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Ephesians 6: 10-24
June 21, 2009
Exordium: Here we are at Conquest Beach. You have been looking forward to this day, and so has God. His timing is always right. As we come to the last section of Ephesians, we find it all about “conquest”.
Ephesians 6:1-9
June 14, 2009
Exordium: Life in the family is a common grace, that is, it belongs to the whole human race. So the Bible affirms, “God has set the solitary in families.” (Psalm 68:6)
Family life is God’s good gift. We all have come from families, even if now we are not in a nuclear family of our own. The family in God’s design is to be the bedrock of society, the foundation from which the state arises, and a building block of the Church Christ is making in the world.
Yet families are also a challenge. We were all made in innocence and perfection, but all of us have been affected by the entrance of sin and we are damaged goods in one way or another. No wonder there are stresses and strains that bump and bruise us. This is not the way it was meant to be, but the family has suffered as the world has from the ravages of human sin.
On Sunday, June 21, Christ Reformed Evangelical Church will hold its morning worship service at Conquest Beach on the Eastern Shore in Centreville, MD. The service will begin at the usual time (10:30 a.m.) followed by an afternoon of food and recreation.
Conquest Beach is located on the Chester River north of Centreville (directions and more info on what to bring below). It has two picnic areas with a large pavilion, grills, bathhouses, restrooms, a ball field, horseshoe pits, and a volleyball court. The park is available from 10 am to 8:00 pm.
Address: 100 Conquest Beach Rd. Centerville, Maryland 21617
Directions: (from CREC Church parking lot at Annapolis Area Christian Middle School)
-Turn left out of parking lot on Bestgate Rd. (.6 miles)
-Bestgate RD becomes ROWE BLVD-70E (.5 miles)
-Take left lane and turn LEFT to take US-50 E toward Bay Bridge *
-Merge onto US-301 N (Portions toll) (26.77 miles)
-Merge onto MD-213 N (via exit number 25 toward CENTREVILLE. (4.06 miles)
-Turn LEFT onto Spaniard Neck Rd.(.48miles)
-Turn LEFT to stay on Spaniard Neck Rd. (1.98 miles) You will start to see signs for Conquest Beach.
-Turn LEFT onto Conquest Rd. Continue (1.6 miles) Conquest Beach Gate will be on your RIGHT.
-Turn RIGHT through gate and park in designated parking area.
*$2.50 toll at the Bay Bridge
Estimated Time: 1 hour
WHAT TO BRING:
Money (for toll)
Food: (the church will provide plates, utensils, napkins, and cups)
- pack a picnic lunch for your family and enough for dinner as well if you plan to stay the day.
- we will have a dessert table set up so please bring a dessert to share for the dessert table.
- pack enough drink for your family for the day
Dress and Accessories:
- dress casually for church (shirt and shorts are fine. The setting is beautiful but rustic, camp-like)
- bathing suits (keeping modesty in mind. There is a women’s bath house and a gentlemen’s bath house with changing rooms, showers with cold water, and bathrooms)
- hats
- sunglasses
- suntan lotion
- towels (you will probably want 2 per person)
- bug repellent
- tennis shoes, beach shoes
- sweatshirts (it may be cool later in day or after swimming)
- beach chairs or blanket
- life jackets for your children if you have them
- lacrosse sticks, frisbees and/or any sports equipment you’d like to use (there is a baseball field and another field for sports)
-There are two grills available. Must bring own charcoal and grilling utensils.
If there is inclement weather that morning which would prevent an outdoor church service, church will be held at our usual location and time. An announcement will be made on the church’s website by 7:30 a.m. if Conquest Beach plans are canceled.
Ephesians 5: 21-33
June 6, 2009
Exordium: No matter how many books we read, or songs we sing, no matter how many plays or movies we watch, there is still something about marriage and the family that is beyond us. How did it start and what is it really for? How come we have so much trouble making it work?
We scratch our heads and say, “It is all a mystery to me.” That is just what the Bible says about this wonderful and frustrating gift of marriage. Because Paul, after giving this wonderful description of the Christian home, says, “This is a great mystery.”
There is the clue we need to understand this riddle of the home. It is really about something else, something far more grand than we have ever seen. It is a kind of an image, a shadow of something else. When we grasp that we are on our way to understanding this great gift, and making it work!
ACTS 2:33
May 31, 2009
Exordium: What a story! What a happening took place on that first Pentecost Sunday! Those who were waiting for the promise to come could not have predicted or known how He would come.
Like a great hurricane, mighty sounds filled the house where the 120 were waiting and praying. Fire on the heads of all of them, symbols to be sure, but what was the meaning?
Great praise came for all their mouths, “Utterance”, supernatural speech was granted them to be able to offer praise at a whole new level than they had ever done before.
And of course a great group gathered around the house wondering what in the world is going on there?
