Five Minutes on Friday with the LPD – on Thursday

Good Thursday afternoon from the LPD!

Hello friends – I am sending my Friday material a day early. I have just come from the endodontist (a dentist who specializes in root canals), and my mouth, tongue and lips are still frozen. While I can’t converse very well on the phone, my email seems to be unaffected 🙂

The weekend ahead is known for several things. To some, it has been known as the “August long weekend.” More recently, it has become known as the BC Day weekend. To others, sadly, it has come to be associated with the “Gay Pride” weekend, complete with the parade in Vancouver.

To us, it is also the first Sunday of the month, and on this, many of our churches will celebrate the Lord’s Supper, where we celebrate what Christ has done on our behalf on Calvary and also that He is our risen Lord (otherwise our faith is in vain). There is a connection between the above events.

My favourite description of the church in all of scripture is found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (English Standard Version).

Here Paul reminds the Corinthians where they came from spiritually, and also where they have come through Jesus Christ. Once labelled by their sins, (“and such were some of you”), in Christ they/ we have been washed – (cleansed of our sin), sanctified – (set apart for God’s service) and justified (the penalty for our sin has been paid for in full, so we are set free). In short, we are no longer identified by our sin, but by our new identity in Christ as those who are in him.

What Christ has done for us, he can do for others too!

In a recent article, 5 Things Jesus Says to the Gay Community, Newspring Church offers a biblical perspective on ministering to the gay community.

For more resources on this timely topic, please see note the info for the Workshop on Human Sexuality below.          

Please see the attached Five Minutes on Friday, with news and prayer items from the LPD – this week, we tell stories from New Life Assembly.

Also see info on Abbotsford EFC, our LPD Church of the Week.

Please note the following upcoming dates:

• August 3-8 – Camp Evergreen. This local summer camp is affiliated with our Lower Pacific District, and provides an excellent summer camping experience for children and leadership training for youth. Camp Evergreen also provides an opportunity for partnership between your local church and a summer camping program. For info, please see here.

• November 6,7 – A Workshop on Christian Sexuality. Hosted by Fort Langley EFC, this workshop, with Christopher Yuan will be both insightful and helpful in equipping people towards a biblical understanding of current issues and also towards more effectively ministering to our neighbours. Please watch for details in the weeks ahead.  

• March 4,5 – 2016 – LPD Conference on the theme Coaching and Mentoring.

Please note the following ministry opportunity: 

• New Westminster EFC is seeking a pastoral intern, to begin in September. Full details can be found in the attached position description.

May God bless and keep you as you look to the Lord, trust him for his good work through the week ahead.

In Jesus,

Rob                  

***          

This year, as our Lower Pacific District assists in the birth and revitalization of churches, we also step out in faith with local churches through providing financial support and seed money.  To this end, we appreciate the gifts of many district churches and also of individuals.  You can participate through both cheques and online at our website. See LPD website for more info.