Elkanah, A Model Father
by Gene Taylor
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The responsibility God gives to fathers is great. Ephesians 6:4 tells them that they must bring up their children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Sadly, many fathers, even those who claim to be Christians, fail to accept the responsibilities of fatherhood causing much grief in many families.
It behooves us, therefore, to teach men their God-given responsibilities in respect to their children. One of the best ways to do that is to study the examples given to us in the Bible of those men who were good fathers.
There are many men we could consider. Abraham, Zebedee, and Joseph, the "father" of Jesus, come to mind. In this article, though, we will focus on a character that is not widely known or closely studied. We will examine the example of Elkanah, the father of Samuel.
Elkanah is presented unto us in the first chapter of First Samuel. Though it does not seem that much information is given concerning him as a father, in reality, there is a great deal to be learned from him in this text (1 Samuel 1:1-28).
He Set An Example of Worship and Service
He was concerned with worshiping God (1 Sam. 1:3). This speaks more of him than stating his wealth, physical appearance, fame, etc. Notice, he did not go to worship alone. His family accompanied him (1 Sam. 1:21). Children need to accompany parents to all services.
He trained his family to worship by supplying them with individual portions for sacrifice to God (1 Sam. 1:4). Fathers need to train their children to worship properly today.
He Loved His Wife
He loved Hannah, his wife, the mother of his children (1 Sam. 1:5). Husbands are to love their wives (Eph. 5:25). Through the love a husband has for his wife, the love for their children is revealed. Someone has said, "The best thing a father can do for his children is to be a good husband to their mother."
He Cooperated In Rearing Their Child
Hannah prayed to God for a son and promised to devote him to service to Him if her prayer were answered (1 Sam. 1:11). Elkanah concurred with her decision and allowed his son Samuel to be given to Eli, the priest (1 Sam. 1:3).
He Was Possessed By God
The name Elkanah means "God has possessed." He was the man he was, the husband he was, and the father he was because he was God-possessed. He had given himself to God. God was in control of his life. Such is probably the key to success in fatherhood—whether or not one's life has been given in submission to the will of God.
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Elders
Leon Cort
Mark Craigwell
Martin Samuel
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Minister
Mark Craigwell
Assistant Minister
Denver Simmons
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Deacons
Raleigh Gallington
Anthony Johnson
Gregory Johnson
Carlfred Malcolm
Albert Martin, Jr.
Walter Maxwell
Richard Meuse
Barry Person
Jason Reid
James Wade, Sr.
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Community Outreach: Thank you to all who assisted with our outreach efforts on Saturday, May 28th. Our June outreach will take place on Saturday, June 25th, beginning at 10am @ the building. All are welcome to participate. Masks are required.
Save the Date: October 15-19, 2022, Roxbury Fall Gospel Meeting with Bro. Eric Owens. Details TBA.
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Congratulations 2022 Graduates!
If you are graduating this year, and have not already done so, please email the following information to cocroxbury@gmail.com as soon as possible: your name, the name of your school, the date, time and location of your graduation (and whether tickets or invitations are needed), and your plans for the next academic year (college, work, etc.) Please also submit a photo for inclusion on the bulletin board and in the e-bulletin.
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Roshani Nagarajah
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Degree: Political Science and Religious Studies.
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Demetria Eaton
Roxbury Prep High School
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Headed to UMass Dartmouth
to pursue a degree in Nursing
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Kamea Johnson
Weston High School
Friday, June 3, 2022, 6:00 p.m.
Weston Town Green (all are welcome!)
Headed to North Carolina Central University (NCCU)
Durham, North Carolina
click here for Kamea's graduation invitation
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Ailee Martin
Foxborough Regional Charter School
Friday, June 3, 2022
Headed to Massosoit Community College
Brockton, Massachusetts
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Louis Person
Wellesley High School
Friday, June 3, 2022, 5:00 p.m.
Headed to University of New England
Biddeford, Maine
Louis will be studying Business and playing football
All are welcome to attend Louis's graduation, which will be outdoors, weather permitting. (Family only if it rains)
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Jedidiah Nelson
Roxbury Latin
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Headed to Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont
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Jaden Norville
John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics & Science
Saturday, June 11, 2022, @ 11 a.m.
Plans for next year pending
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Sermon for Sunday, May 29, 2022
Being about my Father's Business
Luke 2:41-49, 52
Speaker: Bro. Phillip Morrison Jr.
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Save the Date for New Converts'
Fellowship & Luncheon
We invite all those baptized between 2019 and the present along with those who have been in the body for 25 or more years to join us in the church parking lot on Saturday, June 18th (time TBA) for an afternoon of fellowship, food and fun. Save the date and stay tuned for details.
