L: God has called us onto a marvelous journey of faith.
P: We have seen things too wonderful for human speech!
L: God has called us to become adventurers seeking treasures yet to be found.
P: We seek something more precious than pure silver, fine gold, or glittering gemstones.
U: We seek Christ Jesus, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!
Scripture (Ephesians 4:1-16)
Our reading comes from the letter to the Ephesians.
1I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,
5one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
8Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.”
9(When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.)
11The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.
14We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.
15But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
Here ends our reading. May God bless our understanding.
@Copyrighted by Rev. Dr. Troy Sybrant Sermon: “The 4 C’s of Church” Scripture (Ephesians 4:1-16) Sunday Jan. 28, 2018
L: My eyes are ever towards the Lord; turn to me and be gracious to me.
P: We behold your steadfast love and walk in faithfulness toward you.
L: Let’s keep our eyes on the prize of the heavenly calling before us.
P: Steady our gaze, O Lord, that with ever growing strength we enter your holy city.
U: Open our eyes that we may behold beautiful, glorious, and wondrous things!
Scripture (John 1:35-51)
Our reading comes from the good news according to John.
35The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples,
36and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
37The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.
40One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed).
42He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”
46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
47When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!”
48Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.”
51And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Here ends our reading. May God bless our understanding.
@Copyrighted by Rev. Dr. Troy Sybrant Sermon: “Come and See” (John 1:35-51) Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018
“Come and See”
Sermon Video(s):
A brief clip of the U2 song was played, the entire one will be included at the end of this blog.
I have climbed the highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have run, I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you
[Chorus]
But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for
To view, the Sermon Slides associated with these videos click HERE
Click HERE to see the newsletter in the original PDF format.
Tis the Season;
It’s always the season to give a little of your time, talent, or treasure.
Cozy Comforters Deliver a Little Extra Love:
If you know a child who needs some extra comfort, please choose a cuddly comfort quilt from the bin located by the Children’s Corner in the back of the sanctuary. Whether it’s a problem at school, a medical problem or just something a child can call their own, please deliver the quilt to them with our love. We are at 6771 Tylersville Road, Mason OH 45040.
The Cozy Comforters of Compass Christian were hard at work this holiday season delivering a little extra love to children in need. Twenty “reading” quilts were donated to the second grade Whiz Kids at Mason Early Childhood Center.
The children loved their gifts! Many wrapped themselves up in the quilt during the holiday party while others had their tutors guard their new-found treasure. For one child, this was the first blanket he could call his own.
Almost 20 more quilts were distributed to children during the Over-the-Rhine Soup Kitchen on December 23. As we weather the extreme cold, it is our hope that these quilts make children in OTR a little more comfortable.
(If you’d like to create quilts, contact Maureen M.)
Whiz Kids Thank You Notes:
What’s Happening in January:
Starting 14 A new Adult Study began January 14 ~“Hidden Books of the Bible” a/k/a The Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament. Meets 9:30 a.m. each Sunday.
The 2018 Pastor’s Class also began January 14 ~ (for 5th & 6th Graders); meets at 9:30 a.m. for 10 weeks.
On January 21,Linger Longer Lunches will resume at 1:00 p.m. at El Caporal. Also, at 3:00 p.m., viewing the film “The Sultan & the Saint” followed by refreshments & discussion at the Islamic Center in West Chester. All invited.
On Thursday, January 25, CCC volunteers will join others to work with Interfaith Hospitality, 5:00 p.m. @ Heritage Presbyterian Church.
On Saturday, January 27, CCC volunteers will serve at Over-the-Rhine Soup Kitchen.
On Sunday, January 28, there will be a Congregational Meeting to approve the new budget.
On Tuesday, January 30, CCC volunteers will serve at the Stepping Forward Community Dinner, 5:00 p.m.
Donated eyeglasses are brought to Saving Sight by Lions clubs, other organizations, and individual donors. Volunteers sort, clean, and process the glasses by type. Prescription glasses of all types are welcome, including sunglasses, which can protect people from cataracts caused by sun damage. At this time, however, we cannot make use of glasses cases, loose lenses, or other accessories.
Saving Sight then provides the glasses to people in need through two channels: 1) ReSpectacle for U.S. distribution and 2) Humanitarian groups traveling abroad for international distribution.
A call was sent out on Christmas week for needing volunteers. So many came to donate their time to this great mission – heartfelt thanks to all participated; whether to buy supplies, serve the meals, donated hats, sweatshirts, socks and more…
Note: Linda Herrington became a member of Compass Christian Church Dec. 17, 2017. We welcome her joyfully!
