Keep in mind that Peter’s epistle is often referred to as the Gospel of hope.
He continually reinforces this theme in the first 12 verses. By reiterating a few of the blessings promised by a faithful God, Peter prompts believers to focus on the hope that is part and parcel of a right relationship with Him: their election and sanctification through the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus. 1 Peter 1:2.
To bolster his assertion, Peter lists the following blessings encompassed in a right relationship with God:
Believers have the hope of an incorruptible inheritance waiting for them in heaven– 1 Peter 1:4
Believers are comforted by the hope in the power of God’s eternal salvation– 1 Peter 1:5
Believers have great inexpressible joy in the fullness of God’s glory– 1 Peter 1:6-9
Reviewing the blessings associated with Christ, Peter urges believers to prepare for the hardships that Christians face as part of their walk with Christ. Rather than focusing on adversity, Peter directs His readers to fix their minds on the hope they have in Christ:
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ,” 1 Peter 1:13.
Today, we appreciate and understand the relevance of Peter’s epistle regarding a right relationship with Christ. He steadfastly encourages fellow believers to turn away from any and all things that impede focusing on the hope embedded in a spiritual relationship. He urges believers to put away the impediments of fear, worry, or preoccupation with carnal possessions. Instead, replace obstacles with a hope that rests wholly in the grace we will receive when Christ comes again.
I. Peter: Strengthen the focus of your hope, 1Peter 1:13
a. Place hope in Christ
b. “Fix your hope completely”
c. Cultivating a strong hope is essential in a right relationship
II. Peter identifies the focus of believers’ hope
b. Grace of Jesus Christ
c. Promises inherent in a right relationship with Jesus
III. Peter tells us how to fortify our hope
IV. Conclusion:
Remember, we are pilgrims traveling through this life. Our hope is not in carnal things but in the Grace supplied by Jesus the Christ.
In service to our Lord,
—Rod Ellison
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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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We extend our sympathy to the Bloom and Martin families in the passing of Mr. Gregory Martin, Sis. Bloom's granddaughter Amara's dad, on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, and to the Gallington family in the passing of Bro. Gallington's uncle, Mr. Jesse Gallington, on Friday, July 1, 2022. |
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Youth & Family Ministry
Movie Night
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Friday, July 15th
Hawthorne Community Center
6:00-7:00 p.m. Games
7:45 Movie Begins
Details to come
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Children's Publishing Opportunity |
For children ages 6-12.
Parents should see Sis Sharee Farley for order form, and return the completed form to her.
Children who plan to participate should see Sis. Pam Alexander.
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3rd Sunday Fellowship
Sunday, July 17, _2022
Program Starts at 3:00pm
Location
Right Next to the Church Building at the
Spacious and easy to socially distance
Knights of Columbus Meeting Hall
1195 Bedford Street, Whitman, MA 02382
Parking
Parking Lot of the Knights of Columbus
Meeting Hall
Lunch Will NOT Be Served
Maurice Davis, Minister
Bedford Street Church of Christ
21 S. Bedford St., Abington, MA 02351
www.bedforstcocinabington.org
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Annual Caribbean Lectureship
Save the Date!
July 9-12, 2023
St. Georges, Grenada
Click below for more information
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Save the Date!
October 15-19, 2022
Roxbury Fall Gospel Meeting
with Bro. Eric Owens
Minister/Elder for
the Avondale Church of Christ
in Decatur, Georgia
Details TBA
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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 July outreach will take place on Saturday, July 23rd, 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/adult Bible class 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 July 3rd SERVICE. THE SIGN-UP LINK FOR JULY 3rd WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 10 P.M. ON SATURDAY JULY 2nd.
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, Saturday, July 23, 2022
- Family Movie Night, Saturday, July 15, 2022
- Third Sunday Fellowship, Sunday, July 17, 2022
- Children's Publishing Opportunity
- 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 6 months and up. Booster shots available for J&J, Moderna, and Pfizer. Walk in appointments available at many clinics.
- Current and Upcoming Events
- Monday-Friday Meal Distribution, 1:30 p.m. daily
- Ladies Take Note
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4th Sunday Ladies' Class, 7/24/22 @5pm @ church building
- Mature in Heart
- 2022 Pennsylvania Dutch Country Excursion, October 28-29
- Men Take Note
- 4th Sunday Men's Class, 7/24/22 @5pm at the church building.
- Men's Retreat Details
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 March 1, 2022 advisory from the Department of Public Health regarding face coverings and cloth masks.
All Massachusetts residents ages 6-months 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.
in person @church building
Presenter: Sis. Pamela Alexander
Please read the book of Philippians prior to the class
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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 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, July 24,, 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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Meetings & Events
7/5-8 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
7/10 - Deacons' Meeting, following 11am service @church building
7/11 - Ministers'/Elders'/Deacons' Meeting, 7pm
7/11-15 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
7/16 - Ministers'/Elders'/Deacons' Wives Meeting, 9am via teleconference
7/17 3rd Sunday Fellowship at Bedford Street CoC, Abington, 3:00 p.m.
7/18-22 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
7/23 - Community Outreach, 10am @ church building
7/24 - Roxbury 4th Sunday Ladies' Class 5:00pm @church building
7/24 - Roxbury 4th Sunday Men's Class, 5:00pm @church building
7/25-29 - 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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- 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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