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Week of September 4, 2022
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THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING WITH GOD
Lanny Smith
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“We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2Cor.6:1). This text clearly shows that Paul considered himself and the other apostles as “workers together” with God. Sadly, this is often overlooked in our own relationship with God. Instead, many will gravitate to the extremes of saying “God does it all,” or “Man does it all.” Both are wrong! Our relationship with God is, and has always been, a cooperative matter! In this article, I want to discuss this concept.
God could just provide food to every human being miraculously. However, God did not choose to do it that way! Instead, it is a cooperative effort. God provides the seed, dirt, rain, and the sun; but man must till, plant, water, tend, and harvest his own food (cf. Gn.3:19). If either side fails, man will surely starve!
God could have built an ark, and placed Noah on it, in order to save him. However, God did not choose to do it this way! Instead, it was a cooperative effort. God wanted to save Noah and his family; but if Noah had not worked with God, he would have surely drowned (Gn.6:13-22).
God could have appeared to Pharaoh directly, and told him to let Israel go. However, God did not choose to do it this way! Instead, it was a cooperative effort. God solicited the help of Moses, who worked with God to get Israel released (Ex.3:7-10). But what if there was no “Moses” (or similar person) to go?
God could have destroyed Goliath with a lightning bolt, and saved Israel. However, God did not choose to do it this way! Instead, it was a cooperative effort. God used David, a man after His own heart, to deliver Israel from Goliath (1Sm.17:40-47). But what if there was no “David” (or similar person) to go?
God could have written the Bible Himself, and sent it directly to us. However, God did not choose to do it that way! Instead, it was a cooperative effort. God inspired certain men to write His word for us (Ep.3:3-5; 2Tm.3:16-17). But what if there were no inspired writers? How would we know God’s will?
God (Jesus) could have just told Saul of Tarsus what to do to be saved. However, God did not choose to do it this way! Instead, it was a cooperative effort. God told Saul to go and listen to a preacher who would tell him what he must do (Ac.9:1-6). But what if Saul had failed to do as he was told?
God could also just tell each one of us what to do to be saved. However, God did not choose to do it that way! Instead, it is a cooperative effort. God chose to save man by “the message preached” (1Cor.1:18,21). But if men do not “go into all the world and preach the gospel,” then others cannot be saved (Mk.16:15-16). And if men do not “obey the gospel,” they cannot be saved (Rm.10:13-16; 1Pt.4:17).
God could just do everything that needs done. However, God did not choose to do it that way! Instead, all of life is a cooperative effort. God has given much of His work to “the church, which is His body” (Ep.1:22-23; cf. 1Tm.3:15). If the body listens to its head, God’s “eternal purpose” shall be accomplished (Ep.3:8-11). But what if the church fails to do God’s bidding? How much is God depending on YOU, as a member of the body of Christ?
Notice what happens when we refuse to work with God: “So, I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore, I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads, says the Lord God”(Ezk.22:29-31). And again, “When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand” (Ezk.33:8).
I hope this short study has impressed upon your minds the importance of working with God. If you are neglecting your obligations, I encourage you to repent – while you still can!
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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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Thank you to all who assisted with and participated in the wonderful farewell celebration for Bro. & Sis. Samuel on Friday evening, September 2, 2022. It was a night to remember, filled with great food, great friends, and great fellowship!
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Sermon for Sunday, September 4, 2022
How to Live in an Adverse Society
1 Peter 4:7-11
Speaker: Bro. Denver Simmons
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We extend our sympathy to Sis. Leigh Jackson and family in the passing of her father-in-law last week. Please keep the family in prayer for comfort and strength in their bereavement.
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DON'T FORGET YOUR MASK!
Remember that masks are required at all of our in-person events, including services, classes, and meetings. Please also remember to bring your mask with you. We have a limited supply of masks available for those who do not have them.
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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.
In-Person Worship Sign-up
Please also note that there is a new registration link each week.
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
- 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
- Bedford Street CoC Teachers' Workshop, September 17, 2022
- Ladies Take Note
- 4th Sunday Ladies' Class,9/25/22 @5pm
- Mature in Heart
- 2022 Pennsylvania Dutch Country Excursion, October 28-29
- Men Take Note
- 4th Sunday Men's Class, 9/25/22 @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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] or Sis Gallington at [email protected] 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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Our September monthly grocery distribution outreach will take place on Saturday, September 24th, beginning at 10 a.m. for bag assembly at the building. Masks required. Thank you to all who assisted with our August outreach efforts on August 27th.
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Click anywhere in the announcement above to download full-size flier. If you would like to attend, please give your name to Sis. Gallington no later than Sunday, September 11th.
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Save the Date!
October 15-19, 2022
Roxbury Fall Gospel Meeting
with Bro. Eric Owens
Minister for
the West Side Church of Christ in Round Rock, Texas
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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.
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, September 25 at 5 p.m.
Presenter: Sis. Pamela Alexander
Topic: The Book of Ruth
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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. Payments can be submitted electronically via our e-giving link. Please follow up any electronic payments with an email to [email protected] with the subject line "Pennsylvania Trip Payment" and your name and payment amount in the body of the email.
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 [email protected] 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, September 25, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. at the church building.
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All payments are now due. To pay online, use our e-giving link to make your payment and follow up with an email to [email protected] with subject line "Men's Retreat Payment," and your name, congregation, and payment amount in the body of the email.
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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
9/5 - Labor Day - no lunch distribution
9/6-9 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building (no lunch on 9/5)
9/11 - Deacons' Meeting, following 11am service @church building
9/12-16 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
9/17 - Ministers'/Elders'/Deacons' Wives Meeting, 9am via teleconference
9/17 -Bedford Street CoC Bible Teachers' Workshop
9/19-23 - Daily Lunch Distribution 1:30-2pm @church building
9/24 - Community Outreach, 10am @ church building
9/25 - Roxbury 4th Sunday Ladies' Class 5:00pm
9/25 - Roxbury 4th Sunday Men's Class, 5:00pm @church building
9/26-30 - 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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