April 30, 2022

Dear Road Church Friends

This Sunday is another opportunity to be joined in heart and mind around the Lord’s Table. The Lord’s Supper is a reminder that we never move outside the boundaries of God’s love for us. Nothing changes the fact that we are loved, we are forgiven, we are blessed. In that spirit we celebrate open communion here at Road Church. This is in keeping with the tradition of Jesus, who welcomed people of all backgrounds to his table, even those followers who betrayed him or abandoned him. All are welcome to this table whether they are a member of this church, another church, or no church. All anyone needs is faith or a desire for faith. This is a time when we all acknowledge our past failures, mistakes, and disappointments, and present ourselves to God as guests at his table, and accept his gifts of love, forgiveness, and wholeness.

MESSAGE:   What Is Operation Fresh Start?    Shannon DePerry

OPERATION FRESH START INC: NEW BEGINNINGS - Home

Our Mission’s Committee has invited Shannon DePerry to be our guest speaker. Shannon is the founder of Operation Fresh Start, “Bringing Smiles to Our Community” by helping the neediest among us especially children. (website: operationfreshstartinc.com).

Shannon will share what Fresh Start is doing and tell us how we can help.

SCRIPTURE

MATTHEW 10:41-42

Whoever welcomes a prophet because she is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Whoever welcomes a good person because she is a good person will be rewarded as a good person. Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because they are a disciple—will not lose their reward.

MATTHEW 25:34-40

On Judgment Day Jesus will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then they will say, ‘When did we see you hungry or thirsty, or a stranger, or in need of clothing, or sick or in prison and visited you?’ And Jesus will say, ‘just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.’

THE CROSS AND THE TREE

A tree is such a sacred thing, I never knew just why

Until I saw my Savior Christ, stretched on a cross to die,

And heard him lift his pleading voice, in one great, tender cry!

And now I know why poets sing about a common tree

As if it were a sacred thing of God-like destiny.

As if each stalwart oak had roots that reached to Calvary.

by William L. Stidger

The God of our Fathers raised Jesus from the dead,—

whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.  Acts 5:30

 Blessings to all,

Pastor Norm

Our worship service o YouTube: https://youtu.be/5vU2_3LRYG0