Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Here’s a quick reminder of something that we quickly and easily forget: Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am and all that I have to a chosen or choosing God. Worship is not just the singing we do on a Sunday morning or Friday Night. Worship is not just the service where we sing, hear God’s word, and respond.
Put briefly, everyone worships all of the time. Whatever it is to which we are giving our lives is that object that we worship. So we may worship God – where we live for his glory because he has chosen us to belong to him, to be part of his family and kingdom. Or we may worship our comfort – where we live to increase our comfort and security, thinking that those things will give us the peace and safety that we want. Or we may worship ourselves – where we seek experiences, or pleasure, or achievement thinking that as long as we are true to ourselves, we will be fine in this world.
We come to worship on a Sunday morning in order to re-orient our hearts and lives. We set aside a portion of the week to signify that the whole of it belongs to our good and gracious God. So we sing, we listen, we give, we respond in light of what we have heard. In this way, everything that we do can be an act of worship – from washing the dishes, to driving to a doctor’s appointment, to being kind at work. As we do these things for the glory of God, we are worshipping our Lord. But if we do these things for our own advancement, we are worshipping ourselves.
As you consider your life, what can you point to that reveals what you worship?
Additionally, I want to make sure you can join us for the CrossPoint Community Town Hall Meeting. This is a bi-annual meeting where we meet during the Sunday school hour to talk about what we have done and are doing, as well as plans for the coming months. It’s also a time to ask questions about our congregation and our church. We will have light refreshments. And if we have time for it, we will take time for fellowship across the Sunday School divide. So here is the information for that meeting:
Date: April 3, 2022
Time: 9:45 to 11 am
Place: Upstairs Cafeteria (A202) or online (via the following zoom link)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Password: 403767
Join by phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Please continue to pray for Ukraine. Here is a suggested prayer if you are at a loss for words in how to pray.
24-7 Prayer – A Prayer for the Crisis in Ukraine (ENG).pdf
Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against tyrannical despotism.
This Week (Apr. 1–Apr. 7, 2022):
1. Tonight, Apr. 1, 2022, we will have Friday Night Bible Study. Join us from 7:30-9:30 as we take time to sing, share, and study the topic of “A Life of Loyalty” from the life of Jesus. You can read John 13:21-35 in preparation. Join us in person in Room A- 216 or online.
https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Password: 840840
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. CrossPoint Community Sunday School and YAs Sunday School is taking a break on April 3 for the CorssPoint Community Town Hall meeting (see the information above).
3. This Sunday, Apr. 3, 2022, Pastor Nathan Willems will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL! You can also watch the live stream if you wish.
a. Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
b. Title: Encouragement for an Exemplary Church
c. Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/resources/live-stream/
4. This coming Wednesday, Apr. 6, 2022, at 7:45 pm, you are invited, encouraged, and requested to join our weekly prayer meeting. We’ll spend time praying for Ukraine and reflecting on Lenten devotional. The link is found below in the section on prayer.
Administration / Events
5. CBCGL’s COVID-19 guidance is being updated. If you have not completed a waiver, please do so. You can find the most up-to-date waiver at http://bit.ly/cbcgl-covid19-waiver. You must have completed this form and follow its guidance if you plan to participate in any in-person church activities. Note: please find updated COVID-19 Guidance for CBCGL in the COVID-19 Sidebar Tab in the announcements.
a. For example, Lunch and nursery services are back at CBCGL since March 13, 2022.
b. Also, the taskforce has notified all ministries that we will no longer be taking temperatures nor requiring face masks. Please note, you are welcome to wear facemasks to church.
6. Lunch service is back at CBCGL! To place an order, please use the following link: https://forms.gle/SJBrwGF4nb5w564DA Orders need to be placed by Friday at 11 pm so that we can prepare the correct amount of food. Note: The selection which states “Number of Meals” refers to the cooked food/lunch box/Chinese food option.
7. Did you know that we have updated reports from our missionaries on a regular basis? Please check the missions tab in our bulletin to read through these reports and learn how you can support our missionaries. This week, there is an update about Candy Zhang (serving in England with COCM).
8. All other announcements can be found here (in our CrossPoint Community bulletin).
– Particularly, check out the Children’s ministry Tab to sign-up, show-up, serve, and see God at work in the next generation!
For Prayer
1. Our time in prayer shows what we think about God! Do you see your need of Him? Or are you trying to live this life without / apart from Him? Please join our Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 – 9:15 pm) even if you can’t participate the whole time.
https://zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. Here is our list of prayer and service requests. The service request tab is for brothers and sisters to ask for assistance or announce any give-away items. It is an attempt from CPC to reach out and take care of those in need among us. You may also enter yours via the provided link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U64MLIp-EpQ8YKfIpHzBNR_3tceMaOxrchnfbqlkcpU/edit?ts=5e851f21#gid=0
In Christ, your servant, SDG,
Nathan Willems
Associate Pastor of CrossPoint Community – A Ministry of CBCGL