Sunday, September 27, 2020

September 27 Announcements

Announcements

There is no sermon today, due to the illness of Pastor Larry.

Sunday, October 4--We will have bread and cup communion during worship. If you are worshipping with us on facebook live, we encourage you to have a cracker or small piece of bread and a small amount of juice or water available so that you can also partake in communion.

Submissions for the October newsletter are due this Tuesday, September 29.

CUIC meeting Tuesday, Sept 29 7:00 at our church

Every Tuesday 9:30 Bible Study--all are welcome. 

Wednesday, October 14 7:00 Executive Committee

The Lord's Storehouse is asking for donations for Thanksgiving baskets. Amy says that $25 will provide a basket for a family of 4. Donations can be left in the locked box at the back of the sanctuary (Be sure to label it "Lord's Storehouse." If writing a check, make it out to The Lord's Storehouse.). 

No Women's Fellowship the rest of this year.

Thank you for bringing your offerings to church.

Donation Box: The Lord's Storehouse

First Sundays: food donations for the food banks



Monday, September 21, 2020

September 20 Sermon and Announcements

CERRO GORDO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

September 20, 2020

 

GOD IS CALLING TO EVERYONE!

2 CHRONICLES 7:14-16

 

Today is Back to Church Sunday. God is reaching out to all people no matter where we might be, no matter what we have done. God seeks to encourage each person to draw closer than ever before to him. Many here this morning, maybe most of you, attended church faithfully your whole lives. That may also be true of most of you watching on Facebook. But some of us may have had times when we haven’t been as faithful in attending worship as now. Is it essential to literally worship with fellow believers in a church building to be a faithful worshipper of God? Probably not, I cannot say, only God knows the heart. We are, however, encouraged to as much as possible worship with fellow believers. We read in Hebrews 10:25— “Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Yes, God knows we are stronger together than we are when we try to go it alone.

 

Even though this year sports have been a challenge at all levels, I cannot help but think how successful a pitcher in baseball would be if there was no one in the field to make plays for him? Or how long a quarterback would last if no one blocked oncoming rushers once he got the ball? No, in almost every major sport, if you are going to be successful you need a strong team around you. As we live life, God has caused us, on purpose, to have a need for, first of all, God himself, but almost as importantly, a need for one another. We are never intended by God to face life’s up and downs alone. My family this past week faced what everyone here today and everyone watching on Facebook has faced before. We said goodbye to someone we deeply loved and will miss. What makes these difficult times easier to face is the love and support of so many like you in our church family, as well as other friends and family.

 

God wants us to rely first of all on him. God has promised to be there for us in all of life’s joys as well as sorrows. But God also knows there are times we have wandered away from him. In Romans 3:23 it says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” It does not say a few, it does not say some, it says all. God is limited by his righteous nature on what he can and cannot do if we have walked away from him. However, God is constantly reaching out to us. The verses we read to begin with from 2 Chronicles are very blunt on what we must be willing to do to be able to receive all God has for us. In these verses is kind of a check list for us, God’s people, on what we must do. When we do these things, God has made a powerful promise to you and me. The second part of the 14th verse say, “Then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Not only will we personally see God move in our individual lives but God will move in our Nation in a powerful way as well. It all begins with you and me and the choices we make. But God wants us to be a united people working together, lifting up one another, supporting one another. Going back to the beginning of the 14th verse in 2 Chronicles 7 it says, “If my people who are called by my name.” You see God wants us to be working together as a people. He knows that is when we are the strongest and the best.

On this Back to Church Sunday, God is calling us to be a unified people. Gathering together at houses of worship, loving God and one another. Yes, we are in unique times. I realize many have real concerns gathering together in large groups. Each of us must decide what we feel is right in that regard. But the most important thing is God wants us connected with one another. If you have not been worshipping with fellow believers, we would love to have you join us. This is a place you will be loved.

 

The most important thing is to find a place of worship to be connected with and remember God loves you and care about you. God makes an incredible promise to us in 2 Chronicles 7:15-16. If we will do what is said in the 14th verse, this is what God is promising his people and his church.

 

15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

 

God is saying to each and every one, “Come home, I have a place for you.”

Larry

 

Announcements:

 

Every Tuesday 9:30 Bible Study—studying Acts. All are invited to attend.

October 14 7:00 Executive Committee

October Newsletter submissions due to Carol by September 29 please.

Bread and Cup Communion on October 4, World Communion Sunday, during worship. Those worshipping at home are invited to participate with us using your own bread and juice.

No Women’s Fellowship for the rest of the year. We will try to find a creative way to reveal prayer partners and get new ones.

Upper Room and Daily Bread issues are available.

Donation Box September/October: The Lord’s Storehouse

First Sundays: food donations for food banks

Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362

 

To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:

Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by clicking link on left side of page.

District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link)

Our pages: cerrogordocob.com (printed sermon, announcements, & calendar) and on facebook

 

Keep in Your Prayers

Larry & Cathy Traxler and family; Evelyn Eads; Mike Gentry; Anna Gentry Thompson; Larry Cripe; Arnold Schultz; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Barb Baker; Kim Lehmann; Dylan Junior; Doug Fansler; Liam Martina; Jeff Sawyer; Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Gary Jesse; Norm & Marge Starr; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo Hanaver; Zola Copeland and family; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 200,000+ people who have died from COVID-19; the unemployed; school teachers, staff, and students

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

 

           

Our Mission Statement:

Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.

