Skip and Melissa were celebrating birthdays as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Doug Cory greeted the congregation, and special prayers were requested for Diane Penn Cope, Alesia Parish, Mark Watkins, Grant, Becky Johnson, Dot Harner and travel prayers. Janet Chaney shared a praise.
Sunday evening we gathered around the church on the creek bank and enjoyed our annual fall bonfire and hot dog roast as a part of our Pastor Appreciation. Winners of the pumpkin seed spitting contest were Terry, Melissa and Doug.
The church will be participating at the Southwest City Trunk or Treat on Halloween with "Harvest God's Blessings."
Don and Janet Chaney will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4, at the New Mac Building.
Our annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at the church. The dinner is free and open to the public. A traditional Thanksgiving meal will be served with turkey and ham and all the fixings. Everyone is welcome!
Linda Abercrombie read a note from the Missouri Baptist Children's Home and then shared about hearing the Collingsworth family sing. Linda read the words to "Amazing Grace" and talked about sustaining grace that gets us through those times everyone needs God's grace. Congregational hymns included "Showers of Blessing" and "His Name Is Wonderful," lead by Karen Gardner with Susan Cory at the piano. Rick Lett and Jerry Abercrombie served as ushers and collected the offertory.
The title of God's message was "Do You Want To?" Brother Mark Hall began by reading John 5:1-9 about the Pool of Bethesda. Verses 5-6 say, "Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time; He said to him, 'Do you want to be made well?'" Brother Mark talked about recovering from an injury and working with a therapist. "The therapist didn't ask does it hurt? Instead, they asked, "Do you want to walk?" The biggest hurdle is making up your mind how well you want to be.
Verses 7-9 say, "The sick man answered Him. 'Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.' Jesus said unto him, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked. And that day was the Sabbath."
Brother Mark talked about people trapped in depression, addiction and situations.
"There must be a desire to get out of the vice grips for their mind, body and spirit to be made well. Would you LIKE to be made well or do you WANT to be made well? You have to get up and do it. The entire life of a good Christian is an exercise in holy desire. In reality, you can't help everyone, but we must try. Some don't want to be made well, they just want the help. Being made well requires three things. It requires a willingness to be made well, it requires obedience-your confidence in Him, and it requires your faith in Him. Willingness and obedience hinge on your faith."
Brother Mark talked about Hebrews 10:35-39 which tells us "Faith is living like God is telling the truth about everything all of the time."
Brother Mark said, "Your willingness comes from your desire to be made well."
Brother Mark read Acts 3:1-3 which tells of another man with a problem. "He is lame and has been all of his life, his life depended on what others did for him and he was at church every day. He was carried to church every day. We are living in a day when there are more and more people who are lame-mentally, socially and spiritually. Mentally, they lack the cognitive ability to perform their responsibilities. Socially, some men expect God to do what God expects them to do. And, spiritually, they leave it to another to lead their home in faith. Lameness is what you cannot or choose not to do for yourself.
"In Acts 3, Peter had no money for the man but gave him more than money could buy. He had what the man needed. Too many people think money can solve their problems. Some things money can't buy, like a good marriage, a happy family and God's blessing on your life. You will be poor without it. Too many people pray and ask for the wrong things."
"In Acts 3, Peter's prayer for the lame man was 'In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.' And all the people saw him walking and praising God. That's what happens when Jesus gets involved. A good look on man gets people's attention. When the lame man walked and praised God, that got people's attention. Do you want people to be amazed at what God has done for you? Do you want to be made well? Mentally, socially and spiritually? We all have some little thing holding us that keeps us from being made well. Do you want to be made well?"
Our hymn of invitation was "Have Thine Own Way, Lord," and Wayne Holly gave the benediction.
Everyone is welcome to come worship at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and morning service at 11 a.m. Mill Creek Baptist Church is located 3½ miles east of Noel or 8½ miles west of I49, just off Highway 90, on Upper Mill Creek Road.
Religion on 10/31/2019