A Message from the Pastor
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Psalm 139:1-5 New Living Translation
As I was reading Psalm 139 this morning, verse five caught my eye--"You place your hand of blessing on my head." Or, as it reads in the good old King James' Version: "Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me."
Perhaps this passage sounds all the more inviting because physical touch has become so restricted during these pandemic times. Many of us, who thrive on hugs and handshakes, and who have had to give them up "cold turkey" since mid-March, are feeling extra isolated and alone these days.
How wonderful to be reminded that God's blessings are like divine "touches!" God always knows what we need and when we need it, and I believe God delights when we communicate those needs honestly and regularly through prayer.
May you feel God's touch today.
Pastor Mitch
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Even though we are unable to meet in person,
RRCC has
three ways you can still give your tithe:
- Go to the RRCC website rrdisciples.org and click on the "GIVE HERE" button at the top of the main page. Or use the link at the top of each newsletter. It will take you to the same place.
- Use your bank's electronic bill pay feature to have a check mailed directly from your bank to RRCC.
- Mail your check directly to RRCC.
Address your envelope to:
Financial Secretary
Round Rock Christian Church
22 Chalice Way
Round Rock, TX 78665
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Faith of Mockingbird
Class #2 of 4 is this Thursday, June 18, 2020 ~ 11:00 a.m.
Twenty-three people are participating in the small group study of
The Faith of a Mockingbird
by
Rev. Matt Rawle. The author comments in the refresher about the importance of the courtroom scene in the novel:
"To Kill a Mockingbird's
conclusion focuses on Atticus's defense of Tom Robinson and brings to light the evils of systematic racism."
Reminder to participants
:
The
zoom invitation with link will be sent on the morning of the class, June 18. The link is also right here:
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RRCC "Reopening" Task Force
"Reopening" Task Force Continues Work
Elders to Poll Members on Return to Campus
The "Reopening" Task Force continues dialogue on the necessities required to once again worship in place on our Round Rock Christian campus.
At the second meeting of the group on June 4th safe and effective sanitization methods were determined. Safe distance seating, systematic entry, and departure routines, and how to continue the traditional order of worship were assessed.
While a specific date to return to campus has not been identified the task force requested our nine Elders to poll members of their Agape groups with the question: "If a worship service is held on July 5, would you attend?" Each elder will report the number of "yes" and "no," without names. Potential numbers will provide the task force an estimate of those who are ready to return under clear guidelines of social distancing and sanitization. Safety for all is essential.
The opportunity to worship in your home remotely via zoom, and soon via webcasting, will continue when worship services resume on campus.
Task force members include Mildred Adair, Amy Tucker, Pam Knight, Amy Osteen,
Gary Collier, Tricia Mouser, Randy Preston, Gary Tucker, Linda Glover,
Rev. Mitch Maxted, and Perry Mouser, chair.
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Make an online donation designated for "DWM Blessing Box" through the church website, www.rrdisciples.org.
In addition to cultivating life-long habits of thanks-giving, the Blessing Box has generated millions of dollars in mission support since its start in 1953.
Join us in worship (via Zoom) on Sunday
as together we celebrate all these blessings!
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General Assembly Countdown
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The
Evening Book Group met on
Thursday, June, 11th.
The Daytime Book Group is hoping to choose a
book this month and meet via zoom in July.
. . . stay tuned for details.
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Chancel Choir will be meeting via ZOOM Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.:
https://zoom.us/j/99642443406?pwd=TWJST2YrRlRvMmJaakMvU3MxQmpYUT09
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Your Guiding Board.....
... Met Monday, June 15, via zoom. The agenda included:
- Commendation of you, the members of the congregation, for your monetary support of the church with your tithes and offerings during these uncertain times.
- Approval of the Library Task Force chaired by Gary Tucker. This group is charged with planning a fresh, quiet space for small group meetings and personal reading and meditation. This effort will be in conjunction with the Property Team, chaired by Perry Mouser.
- Approval to continue staff compensation for the duration of the pandemic work-at-home period, with monthly budget analysis.
- Hearing the report of the Reopening Task Force regarding preparation for retuning to our campus for Sunday worship. No date has been determined for resuming services. This task force of ten will meet next on June 18, to review information from members polled on returning, the latest CDC and state guidelines, and safety protocol.
- Plans the annual State of the Congregation meeting following morning worship on Sunday, July 28.
....Suggests that members check out the Members Resources pull-down menu of the RRCC website. It provides opportunities to review monthly reports from Pastor Maxted and the Treasurer, as well as the minutes of the Board. Each newsletter provides a link to the website. If you are uncertain of the Members Resources password, contact Molly via email.
...Meets next July 20. Should you have concerns or questions of the Guiding Board please contact moderator, Linda Glover.
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Did You Miss a Newsletter?
Past newsletters
dating back to mid-March 2020 are currently archived under the "ABOUT US" tab on the RRCC Website.
