Scripture for Sunday (11/22/15)

Scripture for Sunday
Isaiah 5:1-7 (ESV) 
    Let me sing for my belovedmy love song concerning his vineyard:
    My beloved had a vineyard
        on a very fertile hill.
    [2] He dug it and cleared it of stones,
        and planted it with choice vines;
    he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
        and hewed out a wine vat in it;
    and he looked for it to yield grapes,
        but it yielded wild grapes.
    [3] And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
        and men of Judah,
    judge between me and my vineyard.
    [4] What more was there to do for my vineyard,
        that I have not done in it?
    When I looked for it to yield grapes,
        why did it yield wild grapes?
    [5] And now I will tell you
        what I will do to my vineyard.
    I will remove its hedge,
        and it shall be devoured;
    I will break down its wall,
        and it shall be trampled down.
    [6] I will make it a waste;
        it shall not be pruned or hoed,
        and briers and thorns shall grow up;
    I will also command the clouds
        that they rain no rain upon it.
    [7] For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
        is the house of Israel,
    and the men of Judah
        are his pleasant planting;
    and he looked for justice,
        but behold, bloodshed;
    for righteousness,
        but behold, an outcry!

Isaiah 11:1-5 (ESV) 
    There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
        and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
    [2] And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
        the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
        the Spirit of counsel and might,
        the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
    [3] And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
    He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
        or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
    [4] but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
        and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
    and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
        and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
    [5] Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
        and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (11/15/15)

Scripture for Sunday
Hosea 11:1-9 (ESV)  
    When Israel was a child, I loved him,
        and out of Egypt I called my son.
    [2] The more they were called,
        the more they went away;
    they kept sacrificing to the Baals
        and burning offerings to idols.
    [3] Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
        I took them up by their arms,
        but they did not know that I healed them.
    [4] I led them with cords of kindness,
        with the bands of love,
    and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
        and I bent down to them and fed them.
    [5] They shall not return to the land of Egypt,
        but Assyria shall be their king,
        because they have refused to return to me.
    [6] The sword shall rage against their cities,
        consume the bars of their gates,
        and devour them because of their own counsels.
    [7] My people are bent on turning away from me,
        and though they call out to the Most High,
        he shall not raise them up at all.
    [8] How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
        How can I hand you over, O Israel?
    How can I make you like Admah?
        How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
    My heart recoils within me;
        my compassion grows warm and tender.
    [9] I will not execute my burning anger;
        I will not again destroy Ephraim;
    for I am God and not a man,
        the Holy One in your midst,
        and I will not come in wrath.

Questions for Reflection
1. Would you prefer to be known as “loving” or “just”? Why?
2. How did God express His love for Israel? (11:1-4)
3. Why did the nation not deserve mercy? (11:5-7)
4. How did God show that He was torn between love and justice? (11:8-11)

November 2015 Newsletter

Click on the link to view this month's newsletter.

November 2015 Newsletter

Have a great day!!
Carmen

Youth Christmas Play Practice

Our annual Christmas Play will be held Sunday December 13th, during the normal worship hour at 11. Play practice starts this Sunday, November 8th.

Please have your children here at 9:55 AM. This year's play will have just a couple of lines for each child to learn. Come join us! If you have any questions please call Molly McMillan.

Scripture for Sunday (11/8/15)

Announcements:  

• Today at 5:00 the nominating committee will meet to fill out the class of elders for 2018.
• Today at 5:30 the budget committee will be meeting.
• Saturday morning we will have men's breakfast at 8:00 AM.

Scripture for Sunday

1 Kings 18:20-39 (ESV)  

So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.  [21] And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word.  [22] Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men.  [23] Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it.  [24] And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people answered, "It is well spoken."  [25] Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it."  [26] And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.  [27] And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."  [28] And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.  [29] And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention. 

[30] Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down.  [31] Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name,"  [32] and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed.  [33] And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood."  [34] And he said, "Do it a second time." And they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time." And they did it a third time.  [35] And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. 

[36] And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.  [37] Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back."  [38] Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  [39] And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God."