Hello to all of our church family,
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.” 1 John 3:1
GIVING THANKS:
- Thanks to Jay for leading the men’s study on Thursday night!
- Thanks to all of the men for rotating in teaching the Adult Bible class on Sunday mornings.
- Thanks to Bob Discala for making the new Church sign on Daniels Farm Road. It looks great!
REMINDERS:
- Our current outreach project is a Toy Drive for Yale Children’s hospital. New Toys will be collected for the children in the Pediatric division. Thanks to everyone for your generous contributions over the past few months!
- The Spooner house has specific needs for towels, washcloths, pillow cases, tooth brushes and tooth paste.
COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS:
APRIL:
- The Tuesday morning Ladies bible study will be on April 19th at 9:30 a.m. See Lisa or Mary Lou if you’d like to join in the study. The books are available at the building.
- April 30th at 8:30 a.m. there will be a Men’s breakfast at the church building .
MAY:
- The next Tuesday morning ladies bible study will be on May 3rd at 9:30. Watch for the zoom link.
- Jay will speak at the New England Lectureship May 6th, 7th & 8th.
- The next Friday evening Ladies bible study will be held on May 13th at the building. Thanks to Laney we are able to offer virtual zoom option as well!
- There will be a GAME NIGHT on Saturday, May 21st from 7pm to 9pm at the building. Bring your favorite game and munchies to eat!
A Glimpse of JUNE:
- Friday evening June 10th will be the last night for the Friday evening Ladies bible class until September. All ladies and teen girls (including those who have not been able to participate in these studies) are invited to our home at 7pm for singing, food, fellowship and sharing our canvas’s.
- There will be a building clean- up day here at the building on Saturday June 18th from 9 to 12:00 noon or so. Many hands make light work! If anyone has access to a carpet cleaner or who would like to volunteer at any time to clean the carpets (on any day) that would be a good work!
- The Kent Men’s retreat will be held on June 24-25. The food is great and all men are encouraged to attend! See Patrick Keller for registration details.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
- Nadine’s surgery is scheduled for May 9th at St. Vincent’s hospital. Prayers for all to go well!
- Dorothea’s sister Debbie is still at Yale and highly sedated.
- Ray’s sister-in-law Teri Fernandes will be having radiation as a first step while they map out her chemo regimen.
- Angela’s niece Sarah will be starting chemo soon. They determined this is stage 2 cancer so hopefully they caught this early enough.
- Continued prayers for Flo to have a diagnosis soon. She is still undergoing tests, and prayers for Jay’s job search.
- Toni Bonadio had a stroke this past week. Thankfully there is no permanent damage. She is home recovering.
- Greg Cerminara is in the hospital and they are treating him for kidney failure and bleeding internally. Prayers for Greg and Linda and the family at this difficult time.
150th Church Anniversary FUN FACT:
One of the restrictive clauses in the Articles of Corporation for the Church of Christ in Bridgeport stated:
“Upon the expressed conditions that no organ or other musical instrument be use or kept; and that no fair, festival or other practices unauthorized in the New Testament be held, had or conducted in, upon or about said premises, or in any building constructed theron; and in case any conduct, act or unauthorized practices are committed or performed in, upon or about such premises, or any organ or musical instrument be introduced into any house or edifice erected upon said premises, then the management and control of said house and premises shall be vested in the person or persons of said Church of Christ who may be opposed to the organ or other musical instruments, festivals or other things herein before mentioned being used in said edifice or house erected on said lot.”After 150 years we continue to worship in Spirit and in Truth.The cross is the premier symbol for the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
As we read the gospel account of the crucifixion in Luke, the scriptures bring us to our knees.
Jesus was nailed to a wooden cross with nails through His wrists and feet. This was done after He had been flogged with a whip and had a ‘crown’ of long sharp thorns pressed into His head. He was mocked for claiming to be the King of Israel. He died on the cross in long drawn out agony. But the crucifixion and death of Jesus was part of God’s plan from the beginning of time.
Luke 24:25-26 “And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!” Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”
Acts 2:23 “this man, delivered over the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”
1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.”
Jesus suffered and died, for all. He took on the punishment that was due you and me. He bore the sins of the whole world. He was unjustly condemned and crucified. He had no sin. Yet, while people jeered, mocked and hurled insults at him, Jesus simply prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not know what they do.” Luke 23:34.
From the cross…
Facing death…..
In torturous pain…
He prayed and His response was to forgive….
Forgiveness is a hard thing for us. Our society has almost reached the pinnacle of being offended by every small misstep. We get easily angered over this or that, or if someone dares to disagree with the way we think, or whatever. We are in a societal setting where everyone has a short fuse.
To choose to let go resentment and bitterness that wells up inside of us, is not easy when everything about our humanness wants to retaliate.
Yet, forgiveness is critical for us to be able to forgive, so we too can be forgiven! Mark 11:25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Can we imagine a world where grace and forgiveness abound when we are wronged?
The words Jesus spoke , “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” Luke 23:34 are freeing words; they are forgiving words; they are words of hope. His incredible example of showing LOVE, GRACE, MERCY, FORGIVENESS to the people who hated and killed Him, should bring us to our knees.
He could have come down from the cross.
He could have called ten thousand angels.
He had the power to eliminate the pain, but he endured it all to the end, for us!
Because of Him, this perfect sacrifice, we are made perfect in God’s sight.
Ephesians 1:7-8 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and peace.”
Jesus’ sacrifice for us was the ultimate gift of love.
His resurrection was God’s ultimate gift to us as we celebrate the empty tomb.
We worship a God who provided His one and only Son; the Prince of Glory, the Lamb of God as the atonement for OUR sins.
A perfect gift of unconditional LOVE.
A gift of inestimable value.
An eternal gift that is open for all!
The empty tomb reminds us of the Father’s GREAT LOVE for us from the beginning of time!
This year as our congregation studies the life of Jesus Christ with all of our classes in sync , this is a perfect opportunity to invite friends, co-workers, neighbors, family, to these studies.
Let the rocks be silent & pass on the Good news of Jesus Christ to all!
John 13:34 & 35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
HOW DEEP THE FATHER’S LOVE
“He loved us and sent His Son.” 1 John 4:7-12
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure!
That He should give His only Son,
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the chosen one,
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the Man upon the cross,
My sin upon His shoulders.
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there,
Until it was accomplished,
His dying breath has brought me life,
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything;
No gifts, no power no wisdom.
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer,
But this I know with all my heart;
His wounds have paid my ransom.
ONE DAY!
One day when heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my example is He!
Living He loved me,
Dying He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising he Justified,
Freely forever: One day He’s coming, OH glorious day!
One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree,
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected;
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!
Living He loved me,
Dying He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising he Justified,
Freely forever: One day He’s coming, OH glorious day!
One day they left Him alone in the garden,
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless my Savior is He!
Living He loved me,
Dying He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising he Justified,
Freely forever: One day He’s coming, OH glorious day!
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!
Living He loved me,
Dying He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising he Justified,
Freely forever: One day He’s coming, OH glorious day!
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glory will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!
Living He loved me,
Dying He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising he Justified,
Freely forever: One day He’s coming, OH glorious day!
WE SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR!
God’s great Love for us was manifested in the gift of His Son.
Jesus’s great love for His Father and for us, was manifested at the cross, for US.
Now is the perfect opportunity FOR US to demonstrate our Love to the Father and the Son. Join us each Sunday to praise and worship our LORD.To God be the Glory.In Him,
Bruce & Paula
Father, forgive them
On Sat, Apr 16, 2022 at 9:59 AM Pancoast’s <bpancoast@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
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