While kayaking in southern England off the Isle of Wight, Mark Ashton-Smith, a lecturer at Cambridge University, capsized in treacherous waters. Clinging to his craft and reaching for his cell phone, Ashton-Smith, thirty-three, called his dad.
It didn’t matter that his father, Alan Pimm-Smith, was training British troops in Dubai 3,500 miles away. Without delay, the father relayed his son’s Mayday to the Coast Guard nearest to his son. Within twelve minutes, a helicopter retrieved the grateful Ashton-Smith.
Like this kayaker, when we are in peril, our first impulse should be to call our Father — the one we trust to help us.
Psalms 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Whether our “trouble” is life-altering peril or just times of confusion and doubt, may we develop that instinct to simply call upon our “heavenly dad” for help when we need it, rather than turn to other things which might offer us temporary relief and comfort, but in the long run, only bring more pain and misery.
I Peter 5:7 reminds us to “cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” He is the One who knows what we need and who can provide it best.
With love, Pastor Scott
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Meetings are at
5:30 pm Mondays. More info, contact Gertrude Prince
@ 878-0398.
VOLLEYBALL is at 7:00 pm at Stevenson Elementary. For More info, contact Dave Look @ 429-0719.
Y. A. M. (YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY) 6-8 p.m. in the SRBC Sunday School Wing. This is for young adults after High School Graduation through 30 + years old. More info contact Jim Look @ 256-6456 or Mary Ann Stemley @ 253-3375
AWANA meets every Wednesday evening at 6:05 pm. We have activities for 3 year olds through High School, September through May. Come and join in the fun.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY meets in the Seekers class room every Tuesday Morning at 9:30 to delve into God’s Word and enjoy fellowship with other Christian women.
NEIGHBORHOOD CANVASING
On March 24 at 11:00 am, we will once again be passing out flyers to our neighborhood to invite people to participate in our Easter activities and Messy Church. We need your help! Please sign up in the foyer if you would be willing to participate in this important community outreach.
CHURCH BOWLING LEAGUE
If you would be interested in participating in a summer church bowling league, please sign up on the sheet at the Connect Center and indicate which nights you would be available. If we have enough interest, we will start this summer!
MEN'S MINI-RETREAT “UPRISING" MARCH 3, 8:00 a.m.
What is the one thing that's impossible to change about yourself? You can change your appearance, your habits, your friends, your job…but you can't change your character. Not on your own.
You were in God's imagination before you were ever born. All the talent, gifting, and creativity you possess was placed in you by God Himself. Can you imagine the things you could do, the impact you could have on the world, if you tapped into the dreams God has for your life?
In each of the six Uprising video Bible study sessions, Erwin McManus provides Biblical and practical teaching that will challenge you to allow God to transform your character to be more like His. He illuminates the desperate heart cry of every human being – “I want to live” – and then serves as a guide on a quest to answer that cry.
We will cover the first three sessions on March 3, and complete the study with another mini-retreat in April.
CALLING ALL VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS
In just 5 short months the SRBC 2018 VBS week will be in full swing! Our theme for this year is
Game On! God has given us His ultimate playbook and He wants us to join His team.
Our Church will be transformed into the game experience that will help kids join Gods team, the week of July 15 – 20, save the date! We again need many faithful volunteers so we can provide another wonderful week for the children expected to attend.
If you served in VBS last year, your position is waiting for you! If you were not able to help last year but would like to this year, we have a place for you. It's never too early to begin praying about how you might get involved this year.
Further details will come in future bulletins, newsletters, and emails, stay tuned. Go Team!
HOLY WEEK ACTIVITIES
Saturday, March 24th
11:00 pm Neighborhood canvas
Sunday March 25th, Pam Sunday
1:00 pm ~ Community Easter Egg Hunt
Thursday, March 29, Maundy Thursday
7:00 pm ~ Maundy Thursday Service
Friday, March 30, Good Friday
8:00 am ~ 8:00 pm ~ Church open for self-guided devotional
Sunday, April 1, Easter Sunday
7:30 am ~ Sonrise Service at Shellabarger Park
8:00 am ~ Easter Breakfast
9:00 am ~ Combined Sunday School
10:30 am ~ Resurrection Sunday Service (Special Music by Chancel Choir)
No evening activities
CANDY FOR EASTER EGG HUNT
We are in need of individually wrapped candy to fill eggs for the Community Egg Hunt on March 25th. Please place donations in the Basket by the Connect Center. This is a great way to connect to our neighborhood. Thank you for donating!