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Youth & Family Ministry
Muscle and a Shovel Book Discussion Group
for Ages 12 & Up
The Youth & Family Ministry will conduct a 10-week book discussion group on Muscle and a Shovel, by Michael Shank, for ages 12 and up this summer, beginning in June. Please use the link below to sign up or to request further information. The group will be facilitated by Bro. Garrett Alexander, Sis. Pam Alexander, Bro. Phillip Morrison, Sis. Velita Person, and Bro. Jerard Samuel.
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City of Boston Indoor Mask Mandate: Due to declining COVID-19 rates and high vaccination rates in the City of Boston, effective Saturday, March 5, 2022, the City of Boston lifted its indoor mask mandate. However, we will continue to require masking and distancing at our in person events until further notice. Thank you for your continued cooperation.
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Our May outreach will take place on Saturday, June 25th, beginning at 10 a.m. for bag assembly at the building. Masks required.
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We will continue to offer two Sunday morning worship services to accommodate in-person attendees
The first service begins at 8:30 a.m. and runs until approximately 9:30 a.m.; the second service begins at 11:00 a.m. The auditorium is sanitized between services. The weekly 10:30 a.m. devotional will continue as scheduled. The usual sign-up rules and COVID protocols remain in effect. When you access the online sign up form, you will be required to specify which service you would like to attend. Once capacity has been reached for a particular time slot, the form will no longer accept new registrations for that time slot. We will continue to livestream the 11:00 service on our YouTube channel, and we encourage members to utilize e-giving, even when attending in person.
PLEASE NOTE: THE LINK BELOW IS FOR NEXT WEEK'S SERVICE. PLEASE SEE LAST WEEK'S E-BULLETIN FOR THE SIGN-UP LINK FOR THE MAY 29th SERVICE.
In-Person Worship Sign-up
Please also note that there is a new registration link each week.
Links from previous weeks will not work.
E-giving link
Livestream link
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Don't Miss Out! Please scroll through the entire e-bulletin each week to be certain not to miss any important announcements or links. Many items are repeated each week, but there are also new announcements that you'll miss if you don't scroll through the entire bulletin.
See the following sections for new/updated announcements.
- News & Notes
- Community Outreach
- Save the Date: October 15-19, 2022, Roxbury Fall Gospel Meeting with Bro. Eric Owens
- Worship & Class Schedule - Links to Services & Classes; link to worship attendance registration form for next week
- Please note that the New Converts' Class now meets both on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m., and Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. at the church building.
- Latest on COVID-19
- Vaccine available for ages 5 and up. Booster shots available for J&J, Moderna, and Pfizer. Walk in appointments available at many clinics.
- Boston Black COVID-19 Coalition Services and Resources
- Current and Upcoming Events
- Monday-Friday Meal Distribution, 1:30 p.m. daily
- Ladies Take Note
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4th Sunday Ladies' Class, 6/26/22 @5pm @church building, weather permitting.
- Mature in Heart
- 2022 Pennsylvania Dutch Country Excursion, October 28-29
- Men Take Note
- 4th Sunday Men's Class, 5/22/22 @5pm at the church building.
- Youth & Family Ministry
- Canobie Lake Park Outing, Saturday, June 11th
TextAlertz: If you are signed up to receive church text blasts via textalertz, but have stopped receiving the blasts, please email Sis. Gallington at ggallington@gmail.com so she can troubleshoot the issue.
Please keep us updated: Please keep us apprised of any changes to your address, phone number and email address so that we can maintain an accurate database of member information. Please notify Sis Nagarajah at enagarajah@gmail.com or Sis Gallington at ggallington@gmail.com of any changes to your contact information.
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Midweek Bible Study
Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
via freeconferencecall.com
(Click image at left to join the class online, or see remote class schedule below for dial-in info)
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Current & Upcoming Events |
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The Department of Public Health continues to urge all who are eligible to be vaccinated and/or boosted to do so, as vaccination is currently the best medical defense against the potentially deadly effects of COVID and its variants.
Although the City of Boston has lifted the mask mandate for most indoor spaces, masks are still required on public transportation, in hospitals and medical facilities, and the Department of Public Health (DPH) still recommends masking in indoor spaces for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Click here for the most recent advisory (March 1, 2022) from the Department of Public Health regarding face coverings and cloth masks.
All Massachusetts residents ages 5 and up are now eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and many facilities have walk-in hours. Booster shots are available for the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines at many pharmacies and health care facilities. Use the link below if you need assistance scheduling an appointment or locating a facility.
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Click here or anywhere in the announcement above for more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). |
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Remote & In-Person
Class/Meeting Schedule
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Wednesday Night Dial-In Bible Study
Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.
