To God's Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
Happy Valentines Day:
Thank you for helping us to be known for our love for God and one another!
I know Valentines Day is 364 days away, and my Valentine (Lori) did our usual amazing traditions, and even added a few. We had our seafood fettuccine, and as usual was amazing. We had chocolate, and this year instead of cinnamon hearts we had cinnamon jelly bellies...I love our traditions, and a treasured wife that not only produces and keeps these traditions, but out does herself on them. My second favourite meal of the year, and it was nap worthy, AGAIN! (Thank You Lori).
This year was my favourite ever Valentines Day for us as a church family. I continue to hear of so many of you who took the Valentines Day Challenge, and helped us get even better at being a place and a people where the love of God flows through the people of God to His children. You have taken the challenge, and I hope we have added a tradition as a church to our Valentines Day pattern. Thank you to every one of you who took the time to notice others, and love them. I heard not only a number of thank you's and those who enjoyed giving....but the result, people being overwhelmed with the love of God through the people of God for the glory of God! Don't STOP! A fairly new person commented how much they have felt God's love through His people here! Many shared with me how they were loved, and then shared that love with others! I LOVE IT!
THANK YOU! With your help, NO ONE will fall through the cracks!
So this week, my encouragement for you is that we would not only continue the challenge, we would memorize Ephesians 5:1-2 together and continue to be a people who choose to love! THANK YOU, I praise God for your love and commitment to His ways with me at CBC. Belonging to this church is a particular privilege at this time, and your part in that is appreciated! You are most like Jesus when you choose to love His people, even those who don't deserve it (Romans 5:8). Choose to engage in the competition, and help us continue to grow in our Christ likeness as a family (Romans 12:10).
Thank you for your commitment to Jesus and His bride through a difficult time. Pressure from the outside shows what is on the inside, and our church family is engaged, unified, and supportive. What the pressure from the situation in our world is displaying is something I am thankful for. I know we are tired, and ready for this to be over, I know what we want as we long to gather physically, and what we are working through is driving us to prayer, but as one who sees a bigger picture, thank you for displaying your commitment to Jesus and the fruit of the Spirit, when the church and world need it the most. So, although it is 364 days away...let's keep this newest tradition going until the next time we celebrate this special day of love (seafood fettuccini here we come).
Invite 1, Encourage 3.
Sunday Is Coming:
Title: Welcoming The Weak
Text: Romans 14:1-14
- Read the text:
- Why do you think so often we make what is debatable, essential?
- What are some things that your parents thought were a part of authentic Christianity that other cultures, or even today would be seen as debatable?
- How do we decide what is non-essential, and what is essential?
- What can you do in your life to be more welcoming on debatable issues?
- Why do you think that Paul (the Holy Spirit) put Romans 14 here, in the order we have been following?
- How can we show the Lordship of Jesus in our lives, and respect it in the lives of our brothers and sisters?
Your willingness to prepare on Saturday night, will change the impact of Sunday morning. Thank you for taking the time to prepare your heart to engage, connect, and be changed by the Word of God through the Power of the Spirit? Please also take the time to share what you are learning with others, and help us STAY CONNECTED CLOTHED IN CHRIST!
Please check out our online bulletin that is updated every week: Keep Informed
cloverdalebaptistchurch.ca/
Other:
Please help our search committee as they look for the man of God that will help us exalt His name in song and deepen our love for Him as we celebrate His greatness together. We long for God's man for the ministry, and would like this to be sooner than later (our timing), so please pray, and help us to pursue this patiently and in God's POWER!
Every Sunday we have CONNECTION CAFÉ: Join us before the service in a time of sharing what God is doing. We need to try significantly harder to stay connected during times like these, so please make this effort to connect!
Sunday School Is On! Pastor Ray and Pastor Thomas are teaching on Worldliness, and it has been an excellent class...and it continues!
How does this work? You go to the link below to watch the teaching time (about 15 mins), then join the Zoom conversation on Sunday morning from 9:30am - 10:00am. Please email Pastor Thomas to get the zoom link: pastorthomas@
Teaching Video Link: (you can review the excellent material here, as well as watch the newest release so that you can join us in this)
https://www.
Kids ministry is seeking to serve you, and help in discipling our children and families even though we are not gathering physically. Please take advantage of this, and continue to make church a priority that your children can see and taste!
Thanks all for staying informed, and for being a family who has a positive impact for God's glory and the good of His church in the world He has sovereignly placed us.
Honoured to serve you, and to be partners in the Gospel at such a time as this, and delighted in our new Valentines day traditions (even as I treasure the old ones, thank you Lori, already looking forward to seafood fettuccine in 364 days),
Pastor Rob