Exton Community Baptist Church

Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13: Do Not Become A Stumbling Block

2012-01-29T08:08:00.001-05:00

1 Corinthians 8: Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ²Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; ³but anyone who loves God is known by him.
⁴Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” ⁵Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— ⁶yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
⁷It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸“Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. ⁹But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? ¹¹So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. ¹²But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. ¹³Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Samuel 3:1-20: Speak, For Your Servant Is Listening

2012-01-15T08:34:00.000-05:00

1 Samuel 3: Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. ²At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; ³the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. ⁴Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” ⁵and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. ⁶The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” ⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. ¹⁰Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
¹¹Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. ¹²On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. ¹³For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. ¹⁴Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.” ¹⁵Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. ¹⁶But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.” ¹⁷Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” ¹⁸So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”
¹⁹As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. ²⁰And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.

For Those Who Grieve

2012-01-11T07:11:00.000-05:00

For all who grieve, please know that we stand by you and pray for you in this time of troubles. May the promises of the Lord give you strength and the support of the community of the saints give you comfort.

The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 32:27

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By God's great mercy we have been given a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. 1 Peter 1:3-4

and

The home of God is among mortals. God will dwell with them and they will be God's people. God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. Revelation 21:3-4

Let us pray together:

Eternal God, in whom we live and move and have our being, and who by your mighty power raised Jesus Christ from the dead, give us the light and life of your presence. Help us to put our trust in your wisdom and to open ourselves to the ministry of your love. Open our hearts, that we may truly hear your words of encouragement as they come to us from the Scriptures, and that by their consolation we may be lifted out of our sorrow to know that in Christ there is life eternal. Amen

A blessing before you go:

Go in peace, and may the blessing of God the Creator, Christ the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit the Comforter be with you, and remain with you now and forever. Amen

Are You Ready to Plant Your Flag?

2012-01-08T08:36:00.000-05:00

God has many surprises for us in our lives. Not long ago, in a class on the theology of romantic love, our professor stated that there are many areas in our faith where there is a great range of interpretation based on sound biblical study and interpretation. He stated that in these areas a time would come when each of us will have to decide where to plant our flag and take our personal stand (mind you, your thinking on where that is can and does shift as you mature spiritually and that's a good thing ... if uncomfortable and unsettling). Far sooner than I expected, circumstances arose where I was called upon to plant my flag and take a stand on thorny issues facing the church today. Left to my own devices, I probably would have chosen to avoid these issues, focus on more pressing matters (in my estimation), or find a way to artfully skirt the issue (I work with words for a living after all). After much prayer, Bible reading, and consultation, I planted my flag and took my stand.

There were two surprises for me in this experience. The first was that this requirement from God arrived so soon after the classroom discussion. The second was how good it felt to stated clearly, faithfully, and civilly where I stand. I am hoping this will lead to productive dialogue with the group asking the questions. If nothing else, I am now ready for these questions in the future. In either case, I will be interested to see where this leads.

Weekly Bible Verses: Mark 1:4-11: With You I Am Well Pleased

2012-01-08T08:26:00.000-05:00

Mark 1: ⁴John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Weekly Bible Verses: Luke 2:1-20: I Am Bringing You Good News of Great Joy for All the People...

2011-12-25T10:22:00.000-05:00

Luke 2: In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
⁸In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” ¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

An Evening in Song: Celebration of Belief and Belonging

2011-12-20T18:58:00.001-05:00

My memories of holiday dinners past - way, way past - are not complete without the “saying of the piece” , a mandatory performance by individual family members, the children in particular, which always followed the meal. Of all the annual performances, none comes to mind more clearly than Aunt Agnes singing “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries” year after year. After Grandad bought one of those newfangled reel to reel tape recorders, we got to hear it even more often than that.

ECBC’s Christmas concert is not your average Christmas concert. It is like an enthusiastic “saying of the piece” by our individual church family members. The interior walls of our church are painted a kind of neutral rose, so at night with the Christmas tree lit (it’s a little tipsy this year since one section was accidentally overlooked during assembly) and the house lights down, our little church is positively glowing.

First up was Andrew Henry’s annually composed for the occasion “Christmas Poem”. He always rises to the challenge of fitting his rhymes very neatly into a very eclectic meter. From there we were touched by Kathi Johnson’s singing of “Mary Did you Know?”

The musical performances included Leah Johnson on violin, some super jazzy piano playing by Sally Sorber complete with glissandos, trills, and fancy chords, and then Madeline Snyder thrilling the crowd with “O Holy Night”.

We swayed to “Calypso Lullaby” sung by our own ECBC choir, Lucy Jefferys on guitar with “Go Tell It On the Mountain”, favorite hymns sung by Holly Johnson, Dawn & Dustin Flay, and multiple generations of Hegarty women singing a Spanish song, an English song, and a just plain silly song.

Bruce Reid managed to pierce our hearts with his reading of a story about a baby and a skid row bum. Jesus liked to do that with his parables.

Wrapping it all up was Pastor Joseph Sum singing and playing guitar followed by our usual circle and blessing.

Belief and Belonging - We celebrated it here Saturday night.

Then we ate cookies.

—Marie Jones

Weekly Bible Verses: Luke 1:26-38: The Lord Is With You

2011-12-17T20:45:00.000-05:00

Luke 1: ²⁶In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. ³⁶And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28: Joy, Prayer, and Thanksgiving in ALL Circumstances

2011-12-11T07:39:00.000-05:00

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28: ¹²But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; ¹³esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. ¹⁵See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.
¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰Do not despise the words of prophets, ²¹but test everything; hold fast to what is good; ²²abstain from every form of evil.
²³May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. ²⁵Beloved, pray for us. ²⁶Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. ²⁷I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them. ²⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Seeing Your Bible Relationally

2011-12-04T08:22:00.001-05:00

Here is a view of the Bible you might find challenging, but is well worth consideration. If you take this view seriously, you'll want to spend more time with the scriptures and in discussion of the scriptures with your friends. The emphasis added to the text below is mine.

Through Scripture, the Spirit continues to bear witness to the truth of God in the person of Jesus the Christ and to bring us into personal relationship with God. The type of knowing that we may expect to experience through the Bible is relational; it is in community that we learn the truth about God. I believe God's intention for the Bible is to testify to and to anchor the continuing dialogue between God our Creator and humanity. Just as God shepherded the Bible's formation, the Holy Spirit stirs our interpretation of it, as we seek God's guidance in faith.

Donald J. Brash. The Indispensable Guide to God's Word. Cleveland, Ohio: The Pilgrim Press, 2010. p. 109

Annual Christmas Card Exchange

2011-12-03T22:26:00.001-05:00

A basket will be in the narthex again this year. Bring the cards for other church members. Save on postage and make a donation to the youth to help fund their activities.

Poinsetteas Offered for Christmas

2011-12-03T22:20:00.000-05:00

We will again be offering the chance to buy Christmas poinsettias at a cost of $5. They will remain throughout the Christmas Season and will be available for buyers to take home after worship on January 2. If you would like to buy a 6" poinsettia, please fill out the form, attach payment and give to the church office (or drop in the offering plate).

Weekly Bible Verses: Psalm 85: Steadfast Love and Faithfulness Will Meet

2011-12-03T22:01:00.001-05:00

Psalm 85: ¹Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
²You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. Selah
³You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.
⁴Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us.
⁵Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
⁶Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you?
⁷Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
⁸Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
⁹Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
¹⁰Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
¹¹Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
¹²The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
¹³Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9. I Give Thanks To My God Always

2011-11-24T07:17:00.000-05:00

1 Corinthians 1: Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, ²To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— ⁶just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— ⁷so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

ADVENT CELEBRATIONS 2011 STARTING SOON

2011-11-24T07:11:00.004-05:00

Hanging of the Green: Sunday, November 27 (Dinner @ 5pm, Service @7:00pm)

Christmas Concert "An Evening in Song": Sunday, December 18, 7:00pm

Christmas Eve "Lessons and Carols" Service: Saturday, December 24, 7:00 pm

Christmas Worship Service: Sunday 12/25/2011 @ 11:00am

Come and join us for this joyous celebration! All are welcome!

Family Bowling After Church!

2011-11-18T07:18:00.000-05:00

When: Sunday, December 4

12:30pm-3:00pm

Who: ECBC Family & Friends

Where: Palace Bowling Center, Downingtown, PA

Cost: $ 5 per Person ($ 15 maximum per family)

RSVP by: Sunday, November 27. Thanks!

Friends are Welcome!!!

Invitation to the Hanging of the Greens Service

2011-11-18T07:14:00.001-05:00

Our Hanging of the Green Service is Sunday, November 27 (First Sunday in Advent).

5:00pm..........Dinner and Making Ornaments

7:00pm..........Hanging of the Green Service

This is a beautiful service and time of sharing. Come and join us as we begin our celebration of the Advent season!

Weekly Bible Verses: Psalm 100: Make a Joyful Noise!

2011-11-18T07:09:00.000-05:00

Psalm 100: ¹Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
²Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.
³Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.
⁵For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Weekly Bible Verses: Ephesians 1:11-23: In Christ ...

2011-11-18T07:07:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 1: 11-23 ¹¹In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹²so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
¹⁵I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason ¹⁶I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. ¹⁷I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, ¹⁸so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. ²⁰God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. ²²And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 25:1-13: Keep Awake!

2011-11-05T16:28:00.000-04:00

Matthew 25: “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ²Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; ⁴but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. ⁶But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. ¹¹Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ¹²But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ ¹³Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Don't Forget to Fall Back

2011-11-05T16:23:00.002-04:00

To the members of ECBC and all our friends, don't forget to set your clocks back tonight. Remember, it's Spring Ahead and Fall Back. One hour back please so we see you in church on time.

Enjoy the blessing of an extra hour's sleep!

You Too Can Choose a Small Ministry All Your Own

2011-10-30T08:41:00.001-04:00

We American Baptists believe in the "priesthood of all believers." That means, each of us is empowered to spread the good news of the Gospels using the special gifts God has given us all. A while back, I struck upon a simply ministry concept that has proven effective, provided that I am patient and trust that God will send someone in need across my path.

I keep a Bible in my car at all time. This is a used Bible (in good shape but offered up at book sales, garage sales, etc.) I have picked up along the way. I got the idea when we purchased our most recent car and it came with a small Bible in the glove compartment. The owner of the dealership is a Christian and he considers this part of his ministry. I thought the idea was brilliant and chose a variant on that idea for myself. I started with that Bible in the glove box.

When I hear of someone in need of a Bible, I offer them the one in my car. It is a simple and effective ministry, always bringing a smile to the recipient's face and passing along the good news of God's kingdom.

So, what will you do? If you prepare yourself, God will present the opportunities. God bless you in your ministry!

Weekly Bible Verses: Luke 19:1-10: Hurry and Come Down; For I Must Stay at Your House Today

2011-10-30T08:33:00.001-04:00

He entered Jericho and was passing through it. ²A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. ⁵When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” ⁶So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. ⁷All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” ⁸Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” ⁹Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

This is also this week's passage for the sermon. Come and find out where things will go!

Reflections on Mission

2011-10-30T08:29:00.000-04:00

As I was wondering what I could write about for our newsletter, I was reminded of my upbringing in a Christian and Missionary Alliance church. As I look back, one of our main emphases was missions. Every year we had a three or four-day stint when missionaries came to speak at our church, and we pledged what we would give for the coming year. When I attended Nyack, their Bible school, a missionary spoke every Friday night. So, as a result of my background, I was pretty much sold on giving to missions. In fact, I wanted to be a missionary.

When Dean and I married, we decided to apply to be missionaries, but that didn’t pan out. However, we have always emphasized the importance of standing behind our missionaries and informing others about what they are doing. When Dean was a pastor, he sought to have missionaries speak as often as possible, and we entertained many in our home. He had a “moment with missions” every Sunday. As a result, our kids were exposed to missions. When the children’s boxes for the special offerings were passed out, they gave generously of what they had, which wasn’t much.

We review in our minds the process of preparation for Sue --- through high school. Then Eastern College … visiting her roommate’s family in Peru (she changed her minor to Spanish) … studying in France for her French major.

There was seminary and study with Wycliffe during two summers …getting a job at Valley Forge with Educational Ministries. Then came the loss of her job because of cutbacks --- what should she do then? Was it a good time to test her “call” to be a missionary? Sheila and Steve Heneise had stayed with a family in our church when on home assignment so Sheila could finish her college degree. Sue decided to go to Nicaragua to work with Sheila on educational materials.

On her return home she got a local job but was asked to work temporarily with short term volunteers at Valley Forge. The big day came --- her appointment to Nicaragua! After serving five years as the National Christian Education Coordinator for Nicaragua, she left. She was then approached to go to Cuba with Ruth Mooney to conduct classes on writing Christian educational materials. During that time she met Ramon … returned to Cuba … got married … had Katy … continued working with the writing group and taught some seminary classes.

It’s amazing how God prepares each of us to fulfill the plan He has for us. Along the way you have been a great support in helping Sue fulfill His plan for her. Thanks so much! May God bless you as you continue to follow His plan for yourself and as you reach out to others to enable them to fulfill theirs.

P. S. Although we never went overseas as missionaries, we have visited our two daughters who serve the Lord in foreign countries. What part did we play in their decision to go? What part does each of us play in our commitment to pray for and support emotionally and financially our missionaries?

Erma Hegarty (Our missionary to Cuba, Sue Hegarty's, mom

Celebrating Silent Auction Success!

2011-10-30T08:25:00.000-04:00

We are so grateful for all those who donated or purchased items, who attended the auction and celebration, or who supported the event with prayers or other financial gifts. A total of $1,820 was raised to support Sue Hegarty’s ministry (our missionary to Cuba). If you were unable to attend that evening, you are still welcome to send a financial contribution for Sue’s support to:

International Ministries

Attn: Missionary Support

PO Box 851

Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851

Please indicate on your check “Ongoing support – Sue Hegarty.” And please join in praying for the additional commitments of monthly support needed to underwrite her personalized support goal. Her support goal is currently at 78.6%. If you know of someone who might like to join Sue’s support network, please let them know how they can contribute.

Bible Verse This Week: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8: We Had Courage In Our God ...

2011-10-23T08:40:00.000-04:00

1 Thessalonians 2: You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, ²but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. ³For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, ⁴but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. ⁵As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; ⁶nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others,
⁷though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. ⁸So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

Silent Auction October 15, 2011, 6:30 pm. All Welcome

2011-10-15T08:22:00.004-04:00

Exton Community Baptist Church holds its Silent Auction in Support of Sue Hegarty's Missionary Work In Cuba At the Church This Saturday, October 15, at 6:30 pm. Among the items to be auctioned are:

Home and Office:
- Armoire (Double door pine)
- Bookcase
- Candlesticks – handmade in Austria
- Cedar Chest
- Ceramic Angels (set of 2)
- Chair (pink upholstered)
- Chair (red skirted)
- Coffee Table Books by Jeff Snyder (two editions)
- Coffee Table Book – National Geographic Journeys of a Lifetime
- Desk
- Oil Paintings (selection of 5
- Quilt - Full Size
- Quilted Wall Hanging "Three Wise Men"
- Receiving Blanket & Crocheted Rabbit
- Reed & Barton 115 piece flatware (service for 12)
- White Wingback Chairs (set of 2

Health and Beauty
- Floris Nails, Exton – gift certificate
- Longaberger Purse (1996)
- Mary Kay “Satin Hands” Set
- Poncho – White, made in Ecuador
- Salon Da Spa, Exton – gift certificate
- Wrap – Red, made in Ecuador
- Wrap – Blue & Black, handmade in Ecuador
- Fun Activities
- Children’s storybook – “Michal and the New Baby”
- Gilbert & Sullivan DVD Set
- Restaurants & Food
- Bakers of Buffington – gift certificate
- Bob Evans – dessert coupons
- Coventry Tea Room, Pottstown – gift certificate
And much more.

