Sunday Morning Sermon: Sunday the Struna’s will be sharing their experiences and plans as missionaries to Honduras. See their webpages at this link.
There will be only one MCC in-person service this Sunday at 9:00 AM.
Live streamed Virtual Church (link) is available streaming at 9:00 AM.
Virtual Foyer on Zoom (link) at 10:15 AM.
The recorded services are also available on MCC YouTube Channel (Link).
Week 40 of 52 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know by Dave Adamson: “Nephesh” = soul. We are told, several places in Scripture, to love the Lord “with all our souls.” How do we do that? Another translation of “nephesh” is “life.” Could it mean that we are to love the Lord with all our lives for all our lives? I believe that is exactly what it means. We are going to need a Savior!
MCC News: Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that your family enjoyed a sweet celebration, however you were able to do it this year. We enjoyed a quiet, non-traditional meal for three at our house, and we connected with family and friends by text throughout the day. (In a related story, Yield Design is having a busy season of holiday sales. What a world!) Thanksgiving reminds me of one of my favorite hymns, “Count Your Blessings.” The lyrics would be a good devotional start to every day: “Name them one by one. See what God has done.”
Angel Tree news: The last time I checked, we were down to our last few families of angels. I predict that the last ones will be claimed this weekend. If you would like to buy a gift this year, contact Barbara Murgatroyd at barbarajmurgatroyd@gmail.com or text 321-355-9705.
How to deliver the unwrapped gifts?
If you come to church in person, please bring them to the building with you.
If you shop online, you could have them mailed to Barbara.
Hope Ministries can also be a drop off place since Barbara and Tom are on staff there.
You could drop them off at MCC during any mid-week meeting or by appointment.
The Strunas are back! They will be our speakers (in my place) at MCC for the next two Sundays. I encourage you to join us and learn about where they have been and what they intend to do when they return to Honduras in early 2021.
This year’s advent series is titled “Prepare the Way” from the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 1-3. Please pray for me as I prepare. I’m excited that the Strunas’ visit will give me extra time to devote to this series. Also, ask the Lord to show you whom you might invite, and how. This year might require some creativity. Consider asking someone to “join” you at the live streamed service, and then meet up in the virtual foyer afterward.
I have found that attending church virtually is less satisfying that the in-person experience for sure, but it is better that missing out entirely. For those who struggle to stay connected, I encourage you to persevere. The Lord is at work. 2020 has been a refiner’s fire / olive press / threshing fork. I have seen families heated and crushed and tossed, but amid the death and disease, our kingdom offers hope and promise. Thank you for looking out for each other.
Please pray for our nephew Nichols in SC. He was enjoying a cousins’ golf cart adventure yesterday when he sustained a concussion, and possibly more. He received immediate care, and we believe he will fully recover.
Please join us for worship at Melbourne Community Church this weekend, however you can. The live service begins at 9:00 AM, and it is live streamed on our YouTube channel. The full service is available on our website after that.
Our “virtual foyer” Zoom meeting has settled into a steady group of attenders who connect briefly (about 45 minutes) after the worship service. Newcomers are always welcome. Please let me know if you would like to join us this Sunday.