mr. Craig DesJardins and first used at Faith Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, WA, this plan attempts to make as many connections as possible between different parts of the Bible, while still reading individual books from start to finish. Only the Psalms are not read through consecutively; instead they are apportioned throughout the year. This plan is always fresh, since Mr. DesJardins always makes new thematic connections every year.
The plan is available at Faith Presbyterian Church’s website: www.faithtacoma.org
For questions or comments about this plan, please contact [email protected].
New Daily Office Most reading plans don’t seem to account for holidays; you could easily be reading about the Levitical mildew laws on Easter or Revelation’s description of the fall of Babylon on Christmas Day. This rigorous reading plan by Anglican pastor Rev. Michael Fry does the best job I’ve seen of matching appropriate readings to various holidays (or “holy days”) throughout the year. Coming from the Anglican tradition, you might be thrown by the inclusion of 1 Maccabees (a book from the Apocrypha, which is not inspired), but you can safely skip those readings or just read them to learn something new.
This plan attempts to “reclaim Thomas Cranmer’s vision” for a daily office lectionary. Excluding readings on holy days (23 altogether), the Old Testament (less Lamentations) is read once, the New Testament twice, and the Psalms five times in a year. 1 Maccabees is included to provide a historical bridge between the Old and New Testaments. Readings on holy days add Lamentations, many more Psalms, chapters from the Old and New Testaments, and several readings from the Apocrypha.
Available at: http://www.pricejh.com/readingplan/plans/frylectionary.pdf or at: http://monkidesign.com/rac/files/2013/01/Daily-Office-Lectionary-2013.pdf
M’Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan Developed by the beloved 19th-century Scottish pastor Robert Murray M’Cheyne, this plan has two family or morning readings and two private or evening readings per day. The Old and New Testaments are read simultaneously. If all four readings are used, the plan will take you through the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice in a year. Omit one of the evening readings to go through the Psalms and New Testament just once in a year.
Available at: http://www.esv.org/assets/pdfs/rp.one.year.tract.pdf
Chronological Developed by Dr. John A. Battle of Western Reformed Seminary, this plan takes you through the entire Bible in a year, in the order in which the events occurred. The Psalms of King David are read in the context of his life as recounted in 1–2 Samuel, for example, and the prophets are read in the context of the history recounted in Kings and Chronicles.
Available in both English and Spanish at: http://www.wrs.edu/resources/publications/reading-plan/
ReadingPlan – Free App for iOS ReadingPlan is a great little app developed by James H. Price for the iPad and iPhone that includes dozens of reading plans, including all the ones mentioned above. A great feature is that you can link your daily reading to many Bible apps available on iOS. So, if you click on your reading for the day, the app automatically takes you to your favorite Bible app and looks up the book and chapter listed on your schedule. This highly-rated app is free, so give it a try!
Toddlers Amanda Grimes Room 102 Preschool Susan Miller Room 103 First/Second Grades Laura Boswell Room 105 Third/Fourth/Fifth Grades Paula Ea Room 207 Sixth/Seventh/Eighth Grades Rod Alexander 301 Annex
High School Nick Jones 304 Annex Adults Sanctuary John Canales
Adults in Spanish Annex Jahaziél Cantú
Adult Sunday School: Study of Presenting the Gospel and Defending the faith
Newcomers Class: An overview of our church’s history, distinctives and vision. Learn about opportunities to serve and find a small group that really connects you with other members at CPC. While these sessions are a prerequisite to membership, they are open to anyone who wants to explore CPC before deciding if it is the church for them. Taught by the pastor and elders twice a year in February and September, the class meets on two consecutive Sunday afternoons. Lunch is provided, and nursery care is available, if requested. Call the church office to reserve a place and nursery care, if necessary.
Men’s Bible Study: Tuesday mornings at Mama’s Daughter’s Diner in Lewisville at Old Orchard and 1171 (Main St.). Study starts at 7:00 AM and Breakfast at 6:00 AM. We are studying What Jesus demands from the World by John Piper, PDF copy available free on line. Come join us! Ray White 817-307-1304
Spanish Bible Study: Every other Friday at 7:00 p.m., this study is for the growth and discipling of new believers. Childcare for nursery and pre-school ages is provided.
English as a Second Language (ESL): Taught by trained volunteers, this outreach ministry offers free English classes to immigrants and other non-native speakers. For more information, contact Ray White at [email protected] or 817-491-2271.
Worship and Arts Christopher Oglesby 770-312-1100 Music Ensembles Christopher Oglesby 770-312-1100 Sermon Recording Rod Alexander 214-437-7320 Training and Education Daniel Beal (RE) 940-241-1448 Sunday School Coordinator Laurie Boswell 940-484-2601 Nursery New Members Class John Canales (TE) 972-724-2621 Men’s Bible Study Ray White (RE) 817-307-1304 Women’s Bible Study Youth Church Life Coordinator Adam Grimes 214-226-1251 Visitor follow-up John Canales (TE) 972-724-2621 Fellowship Dinner Church Office 972-355-5892 Silver Sheep Olivia White 817-491-2271 Prayer Chain Yvonne Bridgeman 832-922-1831 Home Fellowship Groups Ray White (RE) 817-307-1304
Missions Ray White (RE) 817-307-1304 Hispanic Ministry Jahaziél Cantú (TE) 214-243-9321 ESL Ronda Sands 972-492-3107 Vacation Bible School Jahaziél Cantú (TE) 214-243-9321 Assisted Living Ministry Ray White (RE) 817-307-1304
Shepherding Daniel Beal (RE) 940-241-1448 Diaconate Leng Ea (DM) 817-412-8625 Justice and Mercy All Deacons Finances All Deacons Facilities All Deacons Grounds Decorating Diaconal Aide Adam Grimes 214-226-1251 Session Stated Clerk, Daniel Beal (RE) 940-241-1448
RE = Ruling Elder TE = Teaching Elder DM = Diaconal Minister
