March 18 Rock Update

Good morning or afternoon!  Hope everyone is well and gearing up for Spring Break.  You can feel the tide turning from winter to summer.  Spring comes in and adds this fresh new, warm breeze that reminds us change is coming.  I had the opportunity to participate in a funeral service yesterday and as I prepared and participated one word screamed out to me.  That word was HOPE.  Hope is an incredible thing.  We all hope is something.  We all hold fast to a person, situation, future event, raise, something that we think will make the present suffering worth it.  We all do this but I pray at the top is this living hope we have in Christ.  If we believe the Bible to be true and to be God's word we know that not even death, the worst that could happen, can extinguish the flame of Hope in Christ.  We often don't think of hope when things are well but as soon as they turn dark or hard we look for something to hope in.  Many students and adults today are simply hoping in, turning to, the wrong thing.  As followers we must cling to Jesus and live in a way that makes Him the blazing center of our lives.  In doing so we not only reap the benefits of experience true hope but we also scream to the world around us that there is something much bigger to live for in this life.  Take hope that spring is coming, take hope that Sunday is coming, take hope that one day Jesus is coming and will wipe away every tear.  Hope 

Titus

Our Titus study is coming to a close and our main thought has been this:  In light of God's grace be and do good.  The message is simple as Titus was instructed by Paul to bring some order to the local churches.  Establish leadership and in the process teach the people that they should be busy doing good.  Not because we earn anything but in light of what God has done.  

The message of Titus is seen in each section and last night we really saw the heart of the message most clearly through chapter 3 verses 4-11.  It is here we see a clear picture of the Gospel and our response to having been saved by God's grace.  Being justified and forgiven should lead to a life that works and simply does good.  Attached are the notes, outlines and questions from last night.

march_18_outline_and_bulletin.pdf
File Size:	113 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

titus_3.4-11.pdf
File Size:	46 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

GIMC & Reach Summer Camp

Hoping you make it down this far for two huge events we need to tell you about.

1. This weekend is our Missions Celebration weekend (GIMC.)  This is a great way for the church to hear about missions, learn about missions, get involved with missions, celebrate missions.  Please take note of two huge ways for students to get involved.  

• Saturday morning we are having a free yard sale, we need help.  So arrive around 8:15 wearing red and be ready to serve.  This will last until around lunch.
  
• Sunday night is when each SS class will have some time with their missionary.  Our missionary is Tim Cummins of Whirlwind Mission.  We are currently planning a trip in July to visit Tim in Atlanta for an exciting time of ministry.  Imagine going to Africa, Honduras, Vietnam, and Japan in the same week without flying and for a fraction of the cost all while making just as much impact.  Sound good?  Well that's what this week will be like.  Unsure of how?  Have your student in the Rock Sunday night to hear from Tim himself and hear how we can serve and ministry this summer.  We need students here....it's a bit embarrassing when the crowd is low for something special like this.  We realize it's a school night but I can't think of a better reason to not get home until 8:30.  They'd just be watching tv or staring at their phone anyway.  But seriously, this is a huge way for them to hear about what God is doing around the world.
• Of course there are other things going on during the weekend but we especially want you to know about these things above.  Hope to see you here this weekend at some point!

2. Reach Summer Camp - We need to begin our sign ups.  Not sure the best way to get the word out other than to call you all personally.  We'll save that for later but for now spread the word. "It's time to sign up for camp."  Tell anyone you know that attends the Rock and while you're at it....make sure they are getting the blogs.  This is the best way we know to contact everyone with all the happenings of The Rock SM.

Thanks for your involvement in this ministry and please join us in prayer as we seek to honor God through leading students to know and follow Christ.