Checks and cash only accepted for this event! Come ready to bid. The items are well worth the effort and the cause even more so. We hope to see you there.

A Celebration for Sue Hegarty

American Baptist missionary serving in Cuba

Sponsored by “The Cuba Connection”

Sue’s Missionary Partnership Team

WHAT: An opportunity to meet Sue Hegarty, learn what God is doing in Cuba, and participate in a Silent Auction to raise funds to support her ministry.

WHERE: Exton Community Baptist Church

114 East Swedesford Road, Exton, PA 19341

WHEN: Saturday, October 15, 2011

6:30 pm – Silent Auction, Refreshments and Fellowship

7:30 pm – Program and Auction Results

A free-will offering will be received for Sue’s ministry.

Anxiety, Worry, and Fretfulness, Oh My!

2011-10-09T08:08:00.000-04:00

Do not be anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6)

Quite a few Christians live in a terrible state of anxiety, constantly fretting over the concerns of life. The secret to living in perfect peace amid the hectic pace of daily life is one well worth knowing. What good has worry every accomplished? It has never made anyone stronger, helped anyone do God's will, or provided for anyone a way to escape out of their anxiety or confusion. Worry only destroys the effectiveness of lives that would otherwise be useful and beautiful. Being restless and having worries and cares are absolutely forbidden by our Lord, who said, "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (Matt. 6:31). He does not mean that we are not to think ahead or that our life should never have a plan or pattern to it. He simply means that we are not to worry about these things.

People will know that you live in a constant state of anxiety by the lines on your face, the tone of your voice, your negative attitude, and the lace of joy in your spirit. So scale the heights of a life abandoned to God, and your perspective will change to the point that you will look down on the clouds beneath your feet. Darlow Sargeant

It is a sign of weakness to always worry and fret, question everything, and mistrust everyone. Can anything be gained by it? Don't we only make ourselves unfit for action, and separate our minds from the ability to make wise decisions? We simply sink in our struggles when we could float by faith.

Oh, for the grace to be silent! Oh, to "be still, and know that [Jehovah] is God" (Ps. 46:10)! "The Holy One of Israel" (Ps. 89:18) will defend and deliver [God's] own. We can be sure that [God's] every word will stand forever, even though the mountains may fall into the sea. [God] deserves our total confidence. So come, my soul, return to your place of peace, and rest within the sweet embrace of the Lord Jesus. selected

Excerpt from Streams in the Desert: 366 Daily Devotional Readings. L.B. Cowan. Jim Reimann, ed.

Weekly Bible Verses: Philippians 4: 1-13: Rejoice in the Lord Always

2011-10-09T07:47:00.000-04:00

Philippians 4: Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. ²I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. ⁴Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ⁵Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
¹⁰I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. ¹²I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. ¹³I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Bible Verses This Week: Matthew 21:33-43: Parable About Jesus

2011-10-02T08:31:00.000-04:00

Matthew 21: ³³“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. ³⁴When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. ³⁵But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. ³⁶Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. ³⁷Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” ³⁹So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. ⁴⁰Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” ⁴¹They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” ⁴²Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? ⁴³Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. ⁴⁴The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” ⁴⁵When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. ⁴⁶They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

Crop Walk 2011: If You Can't Walk, You Can Donate Canned Goods!

2011-10-02T08:25:00.002-04:00

DOWNINGTOWN COMMUNITY CROP WALK

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2011, 2:00 PM

If you wish to be involved in some way, but aren't part of one of the participating churches, you can drop off canned goods at the gathering site for the Crop Walk, Central Presbyterian Church on Rt. 113 in Downingtown, PA.

This is the 25th anniversary of the Downingtown CROP Walk. Our walk benefits local neighborhood food cupboards including the Lord’s Pantry, the Emergency Food Cupboard of Coatesville, Steeple to People in Honeybrook, the Deacon’s Pantry in Frazer, and the Salvation Army in West Chester. In addition, through Church World Service, the walk provides relief to famine-stricken areas worldwide to those desperate to obtain food and water for their families. Last year 440 walkers from 27 churches and high schools participated in our community CROP Walk raising an all-time record of $30,208.

Weekly Bible Verses: Ezekiel 18:1-32: They Shall Surely Live

2011-09-25T09:29:00.000-04:00

Ezekiel 18: The word of the Lord came to me: ²What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? ³As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. ⁴Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die. ⁵If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right— ⁶if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period, ⁷does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, ⁸does not take advance or accrued interest, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between contending parties, ⁹follows my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances, acting faithfully—such a one is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord God.
¹⁰If he has a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, ¹¹who does any of these things (though his father does none of them), who eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife, ¹²oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, ¹³takes advance or accrued interest; shall he then live? He shall not. He has done all these abominable things; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself. ¹⁴But if this man has a son who sees all the sins that his father has done, considers, and does not do likewise, ¹⁵who does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, ¹⁶does not wrong anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, ¹⁷withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no advance or accrued interest, observes my ordinances, and follows my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live. ¹⁸As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, he dies for his iniquity. ¹⁹Yet you say, “Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?” When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. ²⁰The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be his own.
²¹But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die. ²²None of the transgressions that they have committed shall be remembered against them; for the righteousness that they have done they shall live. ²³Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live? ²⁴But when the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die. ²⁵Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? ²⁶When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. ²⁷Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. ²⁸Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. ²⁹Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
³⁰Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. ³¹Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? ³²For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.

Sermon for 9/18

2011-09-23T15:51:00.000-04:00

Pastor Joseph Sum - 9/18 Sermon

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 20: 1-16: The Last Will Be First ...

2011-09-18T08:20:00.000-04:00

Matthew 20: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ²After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. ³When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; ⁴and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. ⁵When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. ⁶And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ ⁷They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ ⁸When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ ⁹When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. ¹⁰Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. ¹¹And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, ¹²saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ ¹³But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? ¹⁴Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. ¹⁵Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ ¹⁶So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

2011 Central Union Association Rally

2011-09-18T08:15:00.000-04:00

Sunday, October 16 - 3:00-6:00 PM

Octorara High School Auditorium

228 Highland Avenue, Atglen, PA
Tickets: $5.00

Featuring Concert by “Point of Grace” and Message by Author Bob Lenz

Community CROP Walk to End Hunger, Sunday, October 2, 2011

2011-09-18T08:13:00.000-04:00

Crop Walkers Gathering

Community CROP Walk

Help in the Fight against Hunger

Statistics of those who suffer from hunger are staggering:

Of the 7 billion people in the world, an estimated 925 million suffer from hunger, 13.1 %, or almost 1 in 7.
Food pantries and soup kitchens served more than 37 million Americans, according to Feeding America's 2010 hunger study. This figure is up 46% from 2006.
The latest USDA report indicates that 10% of Pennsylvania households experienced food insecurity at some point in the last 12 months.

We can help in the fight against hunger. How? One step at a time! Take that next step by participating in the upcoming CROP Walk! Join with hundreds of caring friends and neighbors from our local community in a fundraising walk to help in the fight against hunger. Make a real difference in the lives of the needy here in central Chester County and worldwide. Together, we can lessen their burden.

Consider participating in this year’s CROP Walk! Support the walk with your generous donation. Food and water – you can help ensure there’s enough for all – one step at a time.

DOWNINGTOWN COMMUNITY CROP WALK

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2011, 2:00 PM

The 4.5 mile walk follows the Struble Trail in Downingtown. It begins and ends at Central Presbyterian Church on Rt. 113. Walk only as far as you are able. Walkers of all ages are encouraged to participate. Refreshments are served after the walk.

Beverlee Everett is the CROP Walk recruiter spearheading our church’s promotion and participation. Sign up with her today!

