1. T HE MA N C HESTER C H URC H OF C HRIST, MA N C HESTER, N H Au g 5, 2 0 0 9
THE BULLETIN
Getting the most from Manchester Church of Christ
66 Mammoth Rd.
your faith Manchester, NH 03109
603.623.5559
As some of you know, I’m at and there could be other reasons. But of
Gander Brook this week. It has been a the two groups, who do you suppose has mht_church@comcast.net
great week, so far, with lots of fun, lots the most fun, gets the most out of Bible www.mhtcoc.org
of spiritual food, lots of fellowship for class, makes the most friends, grows the
our young people — and for a preacher most spiritually, or wants to come back
an opportunity to watch people, kids in next year? Of course, it’s the ones who Elder’s Link: August
particular. participate the most. Duane Coss – 424-9152
One of the observations I’ve Now in the Lord’s church, who drcoss@myfairpoint.net
made has been about participation. In do you suppose gets the most from their
every group there’s going to be a group faith? Like at camp, there are sometimes Barry Fogal – 487-2387
who will absolutely throw themselves folks who simply can’t do enough, are at bfogal@comcast.net
into the fun activities with wonderful the church building every time the If you have any concerns that the
abandon, and on the other extreme, a church doors are open, volunteering for elders should be aware of, or need
group who satisfied to stay at the doing just about anything, participating to speak to with them, please
periphery of things, never participating in Bible class with enthusiasm, studying contact Duane or Barry this month.
in much of anything. Some participate in at home, putting their faith into daily
the Bible classes, asking questions, practice, and sharing the good news with
reasoning things through aloud in everyone. There are sometimes also Our Worship Services
response to the Bible lesson, looking up those who don’t attend often; who Sunday AM: 8:30 & 11:00
the Scriptures, volunteering to read, seldom or never volunteer; who offer Bible Class: 10:00
taking notes, etc., while others seem to lots of reasons why not, when someone
Sunday PM: 6:00
barely be staying awake, let alone paying asks them to serve the Lord, the church,
attention. Some will really “go at” the or the community; who don’t get to Small Groups:
work detail singing, competing, and know their brethren well (if at all); and West Side Small Group: 6:15PM at
making a game of it — while others who limit their Bible study to the sermon Doug Paul’s
approach the work detail with something or Bible class, rarely offer a comment or Merrimack Small Group: 6:00PM at
like the mind of a slave, grumbling, question to the teacher. Which group do Stuart Peacock’s
doing the minimum, and escaping at the you suppose enjoys their faith the most, Nashua Small Group: 6:00PM at Paul
first opportunity. Sometimes it’s because gets the most from their discipleship to Mosier's
they think the thing being done is silly Jesus? Wednesday PM Devotional/Bible
(or worse still, if you’re a teen, He who has ears, let him Classes: 7:00
“uncool”), sometimes it’s because they hear.
News Items? Please submit before
aren’t very confident about themselves,
11AM each Tuesday.
Gerry Millette will be teaching my class growing again?
this Wednesday, while I’m at Gander Brook, while Last Sunday evening we — through a
Ryan will be sharing the devotional thought this question that was asked — talked about a currently
evening. popular set of doctrines: Calvinism, predestination,
However, I will be back this Sunday, and election, and “once saved always saved” as it
this Sunday we’ll be — well, not talking about the contrasts with the Scriptures. If you aren’t going to a
Holy Spirit so much. This Sunday I’ll be starting a small group on Sunday evenings, come to the
new series on Growing Deeper in the Lord. Our faith building at 6PM for the discussions that go on. Bring
was meant to be a growing thing, but sometimes it a question, bring a Bible, bring something write
gets a little stymied, stuck, or dry. How do you get it with; you’ll probably learn something and grow.
unstuck, moving in the right direction, green and
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2. T HE MA N C HESTER C H URC H OF C HRIST, MA N C HESTER, N H Au g 5, 2 0 0 9
“So then you are no longer strangers and
Our Family
aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the
saints, and are of God’s household,”
Ephesians 2:19, NAS95.
