To God’s Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
Welcome to GIVING TUESDAY. A day I avoid taking calls from my fund raising friends...
Ouch…a church asking for money again…NOOOOOOO
Actually, for those who know Jesus, giving Tuesday is a great reminder that we are STEWARDS of what God has entrusted to us. All we have and all we are is for Him and His glory.
So, this GIVING TUESDAY, remember that you are bought with a price, and seek to honour God with what He has entrusted to you. A good rule of thumb is tithing to the local church of your first fruits and generosity to other ministries beyond that.
I was raised by a family that modelled this well (think my parents are the most generous givers I know), and often have to discipline it into my own life (an area I constantly need to grow in).
May our love for God show in our choice of Him and His priorities over our own, and GIVING TUESDAY be a reminder of His gift to us, and the overflow of our lives for Him!
This Sunday begins our Advent series, a little break from Colossians (sad, for me, have so enjoyed living in this amazing Christ exalting little book.)...God willing we will return to it in the New Year...
Advent is a word that means, “arrival”, or, “an appearing or coming into place”. It is a celebration of the incarnation, and the incredible meaning of that in its entirety. Over the next four Sunday’s (and Christmas Eve), we will be preparing our hearts to live in light of the incarnation, and why Jesus came. It is to instigate in us a longing for His second advent, and an aid to help us live in the reality we find ourselves in for His glory.
This season, our hope will be that together as we anticipate Christmas and all that it means in terms of celebrations and traditions that our fixation will be on Jesus, and we will live our lives driven and defined by the relationship He has given us through this great gift.
Jesus is the reason for the season, let us remind ourselves and one another, and live together and individually in a way that shows people how great our salvation is!
Sunday Is Coming:
Advent Sermon #1: The Shock & The Surrender
Text: Luke 1:26-56
Some questions to prepare your heart for communion...
- Why is the story of Jesus so intriguing?
- Do you think we give enough attention to Mary? Why or why not?
- “Mary is the best example in Scripture of what it means to commit yourself wholly to God” Do you agree with this? In what way does she show us this?
- How do you think you would have responded to this shocking news?
- How did her view of the God of the Bible help her absolute submission to the chaos that this news must have meant for her dreams, future and life?
- How can you prepare your heart for communion this coming Sunday? How does communion help you to live out your first love devotion to God in community?
Looking forward to another great celebration with you of ADVENT!
A fellow servant of the KING,
Pastor Rob
Bulletin
Prayer Service
Dec 3rd / 7:00 pm / Fellow. Hall Join us the first Sunday of every month to sing, pray, and hear from God’s Word together as we seek to be a praying church!
Ladies Night Out
Sat. Dec. 9th / 6 – 8:30 pm / Fellow. Hall Join us for a fun, festive and Christ-centred event as we focus on Jesus as Light of the World and get to know one another! Tickets are $15 per person and will go on sale after church service from Nov. 5th-Dec. 3rd. View schedule >
Memorize the Scriptures with Us!
Every month, we memorize a verse or passage from Scripture together as a church—in November we've been memorizing Colossians 1:9-10 Grab a verse card from the Ministry Centre and join us in "storing up His Word in our hearts."
Christmas Hamper Donations
Dec 10th: Jam/Pasta Sauce/Canned Goods Each year our church reaches out with God's love to those in need through our Christmas Hampers Ministry with boxes of food, gift cards, and the gospel. Today and for the next two Sundays we'll be collecting different sets of items that will go into these hampers.
Christmas at Cloverdale Baptist
This Christmas season there's an opportunity for everyone to join us in celebrating the birth of Jesus!
- Seniors: Christmas Luncheon / Dec 6th / 11:30am
- Women: Ladies Night Out / Dec. 9th / 6pm
- Kids: Christmas Special / Dec 10th / 10:30am
- Young Adults: Banquet / Dec. 16th / 6:30pm
- Christmas Eve Service / Dec. 24th at 4:30pm
When Our Loved Ones Choose a Sinful Lifestyle
The Cloverdale Baptist Podcast How should we respond when those we love choose a life of disobedience? Pastor Rob shares 5 practical steps to lead them to Jesus in love while remaining faithful to God. Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, as well as on our website.
Growth Group Notes: Advent #1: Luke 1:26-56
Thank you for joining us in seeking to help God’s people connect with Him, and to connect with His family at Cloverdale Baptist Church. Growth Groups are the heart of our strategy to connect with God and one another in unity for His glory…so THANK YOU for your part in pursuing this with us. Please continue to keep these relationships strong and intentionally pursue the Christian life in these communities.
As we prepare for Christmas, may our fixation be on Jesus, our love for one another an overflow of His love for us, and the devotion we have be contagious!
Text: Luke 1:26-56
Take the time to read the entire passage.
Title: The Shock & The Surrender:
Why is it important in Christian theology that Jesus was born of a virgin?
What can we learn from her response in general?
Respond to the statement, “Mary is the best example in Scripture of what it means to commit yourself fully to God”
Most believe that Mary was somewhere between 14-16, how does this help us to value teenagers in our church?
How would you have responded to the shattering interruption of God’s plan?
Read verse 38…
- What makes this so powerful in terms of a model for us?
How does our obedience show our faith?
- Matthew 7:21-287
How does obedience increase your security in God in all that comes?
God always gives the power to accomplish His call. How does this help you have confidence in your own life regardless of what comes your way?
How can you grow your faith so that you choose obedience regardless of the cost?
How does this story remind you of God’s plan for your life?
- Remember God uses teenage girls, children, all who are weak enough, to accomplish His plan in His power for His glory.
Are there any areas in your life right now that you are not willing to obey God in?
How can you live a life of full submission to God, in a way that shows His love for you to others?
Who can you share the love of Jesus with this Christmas?
Prayer:
Pray for courage and wisdom to take advantage of opportunities to share the love of Jesus with people this Christmas?
- Who has God placed on your heart to invite to a service, to pray for, to share the Gospel with?
Pray for our ministries and their impact this Christmas season.
Pray that we would be a church that lives in the reality of God and His love, and chooses regardless of the cost to live out His purposes for our lives!
Pray Colossians 1:9-14
THANK YOU!
Pray for other requests: