Summary of August 17 Care Group

After singing about the "unmeasured, vast and free" grace of God, Tony started us off with Ephesians 2 "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world...but God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

The message we listened to for our discussion was from Acts 15 where some Judaizers sought to put a yoke of Jewish tradition on the necks of Gentile believers. We can do the same thing today as we put subtle expectations on other believers or ourselves that make God's acceptance of us conditional.

Anytime we add to Jesus' finished work it is like adding to the gospel message and it produces fear of man, guilt, condemnation. This doesn't glorify God at all. There is a connection between the work of God's grace and His glory. God is glorified by His OWN work of grace in us, not our work in addition to His finished work.

Yokes can be born out of a command in God's word that is meant for good, but was never meant to be added to the grace of God for our acceptance. God made us to enjoy Him and get to know Him more and more while we are here on earth. As we preach the gospel to ourselves it keeps us in awe of Him and thankful for the grace of God.

Past sins can be a yoke - an announcement that God's grace isn't enough. Condemnation can come in waves but the gospel shines the light of His glorious grace to bring us back to Him and His truth.

We cry to Him " Lord, teach me how to think! Teach me your ways!" so that our minds can be led by His thoughts and His word and not be captive to anything else of this earth.

God's amazing grace gives us opportunities to share His good news with others as He leads. When he prepares these opportunities for us we can see just how much He does the work of salvation, preparing hearts and minds to hear, and how much we are merely vessels that do His bidding.

Wade read to us from 2Peter 3 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity." The glory of His grace is clearly seen in the face of Jesus Christ. Peter never forgot his experience on the Mount of Transfiguration and he knew that God's glory was something that we would only fully understand when in heaven. But it inspired him to keep growing and learning about our wonderful Lord, thankful for the saving and keeping grace of God.

Summary of August 3 Care Group

God showed up for us tonight. We had a spontaneous discussion and never even sang or got to one question that was on the agenda! Here were the themes:

-God loves our children more than we do.
-We can trust Him with every aspect of their lives.
-In the book of Ezra God used a Babylonian king to rebuild and restore the temple of God. How much more can we trust God to work in our lives and guide our children's lives!
-God has wisdom for us as parents for each and every situation.

Tony read Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

July 24 Trip to Pittsburgh

We had a great trip to Pittsburgh. We met at the church at 8:00 a.m. and then drove to the Strip District first. There were a lot of people on the streets, vendors, musicians and singers. We stopped for coffee and a pastry at a nice Italian bakery. Then we did some shopping in some of the grocery stores, bakeries, coffee roasters and souvenir shops. At noon we left the Strip for the Waterfront. When we arrived we walked to Rock Bottom for a nice lunch. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed being together. We hope to do it again soon!

Summary of July 6 Care Group

Thanks to Cheryl for the amazing Cherry Pie!!

Homework for August: List to the June 6 message "The Spreading Flame: Which Yoke?"

We discussed the following ministries in the church that have most affected our Christian growth:

-Teaching - We are thankful for the time and effort our pastors put into their sermons, addressing important matters of life and heart issues, showing their love and care for us. The teaching is life-giving and refreshing.

-Personal Discipleship - There is a high priority on relationships, being hospitable and friendly, which provides a feast of godly instruction especially for new believers. These relationships also provide accountability, comfort, encouragement, and a foundation for how to live out a godly life.

-Transform and Youth Camp - Seeing God at work was amazing at YC this year. The atmosphere was so healthy and challenging. The teens and counselors were all encouraged and blessed by the whole experience. It was evident that "God showed up."

-New Members' Class - This step in becoming a member of the church was such a blessing to us. It is essential to have a forum to discuss doctrine, ask questions without fear, and be clear about what the main teachings of the Bible are.

-Exploring Christianity Class, Women's Discipleship Meetings, Care Groups - We are so thankful for all these ministries in the church. God's sovereignty is awesome as He works out His will in our lives using every situation and tool for His glory and our good. We are equally thankful to be a part of a church that seeks humility, being willing to change course when necessary.