Scott's Thoughts

 

Grace Presbyterian Church

E-mail bulletin

March 9, 2005

 

Dear Members and Friends of Grace,

 

What is the most urgent need in the church of the Western world today?...The one thing we most urgently need in Western Christendom is a deeper knowledge of God. We need to know God better…One of the foundational steps in knowing God, and one of the basic demonstrations that we do not know God, is prayer – spiritual, persistent, biblically minded prayer. Writing a century and a half ago, Robert Murray M’Cheyne declared, “What a man is alone on his knees before God, that he is, and no more.” But we have ignored this truism. We have learned to organize, build institutions, publish books, insert ourselves into the media, develop evangelistic strategies, and administer discipleship programs, but we have forgotten how to pray.

 

With these words, D. A. Carson introduces his book on prayer, A Call to Spiritual Reformation. This is the text that is the basis for our new Sunday School series that began last Sunday. My goal with this study is to foster a desire in our hearts to seek the Lord in prayer with greater consistency, fervency, and perhaps most importantly, with greater delight. Prayer is difficult, and as the above quote suggests, we simply do not pray as we ought. I encourage you to take part in our Sunday School class as we look at the Bible’s teaching on prayer. If you are not able to be a part of the class, may I recommend this book to you for your reading? It could be one of the most important books you ever read in your Christian life.

 

Please note the following information:

 

           This evening, March 9th:

 

-         We will meet for our weekly Wednesday evening prayer meeting this evening at 7:00 p.m. at our house. Please call me for directions or to inform me of any matters for prayer.

 

This coming Lord’s Day, March 13th:

 

-         The adult Sunday School class will study chapter 2 of “A Call to Spiritual Reformation – Priorities from Paul and His Prayers”. In this chapter, “The Framework of Prayer,” Carson discusses Paul’s foundations for his prayers by looking at 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12.

 

-         During the morning service, I will preach from Mark 14:43-15:5. The message will be, “Jesus on Trial.”

 

-         The Lord’s Supper will be observed during the morning service, and our monthly diaconal offering will be received.

 

-         The evening service begins at 6:00 p.m. I will preach on Psalm 11.

 

Opportunity for service:

 

-         There are still needed volunteers to clean the church during the months of April and June. The sign-up sheet is on the table in the narthex of the church.

 

 

Eric Pyle update:

 

-          Pray for Eric as he spends this week in North Carolina to take part in an annual conference for Wycliffe’s software developers.

 

 

Presbytery camps:

 

-         The 2005 Presbytery of the Southwest (PSW) Young People’s Camp will be held July 23^rd – July 29^th in Amarillo, Texas. The camp’s theme is “Covenant Scene Investigation”, and is for students going into the 6^th – 12^th grades. Last year we had several people from Grace attend, both as campers and counselors. I hope that we can send another good-sized contingent this year, as well. There is information and registration forms available at the church. NOTE: If you are planning to attend, register AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. There must be 60 registered campers by May 16^th for the camp to take place. Also note: Scholarships are available for those who may need financial assistance to pay for the tuition. Please contact me for more information about this.

 

-         The 3^rd Annual Spring Retreat for College/Career-Age Young People will take place March 11^th – March 14^th at Rancho Richey Refuge near Austin, Texas. The deadline for registration is March 1^st. There are registration forms available at the church for this camp, as well. 

 

-         If you would like more information on either camp, contact me or Betty Brack at betbrack@amaonline.com, or 806-433-5415.

 

 

Covenant Youth Organization (CYO):

 

-         A group of Reformed pastors and churches have organized some exciting activities for interested young people from Reformed churches. One activity they have planned is a Christian study weekend in February 2006 for Post-High Singles. Here is more information:

 

It will be in London, England, UK. Here are just some of the exciting parts; Not only will there be some great lectures and sightseeing, but we will be visiting the Jerusalem Chamber of Westminster Abbey!!! (In case you’re not up on your church history, that is where the Westminster Divines ‘hammered out’ the Westminster Confession of Faith 400 years ago!!)…

 

To find out more, visit www.covenantyouthorganization.org.

 

 

 

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

 

 

 

 

Pastor Scott Johnson

Grace Presbyterian Church (OPC)

Norman, Oklahoma

Visit our website: www.opcNorman.org

church: 405-321-5220

home: 405-321-6151