We are Church

We are Church

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Message, Mission, and Ministry

Matthew 7:1-29

Your obligation to God does not stay within the church building on Sunday, 
but starts as you walk out the door. Go and serve the Lord.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!



The first year of this blog is a success. We have had a few glitches, some human error,  some technical error, and a couple of delays. The weekly Sunday Service has gone out to those of our congregation that were unable to attend, for whatever reason, and also to many that found us from around the world. We were also able to keep you updated on area activities of interest, and cancellations due to nasty weather. In the next year, we hope to give you music cut out of the service. We have many talented musicians in our congregation, and a joyful noise is a wonderful way to celebrate our Lord. Suggestions are welcome, and we appreciate your interest in this blog, and your return visits. Blessings in the new year. 



Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas

Linus Christmas Monologue


This Sunday, December 22, 2013, we had our traditional two services. Sylvia Thomas and Becky Henry gave us the signs of Christmas, including the call to worship from Luke 2:8-14. 

Then we enjoyed our evening Candlelight Service with the message from Linda Lambert. She had a lot of help with several readings, a youth skit, and all the music. 

The true meaning of Christmas is the love of Jesus Christ. 



Sunday, December 8, 2013

Past Services from before 2013 are being added.



You may notice a new item on the right side of this blog page. It is the "Potluck Services - mixed up & unknown past services." 

Due to human error, and bad weather, we have not had a recording of the Sunday services for a couple of weeks. I am downloading as many services from previous years, as I can find. 

There is no bulletin to guide you through the service, and some of the CD's do not have labels on them, so you get potluck.

I hope you will enjoy.

Services are Canceled Today


Due to a RED ALERT weather forcast in our region, the worship services at Thurmont Church of the Brethren have been canceled for today.



Have a safe and blessed day.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Ordinance of Anointing

What Anointing is...

     The Church of the Brethren offers an experience of spiritual renewal through which God often brings healing, arouses hope, communicates forgiveness, and bestows peace.      Based primarily on the Biblical teaching in James 5:13-18, the anointing service provides an occasion for the individual to know and feel the powerful presence of God in the context of a faith community.      As the service begins, appropriate scriptures are read and interpreted. Prayers are offered for an infusion of divine energy. Opportunity is given for the person requesting anointing to share insights and concerns in a confessional way. Then the person officiating will anoint the forehead of the individual with olive oil, stating the central affirmations of God's power to heal, forgive, and restore. This action is followed with prayers and the laying on of hands by persons from the assembled group.      In the Church of the Brethren the anointing service grows out of our faith in God and the desire to implement Jesus' teachings, along with the practices of the early New Testament church. It rests on the conviction that healing forces are most often manifested within the context of the congregation where life's special moments are observed or celebrated. Here we surround one another with experiences of genuine caring. Here we offer continuing help and support to those coping with serious problems and life-changing events. Here through the anointing service we express openness to God's presence and our receptivity to the ministry of others. Here, through confession of sin, we receive God's blessing and the promise of restored relationships.

from http://www.lgvcob.org/anointng.htm

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The Best is Yet to Come

Joel 2: 23-32


We were blessed to have Melva Witmer as our worship leader on Sunday. She did an exceptional job.
We were also blessed to have Becky Henry give us a thoughtful sermon from
the scripture of Joel 2: 23-32.


Monday, October 28, 2013

Updates

 Due to a technical glitch, the Sunday Service is not available at this time. I will attempt to fix the problem. 
Here is what is happening in our church community, and around the local area. 



Friday, November 1, 2013
Dinner is at 6:00 pm, not 6:30 pm.



Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Believers Baptism, Baby Dedication Part 2

Laying on of Hands

 


     Pastor Linda continues her series of sermons about the ordinances of the Church of the Brethren.

     The priesthood of all believers is the Church of the Brethren. Clergy and laity are not separated. The HOLY WORD is our creed. Communion is what is in your heart. Baptism is an outward sign of what is in your heart. But what about babies? Children are under special grace. They are conceived of sin, but innocent of sin. Child dedication is a time for parents to recommit their own baptismal vows. Baptism and communion guarantees you nothing. It is in what is in your heart that brings you salvation.

