notes for sunday, february 20

Today is the first Sunday in our series of messages leading to Easter. Over the next ten weeks we'll be thinking together about how Jesus intends to bring wholeness to the world through the transformed lives of his people. Because we are different, we impact the world in a positive way. The seven deadly sins and the beatitudes book by Jeff Cook forms the backdrop to our messages, and I encourage you to read that book over these weeks. There is also a great wikipedia entry on the history of the idea of the seven deadly sins that I'd encourage you to read. This first week we look at the overall idea of the forces in our own lives and in the world that tear apart the good things that God intends.

The bulletin for this week is posted in our downloads section, along with a study sheet on the seven deadly sins themes and the beatitudes. Notes are there about VBS coming up, and an invitation to get involved.

We are sad that some members are moving. Iva Englishmen will be moving to North Jersey to the Holland Christian Home, and Dave and Monica Kirk are being transferred to the San Francisco office of his job. We pray God's blessings on them as they bring blessings to new people, as they have to us.

On Monday the youth are traveling to Tent City in Lakewood to deliver the gifts from their fundraiser.

On March 27, the Colts Neck Reformed Church youth mission team is coming to lead a combined early service at 9:30am. About 42 youth will participate as they share bell music, and then a series of skits and songs about God's call to us to live new lives. Our youth have been invited to recreation with them at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference on the night of March 26, and will have lunch with our youth on Sunday following the service, before the Colts Neck group leaves to share their program with the Freehold Church.