Coming up in August... to have several calls a week out but aren't sure how, you
requesting food. can volunteer to be an
Gander Brook Week six of the assistant. We need two adults
camping season begins this in every class.
Saturday, August 8th. Please
be in prayer for all involved, Help needed Dave Skerry is
the staff, counselors and looking for help to move a few
children, and that many lives pieces of furniture up from
may be touched this summer. Avon, MA. Anyone with a
Labor Day picnic The annual truck and a good back please
Tired of being in the red? The labor day picnic will be held at see Dave.
Natick church of Christ will be the Potter's home on Penny needs someone to come and
hosting a “No Debt, No Sweat” September 7th. Details to walk her down for evening
seminar with Steve Diggs on follow. services, weather permitting.
August 9th & 10th. Details can Needs to be met Tony Casella is
be found on the flyer in the This and that...
aware of a church member
foyer. Doreen update She has been who is in need of kitchen dish
taken to the Elliot Hospital ware. If you are able to help,
Mark your calendar The
Manchester family retreat at due to an infection in her leg. please see Mike Moser or
She has been moved to room Tony.
Gander Brook is scheduled for
August 28-30. There are 567. Please continue to pray
for the Lee family. Save the date ladies The Greater
registration forms available in Springfield church of Christ in
the foyer. See Stuart Peacock if Service opportunity We need a Chicopee, MA is hosting a
you have any questions. teacher for the 1st-2nd grade Ladies' Day of Prayer on
What else? class on Wednesday night for Saturday, October 10th.
the fall quarter beginning in Registration, information and
Food Pantry The new food drive September. If you have been directions to follow.
sign up sheet is posted in the waiting to volunteer to teach
foyer. Please sign up and bring this is a good time. Some of
your donations in as soon as our teachers might appreciate
you can. Our inventory is a break. Please let Sue Bell or
running low and we continue Kim know. If you want to help
Worship Leaders Prayer Concerns
Sunday, Aug 9, 8:30AM Scripture ..................... Gary D. Health: Doreen Lee, Pat Arel, Bill
Songs .........................Brandon H. Lord’s Supper ..............Gerry M. Waisnor, Deniza Chase’s niece, Marge
Closing Prayer ...........Stuart P. Coordinator ................ Gerry M. Simon, Penny Ranger, Manley Jones,
Scripture ....................Mike M. Michael Anderson's brother
Lord’s Supper ............ Tom B. Sunday, Aug 9, 6:00PM Leadership: Ministers, Elders,
Coordinator ............... Stuart P. Songs............................Ken B. Deacons
Evangelism: Bible studies in
Sunday, Aug 9, 11:00AM Wednesday, Aug 12, 7:00PM
progress, our website, MNFM, food
Songs ........................ Paul M. Songs..........................Doug P.
pantry, Give Away Day
Closing Prayer ...........David S.
Return to the Lord: Brethren who
have forsaken the assembly
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3. T HE MA N C HESTER C H URC H OF C HRIST, MA N C HESTER, N H Au g 5, 2 0 0 9
RESTOR I N G T HE JOY OF T HE LO R D
PARK LI NS C O MB
Nehemiah and the returning and so much more. And his life; joy because Heaven is our
exiles were facing an uphill battle. exhortation had its intended effect; home; joy because I know God will
They had returned from Babylon the people took up the task, as hard always take care of me and knows
and various others places across the as it was, as difficult as the what He’s doing; joy because God
Fertile Crescent where they had Samaritans were making it on them, has blessed me enormously in both
been relocated first by the Assyrians and completed the walls of material things and even more
and then by the Babylonians. They Jerusalem in an astounding 52 days. spiritually, and joy because God
had come home to Jerusalem and its By the way, I’ve seen the walls of hears and answers all my prayers
environs, where everything had Jerusalem personally; I’ve also seen with my best interests in mind and at
remained in ruins for the past 70 how large the city was in heart.
