November 7 to 12
Home Study
Monday – Read John 14:1-6
What hope does Jesus give His disciples here in their time of trouble?
How does this hope apply to our lives?
If Jesus is the “way, the truth and the life” and the only way to come to
God the Father, what can you do to help get that message to others?
What is Jesus saying to you? How will you respond?
Tuesday – Read Acts 1:1-11
Why is it not up to us to know the time and date of Jesus’ return?
How might that information impact how we live?
Why is it important to know that Jesus will return in the say way that He went into
heaven?
How does this passage challenge you? What hope does it give you?
The studies for Wednesday – Friday are all parables Jesus told regarding the End Times and His
return.
Wednesday – Read Matthew 25:1-13
How should we live while waiting for Jesus to return?
How does this encourage you? How does it challenge you?
How should this change your life?
What action will you take?
Thursday – Read Matthew 25:14-30
How we are to live while waiting for Jesus to return.
How does this encourage you? How does it challenge you?
How should this change your life?
What action will you take?
Friday – Read Matthew 25:31-46
How are we to live while waiting for Jesus’ return?
How does this encourage you? How does this challenge you?
How should this change your life?
What action will you take?
Saturday – Read I Thessalonians 5:1-3
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October 30 to November 5
Monday – Read Proverbs 1:1-7
Where does true wisdom and knowledge begin?
Why is human wisdom alone always suspect?
What will you do to grow in God’s wisdom?
Tuesday – Read Mark 8:31-38
What was Jesus teaching about here?
Why didn’t Peter understand?
How do we save our lives by losing them?
Why did Jesus call that generation “adulterous and sinful?”
What can we do to avoid living like that?
Wednesday – Read I Timothy 3:1-7
These are the qualifications given for an elder. How should
these same qualifications define the lives of all followers of Jesus?
What kind of life would such qualities create?
Which is the greatest challenge to you?
How will you respond?
Thursday – Read II Peter 1:3-7
What has God given us to escape the corruption of the world?
How do the qualities listed in verses 5-7 help is to grow in
the knowledge of Jesus and be productive in His work?
Which of these qualities seems the hardest for you?
Invite Jesus to work in your life to make you into the
person He wants you to be.
Friday – Read I Peter 5:1-11
How would you summarize a life lived according to these
verses?
What kind of impact can such a life have on others?
According to verse 10, what qualities is God working to
develop in you?
How can you better partner with Him in this work?
What is Jesus saying to you? How will you respond?
Saturday – Read I Thessalonians 4:13-18
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- November 6th Daylight Savings Time Ends! Be sure to set your clocks back 1 hour Saturday night, November 5th.
Youth – Food, Fellowship & Football Monday Night Football Monday, November 7th @ 5:30 p.m. Meet at Angelo’s Pizza 2161 W. Main St. Cost: Buffett $8. Sign up in Ross Chapel. Hope to see you there.
Jr. High & High School Youth Outreach Event – Special guest Nick Vujicic www.lifewithoutlimbs.org
Invite a Friend! Saturday, November 19th, 5 to 10 p.m. @ Ashland High School, we will be leaving MFC @ 5 p.m. Register at iheartashland.org Admission is free with a canned food item for Ashland’s emergency food bank. Please eat dinner before you come. “If God can use a man without arms & legs to be His hands & feet then He will certainly use any willing heart.”
Mark Your Calendars for the FWMF Annual Bazaar and Soup & Pie Luncheon
Saturday, November 19th – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Friends Women Missionary & Ladies Fellowship groups will hold their annual baked goods/craft & misc. sale and soup & pie lunch on Saturday, November 19th. This is our primary fund raising effort for Yearly Meeting mission projects as well as for local area outreach ministries.
Everyone is invited to partner with the ladies by providing items such as baked goods, pies and candies of all kinds; hand crafted items for female, male, and gender neutral – general categories include kitchen, bath, general home décor, yard & garden, baby & kids. They also have a “Country Store” with quality used or never used items, no clothing please. It is helpful if you would please price your donations. Watch the Sunday bulletin and FW bulletin board for additional information. If you have any questions, please contact Nadine Brood or Donnalee Archibald.
SCRUBBY PARTY! Scrubbies are a very popular bazaar item but our scrubby maker has retired! Tuesday, November 1st @ 6:30 p.m. a get-together is scheduled at the Meadows Club House in Central Point for the purpose of learning to make kitchen scrubbies. Materials will be provided. Contact Judy Fields for further information.
FWMF (Friends Women Missionary Fellowship) is open to all women of our church. Our time together is spent in fellowship and learning about the work of our missionaries, their needs and those people to whom they minister. This month all ladies are welcome to join us at MFC Thursday, November 17th, at 10 a.m. A buffet luncheon will follow the meeting.
Ladies Fellowship Group All ladies are warmly invited and welcome to join us for sharing & caring fellowship. We will meet Tuesday, November 15th at 7 p.m. at the home of Denise Fleming.