“He who gives to the poor honors God.” Proverbs 14:31

It's a beautiful walk for a beautiful cause! Join us!

Silent Auction to Support ECBC's Missionary to Cuba!

2011-09-18T08:08:00.001-04:00

A Celebration for Sue Hegarty

American Baptist missionary serving in Cuba

Sponsored by “The Cuba Connection”

Sue’s Missionary Partnership Team

WHAT: An opportunity to meet Sue Hegarty,

learn what God is doing in Cuba, and participate in a Silent

Auction to raise funds to support her ministry.

WHERE: Exton Community Baptist Church

114 East Swedesford Road, Exton, PA 19341

WHEN: Saturday, October 15, 2011

6:30 pm – Silent Auction, Refreshments and Fellowship

7:30 pm – Program and Auction Results

A free-will offering will be received for Sue’s ministry.

Prayers for All Who Suffer in the Wake of 9/11/01

2011-09-11T08:12:00.001-04:00

Today we remember all who were lost on that terrible day ten years ago. We remember all the heroes who struggled hard to save lives in the hours that followed and who worked on to retrieve those lost for their families. We remember those heroes who have fallen in the years since, having selflessly breathed in the toxic dusts swirling around the World Trade Center debris. We remember the families and friends of all the fallen, who grieve in their absence and struggle with this dark anniversary. We pray for you all and stand with you in your struggles.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4

Let us pray together:

Merciful God, comfort us as we face the valley of the shadow of death. Lift our eyes from the dark depths to the hills from whence help comes. aid us to see your light, that it may be for us a light upon the path and a lamp upon the way until we come into the fullness of your presence, where there is no shadow or hiding. Amen

Rally Day: September 11, 2011

2011-09-11T07:52:00.000-04:00

Here's a little reminder of a change in our church schedule. Summer is over and summer hours are put away for another year. Here's what happens today:

Refreshments will be available at 9:30AM to jump start Sunday School Rally Day. There will be juices, bagels and donuts to be set up in Narthex. Sunday worship will begin at 11:00AM .

If you have never been to ECBC before and wish to visit, stop on by. You will be most welcome.

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 18: 21-35: How Often Should I Forgive?

2011-09-11T07:45:00.000-04:00

Matthew 18:²¹Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” ²²Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. ²³“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁴When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; ²⁵and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. ²⁶So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ ²⁷And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. ²⁸But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ ²⁹Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ ³⁰But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. ³¹When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. ³²Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. ³⁵So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Weekly Bible Verses: Romans 13:8-14: Love Is the Fulfilling of the Law

2011-09-04T12:56:00.001-04:00

Romans 13: ⁸Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. ⁹The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
¹¹Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; ¹²the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; ¹³let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Who Will Help Me Interpret the Bible?

2011-09-02T07:17:00.003-04:00

Acts 8:27-31: Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship ²⁸and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” ³⁰So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?”

The library of books composing the Bible, with texts spanning thousands of years, can get complicated. Jumping right in with no one to help you can leave you feeling like the Ethiopian court official trying to understand the book of Isaiah. This is especially true if you are new to the faith, rather than someone who was raised in the church and become familiar with the Bible's contents through Sunday school, sermons, Bible studies, and more. Here are a few sources that will help.

To begin with, you might want to pick up a Bible paraphrase. This brings the Bible to you in an abbreviated format with language that is easily understood. This will give you a grounding in what the various authors of the Bible's 66 books are telling you.

From there you can take up a study Bibles. I have two: a New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) called the Annotated Study Bible and the New International Version (NIV) Archaeological Study Bible. (Don't worry about NRSV & NIV for now. Those are different translations and something to worry about much further down the road.) These will provide you with text at the beginning of each book setting the scene, telling you who was writing, who the audience was, when it was written, and under what circumstances. Notes throughout the text will help explain various passages. If you have a computer, you can try the GLO Study Bible, which includes many photos, encyclopedic references, and videos. It is a great browsing Bible.

Now, when you are deeply involved with your Bible, you can also call on Bible Commentaries for help. These are books that explain the passages of books of the Bible from a scholarly point of view. Using these is like having Phillip run up to you and ask "Do you understand what you are reading" and then sitting with you and explaining the passages in detail. You can find many good Bible commentaries in bookstores and online. You may find some very old Commentaries (scholars have been writing commentaries for thousands of years) online for free. Highly favored among these are Matthew Henry's commentaries (written in the early 1700s), which are lively and approachable. Good luck with your exploration of the Bible. Through the Bible God speaks to us most directly. I hope you have a wonderful encounter with God today!

Weekly Bible Verses: Psalm 105: Seek the Lord and His Strength

2011-08-27T07:49:00.000-04:00

Psalm 105¹O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.
²Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.
³Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
⁴Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually.
⁵Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
⁶O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
⁷He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
⁸He is mindful of his covenant forever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
⁹the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,
¹⁰which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
¹¹saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.”
¹²When they were few in number, of little account, and strangers in it,
¹³wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people,
¹⁴he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account,
¹⁵saying, “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”
¹⁶When he summoned famine against the land, and broke every staff of bread,
¹⁷he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron;
¹⁹until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord kept testing him.
²⁰The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free.
²¹He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions,
²²to instruct his officials at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.
²³Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
²⁴And the Lord made his people very fruitful, and made them stronger than their foes,
²⁵whose hearts he then turned to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.
²⁶He sent his servant Moses, and Aaron whom he had chosen.
²⁷They performed his signs among them, and miracles in the land of Ham.
²⁸He sent darkness, and made the land dark; they rebelled against his words.
²⁹He turned their waters into blood, and caused their fish to die.
³⁰Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings.
³¹He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country.
³²He gave them hail for rain, and lightning that flashed through their land.
³³He struck their vines and fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country.
³⁴He spoke, and the locusts came, and young locusts without number;
³⁵they devoured all the vegetation in their land, and ate up the fruit of their ground.
³⁶He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the first issue of all their strength.
³⁷Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold, and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.
³⁸Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it.
³⁹He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light by night.
⁴⁰They asked, and he brought quails, and gave them food from heaven in abundance.
⁴¹He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river.
⁴²For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant.
⁴³So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing.
⁴⁴He gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,
⁴⁵that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the Lord!

Church Cancelled August 28, 2011 Due to Hurricane Irene

2011-08-27T07:41:00.002-04:00

Exton Community Baptist Church will be closed tomorrow due to the expected hazardous travel conditions and potential damage caused by the hurricane. ECBC asks everyone to stay safe during this weather event.

Our prayers go out to all who have been and will be impacted by the hurricane.

There are several sermons online here as podcasts now if you wish to worship this Sunday even though the church doors are closed. Simply click on the label (on the right side of the blog page) sermons or podcasts and you will be able to choose a message for the day.

Weekly Bible Verses: Romans 12:1-8: We, Who Are Many, Are One Body in Christ

2011-08-21T08:11:00.001-04:00

Romans 12: I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ²Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. ³For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, ⁵so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. ⁶We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ⁷ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; ⁸the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Sunday sermon now available for download.

2011-08-20T00:13:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the delay this week. We ran into some audio issues, but God's word did not go unheard, even without Pastor Sum's lapel microphone listening in.

August 14 Service (Full)

Prayers for All Who Attended the Indiana State Fair Yesterday

2011-08-14T09:04:00.000-04:00

Our prayers go out to the people of Indiana and all who attended the Indiana State Fair yesterday. A storm rose up, high winds developed, and the stage collapsed. Over forty people are known hospitalized and four dead at this time. God bless all those who rushed forward to help in this time of tragedy. We stand with you all in this difficult moment.

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 15: 10-28: Speak with Care

2011-08-14T09:01:00.000-04:00

¹⁰Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: ¹¹it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” ¹²Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” ¹³He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” ¹⁵But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” ¹⁶Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? ¹⁸But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. ¹⁹For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”
²¹Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²²Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” ²³But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” ²⁴He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Pastor Joseph Sum - August 7, 2011

2011-08-10T21:46:00.001-04:00

The sermon from August 7, 2011 is now available for download or streaming online!

