The Ward Hill Church Bell Ringer – November 8, 2020

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Note:  As we head into winter, we will not be meeting outdoors for the time being. However, we are considering how we might meet safely indoors for prayer times and services during the winter months.

Midweek Meeting on Zoom – WEDNESDAY at 7 pm – We will continue to pray for the persecuted Church and other needs.

Angel Tree Christmas Gifts – Christmas is coming – in under two months! The Angel Tree Christmas gift program for children of prisoners is becoming a wonderful Ward Hill Church tradition! What a great way to serve, and many thanks to Anne Smith for organizing it. We will be serving 8 children from 4 families this year. We need people to either buy gifts or distribute them (or do both!). Please contact Anne Smith if you wish to participate.

Church Calendar & Lectionary

Season:            Ordinary Time after Pentecost – from the day after Pentecost until Advent (June 1 – November 28, 2020)

Color:              Green – for Christian growth and expansion of God’s Kingdom

This Sunday:   Int’l Day of Prayer for Persecuted Church – 23 Pentecost

Sun, Nov 15:   24 Pentecost – Ward Hill Church Heritage Sunday

Lectionary:     Zephaniah 1:7,12-18; Ps 90; 1 Thess. 5:1-11; Matt. 25:14-30

Hymns:   Great Is the Lord, the Heavenly King; For All the Ward Hill Saints

Monthly Prayer Focus for November

Local Church Focus:  First Baptist Church, Haverhill – Rick Harrington, pastor 

Missions Focus: 

Community Resources – Food, Clothing, Shelter, & Other Help www.communityactioninc.org/phocadownload/resource_guide_english_october_2017.pdf          National Suicide Hotline:  1-800-273-8255

Refugee Ministries: Interserve USA (interserveusa.com); Emmanuel Gospel Center’s Greater Boston Refugee Ministry (http://www.egc.org/refugee)

Global Crisis Help:  World Relief – worldrelief.org

Information on Persecuted Christians: Open Doors USA – opendoorsusa.org

Monthly Scripture Memory for November

Philippians 4:6-8 (ESV) – 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Catechism: An Outline of the Faith

Q.  What is the Christian hope?

A.  The Christian hope is to live with confidence in newness and fullness of life, and to await the coming of Christ in glory, and the completion of God’s purpose for the world.

Q.  What do we mean by the coming of Christ in glory?

A.  By the coming of Christ in glory, we mean that Christ will come, not in weakness but in power, and will make all things new.

Q.  What do we mean by heaven and hell?

A.  By heaven, we mean eternal life in our enjoyment of God; by hell, we mean eternal death in our rejection of God.

Q.  Why do we pray for the dead?

A.  We pray for them, because we still hold them in our love, and because we trust that in God’s presence those who have chosen to serve him will grow in his love, until they see him as he is.

Q.  What do we mean by the last judgment?

A.  We believe that Christ will come in glory and judge the living and the dead.