CrossTalk
November 25, 2016
JUST A THOUGHT…
I hope you’ve had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had a safe trip to and from Monroe with our family on Thursday. Cowboys won. Tigers won! It was a great day!
Let me know if you’re planning to be a part of our Church Growth Retreat next weekend. Just hit “Reply” (below) or let me know on Sunday. Very important…
And our Advent and Christmas schedule is shaping up. We won’t be able to be at the Country Inn for each Sunday in Advent but we’ll fall back to our home in the process. Just be sure and watch the calendar.
I’ll see you on Sunday as we begin our Advent Season together...Blessings to you all!
Steve
CHURCH GROWTH RETREAT
DECEMBER 2-3
We’re planning a Church Growth Retreat on Friday & Saturday, December 2-3. Many of you have asked and discussed how we can grow as a Church. Our friend, Steven Saul with be with us on that weekend to lead us in looking honestly at where we are and how to get to where we want/dream to be.
I’m going to be asking you to sign up for that event. Steven has a questionnaire he wants to get into your hands before that weekend – so let me know on Sunday. And we’ll want to make sure everyone has materials for the Retreat. Make your plans now to attend!
UPWORDS
“Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life,”(Proverbs 4:13).
Adult Bible Study Begins January 8
A Study of John’s Gospel
8:45 AM Each Sunday
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Live by this creed: Have a little laugh at life and look around you for happiness
and not sadness. Laughter has always brought me out of unhappy situations,”
(Red Skelton).
ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE
OF SERVICES AND EVENTS
Sunday, November 27
The First Sunday of Advent
The Sunday of HOPE
“The Reason for the Season”
Meet at Country Inn & Suites
Friday & Saturday, December 2-3
Meet at Fowler’s Home
Sunday, December 4
The Second Sunday of Advent
The Sunday of PEACE
Rev. Steven Saul to Speak
Meet at Fowler’s Home
Sunday, December 11
The Third Sunday of Advent
The Sunday of JOY
“What to Give Jesus for Christmas This Year”
Meet at Country Inn & Suites
Sunday, December 18
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
The Sunday of LOVE
“Understanding Jesus”
Meet at Fowler’s Home
Saturday December 24
Candlelight Communion Service @ 5:30 PM
“The Greatest Love”
Meet at Country Inn & Suites
Sunday, December 25
(Very Brief!)Worship Service @ 9:30 AM
“The Greatest Name”
Meet at Fowler’s Home
Sunday, January 1
No Services Today
Happy New Year!
Sunday, January 8
Regular Schedule of Services Resumes
Bible Study at 8:45 AM
Worship at 10:00 AM
BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
APP FOR YOUR PHONE
Many of you have commented on the readings we commit to on Sunday mornings. Those are from the Book of Common Prayer. If you’d like to have that study opportunity each day, you can download an APP for your phone that’ll allow you to commit Bible verses to instruction and memory every day.
Find BCP (the icon is a black Bible with a Cross on the front)in your phone’s APP Store. It’s a free download! And additionally, when you get to a particular day – say, November 18 – you can hit the arrow (upper right hand corner) and it’ll read the verses aloud for you.
It’s a great way to continue to read God’s Word daily…!
CROSS CHURCH WEBSITE IS ACTIVE!
crosschurchpineville.com
The website is active! Hit it and see what’s new…crosschurchpineville.com. Along with Facebook, this will give us another avenue with which to broadcast our news and invite others to join us. Check it out!
And one more thing - We’re also looking at creating an APP for our phones that’ll keep us connected even more. Very excited about this, too!
CROSSTALK REFERENCES
If you know of someone who might like to receive “CrossTalk” each week…a friend or family member…or prospect…Just send their name and e-mail address to me () – or see me on Sunday – and I’ll make sure they get it.
KNOW YOUR BIBLE
It actually wasn’t Delilah who cut off Samson’s hair (Judges 16:19).
COUNTRY WISDOM
If everything’s coming your way, you’re probably in the wrong lane.
THANKSGIVING TRIVIAL PURSUITS
Does turkey naturally contain an ingredientthat makes us sleepy? Turkey does contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is a natural sedative, but so do a lot of other foods, including chicken and pork. Many believe the amount of tryptophan in a turkey is what makes us feel sleepy, but it’s more likely the combination of fats and carbohydrates people eat WITHthe turkey that makes them feel like a nap after their Thanksgiving meal.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Be a part of ourChildren’s Hour! Our children have certain needs and attention spans, and we’re moving to address that need. If you’re interested in helping in this most important ministry, just see me or Tina Butterfield or Jennifer Winslett on Sunday. And bring your children on Sunday. A Sign-Up Sheet is available!