The Power of A Simple Gift – Operation Christmas Child
Share God’s love and joy of Christmas by packing a gift filled shoe box for a hurting child overseas. Your simple gift can make an eternal difference. Our decorative shoe boxes are all gone but any standard size shoebox or 6 quart plastic shoebox will do. Information and suggested gifts for the boxes are available on the table in the hallway. Please remember to include $7 with each shoe box to help with the shipping and other expenses.
Filled shoe boxes and the $7 per shoe box need to be dropped off at the church by Wednesday, November 16th so we can get them to the drop off point on time. More information about Operation Christmas Child can be found at www.samaritanspurse.org
All Church Thanksgiving Potluck
Sunday, November 13th
Mark your calendar now and plan to join us Sunday, Nov. 13th. Our November potluck will have a Thanksgiving theme! Please bring generous side dishes and desserts that compliment a festive holiday dinner. Turkey and ham will be provided.
NWYM 2011 Thanksgiving Offering will focus on Great Lakes Leadership Training program and the Youthworkers Training Conference. Watch for more information soon in the Sunday bulletin. We will take this offering on November 20th.
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Give Thanks!
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18
In recent weeks I experienced an exhaustive time of what seemed to be nonstop activity. It was a time of late to bed and early to rise, with each day filled with more activity than there were hours in the day to get it all done. Most all of the activity was good and were things I was looking forward to, but the pace left me rather low on both physical and emotional energy. As I was praying about how I was feeling the Spirit put upon my heart the song “Give Thanks” by Henry Smith.
“Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the Holy One,
Give thanks because He’s given
Jesus Christ, His Son.
And now let the weak say, ‘I am strong!’
Let the poor say, ‘I am rich because of what the Lord Has done for us.’
Give thanks. Give thanks.” CCLI #2303
For the rest of the day I made that song my prayer and as I prayed back to the Lord the song that He had put on my heart, He filled me with a renewed sense of His grace and peace; He gave me energy and strength; and He met my needs in ways that I might not have even thought to ask.
During the month of November I encourage you to take time to remember, and even write down, all of the reasons you have to give the Lord thanks. And then take time each day to give Him thanks for who He is in creation, for who He is in your life and for all that He has done for you.
Giving thanks to the Lord; it’s such a simple thing to do but it brings us in line with God’s will and it sets His power loose in our lives like nothing else can.
With Thanksgiving,
Mark
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October 24-28
Home Study
Monday – Read Matthew 18:19-20
Why is there more power when we come together with other believers
in Jesus’ name?
What does it mean to come together in Jesus’ name?
When we gather in Jesus’ name, whose will should we seek?
How does this passage challenge you?
Tuesday – Read Hebrews 10:19-25
Why are we able to draw near to God?
What hope can we hold on to in all circumstances?
Why should we not neglect meeting together?
What should we do when we are together?
How does this passage challenge you? What will you do?
Wednesday – Read Acts 2:42-47
What did the believers devote themselves to doing when they met?
What was the result?
Why do you think God was able to work so powerfully through them?
What is Jesus saying to you? How will you respond?
Thursday – Read Acts 12:1-19
Why were the believers meeting together?
How did God work in response to their prayers?
Why did they almost miss the answer?
What does this passage encourage you to do?
Friday – Read Philippians 1:3-11
How did Paul feel about the believers in Philippi?
What was he confident that Jesus would do in their lives?
What did he pray for God to do in their lives?
Take a moment to pray these same things for yourself, your family and our church family.
Saturday – Read I Thessalonians 4:1-12
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October 17-21
Monday – Read John 1:1-5
What do these verses tell us about Jesus “the Word?”
Why does the world not understand this?
What can you do to better help people to see Jesus for who He is?
Tuesday – Read II Timothy 3:10-17
What warning does Paul give us here?
How can we overcome this opposition?
Where does the power of God’s word come from?
When applied to our lives what does God’s word do for us?
What will you do to be more fully filled with God’s word?
Wednesday – Read I Corinthians 2:6-16
By what does God reveal His wisdom to men?
Why is this the only way to truly know God’s mind?
How important then is it for us to be filled with God’s word and
Spirit?
What is god saying to you? How will you respond?
Thursday – Read Hebrews 4:12-13
What encouragement do these verses give you?
In what way might they make you uncomfortable?
How does God’s word lead us to live lives that are pleasing to Him?
How do these verses challenge you? What will you do?
Friday – Read Psalm 119:18, 97 and 105
As you read God’s word, do you ask God to reveal to you what He
wants you to see?
Why is God willing to do this?
How does meditating on God’s word make us wise?
How is God’s word a light for your path?
What is God saying to you? How will you respond?
Saturday – Read I Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
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Operation Christmas Child
Sunday, October 9, 2011, at 6 p.m. Join us at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2000 Oakwood Drive, Medford, for an opportunity to hear the amazing story of Perry Cartera, a small woman who has a big heart for children’s ministry!
