Church Family,

When you consider your conversion, do you see God’s grace?  Paul certainly did, and it spilled over into thankfulness (1 Tim 1:12).  For Paul, God’s grace did not stop in his conversion but continued in calling him to ministry and filling him full of faith and love–two things he definitely lacked pre-conversion (1 Tim 1:12-14).  At every turn in Paul’s life, he sees God’s grace so clearly; there is no other explanation.  He simply cannot phantom that the Lord would save him, a former blasphemer, persecutor, and violent opponent (1 Tim 1:13).  Paul is one of the most unlikely converts there ever was, and in his older age, he is overwhelmed with gratitude.  As Paul reflects on his unlikely conversion, he gains tremendous clarity wrapped up in this statement, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Tim 1:15).  That’s it!  That’s what is most true about himself and the world around him.  Christ Jesus saving sinners, will, or least should, never grow stale or outdated but should generate thankfulness, an urgency to share and provide rock-solid clarity of what is most important.

 

Desert Kids

Parents, we are short-staffed in the Desert Kids area for our 10:15 am Sunday Gathering.  So, instead of overworking our current volunteers, we will not offer Desert Kids during the 10:15 gathering this coming Sunday.  Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.  On a side note, if anyone who is not currently serving is interested in volunteering, let me know!

 

Get the Vision

Over the last couple of weeks, we have been announcing our Get the Vision/Members Meeting on August 29.  This meeting will cover a few housekeeping items and will also introduce our plans for the fall.  God’s grace is so clearly seen in the history of Light in the Desert Church, and we don’t want that to be in vain (2 Cor 6:1).  We want it to push us towards greater obedience, deeper faith, and more intimacy with God.  In light of that, we’ve been praying and seeking the Lord regarding the next steps for us as a church, and we’re happy to share what we perceive those steps are for us.  So, please mark your calendars for August 29 at 5:30 pm and plan on joining us (all are welcome).  We will provide some food and childcare.  There will be a sign-up sheet this coming Sunday so we can plan accordingly for food.

 

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Bryan