Pastor's Notes for February 7, 2010

TODAY IS ‘SOUPER’ BOWL SUNDAY! Our youth provided soup & chili at noon in the Fellowship Hall. About 45 people stayed for food and fellowship. All donations, gathered in the soup pot, will go to our local Crosslines Food Pantry. About $270.00was collected. Thank you for your support of Cosslines and our youth.

UPDATING OUR DIRECTORY involves your assistance. Please make necessary changes on the pages in the Fellowship Hall. If all the information is correct, please put a mark beside your name to indicated it has been checked.

NEWSLETTERS are available in the sanctuary on the first Sunday of the month. During the week you can pick them up at the office. If you want to received the monthly newsletter send a designated donation for the newsletter.

KFC COLLECTION BUCKETS were also available today, donations that go to help fund a new congregation in our area.

Reflecting on the Scriptures : ENCOUNTERING THE HOLY

Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13. Worshipping in the Temple, Isaiah had a spiritual experience—an encounter with God, a vision of the Lord! Encountering the Holy helped Isaiah recognize his own inadequacies. This became an encounter with grace—purification, invitation, and direction.

Luke 5:1-11. At the close of an ordinary day of back-breaking work, Simon Peter had a spiritual experience—a simple request by Jesus, an unusual suggestion, and an unexpected windfall. Encountering the Holy enabled Peter to recognize his own shortcomings. This turned into a life-changing decision for Peter and his friends.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11. With his heart set on persecution, Paul encountered the Holy on the road to Damascus—a voice and a blinding light [Acts 9]. Encountering the Holy opened the eyes of Paul’s heart to the error of his ways. The knowledge of his murderous deeds helped him experience God’s merciful grace and Paul was sent with a message.

Psalm 138. Adverse circumstances did not prevent the psalmist from grateful praise and worship of the Holy One.