Ending of November

We were so thankful that Donna and Joan came to share about the program they work with at Rutland Church called iserve.

It seemed fitting that we should start SS with I Serve a Risen Saviour as our opening hymn.

After prayer Donna and Joan share with us what they do to serve people in the community.

Sharing with us about the ministry of iserve... 

Explaining about taking these baby dolls into nursing homes for the elderly to hold and enjoy. 

The Pastor so thoughtfully called everyone up to have a prayer for this ministry and these two lovely ladies. 

They were given several beautiful baby dolls that are very realistic in looks and weight.  They take these into the resthomes and let seniors enjoy holding a "baby" again and it brings these people  great joy. 

Before lesson study time, Pastor Josue, asked for Donna and Joan to come up and he had the church members surround them as he prayed for them and their ministry. 

Our song leader listening in the study group...

Ms Swain

The children were happy to have their new Christmas themed program in place again.

Teacher Loretta is a fun and interesting leader.  

The kitten came to the shelter where Baby Jesus slept. 

Grandpa and Grandson 

a warm fire for the shepherds and lovely obedient sheep

sharing the results for the first OCC scavenger hunt... seems like it was a very enjoyable event. 

The first place winners were Doyle and Angela and Heidi and Keith... 

Perry adding to the service with his french horn... 

Praise Service before the church service. 

Beverly telling the children's story about a little girl with a broken arm.  

We watched a nice short video about Mr Walkus and how he runs his fishing business and pays tithe and gives offerings.  

So nice to have a couple praying together before the sermon starts. 

Arlo telling us about what he will play on the piano. 

So nice to hear his music this Sabbath.  Thank you for sharing your talents, Arlo. 

Our energetic, interesting pastor sharing the sermon. 

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After church fellowship. 

Arlo came to share his music talent before the sermon started and it was beautifully done.. After the service these two went back up to the piano to record and enjoy the music. 

The Pastor was so kind to share his outline of the sermon for us so have a look and see if you can remember the points or if you were unable to make it to church you can have a look to see what was talked about.

Sermon titled: Look Back and Find Jesus

Bible reading: 1 Peter 2:24-25

Opening song: 338 Redeemed 

Closing song: 163 At the Cross

Some series of sermons for 2019:

“Inside-out” a righteousness by faith sequel:

-What is righteousness by faith?

-The day we became (in)”perfect”

-Conviction vs Conversion- the unknown dilemma

-In need of a Saviour

-Loved and accepted- becoming “His kind of church”

“ Unshakable hope”, a message of love from the heart of Jesus.

The purpose of this sermon is to pause on our Christian journey,  and ask ourselves, what does the cross of Christ means to me? I'm I walking in the light of Christ's sacrifice? If not, How do I find my way back?

We all have to look at the Cross to see Christ dying for us.

Often we are told not to look back, but today we will find in the Bible the reason why we need to be looking back (at the cross, Christ sacrifice)

1. Sacrificed from the beginning.

...the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

Revelation 13:8 NIV

And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

Genesis 3:21 NLT

Leviticus 14:12

"Then the priest shall take the one male lamb and bring it for a guilt offering, with the log of oil, and present them as a wave offering before the LORD.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29 NKJV

2.Christ’s sacrifice at the cross keep us real

Galatians 6:14 ESV 

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

If the enemy can convince people that they are not sinners, then they don’t need a Savior.

“So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practising the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.”

1 John 1:6‭-‬10 NLT

3. The cross reveals to us the character of God:

His love and justice

Rene Lacoste, the world's top tennis player in the late 1920s, won seven major singles titles during his career, including multiple victories at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the French Open. His friends called him "Le Crocodile," an apt term for his tenacious play on the court.

Lacoste accepted the nickname and had a tiny crocodile embroidered on his tennis blazers. When he added it to a line of shirts he designed, the symbol caught on. While thousands of people around the world wore "alligator shirts," the emblem always had a deeper significance for Lacoste's friends who knew its origin and meaning.

The cross, an emblem of Christianity, holds special meaning for every friend of Christ. Whenever we see a cross, it speaks to us of Christ's tenacious determination to do His Father's will by dying for us at the cross.

“He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.

Isaiah 53:3‭-‬9‭, ‬11

4. The Cross change our minds from wondering to belonging 

“The parable of the lost coin”/lost inside the church

“This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!”

Jeremiah 6:16 NLT

Hebrews 12:2 ESV 

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

John 3:14 ESV 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

Please come and worship with us this weekend.