Good morning church family,
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GIVING THANKS:
* Thanks to everyone for all of your contributions for Give-a-way Day and to Patrick Keller for organizing it. Lots of items were donated to families in need and the remaining items were delivered to the Bridgeport Rescue Mission and Salvation Army.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
* Skip and Doreen French, Close friends of the Repeckos, asked for prayers for their grandson Zach Shipley who was recently in the hospital and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
* Eric Reynolds Father has been in and out of the hospital. He is now in rehab and fell this past week. Prayers for them both as they endure this challenging season of life.
* Cindy Holly and Margaret’s friend Lorraine provided an update on her grand-daughter Sara who is pregnant at 32 weeks and health issues with the baby. They will induce her May 13th but she will be under constant care until then. Prayers for both Mom and her baby for all to go well.
* Our close friends Michael and Leslie Vuto recently had a baby boy named Levi who has a very rare genetic condition called Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus (GCMN). His recent MRI showed no signs of the Nevus birthmark on his brain or spine which is wonderful news. He has many more hurdles and surgeries ahead of him, but this one important one has been cleared. Thank you all for your prayers for Levi and his family.
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REMINDERS:
* Be sure to pick up a few of the SHINE MINISTRY care bags that have been put together for us to reach out to those in need. Please see Ron or Lisa to get a few bags.
* Remember to bring in non-perishable food for the SPOONER HOUSE weekly contributions.
COMING UP:
dbcc43af-2816-7f65-19ee-6d601d78e08c@yahoo.com>”>TUESDAY LADIES BIBLE STUDIES THIS MONTH, 9:30 a.m. via zoom:
STUDY – GENESIS.
* Tuesday May 7th
* May 23rd
Thanks to Lisa and Mary Lou for leading these studies.
Saturday, May 11th – 10:00 AM – MOTHER & DAUGHTER DEVOTIONAL
Lisa & Tori Saracino will lead the Ladies devotional and bible study at the church building. All ladies and young girls are welcomed and bring a breakfast food if you’re able.
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MAY 24-25 YOUNG ADULT LOCK IN:
There will be a young adult “lock-in” from Friday night into Saturday on May 24-25th at the church building! If you’re not familiar with what this is, they will be having a barbecue / movie /game night before sleeping over at the building. Then the following morning there will be a breakfast! Please see Zach and Tori for more details.
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FRIDAY JUNE 7th at 6:30 – 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.
Our address is : 479 Elm Street, Monroe, CT 06468
REMINDER for Men to register for the Kent Men’s retreat on June 14th & 15th!
7d32ab37-f6b4-1657-f42d-70c9e167f5ea@yahoo.com>”>Sunday June 30th – Next Pot Luck immediately following worship
c4562695-c5da-9239-e26b-dc2c07f3ac1a@yahoo.com>”>VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL teachers and volunteers are needed. 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.
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Per Wikapedia….
” The Sparrow is a small bird relatively plain in it’s pale brownish- grey color. The sparrow can be found just about anywhere in the world..Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, Australia, Africa and America. It is the most widely distributed wild bird.
The house sparrow is one species strongly associated with human habitation and can live in urban or rural settings and widely varied habitats and climates. “
Sparrows are common birds that blend into the environment. They are plain in color and do not have the brilliance of color as a cardinal, or blue jay, or the beautiful plumage of a blue bird or a yellow bird.
Sparrows are very sociable birds and nest in colonies.
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There is nothing really outstanding about a sparrow. Sparrows are viewed as insignificant because they are so plentiful.
The sparrow is a beloved bird that has played an important role in culture and literature for centuries. Its symbolism has been used to represent themes such as love, loyalty, and hope!
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Jesus referred to the sparrow many times in scripture reflecting upon God’s perfect design of the sparrow, and His great love for us. These little birds can teach us big spiritual lessons.
Sparrows are mentioned several times in the scriptures. Sparrows show God’s care and provision for His creation, the importance of humility, and the idea that seemingly insignificant creatures are known and loved by God.
Matthew 10:29-31
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
If God takes care of the lowly sparrow, we can trust that God WILL take good care of US!
God values everything He has created…and He values US even more than the sparrows for we were created in HIS IMAGE!
Our worth to our Creator is shared eloquently in Psalm 139 which speaks of our incredible design.
The Psalmist David shares in verses 1-5 “
You have searched me Lord and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise.
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all of my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue O Lord,
you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.”
and in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
God LOVES US even more than the sparrows!
Romans 5:8 “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. “
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
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We need not Fear…
In Psalm 36:7 David shares about how God shelters us in the refuge of His wings.
“How priceless is your unfailing love O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings”
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Jesus reassures us in Matthew 6:25-34 to NOT Worry!
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink;
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they?
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes?
See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry saying ‘what shall we eat?’ or ‘what shall we drink?’ or ‘what shall we wear?’
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.“
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Our value in the Kingdom of God is immeasurable.
We are worth more than many sparrows in God’s sight!
The Apostle Paul shares in Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs, according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus“.
For the Christian, we can find rest and peace in the fact that our Creator Loves us, and that He watches over us!
We don’t need the brightest plumes to be noticed.
We don’t need the loudest or most beautiful voice to be heard.
Humbly we can look at the sparrow and take comfort in knowing God LOVES US, and is WATCHING OVER US always!
KEEP SINGING…
His Eye is on the Sparrow Lyrics
His Eye is On The Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Hide me away O Lord (Hide me away O Lord)
Hide me away O Lord (Hide me away)
In the day of trouble neath the shadow of Your Wings,
Hide me away O Lord.
Give me your Peace O Lord (Give me your Peace O Lord)
Give me your Peace O Lord, Give me your Peace)
In the day of trouble neath the shadow of Your Wings,
Give me Your Peace O Lord.
Safe in Your dwelling place (Safe in Your dwelling place)
Safe in Your dwelling place, (Safe in Your dwelling place)
In the day of trouble neath the shadow of Your Wings,
Safe in Your dwelling place.
Throughout life, we get discouraged and down. But we must always remember… that He is by our side and watches over us through it all. We must remember Jesus’ words spoken in Matthew 28:20 “…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.“
Let us not be troubled because we have the King of Kings on our side!
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Let us be assured that God is sheltering us in the shadow of HIS WINGS.
Let us NOT BE AFRAID and DO NOT FEAR, for HE IS WITH US.
Let the SPARROW remind us how incredibly BLESSED WE are to be in JESUS CHRIST!
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Keep on Keeping on everyone, and give GOD the GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HATH DONE!
In Him,
Bruce & Paula