|
 7/25/2026
Good morning church family,
GIVING THANKS & PRAISE:
Thanks to everyone who contributed greatly towards making our Vacation Bible School happen…which is today!
Thanks to Logan for preaching last Sunday.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
Continued prayers for the Brock, Holly and Baxter families during a very difficult time.
Below is the obituary for Becky Jo Baxter who passed away last week. We ask for specific prayers for her children Sara and Evelyn as they grieve their Mother’s passing.
www.woodfinchapel.com/obituaries/becky-jo-baxter
Prayers for Sister Nadine who received her MRI results which show she has a torn rotator cuff and will need surgery in September.
Dorothea Cooper’s close friend Margaret Crawford passed away. They were together last week and spoke the day before, so this was a sudden passing. Prayers for the Crawford family as well as Dorothea.
Prayers for Virginia DiScala who has been in the ICU at Bridgeport Hospital for a stroke. She is doing much better, praise God!
Prayers for our Vacation Bible School which is TODAY!
Many events are happening over the next few months…all LORD WILLING and with Praise and Glory to God.
Ron has started a bible study of the Gospel of John on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. This book is foundational to the Christian faith and a great study for everyone! If you are unsure as to how to share God’s Word with someone, please invite them to join this study.
Friday August 14th at 6:30 p.m. –
“ Taste and see that the LORD is good” Psalm 34:8
Ladies night of singing at the Pancoast’s home. Bring your favorite fruit (pre-cut), so it can be added easily to create a large fruit salad. Feel free to bring a friend and enjoy the singing & praise to God!
SUNDAY, August 30th – POT LUCK
Join us after worship for a Pot luck lunch after worship. Bring food to share and also bring a friend!
Jay Repecko will be teaching a Discipleship class on September 11th and 12th.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about how you can use your talents to serve Him and the church.
“and teaching them”
What does this mean and what does it have to do with me?
Join us September 11th and 12th to find out.
Schedule:
Friday Night
6:30-6:45 Welcome/Singing/Prayer
6:45-7:45 What is Discipleship and why is it an important topic to discuss
7:45-8:00 Break
8:00-8-15 Spiritual Gifts Inventory (These will be returned later and will be included in the discussion)
8:15–8:30 Song/Closing Prayer
Saturday
9:00-9:30 Welcome/Singing/Prayer
Also time for those who did not take Gifts Inventory Friday night
9:30-10:30 Session 1: What Discipleship is Not
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-11:45 Session 2: Biblical Discipleship
11:45-1:00 Lunch provided
1:00-2:00 Session 3: How do we incorporate biblical discipleship into the body
2:00-2:15 Break
2:15-3:15 Session 4: Practical Matters
3:15-3:30 Song/Thank you/Closing Prayer
Please RSVP to Jay Repecko by August 30th
to ensure we have enough food for lunch
jrepecko@comcast.net
OUR ANNUAL HYMN SING will be on Sunday, September 27th at 3:30 p.m.
May 2027 is the New England Lectureship.
“The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
Psalm 19:1
Humpback whales are intelligent creatures and have an ingenious way of fishing!
They use a smart trick called ‘bubble-net feeding’ to catch fish for themselves. They use the bubbles as complex tools for fishing.
They dive under fish, blow air from their blowholes in a rising circle, and trap the fish before lurching up to eat them.
The bubble nets are made through their blow holes to make a rising wall. The spiral designs require cooperation with each other as they team up for bubble-net hunting. These rising bubbles which form a cylindrical “net” which traps and disorients the prey, allowing the whales to lunge upward through the center with their mouths wide open.
Psalm 104:24-25
“How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number – living things
both large and small.“
“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
‘Come, follow me’, Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men’.
At once they left their nets and followed him”.
Mark 1:16-18 and Matthew 4:19.
To catch a fish we must know how to do it, and what equipment to use so you can make a catch. One must also know the habitat and depth of the water you are fishing in, as well as the kind of bait the fish will go after (i.e. live bait, dead bait or will soft plastic fish bait suffice? )
Are you prepared for deep sea fishing?
or shallow water fishing?
God asks us to make disciples of all nations.
Matthew 28:18-20
“Then Jesus came to them and said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Just as we need equipment to be fishermen, we need equipment to be fishers of men.
Putting on the armor of God is one way to be ready at all times with everything we need.
Ephesians 6:10-18
All facets of the Armor of God are essential.
Especially important are the shield of Faith vs. 16
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. vs. 17
Without these two pieces of spiritual equipment, we will find fishing for men’s soul’s impossible.
Not only must we have the armor of God as our equipment, but we must be discerning and know the fish we are trying to catch. Knowing the lost condition of the people around us will help us to understand that, no matter how good we are at fishing, we can never “catch” the fish on our own.
2 Corinthians 4:4
God penetrates the darkness with the glorious gospel, and HE uses us to do it! 2 Corinthians 4:6
He knows which “fish” are His, therefore we are to seek His wisdom and His guidance on all of our fishing expeditions.
Prayer is essential as we fish. Ask God to use us in mighty ways as vessels for His glory.
The only effective net, is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel message has the power to change lives, shine light into darkness, and save souls.
May we not be ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.
Jesus Christ desires us to be disciple makers. No matter what our careers might be, or what we do in this life, we have beautiful opportunities to spread the Good News. We are surrounded by people (fish) who need to hear saving message of Jesus Christ.
Eyoko creates beautiful cards and leaves them on the table in the auditorium. Take a few and pass them out to folks that you come in contact with during the week.
Invite colleagues to worship, bible studies, or children’s bible classes.
Our Wednesday night zoom is studying the book of John which is a fantastic study and is foundational in our faith.
Reach out to friends, family members, colleagues, neighbors, those hurting, anyone and everyone, sharing your faith in the most poignant tender moments. When people are hurting, share a scripture of hope and the power of God.
The ocean is huge and there is a sea of fish waiting to hear how much God loves them!
God will grant the increase!
PRAISE HIM & KEEP SINGING:
This Little Light of mine
“To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, forever and ever.
Amen.”
Ephesians 3:21
In His precious and Holy Name,
Bruce & Paula
|