Perry Cartera works full time at the Philippines Bible Society, but also does work building teams and training for the Box-to-Evangelist Operation Christmas Child program in Philippines and Indonesia. Perry began her journey with OCC as the discipleship coordinator for the National Leadership Team in Philippines and currently serves as an OCC International Field Representative, which allows her to spread her passion and experience to other countries. Perry is married to Mel Cartera. He pastors a church and works part-time as translator at the Philippine Bible Society. God did not give Mel and Perry any biological children. But through OCC they have thousands of children, not only in their own church where Mel implemented The Greatest Journey (TGJ) program, but also throughout the country. God has a prupose –we are His servants. All praises and glory to God alone! Romans 10:14-15
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October is Pastor Appreciation Month!
Rich Swingle Drama Presentation – Thursday, October 6th at 7 p.m.
New York Actor Rich Swingle will be with us on Thursday, October 6th performing his one man play entitled The Acts, based on the book of Acts. Rich grew up at Medford Friends and has performed and ministered for Christ in venues all over the world. Plan to come and bring your friends.
MFC Celebrates 69 Years with an All Church Potluck
Sunday, October 16, 2011 We will be “Counting Our Blessings”
You are invited to join us for a time of fellowship and a meal at noon, following the Sunday School hour. Bring your favorite main dish and salad, vegetable or dessert to share with the group.
FWMF (Friends Women Missionary Fellowship)
is open to all women of our church. Our time together is spent in fellowship and learning about the work of our missionaries, their needs and those people to whom they minister. This month all ladies are welcome to join us at the home of Donnalee Archibald on Thursday, October 20th, at 10 a.m. A buffet luncheon will follow the meeting.
Ladies Fellowship Group All ladies are warmly invited and welcome to join us for sharing & caring fellowship. In October we will meet Tuesday, October 18th at 7 p.m. at the home of Dawn DuLong.
Financial Report
September 2011 Year-to-date
Income $16,481.15 $159,149.32
Expenses 17,540.36 159,114.76
Difference -1,059.21 34.56
Thank you to everyone who gives to and works and prays for the ministries of Medford Friends Church and we thank God who provides for all of our needs. Together we are touching lives and hearts with the life changing Good News of Jesus!
High School Youth are Invited to Monday Night Football
Monday October 10th, @ 5:30 p.m.
Food and Fellowship at Angelo’s Pizza, 2161 W Main Street. Cost: Buffet $8. Sign up in Ross Chapel. Hope to see you there.
The Home Study that meets at Phebe McManama’s, led by Jim Fields will resume meeting on Monday, October 3rd, at 6:30 p.m. If you have any questions please contact Jim at 541-664-2786.
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The Home Study that meets at Phebe McManama’s, led by Jim Fields will resume meeting on Monday, October 3rd, at 6:30 p.m. If you have any questions please contact Jim at 541-664-2786.
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Staying Charged with His Power!
I really like my digital camera. I like the vibrant colors it captures, the zoom and wide angle settings options it gives me, the clear picture indicator, the auto flash and auto advance, and that I can shoot video with sound. What I don’t like is the fact that lately the rechargeable battery isn’t holding a charge. Without power the camera does none of those things. Without power it cannot fulfill its potential and becomes nothing more than an expensive paperweight.
When it comes to living for Jesus and reflecting His truth, grace and love to the world, we need to stay charged with His power, let’s consider four power sources that God gives us as we live with Jesus.
Ephesians 1:19 and 20 tell us that the power God wants to work in our lives is the same power that He exerted in Jesus when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms. Resurrection power has conquered sin and death, it breaks the bonds that hold us captive and it gives us the power to live for Jesus in a way that proclaims His truth, grace and love for all to see.
Ephesians 3:10-12 tell us that God gives us His wisdom, which is a power that defeats the work of the forces of evil and the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. The wisdom of God helps us to know right from wrong, gives us knowledge so we know how to live and can keep us from falling prey to the destructive schemes of the enemy. God’s wisdom is a source of power that we cannot afford to miss.
Philippians 2:5-11 speak to the power of humility, as demonstrated by Jesus, who being in very nature God, willingly left His throne in heaven, making Himself nothing, to die for the sins of all people. Humility is often an overlooked power source in the lives of believers but it has the power to disarm many of the threats that come against us and to lovingly reveal the truth of Jesus to the world around us.
Acts 1:1-8 tell us that the Holy Spirit gives us the power to be witnesses for Jesus. Being a witness can take many different forms in both word and deed, but what it all comes down to is living in a way that brings glory to God, which we are empowered to do as the Holy Spirit unleashes His power in and through our lives.
May we lived filled with God’s power and fulfill the potential that God has placed in us by staying connected to Jesus and all of the sources of power that He has made available to us. May we as individual believers and as a church, spend time each day with Jesus, allowing Him to fill us with resurrection power, with the power of His wisdom, with the power of humility, and with the power of His Holy Spirit.
In Christ, Mark
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