Sunday, February 25, 2007

Our Weather Policy

Some of you may be wondering this morning whether or not we will have church due to the weather. Our policy is very complex: If you can't make it, don't come. I will be there no matter what.

Friday, February 16, 2007

New Evening Study Starting!


Beginning Sunday March 4th CRF will begin to pick through C. S. Lewis' classic work The Screwtape Letters.

Lewis' mastery of the pen and the faith always provide poignant insights into the Christian life. But this book in particular provides a glance at the psychology of sin and temptation from the side of a tenured demon.

Screwtape is a demon who seeks to advise his nephew, a young tempter, with careful instruction on how to make his "patient" stumble in his Christian walk. The reality and depth of insight into the realm of enticement and human depravity, not only captivate the reader, but help us to arm ourselves against the devil's fiery arrows.

Studies will take place in the Arts Center (209 Center St.) at 6:30 p.m.

Each evening will consist of listening to the chapter read from an audio production and discussion. Books are provided at the church, though visitors may bring their own copies if so desired.

The children will also be involved in spiritual development. Teachers will lead them from Sinclair Ferguson's faith shaping work, The Big Book of Bible Questions.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Psalm 133

Behold how god a thing it is,
and how becoming well,
When those that brethren are delight
In unity to dwell.

For it is like the precious oil
Poured out on Aaron's head,
That, going down upon his beard,
Upon his garments spread.

Like Hermon's dew upon the hills
Of Zion that descends,
The Lord commands his blessing there,
Ev'n life that never ends.

Trinity Psalter

Weakness

Most gracious and merciful Father,

We who gather here this morning acknowledge ourselves to be your unworthy servants. We know that our sins have been manifold and you have taken account of each one of our offenses. And in view of our sin, knowing it is all before your eyes, we wish to confess our sins and seek your redeeming grace.

Each of us acknowledges the fact that we are very weak. All too often we have given into temptation and all too easily we have plunged into sin. Yet even when we do battle with our flesh’s desire to sin, we find ourselves perpetually on the losing side.

Our passions rage within us and our sinful desires burn like an unquenchable fire. Indeed our struggles against temptation have been feeble at best and our attempts at godliness have been far from perfect.Lord, our hearts are evil.

This is why we beseech you this morning. For we know that you find sin to be an abomination and you will not let the ungodly see the kingdom of God.We acknowledge that you would be just in handing us over to judgment. You would be right to condemn us and subject us to the most dreadful torments.

For this reason we humbly bow before. We deserve not one of your kindnesses. But by the mercies that are pledged in Christ your Son we ask that you would pardon our failures and forgive all our offenses. We pray that you would not hold our wrong against us, nor would you take count of our sins. We beg that you would blot them out and cast them upon the cross of Calvary and upon the Lamb who was slain.

And would you send forth your Spirit into our hearts to assure us that you are indeed our Father and that we are indeed your children. Impress upon our hearts the fact that you love us with an everlasting love.

And by that same Spirit fortify our hearts against sin. Let the enticement of sin loose its fervor and sin’s grip fall away. And we also desire your word to take root in our hearts that righteousness might come forth like Spring flowers; that we might be strengthened for the fight of faith; and that we might victorious when called to war against the flesh.

In Christ's strong Name, Amen.

Sunday, February 4, 2007

Community of Sin

Our Lord and our God,

You are the caretaker of the earth, and the custodian of our souls. You have seen to it that we are nourished, pampered, and well provided for in every way.

Chief among your loving providences has been the provision of loved ones. You have surrounded us with all your glorious creation, but best of all you have surrounded us with friends and family.

But we confess that we have not lived up to our responsibilities within these blessed communities.

Truly we are delinquent as families. As parents we have often neglected the proper oversight of our children: Our discipline has been all too faulty and our nurture has all too frequently been neglected altogether.

And we are just as guilty as children, having been spiteful and self seeking.

We know that we readily fall into temptation. We love to look out for our own good rather than seeking the good of others. But this has not only been true in our homes, but we are guilty of the same sin in our neighborhoods and within this sacred assembly too.

Though we have aligned ourselves with Christ, we have not been faithful to his family—to see to one another’s welfare. Indeed, even in this small gathering, where it ought to have been easy to display kindness and affection to one another, we have been negligent of our duties.

Lord, in a large church there might have been an excuse for a lack of community, but we acknowledge that we have no excuse being that we are so few. We simply are guilty of not seeking to avail ourselves to one another. We have not sharpened one another other as iron sharpens iron; we have not encouraged one another as is so often necessary; neither have we actively sought to pour our gifts and graces into each other as you have called us to do.

Lord, forgive us for these sins, and forgive us for the many other ways we have fallen short. We know that we could not begin to confess the countless ways we sin against one another.

But we know that this one thing is true: Our transgressions against one another have been sins against you. Whether we have omitted our duty, or fragrantly offended our neighbor, these acts were not confined to the earthly realm.

So this day we lift our eyes to heaven and we seek your forgiveness. And we ask that you would turn us away from our selfishness and make us to be filled with love.

We beseech you to make us resolved, that we might take seriously our vows and responsibilities. In all, we pray that we might be conformed to the image of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who displayed his love for us in coming into this world and giving his life for us.

And it is in his blessed name that we pray, Amen.

Saturday, February 3, 2007

My God, How Wonderful Thou Art


No earthly father loves like thee,
No mother half so mild;
Bears and forbears as thou hast done,
with me thy sinful child.

Stanza 5
"My God, How Wonderful Thou Art"
taken from the Trinity Hymnal
by Frededrick W. Faber, 1848