Mid-Week Minute – August 18, 2022
We are so glad you are here.
We are looking forward to getting to know you better!
MID-WEEK DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
Greetings, Church Friends and Family!! Just a quick thought...
“I believe my sins are far too great to be forgiven,” was part of a recently received message via email. Is this, in fact, true? Let’s see what the Word says about it:
Sin breaks God’s heart because He wants the best for us and knows that sin harms and hurts us. “Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave can’t come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.” (John 8:34,35 MSG).
Sin does not change God’s eternal plan with his children. “16-17 For instance, if we see a Christian believer sinning (clearly I’m not talking about those who make a practice of sin in a way that is “fatal,” leading to eternal death), we ask for God’s help and he gladly gives it, gives life to the sinner whose sin is not fatal. There is such a thing as a fatal sin, and I’m not urging you to pray about that. Everything we do wrong is sin, but not all sin is fatal.” (1 John 5:17 MSG).
God wants us to take our sins to Him. “We all arrive at your doorstep sooner or later, loaded with guilt, Our sins too much for us—but you get rid of them once and for all.” (Psalm 65:3,4 MSG).
God creates second chances, but “1-2 So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! ” (Romans 6:1-2 MSG).
Choose today to do only his will because: “4-6 All who indulge in a sinful life are dangerously lawless, for sin is a major disruption of God’s order. Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no sin in him, and sin is not part of his program.” (1 John 3:6, MSG).
Lord Jesus, You gave me the most important thing: freedom. That’s why I just want to do what You ask.
Calendar
August
- Aug. 18 - Mid-Week Prayer/Discussion 7 pm (ft. a gathering of those you know from church) - Via Zoom (Meeting ID: 894-6039-2525, - Password: 842752)
- Aug. 23 – Café Connections 10:30 am –Virtual Visit/Coffee Chat with Pr. Eugene - Via Zoom (Meeting ID: 803 122 3894)
- Aug. 24 – Nominating Committee @ 6:30 pm via Zoom (Check the church calendar for zoom link)
- Aug. 24 - Prayer Connect Group 7 pm (ft. a gathering of those you may know & don’t know) - Via Zoom (Meeting ID: 834 9176 7821, - Password: 1844)
- Aug. 24 - L.I.F.E. Connect Group 7:30 pm (ft. a gathering of those you may know & don’t know) - Via Zoom (Meeting ID: 819-578-29436, - Password: 1471)
- Aug. 25 - Mid-Week Prayer/Discussion 7 pm (ft. a gathering of those you know from church) - Via Zoom (Meeting ID: 894-6039-2525, - Password: 842752)
ANOTHER REMINDER...
Just a reminder of some items previously mentioned
Karate & Self-defense Classes
Starting September 5th, Karate classes covering self-defense and kenpō will be offered right here in our fellowship hall (Monday’s and Thursdays) – Consider joining Pr. Eugene (Sensei) as he works on getting into better shape and a healthier, stronger body. For more information, please visit www.gojukan.org or on social media @kaizengojukan – Special rates are offered for our church and school families. Veterans, LEO’s and First Responders (see website for specials just for you.) Quarterly 1-day self-defense classes will also be offered for all who want a “refresher”. These classes are open to everyone in the community.
Church Directory
We have renewed our contract with Instantchurchdirectory.com - Our church directory is available to view on your computer or on your mobile device! Instant Church Directory - the program we use to build our church directory - has a member website and a free app for church members to download on their Apple and Android devices.
Right now, we have 29 Family units represented, and only 15 of these have provided photos. We are building from scratch. So please help us. You can email all your information to Pr. Eugene or you can fill out the Google form to populate your/your family’s information and even upload a family photo - https://forms.gle/GVJErmzBYyWTssJB8
For more information on the app/website, go to https://members.instantchurchdirectory.com/
To download the app to your Apple device, click here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/instant-church-directory/id589542221?ls=1&mt=8 - To download the app to your Android device, click here:
You will be asked to enter your email address as it's listed in our directory. If your email address isn't listed in the directory, let Pr. Eugene, know so it can be added. Once you enter your email address, follow the directions on-screen to complete the create log-in process. After you sign in, you'll see the most up-to-date directory for our church. Any time updates are made, they will show on the Online Members' Website, too.
For more information about the members' website, go here: https://help.instantchurchdirectory.com/article/638-navigating-the-online-member-directory or www.InstantChurchDirectory.com/app .
Café Connections
The next one will be August 23, 2022 at 10:30 am.
Pr. Eugene is inviting you to grab your favorite beverage and to join him for a brief virtual chat/visit on Zoom. This is NOT a prayer meeting alternative. This will serve to connect, visit, chat, and get to know each other, ask questions, share, and maybe even pray together (after the chat and visit).