      The laying on of hands is about the praying that Gods gift, or will be done. It is to remind you of Gods calling of your life. Jesus Christ is the only way to receive the Holy Spirit, as long as you ask for it. You do not receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, but affirming that the gift is already given.


      Through scripture Jesus calls us to live as courageous disciples in word and action.
 

Monday, October 14, 2013

Belivers Baptism, Children's Dedication





The Brethren movement began in early August 1708 when eight brave souls went to the Eder River where one of them baptized Alexander Mack, who then baptized the others. This beginning occurred at Schwarzenau because Count Henrich Albrecht was tolerant of Pietists and permitted them to gather there to read the Bible and discern for themselves how a follower of Jesus should live and what the nature of a Christian church should be. As Brethren gathered in 2008 to celebrate 300 years of Brethren experience, they also celebrated the tolerance by Count Albrecht which enabled the Brethren movement to begin in the Eder River with adult baptism, an illegal act at that time. *

The Church of the Brethren is a community of faith where the HOLY WORD is our creed. Our ordinance is the teachings and examples that Jesus Christ set. Our CHURCH is not a building, but the brothers and sisters that form the church COMMUNITY. We are members due to the faith in our hearts, and baptism is an outward sign of what is already formed and shaped in our hearts. We are a priesthood of believers who minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ, every where we go, and not just when we are in our church building. We use our gifts and character to carry out our mission to make Christ known, loved, and obeyed, as God equips and empowers us.


I am blessed to have the gifts and knowledge to be able to affirm the word of Christ from Pastor Linda's lips, to the CD that Garrett Lowe creates by recording the Sunday Service, which I download onto my computer, and then use to create this blog. It truly takes a community to spread the Word.


* taken from http://www.brethrenencyclopedia.org/pages/300th-anniversary

Monday, October 7, 2013

What's in Your Heart



We commit ourselves to follow Jesus Christ,
     through whom God has made friends with the world and in whose name we share the     work of reconciliation.
We commit ourselves to the way of the cross,
     living a life of simplicity, self-denial, and prayer.
We commit ourselves to love each other,
     serving the church, and sharing our time, talents, and possessions.
We commit ourselves to care for the world,
     bringing good news to the poor, setting free the oppressed, and proclaiming Jesus as Liberator and Lord.
In this commitment we find joy, peace, and new life.


Linda preaches about the history of World Wide Communion Day and how it affected the Church of the Brethren. What is the difference between an ordnance and a sacrament? What is sacramentalism? What is the power and meaning of the bread and the cup? It is not magic, but we give meaning to what is in our heart. We are to remember His death and sacrifice, through the symbol of the bread and the cup. The bread and cup symbolizes our commitment to our Lord. Live worthy, and by what is in your heart. 


Monday, September 30, 2013

Holes in the Heart


 
 
Pastor Joanne Gaver gave us a lesson from Jeremiah 17:5-24 and Ezekiel 36:22-27.
The church was so quiet, as she delivered the sermon, that everyone either took a nap
or was so enthralled with her message. I, for one, was enthralled.
 
 

Monday, September 23, 2013

My Faith Looks Up To Thee


 

Pastor Linda finished her series with Titus 3

Saved in Order to Do Good

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law,because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

Final Remarks

12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.
15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all.

It Is A Process


Pastor Linda teaches us from Titus 2, that we are to teach from one generation to another the basics of sound doctrine. We are to have respect for humanity, self-control to do what is correct, integrity, kindness, endurance, love, trust, faith, purity, kindness, temperate, and be upright and godly. 

Now I apologize for posting this a week late. I was not able to attend church service last week, and I was not able to listen to it until this weekend. Within that time, a high school classmate of mine was on headline news. His vacant home was broken into by several teens, and used as a party house, and was damaged extensively. He has reached out to the offenders, since they posted their own offences on Twitter, hoping the teens would make things right. Only 5 teens have approached him to apologize. Of the remaining teens, some of their parents want to sue the homeowner for re-posting their childrens shame online. 

