The Apostle Paul calls us “to put off [our] old self, which belongs to [our] former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires (Ephesians 4:22) . . . and then he counsels us “to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). Our character is essentially the sum of our habits. As followers of Jesus we must “put off our old self.” The point is that it is no longer ours. The old self is still there, but it is no longer identified with us. Christ is our life now; a radical difference has come. We are now identified with Jesus Christ.
And, not only that, but it is also holy. Now that is a word we squirm at – holiness. We usually think of some pious person who looks like he/she has been soaked in embalming fluid. That is our picture of holiness. But let me use another word that is also an accurate translation of this word – wholeness. That means health or wholeness of personality, a whole person, as God intended us to be. Now, that results from the life of the Lord Jesus living within. But the process to it is threefold: First, put off. Then, change the way we think. And, then finally, put on.
Our problem is that we are afraid to put off the old self, for fear we will be left empty. It never seems to dawn on us that the Holy Spirit is simply waiting for us to put these things off so that He might rush in and fill us with the wholeness that is God’s intention for us, the wholeness of Christ.
Putting off the old self is like squeezing the water out of a half-drowned person’s lungs. You do not do that because you want his/her lungs to be empty, you do it because you want the air to get in so that he/she can live. What the Scripture reveals to us is that this old egocentric life of ours, this old self has been asphyxiating – killing us. It has been cutting off the breath that we were designed to breathe. The only air we were designed to breathe is God. Yet we find such difficulty believing this and therefore we do not experience it.
The whole matter comes down to an appeal to the will. Put off, change the way we think, and put on. That is a choice we are asked to make whenever we recognize the deceitful urges that come from within – put off, change the way we think, and put on. If we want to become more like Christ, this is how we must begin.
Worship
Pastor Glen will continue our study of the first letter of the Apostle John. His message this Sunday is, “To Know is to Obey,” based on 1 John 2:3-6. Please read this text in preparation for worship.
Adult Sunday School
Our Adult Sunday school class will meet this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the large Sunday school room. Please join Janet Coiner and others for a wonderful time around God’s Word!! We will focus on Romans 3: God’s Faithfulness. Please bring your Bible.
Pastor Search Committee Update & Prayer
Your Pastor Search Committee has finalized the Church Information Form and are beginning the search for our next lead pastor.
We invite you to covenant to pray for the next pastor and specifically for the Pastor Search Committee, as they together with you, seek the Lord! Pray not just to find the right pastor but to be the right church that can be led. A farmer with a fertile field will find it more quickly productive than when he must plow up hard ground.
“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12)
PRAYER: “Lord of the Harvest, make us be a church whose spiritual soil is prepared to receive the seed of Truth. Plow up the hardness of our hearts, in resisting Your will and hardening ourselves to seek our desires. Lord, it is time for us to cry out to You. The hour is urgent. Soften us as you rain down righteousness on us. Make us a church that is ready to produce a harvest when You send us a pastor to direct our labor in this field of the Shenandoah Valley. We pray in the strong name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Ladies Luncheon
Tithes and Offerings
An offering box is available when you enter or exit the sanctuary. Additionally, Online Giving
Financial Assistance
In the wake of Jeff Forbis’s serious accident, we would like to help raise some funds to help assist with medical expenses. If you are interested in helping, you can contribute on his GoFundMe site: https://www.gofundme.com/jeff-forbis
Individuals may also contribute directly to Hope Community Church. Just indicate for Jeff Forbis Support to the Caregiving and Relief Ministry. Thank you!
Session Highlights
Our Session met on May 20th at 5:00 p.m. The following are some of the highlights:
- Study and Reflection on Daniel 6:12-15
- Reception of 23 new members; they will be welcomed during worship on June 9th
- Received a report regarding our HVAC system by John Berry and potential parking lot reparations by Blake Porter
- Pastor Glen reported on the New River Presbytery meeting on May 3-4
- Budget Report, including $77,000 available for various projects, and our giving has significantly increased; quarterly gatherings will give more specific financial information
- Update: we have received quotes from two organizations for Audio/Visual upgrades
- Reports from Spring Fling (successful outreach event that took in more than $640); Women’s Ministry; Compassion & Care/Relief Ministry; Hospitality Team
- Called Congregational Meeting – June 30th to elect church officers; currently nominating potential elders and deacons (Decision to add two elders to our Session, making the total 6 elders; and creating a Board of Deacons with four deacons)
Golden Oldies
The next gathering of the Golden Oldies will be June 12th at 10:30. Meet at Panera Bread Community Room to play Bingo! We request for everyone to bring a wrapped gift so all can be winners! $10 max amount for gift.
There will be NO meeting in July due to the fun trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. If you signed up for the trip, please make your checks out to Shenandoah Tours, and give your check to Harold or Janet Coiner by June 1st.
We will meet on August 14th at 11:30 a.m. for lunch at Sooner BBQ & More in Stuarts Draft.
We will meet on September 11th at 10:30 in the Waynesboro Panera Bread Community Room. Attorney Bill Watkins will be the speaker to give help on navigating legal paperwork. In addition to the Golden Oldies, other church folks are invited to join us!
Driver Assistance
If you or someone in our congregation needs a ride to a doctor’s appointment or other appointments, please call Tom Reider (540.649.5162). He has agreed to coordinate rides. He has a list of those who have volunteered to give those rides. We are grateful for this important ministry!!
Mission Corner
Love INC Support: From April through June we will be collecting household cleaning items (all-purpose cleaners, dish soap, laundry soap, etc.). May we be a blessing to those desiring to improve their lives.
Again, this Sunday a Mission Support Survey will be distributed for you to make suggestions of potential missionaries, missions, or ministries to support.
The Missions Team is active keeping in touch with our missionaries and other ministries. Please keep updated! You can visit our website and go to the Outreach page
June Birthdays
Kim Holman (6/17); Paige Holder (6/24); Phyllis Plyler (6/25); Brenda Daniels (6/30)