Awana Minute:
February this year started out with a snow day, but quickly resumed the next week and clubbers returned fired up and ready to continue where they left off the weeks before. The impact of the verses and lessons that our clubbers are learning are beginning to challenge their faith, questions are being asked, answers are being given and it’s really cool hearing them moving closer to their walk with Jesus.
Feb. 21, We had fun with, P& P night where we wore Pink, and munched on snacks.
Friday Feb. 23, the Sparks (grades k – 2) came to experience Sparks Late Night Out party, a night full of age appropriate fellowship, games and activities geared for them to have lots of fun. We played off of the winter Olympics and played games similar to a few of the games, complete with medals designed by the clubbers to top off the night. Thank-you to all Leaders, and Lit’s, that helped to make this event such a great success!
Clubbers are working hard in their handbooks to finish their sections, learn their songs & earn those points in preparation for the opening of the ever popular Awana store Wednesday, March 7th.
Clubbers are purchasing & working hard designing, creating, sanding, painting, and getting their Grand Prix cars ready for the upcoming Grand Prix race on Wednesday March 21st. Many leaders and adults are also joining the fun, buying, building, and preparing their prize winning cars to enter the open division. Congregation, clubbers families & friends are invited to join us at the race to be held at the track, located in the Fellowship Hall, immediately following dinner. Come cheer on all as they race their cars and show off what they’ve created for this fun event!
Friday March 16, the TnT clubbers are scheduled to come and hang out at our mini lock-in from 6 – midnight, watch for information in flyers, bulletins, and emails for further details.
Saturday March 24th some of our 6th – 12th grade clubbers will head over to Cedarville University to participate in Cedarmania, a full day filled with lessons, music, crazy games, exciting competitions, making new friends, all while challenging their faith, and much, much more.
Thank-you for your continued support through encouragement, and most important prayers for our clubbers and entire leadership team.
Your Prayers are so very important and crucial to this ministry!
Cool with Christ,
Tere Sharp
Co-commander
New Sunday Night video series: “The Good Book”
The Bible is a big book. Hundreds of characters and thousands of ideas parade across its pages from beginning to end.
From the uninitiated to the very seasoned, readers of the Bible will always find something new to learn in
The Good Book.
Over the course of 8 sessions, pastors Deron Spoo and Kyle Idleman will visit the most salient themes about God in the Bible. With the goal of providing a sketch of each idea, each session will break down the concept into two smaller sections to unpack the meat behind the theme. At the center of the series stands God, and each theme will focus on who He is in relationship to His created order.
We will resume this series with session 3 on Sunday evening March 4th.
The theme for the America for Christ Offering 2018 is “Equipping Disciples” based on this Scripture: “The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13, NRSV).
CEDARMANIA 2018
6th-12th Graders: Don’t miss CedarMania on March 24! We’ll be challenged to grow spiritually, experience fun breakout sessions, a meaningful message, crazy, games, lunch, not to mention getting to connect with Cedarville students and youth from other churches around the country! We hope you will join in! All 6th-12th graders are welcome! RSVP by Wednesday, March 14. See Mr. Tere or Miss Michelle for serious details.
AWANA GRAND PRIX 2018 IS COMING!
Ladies and Gentlemen! Get ready to start your engines! The Awana Grand Prix is right around the corner. Wednesday March 21 at 6 pm. This is a fun family event open to children and adults! Car kits are on sale Wednesday nights at club for $5 per kit. 5 Different Models are available: NASCAR, Indy, Block, stock, & Truck (Includes: wood block, numbers, wheels & axles and instructions: Nine Simple Steps to Build a Great Car) Kits MUST be purchased through the club. They cannot be purchased through outside locations.
It's never too soon to purchase your Grand Prix car and get started on designing, cutting, sanding, and painting it. Get started early so you won’t have to rush. For questions see Co-Commanders Michelle and/or Tere. Can't wait to get started! Let's go racing!
Messy Church News
Thank you to all who came out for February’s Messy Church. It was a time of Christian fun and fellowship. Join us on Tuesday the 13th of the March edition of Messy Church! This month's theme is Bible Seaside’s. We'll have crafts, a celebration time, games and songs all related to this theme. And when we're done, we'll share a delicious meal together. Bring yourself, bring a friend, and we'll supply everything else! Everyone is welcome: singles, couples, families, friends - all ages! It's relaxed, informal and great fun! All children must be accompanied by an adult during the session. We're looking forward to seeing you!
AWANA T&T MINI LOCK-IN
T&T clubbers grades 3rd – 6th & friends are invited to a Mini Lock-In for fun, fellowship, food, games & more. Friday, March 16, 2018, from 6 pm – 11:30 pm. Please RSVP by Wednesday, March 14. Signed permission forms are required. For questions see Mr. Tere or Miss Michelle.