THIS WEEK AT CHRIST COMMUNITY | CELEBRATE FREEDOM AND REJOICE IN GOD’S FAITHFULNESS | JULY 4, 2019

Celebrate Freedom

Today, we celebrate the freedom and independence we have as Americans. I’m truly grateful for the brave men and women who serve or have served in our armed forces to protect our freedoms. If you have served in our military, thank you for your service. Each one of us should take time to thank someone who has served today.

As we celebrate today, gather your family together and thank God for the freedom we have. Take time to pray for the leaders of our country. Ask God for wisdom, discernment, and grace to know how best to lead in the days ahead. Most importantly, ask God to save them and use them for his glory. We need godly men and women of character leading this country forward. May God grant them to us.

Rejoice in God’s Faithfulness

We are in week 6 of 15 in our First Things First Summer Giving Challenge, and thanks to your faithfulness, we have not gone under our weekly goal once! Our total financial goal is $450,000 for the 15 weeks of summer spanning between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. At week 6, our need is $180,000 and we have exceeded this goal by $18,079! Praise the Lord! 
 
We have already seen so much take place this summer through your giving. We just wrapped up our largest VBX, with over 350 children and 100+ volunteers. We saw children surrender their lives to Jesus and new families connect with our church. Our five summer interns have been engaged in every ministry, learning, training, serving, and going. Our Guadalajara mission team saw many people come to faith in Jesus and served Vida Church in incredible ways. And this Sunday, we will pray over 68 people who will be leaving for Student Camp this Monday. 
 
What a privilege to see Christ Community thriving in reaching, discipling, going, and investing in the next generation and the nations for the glory of God. When I think about our mission statement, making gospel-centered disciples among all people for the glory of God, THIS is what I think about. I rejoice in God’s faithfulness to see so many young people being reached with the hope of Jesus. Take time to thank God for his faithfulness to us, and pray he’d bless us for many years to come!

A New Friend

I’m so excited to introduce my friends at Christ Community to my dear friend Pastor Julio Ariolla and his family. This Sunday, Pastor Julio will be joining Pastor Jeff and our Worship Team to lead us in worship. Julio is the Pastor of Vida Church, our church plant partner in Guadalajara, Mexico. 
 
Julio is a phenomenal worship leader who has sung in venues, churches, and concert halls all over North America. You will be blessed by Julio’s talent and his heart for God and his gospel. Come ready to worship!

An Old Friend

Last Summer, Christ Community sent out 10 of our members to Pittsburgh, PA to begin Vintage Church Pittsburgh. In just one year, the Lord has done greater things than we could ever have imagined.

On Sunday, July 14, we will welcome back Pastor Kyle Hurlburt and his family as he will be our guest preacher for both of our worship services. I can’t wait for you to hear all that has taken place in the city of Pittsburgh through our cooperative work.

Summer in the Psalms

I continue to be personally challenged and encouraged by our time in the Psalms this Summer. There have been moments of encouragement, moments of confrontation, and moments of repentance for me personally. I hope you have felt the range of emotions we see in the Psalms. 

I will be preaching Psalm 139 this Sunday. Glenn Wishnew, one of our summer Interns, has been helping me do research all summer long on each of the Psalms. In his sermon research packet for me, he provided this summary sentence of Psalm 139: The all-encompassing presence, knowledge, and intentionality of God frees us to trust Him in every trial. What a great sentence. What a great hope.

I look forward to unpacking Psalm 139 with you this Sunday as we return again to the Lord’s Table for communion together. Come ready to worship. Come ready to meet together. 

All for God’s Glory,

Pastor Ronnie