Made Into His Image

What a wonderful day for a baptism! Three baptisms are even better. 

Cora Rae Jackson, Dameon Conrad, and Bill Caputo were all baptised today.

Cora Rae

Dameon

Bill

Back, Just in time for Easter

 



I am so sorry that I have neglected this BLOG.

Life has been a challenge these past few months.

 I have caught up to April 6th.

Enjoy.

Saved to Serve

Message, Mission, Ministry Parts 2 & 3

 

Sorry for the delay. Here are the final two parts of Linda's sermon "Message, Mission, Ministry."

 

 

 

 

 



Due to the snowy conditions, the First Friday dinner and service is cancelled this evening. 

Hope to see you next month.

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. 

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. 

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.

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

First Sunday Music

As The Deer sung by The Trio

Put Your Hand in the Hand sung by The Trio

Why Me Lord sung by Allen Brown

Unfortunately, there was a snafu with the audio of our Sunday service, and it is not available this week.



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.

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.

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.

 

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

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. 

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.

 

 

My Faith Looks Up To Thee

 

Pastor Linda finished her series with Titus 3

Saved in Order to Do Good

3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

3 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.4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 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, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 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.

9 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.

God's Servants

Titus 1

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— ² in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, ³ 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,

⁴ 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

⁵ 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. ⁶ 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. ⁷ 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. ⁸ Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. ⁹ 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.