harvestoc.net blog, Friday, April 25, 2008
Family Worship Updated
I apologize for having been slow to update the side-bar at the Family Worship page. Psalm 85 will be our Psalm for May not only in our homes (whoever wishes to participate) but in corporate worship. May 1st is the national day of prayer, and this is a glorious Psalm for church and national revival, acknowledging our dependence upon and faithfully hoping in the extraordinary grace and mercy of G0d!
Additionally, I have updated the catechism question number. I will try to remember to do that each week with the new one. We also do these catechism questions in Bible class in homeschool. That reminds me...
When other children are out of school for the summer, I'd be happy to make our homeschool Bible class at a set time and invite as many as would like to attend. Your children will fit in and "catch up" very quickly, and parents will be welcome to attend as well. Class will be about an hour for those who find that convenient to run an errand or two.
If there is interest, I'll be asking for advice on what bases we need to cover to be prudent and legal--wouldn't it be neat to have enough children daily learning catechism, Psalms, and memory verses; having simple exposition and application through the Bible; and, praying for God's blessing it to them... that it has to be somehow "regulated" by the state? :-)
Though I'm not against "VBS" as an event, it does seem to me that prolonged, habitual exposure to and life-assimilation of large chunks of Scripture is superior as a means of grace. And there's nothing that says that we cannot do both. Just another one of those things that a session to consider with input from the congregation--can't wait until we have one!
Additionally, I have updated the catechism question number. I will try to remember to do that each week with the new one. We also do these catechism questions in Bible class in homeschool. That reminds me...
When other children are out of school for the summer, I'd be happy to make our homeschool Bible class at a set time and invite as many as would like to attend. Your children will fit in and "catch up" very quickly, and parents will be welcome to attend as well. Class will be about an hour for those who find that convenient to run an errand or two.
If there is interest, I'll be asking for advice on what bases we need to cover to be prudent and legal--wouldn't it be neat to have enough children daily learning catechism, Psalms, and memory verses; having simple exposition and application through the Bible; and, praying for God's blessing it to them... that it has to be somehow "regulated" by the state? :-)
Though I'm not against "VBS" as an event, it does seem to me that prolonged, habitual exposure to and life-assimilation of large chunks of Scripture is superior as a means of grace. And there's nothing that says that we cannot do both. Just another one of those things that a session to consider with input from the congregation--can't wait until we have one!
Labels: Announcements, Website
¶ 11:37 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Thursday, April 24, 2008
Website Updates
You can probably file this one under "irrelevant," but dialup users especially might be interested to know that due to improved software, the website will now feature audio files that are half the size of before, while actually improving the quality.
If you have an mp3 player and spend a lot of time driving, on tractors, or otherwise occupied when you can listen to edifying material, you may be interested to know that I am recording daily readings and expositions according to the M'Cheyne reading plan. The recordings can be found at the ['Harvest'ed Audio - Other Blog] and some of the files are small enough to be downloaded in just 5 minutes on a dialup connection. mp3 players can be had at quite reasonable prices such as [here] for $12 with no tax and free shipping (make sure to select "budget shipping" at checkout).
For those who are interested, the daily reading in various disciplines (newly written index page) and prepared family worship devotionals are both active again.
If you have an mp3 player and spend a lot of time driving, on tractors, or otherwise occupied when you can listen to edifying material, you may be interested to know that I am recording daily readings and expositions according to the M'Cheyne reading plan. The recordings can be found at the ['Harvest'ed Audio - Other Blog] and some of the files are small enough to be downloaded in just 5 minutes on a dialup connection. mp3 players can be had at quite reasonable prices such as [here] for $12 with no tax and free shipping (make sure to select "budget shipping" at checkout).
For those who are interested, the daily reading in various disciplines (newly written index page) and prepared family worship devotionals are both active again.
Labels: Announcements, Website
¶ 12:11 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Bulletin Announcement Correction--Reformation Society
This Thursday evening's Reformation Society meeting is at the First Presbyterian Church of Hospers (200 Elm Street). The text upon which papers will be given is Heb 13:1-16. I hope that many of us will attend.
Labels: Announcements
¶ 9:04 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Thursday, April 17, 2008
Praise Report: Leo's Eye Surgery
Leo DeGroot had his eye surgery today. They got him in early and finished more quickly than expected. Those are miracles in modern medicine. And here's a miracle of modern medicine: the procedure went splendidly. The surgeon is very pleased, and Leo will be going back for a checkup tomorrow. Praise God for His miraculous mercy, and pray for Leo for continued recovery.
Labels: Announcements, Praise Reports, Prayer Requests
¶ 2:27 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Wednesday, April 16, 2008
"Beliefs" page updated
In an effort to get ready by particularization all of the web pages specifically oriented to visitors, I've moved that project up a bit in my daily priorities. Today's update was the writing of the [doctrine/beliefs page].
Labels: Announcements, Website
¶ 4:47 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Particularization Announcement for Bulletins and Organizations
If you know of a bulletin, penny-saver, or community/club announcement into which you could put the following for free, please do. God-willing, this is going to be a day of great joy!
COME WITNESS AND CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF A CHURCH on Sunday, June 1st, at 3:30p.m., in the chapel of Unity Christian High School, in Orange City, IA. There, the Iowa Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America will convene a special worship service for the Particularization of Harvest Community Church and the installation of its elders. After praising God with His saints for His merciful work, the newborn congregation invites you to celebrate that work at a supper reception in the cafeteria at 5p.m. For more information, call 712.395.0983 or visit http://harvestoc.net/.Hopefully, more information will appear in local news articles as local papers report on the story of the PCA, the Harvest Community church plant, our guest preacher Dr. Davis, etc.