There are also options for those who may want to meet one-on-one. Reserve/Book your spot here:
- Café Connections Visit/Chat Reservation form - https://forms.gle/TGsxGSFeUxZppdYw9
Join Zoom Meeting @ https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8031223894
- Meeting ID: 803 122 3894
WEEKEND AT-A-GLANCE
Sermon
The Sermon streaming this week will be presented by Pr. Kevin Wells, and will be the first sermon in a new series, “Ready And Acting” looking at the Holy Spirit. More information will be posted on our social media feed as it is made available.
Potluck
We will have our regular potluck (1st and 3rd Sabbaths of the month) after the service. Please consider joining us. If possible, please bring a dish to share.
GIVING MOMENT
One of the most tangible ways we demonstrate our faith in Christ is by giving. The Bible says that everything we possess comes directly from God, including our body, talents, and possessions. In response to God's gifts to us, the Bible commands us to return a tithe (10%) of our income back to the Lord. The Bible also asks us to give an offering as our heart so moves us.
Your faithfulness and generosity enable us to fulfill God's mission here in Lewisville & surrounding areas. Your willingness to faithfully give a portion of what you have is more important than how much you actually give, as Jesus illustrated with the poor widow. God promises to reward those who faithfully return to Him, His portion. Thank you for your gifts.
Let’s pray for God's spirit to move within us as we prepare our offering. If you would like to make your contribution online, right here: https://adventistgiving.org/#/org/ANWFQ8/envelope/start - You can search for “Lewisville Seventh-day Adventist Church” if it doesn’t automatically redirect.
Yes, we have several prayer groups that meet during the week, but some have expressed the need to be able to communicate prayer requests to bring before the Lord during our worship service, and they either do not attend in person at present or do not feel comfortable presenting their requests in person. This may also help us cut sometime during our service if we have the requests ready to go.
Please submit your prayer requests that you want to be prayed over during church service, to Pastor Eugene, 1. Via email (eugene@arlingtonadventist.com) or 2. Via Text Message or WhatsApp. (512.708.0600)
FROM OUR MAIN CAMPUS AT THE
Below, just a couple of quick updates for us locally, and some from the main campus at Arlington for your attention and consideration.
Arlington Pastoral Team’s Blog
The pastoral staff will be posting regular blogs on our website that will be sort of a companion strand to our planned sermonic calendar. To navigate directly to that page, click here or on the image above. The content and scripture passages will be different from the regular sermon series, but these short devotional pieces will be conceptually aligned with the themes. Each post will be somewhat different in style, some humorous, some educational, others more thought-provoking, or healing. Ideally, there will be something for everyone. We hope you will find this new project to be of benefit as a part of your own spiritual practice.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study
Churches of Refuge: 1 Corinthians - Join us for Wednesday morning Bible study as Pastor Kevin guides us through Paul's first letter to the church of Corinth, looking at how we can offer hope and healing to those around us. - https://www.facebook.com/ArlingtonSDA
foundation Young adult Bible Study
foundation is a ✨brand new ✨ @ygchurch Bible study. we are so excited to spend time together studying the Word of God on Sabbath afternoons.
This name was inspired by the concept of Christ being our One True Sure Foundation. (Isaiah 28:16 “So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.”)
Personally, this concept stands out to me because there are so many things that society tells young people to rely on: appearances, wealth, education, social media, etc. Even within the church, our focus can be on other things, which are important as well, but I believe it’s time we go back to weightier matters. 2 Peter 1:3 says “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” There are so many young adults trying to live a Godly life without the right tools! Many of us think we have to invent our own or use what the world tells us. He has given them all to us. One prominent way He does this is through the word. --Dani
This name was inspired by the concept of Christ being our One True Sure Foundation. (Isaiah 28:16 “So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.”)
Personally, this concept stands out to me because there are so many things that society tells young people to rely on: appearances, wealth, education, social media, etc. Even within the church, our focus can be on other things, which are important as well, but I believe it’s time we go back to weightier matters. 2 Peter 1:3 says “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” There are so many young adults trying to live a Godly life without the right tools! Many of us think we have to invent our own or use what the world tells us. He has given them all to us. One prominent way He does this is through the word. --Dani
Subscribe:
Consider the following options
For more from our Main Campus, consider subscribing to the email newsletter "Arlington Life Online" CLICK HERE that is distributed every Thursday. So, subscribe now, and get it in your inbox later this week.
You can also view the latest version here
For our Younger Generation, consider checking out YG Life’s newsletter - https://arlingtonadventist.com/yglife
Current Edition is linked here, or you can click here for easy access.
CLOSING REMARKS & HOUSEKEEPING
I know, realize and appreciate that every one of us has careers and responsibilities outside of our church fellowship. I do understand how overwhelming these responsibilities could be. That being said, I would love to kindly ask, that if you’ve agreed to serve in any capacity whatsoever, and life’s responsibilities and or challenges come knocking, please reach out, and try to find someone to cover your responsibilities for the affected time frame (preferably 48 hours or more ahead of time).
Should you wish to include anything in the Mid-week minute newsletter, please ensure to send the information to Pr. Eugene by Wednesday at Noon. The Mid-week Minute will be distributed with what has been received by that time to ensure an on-time publication.