Hi – I’m Linda Herrington. Most of you know my mom, Jane Herrington. I moved back to Ohio after spending 21 years in California. I’m so happy to be back in the Midwest and close to family!
I am grateful that I have been able to keep my job as a software developer with Bentley Systems, Inc. Nowadays, I work from a home office, but I continue working with the same team and on the same product, as I did in California.
While I am no longer married, my step-kids (Kyle and Kayla) remain an important part of my life. Both are married, and I am “Granny” to Kyle’s sons; Ryder, Ezra, and Levi.
I love animals, and some would even say I am a “crazy animal lady.” I’ve been involved in Japanese Chin rescue for almost 20 years. The rescue group knows I have a soft spot in my heart for the old and unadoptable dogs, so often those come to me to be loved and cherished for the remainder of their days. I currently have 9 small dogs and an Eclectus parrot named Rico.
Music is one of my favorite past times. I play French horn in the Cincinnati Civic Orchestra and I’ve recently joined the CCC choir. In addition to music, I’ve been exploring an old hobby of mine; quilting. I also enjoy volunteer and service work such as serving at Over-The-Rhine soup kitchen, tutoring a 2nd grader through the Whiz Kids program, and volunteering at the zoo.
That’s me in a nutshell. I hope you’ll take time to say ‘hello’. I look forward to getting to know you.
Linger Longer Luncheon and Film Viewing:
JANUARY 21 3:00 to 5:15 pm
@ The Islamic Center West Chester, OH
“THE SULTAN & THE SAINT”
The public is invited to attend the showing of “The Sultan and the Saint,” a film that tells the true story about a meeting between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik Al-Kamil during the Fifth Crusade in 1219 (not recommended by children under 10). This meeting transformed both men when they discovered a way of finding peace between them.
The film will be followed by refreshments and a discussion of the film’s relevance in today’s society. Please join us for this Christian/Muslim dialogue,
SPRING CLEANING IDEAS:
These are the products that can be dropped off at Matthew 25 Ministries in Blue Ash, Ohio http://m25m.org/
From CCC Staff ~ OUR GRATITUDE:
On my & my family’s behalf, our deepest appreciation for your continued generosity for the Christmas gift we received.
Blessings, Troy
CCC Family ~ Thank you so much for the generous Christmas gift! It is always a blessing to our family and we are looking forward to putting it towards a family trip out West this summer. As always, it is a pleasure to serve with this body of Christ and share songs of praise each week ~
Susan
Dear Compass Christian Church Friends ~ Thank you very much for your generous gift. It was greatly appreciated. I hope you had a wonderful Holiday season. I wish everybody a great 2018!
Love, Anna
Dear Friends ~ Because of my circumstances this year, your Christmas gift was especially timely & helpful & deeply appreciated. It made Christmas. May God bless you all
~ Donne
HIDDEN BOOKS OF THE BIBLE (Bible Study):
When the King James Bible was published in 1611, it contained the books of the Apocrypha between the Old and New Testaments. These 18 books and portions of books do not appear in the Hebrew Bible but do appear in the early Latin Vulgate Bible, either as part of the Old Testament or as an appendix.
While Christians vary about the degree of authority of these books of Scripture, they were written in the 400-year gap between the Old and New Testaments and are extraordinarily valuable. They provide critical insights into Jewish history, beliefs, and religious practices prior to Jesus’ birth. These books set the stage to better understand the political, cultural, ethical, and religious context in which Jesus appeared.
A new adult Bible study group (9:30 a.m. Sundays) will focus on these Apocryphal & Deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament, which are omitted in some translations of the Bible.
To be part of this exploration of the “hidden books,” participants are asked to purchase The Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament (New Revised Standard Version, i.e., NRSV).
The first meeting was Sunday, Jan. 14, but it’s not too late to join the class. Newcomers welcomed.
For more information, contact Steve Si. or Ed V.
BANNER WALL:
Our Library Corner has a new banner for the month of January, the time of Epiphany: Wise Men Still Seek Him. We’re hoping to have a new banner each month, and plans are in the works for Valentine’s Day & February, the month for showing extra love to others.
Do you have a picture you’d like to share with someone you love? A family picture, or your pet or a favorite snapshot of those wonderful kids/grandkids? If you’d like to be a part of our “love fest,” give your picture to Maureen M. and it will be included in our February banner. (Yes, you’ll get your photo back!)
LIBRARY CORNER:
“Wise Men Still Seek Him.”
