WITHIN THE FELLOWSHIP:
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY! James Mylin, Yvonne Shoemaker 30th; Karen Parry 31st; Nicole Peck January 1st; Michael Nowling 2nd; Cathy Connor, Chelsea McDonald 3rd; Jack Heebner 4th; Darlene Leidy, Marie Miller 5th.
- HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Robert and Elaine Frank 31st.
THE SERMON TITLE this morning is Practicing What We Preach. The title of this sermon you heard before. It ties to another truism: “Your actions speak so loudly; I cannot hear what you are saying.” People are watching to see if our Christian walk matches our talk. Some conclude that Christians are hypocrites because conduct does not match Christian claims. Though we might be defensive or dismissive about such criticisms, we must not think that godly qualities, such as righteousness and love are not being granted us by God’s Spirit, so we live worthily of the gospel. God calls us to put into practice what we preach.
THE SACRAMENT of Holy Communion will be shared at the service of worship next Sunday.
WE EXTEND congratulations and prayers to Dana Gehman and Brian Shoemaker who will be ordained and installed as Elders today. May God bless their ministry among us.
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL OPTIONS:
- Issues & Answers – Romans – Fellowship Hall
- Pastor Steve’s Bible Class – Gospel of John – Rm. 211
- Young Adults – Does God Exist? Focus on the Family – Rm. 111
- Women’s Sunday School – Rm. 125 (will resume Jan. 9th)
- Parents, Kids, & Other Matters of Importance – Youth Room
THE FLOWER CHART FOR 2022 is posted on the wall in the narthex for those who would like to sponsor flowers for our sanctuary. The chart will be posted for a few more weeks.
A MONUMENTAL MOVE is on the horizon for Pastor Tony Jones and his family. The logistics and costs of moving from the UK to the USA are major indeed. To help alleviate the cost of this trans-Atlantic move, we are asking the congregation to make contributions to the Jones Moving Fund. Please place your donation in a Second Mile Envelope and designate it to the “Jones Moving Fund.”
LEIDY’S CHURCH is getting closer to having a plan in place for a weekly email which will go out to members and friends of our congregation highlighting upcoming events and providing links to sign-up to attend or volunteer. Many of you have provided updated emails – thank you! If you wish to be included and are not sure the office has current contact info, either make note of it on the pew pad or email it to office@leidyschurch.org.
IF YOU ARE THE TREASURER of an organization within the church, your financial information should be turned into the office by December 31st, if possible, and in no event later than January 10th.
ANNUAL DINNER & BUSINESS MEETING of Leidy’s Church takes place on Saturday, January 15th. Please fill out the registration form in the bulletin and place in the box provided at the Welcome Desk. At this meeting a budget will be adopted for 2022.
GOSPEL GLEANING PRAYER POINTERS
- What is it like to be a Christian in a people group that have never heard the gospel and you’re one of the first ones to receive the gospel? The Thessalonians found it resulted in persecution. “. . . we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass.” [1 Thess. 3:4] It may be that way for the new Christians among the Erukula. Persecution is on the rise in India. Hence, a good verse to use in praying this week may well be Psalm 119:157 for it speaks to that subject. Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, Yet I do not turn aside from Your testimonies. Pray for this same spirit to be in the hearts of the Erukula Christians – and for us southeastern PA Christians!
- Here are some scripture verses that will help in our daily intercessions for Chad and Niger. Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
- Pray that the great light of Jesus will shine brightly in Chad and Niger, that the eyes of the blind would be opened, and their ears unstopped to see and hear the light of Christ reaching out to them.
- Pray the areas of Chad that are already have strong groups of Christians that they will hear God’s call to take the Gospel to the unreached areas in their own country.
- Pray for the Hausa people group in Chad: population 316,000. 99.00% Islam. 0.01% Christian. Pray that tribal elders will be open to the message of Jesus. Pray for a movement of disciples among the Hausa people in Chad as well as in Nigeria and Ghana.
OFFERING ENVELOPES for 2022 are in mailboxes in the narthex. If you would like a box of envelopes but didn’t get one, please contact the church office. If you do not have a mailbox and you requested envelopes, you may pick them up in the office.
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to sign up for the committees of Consistory for 2022. Read over the responsibilities of each committee and prayerfully consider where you might best serve the Lord and Leidy’s Church.
KEN AND CONNIE MERRITT wish to thank everyone for their prayers during their recent illness.
THIS YEAR’S VIRTUAL NIGHT TO SHINE takes place on Friday, February 11th. Leidy’s Church will host the Shine-Thru event on Saturday, January 29th, for registered guests to pick up their guest experience kit from 3 to 8 pm and be celebrated as they drive along the parking lot, stopping at various locations along the way. We need volunteers to decorate outside, parking lot attendants, greeters, red carpet cheerers, food prep helpers, and floaters. Since it’s January and we expect it to be cold, we would like to limit the time each volunteer spends outdoors to an hour, which means we will need a lot of helpers! Please go to leidyschurch.nighttoshine.com to volunteer or contact the church office for assistance.
MARCH FOR LIFE 2022 takes place on Friday, January 21st. Leidy’s Church will have a Perkiomen coach taking folk down. Cost is $15 per person. The bus will leave the Leidy’s Church parking lot at 6 a.m. and usually returns between 8:30 and 9 in the evening. A sign-up sheet is posted in the narthex. Youth under 18 years of age must have a responsible adult assigned with them.
THE JANUARY NEWSLETTER is published and in your church mailbox. Extra copies are on the table outside the sanctuary as well as large print copies.