Today we worshiped
at Crossroads Church, 8533 Peters Road, Cranberry Township, PA 16066,
412.3494.9999, www.xr.church, Mike Arnold,
Campus Pastor.
Scripture
– NIV
2
Chronicles 7:1-2 –
When
Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt
offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The
priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord
filled it.
Jonah
3:5 –
The
Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the
greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
Acts
2 –
When
the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a
sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole
house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that
separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the
Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now
there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under
heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment,
because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they
asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each
of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites;
residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and
Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both
Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the
wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one
another, “What does this mean?”
Some,
however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Then
Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:
“Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you;
listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose.
It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
“
‘In
the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and
daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will
dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my
Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the
heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of
smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the
coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved.’
“Fellow
Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to
you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you
yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and
foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by
nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from
the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on
him. David said about him:
“ ‘I
saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be
shaken.
Therefore
my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, because
you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy
one see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me
with joy in your presence.’
“Fellow
Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was
buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that
God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his
throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah,
that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to
the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit
and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to
heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’
“Therefore
let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified,
both Lord and Messiah.”
When
the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the
other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter
replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far
off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
With
many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves
from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
They
devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking
of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and
signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had
everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who
had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They
broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to
their number daily those who were being saved.
Isaiah
55:1 –
“Come,
all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come,
buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”
John
6:35 –
Then
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go
hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Psalm
34:8 –
Taste
and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
2
Chronicles 7:3, 14 –
When
all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the
temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they
worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “He is good; his love endures
forever.
if
my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek
my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I
will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Bob’s
thoughts:
Sometimes
I wonder, if God calls us to join a church, would we miss the differences we
experience now. We worship here often, mostly because of family.
But each
church has something that makes it unique. This one has a window wall behind
their platform. For some time, the windows were concealed behind dark drapes. Today
I thought how it could liven the message to have a mini-skit outside: Santa
checking his list or kneeling at the cross, the Easter Bunny leaving a basket,
even something stationary like a jack o’ lantern. It could be something
depicting a point from the message or Scripture.
I was
remembering a church where occasionally a group performed a brief skit at the
chancel dealing with the message for that day. Funny or straight from the
Bible, people walked away remembering the message.
The
pastor here frequently does something similar with a short clip or photos on
the screen. Mostly it makes it personal and people take that home.
There
is a lot of talk of an upcoming revival at the church and I pray that it is so…it’s
something we all need.
Jan’s
thoughts:
With
two grandchildren with us for the weekend, we again visited the church to which
they are accustomed, with the added blessing of seeing the rest of our family
who attend here.
The
outdoor work continues, and it was announced the project is running on time,
which is good news since the season of excitement is here for this church. They
have their 3-evening Awakening Conference beginning tonight, November 3 they
will hold their Chili Cook-Off, and November 9 is the annual Kidzgiving where
they fill shoeboxes with gifts for kids around the world in partnership with
Operation Christmas Child. Then, of course, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and before
we can blink an eye, it will be 2020.
The
current sermon series is Ready for Revival and today’s message, Hungry,
was presented by Student Ministry Director Julie Moran. This was the first time
I’ve heard Julie preach, though my grandson was pleased to inform me she has
preached before.
She
spoke about the idea of being present for once-in-a-lifetime events, such as
the Immaculate Reception, Woodstock, or a specific, very memorable Tractor Day
at Riverside School. Then there are events described in the Bible such as the
Dedication of Solomon’s Temple, the conversion of Nineveh, or the Day of
Pentecost. Events that changed many people and would certainly have changed any
of us had we been present.
After
defining revival as “when hearts are changed for Christ” Julie spoke about some
large-scale revivals around the world over the last several hundred or more
years. There is no question but that God was and still is pursuing the hearts
of people everywhere. She stated that revival comes when we are hungry for God
and when we are humble, which she defined as knowing who you are in the
Presence of God.
I
appreciated her stories about spiritual hunger and how, without much thought, we
automatically scroll through our phones or binge watch TV in an attempt to satisfy
an emptiness that only Jesus can fill. She called it “filling up with spiritual
junk food.” How appropriate. I will absolutely remember that.
Our
prayer for this church:
Lord,
we pray You will bless this time of revival in Your church. Fill us all anew
with Your Spirit. Amen.
Today we worshiped
at Cross Creek United Presbyterian Church, Cross Creek Road, Burgettstown,
PA 15021, 724.947.9548, Rev. Bill Roemer, Pastor.
Scripture
– NIV
1
John 4:19 –
We
love because he first loved us.
Matthew
22:34-40 –
Hearing
that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them,
an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the
greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus
replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the
second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the
Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Bob’s
thoughts:
We
were about half an hour early getting to the sanctuary, but greetings were
minimal. I think the whole church greeted us in the Passing of Christ’s Peace
and we were asked to fill in a visitor card.
