Imagine for a moment you are able to travel back in time. What time would you desire to return to? Would you want to go back to a difficult time in your life? Would you want to go back to a time that you deemed worthless? Would you ever want to go back to a time of hopelessness? I think I am safe in stating that none of us would want to go back to any of those times. Now, to put a spiritual slant on the question, would you ever want to go back to the time before you were Christian? What was your life like before you became a Christian? Certainly, there were fun times and happy times, but for anyone who understands the truth of the gospel, to return to what was empty and hopeless would be absurd. This is one aspect of the message which Paul is conveying to the Galatians. They were being confused by people who believed it was necessary to live under the constraints of the Mosaic Law. Paul was trying to help them understand that once you are free, you should never desire to return to slavery. Does what enslaved you in your past, somehow seem attractive in the present? If it does, you are not alone. Many Christians struggle to let go of their past, and sometimes they need a good Christian friend to come along side and show them the absurdity of their desire. Please join us this Sunday as we study Galatians 4:8-11, where Paul’s heart of love for his friends is put on display.

Esther is the only book of the Bible in which God is not mentioned. Not even once. Why is this? In our study of Esther, we will see how this short book powerfully teaches us how to trust in the sovereignty of a God that isn't always obvious. How to have faith when we can't understand how God is working. Join us this Wednesday in the chapel at 6:45 p.m. for the start of our new series.

Our rescheduled business meeting related to a dedicated SMCA School Board is on the calendar for Sunday, February 5, at 12:00 p.m. We need to reach a quorum. The SMCA Service Group would like to share with you the most recent proposal with updates based on congregational feedback from our information meeting earlier this year. The primary change is moving details of School Board members from the “Officers” section of the church constitution to the section that provides the rest of the details about South Merrimack Christian Academy, so the School Board members would not be officers of the church. You can access the updated recommendation here! Please reach out to us with any of your comments, questions, or concerns to our deacon Aaron Stark.

Sunday Worship @ 10:30 a.m. – In-person and Livestream

Children's Sunday Programs – In-person

Wednesdays @ 6:45 p.m. – In-person and Livestream

Teen Life (MVT) @ 6:45 p.m. – In-person and Livestream

AWANA @ 6:30 p.m. – In-person 

We have partnered again this year to participate in Real Options' Baby Bottle Drive. Real Options is a faith-based, non-profit ministry pregnancy center rooted in the compassion and love of Jesus Christ; which addresses the needs of women and empowers them to make life-affirming choices. To learn more about Real Options ministry, click here. You may pick up as many bottles as you like to fill with your change. Please plan to return the baby bottles to church by February 19. To donate to the ministry online, click here. 

For those of you who use weekly giving envelopes, our 2023 envelopes have not arrived yet from the printer. Due to staffing and material shortages, they can only offer an estimated time they might arrive (late January or possibly mid-February). If you would like to give using an envelope, we have been providing undated and unnumbered envelopes next to the Offering basket in the back of the multi-purpose room. Although this envelope does not reflect your giving number, if you have your name written inside the envelope (on a check or a separate piece of paper), the Finance staff will apply it to the proper account and ensure your giving is reflected accurately in 2023!! Thank you for your patience and understanding! We will provide an update on this when we have more information. 

MVBC has a part-time job opening for a custodian. Contact Linette Lukawitz for more information or click here for the job description.

You can still worship through giving from home. You may either mail checks to 517 Boston Post Road, Merrimack, NH, 03054, or donate online here. To view our year-end giving statement click here.

Seeking to serve,

Greg Odiorne