 


Monday, September 14, 2020

September 13 Sermon and Announcements

CERRO GORDO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

September 13, 2020

 

THERE IS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING!

2 SAMUEL:15-23

 

This morning I am going to again ask your indulgence as I will get somewhat personal. I say I am getting personal but in reality, this is everyone’s story, everyone’s message.

 

As you know my dad passed away this past week on Friday. As I have thought what this past week has been like for us, I was reminded of what happened to King David and his young son who was seriously ill. On this occasion, we will not go into the details of this son of King David or how and why he was born. We are just looking at how David reacted when his son became ill.

 

Every single person here this morning or watching on Facebook has had someone close to you pass away. In some cases, we have been given some warning about what is about to happen. In other cases, the loss of a loved one came out of nowhere in which we had no time to prepare in any way for what was happening. Regardless of the circumstances, we still in a way are not truly ready for that day, that hour, that time to come. As we see how David reacted, we see a man who was pleading with God for his son. You never are ready for something like what happened to David’s son. Whether it would be a young child, a husband or wife, brother or sister, mom or dad, we feel should have had many more years. Under those circumstances, we are really never ready to say goodbye. With older parents or grandparents, even brothers or sisters, maybe we can understand it better, but we still at times find ourselves saying, “Lord, just one more week or at least one more day.”

 

We see David was torn to pieces by what was happening to his young son. He would not eat or would not sleep. He just could not face the thought his son would die. All of us deal with these times in life differently. Some of us feel, “Doesn’t the world understand what is happening?” Others may put on a happy face even when they do not really feel that way. For us as Christians we can have confidence about eternity, but it does not make the hurt and sense of loss go away. God is good. He will give us the strength to go on in all of life’s difficult times if we truly turn to him. David has been called in scripture “a man after God’s own heart,” yet he was truly distraught at the thought of his young son dying.

 

As each one of us face these times in life, and we will continue to face them, we have choices to make on how we handle them. God does not expect us to be really exited about the prospects of losing a loved one, but yet God wants us to understand when we have breathed our last on this earth it is not the end.

 

As we read in Ecclesiastes 3:1-4, there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up;  a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.

 

Once David’s son had passed away, those closest to him did not know how to tell him. He would not eat; he would not sleep when there was still a chance his son would get better. How would David do? How would he react when he received the news that his son had died? His reaction stunned everyone around him. Instead of withdrawing even further or something worse, we see he got up, cleaned up, got something to eat and prepared to go on with his life. They just could not understand why David did what he did. And we see what David said. It is a powerful lesson to all who are left behind when our loved ones pass. If we really believe in the Lord Jesus, if we really believe God is with us in all of life’s situations, especially when we lose a loved one, will we, with confidence, respond as David did? David truly understood and felt God’s love. Even though he did not agree with what had happened, he found peace with God. Listen again to David’s response. “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, who knows, the Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live, but now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” You see he found in the midst of his loss, comfort knowing I will see my son again, but until that day, God has a plan. Life will go on. With God’s help, I will faithfully live until it is my time to go to the Father.

 

Each of us have had to say goodbye to loved ones before we felt it was time or before we wanted it to happen. And in all likelihood, we will experience it again. How will we face that time? I pray we will call upon the strength only the Lord can truly provide and in our own way go forward in the confidence David showed to those around him. I believe he confidently and triumphantly said, “I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” He understood God has a place waiting for each one of us and when it is our time we will cross from this life, with all its ups and downs, to eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and those loved ones that have gone on ahead.  

Larry


Announcements:

 

Every Tuesday 9:30 Bible Study—studying Acts. All are invited to attend.

October 14 7:00 Executive Committee

No Women’s Fellowship for the rest of the year. We will try to find a creative way to reveal prayer partners and get new ones.

Upper Room and Daily Bread issues are available.

Please place your offering in the plates at the back of the sanctuary.

Thank you for wearing masks and helping contain the spread of the virus. Extra masks are at the back of the sanctuary if you don’t have one. Remember: the cloth masks are washable.

Donation Box September/October: The Lord’s Storehouse

First Sundays: food donations for food banks

Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362

Larry and Cathy’s address: 2642 CR 600 E, Lovington, IL 61937

 

To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:

Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by clicking link on left side of page.

District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link)

Our pages: cerrogordocob.com (printed sermon, announcements, & calendar) and on facebook

Keep in Your Prayers

Larry & Cathy Traxler and family; Evelyn Eads; Mike Gentry; Anna Gentry Thompson; Larry Cripe; Arnold Schultz; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Barb Baker; Kim Lehmann; Dylan Junior; Doug Fansler; Liam Martina; Jeff Sawyer; Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Gary Jesse; Norm & Marge Starr; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo Hanaver; Zola Copeland and family; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 190,000+ people who have died from COVID-19; the unemployed; school teachers, staff, and students

 

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

 

 

 

            G         God’s

            R         riches

            A         at

            C         Christ’s

            E          expense

  

           

Our Mission Statement:

Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.