Labels: Announcements
¶ 4:39 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Elder Nominee Candidates
I have received a phone-call from the chairman of the Iowa Presbytery commission that was charged with providing us a list of men from whom we may nominate elders. This is the same commission that will convene worship on June 1 to particularize our church.
Please consider the following men in prayer. Remember that if you are a communing member, and you know any or all of them well enough to affirm that they meet all of the qualifications for elder in 1Timothy 3 and Titus 1, then you should nominate them between April 20 and May 2. Here's the list from the Presbytery:
Hal Alsum
Mark Fedders
Bob Hilbelink
Gary Vander Hart
Please consider the following men in prayer. Remember that if you are a communing member, and you know any or all of them well enough to affirm that they meet all of the qualifications for elder in 1Timothy 3 and Titus 1, then you should nominate them between April 20 and May 2. Here's the list from the Presbytery:
Hal Alsum
Mark Fedders
Bob Hilbelink
Gary Vander Hart
Labels: Announcements, Prayer Requests
¶ 2:33 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Prayer Meeting Tonight, 16 April
6:45p, my house (take Albany south out of Orange City, left at the stop sign, first house on the left. 3742 460th street).
I plan for us to pray until about 8:30, but am flexible. If you cannot make it by 6:45, come when you can. If you have to go before 8:30, leave when you must. This is just the church at prayer.
There will be a devotional and singing at the beginning, but that's because after a long day, I think we will find them helpful to "whet our appetites" for God in prayer.
If your reason for coming is that you don't feel like it or feel like doing something else instead, then come anyway.
Would it surprise you to know that at my former pastorate, I rarely felt like going to prayer meeting, and often felt like doing something else? But what a mercy from God it was that as the pastor, I had to go! I always came away thinking I wouldn't have rather done anything else but meet with the church to pray.
I plan for us to pray until about 8:30, but am flexible. If you cannot make it by 6:45, come when you can. If you have to go before 8:30, leave when you must. This is just the church at prayer.
There will be a devotional and singing at the beginning, but that's because after a long day, I think we will find them helpful to "whet our appetites" for God in prayer.
If your reason for coming is that you don't feel like it or feel like doing something else instead, then come anyway.
Would it surprise you to know that at my former pastorate, I rarely felt like going to prayer meeting, and often felt like doing something else? But what a mercy from God it was that as the pastor, I had to go! I always came away thinking I wouldn't have rather done anything else but meet with the church to pray.
Labels: Announcements
¶ 2:12 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Gospel, The Gospel, The Gospel, The Gospel
Over at the Rod and Staff, I've posted on the most important topic ever.
Labels: Announcements, Website
¶ 8:37 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Thursday, April 10, 2008
Two in One Week
Following upon Saturday's article in the Review comes another one today in the Sioux County Capital-Democrat.
Labels: Announcements
¶ 10:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Saturday, April 5, 2008
Nice Article in the Northwest Iowa Review
The following article appeared in the Review today.
There are a few factual corrections (when I attended, it was Spring Arbor College not Spring Arbor University; I have completed the Th.M. coursework but not the thesis at RTS, so my only degree from them is the M.Div.; 70 is the number of regular attenders at Harvest, not families, of which there are 27), but on the whole it was a nice article.
I wish more had been written about what a great congregation the folks at Harvest are, but I understand that you can't fit an hour and a half worth of interviewing into a limited number of column-inches--maybe when they cover our particularization!
I'd like to thank Dan Breen for being such a gracious interviewer, for writing the article so nicely, and for including that last paragraph about how grateful I am for y'all (the congregation), which I did say was the part I most wanted to get into the paper.
(click on the image to see the article by itself)
There are a few factual corrections (when I attended, it was Spring Arbor College not Spring Arbor University; I have completed the Th.M. coursework but not the thesis at RTS, so my only degree from them is the M.Div.; 70 is the number of regular attenders at Harvest, not families, of which there are 27), but on the whole it was a nice article.
I wish more had been written about what a great congregation the folks at Harvest are, but I understand that you can't fit an hour and a half worth of interviewing into a limited number of column-inches--maybe when they cover our particularization!
I'd like to thank Dan Breen for being such a gracious interviewer, for writing the article so nicely, and for including that last paragraph about how grateful I am for y'all (the congregation), which I did say was the part I most wanted to get into the paper.
(click on the image to see the article by itself)
Labels: Announcements
¶ 12:01 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Friday, April 4, 2008
This Lord's Day and Next Saturday
If you have unbelieving friends who have said they might want to come some time or whom you have not ever invited, the morning sermon this week will include a more distilled/concentrated proclamation of the basics of the gospel than usual. This is the week. Invite them!
Also, if any of you men would like to be examined for possible eldership, and you have not indicated that you will try to make it to Presbytery for that on the 12th (next Saturday), I need to know by tomorrow morning, so that I can make arrangements for calling a congregational meeting for instruction and the opening of nominations on the 13th.
I'm looking forward to assembling with you all again on the Lord's Day for the corporate worship of God.
His and yours through the cross,
James
Also, if any of you men would like to be examined for possible eldership, and you have not indicated that you will try to make it to Presbytery for that on the 12th (next Saturday), I need to know by tomorrow morning, so that I can make arrangements for calling a congregational meeting for instruction and the opening of nominations on the 13th.
I'm looking forward to assembling with you all again on the Lord's Day for the corporate worship of God.
His and yours through the cross,
James
Labels: Announcements
¶ 11:32 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
