temporary meeting location

As you are aware, Sunday, September 27 was our last time at Orillia Christian School.

As you are also aware, we are not ready to move into our new location on Colborne St, at the old Cinema4 building.

During October, we will be meeting at 1035 Mississauga Street West. This is where Victory Faith Fellowship used to meet, prior to their moving to Barrie. It's in a strip plaza with the Orange Lodge, Quik Mart; Quik Bite Indian Cuisine; and the old meeting location of Victory Faith Fellowship.

We will continue to meet at 10am on Sunday's.

If you are able to help with moving our supplies / equipment from the School, meet at OCS this Wednesday at 6:30pm.


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OCC - Cinema4

This afternoon - Saturday, September 26 @ 2pm
Seats are being cleaned
They are being connected in sets of 3 & mounted on their base

Come on out and help get things ready for our big move

film suggestions

Orillia Community Church [I won't post our web address since we are completely redoing it] is moving from a rental location at Orillia Christina School to our new location at the currently under renovation Cinema4 building at 64 Colborne St.

One of the things we want to do in our new facility is to show some films [church in a movie theatre - makes sense to me]. There will be a number categories of films that we will show:

• we will have some family friendly nights
• we may show during Advent - films that focus on the birth of Jesus
• during Lent we may show films on the life & death of Jesus
  
• but we also want to show some films that will cause people to think. & it's this last category that I want your suggestions / ideas. What films would you suggest that have or raise spiritual issues? Some that are currently on the possibility list [in no particular order] are:
  

Lars and the Real Girl
The Matrix
The Seventh Seal
Babette's Feast
The Shawshank Redemption
The Straight Story
The Mission

If you have some suggestion, please add it in the comments, and add a sentence or 2 as to why you would choose that film... thanks

Nehemiah 2 - discussion questions

1. What is a cupbearer?
   What is the significance of Nehemiah holding this position?
   
   
2. List the requests that Nehemiah made to King Artaxerxes.
   Four months passed between the time Nehemiah heard the news (month of Kislev) and the time he looked sad before the King (month of Nisan).
   What does it appear Nehemiah did besides pray during that time?
   
   What happens when you pray and plan?
   
   Despite spending a lot of time in prayer and some time planning, Nehemiah credits who with his success?
   
   How do you bring glory to God in your accomplishments?
   
   
3. If you were Nehemiah, what would you ask of the King?
   for yourself?
   
   for your family?
   
   for OCC your church?
   
   
4. Why do you think Nehemiah stayed in Jerusalem for three nights before inspecting the walls and told his plans to no one?
   
   
5. In your own words, describe Nehemiah’s investigation of the Wall.
   Why do you think this was necessary?
   
   
6. The “walls” that surround us are our relationships and boundaries.
   What is the condition of your walls?
   
   Are they adequately protected or are they neglected?
   
   
7. Look at the pronouns Nehemiah uses in verses 17-18.
   What difference might the use of these pronouns make in the tasks we are completing?
   
   
8. Nehemiah encourages the people of Jerusalem with a personal example of God’s gracious hand upon him (Nehemiah 2:18).
   What examples from your spiritual heritage c could you encourage your family/group with right now?

Nehemiah 1 - outline

Nehemiah 1

Living in a time of Crisis (Nehemiah 1:1-3)

Prayer in a Time of Crisis

• Emotionally Honest (Nehemiah 1:4a)
• Persistently Prayerful (Nehemiah 1:4b)
• Thoroughly Truthful

About God (Nehemiah 1:5)

• He is Lord
• He is Awesome
• He is Loving

About God's Word (Nehemiah 1:6-9)

About Ourselves (Nehemiah 1:10, 11)

Nehemiah 1 – discussion questions

Questions for Nehemiah 1 – Prayer & Confession

1. What are some of the traits you like about Nehemiah.
   
   
2. Hanani reported the condition of the wall to Nehemiah.
   Review Ezra 4:7-23; 6:13-18 to see for yourself what the state of Jerusalem was in.
   
   
3. List the condition of our city and country that you are concerned about.
   
   
4. What did Nehemiah believe about the One he calls “the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4)
   
   
5. How does your knowledge of and image of God affect your prayers?
   
   
6. Have you ever pleaded with God like Nehemiah?
   What has been the result?

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on-line bibles

If you want to read the text in multiple versions check out the following sites:
biblegateway.com
net.bible.org
blue letter bible
unbound bible
online parallel bible
greek bible not any help for Nehemiah
hebrew bible no english translation
scripture for all greek and hebrew interlinar download

Nehemiah

This Sunday, 5 July 2009, we are beginning a series from the book of Nehemiah

I will be posting here:

• an outline of the message
• some additional notes that didn't make it into the sermon
• discussion questions / notes

I would love to interact with you on this... either on this blog or in person

Matt Murrary

Matt Murray and the team from Tyndale leave for the Dominican Republic this Sunday - 10 May 2009. You can follow the team at Tyndale Dominican Republic Missions Team

MissionFest

MissionFest is at the International Centre in Mississauga this weekend.
Janice & I are planning on driving down for Saturday...
We have room in the van...
let me know if you are interested!