I brought this subject up because as I listened to Linda's sermon from Titus, I was reminded of this incident. How could 300 teens, from the same geographic area, not have been taught the basic teachings of sound doctrine, as described in Titus, and many other books of the Bible? How could the parents of these teens not be dragging their children by the ear, to the same home, and be begging for forgiveness from the homeowner?  Who are teaching these teens how to respect and be upstanding citizens? It takes a village to raise a child. How are the children of these teens going to be taught respect, responsibility, integrity, and self-control if the village let's them down? 

I pray that these teens, and their parents, can learn a reverence for God, and a respect for all people, and also responsibility to God, others, and self. I also pray for my high school classmate, that he may continue to lead by example, and continue to be forgiving to those that have harmed his property. He has such a Christian heart. They do not see that he is attempting not to punish them, but save them from themselves.


Sunday, September 15, 2013

God's Servants



Titus 1

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,
To Titus, my true son in our common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good

The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint[a] elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe[b] and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”[c] 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.



"Last Days....Time for Action"



Luke 21: 8-36

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”
20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Jesus Predicts His Death

21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure,[a] which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.



Sunday, August 25, 2013

The Appeal of Love


Pastor Linda finished her series of sermons about Colossians and the tiny book of Philemon.
The apostle Paul had a dream long before Martin Luther King. Paul's dream was to value every human being as God created them. Deeper than human rights is the value of love. Master = slave. We are all worth the same, because we are set free from the slavery of sin through the life blood of Christ. As you do your job, remember you are not working for man, but for the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are saved by Grace, through Faith, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, through the scripture.

Jesus, Our High Priest


August 18, 2013 was a terrific sermon by Becky Henry, inspired by Hebrews 10:19-25.
I apologize to her for not getting a blog post done last week. Sometimes a busy life gets in the way.


Hebrews 10:19-25 (NIV)

A Call to Persevere in Faith

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Love Says What?





Pastor Steve shares the morning with the youth of our church. The youth gave us a presentation from the Junior High Work Camp and the a presentation from the National Junior High Conference. As each one spoke, it sounded like they had fantastic learning and working experiences, made new friends, and had a lot of fun.

Then Steve gave us a brief sermon about love.

 
 
 

Monday, August 5, 2013

A Live Demonstration


 
 




Linda continues her series with Colossians 3.
Homework for next week is to read Colossians 4 and the tiny book of Philemon.

Welcome to all of our visitors. We were blessed to have a full sanctuary, and being that it was the first Sunday of the month, when we have special music, today we were blessed to have original music by the people who wrote the music. That music you may view below.

 
Be Still ~ Bill Caputo
 
 
Eternal Love ~ Mariah Neff
 
 
Breakdown Hideaway ~ Debbie Barnes
 
 
Anniversary Song ~ Nancy Wiles Nicely
 
 

Monday, July 29, 2013

Growing in Grace

 
 
 
Colossians 2:1-23...
 
...is Paul's letter telling us how to grow in grace.
We grow in grace when Christ circumcises our sinful nature.
Falling from grace is loosing our position in Christ.
We are under the shelter of Gods wing, as a bird in a nest.
Growing in grace is learning to fly, in the shadow of Gods wing.
 
We are sanctified by scripture, rooted in Christ, and the fruit satisfies our soul,
 and others can be nurtured by our fruit.
 
Grace growers are like gnats up your nose,
the person who rakes you the wrong way, or the prickles in your socks.
How do you respond?
 
 

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Sorry for the delay.

 
 
 

The weekly Blog post of the Sunday Service will be delayed

until Monday evening, Eastern Daylight Time.

Read Colossians 2:1-23 to be prepared for pastor Linda's sermon. 

Our Brother, Don Barnes....


...was given wonderful Memorial Day celebrating his life and legacy (1941-2010), as former Frederick County Sheriff, and more, at the Law Enforcement Center, Saturday, 27 July 2013, 10:00 AM.

 

 

 

 

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Fighting Our Battles

 

1 Samuel 17:12-52

The story of "David and Goliath."
 
Pastor Joanne Gaver read us the story of David & Goliath, and reminded us how passionate  we should be when we fight our battles. We all have battles in our lives, and when the need for fighting comes, we must put on our own armor and weapon, and fight in the name of the Lord.
Take a firm hold on who you are in Christ.
 

 

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Christ's Preeminence

Colossians 1 (NIV)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he 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. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Paul’s Labor for the Church

24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.