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Weekly Update from Damascus Road Community Church
April 3 , 2008
Dear Family and Friends,
Live the RED! It is a good title for a series on the words of Jesus.
It’s even better as your life-integration point—being mentored by Jesus.
This Sunday we apply the RED in the gospel of Matthew.
Jesus in Matthew focuses on right-sizing our lives by explaining and inviting us into His Kingdom.
To prepare for that encounter with Jesus, read Matthew 5-7 (all RED); or at least read Matthew 5:1-12. Just those twelve verses will call you to a serious reorientation of what matters.
UP-dates:
- Communion: Another way to prepare for Sunday is prayerfully anticipating the Lord’s Supper together. Clear away the debris of sin and pride beforehand, ask forgiveness of God and others, then joyfully receive the two symbols of our salvation in Christ. The admission price is recognition of your need. After the service everyone is invited to a fellowship meal—Italian! The hospitality team is suggesting that families whose last name is A-G to bring a dessert, H-L families bring green salad and M-Z bring a hot pasta dish (well-insulated to maintain the proper temperature.) Drop off your food in labeled or disposable containers in the cafeteria before 10:30. Buon apetito!
- Baptisms: On April 20th (3:00 pm) we celebrate the baptism of four men and four women into new life in Christ. If you follow Jesus as Lord and Savior and haven’t been baptized, contact me, Roger or Rajendra on Sunday.
- Mission India: There is a miracle story unfolding here. We have received over $90,000 in funding from sources outside our congregation to help resource three dream centers that will minister to over 400 orphans. To read that story click on: http://www.damascus.com/news/india07_report.html. On April 19th at Princeton (3 hour drive) a growing cadre of DRCC-folks are going to traverse the course to support the next Dream Center focused on rescuing little girls from slavery in the sex-trade. If you want to check out the website for this 5k fund-raising race—or register—click on: http://www.princeton.edu/manna/5k/
- HAVEN: Sunday, May 4 (2:00-5:00 pm) at Mt Airy Fairgrounds is our second annual HAVEN Good News event; a great afternoon for everyone of music, kids rides, the fire department guys, clowns, and especially your opportunity to be the hands and feet and heart of Jesus to families with special needs children: heroes of love.
- Light on a Hill: What legacy will you have in this God-story (remember, every $135 = one square foot)? We finished March strong. Last week another 125 square feet ($16,820) was funded for a total of 409 sq ft ($55,196) in March—way to go! We are creating a God-story. Be bold. Be sacrificial. Let’s go for $100,000 above tithe in April—knowing not one of us ever has, or could, out-give God. His shovel really is bigger. Thank you Lori and Tori for reminding us of that so eloquently last Sunday.
- Halfway Celebration: At the end of June we reach the Half-Way Point in our Capital Campaign. We should be around $1,600,000—which means significant faith and sacrifice for us all between now and then; one square foot ($135) at a time! We are planning a celebration on the land on June 1—with the whole eternal church [us] worshipping inside the boundary markers of our future physical church-facility. Watch for more info soon.
- GRATITUDE: for you. All around us are people who need the love and leadership of Jesus Christ. Thank you for investing your one and only life prior to facing Jesus in serving, loving, speaking and modeling a life fully committed to Him: being all-in. It is the only way to live, so keep reading the RED.
Love ya,
Richard
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