He's Alive

Don Francisco, "He's Alive", Don is a brilliant story teller through song and this song is a classic.

Easter :: 12 March [Sunday]

Very early in the morning, the disciples go to Jesus’ tomb to find it empty. The course of human history is changed forever. He is Risen! He is risen indeed!

Passages: Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-49; John 20:1-18

Suggestion: Get up early and read the passages listed above. Rejoice in Jesus and his resurrection from and power over death! Greet people throughout the day saying, "He is Risen!"

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Day 40 :: 11 March [Saturday]

Jesus’ body remains in the tomb during the Jewish day of Shabbat (Sabbath).

Passages: Matthew 27:32-66

Suggestion: As Jesus "rested" on the Sabbath, be reminded of the rest that Jesus calls us to. Spend some time resting today by taking a nap or relaxing. Consider reflecting on the Apostles' Creed.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Improvising Upon "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross"

When I survey the wondrous cross, I am horrified. Tattered and torn skin…blood matted hair…pain induced quivers…the death of God. A man so battered and betrayed that words…fail.

Selah

When I survey the wondrous cross, its beauty startles me. The life…the love…the compassion…of the death of God. It…no, He summons me to feast upon that which I gaze. For some unresolved reason I accept the offer.

Selah

When I survey the wondrous cross, I am haunted.

For my soul knows…

my inmost being bows in contrition…

compunction convicts.

My hands, my thoughts, my eyes betray the reason for the death of God.

Selah

When I survey the wondrous cross, I am mystified. I search for it’s meaning, for its understanding…for the “why’s” of what I see. What was God doing on the cross? There are so many answers. The more doctrine digested, the more elusive and yet, simultaneously adjacent the death of God becomes.

Peter, why couldn’t you have kept it’s meaning to yourself? “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (I Pet. 2.21) Why must you involve us? Why must you summon me?

As if we want to…

as if I am willing…

to follow the example of Christ and His cross.

The cross is an example, an intricate design, on which we lay the transparent parchment of our lives and sketch our feeble outlines.

The cross is to be followed, like tracks in the snow. We step high and sink in deep to the openings made by The One who has gone before.

Excruciare…Latin for “out of the cross.” Excruciating People—those who live life out of the cross. Christians—those who have accepted the invitation to live an excruciating life. The cross is a way of life…an ethos. Mores not just morals. The cross is a culture for pain-absorbing, peace-making, love-wielding, price-paying, cup-drinking people.

When I survey the wondrous cross, I am terrified. For what I see and what I know demands my soul, my life, my all.

(An excerpt from the current writing project of the jazz theologian)

Good Friday prayer

Christine Sine posts this Good Friday prayer:

Christ Jesus you hung upon a cross and died for us

So that we might live for you

Your body was broken and your blood shed

So that we might be healed and made whole

You were faithful unto death

So that we might be faithful unto life

Your last command was that we might love one another

One family together from every tribe and nation

A new creation united through your sacrifice

Redeemed by your blood

Healed by your love

United by your covenant of peace

In your death may we find life

Day 39 :: 10 March [Good Friday]

Jesus is put on trial, flogged, forced to carry his cross, mocked by Roman soldiers and executed in the cruel Roman form of crucifixion on a hill called Golgotha ("the place of the skull").

Passages: Matthew 27:11-61; Mark 15:1-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42

Suggestion: Find a cross, or an image of a cross. Spend several minutes looking at and reflecting upon the cross. Consider the significance and centrality of this symbol and what it means almost 2,000 years later. End by praying the Lord’s Prayer.

Good Friday

Churches in Orillia are gathering at First Baptist Church [265 Coldwater Road West, Orillia] for a Good Friday Service

Friday morning @ 10:00am

Day 38 :: 9 March [Thursday]

Today, Jesus and his disciples prepare for the Passover feast and eat the Last Supper together. Here Jesus washes their feet and tells them one will betray him. He and his disciples travel to the Garden of Gethsemane on the side of the Mount of Olives. It is here that Jesus prays and is arrested.

Passages: Matthew 26:17-68; Mark 14:12-52; Luke 22:7-53; John 13:1-18:11

Suggestion: From the perspective of one of the disciples, journal about what you might have felt when Jesus washed your feet and when he was arrested in the Garden.