Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

2Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.

3But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

4Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head.

5But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved.

6For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.

7For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.

8For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;

9for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake.

10Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

11However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

12For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.

13Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

14Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

15but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

16But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.

hot off the press

Last June, at the General Assembly of the PCA in Atlanta, a committee was formed to look at the Federal Vision controversy. They were to write a report and submit the report the following year. Well they have done it, and to read the whole paper, click on the link below.

I have just started to read it, let me know what you think.

Proposed Position Paper on the Federal Vision

11 charged over Bible firm deaths

I read this on CNN's website.....

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Eleven suspects in the slayings of three Christians at a publishing house in eastern Turkey were charged with murder Sunday, court officials said.

The three victims -- one German and two Turkish men -- were tied up and had their throats slit on Wednesday at a publishing house in the town of Malatya that was at the center of protests by some nationalists because it distributed Bibles.

We are so insulated from many of our Christian brothers and sisters who are literally risking their lives so people can read God's Word. We need to always be reminded that the church in many parts of the world finds itself threatened and persecuted. All they were doing was publishing God's word, they were not out on the streets preaching the gospel or holding a worship service. Just printing bibles.

I find it amazing and ironic that these men were publishing bibles in the same places where the Galatians & Ephesians first read their letters from the Apostle Paul.

Grace Covenant in Blacksburg, VA

I know most of us have been overwhelmed with the news out Virginia Tech. I know for myself I am taking a break from the endless 24/7 news.

But on a positive note, the PCA church in Blacksburg, VA is helping with those who are dealing with the tragedy. There is a nice video at the Washington Post Website, click this link to see it.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

The text for this Sunday's sermon is quite appropriate given the events of Monday in VA.

50Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

51Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

53For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.

55"O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"

56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;

57but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

A Day to Mourn

I am sure many of you were saddened as you heard the reports come in today in regards to the many deaths at Virginia Tech. My heart goes out to that community as they deal with this enormous lost.

Pray for the ministers in particular who will need to help folks in the community deal with this violence and death.

There is one PCA Church in Blacksburg, Grace Covenant.

And the PCA has a campus ministry (RUF) at Virginia Tech.

Keep them in prayer this week as well as the other churches that are connected to Virginia Tech.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 15:35-49

35But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?"

36You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;

37and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.

38But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own.

39All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish.

40There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.

41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42So also is the resurrection of the dead It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;

43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

45So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL " The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

46However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.

47The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.

48As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.

49Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

Resurection Sunday Report

I thought it would be nice to share the highlights of yesterday......

We had a number of visitors, I think the total was 13 people, which includes children.

Our attendance was up, the exact count I do not know but with all the visitors and missing regulars visiting family I was encouraged.

After the worship service, about 20 folks gathered at a member's home had a wonderful lunch complete with Ham & Lamb.

That's it. Overall I was encouraged as we mark our 3rd Easter Sunday with this congregation. We feel blessed to be here and have hope of what will happen in the future.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 15:20-34

1Cor. 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
1Cor. 15:21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
1Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
1Cor. 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
1Cor. 15:24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
1Cor. 15:25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
1Cor. 15:26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
1Cor. 15:27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him.
1Cor. 15:28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
1Cor. 15:29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?
1Cor. 15:30 Why are we also in danger every hour?
1Cor. 15:31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Cor. 15:32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.
1Cor. 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
1Cor. 15:34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

Maundy Thursday?

I had a church member ask me, "Where does the term Maundy Thursday come from?"

Now we as a church don't have a Maundy Thursday Service, although my first church we had one which I though was good.

The term "Maundy Thursday" originated in English Protestant churches. Wikipedia gives this explanation of the word "Maundy"

The word Maundy is derived through Middle English, and Old French mandé, from the Latin mandatum, the first word of the phrase "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" (A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you), the statement by Jesus in the Gospel of John (13:34) by which Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet. The phrase is used as the antiphon sung during the "Mandatum" ceremony of the washing of the feet, which may be held during Mass or at another time as a separate event, during which a priest or bishop (representing Christ) ceremonially washes the feet of others, typically 12 persons chosen as a cross-section of the community.

I hope this helps!

Good Friday Service

At least since we arrived in 2004, we have not taken time to gather as a church on Good Friday.

This Friday, we will be gathering in Hudson, NH at Fox Hollow in their clubhouse to remember Good Friday. There will be scripture readings, prayers, music and we will celebrate the Lord's Supper.

Anyone is welcome to come, it will be less formal than a typical Sunday Morning Worship. I am looking forward to spending the time reflecting on the last hours of Christ.

Is. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.

Sermons back online

I have no idea who has noticed and who has not, but it has been some time since we were able to put sermons up on the church's website. The biggest problem was technology, not having the right equipment to pull it off.

Well with some input from our tech group, we purchased a digital recorder from M-Audio and it recorded its first sermon Sunday.

I am pleased to announce that it worked fine and the 1st sermon for 2007 is up on the church website. We will do our best to keep it updated and I am glad we have a solution. Check it out when you get a chance.