Dial in number: 978-990-5000
Access Code: 261232#
Or join the class online at
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Mid-Week Youth Bible Study
Wednesdays 7-7:30 p.m. via Zoom
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Women's Saturday Prayer Meeting
Join us for prayer on Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. via freeconferencecall.com
Dial-in: 701-802-5069; Access code 3730930#
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REMINDER: Please remember to mute your phone or computer when joining any of the above conference calls to avoid interrupting the class or service you are entering, particularly if you are joining the call after the event has started. |
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2nd and 3rd Fridays of the month @ 7:00 p.m.
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4th Sunday Ladies Class
Sunday, June 26th 5 p.m.
at the church building, weather permitting
Presenter: Sis. Pam Alexander
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Our 2022 Mature in Heart Pennsylvania Dutch Country Excursion is scheduled for October 28-29. Please give your name to Bro. Gallington, Sis. Gallington, Sis. Keitrice Johnson, or Sis. Elizabeth Nagarajah by Sunday, May 29th if you plan to participate. A deposit of $100 per person is required to secure your spot, followed by monthly payments of $100 in June and July, with the balance due in August.
Participants must be fully vaccinated, and masks will be required on the bus. Participants must also agree to comply with whatever COVID protocols are in place at the hotel, restaurant and theater, as well as any stores visited during the trip.
All monies will be refunded if the trip has to be cancelled due to rising COVID levels.
Cost:
*Quad (4 people in room): $330 per person
*Triple (3 people in room): $347 per person
Double (2 people in room): $381 per person
Grand King (couples): $807 per couple
*Quad and triple accommodations are only available to members of the same household or family.
This trip is now open to members of our sister congregations, who should email their names to cocroxbury@gmail.com with the subject line "2022 Mature in Heart Pennsylvania Trip."
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Sunday Morning Devotional: Brothers, please see Bro. Phillip Morrison if you would like to present a Sunday morning devotional at 10:30 a.m., prior to our Sunday morning worship service.
4th Sunday Men's Class Sunday, May 22, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. at the church building.
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No announcements at this time. |
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Young Adult Ministry (YAM) |
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No announcements at this time. |
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Monthly Ministry Meeting
1st Sunday of each month at 2:00 p.m.
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Click anywhere in the announcement above to download full size flier. |
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Meetings & Events
5/2-6 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
5/2 - Ministers'/Elders'/Deacons' Meeting, 7pm
5/6-8 - New England Lectureship, Marlborough, MA
5/9-13 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
5/16-20 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
5/21 - Ministers'/Elders'/Deacons' Wives Meeting, 9am
5/23-27 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
5/28 - Community Outreach, 10am @ church building
5/28 - Roxbury 4th Sunday Ladies' Class 5:00pm @via Zoom
5/28 - Roxbury 4th Sunday Men's Class, 5:00pm @church building
5/31-6/3 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
Masks are required for all in-person events
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Ministry Meetings - Please contact your ministry coordinator for remote meeting schedules.
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Weekly Events - ALL SERVICES, CLASSES, & MEETINGS NORMALLY HELD AT THE CHURCH BUILDING ARE SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, except as noted below:
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- Sunday New Converts' Class, 10:00am @church building
- Sunday Bible Class (children) Sundays at 10:30am @church building
- Sunday Adult Devotional/Bible Study, 10:30am @church building
- Sunday Worship Service 8:30 and 11:00 am in person and 11:00 a.m. via livestream on YouTube. See above for details.
- Men's/Women's Classes, 5pm (4th Sunday of the month); Men @church building; Women via Zoom (details above)
- Youth & Family Ministry (1st Sunday of the month at 2pm)
- Young Adult Ministry (2nd Sunday of the month at 6pm) VIA ZOOM
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Mature in Heart Women's Prayer (Tuesdays @ 10:30am) VIA TELECONFERENCE (connection info above)
- Prayer Meeting (Tuesdays @ 7pm) VIA TELECONFERENCE (connection info above)
- Mid-Week Bible Study (Wednesdays @ 6:30pm) VIA TELECONFERENCE (connection info above)
- Mid-Week New Converts' Class (Wednesdays @ 7pm) @church building
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Healing Hearts (Thursdays @6:15pm) VIA ZOOM
- Couple's Ministry (1st & 2nd Fridays @ 7 pm)
- Women's Prayer (Saturdays 9:30am) VIA TELECONFERENCE (Connection info above)
- Ministers/Elders/Deacons Wives Meeting, (3rd Saturday @10 am) @church building
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Bro. John Kurpiel, minister for the Lawrence congregation, hosts an international radio program, “Soul Food,” on Mondays and Tuesdays from 11AM until 3PM. The program airs on Ignite Radio Broadcast via Mixlr, an interactive internet radio platform. Use the link below to tune in to listen, or to participate in the conversation. Always free to listen. https://mixlr.com/ignite-radio-broadcast.
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Church of Christ in Roxbury
81 Walnut Avenue
Roxbury, MA 02119
617-442-5826
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