Children's Sermon for 8/7

Sermon for 8/7

A Word From Our Missionary to Cuba

2011-08-09T06:47:00.000-04:00

The need for Jesus Christ in Cuba is great. Only a small number of people know, really know, because they have attended church and read the Bible, what God offers us: divine love, salvation and life transformation.

There is such a mixture of beliefs presented in Cuba. Some people believe in nothing, except that the Communist Party will provide for them. Others believe in Afro-Cuban gods, keeping statues in their homes surrounded by glasses of water, candles and other offerings. Many people are superstitious and put a lot of stock in “luck” and try a little bit of everything.

Yet God does speak powerfully through Cuban Christians as they share what God had done in their lives. In one church where I visited, I was sent to the home of a prominent member of the community for dinner. Their home was quite luxurious by Cuban standards and the father of the home shared some of his testimony with me. He had been a worshipper of Afro-Cuban deities, made a nice living selling things on the side of his regular job and had many women chasing after him (despite being married). After his wife became a Christian, the local church members began praying for his salvation. He believes that God gave him a nightmare early one morning (he was being pulled into darkness by the spiritist deities); he ended up running to the church’s 5 a.m. prayer and fasting meeting where the pastor challenged him with the gospel. After spending the day shaking in fear, he finally accepted Christ that afternoon and threw away all of the spiritism statues, etc. in the house. His wife attests to his dramatic lifestyle change, especially in family relations. But the greatest impact is his testimony to the local community, where he now participates actively in the church.

Through your support [anyone can support the good works of ABC USA missionaries throughout the world], I was able to exhort this small church to continue to reach out in Christ’s name and spread the news of God’s love and salvation. Their pastor, too, had been trained by the Baptist Seminary where I serve on the faculty. I was also able to lend a sympathetic and encouraging ear to the pastor’s wife who works tirelessly with few amenities in her home. (She had led this man’s wife to faith in the Lord.) Your support reaches out through me and others in Cuba in training, encouragement, mentoring and witnessing for God’s glory.

Sue Hegarty

Welcome Pastor Joseph T. Sum!

2011-08-07T08:43:00.000-04:00

This week the congregation of Exton Community Baptist Church is very pleased to welcome our new pastor, Pastor Joseph T. Sum, to our community of faith. We look forward to his leadership. We look forward to his message today and in all the weeks to come as well.

If you have never been to ECBC and find yourself in the area, consider yourself invited to worship with us and share our joy today.

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 14: 22-33: He Came Walking Toward Them On the Sea

2011-08-06T20:31:00.000-04:00

Matthew 14: ²²Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. ²⁵And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. ²⁶But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. ²⁷But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” ²⁸Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” ²⁹He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³²When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

ECBC is now streaming online!

2011-08-06T12:19:00.003-04:00

ECBC's Sunday service is now available online for streaming!

Minister: Jeff Snyder

Children's Sermon for 7/31
Sermon for 7/31

Weekly Bible Verses: Genesis 32: 3-31: Wrestling with God

2011-07-29T06:54:00.000-04:00

Genesis 32: ³Jacob sent messengers before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, ⁴instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have lived with Laban as an alien, and stayed until now; ⁵and I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male and female slaves; and I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’“ ⁶The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” ⁷Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies, ⁸thinking, “If Esau comes to the one company and destroys it, then the company that is left will escape.”
⁹And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good,’ ¹⁰I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. ¹¹Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children. ¹²Yet you have said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number.’“
¹³So he spent that night there, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, ¹⁴two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, ¹⁵thirty milch camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. ¹⁶These he delivered into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me, and put a space between drove and drove.” ¹⁷He instructed the foremost, “When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ ¹⁸then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob; they are a present sent to my lord Esau; and moreover he is behind us.’“ ¹⁹He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you meet him, ²⁰and you shall say, ‘Moreover your servant Jacob is behind us.’“ For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterwards I shall see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” ²¹So the present passed on ahead of him; and he himself spent that night in the camp. ²²The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ²³He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.
²⁴Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. ²⁵When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. ²⁶Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” ²⁷So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” ²⁸Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” ²⁹Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. ³⁰So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” ³¹The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

This week, ECBC's own seminarian, Jeff Snyder, will be preaching on these verses. The sermon will be God Stays with You in the Struggle. Jeff's sermon caps off a very interesting series of guest ministers preaching from the ECBC pulpit in June and July, prior to the arrival of Rev. Joseph T. Sum in the first week of August. Jeff is pleased to be providing this final message in the series.

Is Spllenig Imptorent?

2011-07-24T07:46:00.000-04:00

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprnoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteres are at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

Now if that made sense to you, wouldn't joining us Sunday morning at Exton Community Baptist Church make even more sense?

You are invited to come and worship with us. We hope to see you soon. You are most welcome here!

Thanks to Barley Sheaf Players in Lionville, PA, for this brilliant text.

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 13: 31-52: The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like a Mustard Seed

2011-07-24T07:31:00.000-04:00

Matthew 13: ³¹He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; ³²it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” ³³He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” ³⁴Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. ³⁵This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.” ³⁶Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” ³⁷He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, ³⁹and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, ⁴²and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!
⁴⁴“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ⁴⁵“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; ⁴⁶on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. ⁴⁷“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; ⁴⁸when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. ⁴⁹So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous ⁵⁰and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁵¹“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” ⁵²And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

The Existence of Evil

2011-07-19T06:45:00.001-04:00

There are some very important messages here on the subject of evil that will help reframe the issue in life ... and in the Bible. Take a look.

Registration Time Has Begun for Vacation Bible School

2011-07-18T06:52:00.001-04:00

Children attending ECBC's August vacation Bible school will learn to Fully Rely On God (F.R.O.G.) from the people who did it in the past. We’ll learn about David, Esther, Daniel, Mary, and Jesus and how you can be a hero or heroine for God today! Of course we will have fun games, crafts and snacks, too.

We will see you at Vacation Bible School from 6:30 to 8 pm on August 21st to 25^th (Sunday toThursday)! Registration forms are now available. Contact the church secretary to receive your registration form.

Summer Hot Dogs ... and Volley Ball ... Back On the Menu. You're Invited!

2011-07-17T08:47:00.000-04:00

Join us tonight at 6:00 PM Wednesday evenings for our weekly fellowship and fun at Exton Community Baptist Church.

Hot dogs are provided, bring a dish to pass.

If you don't have time to make something, we always need drinks, or make a donation for the dogs.

If enough of the volley ball inclined sort show up, we'll have volley ball ... church volley ball rather than competitive that is. We have the equipment, the court, we just need you!!!

Weekly Bible Verses: Genesis 28: 10-19: Know That I Am With You

2011-07-17T08:37:00.000-04:00

Genesis 28: ¹⁰Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran.¹¹He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place.¹²And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.¹³And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring;¹⁴and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring.¹⁵Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
¹⁶Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!”¹⁷And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”¹⁸So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.¹⁹He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first.

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 13: 1-23: The Sower and the Seeds

2011-07-09T20:19:00.000-04:00

Matthew 13: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. ²Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. ³And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. ⁴And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. ⁶But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. ⁷Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹Let anyone with ears listen!” ¹⁰Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹²For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ¹³The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ ¹⁴With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: ‘You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. ¹⁵For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.’ ¹⁶But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it. ¹⁸“Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. ²⁰As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. ²²As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. ²³But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

For Those Who Mourn

2011-07-02T10:04:00.000-04:00

It has been a difficult few weeks at ECBC. We have lost several much loved congregants. We mourn their passing. We stand with the families of these beloved members in their time of grief. Offered here are biblical messages of comfort and hope that are the at the strong foundation of our faith, followed by a prayer.

