RCC Newsletter November 2022

NOVEMBER 2022

A NOTE FROM THE PREACHER

As a pre-Thanksgiving exercise, let’s ponder together our memory verse for this month, which is Colossians 2:6-7 –

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

I believe we can draw from this text the following principle:

The mature believer is a thankful believer.

In other words, as the believer grows in his faith, his gratitude grows in abundance. Follow the sequence of thought from the text:

· As he is “rooted” in the faith, his gratitude grows in abundance.

· As he is “built up” in Christ, he is brought down in humility, making him a more thankful person.

· As he is “established in the faith,” as he increases in inner strength, he also increases in outer expressions of gratitude.

· As he is “taught,” as the Word of grace takes a tighter and tighter hold of his heart, words of gratitude abundantly flow from his grace-saturated heart.

· And he’s not just thankful; he is abundantly thankful. He is “abounding in thanksgiving.”

I believe John MacArthur nails it:

“The last of the four participles in verse 7 [translated “abounding”] is the only one in the active voice. It is a response to the other three [i.e., it is evidence of maturity]. Believers who are firmly rooted in Christ, being built up in Him, and established in their faith, will overflow with gratitude to God.”

So, to put it simply, mature Christians are thankful Christians. Abundantly thankful.

May we all, as we grow in Christ, grow in our gratitude to Him for the marvelous grace He has shown to us in redeeming us, giving us life, and bringing us to God and to each other.

Happy Thanksgiving! I thank God for my salvation, and I thank Him for you!

Pressing on with you, with our eyes on Jesus,

Pastor Butch

Memory Verse for November

"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

Colossians 2:6-7

Book of the Month

The Coming of the King

by J.C. Ryle

For most of us, Advent is synonymous with Christmas. After all, don't our Advent calendars count down to December 25th? Isn't Advent a time to think about the birth of the baby in the manger, the angels and the shepherd? It certainly is. Advent means the coming of the special baby who was laid in a manger in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. But J.C. Ryle would also remind people of the 'Second Advent' when Jesus will come again. On that day, Jesus will return to our world, not as a baby but as the unmistakable King of kings and Lord of lords.

Click on the book image for more information and to order your copy today!

ELDERS MEETING SUMMARY

ELDER MEETING SUMMARY October 2022

The elders met on October 18. The highlights of that meeting are as follows:

Pastor Mark opened the meeting in prayer.

Melanie Lingerfelt blessed us with a pecan pie (to eat immediately) and a pound cake for each of us to take home. Thank you, Mel!

Pam Hinesley gave us an update of our kitchen renovation, which has begun. Thank you, Pam, for your oversight of this needed project.

We met with a member who wanted to share some concerns about some of the recent messages from the pulpit. It was a good time of receiving welcomed feedback.

We discussed and approved our budget items for next year’s budget (benevolence, elder conferences, pastor training, & leadership training).

We discussed the possibility of hosting a conference next year with the following theme: “Responding to the Culture for the Glory of God.” Pastor Mark will contact the guest speaker we have in mind in the coming days. We will keep you informed as this comes together, Lord willing. Be praying with us about this. (*Since our meeting, we have confirmed that Darrell Harrison and Virgil Walker will be our speakers. The conference is scheduled for October 13-15, 2023.)

We discussed our chronic absentees. Due to the prolonged absence of one of our members the elders decided to send a letter making a final appeal for their return and releasing them from their covenant relationship with RCC should they choose not to.