 10/24/2026
Good morning church family,
GIVING THANKS & PRAISE TO GOD:
Thanks be to GOD for this beautiful Autumn we are watching unfold! I took these pictures at our local lake here in Monroe.
 
The two photos below are from Jim & Tracie Walkup displaying Arizona’s magnificent sky and double rainbow!
Our God is simply AWESOME!
Thanks to Debbie Froehlich for teaching the Saturday Ladies Bible class on the “fragrance of Peace”. It was an incredible study and there was a great turn-out!
Thanks to all who donated items toward the College Care bags! 10 bags in all were made and a few extras as well to encourage our Young Adults.
 
Logan Nunez sent a heartfelt “thank you” to all!
SIBI Newsletter
Thank you to all my supporters and those who have taken care of me. I really appreciate it, and may God bless all of you on this beautiful Sunday!
First Term Finished!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
Our heartfelt prayers go out to Lisa Saracino who got word on Thursday that her Father who resided in Italy, passed away. Our deepest sympathies go out to you Lisa.
Nancy Melson is having a procedure on Monday, prayers for all to go well.
Cindy Holly requested prayers for her daughter-in-law’s uncle Fonzo who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma.
Debbie Christy requested prayers for the Alp family who were her longtime neighbors and had a family member pass away.
This is the last week for your donations toward the Griffin Childbirth Center.
Thanks to Tammie Carey for leading this terrific effort in partnering to support Newborns and families at Griffin Childbirth Center with our congregation. This Sunday is the last day to donate towards helping new Moms and their families during their newborn experience. If you haven’t had time to purchase any items, gift cards are fine.
We have the opportunity to ensure that every mother leaving the center has the essential supplies needed to care for herself and her newborn during the critical early days of their birth. They are putting together support packages for families in financial need. They are currently collecting donations for the following new, unused items:
For BABY:
Onesies, caps, socks, and scratch mittens, sleep sacks, swaddles, receiving blankets, and diaper bags.
Nursing & Postpartum care for Mom:
Nursing bras, nursing pads, nursing pillows and pillow covers, breast milk storage bags, lactation tea, lanolin nipple cream, diaper cream and lip balm, maternity pads and postpartum ice packs.
General Support:
Gift cards (e.g. Target, Walmart, or Grocery stores to help parents purchase diapers or extra supplies).
Note: As their facility supports breast feeding, bottles and pacifiers are not items that are permitted. If you would rather donate funds to this effort, Tammie Carey will accept your donation and shop on your behalf to add to the collected items. “
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to BETTY ADAMS this past Thursday. Betty is a delight and such an encouragement to us all!
The Young Adults had a great day picking apples last weekend at BlueJay Orchards.
  
