Great Things are Happening

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Greetings in the Name of our Lord,

School is back. Football season is just around the corner. The weather is still hot, but the cool days of fall are just a few weeks away. Hallelujah! 

The good news is that these hot August days have not cooled our attendance and energy in worship. Each week the energy and attendance have been growing and building. For three weeks in a row, we have had more in worship than any Sunday (other than Easter) this year. People are returning to worship, and new individuals and families are coming each Sunday. Most exciting is that our children’s ministry has more than doubled in the past month. Hallelujah!

This week in worship I will be preaching on Mark 10:46-52, which includes Jesus’ healing of blind Bartimaeus. We will look at how Jesus addresses the spiritual blindness of his disciples and what we can do to avoid this blindness to each other and our Lord.  

Thank you for spreading the Good News that Stonebridge UMC is sharing the love and joy of Christ in exciting ways each Sunday. Keep up the great work of being a joyful community where we live and love like Jesus! 

We have lots planned for the next several weeks. Below is a summary of what is coming.

  • August 27 - Bring-a-Tithe Sunday. This Sunday we are challenging our congregation to a day of generosity by giving at least 10% of our weekly income. I truly believe that God honors our generosity. As God says through the prophet Malachi, “Bring the full tithe… thus put me to the test… see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” (Malachi 3:10)

  • September 3 – Breakfast at 10:30 and worship at 11:00. This Sunday we will have one worship service and breakfast in the Robertson Activity Center. It will be an exciting day of biscuits, bacon, and all the fixings. 

  • September 10 – Sermon on “Can we trust the Bible?” This sermon will explore how the Bible was written and the full reliability of the scriptures. 

  • September 17 – Third Grade Bible Sunday. We will present all third graders with a Bible. Anyone is eligible. If you know a third grader, let us know, and bring them to worship for a Bible. 

  • September 17 – We begin a Sermon series and study groups on “The Circle Maker.” Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams & Greatest Fears. How big is your God? God honors bold prayers, and bold prayers honor God. 

  • Week of September 17 – Begin four week small group study on The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. More information on the group times and locations to come. I look forward to leading one of these study groups. Join us, and bring your prayer life full circle. Learn how to claim God-given promises, pursue God-sized dreams, and seize God-ordained opportunities, all while bringing glory to God. 

Great things are happening. The energy and community is sky high. 

See you this Sunday as we celebrate Bring-a-Tithe Sunday and give glory to God through our faith in Christ. 

Pastor John