Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We have a couple of unique opportunities this weekend. First, there is a baptism service on December 8th. There will be 19 people going through the waters of baptism (one other one will be baptized tomorrow at the Westford House, for a total of 20!). Please reserve your time to celebrate with those who are declaring their faith in Christ and their obedience to Him through baptism beginning at 1:30 pm on Dec. 8. If you can’t make it in person, I think it will be live-streamed via the following link: Baptism!
Also, this week, we have the unusual confluence of topics for Friday Night Bible Study and the Sunday Sermon. Both activities will use Genesis 45 as our focus, though with different emphases. God may be working to get your attention through the repetition of content. Do you need to reconcile with your family members? How does that work? Who initiates it? OR Do you need to accept the evidence that Jesus rose from the dead and that he has plans for our prospering in this world of woe?
This weekend, or by next Friday, Dec. 13, please bring in non-perishable food and/or personal hygiene products (like shampoo, soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste) to donate to the Chelmsford food pantry. The final donation date is Dec. 13. So please bring in your donation before then.
Also, you can sign up for Caroling at the Westford House to spread the joy of the celebration of Christ’s incarnation with the surrounding community. That event will take place on December 14 from 2-3 pm. Please make sure that you are healthy before you go! Sign ups can be found via the following link: Christmas Caroling at the Westford House.
Please continue to pray for the nations of Israel and Ukraine and South Sudan. Pray that the wars would end. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. And https://worldrelief.org/blog-prayer-for-israel-and-gaza/ Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza and Lebanon, Sudan and South Sudan, and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.
This Week (Dec. 6 – Dec. 12, 2024):
1. Tonight, Dec. 6, 2024, the Living Stones Friday Night Bible Study is meeting from 7:30-9:30 to study the topic of “Family Reconciliation”. You can read Genesis 42 and 45 to prepare in advance. Join in person in Room A-218 or online via the following link at 7:30 pm:
https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Password: 840840
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
Also, the Bible Study group John is leading will be meeting this week (Dec. 6)
2. CrossPoint Community Sunday School meets this Sunday – Dec. 8 in the Koinonia Room (A-216). We are continuing our study of Church History, led by Elder Wu. We will use the following link for those who wish to join online this Sunday:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Password: 403767
Join by phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
There will also be a connection hour, a time for conversation and prayer, in A-202.
3. This Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, at 11:25 am, our CrossPoint Community Worship Service will start and Pastor Nathan Willems will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL!
Text: Genesis 45
Title: Almost Unbelievable News!
Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/
4. Each Wednesday, such as this coming week (Dec. 10) at 7:45 pm, you are invited, encouraged, and requested to join our weekly prayer meeting. We will not grow in Christ without growing in our dependence on God through prayer. In December, we will be praying using a Christmas Carol for ideas each week. The link is found below in the section on prayer.
Administration / Events
1. We have a missions update (so check out the missions tab in the bulletin)! You can provide support for James Liang (at UConn), and pray for him in the work that he is doing there. If you’d like to help with providing mission updates – let Pastor Nathan know!
2. CPCM has reserved the Multi-Purpose Room on Saturday’s from 1:30 to 4PM for sports. ***It will be cancelled 12/7 due to other church activities*** We can play any game: Ping-pong, badminton, pickleball, volleyball, basketball; we can do it all. The room is reserved only for CPCM members, so it is highly likely you will have lots of space and time to play whatever you want. The goal is to build deeper bonds through shared interest and activity. The contact person is Joshua Zhang.
3. Sunday Lunch Service is available at CBCGL with $5 lunches that are first-come, first-served. Pizza is $2 per slice and Ramen is available (priced variously according to size).
4. Women’s Bible Study – “KEEPING IT VERTICAL” meets the first and third Tuesday of each month to learn, share and grow in the Lord. We are studying the Fruit of the Spirit. Come join us and meet new friends and bring more friends along! Contact jeannemic50 (at) icloud.com
Save the Date! The Ladies’ CPCM Bible Study “Keeping it Vertical” is hosting a Christmas potluck luncheon from 1-2:30 on Tuesday, December 17 in Room 218. All ladies are invited to partake of good culinary, company, and conversation! Join us and bring a friend! Please RSVP: jeannemic50@icloud.com
5. Also, the once-every-three years Chinese Missions Convention is being held again in Baltimore, MD, December 26-29, 2024. Here is a link with more information about the English track: https://www.thecmc.org/
6. All other announcements can be found here (in our CrossPoint Community bulletin).
For Prayer:
1. From Bishop J.C. Ryle – “To be prayerless is to be Christless, Godless, and in the high road to destruction…It will always be found that when prayers are few, grace, strength, peace, and hope are small.” Please join our Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 – 9:15 pm) even if you can’t participate the whole time.
https://zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. We’d be glad to pray for you. If you need prayer, you can submit your prayer request via the following link: https://www.cbcgl.org/pray/
In Christ, your servant, SDG,
Rev. Dr. Nathan Willems
Associate Pastor of CrossPoint Community – A Ministry of CBCGL