1st August 2022

Good morning

Yesterday I was preaching on Luke 12: 13–21, and Jesus was giving us some good instruction, because He was asking us to take care and be on our God against all kinds of greed.

Our life does not exist because of the abundance of all our possessions, but because of what treasures we store up in our memories and what good deeds we’ve done for one another. 

I opened my sermon with a question - what is precious to us?

I really would like you to ponder on that this week, to see how you answer it: what do you find precious?

I think this is something we should look at, and ponder on maybe, and try to re-evaluate how we react; in the commercial world we are told that we have to have certain things to make us happy.

I believe memories are the best and most important things that we should have in life; we can look back and remember those perfect days, when we felt at ease and full of joy. 

I’m sure most of us have many of those to recall; that’s what I feel my treasure is - it doesn’t have to be locked away in a safe; no one can steal your treasure when they are memories. 

If we treasure our memories, then we will all be millionaires with gilt edged memories. I think that’s the most precious thing in my life.

Toward the end of my sermon, I asked you another question - if you had to leave your home in the middle of the night, because of a fire, what would you take? Now this is a hard question to ponder on; that’s a good one to think about this week.

Our scripture today has given us much food for thought, and I hope that you will reflect on this during this next week.

I sincerely hope that you will spend some time with God, and your friends and your family, and add to your memories this week and during the coming month. May God bless you and I look forward to seeing you all again, in September, after my sabbatical, Amen 

In Christ

Rev. Janice

Rev. Janice Bowker

Senior Pastor | God's Acre MCC

Sunday's Service

31st July 2022

You Are My All In All

August Sabbatical

Just a reminder that Rev. Janice is taking a well earned sabbatical, during August.

All services will be pre-recorded & available online each week, via our Facebook page, or our YouTube channel, so you won't miss out on regular worship.

Letty Cortez (Vice Moderator) & Maureen Perry (Board Treasurer) will be your first points of contact, in an emergency, during August.

PLEASE continue to tithe during August, whilst Rev. Janice is on sabbatical; we have made it very easy for you to either mail a check, or use our online PayPal button.

Offering Taken 7/31/2022

Needed: $1,000

Received: $579

This week's Deficit: -$421

July Budget

Needed: $5,000

Received: $2,710

Month's Deficit: -$2,290

If you are a regular giver & have some extra capacity, to give to your church this week, we ask you to dig deep & help us keep our doors open.

God requests the first fruits of our labors & will always bless the giver. God has promised to supply ALL of our needs, if we just follow God's commandments.

You can donate online, by clicking on the button below

Or, you can also mail in a check, payable to God's Acre MCC, to our PO Box mailing address.

God's Acre MCC

PO Box 770240

Ocala

Fl 34477-0240

Please give as you are able.

THANK YOU for supporting your church

We are now worshipping

in-person & online; we do still ask that you wear a mask, when inside the church building.

August 2022

All August Services are Online Only, as Pastor is on Sabbatical

7th - 14th - 21st - 28th: Online Only

September 2022

4th - In-Person & Online Worship

4th - Special Congregational  

     Meeting, after service

11th - In-Person & Online Worship

18th - In-Person & Online Worship

25th - In-Person & Online Worship

All services are at 11am, unless otherwise stated and are available via YouTube, Facebook & our Website

*Continued prayers for Annmarie, who is a very sick; she needs our prayers very much

*Prayers for Rev. Janice as she takes her sabbatical

*Continued healing prayers for Ruthie, Gwen (UK), Trevin, Deb - after more surgery, Tammy - after her shoulder surgery, Val & her parents Delores & Herb, Jon McB, Frank, Joy, Sandy, Liz, Caroline & her family, Anthony, Mary-Jane & Pat, Bert & Sylvia, David S, Fred, Martin

*Prayers for God's Acre & its members

*Prayers for Kentucky & Missouri, who are experiencing terrible flooding right now

*We ask for peace in our world & an end to gun violence

*Prayers for our country, our states & all decision makers

*We continue to pray for peace, for all in the Ukraine; we pray for invasions to stop & for peace to be restored

*For the prayers that we don't know, but only God knows

FEELING UNWELL?

It's not personal, but if any of you feel unwell, have a temperature, upset tummy, are sick, or have been in contact with someone with Covid, please stay home, for the protection of our congregation

Covid is on the rise again in our area, and we all need to stay as safe as possible

Please wear your mask, at all times, whenever you are in the church building

August Birthdays

4th - Charlotte K

12th - Alan R

15th - Lou B

September Birthdays

6th - Stacy S

8th - Rebecca M

17th - Donald McB

September Anniversaries

20th - Rev. Janice Ordination



If you have a birthday or anniversary, and it is not listed, please let us know, so that we can add you to the list

If anyone is interested in attending, or volunteering for PFLAG, which provides peer support, education & advocacy in the LGBTQIA+ community, the Ocala chapter is now up & running.

You can find out more information, including about volunteering, from their Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/PFLAGocala/

BUILDING WORK NEXT TO CHURCH

No further updates this week. If you have any questions, please let Rev. Janice know.