There
was signage downstairs directing to the sanctuary and I saw a chair lift. The restroom
was marked but I didn’t see nursery or other signage. Someone explained about a
song sheet and when to return it.
The grandma
in front of us introduced herself and the children we were exchanging smiles
with. Children always make me feel welcome.
Originally,
we were sitting on the side and thought a woman was coming to greet us but she
only told us we had to sit in the center section because that’s how Communion
would be served; I wasn’t sure she was happy with this.
I had
to look a bit for a cross before I found one on the Communion table.
There
were only two children but they were enough for the children’s message, and
enjoyable. I was genuinely surprised to see a few sour faces directed to one
girl; I was delighted with them. They gave me a smile as soon as they came in.
I was
glad to see a Trunk or Treat sign as community involvement is probably difficult
in this rural area.
I enjoyed
the preludes but had trouble singing along with the rest of the music. I couldn’t
keep the pace and when I lost my place, I couldn’t tell where everyone was in
the lyrics.
The
message explained the basics of Christian love. My favorite is speak the truth
where you are. I’ve never had anyone refuse prayer. There are many people
seeking Jesus who just don’t know it. Never hide your faith; tell your story.
Communion
was served in the pews, albeit silently. The Communion bread was excellent, and
didn’t see if the pastor was served.
Jan’s
thoughts:
We
arrived early and later regretted the missed opportunity to look around
downstairs.
I
appreciated the signage, especially the indication of the restroom immediately
inside. Another sign pointed the way to the sanctuary upstairs so we went up
and looked at some of the items on display then found seats in one of the side
sections. After a minute, a woman approached us to request that we move to the
center section explaining it assists those serving the Communion elements. She
explained that they celebrate the sacrament weekly, which I was happy to hear
as I believe God blesses that regular remembrance of Christ.
Several
people smiled and said hello but only a couple introduced themselves. During
the Passing of the Peace it seemed everyone gathered in one aisle and worked
their way through the line until everyone was greeted by everyone else.
One
of the great things about a traditional service is that we sing older hymns.
Today we sang one of my favorites which I hardly ever get to sing: Be Still,
My Soul. I find the words to this hymn a deeply comforting reminder of God’s
power and love.
In
the sermon, entitled L.O.V.E., the pastor stated that every time Scripture
refers to God’s love for His people it uses the word agape, which is the self-emptying
love that seeks the good of the beloved. He stated we are commanded by God to
love Him and to love others as we love ourselves, and then God empowers us to
fulfill that command. I appreciated the reminder that I don’t have to meet God’s
expectations in my own strength.
The
pastor urged the congregation to follow God’s command to love people by telling
others about who Jesus is, what He has done for them, and to participate in
spreading the Gospel by generously supporting missionaries in the work God has
given them.
I
was glad we were in a church that observed World Communion Sunday and blessed
to participate in the sacrament today.
Our
prayer for this church:
Father,
we pray this congregation will open their hearts and Your church to everyone they
know so they can share the Good News. Amen.
Today we worshiped
at First Alliance Church, 111 Mission Meade Drive, New Castle, PA 16105,
724.654.4512, www.firstalliancenc.org,
Rev. John McCready, Pastor.
Scripture
– NLT
John
10:16 –
I
have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also.
They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
Acts
1:8 –
But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my
witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea,
in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
2
Corinthians 10:14-16 –
We
are not reaching beyond these boundaries when we claim authority over you, as
if we had never visited you. For we were the first to travel all the way to
Corinth with the Good News of Christ.
Nor
do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead, we
hope that your faith will grow so that the boundaries of our work among you
will be extended. Then we will be able to go and preach the Good News in other
places far beyond you, where no one else is working. Then there will be no
question of our boasting about work done in someone else’s territory.
Bob’s
thoughts:
We
missed a turn and arrived later than we planned so it is hard to guess if
others would have greeted us. I was greeted by a Marine, which made my day.
The silhouettes
on the side walls of the sanctuary were an interesting feature though I am not
sure what they all represented.
There
were three points to the message about a church in Portugal but I only caught
the first one – serving communities. I think too many churches strive to grow
bigger and forget this step; it’s the best way to grow a church.
There
was a story of a man with a hole in his lung that was not given a positive
prognosis. After prayer and healing his wife and daughter also came to Christ.
Having
just gotten through a scary forecast myself, I bought “forever” stamps
yesterday. I decided I am sure about God’s timing in my life.
Jan’s
thoughts:
I
was thankful for another beautiful day for a drive as we gratefully parked in a
visitor spot.
We
arrived with not much time to spare, so there was no opportunity to wander
around. From what we saw, indoor signage was good (which means I could find the
restroom without asking someone where it was).
A
number of people welcomed us when we entered as well as before and after
worship.
The
music was led by a gentleman with an impressive voice that carried all the way
to the back of the sanctuary along with a woman who provided lovely harmony.
The
Order of Worship indicated the pastor will be installed Tuesday, October 8, and
he confirmed that today was indeed his very first Sunday with this
congregation.
