Making reproducing disciples of Jesus Christ

Glory Through Darkness – Acts 16:23-40

Dear River Reach Family,

 And after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Acts 16:30-31

When life starts spinning out of control we naturally begin to fear the outcome and consequent expected personal pain. How can riotous, racial injustice, violence, and imprisonment result in anything good? How can any suffering be good? The answer and hope in the trials of life can be found only in the good and sovereign character of our God. Even in the darkest hours of suffering our Lord is faithfully working a plan for our good and His glory. We can rejoice in faith even in the darkness because God is faithful! (Acts 16:25) Our Lord sovereignly responds to our faith with grace to enable us to bring glory to His name. When met with faith, all suffering in our lives will only be found on the road to glory.

Sermon: “Glory Through Darkness” – Acts 16:23-40

Lunch Fellowship and No Evening Service this Sunday

This Sunday we will be able to enjoy one of the wonderful gifts of God to us in the church: fellowship! Christ’s binds us together and food provides an occasion for us to encourage one another through grace filled conversations. If you are able to bring something for the lunch fellowship, please sign up here.

There will be no evening service this Sunday as Pastor Dan and I and our families will be traveling to a pastor’s conference in Bradenton, FL that runs from Monday through Wednesday morning. We would appreciate your prayers for safe travels and that we would be able to encourage other pastors as well as be encouraged ourselves in the Lord and the ministry.

State of the Church family meeting on Sunday evening 1/26 at 6:00pm.

The Lord has given us as a church another year to serve Him. We have been working to put together a calendar for the year and make plans to help us as a church better fulfill our mission in 2020. I hope you will make plans to join us on Sunday evening January 26th as we talk about the state of our church, our vision for 2020, and what you can do to be a part of serving Christ through our church. I know God has a wonderful plan in store for us and can’t wait to see what He will do for His glory through our church!

“Luke’s Dispatches” Video this Wednesday evening

This Wednesday evening we will take a video tour with those who created Dispatches from the Front of life in Jerusalem at the time of the early church in the Book of Acts. We will see through the eyes of Luke and the Dispatches team what it must have been like in those exciting early days of Gospel advance! We will have our normal time of prayer then watch the video together. I think it will be helpful for us in our concurrent study through the Book of Acts!

Upcoming Events:

  • Sunday 1/19 – 9:25am – Adult and Children’s Classes for all ages
    • 10:30am – Morning Worship: Songs and Sermon (Children’s Church and nursery available)
    • 12:00pm – Lunch Fellowship
    • No Evening Service
  • Wednesday 1/22 – 6:30pm – “Luke’s Dispatches: Jerusalem: Just As Day Was Breaking”
  • Sunday 1/26 – 12:00-2:00pm – Children’s Afternoon Bash
    • 6:00pm – State of the Church family meeting

Prayer Requests:

  • To have wisdom as a church and individuals to bring glory to our Lord in 2020.
  • Spiritual growth and strength for each one in our church
  • Our nation to repent and turn to God
  • Someone that the Lord can use you to lead to Christ
  • Someone that the Lord can use you to lead to follow Christ
  • Peace in our nation and around the world
  • Our missionaries as they serve the Lord around the world

Blessed to be your Pastor!
Matthew Rowley

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