THE ROSEBUD on the communion table is in honor of a daughter, Sylvia Ann, born to Peter and Bambi Martindell on Monday. May God be with them as they grow in Him.
CONGRATULATIONS to Mitchell and Kaitlyn (Rittenhouse) VanDerbeek who were united in Christian marriage on Friday at Leidy’s Church. May God be with them as they begin their life together in Him.
WITHIN THE FELLOWSHIP:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Sean Lehman, Justin Lepping, Shaelyn Mahoney, Ruth Niederhaus 26th; Barb Gehman, Georgi Kirkpatrick 27th; Vangie Niederhaus, Clinton Radcliff 28th; Emma Coale, Blaine Moyer, Laurie Plank 29th; Sherman Focht, Marlene Hughes, Collin Parry 30th; Meghann Permar, Rock Rau, Colin Weiss 31st; Bonnie Pross April 1st.
THE SERMON TITLE this morning is Reigning Warfare. The seventh trumpet finally sounds! What happens? The Hallelujah Chorus is what happens, of course! Jesus is fully enthroned and begins to reign. That’s the message the apostolic Church took to the world. The nations did not take kindly to the declaration that Jesus reigns, in fact, they were enraged. In today’s sermon we meet the cast of the ensuing warfare and a summary of the plot line. Our text from Revelation contains some of the most provocative verses in the Bible. Who is the woman? Who is the dragon? Who is the male child? All this takes place in the context of war!
WE WELCOME TED BRUNNER to Leidy’s Church this morning. Ted is the Director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in northern Montgomery County and in the Lehigh Valley. He and Wanda also raised their family at Leidy’s Church, so we know them well. He’ll share an update on FCA’s ministry and add in some family details as well.
DAILY DEVOTIONS are being presented on our website. Just go to the website, click on Resources, and then click on Pastor’s Ponderings. You will be able to access a video presentation as well as a written document of the devotional thought for the day.
SCHEDULING ISSUES. No one knows how this Coronavirus is going to play out in coming weeks. We do know that Leidy’s Church has suspended worship and Sunday school through the remainder of March. All church-wide planned activities for March have been suspended as well. Some Committees have met via Skype or some other on-line service. Each committee and each small group will need to decide how best to continue their ministry and work until the severe meeting restrictions are lifted.
SLMT-CUCUTA is being planned. This would be a trip to visit and work alongside our partners at Iglesia Luz y Verdad in Colombia as they seek to minister to Venezuelan refugees. Our plans are still quite flexible, but it seems likely we’re looking at a time around the second week of August. If you’re interested in being part of SLMT-Cucuta, please contact the church office soon. For more information you may speak with Martha Wolgemuth, Emma Coale, or Pastor Niederhaus.
A BAPTISM SERVICE is being planned for this spring. If there are young folk [or older folk] who have received the Lord Jesus as Savior, but have not been baptized, you may want to speak with Pastor Niederhaus to see if baptism is an option for you.
ANOTHER POSTPONEMENT is the Love Cradle Banquet. It has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 9th. Please mark the date change on your calendar.
TIME’S GETTING SHORT to sign up to be part of the SLMT-Pik team! April 1st to be exact. The sign-up sheet is posted on the narthex wall. July 9th through the 19th are the dates. Mark it on your calendar. No one is too young, no one is too old. Likewise, no one is too skilled and no one is too unskilled. You simply need to be a ready and willing worker with VBS materials and kids or with maintenance projects and tools. Seek the Lord, perhaps He wants to use you in this year’s ministry to Canada.
DUE TO THE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, the Living Hope Native Ministries banquet at Yoder’s Restaurant in New Holland has been cancelled.
APRIL PLANNING. As of now we will continue to keep all the April events on the calendar, knowing they may well be in jeopardy of suspension. So, we will continue to plan for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter, Kid’s Musical, SLMT Auction, and other events, but hold them very lightly in hand!
THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION DEPT. is collecting pictures of children in our Nursery through 12th grade Sunday School classes for 2020 prayer cards. Parents, be sure a picture of your child(ren), with their name and birthdate on the back, is turned in to their Sunday School teachers, or the church office. If you do not have a picture, let their Sunday School teacher know, and we will take one for you. It is our desire that each child has an adult praying for them! Prayer Card Sunday will be decided at a later date, so keep praying for the child you have now.
PRAYER-POINTERS. Here are two prayer points for this week as we pray for the Gospel Gleanings outreach to the Erukulu people:
Pray for God to protect the Erukulu people as the Coronavirus spreads through India, that they would take necessary actions to limit its spread, and that He would continue to prepare them to receive the Gospel.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to protect and keep safe the India Bible Literature personnel taking the gospel to unreached people groups in India; also for all the IBL staff and the partner churches throughout India who carry out the ministry. The IBL offices will be closed through the rest of March.
GOT YOUR THINKING HAT ON? “Hmmmm. What should I do for the SLMT Auction this year?” That’s the Thinking Hat we’re thinking of! Don’t let the Auction slip up on you. Now is the time to consider what your options might be. Is there a service I might offer? Is there something I’ve found very helpful that I could buy and make available to others through the Auction? What’s that one item that would stimulate a bidding war – I want to get it for the Auction! It is time to get our hats on and percolate some thoughts about the Auction.
SPECIAL THANKS to the music and A/V personnel who have worked hard to make today’s service happen – and to make it available online. Your work is appreciated.
NEWSLETTER articles for April are due in the office by Tuesday. Thank you.