As
one might expect at a Christian Missionary Alliance church, the focus was on
mission. The speaker, Mike Davis, and his wife (who was unable to be there
today), are international mission workers in Portugal through the CMA Church.
He
provided a great deal of detailed information about how their CMA Church is
integrating into the community and bringing Jesus Christ to the people there.
Their three goals are: serving communities, developing people, and multiplying
church networks, and he detailed their efforts and successes in each area.
He
closed with the encouraging reminder that “When you pray, you touch the country
and the nations.”
It
was a pleasure to speak with both Mike Davis and the new pastor following
worship.
Our
prayer for this church:
Lord,
we pray You will encourage the new pastor of Your church. We pray You will
bless the time he and his family are here. Amen.
Today we worshiped
at Crossroads Church, 8533 Peters Road, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066, 412.494.9999,
www.xr.church, Mike Arnold, Campus Pastor.
Scripture
– 1 Samuel 18 NIV
After
David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David,
and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not
let him return home to his family. And Jonathan made a covenant with David
because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and
gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his
belt.
Whatever
mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high
rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
When
the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women
came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and
dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. As they danced, they
sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
Saul
was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David
with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can
he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.
The
next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in
his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a
spear in his hand and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the
wall.” But David eluded him twice.
Saul
was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from
Saul. So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men,
and David led the troops in their campaigns. In everything he did he had great
success, because the Lord was with him. When Saul saw how successful he was, he
was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in
their campaigns.
Saul
said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in
marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul
said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do
that!”
But
David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that
I should become the king’s son-in-law?” So when the time came for Merab, Saul’s
daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
Now
Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it,
he was pleased. “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a
snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So
Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my
son-in-law.”
Then
Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king
likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’ ”
They
repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small
matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
When
Saul’s servants told him what David had said, Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The
king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to
take revenge on his enemies.’ ” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands
of the Philistines.
When
the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s
son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, David took his men with him
and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their
foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might
become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in
marriage.
When
Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved
David, Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest
of his days.
The
Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did,
David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name
became well known.
Bob’s
thoughts:
I was
thinking back to when Christ claimed me, how surprised that some people thought
the lack of air conditioning or soft pew seat pads could be reason enough not
to go to church. Today, not being able to breathe made me rethink this excuse. Years
ago, the only alternative would have been to listen to a service on the radio
with next to no choices.
Today
we didn’t want to visit where we had not been and find out I couldn’t stay, and
having not seen these grands since the hospital sealed the deal. During the
service my grandson edged his way in closer to me, and I was surprised that as
he got in tighter my breathing seemed to ease some. I think to accommodate his
lanky frame I was sitting up straighter and breathing easier. I feel sure when
I go back to the VA I will be given oxygen and be able to handle the
temperature/humidity better. Today it was good to feel the healing touch of
being with family.
One
off-shoot of my doctoring is that God has put a lot of people in my path who
need prayer, so I must say as always, I am truly blessed.
The
third point from today’s message reminded me of an experience at the VA
Hospital. The point was for a friend to be available and attentive, valuable
attributes.
I had
been wheeled to a waiting area outside the OR and was asked if I needed
anything. To the first nurse who asked, I responded that my feet were cold. He
brought two heated blankets and covered my body but not my feet. The next nurse
inquired and I explained my need, she rolled two heated blankets and placed
them under my neck. This felt good, but my feet were really getting cold. The next
nurse brought a blanket for under my neck. While they were happy looking at the
monitors, I pulled one from behind my neck and tossed it over my feet. The
recovery room was calling other staff over to feel how cold my feet were.
I
wonder how much we are like this in church and in life. Are we attentive? Fortunately,
our Savior hears our every word, spoken or not.
I
loved the duet during Communion; the voices blended perfectly.
Jan’s
thoughts:
After
a challenging few days, we felt the need to worship with family today.
The
church is in the process of expanding the parking area, so there were plenty of
dirt piles, blockades, and even some earthmoving equipment. I’m excited to see
it when it’s completed.
Today’s
message, Friending, was the second part of a series called Asking For
a Friend. The pastor began talking about intentional or accidental friending/unfriending
in real life or no social media. He defined contracts (a contingent
relationship) and covenants (a promise not contingent on others’ keeping their
promise). And the more recent phenomenon of ghosting, or refusing to maintain
contact.
But
he stated God’s design for the human race is connection and friendship, and the
foundation of friendship is commitments. His advice for building a friendship
is:
1
– Share experiences with others;
2
– Be generous;
3
– Be available and attentive; and
4
– Celebrate instead of compete.
He
closed by advising us to ask ourselves the question: How can you slow down your
life to be attentive and available to others? This sounds like a worthwhile goal
and a good place to start.
For
me, a highlight of the service was Communion and being escorted forward by our
almost 14-year-old grandson.
Our
prayer for this church:
Lord,
we pray Your church continues to raise up compassionate friends who celebrate
each other. Amen.
