Announcements
SYMPATHY: to Rhonda Martin and family at the passing of her mother, Myrtle Martin, on Tuesday, August 2. No service arrangements have been made.
LADIES SOFTBALL GAME: will be tomorrow at 6:00 pm with a cookout afterward. We will need a headcount for food, so if you are planning to come as a player or spectator, please be sure to sign-up at the Welcome Desk. If you are able to bring food (hotdogs, chips, watermelon, or dessert) for the cookout, please contact Kellie Muller at (443) 340-9856.
VETERANS DAY: Please bring in pictures of your Veterans as soon as possible. Mrs. Dyson is working on a display to honor our Vets. Please place your picture in an envelope marked with the Veteran’s name and service. Please also include your phone number so she may return them back to you.
WEDNESDAY EVENING NURSERY: We would like to start up our Wednesday evening nurseries again and need help staffing them! Please stop by the Welcome Desk to sign-up.
DIRECTORY LISTING REVIEW: Please confirm your information BEFORE we print! An alphabetical listing is available for your review - at the table in the main hallway. Please initial next to your name after reviewing and making any changes, if necessary.
CHURCH ACTIVITY PHOTOS: If you have photos (any format) of Church activities, ministries, or classes from over the past several years that could potentially be used in the Church Directory, please drop them off at the Welcome Center, Church Office, or email them to: kalbaugh@opendoorchurch.org. Please identify the event and include your name. Thanks for your help!
From My Heart
I want to say a huge thank you to the Pastoral Staff for filling in the pulpit while I was away. I usually invite Dr. Matthews to fill in those two Sundays, but the staff guys were more than able and willing to step up in my absence. It is good to know we have such capable and qualified men on the Pastoral Staff. I do not have to worry for a second while I am away when they are filling in for me.
Several weeks back I scheduled Dr. Shelton Smith, Editor of the Sword of the Lord, to be with us on Sunday, August 21. He will preach in both services on that Sunday. When he left our church, back in 1995, after having been here for 17 ½ years, a few months later the church called me to take his place. He and I were friends before he went to the Sword, and I was determined I was not going to allow anything to change our friendship.
I called him the very first week I was here, and said, “Listen, you and I are going to stay close friends! I won’t believe what folks tell me about you if you don’t believe what folks tell you about me.” We both laughed and he said, “That sounds good to me.” And now, since 1995, our friendship is stronger than it has ever been! We have both worked hard at keeping things where they need to be! I have said it publicly that Dr. Shelton Smith is one of the finest Christians I have ever met, and I have met a lot of Christians through the decades.
So, let’s work hard to free our schedules so we can be here on the 21st and pray for the Lord to use him in a powerful way to speak to our hearts. That would be a great day for you to invite someone to come with you to church. Let’s pray for the Lord to bless us with a great day!
Next Sunday we are scheduled to have watermelon and cantaloupe after the evening service. We may have to push that event forward one week because Baugher’s said their melons are running about a week behind schedule. If we must change it, our secondary date will be August 21, which is the Sunday Dr. Smith will be with us.
In John 1:40-42, we see a little truth that will work every time. The greatest advertisement for any church is the people who sit in the pews of that church. Notice that Andrew heard John the Baptist speak, and we are then told, “He first findeth his own brother Simon.” In verse 42, “And he brought him to Jesus.” Let’s go “find” someone this week, whom we might bring to Jesus! Folks everywhere are looking for what you already have - the Lord Jesus as your Savior.
Have a great day!
Pastor Norris