Check out these new books and others we have for your spiritual enrichment.
So What’s the Difference by Fritz Ridenour explains basic beliefs of many different denominations of Christianity as well as other religions of the world.
Max Lucado has another fine book for us. God doesn’t want to be a weekend getaway, or a Sunday bungalow or a summer cottage. He wants to be our primary mailing address, our home — always. He wants us to live in The Great House of God.
A String of Pearls by Bettie B. Young,, Ph.D., gives us inspirational stories celebrating the resiliency of the human spirit.
Finally, Ten Eternal Questions by Zoe Sallis offers wisdom, insight, and reflections for life’s journey from a variety of authors, notables, and religious leaders.
MUSIC TO FILL YOUR SOUL:
One thing we hear is that our church acoustics are amazing and that music fills their souls. Here are a few pictures of our music choirs, handbells:
FEBRUARY PRAYERS
Local ~ For a spiritual renewal in our community to shelter and clothe those in need, feed the hungry, and care for our neighbors.
Regional ~ For safety and comfort for all affected by natural disasters, and for the Spirit to move the rest of us to meet them at their point of deepest need.
Global ~ For an end to rhetoric that divides communities and nations, fuels conflict and hate, and de-humanizes God’s children.
The Faith Alliance Programs Committee has decided not to do an organized Faith Alliance X Days in 2018. This does not mean that your own church cannot do your own community service day any time you want. It just means that there will not be an organized group project this year or any media, graphics or coordination provided.
That being said, efforts are underway to organize an entire Habitat home-build in 2019 with Faith Alliance churches. Please keep posted with Laura Zajac, the Programs Chair, or my successor regarding those plans. If you have interest in joining the planning team to make that Habitat project happen, please contact Laura Zajac at lzajac@thefaithalliance.org.
I will be checking emails for a few more weeks yet until a new FA contact is named. Feel free to reach out with questions.
Sue Mahlock for The Faith Alliance
Faith Alliance 2018 CALENDAR
Quarterly Liaison Meeting – Thursday, January 25, 7pm, Christ the King Lutheran Church
Quarterly Christ and Coffee Clergy Gathering –Tuesday, February 6, 10am-12, Crestview Presbyterian Church
Literacy Summit – Friday, February 23, 5pm-7pm, Bethany UMC (New date)
Feed our Neighbors in Need Community Food Drive – Church collection Sat/Sun, March 3-4; (Distribute flyers/grocery bags February 18 & 25)
Quarterly Liaison Meeting – Thursday, April 19, 7pm, Christ the King Lutheran Church
Quarterly Christ and Coffee Clergy Gathering – Thursday, May 3, 10am-12, Zion Global
X Days OR Community Service Day – One Saturday in April or May TBA (See notice re X-Days in the previous column)
Summer Lunch Ministry – Wednesday, May 30 through Tuesday, August 7 (tentative)
Summer Lunch Literacy Program – Monday, June 4 through Friday, July 13 (6 weeks)
Quarterly Liaisons Meeting – Monday, July 9, 7pm, Christ the King Lutheran Church
Help a Child in Need Succeed Backpack Ministry Collection Saturday and Sunday, July 28-29; (Distribute Sponsorship Cards July 15 & 22)
Quarterly Christ and Coffee Clergy Gathering –Tuesday, August 14, 10am-12, WC Hospital
Summer Lunch Wrap Up Luncheon – Wednesday, August 29, 11:30am-1pm, Saint Anne Episcopal Church
Sing Out Against Poverty Music Festival – Saturday, September 29, The Square at Union Centre
2018 Annual Celebration Dinner & Meeting – Thursday, October 25, 6pm-8pm, Crestview Presbyterian Church
Quarterly Liaisons Meeting – Thursday, November 15, 7pm, Christ the King Lutheran Church
Quarterly Christ and Coffee Clergy Gathering – Thursday, November 29, 10am-12, Saint Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church Rectory
News From Tom Stephenson Regional Moderator
I am pleased to announce the new Regional Minister Search Committee was approved by the Executive Committee on January 9, 2018, and will begin its work later this month.
This roster is made up of a wide variety of servants from across the regional church. I am grateful to each of them for their willingness to serve in this capacity as we search for the individual God is preparing for Ohio.
Until a chair is appointed, you may direct any questions or comments to me (epastor.tom@gmail.com ). The Executive Search Process is our model and we will be assisted by our General Church partner, Regional Minister Rick Spleth of Indiana.
Please be in prayer for this Committee and our search process, that together we might all be in discernment about the next chapter in our shared life and ministry through the Christian Church in Ohio.
