Church Family Update - February 17, 2021

First, Some Good News:

Three church family prayer meetings have been scheduled for the Lent season. They will take place on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-7:30 PM on the following dates: February 24, March 10, 24.

These meetings will take place on Zoom instead of using the livestream that we use on Sunday mornings. This way we will be able to interact with one another, sing together, and share prayer requests. 

We will need all those interested in participating to register so that we can send you a Zoom invitation and also because Church Life is baking cookies for these meetings and we will deliver them to your house prior to the meeting so that we can share coffee and cookies together when the meeting starts!

Next week I will send out more information about how to register for these meetings. If you do not know how to use Zoom, we can help you get set up. I’m looking forward to fellowshipping and praying together during these meetings!

Council Nominations:

If you are a confessing member then you can expect to receive an email tomorrow with a list of all names of the people who are letting their name stand for the office of elder or deacon. You will then be able to respond to that email and indicate your affirmation of those names or express any concerns you may have. 

If you prefer to do this anonymously you can come to the church office and fill out a form that we will have here for you. If you are planning on attending church in person this Sunday then you can fill out the form at that time. If for some reason you don't get the email tomorrow, please contact the church office.

Prayer request:

Let’s pray prayers of gratitude today. Think of one or two things about Ebenezer that you are thankful for and take some time today to thank God for the blessing of being part of this wonderful church. 

A Devotional Thought:

“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19

Today is ash Wednesday. I’m guessing that most of us didn’t walk around with the sign of the cross in ash on our foreheads. That’s not part of our tradition. But the fact is, we walk around with ashes on our head every day. The ashes of ash Wednesday represent our mortality. 

Ash Wednesday is a day set aside to remember that we were formed from the dust and to dust we shall return. It’s a not-so-subtle reminder that no one gets out of here alive. We’re all going to die. 

That’s kind of a depressing thought. But it’s only depressing if you think that your death is the end of your story. Yes, your physical body will wear out and die and return to the earth. But your physical body is not all that you are. In fact, it’s not even the most important thing about you. You are created in the image of God and part of that image is your immaterial part. 

You have a soul that will not be extinguished on the day of your death. For those of us in Christ, we have received the gift of eternal life. Long after our physical, earthly bodies have turned to dust we will have received imperishable resurrected bodies that will be in the presence of God forever (see 1 Corinthians 15). That’s great news!

Ash Wednesday is a day to recognize our mortality and repent of our sin. But it’s also a day to rejoice in the gift of eternal life. I pray that you will take time to do all of those things today.

Here is a link to a two-minute video that beautifully articulates the good news of the gospel and explains why death has lost its sting. Thanks James Hebers for passing this along today!

https://www.douglasalberts.com/thegospel

May you be blessed this Lenten season,

Pastor Jason