WORSHIP THIS SABBATH ­

So much happens at worship this Sabbath.  Terry Johnsson will speak; he is chaplain at WGTS radio station, and he was a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, serving in the White House guard during the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations.  We’ll honor our armed forces personnel, whether active duty or retired.  If you or someone you know has served this country or any other country, please join us for this worship this week. Also special music by the first graders which you’ll want to see.    And we’ll bring forward food items to show our thanks for God’s blessing in our lives.  

11:00 STUDY GROUP STARTS THIS WEEK

Andrew Myaing will start a men’s ministry 4-week class on being a strong spiritual leader in your home this week.  That’s in addition to “The Intersection of History and the Bible,” the class that Jeff and Jeffrey Cooley lead ­at 11:00.  And of course, there’s still the terrific class that’s taught each week at both 9:30 and 11:00 in the Fellowship Hall – Destination Sabbath School.  With Joe Thomas’ Bible study class at 9:30, and with the full range of children’s and youth programming, there are plenty of options for you to grow in your spiritual journey with Jesus – at both 9:30 and 11:00. 

PATHFINDERS HELP FEED OUR COMMUNITY

Are you planning to bring some canned goods to church this week?  I hope so.  Our Pathfinders spent this past weekend collecting food from Beltsville homes.  They got 1500-2000 items of food. We’ll bring the food forward during the service in a special celebration of praise.  Let’s start November by giving thanks for what God has given us.  

FUNERAL SERVICE FOR CLARICE HUGHES

On Monday, November 9, funeral service will be held for Clarice Hughes, mother of Chris Hughes and grandmother of members, Joshua and Gabriel.  The service will be at our church; 10am viewing, 11am service.  Please keep the family in your special prayers.

 PASTOR’S BLOG FOR NOVEMBER 5

We hiked at Mount Cook this week, trekking toward the Hooker Glacier at the base of the mountain.  The quiet let me focus on God.  The sunshine warmed my soul, as well as the mountains that stretched thousands of feet above us.  A slab of ice, 300 feet thick and 3,000 feet long, clung precariously to a ledge far above us.  The stillness and the mountain’s majesty restored my soul.  Suddenly, a huge piece of that slab broke away.  It dropped a thousand feet down the rock face of the mountain, then crashed on the next ledge.  The echo resounded like a jet engine.  I shuddered at the devastation, even though I was far away, a mere spectator.  As the sun warmed the ice slab more, additional chunks broke away.  I thought of the terror someone would feel who was under that cornice.  Then I remembered the Bible passage that people would call for the rocks – and indeed the mountain itself – to fall on them.  I thought of the fear in people’s lives who would call for such certain destruction to fall on them.  What a privilege we have to know that Jesus is coming again soon – and that He will come as a friend, not as a destroying avalanche.  We need to study this topic more, to learn to look forward to Christ’s return.  As the day grew warmer still, and avalanche after avalanche rumbled on the mountain, I vowed that we would focus during February this next year on studying the future – and the One who is coming in the near future.  We’ll learn to call for Jesus to come, not for mountain avalanches to bury us.

 Pastor Kermit

 FUTURE WORSHIP SERVICES

            Nov 14            Shenandoah Valley Academy

            Nov 21            Pastor Kermit Netteburg

            Nov 28            Lonnie Melashenko

            Dec 5              Pastor Sonia Perez

            Dec 12            Beltsville School Christmas worship program

            Dec 19            Pastor Kermit Netteburg, and the choir’s Christmas program