WAYPOINTS:
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., here are excerpts from his sermon “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” of April 4, 1967.
I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.
A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our present policies. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.
A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth. With righteous indignation, it will…see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa, and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say, “This is not just.”
A true revolution of values will lay hands on the world order and say of war, “This way of settling differences is not just.” A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.
America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing except a tragic death wish to prevent us from reordering our priorities so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war.
A genuine revolution of values means in the final analysis that our loyalties must become ecumenical, rather than sectional. Every nation must now develop an overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole.
We still have a choice today: nonviolent coexistence or violent co-annihilation. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight.
Now let us begin. Now let us rededicate ourselves to the long and bitter, but beautiful, struggle for a new world. The choice is ours, and though we might prefer it otherwise, we must choose in this crucial moment of human history.
If we will make the right choice, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our world into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. If we will but make the right choice, we will be able to speed up the day, all over America and all over the world, when “justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
In this month churches in the region go out into the community and perform service projects like community grounds cleanup, or house repairs for the needy.
June and July
Help Every Child In Need Succeed
Volunteer – collect school supplies throughout the year. This program is partnered with Reach Out Lak
This years Faith Alliance Help a Child in Need Succeed Backpack Ministry supporting Reach out Lakota’s Back to School Program was another wonderful success! Nine Faith Alliance churches partnered to collect backpacks and school supplies for low-income children at Reach Out Lakota.
The results from the Faith Alliance Churches were:
More than 450 children sponsored with school supplies and backpacks
More than $14,000 of school supplies donated
More than $10,000 in backpacks and miscellaneous supplies donated
Andrea Subler, ROL Back to School Coordinator commented:
“Your (Faith Alliance) collaboration played a vital role in helping us to meet our goal to ensure that all children in the Lakota School District begin the school year with the tools needed to succeed. The majority of our distributed items(over 90%) came from members of the Faith Alliance! We certainly couldn’t succeed without the many hands and hearts like yours that are dedicated to helping our community.”
May-August
Summer Literacy Program
Sing Out Against Poverty Music Festival
November – December
Holiday Season – Partner with Reach Out Lakota
Through the generous support of individuals, local parishes, and community partners, Reach Out Lakota is helping over 300 families, including more than 780 children, enjoy the holiday season this year. The Reach Out Lakota Holiday Giving Program – that provides holiday food baskets for families as well as new toys for their children – is proof positive that our community is great place to live.
Families seek help from Reach Out Lakota for a wide variety of reasons; overwhelming medical bills, chronic underemployment and personal tragedy are just a few. One thing these families all have in common is a desire for a loving household where hunger and heat are not daily concerns. Once again our community has pulled together to provide some relief this December. Donations of food baskets will help feed entire families during the holiday season and collected toys will not only bring joy to the boys and girls receiving them but will bring thankful smiles to the parents who are able to give a surprise gift to their children.
From the mother who simply wanted a toy for her child so they could become closer by playing together, to the grandparent taking custody of a child whose family has experienced tragedy, the Reach Out Lakota Holiday Giving Program is making an impact on families in our community in ways that cannot be measured but will be remembered. On behalf of all of our recipients, Reach Out Lakota sincerely thanks our donors whose collective generosity is improving the lives of so many in West Chester and Liberty Township.
Andrea Subler
Sue Cheney Program Coordinators
Christmas & Back to School
Ongoing During School Year
Whiz Kids – Literacy Program sponsored by City Gospel Mission
Whiz Kids is a literacy-based, one-to-one tutoring and mentoring program that has been recognized as a “Best Practice Program” by the Ohio Governor’s office. We work closely with local churches and organizations as they embrace a neighborhood public elementary school, develop relationships with school administrators, and provide tutors for the children. Tutoring sessions typically occur for one hour each week during the school year. If you’d like to learn more about Whiz Kids, please contact Janean at jparsons@CityGospelMission.org.
P: In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
L: Yonder is the sea, great and wide, with living things both small and great.
P: All of them look to you to give them their food in due season.
U: Open your hand, O Lord, that we may be filled with good things!
Scripture (Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31)
Our reading comes from the book of Proverbs.
1Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?
2On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries out:
4“To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live.
22The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago.
23Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
25Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth—
26when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world’s first bits of soil.
27When he established the heavens, I was there,
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,
29when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,
31rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.
Here ends our reading. May God bless our understanding.
@Copyrighted by Rev. Dr. Troy Sybrant Sermon: “Building to Last” Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 Sunday January 14, 2018