"The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms." (Deuteronomy 33:27)

"The home of God is among mortals. God will dwell with them and they will be God's people. God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4)

Let us pray:
Eternal Spirit, before whom the generations rise and pass away, even in the presence of death our first words to you are in praise for your unnumbered mercies. For the memory of loved ones now departed, we praise you. For their victories of character over trial, of courage over difficulty, of faith over sorrow, we give you thanks, and for all those who have done justly, loved mercy, and walked humbly with their God, we sing joyfully to you. Grant us now this same joyful thanksgiving as we remember our friends, and give to us that sure knowledge that you have won the victory over death in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 11: 16-30: I Will Give You Rest

2011-07-02T09:37:00.001-04:00

Matthew 11: ¹⁶“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ¹⁷‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ ¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; ¹⁹the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” ²⁰Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done, because they did not repent. ²¹“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²²But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.”
²⁵At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; ²⁶yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. ²⁷All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ²⁸“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13: What Is Love?

2011-06-18T09:50:00.000-04:00

1 Corinthians 13: If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ²And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
⁴Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. ⁷It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
⁸Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. ⁹For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; ¹⁰but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. ¹¹When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. ¹²For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. ¹³And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

So, Where Do We Find Joy? Neville Peter - Jesus, You are the Center of my Joy - Praise Medley

2011-06-16T07:06:00.001-04:00

The apostle Paul wrote that Jesus is the source of all joy. Unlike happiness, joy is available to us whether we are healthy or sick, weak or strong, and it is highly contagious. Joy works best when freely given. Then it returns in abundance ... like love. Enjoy the song, which points to the source of joy ... and then take up Jesus' personal invitation to you ... "Follow me." Follow the source of joy today so that you may spread joy now and always. God bless you.

What Joy (Psalm 146) by Generation Church

2011-06-16T06:56:00.001-04:00

An exploration of joy in song based on Psalm 146. Turn to God, who holds joy in the palm of God's hand and Jesus, the source of joy. Spread joy wherever you go and you will have joy. God bless you. Wishing you joy today and always.

Who Are American Baptists? American Baptist Churches USA Serving as the Hands and Feet of Christ

2011-06-12T13:00:00.001-04:00

Here is a short video that will introduce you to the American Baptist Churches USA denomination, of which Exton Community Baptist Church is a member. We invite you to watch this and to join us if you feel God call you in our direction.

Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 12:3-13: Gifts for Everyone

2011-06-09T07:06:00.000-04:00

1 Corinthians 12: 3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. ⁴Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; ⁶and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ⁷To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
¹²For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

ECBC VBS Coming in August

2011-06-09T06:51:00.000-04:00

Mark your calendars. Your children are invited. We will run our summer Vacation Bible School (VBS) from 6:30 to 8 pm on August 21st to 25^th! We hope to see you at the church in Exton, Pennsylvania.

ECBC's Seminarian Returns

2011-06-09T06:48:00.003-04:00

Jeff Snyder has returned from nine months senior theological field education at Grace Baptist Church of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. Now all of his field education experiences are complete (two at Grace Baptist and one at Tel Hai Retirement Community). He will finish his seminary education next year, graduating in the spring of 2012.

Jeff is pleased to announce his research paper, "Joy in Evangelism," has been published as a scholarly, peer-reviewed article in Witness, the Journal of the Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education."Communicating joy, and joyfully communicating, should be integral to evangelical witness in the twenty-first century. Both the methods of Jesus and those of the clown show just how joy may be conveyed in evangelism."

Where Is God When We Suffer?

2011-06-09T06:37:00.000-04:00

In times of trouble, all of us who have faith have wondered at one time or another where God is during our struggles and our pain. Philip Yancey addresses that thorny question well in his popular book Where Is God When It Hurts? On pages 278-279, Yancey states:

Where is God when it hurts?
He has been there from the beginning, designing a pain system that, even in the midst of a fallen world, still bears the stamp of his genius and equips us for life on this planet.
He transforms pain, using it to teach and strengthen us, if we allow it to turn us toward him.
With great restraint, he watches this rebellious planet live on, in mercy allowing the human project to continue in its self-guided way.
He lets us cry out, like Job, in loud fits of anger against him, blaming him for a world we spoiled.
He allies himself with the poor and suffering, founding a kingdom tilted in their favor. He stoops to conquer.
He promises supernatural help to nourish the spirit, even if our physical suffering goes unrelieved.
He has joined us. He has hurt and bled and cried and suffered. He has dignified for all time those who suffer, by sharing their pain.
He is with us now, ministering to us through his Spirit and through members of his body who are commissioned to bear us up and relieve our suffering for the sake of the head.
He is waiting, gathering the armies of good. One day he will unleash them, and the world will see one last terrifying moment of suffering before the full victory is ushered in. Then, God will create for us a new, incredible world. And pain shall be no more.

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'
'Where, O death, is your victory?'

'Where, O death, is your sting?' " (1 Corinthians: 15-51-55)

Take heart, all who suffer. You are not alone in your pain. You are never alone in this world, even though your suffering seems to isolate you. God is always with you. We who believe stand with you and pray for you in your struggle.

Weekly Bible Verses:John 17:1-11: I Glorify You ...

2011-06-05T08:35:00.000-04:00

John 17After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, ²since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. ⁵So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.
⁶”I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; ⁸for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. ¹⁰All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.
¹¹And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

Are There Different Ways to Read the Bible?

2011-06-05T08:33:00.000-04:00

Yes. There are three models (ways) to read and interpret the Bible. Which model you use will profoundly impact upon your understanding of the Bible and how you relate to the Scriptures ... and to others.

The possibilities:

Inerrant: God Spoke the Words and They Were Written Down Exactly

General Inspiration: Humans Were Inspired Like Shakespeare Was Inspired and Wrote the Bible Stories. God Was Not Involved.

Infallible (or Incarnational): The Bible Was Fully Inspired by God and Written by People.

The possibilities explained:

Inerrant: At the Chicago meeting in October 1978, the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy issued the following statement on inerrancy: ‘Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching, no less in what it states about God’s acts in creation, about the events of world history, and about its own literary origins under God, than in its witness to God’s saving grace in individual lives’ (James Montgomery Boice, Does Inerrancy Matter?, Oakland: International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, 1979, p. 13.)”

General Inspiration: The Bible was written by people and for people. These writers wrote very well and were inspired by the muses, much as a novelist is inspired. God was not involved directly in the writing. The Bible is a fully human endeavor.

Inspired: Scripture is inspired by God and was written in sixty-six books by human beings over many centuries. The scriptures are infallible in all they have to tell us about God, God’s attributes, and God’s interaction with humanity. However, written by fallible humans, the books of the Bible are limited in their cultural, historical, and scientific scope as each was written in a particular time, place, and culture. Therefore, the Bible must speak in the language and with the understanding of those peoples at those times. However, through the Holy Spirit, the Bible transcends its human limitations, crossing cultural and historical barriers to bring us God’s message today.

What Is the Bible?

2011-05-31T07:07:00.000-04:00

We continue our occasional series answering questions about the Christian faith for all who are curious and/or seeking a faith of their own. Today, we delve into the Bible, that library of 66 books covering multiple genres (including Law, History, Wisdom, Poetry, Gospel, Epistles, Prophecy, and Apocalyptic Literature) that is the foundational document of our faith. This will be a fairly long blog post as the Bible is many things.