years. They had inadvertently made Nehemiah’s day; and this is truly an
enemies of the Samaritans by amazing feat! All because they let People lose the joy of
refusing help from this gentile the joy of the Lord be their strength Christmas, oftentimes, when they
people now inhabiting Palestine to through the completion of the task. just look at the work, the expense,
rebuild God’s temple, and now the the hassles, the crowded stores, the
Samaritans were out to make trouble Likewise, when we lack of parking at the mall, or maybe
for the Jews with the ruling Persians. remember such things we will also the holiday traffic. No wonder,
Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem regain our strength, our purpose, our they’ve focused on the negative. The
was going to be arduous work, hard meaning, our backbone, and our joy of Christmas is regained, when
labor; the Babylonians who had focus. It is for this very reason that we refocus on the family time, the
destroyed the city had done a “bang Satan does his best to distract us smiles on the faces of our children,
up job” for sure and to make matters from the joy of the Lord. He’d like the wonderful meals we share
worse rumors were flying to direct our focus to the hardships together, the beauty of the lights, the
everywhere that the Samaritans of discipleship, the difficulties of delightful smell of pine, the personal
might actually attack them while temptation, the loneliness of doing gifts that say something special, the
they were working before they could right when everyone else seems to recounting of family tales of
get the walls up. It just seemed like be doing wrong, the sneering of the Christmas past, and more.
doing the right thing was one crowd, the direct attacks others may
problem after the other. How many make on us to abandon our faith. More to the point, when we
challenges would they have to They buzz like bees around our lose the joy of the Lord through
overcome? Was all this really even heads, distracting us, disheartening focus on the difficulties, we can
worthwhile? In a word, Nehemiah us, scaring us, and causing us to expect to lose our spiritual passion
and the returning Jews were forget the reason we do what we do. and activity. Restore the joy of the
discouraged. The cure is the same, “…Do not be Lord in your life, lift your eyes to
grieved, for the joy of the LORD is things above and get charged up
It was then that Nehemiah your strength.” once again about living the life of a
encouraged them with words that disciple of Jesus.
we, today, need to hear again and Joy because we’re forgiven;
again, “…Do not be grieved, for the joy because our lives have meaning
joy of the LORD is your strength.” and purpose; joy because we’ve
—Nehemiah 8:10. It was an been given a better way to live; joy
encouragement to look to the greater because God loves us and made us
and higher things about following His children; joy because His way
God, keep in mind the bigger, leads to better marriages and better
ultimate picture, know how glad children; joy because His commands
you’ll be that you did this in the end, are not only wise but lead to eternal
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4. T HE MA N C HESTER C H URC H OF C HRIST, MA N C HESTER, N H Au g 5, 2 0 0 9
Our Congregational Calendar
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
2 3 4 12 6 7 8
Bible class 7pm
Happy Birthday: Happy Birthday: Happy Happy Birthday: Happy Birthday: Gander Brook
Leslie Davis Dick Potter Anniversary: Happy Tom Carroll Jen Devoe week 6
Cecilia Skerry Larry & Vickie Anniversary: Jamie Hazelton
Happy Glass Mark & Glenna
Anniversary: Evans
Scott & Terri
Apgar
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Bible class 7pm
Happy Birthday: Happy Birthday: Happy Birthday:
Lucy Daggett Happy Birthday: Chris Dion Betty Baron
Heather King Gloria Potter
Happy
Anniversary:
Adam & Debbie
Dlutowski
Te e n N e w s yo u n g Ad u l t s
Our Statistics
Sunday Morning Worship (combined) 134
Contribution $3,054.75
T he Ma n c h es te r c h u r c h o f C h r is t
66 M a m m o t h R d.
M a n c h e s t e r , N H 03109
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