Monday, September 7, 2020

September 6 Sermon and Announcements

 

WE ALL DISAGREE AT TIMES!

ACTS 15:36-41

Last week we saw that some in the church wanted to make the Gentiles follow all the Jewish laws before they could truly become Christians. It was such an important problem that was brewing that Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to get answers to this question. We read that after several of the apostles talked before the council, it was agreed the Gentile Christians should not be required to do all the Jewish laws and customs that never truly saved anyone.

 

Now this week we see a more personal disagreement occurred. Barnabas wanted John to go with him and Paul on the next mission trip, but Paul disagreed. Paul reminded Barnabas that John had deserted them on an earlier mission trip. In Acts 13:13 we read that it says “From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.” Obviously, Paul did not want John to leave when he did. There was still a lot to do that he could have helped Paul and Barnabas with, but John decided to go home. Paul did not trust John anymore, so he did not want him to go with them again. Barnabas clearly believed John deserved another chance, however, so clearly Paul and Barnabas agreed to disagree. They each went on different trips instead of continuing to work together. Barnabas took John and headed for Cyprus; Paul took Silas and headed for Syria and Cilicia.

Last week when a disagreement arose within the church, it seems they all came to an agreement on what to do, but on this occasion, it was more personal. Paul would not give in, knowing they needed people that could be trusted. But Barnabas was obviously convinced John would work with them okay. Clearly everyone of us has times when we feel strongly about what we believe to the point we are hard pressed to change our minds, just like Paul and Barnabas. Then there are other times we realize things can and should be worked out just like with the church at Jerusalem.

 

As we see, even as much as the early church was in tune with the Holy Spirit’s leading, there can and will be times not everyone will agree on everything. And clearly that is alright. We as the church should, when we do not agree, be willing to disagree without being disagreeable. God is calling for his church to be unified as often as possible. In fact, as we read in Romans 12:18, we are encouraged to “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

 

As we saw earlier in chapter 15, disagreements will occur, even when everyone is trying hard to do the right thing. The question is: how do we deal with disagreements, whether it is at church, at work, at home or with our friends? Things will happen at times that will bring about conflicts. How we deal with them will show just how well we are allowing the Lord to guide us through these tricky times in life.

 

There is a Christian song I remember from back in the 80’s that gave a godly option that we should at times use to work through disagreements. The chorus of this song was, “Quiet please, too much has already been said, just let it be, learn to listen instead. For sometimes through the silence, big problems become small. If you cannot find something nice to say, say nothing at all.”

 

Clearly Paul and Barnabas did not argue and fuss over their disagreement. They found a way, God’s way, to disagree, but yet move on still working for the common goal of reaching different places with God’s word.

 

May each of us look at ways to first of all limit our disagreements, but when that is not possible, may we allow the Lord to show us ways to disagree yet still work together with the ones we may disagree with, whether it be at church, at home, at work, or wherever it might be. God will always provide a way to work through conflicts if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. We simply must have an open heart and an open mind, just like Paul and Barnabas did. 

Larry


Announcements:

Our Mission Statement:

Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.

Sundays: Sunday School 9:00; Worship 10:00 Please social distance and wear masks. We continue carrying our worship on facebook live and have found that it reaches many people beyond our congregation.

Every Tuesday at 9:30 is Bible Study. The group is beginning a study of the book of Acts. Larry Solomon is leading the study. All interested persons are invited to attend.

The first Sunday of every month is designated for Food Bank donations. Suggested donations are boxes of cereal and prepared foods. Also peanut butter and jelly.

Wednesday, Sept 9 Church board meeting: Executive Committee at 6:15, Commissions at 7:00, board at 7:30 pm

To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:

Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by clicking link on left side of page. The Annual Report video is available on the homepage www.brethren.org

District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link)

Our pages: cerrogordocob.com (printed sermon, announcements, & calendar) and on facebook


Keep in Your Prayers

Evelyn Eads; Mike Gentry; Anna Gentry Thompson; Junior and Evelyn Traxler; Larry Cripe; Arnold Schultz; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Barb Baker; Kim Lehmann; Dylan Junior; Doug Fansler; Liam Martina; Jeff Sawyer; Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Gary Jesse; Norm & Marge Starr; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo Hanaver; Zola Copeland and family; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 180,000+ people who have died from COVID-19; the unemployed; school teachers, staff, and students

 

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers



Poetry Corner—submitted by Robin Shively

The Perfect Church

   I think that I shall never see

A church that’s all it ought to be;

A church whose members never stray

Beyond the straight and narrow way;

   A church that has no empty pews

Whose preacher never has the blues;

A church whose deacons always “deak”

  And none is proud and all are meek;

  Where gossips never peddle lies

  Or make complaints or criticize;

Where all are always sweet and kind

 And all to others’ faults are blind.

  Such perfect churches there may be,

   But none of them are known to me.

  But still we’ll work and pray and plan

       To make this one the best we can.

 

                                Roseville Bulletin