Pledge Drive

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Our church is currently participating in our annual pledge drive. Stating your pledge upfront helps = our treasurers create a budget for the next year. Giving should be a joyous response= to the love and forgiveness of God. Our Lord’s total self-giving constitutes the basis for our Christian giving: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt= hew 10:8)

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Please prayerfully consider what is best for you= and either e-mail, call, or cut-off the following for

m and send it to the church, (Murray Presbyterian Church P.O. Box = 196, Murray, NE 68409 attn: John Meeske.)

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MY COMMITMENT IS $________________per week.<= o:p>

Name:_____________________________ Date: _=

Address:_____________________________________ Apt.#______ Phone (____) _________________

City:_____________________________________ State:____________ Zip code:__________________

Where we’ve been in the Bible: Study Guide (Paul’s Letters)=

2 Corinthians = (written about AD. 56)

-Corinth, Greece—major ancient commercial center. Corinth ha= s been referred to as the Las Vegas of the ancient world.

-Paul defends his ministry against false teachers—Judaizers.

-In 2 Corinthians Paul focuses on the centrality of the cross.

-Paul encourages the Corinthian Christi= ans to be generous.

-Paul trusts in God for strength when h= e is weak and things are difficult.

Philippians <= /span> (written about A.D. 61)

-Philippi, Macedonia (Northern, Greece). = Military retirement community.

-Very generous in their giving.

-Paul calls the Philippians to imitate Christ’s humility.

-He also instructs them to not put confidence in ritual, but rather in Jesus Christ.

-The quarrel between Eudia and Syntyche. Paul pleads with th= em to agree with each other in the Lord.

-Paul tells the church at Philippi to p= ut into practice whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Think about things that are excell= ent and praiseworthy.

Colossians (written about A.D. 61)

-Colosse—located in what is today southwestern Turkey.

-Small town. Various cults have an extremely st= rong presence in the community.

-Paul stresses that Christ is the Supre= me creator and ruler of the universe.

-He teaches that Jesus is not just a wa= y to God—Jesus is God.

-True fullness is to be found in Jesus Christ and not human traditions—festivals, religious diets, etc.

-Paul urges the Christians in Colosse to pray constantly and share their faith.

Philemon (written about A.D. 61)

-Paul wrote this letter to a wealthy ma= n in Colosse named Philemon.

-Paul writes a very warm and appreciati= ve letter to Philemon asking him to welcome back a slave named Onesimus.<= /o:p>

-Onesimus had apparently stole money fr= om Philemon and then ran away.

-Onesimus had a life changing conversion to God and somehow became friends with Paul in Rome. Now Paul wants Philemon to welcome= back Onesimus as a brother in Christ.

1 Thessalonians (written about A.D. 50)

-Thessalonica, Macedonia (Northern Gree= ce).

-Thessalonica was a large commercial ce= nter and a major seaport.

-Earlier Paul had started a riot there = when he visited the town and preached the “Good News.” (Acts 17)

-Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonian Christian’s faith, defends his own ministry there, and rejoices that = the Thessalonian Christians have accepted the word of God as it truly is the wo= rd of God (ch. 1 & 2). These believers are doing a great job of sharing the faith.

-Thessalonian Christians are being persecuted by unbelievers and tempted by Satan, but their faith is remaining strong (ch. 3).

-Paul gives instructions in Christian living—live a quite life, work, earn respe= ct from outsiders by how you live (ch. 4). Avoid immorality and love ea= ch other

-Paul explains what will happen to believers—both the living and the dead—at the time of the second coming of Jesus (ch. 5). Enco= urage one another and build each other up. =

Memory verses from the books we’ve studied.

2 Corinthians 12:9

“But he [the Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ”=

Philippians 3:8-9

“What is more, I consider everyth= ing a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.&nbs= p; I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him,= not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is = by faith.”

Colossian= s 1:18

“And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead= , so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

Philemon = v. 16

“no lo= nger as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dea= rer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. ”<= /p>

1 Thessalonia= ns 4:16-17

“For the Lord himself will come d= own from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with = the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive= and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lor= d in the air. And so we will be wi= th the Lord forever.”

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Submitting Information ForThe Bulletin Or Newsletter

If you have information that needs to be put in the Congregational Life or Newsletter, please send an email to the church address, which is murraypresbyterian@windst= ream.net

January 2009

=

Dear Church Family,

Thoughts & Prayers for our

FOOD PANTRY for January

Anniversaries

Happy Birthday to:

Virginia Spangler 1/1

Pledge Drive

Please prayerfully consider what is best for you= and either e-mail, call, or cut-off the following for

Name:_____________________________ Date: _=

2 Corinthians = (written about AD. 56)

Philippians <= /span> (written about A.D. 61)

Colossians (written about A.D. 61)

Philemon (written about A.D. 61)

1 Thessalonians (written about A.D. 50)

2 Corinthians 12:9

Philippians 3:8-9

Colossian= s 1:18

Philemon = v. 16

1 Thessalonia= ns 4:16-17

January 2009

=

Dear Church Family,

Thoughts & Prayers for our

FOOD PANTRY for January

Anniversaries

Happy Birthday to:

Virginia Spangler 1/1

Pledge Drive

Please prayerfully consider what is best for you= and either e-mail, call, or cut-off the following for

Name:___________________________________________________ Date: _______________________=

2 Corinthians = (written about AD. 56)

Philippians <= /span> (written about A.D. 61)

Colossians (written about A.D. 61)

Philemon (written about A.D. 61)

1 Thessalonians (written about A.D. 50)

2 Corinthians 12:9

Philippians 3:8-9

Colossian= s 1:18

Philemon = v. 16

1 Thessalonia= ns 4:16-17

Name:_____________________________ Date: _=