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Many events are happening over the next few months…all LORD WILLING and with Praise and Glory to God.
Join us for a Bible study on 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.
Saturday, October 24th at 9:00 a.m. there will be a Men’s Breakfast this morning at the church building.
Our annual TRUNK or TREAT will be held TONIGHT at 6:00 p.m. Anyone who is participating with a trunk can set your trunk up at 5:00 p.m.
OCTOBER 31st 9:30 – 11:00 Brother Tim Bonzagni will speak for the Asia Missions work.
Tuesday morning Ladies Bible studies via zoom will be at 9:30 on November 3rd & 17th. Casandra Martin’s book – Women Opening the Word – “The ABC’S of a Godly Heart”. The books can be ordered on-line individually. Please see Lisa or Nadine if you have any questions.
The Saturday Ladies Bible study will be at 10:00 on November 14th at the church building. The lesson will be on “The Fragrance of Life & Death“.
Tidal River Christian Camp
TRCC 2027 Camping Season Save the Date
Lisa Saracino is planning a fun “Ladies night of fellowship” after the New Year as we have done in the past. Stay tuned for more details.
Mountains are mentioned more than 500 times in the Bible.
Mountains are majestic and reflect God’s power and glory. They are symbolic places where Heaven and Earth meet.
God revealed His presence to interact with humanity on the top of mountains.
To name just a few…
MOUNTAINS OF ARARAT
In Genesis 8:4 we read about the mountains of Ararat in scripture. Where Noah’s ark came to rest after the great flood.
MOUNT MORIAH
Genesis 22:2 God commands Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you.”
Abraham didn’t fully understand what God what God was asking him to do in light of God’s previous promise to establish an everlasting covenant with Isaac (Genesis 17:19), but Abraham trusted God and by faith, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. God intervened and spared Isaac’s life by providing a ram instead. Abraham called the place…
MOUNT SINAI
In Exodus 19 & 20 we read about Mount Sinai (Horeb) where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. God delivered His law to them from the mountaintop, so that they would know how to conduct themselves. The people were warned to stay away from the mountain itself, for it would be holy ground.
God descended on Mt. Sinai with tremendous display of power, thunder and lightening, a dark cloud, fire and smoke, the blast of a trumpet quaking of the earth in Exodus 19:18. God thundered out His commands to the people.
MOUNT CARMEL
Mount Carmel is the coastal mountain range where the prophet Elijah confronted and defeated the prophets of Baal 1 Kings 18:20-40
God used a time of drought to get His people’s attention, then through His prophet Elijah, He performed a dramatic miracle right before their eyes. James 5:16 teaches us that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective”. He uses Elijah’s prayer life as a case in point. “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops”. James 5:17-18.
MOUNT OF BEATITUDES
In Matthew 5:1 we read about the Sermon on the Mount.
“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them saying Blessed are...”
Jesus delivered the Beatitudes on a mountainside near the Sea of Galilee (traditionally known as the Mount of Beatitudes). The Beatitudes are a series of 9 blessings including the Lord’s Prayer. They describe the virtues and attitudes of those who will inherit God’s Kingdom. Jesus’ message turned their whole world upside down. It challenged the beliefs of the times, verses what His Kingdom would look like, and who would be invited into it.
MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION
No one really knows what mountain the Transfiguration of Jesus occurred. Some say it could be Mount Tabor, or Mount Hermon, or other mountains. Honestly, it doesn’t matter which mountain. The importance of the transfiguration of Jesus is powerful enough in and of itself.
The Mount of Transfiguration, where Jesus’ human body was glorified after He acknowledged Himself as the Messiah in Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9 and Luke 9
Jesus tells the disciples in Matthew 16 that He will be killed and raised to life. Peter rebukes Him: “Never, Lord!” he says. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus had to rebuke Peter and goes on to explain that whoever will be His disciple must “take up his cross,” that is, be willing to die also. In the final verse of chapter 16, Jesus says “Truly, I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Luke 9:27
Jesus takes Peter, James and John up with Him to a “high mountain”. This unnamed mountain is what is referred to as the Mount of Transfiguration today, because of what takes place next: “There he was transformed before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.” Matthew 17:2-3
The transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain gave these three disciples a glimpse of HIS glory. Matthew 16:28
MOUNT OF OLIVES
The Mount of Olives is a ridge just east of Jerusalem where Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsamane, in Luke 22:39, Acts 1:9-12, 2 Samuel 15:30
Jesus prayed three times asking the Father to remove the “cup” of suffering, yet he said, “not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42
Jesus emotional and spiritual anguish caused him to sweat like “drops of blood“, and an angel was sent to strengthen Him. Luke 22:43, 44
Peter, James and John accompanied Him, but they fell asleep even after Jesus asked them to stay awake and pray.
Judas arrived with a crowd carrying swords and clubs, identifying Jesus with a kiss. After which He was arrested and His disciples scattered.
Mount Calvary (Golgotha), the rocky knoll immediately outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. also known as the place of the skull. John 19:17
Mount Zion
Mount Zion is referred to throughout scripture.
Zion is synonymous with city of God.
Zion is a city that God loves. Originally a physical hill and fortress in Jerusalem, it serves in scripture into a metaphor for God’s people.
In the Old Testament Zion is used as a name for the city of Jerusalem Isaiah 40:9 and the nation of Israel as a whole Zachariah 9:13.
In the New Testament, Zion refers to God’s spiritual kingdom. Hebrews 12:22
The word Zion occurs 150 times in the Bible.
2 Samuel 5:7
“David captured the fortress of Zion – which is the City of David.”
Hebrews 12:22
“Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to myriads of angels, a festive gathering.”
Psalm 48:1-2
“Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.“
Isaiah 52:7
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘ Your God reigns!”
1 Peter 2:6
“For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
When we first believe in Jesus, we see only a little of Him. The higher we climb, the more we discover His beauty.
May we trust in the Lord who is unmovable like Mount Zion and abide with him forever...
KEEP SINGING:
We’re marching to Zion
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne.
We’re marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We’re marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful city of God.
Let those refuse to sing
Who never knew our God;
But children of the heav’nly King
May speak their joys abroad.
The hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Or walk the golden streets.
Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground
To fairer worlds on high.
To the Praise of His Glory…
Bruce & Paula
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