Weekly Newsletter 10/11-10/17

FBC Marysville Weekly Newsletter

Recently:

- Children's Ministry: We recently launched our Check-In system for the kiddos which allows us to keep our young ones even safer. The children have a label for themselves, then their guardian has a label that matches the code the child has, so that they are picked up by the right people. With the recent growth in youngsters, this step also helps us track things like attendance, allergies for snack, as well as the children wearing their name in order that they can be recognized more easily.

- Communion: We have begun a new tradition of observing the Lord's Table together once a month. This is an increase from the quarterly rhythm that we used to walk in. We want to do this to enjoy this ordinance more frequently so that we can establish a faithful and meaningful rhythm of gathering to reflect on Jesus' sacrifice at the end of every month.

Announcements:

- Start Here: Stay tuned, as we will soon announce the next Start Here class for anyone wanting to know more about our church family and our vision.

- Connect Ministry: We have slots available for anyone who would like to serve on either the welcome team or the prayer team in our connect ministry. These are great opportunities to serve, love our people, and be hospitable to newcomers.

Prayer Requests:

- Betty Williams: Continue being faithful to pray for Betty as she deals with a number of health issues in this season. It was a joy having her with us Sunday to sing and lead us in our time of worship.

- Patti Madison: Continue praying for the results of Patti's MRI she underwent last week.

- Erwin family: Pray for Bette, James Erwin's mother who is facing stage 4 kidney failure.

- Lampron family: As we announced this past week, my wife and I are expecting. We're near the 15 week mark of Elleigh's pregnancy and baby is healthy to this point.

- Growth: As we grow in number, continue being faithful to not only pray for more growth in number, but pray for growth in the depth of people's walk with Jesus. We want to make mature disciples of Christ in our church family.

Devotional from James 2:1-13

This week, I cannot help be be struck by the first verse of chapter 2 in James' letter. This one verse is a loaded statement by the half-brother of Jesus, and every word is intentional to make a point which many of us feel is an inconvenient one. That being, that there is no room for favoritism or partiality in the Body of Christ. Consider a few things with me...

My brothers: James opens up his argument by calling his listeners, 'My brothers', now the word here means brothers and sisters, but is he speaking to his blood relatives? No, not necessarily. He is speaking to those who hold the same faith as him. To Christians. This is significant because opening up the topic of partiality with such a term places a massive qualifier over what he is going to say next. It is as if he is putting that here to explain that we are all family, knit in love, bonded in the faith, and that is the only thing that matters in the Body of Christ. See, many of us say we love our fellow church family members but are like siblings who do not want to hug their brother or sister for the first day of school picture because they are annoying. May this never be the case for us. We are a family on mission together.

Show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory: After addressing these believers as brothers and sisters, he calls for them to show no partiality. This must have been an issue in the early church. As you know, he will soon use the illustration of a wealthy person being shown honor in the church while the poor man is made to sit at their feet. Friends, there is nothing we could have done to earn or deserve salvation. We are all creatures of the dust who have sinned against our Holy Creator, yet He saved us by His grace and gave us the gift of faith.The only distinction in this world to the Father is whether or not a person is in Christ. So when we make ourselves judges based on what people look like, what they wear, or what they have, we sin against our neighbors and ultimately against God who shows no partiality (Rom. 2:11). That well put together man may not be what he seems, and that poor man may be your brother in Christ. Be merciful, kind, and God honoring in your interactions with people no matter what they look or smell like. Christ saved you, what makes you think He cannot use anyone? He is the Lord of glory, and by showing favoritism, we disobey Him because Christ is glorified by the fact that He is building a Bride for Himself from every tribe and every tongue. He explains to us that the poor will inherit the kingdom and things will be difficult for the rich. Why would we flip this in order to honor one and not the other based solely upon appearance?

Anthony Lampron, Pastor