Good morning to our church family,
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GIVING THANKS:
* We have been praying for Cindy & Margaret’s friend Lorraine, whose grand-daughter Sarah Schuell had gestational liver disease. Her baby boy – Bennett – was born at 34 weeks and both are doing well. She gives thanks to our congregation for all of the prayers offered on their behalf.
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Sgt Major Bill Paxton said, “May we never forget our fallen comrades. Freedom isn’t free”.
We give thanks to all of the military and service men and women who work tirelessly to protect our nation. We are also grateful for all who gave their lives serving this country in the line of duty. Jesus said in John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Seek out someone who has served our country and say “thank you.”
PRAYER REQUESTS:
* Prayers for Michelle’s brother Al whose cancer spread to his lymph nodes. They started his chemo this past week.
* Continued prayers for the Ruiz family as they wait for a new court date on behalf of Levi.
* Prayers for David D’Elia who was slated for open heart surgery on Monday, but it was cancelled due to the surgeon who cut his finger. David had a stroke a few weeks ago and is in need of prayer as he gets through his many health challenges.
* Eric Stephens lost his close friend Hero who passed away suddenly this past week. Prayers for Hero’s fiance and family, and for Eric. Eric was very close to him and taught him how to speak English after coming to this country.
* Prayers for Karen Stanzione who’s ex-husband recently passed away. Jose was also in the hospital this past week.
* Prayers for Irene Aschen who continues to struggle with a lung condition and is struggling with breathing and side effects from the meds.
* Our son-in-law’s Grandmother Clydia Birdsall is in the hospital after having a stroke. She is having trouble with her speech and hasn’t been able to walk yet.
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Congratulations to Matthew DePinho and Kristen Hubbell. He proposed, and she said YES! We are thrilled for them as they plan for their wedding next year. We are so proud that this couple will build their house on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ! Praise God!
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CONGRATULATIONS TO ANNIE BELL who recently graduated High School and will be attending Harding University this Fall.
d260de18-c733-0248-0f22-d15412c781fe@yahoo.com>”>The Bell Family were former members whom we miss greatly! Here is an updated picture of all of their girls. Laney (is now working remotely after graduating Harding with a degree in Human Resources), Annie, Hazel and Olivia (a Psych major and in her junior year at Harding University). Hazel is currently a sophomore in High School, is soon to get her license!
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* Our in-house food pantry at the building needs some restocking. If you’re able to bring in a few non-perishables, pasta, etc (making sure the expiration dates are 2025), that would be great! Food gift cards are also welcomed and can be given to Ron as he ministers to families in need. Donations can be brought directly to the food pantry, or marked for Trumbull Food Pantry to set it apart from Spooner House donations.
Thanks to everyone who have been so generous with their benevolence over the years. The more we give, the more we receive!
COMING UP:
TODAY there will be an International Zoom Webinar featuring Brother Ricky Cooper the Pulpit Minister from the Westchester church of Christ from 9:30am to 11:30 a.m. Thanks to Brother Dev for his good work with this ministry!
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46649ada-1358-2383-93f5-3848215d4e76@yahoo.com>”>FRIDAY JUNE 7th at 6:30 – All ladies & Teen girls are invited to our home for singing and fellowship. If you are able to come, please bring an appetizer or desert to share. Park in the church lot across the street for overflow parking.
Our address is 479 Elm Street, Monroe, CT 06468
TIDAL RIVER CHRISTIAN CAMP Registration is open!
Trumbull’s food contribution this year is listed below. Please bring in these items before camp begins on June 30th and look for the marked bin for your donations.
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FOOD DONATIONS FOR
TIDAL RIVER CHRISTIAN CAMP
Please Text or call us at 860-940-0803 and leave a message or email tidalriverchristiancamp@gmail.com if you have any questions or drop off date changes.
We will be placing our first order for food on June 15th and need to know what we will have on hand prior to ordering.
Please make arrangements to bring these items the first day of camp (June 30, 2024)
Thank you for your continued support. May God bless you as you serve Him.
Tidal River Christian Camp
List# 16
Food Donation for Tidal River
Christian Camp
Trumbull Church of Christ
(10) Potato Chips Large Bags any flavor
(5) Cases of Soda 24 Pack
(12 Fl Oz Plastic or Cans Any Flavor)
(15) Cookies
(any kind – Large packages)
(20) Hand Soap
(Pump Bottles Antibacterial Type – Large Size)
(10) Toilet Bowl Cleaner
(Liquid Bottles)
*Cash donations will also be gladly accepted.
Please bring items the first day of camp (June 30, 2023)Please call or Txt us at 860-940-0803 and leave a VM message, or email tidalriverchristiancamp@gmail.com if you have any questions or delivery changes.
REMINDER for Men to register for the Kent Men’s retreat which is coming up on June 14th & 15th!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL – July 20th
Please see Derin & Kristin Wilson if you are able to help in any capacity. There is something for everyone to do and this is a wonderful outreach to our community. Thanks to everyone who have signed up already! They have enough teachers and still need someone to be stationed at the bounce house. Flyers on the back table so please invite friends and neighbors!
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100f74f6-6f28-7e32-cdb6-c6ad8af33c59@yahoo.com>”>Sunday June 30th – Next Pot Luck immediately following worship
Friday nights in September – Flo Repecko will be teaching a series on Biblical boundaries: “What the Bible teaches about Boundaries” There will be 4 lessons total, held every Friday in September.
Starting September 6th – 6:30 pm for Fellowship, 7:00 pm lesson. Refreshments will be provided.
(See the Attachment at the end of the newsletter and click on it to view the Flyer)
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Barabbas was a criminal who is mentioned in all four gospels of the New Testament. Matthew 27:15-26,
Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:18-124 and John 18:40.
Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who had already declared Jesus innocent of anything worthy of death – Luke 23:15. Pilate knew that Jesus was being railroaded and it was “out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him” Mark 15:10, so he looked for a way to release Jesus and still keep the peace. Pilate offered the mob a choice: the release of Jesus... OR... the release of Barabbas, who was a criminal had been imprisoned “for an insurrection in the city, and for murder” Luke 23:19.
The release of a Jewish prisoner was customary before the feast of Passover in Mark 15:6. The Roman governor granted clemency to one criminal as an act of goodwill toward the Jews whom he governed.
The choice Pilate set before them could not have been more clear-cut:
a high-profile killer and rabble-rouser who was unquestionably guilty…..
OR…..
a teacher and miracle-worker who was completely innocent.
The crowd chose Barabbas to be released.
Barabbas was guilty.
Jesus was innocent.
Pilate was surprised at the crowd’s insistence that Barabbas be set free instead of Jesus. The governor stated that the charges against Jesus were baseless Luke 23:14 and he appealed to the crowd three times to choose sensibly (verses 18–22).
“But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed” , vs 23.
Pilate released Barabbas and handed over Jesus to be scourged and crucified , verse 25.
As we read this story, we cannot help but have deep and strong feelings. Feelings of wanting to defend our Lord who came to perform miracles and show mankind God’s love, and show us The Way to the Father; feelings of disappointment that the crowd chose the murderer Barabbas, instead of Jesus Christ to be set free; feelings of searing sadness knowing what was ahead of Jesus at the beckoning of the crowd; and so much more.
How blessed we are to have the scriptures which tell us the complete story from Genesis to Revelation!
The story of Barabbas and his release from condemnation, parallels the remarkable story of every believer. We are guilty before God and are deserving of death as we read in Romans 3:23 & Romans 6:23. But because Jesus was the chosen One, to die in our stead, HE WHO BORE the punishment that we rightly deserve; we are freed from our sins with no condemnation.
Jesus knew everything that was about to unfold after Barabbas’s release.
John 17:24
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am,
and to see my glory,
the glory you have given me
because you loved me before the creation of the world.”
Jesus speaks of LOVE. For GOD IS LOVE as we read in 1 John 4:7-11
Before time began as we know it, there was LOVE. Love between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is the pure definition of LOVE….
“Love is patient,
Love is kind,
It does not boast,
It is not proud,
It is not rude,
It is not self-seeking,
It is not easily angered,
It keeps no record of wrongs,
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.”
This scripture describes who God is, for God is LOVE, right from the beginning and beyond.
Jesus suffered and went to the cross for each of our sins. Because of His LOVE for the Father, and for US, HE took the fall.
We are SET FREE!
Romans 8:1. Baptized believers who are buried into his death, burial and resurrection are set free.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus,
because through Christ Jesus
the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
For what the law was powerless to do
in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,
God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man
to be a sin offering. “
Jesus suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God
1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”
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Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have redemption..
Ephesians 1:3
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
For he chose us, in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ,
in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace,
which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
In him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure,
which he purposed in Christ,
to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment –
to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.“
He was lead like a lamb to the slaughter…
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It was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that we were redeemed….but the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
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In Christ, we have redemption for our sins…..PRAISE GOD!
In Christ, we receive God’s mercy and grace….PRAISE GOD!
The GIFT of SALVATION is open to ALL of mankind.
LET’S LIFT OUR VOICES IN PRAISE TO THE FATHER AND KEEP SINGING:
I don’t deserve to be Your servant
And how much less, to be Your child
Anger and wrath, sure condemnation
Should be my portion, my just reward.
Never have seen it,
Never will know it
Your loving kindness, enfolds my life.
All You have shown me is
Grace, love and mercy,
Now and forever I am Your child
Freely You pour out
Your loving kindness
Father of grace,
You welcome me in.
All of the sin,
I have committed
Was placed upon
Your righteous Son
And now You see me,
Through His perfection
As if I’d never, done any wrong
Always forgiven, always accepted
No fear of judgement, before Your throne.
All You have shown me is
Grace, love and mercy
Now and forever
I am Your child,
Freely You pour out
Your loving kindness
Father of grace, You welcome me in.
All You have shown me is
Grace, love and mercy
Now and forever
I am Your child,
Freely You pour out
Your loving kindness
Father of grace, You welcome me in.
The scriptures do not share what happened to Barabbas after his release. We can only ask ourselves did he return to a life of crime? or was his life changed as a result of his being set free? Did he eventually become a Christian and follow Jesus?
Barabbas represents all of humanity. The same choices that were available to Barabbas, are available to all of us….
To surrender to God in grateful acknowledgement of Christ has done for us?
OR
Reject the precious gift of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
We are all guilty of sin. “For all fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
All of our sins were paid for at the cross…
1 John 3:16
“This is how we know what love is;
Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.“
Not only were we believers, chosen before the foundation of the world, but so was Jesus. We were chosen to be HIS, holy and blameless in His sight.
He was chosen to be the ONE who could make that happen.
He IS… unadulterated love... LOVE in HUMAN FLESH...and was the LAMB OF GOD offering himself, so that we could go FREE!
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Let us REJOICE over our Freedom from Sin!
Let us REJOICE BEING COVERED in the blood of Christ!
Let us REJOICE KNOWING that we are an heir to the throne of God!
Let us REJOICE that we can offer the same mercy and grace to others, that has been afforded to us!
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Now we get share the Gospel message with all of the world!
We have been set FREE!!!
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“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”
And let him who hears say, “Come!”
Whoever is thirsty let him come;
And whoever wishes let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelation 22:17
In His Holy Name,
Bruce & Paula