- The Bible, comprised of the Old and New Testament canons, is at the core of Christian belief.
- Through the scriptures, God speaks to us most directly.
- At times a passage, enlivened by the Holy Spirit, will speak to us in a way it never has before.
- Reading and rereading scripture also provides valuable insights as to our place in God’s plan.
- With these insights, we are changed from individuals seeking our personal interests into God’s servants, more concerned with our neighbors than ourselves.
Is that all?
- No, there's more ...
- It is through Scripture we learn most fully who God is and what God has done in the long history of humanity.
- In the Old Testament, we learn God created from the small tribe of Israel a missionary people destined to show what it means to be followers of the one true God and to strive to honor God in both actions and beliefs.
- In the New Testament, we learn of God’s great mercy and saving grace from the narrative of Jesus’ entry into human history. We learn of Jesus’ fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
- In the New Testament, we also gain an understanding of the struggles of the early Christian church and the ultimate destiny of humanity.
- God’s revelation of God’s-self through the written Word.
- Through Jesus we best know God and through the Bible we best know Jesus.
- The Bible must be used in its entirety to be understood well ... both Old and New Testaments are needed.
- God is moving throughout the Bible, from beginning to end. John opens by telling us Jesus “the Word” was there at the beginning and everything was created through Jesus. God’s Holy Spirit makes an appearance in creation, guides Jesus through his life, and upon Jesus’ ascension begins the Christian church by filling the apostles with Spirit. The Holy Spirit also inspired every Bible writer. Today, through Scripture we know we all have access to the same Spirit, to salvation through Jesus, and to God the creator who is personal and continues to work in our lives. All of this is captured in Scripture.
I've heard some Bible texts are contradictory to each other. Is that true? No, and here's why:
- Each and every author in the Bible is writing for a particular people in a particular time facing a particular set of issues.
- No two authors will ever approach the same material in the same way.
- Each will choose to stress different aspects of a story to make the point that author needs to make for that author’s particular readership.
- Also, each author will speak in the language and using the references of his/her age.
Finally, the Bible is a miracle.

The chief archaeologist of Colonial Williamsburg for many years, Ivor Noel Hume, states that 90% of everything created by humanity in the last 300 years has been destroyed. In that light, the Bible, whose first books were written roughly 4000 years ago (c. 2000 BC), have survived against staggering odds. That is miraculous.

Weekly Bible Verses: Acts 17:22-31: The Unknown God

2011-05-28T07:52:00.000-04:00

Acts 17:²²Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. ²³For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, ²⁵nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. ²⁶From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, ²⁷so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. ²⁸For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ ²⁹Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. ³⁰While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Prayers for All Who Suffer

2011-05-27T06:52:00.000-04:00

In these troubled times, our prayers go out to all who are suffering from disasters, natural and of human origins. We stand with you in your suffering.

Father of Our Missionary Reflects

2011-05-27T06:49:00.000-04:00

As the “Father of the Bride”, I have been largely pleased with what my “little pizza pie” (my favorite name for Sue when she was a baby) has accomplished in Cuba under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Often working under pressure and in adverse circumstances because of numerous inconveniences and lack of communication tools, along with the poor mode of travel to get where you want to go, she has done well.

Leading a group of Christian writers and editorial workers in producing Sunday School and youth materials despite the foregoing handicaps has been a challenge but greatly rewarding. This important project has been highly successful because lessons written by another country just don’t fit the need, because of the differences in culture. Even getting the lessons printed has been a problem because of the lack of resources there.

Her other contribution to the Christian cause has been off-and-on teaching at the Seminary. Besides teaching courses in Christian Education, she has taught a number of courses on Greek, a real challenge to students with little experience studying other languages. Reports we have gotten from the academic and theological community have given high praise for her work there…..and all of this while carrying out the role of a pastor’s wife and a mother in the home.

Please continue to pray for her future involvement in ministry, and if you are led to give regularly, please do so!

--Dean Hegarty

Summer Hours for Worship at ECBC

2011-05-27T06:44:00.000-04:00

Sunday school: 9:00 AM

Sunday worship will begin at 10:00 AM effective June 19.

We will return to our Fall/Winter schedule effective September 11.

All are invited to come and worship with us.

Summer Sunday School Offerings for Adults: All Are Welcome

2011-05-27T06:41:00.000-04:00

Effective June 19, Adult Sunday School will begin at 9:00AM for a 50 minute class. Two different classes will be offered:

Class A – Fundamental practices of the Christian faith. Prayer, scripture study, church membership, outreach and how they are contrasted with those of other faiths.

Class B – A study of Old and New Testament verses.

Come and join these summer explorations of the Christian faith.

Press Release: New Pastor Called to ECBC

2011-05-27T06:31:00.001-04:00

On May 1, 2011, the congregation of Exton Community Baptist Church, Exton, PA called Joseph T. Sum to serve as their pastor beginning August 1, 2011.

Pastor Sum received his Master of Divinity from Palmer Theological Seminary in May 2010. He also earned a Master of Education from Eastern University. For the past three years, he has served in local church ministry in mainline Philadelphia. Previously, he served for several years as Missionary in Residence for the American Baptist Churches of Vermont and New Hampshire. Pastor Sum was born in Myanmar (formerly Burma).

He is married to Anna, who is currently working as a nurse for a local rehabilitation and long term care center. Anna is a graduate of Eastern University with a Master of Science in Health Services.

Pastor Sum is excited to serve God with a congregation that cares deeply about being the body of Christ in the Exton community and beyond. He is committed to preaching, teaching, pastoral care, family ministry, missions and leading the congregation in their commitment to share the love of God in Jesus Christ both locally and globally.

You are invited to join us as we welcome our new pastor ... AND every Sunday

Who Is Jesus?

2011-05-25T07:13:00.002-04:00

No one description can adequately sum up who Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior, etc. is to the faithful. Whole books have been written on the subject, along with the Bible texts of course. However, Henri Nouwen, in this devotional book, Bread for the Journey, gives admirable insight into one facet of Jesus. On page 63, he states,

“Jesus, the Blessed One, is gentle. Even though he speaks with great fervor and biting criticism against all forms of hypocrisy and is not afraid to attack deception, vanity, manipulation, and oppression, his heart is a gentle heart. He won’t break the crushed reed or snuff the faltering wick (see Matthew 12:20). He responds to people’s suffering, heals their wounds, and offers courage to the fainthearted.

Jesus came to bring good news to the poor, sight to the blind, and freedom to prisoners (see Luke 4:18-19) in all he says, and thus he reveals God’s immense compassion. As his followers, we are called to the same gentleness.”

Christians are to follow Jesus' example, approaching the world with Jesus' gentle heart.

Praying for Others, Healing Yourself

2011-05-23T06:52:00.001-04:00

These days everyone seems to be angry. Every slight against us is held as a grudge. Tempers are on short fuses and violence is often the result. If you want to take yourself out of this spiral of resentment, grudge, and anger ... often impotent anger ... there is one thing you can do that is known to work.

Pray for the person who has provoked you. [If someone is intent on harming you, take proactive measures to keep that individual from doing so first.] Prayer is a powerful tool, for the provocateur ... and, counter-intuitive though it may seem, for you. Pray regularly for this individual (or group). In time [patience is required], this prayer for others will slowly, slowly heal you. Your anger will bleed away as you pray for the improvement of the other person. In time you will find yourself at peace and free to move on with your life in a way the grudge holder never will. Carrying all that anger around hurts you, badly. Pray for that aggravating individual in your life, pray for his or her healing, for his or her coming in right relationship with you and the world. Free yourself. God loves you and that is the life, the free life, God intends for you. It is the life God intends for us all.

Good luck. Start praying now.

Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Peter 2:2-10: You Have Received Mercy

2011-05-22T07:44:00.000-04:00

1 Peter: ²Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— ³if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
⁴Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and ⁵like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” ⁷To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” ⁸and “A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. ⁹But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Weekly Bible Verses: Psalm 116: I Love the Lord

2011-05-07T08:15:00.000-04:00

Psalm 116: ¹I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications.
²Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
³The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.
⁴Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, save my life!”
⁵Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful.
⁶The Lord protects the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.
⁷Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
⁸For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
⁹I walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
¹⁰I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”;
¹¹I said in my consternation, “Everyone is a liar.”
¹²What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?
¹³I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord,
¹⁴I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
¹⁵Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.
¹⁶O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your serving girl. You have loosed my bonds.
¹⁷I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord.
¹⁸I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people,
¹⁹in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!

Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Peter 1:3-9: Blessed Be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

2011-05-01T07:48:00.000-04:00

1Peter 1:³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
⁶In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, ⁷so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Exciting Day In the Life of ECBC

2011-05-01T07:45:00.000-04:00

Today pastoral candidate Joseph Sum will give a sermon to the entire congregation, deliver communion, and then step out of the room. In his absence the congregation will vote on whether Pastor Sum should be ECBC's new pastor. We had an opportunity to meet with Joseph and his wife Anna yesterday and the meeting was a delight. In a few hours, God's will in this matter will be revealed. This is an exciting day, indeed. Listen well and vote, ECBCer's!

Handel - Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus

2011-04-24T18:25:00.001-04:00

Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed. Have a blessed Easter

The Meaning of Messiah: Messiah 1.MOV

2011-04-24T00:31:00.001-04:00

At Grace Baptist Church of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, ECBC's own seminarian Jeff Snyder preaches on the meaning of Messiah and how our understanding of the term impacts upon everyone we meet.

Weekly Bible Verses: John 20: 1-18: "I Have Seen the Lord."

2011-04-24T00:17:00.001-04:00

John 20Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ²So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. ⁴The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples returned to their homes.
¹¹But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; ¹²and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” ¹⁴When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” ¹⁸Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Jesus The Easter Sunday Resurrection

2011-04-24T00:15:00.001-04:00

May you have a blessed Easter. Jesus Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 21:1-11: This Is the Prophet Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee

2011-04-15T20:34:00.000-04:00

Matthew 21 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ²saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. ³If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” ⁴This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, ⁵“Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” ⁶The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; ⁷they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. ⁸A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” ¹⁰When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” ¹¹The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Bridge of Hope event Saturday, April 16, 9AM to Noon

2011-04-15T20:31:00.000-04:00

Bridge of Hope Lancaster & Chester County, in partnership with The Peacemaker Center and United Methodist Church of the Open Door, will host a community workshop, Love Thy Neighbor: A Ministry of Friendship, at Messiah Lutheran Church, Downingtown, Saturday, April 16, 9:00 – 12:00. The focus will be on the purpose of relationships, developing healthy relationships, and the importance of friendship to those in need. Admission is $20, $10.00 for each additional person from the same group. All Bridge of Hope mentors are free. Please register by April 8 by calling 610-380-1360 ext. 100 or by visiting www.bridgeofhopelcc.org.

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Services

2011-04-15T20:17:00.001-04:00

You are invited to the services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. Please come and help us celebrate the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Our Palm Sunday service, April 17, will include baptisms, which make the service very special.
The Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service begins at 7:30 PM on Thursday, April 21.
The Good Friday Meditation and Communion will occur throughout the afternoon on Friday, April 22.

The sanctuary will be open all afternoon for those who would like to stop by for a time of personal meditation and private Communion with Pastor Jay.

Easter Sunrise Service will begin in Miller Park at 7:30 AM on Sunday, April 23. This is always a moving service. The address is:

Miller Park

220 Miller Way

Exton, PA 19341

Easter Sunday Service will begin in the Sanctuary on Sunday, April 23, at 11 AM, and will include special music from our bell choir.

If you are in the Exton, Pennsylvania, area on these dates and feel drawn, please come by and worship with us. Share in our joy in the risen Christ.

Birthday Party for Our Missionary Sue Hegarty

2011-04-02T18:00:00.000-04:00

A REMINDER:
From The Cuba Connection
Join Us to Celebrate Sue Hegarty’s Birthday!!!

April 7, 2011 at TGI Friday’s Restaurant in Exton, Pennsylvania
Hand the coupon sent via email to your server for either lunch or dinner and 25% of your bill will be credited toward support for Sue’s ministry.

Sue will be there in person for dinner that evening. If you are unable to join us but would like to remember Sue on her birthday, you may send a card and/or a special financial gift to help with her support needs to:

Susan Hegarty
International Ministries
PO Box 851
Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851

Checks should be made payable to “International Ministries”
Thank you for your faithful prayers and financial gifts that enable Sue to serve as a missionary with International Ministries.

Blessings,
The Cuba Connection

First Baptist Church of Norristown Successful in Prom Dress Giveaway

2011-04-02T17:57:00.001-04:00

First Baptist Church of Norristown held their second-annual prom dress giveaway, which we mentioned here some time ago, on Saturday last, and received over 600 gently used and new dresses to use. They sent 110 of them home with young ladies from the area. As Reverend Kelly Legg says, "Talk about seeing His love in action! That leaves us with 500 more dresses remaining. And we figure Jesus has a reason for bringing that many -- there must be many more young ladies He wants to prove His love to. So we are going to open the church again on Saturday, April 2, from 1-3 pm for any and all middle and high school girls to come and select the perfect dress (or dresses!)"

We hope this second prom dress giveaway was as much a blessing to the young ladies in the area as the first and look forward to an update.

Greenville, Pennsylvania, Baptist Church Home Mission Project

2011-04-02T17:25:00.000-04:00

Keeping track of churches conducting outreach in their neighborhoods, here's some information out of Greenville, Pennsylvania. They may be looking for help. It might be worth a call.

First Baptist Church will be doing a HOMETOWN MISSION TRIP right in Greenville, Pennsylvania, on June 12-18th 2011. Plans are to seek those who need work done at home such as dry wall, electrical work, visitation, landscaping, VBS for the kids in the area, as well as, visitation with the elderly. The group is even willing to run errands for those without transportation.

Currently, approximately 80+ people that have signed up for this MISSION TRIP - just from First Baptist Church. First Baptist will partner with another local church in the area.

Housing: Volunteers are welcome to pitch tents in the church yard. There is also plenty of space for campers on the blacktop parking lot.

Meals: Three meals a day will be provided to all volunteers.

There will be Bible study and Praise and Worship for the workers and adults from the community. Each volunteer will be given a t-shirt and journal to use to help document their experiences on a daily basis, as well as bible study. What a way to record memories of an event such as this.

The ball is rolling for this great adventure and we are excited about this opportunity to serve in our Hometown. The scriptures say “charity begins at home” it doesn't just mean in our house. It includes the town you live in as well.

THEN I HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD SAYING” WHOM SHALL I SEND? AND WHO WILL GO FOR US?” AND I SAID, “HERE AM I, SEND ME!” Isaiah 6:8

Please keep First Baptist lifted in prayer as they prepare to do the Lord’s work right in their hometown of Greenville, Pennsylvania.

Weekly Bible Verses: John 9:1-41: Do You Believe In the Son of Man?

2011-04-02T17:19:00.000-04:00

John 9: As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. ²His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. ⁴We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, ⁷saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
⁸The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” ¹⁰But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” ¹¹He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” ¹²They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
¹³They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. ¹⁴Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. ¹⁵Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” ¹⁶Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. ¹⁷So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” ¹⁸The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight ¹⁹and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” ²⁰His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; ²¹but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” ²²His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. ²³Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” ²⁴So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” ²⁶They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” ²⁸Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” ³⁰The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. ³¹We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. ³²Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. ³³If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ³⁴They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.
³⁵Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” ³⁷Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” ³⁸He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him.
³⁹Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” ⁴⁰Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” ⁴¹Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

Weekly Bible Verses: John 3:1-17: God Did Not Send the Son into the World to Condemn the World

2011-03-19T21:43:00.000-04:00

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. ²He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” ³Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” ⁴Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. ⁶What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ ⁸The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” ⁹Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. ¹²If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ¹⁶“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ¹⁷“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Remember to Spring Ahead Tonight

2011-03-12T18:17:00.001-05:00

It behooves us to go to bed a little early tonight, as we have to set our clocks ahead one hour this evening ... unless you're a stickler for accuracy and feel compelled stay up until 2:00 am to set your clocks ahead.

Hope to see you there ... on time.

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 4: 1-11: Away With You, Satan!

2011-03-12T17:25:00.000-05:00

Matthew 4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. ³The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” ⁴But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ⁵Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” ⁷Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ⁸Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; ⁹and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” ¹¹Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.