OUR DAILY BREAD
Ninety percent (90%) of all Christians have never read the Bible through. Amazing!
We’re read the Bible through as a Church Family…chronologically, that is, as it occurs. The Bible does not come to us historically year by year, but moves about – History, Wisdom & Poetry, Prophecy, Gospels, Letters, Revelation. We’ll be reading about three chapters a day and we’ll see the presentation of God’s love to us throughout history…
Monday, November 28: Acts 9-10;Tuesday, November 29: Acts 11-12; Wednesday, November 30:Acts 13-14; Thursday, December 1:James 1-5; Friday, December 2: Acts 15-16; Saturday, December 3: Galatians 1-3; Sunday, December 4: Galatians 4-6.
CROSS CHURCH MISSIONS OPPORTUNITIES
Little Things Can Mean a Lot
Pill Bottles
In developing third-world nations, there aren’t enough pill bottles to go around. It’s often that tissue paper is used to wrap up medicine (pills & tablets) to send home with patients.
Wonder what to do with your empty pill bottles when they’re empty? Peel off the personal information label and bring them with you to Church. We’ll gather them up and send along to Matthew 25:Ministries for distribution.
That’s all you have to do to make a big difference in someone’s life. Thanks!
Hotel Sundries
Gather up those hotel soaps and shampoos and bring them to Church with you. These small contributions make a big difference in the life of a family with immediate personal needs through our local homeless shelters.
Soda Can Tabs
Soda can tabs make a difference in a child’s life at St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis. We all know someone whose life has been altered at St. Jude’s. Bring those tabs along with you each week for recycling!
PRAYER REQUESTS
Let’s talk about prayer requests…If you have any prayer requests you’d like to share with our group – and I know not all prayer requests ought to be made public – send them along to me, along with their relation to you (Example: Don Porter, Cousin to Steve Fowler). I’ll post them here and we can know where our hearts are coming from on a regular basis.
Scott Bullett – Friend to Eddie Butterfield
Bill Butterfield – Brother to Chuck & John Butterfield
Bob Butterfield – Brother to Chuck & John Butterfield
Bill Charles – Uncle to John & Chuck Butterfield
Jerry Cronin – Friend to Randall Keiser
Wanda Cummings – Sister-in-Law to Ronnie & Cathy Powell
Edna Dauzat – Aunt to Danny Hines
Albert Dean - Friend to Leisha Hines
Leon Gowan – Friend to Chuck Butterfield & Brittany Combel
Roy Kevin Gray – Friend to Ronnie Powell
Betty Hines – Mother to Danny Hines
Morgan Hines – Friend to Laura Fowler
Cindy Hodgkinson – Friend to Leisha Hines
J. T. Harrell – Friend to John Golden
Larry Hutchins – Friend to John Butterfield
Keith Johnson – Friend to John Golden
Beverly Lackey – Friend to Steve & Laura Fowler
Luke & Donna Lewis – Friends to John & Jan Golden
Mark McKay – Friend to many at Cross Church
Cheryre McGowan
Reggie McKinney – Friend to John Golden
David Miller – Father to Tina Butterfield
Mary Mobley & Grace Aplin – Friends to Ronnie & Cathy Powell
Sylvia Montpelier – Friend to John Golden
Laura Peacock – Friend to John Golden
Jessica Pennison – Friend to Jacob Butterfield
Tami Powell – Relative to Ronnie & Cathy Powell
Bob & Flo Price – Friends to Laura Fowler
Ashley Rosenberg – Friend to Danny & Leisha Hines
“Sallys” and their Families – Friends to Laura Fowler
David Sexton - Friend to Laura Fowler
Matthew Simon – Cousin to Ronnie & Cathy Powell
Clifford Stacey – Step-Father to John & Chuck Butterfield
J. T. Stokes – Grandson of Ronnie & Cathy Powell
Jared Stokes – Son-in-Law of Ronnie & Cathy Powell
Joy Trevathan– Friend to Jan Golden
BeccaVillavaso – Friend to Danny & Leisha Hines
Earl Washington – Friend to John & Tina Butterfield
Mike Womack – Friend to John Golden
Our City, State and Nation
Our First Responders Their Service to Us All
All of our Family and Friends Affected by the South Louisiana Flooding
Our Troops and Their Families Serving at Home and Abroad
Unspoken Requests of Our Church Family.
BUMPER STICKERS I’VE SEEN RECENTLY
I don’t do drugs
And I don’t drink.
At my age I can get
the same effect by
standing up too fast.
THE LAST WORD
“The devil is always discovering something novel to use against the Truth.”
(Pope Leo the Great)