This is a more efficient way to access past newsletters and Friday "Reminders" than to hunt back through old emails.
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Find a Place to Serve Here at RRCC
 Here are the ways you can contribute to Sunday Morning Worship:
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Prayer Needs
OUR CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP
1. Our staff--Jimmy, Mitch, Katie, Randy, and Molly
2. Guiding Board, Ministries Council, Elders, Deacons, Ministries and Teams
3. Ad Hoc Youth Programming Team and youth director search
4. Our Elders as they continue their evangelism study Unbinding the Gospel
5. Shut-In Servers & Caring Hearts Prayer Group
6. Stephen Ministries (Care Receivers and Caregivers)
7. Our music ministries and their leaders: Randy Preston, Rod Walker, and Jimmy Horowitz
8. Our partnership with Shalom Seventh Day Adventist & Manantial de Vida congregations (and their pastors Edy Rosa Paez and Maria Rosario)
9. Reverends Christal Fisher (South Texas) and Andy Mangum (CCSW)
10. "Reopening" Task Force--Perry Mouser (chair),
Gary Tucker, Gary Collier, Mildred Adair, Amy Tucker, Pam Knight, Amy Osteen, Tricia Mouser, Mitch Maxted, and Linda Glover
MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
1. Barnett, Barbara (fluctuating blood pressure)
2. Bell, Jean (son Chris ongoing cancer treatments)
3. Davis, Marilyn (living in Georgetown with her son and daughter-in-law, Duane and Keri Davis)
4. Glover, Linda (spinal ablation today)
5. Guilbeau, Rick & Cynthia; Hubbard, Harold. Cynthia had defibrillator replacement last week
6. Habtemariam, Solomon and Meaza
7. Hunt, Darlia (skin cancer removed June 2)
8. Jackson, Gwen (recent treatment for AFib)
7. Krop, Carleigh (heart surgery last Friday went well -- great granddaughter of Bea and Charles Whitley)
8. Maxted, Mitch -- Mohs procedure next Monday
9. Maybaum, Katie -- recovering from broken ankle and surgery
10. Maybaum, Liz (platelet count)
11. Price, Anthony and Angel (Steven Glover's niece and her husband) Anthony has a spinal surgery from a fall, and also pancreatitis
12. Plough, Paul
13. Pollock, Paula
14. Sanford, Collin and Sonya
15. Sherry, Bea
16. Singer, Merle (Tara Pollock's family -- advanced cancer)
17. Snider, Rev. Ed
18. Terrell, Hank and Terrell, Jim -- hip replacement surgeries (brothers of Anna Marie Blair)
19. Walker, Lisa (siblings Connie and Dale with significant health issues)
OTHER
1. COVID-19 (the ill, their families, medical professionals, essential workers, treatment and vaccine researchers)
2. The many newly unemployed; businesses that are struggling
3. The many who are resolutely trying, through peaceful means, to effect positive change in a society that undervalues people of color, especially African-Americans
4. Innocent people and businesses caught in waves of destruction when demonstrations are sabotaged by criminal activity
5. Law enforcement officers attempting to protect people and property in the midst of large groups of frustrated, angry, grieving people
6. All people who are persecuted for their faith throughout the world
7. Our military personnel and families
8. International cooperation in responding to climate change challenges
9. Development of an immigration policy for the U.S. that is fair, just, and responsible
10. For all efforts toward universal, affordable access to health care here in the U.S.
11. All who don't know Jesus
12. U.S. lawmakers and community leaders to work together to solve the problem of frequent, deadly mass shootings
13. Our neighborhood schools: Union Hill Elementary School and Hopewell Middle School.
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[There will be no Sunday School classes at the church for the foreseeable future. Some classes will be meeting via Zoom during this time of social distancing.]
Early Childhood Class (ages 4-7) - Taught by Lisa Walker
Intermediate Class (3rd - 5th grade) - Taught by Jennifer Kienzle
Chi Rho Class -
(6th - 8th grade)
-
(
studying the book, "Middle School TalkSheets" for ages 11-14.
"These TalkSheets present every aspect of Jesus' life in a way that young teens can connect with as they learn to apply the lessons to their own lives.")
CYF Class (9th - 12th grade)
Open Circle (primarily adult women) -
10:00 a.m. Sunday mornings via ZOOM, Studying
Searching for Sunday, by Rachel Held Evans
.
Explorers (mixed adults) - 10:00 a.m. Sunday mornings via ZOOM, Facilitator is Mildred Adair; studying a gospel of Luke resource by John MacArthur.
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Follow us on Social Media!
We can be found on:
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Submitting a photo? Awesome!
We love pictures of congregational life!
Please remember to include
identification
(who, what, when, where, why)
for each photograph s
ubmitted to the office.
Also, please indicate
where
you would like the photo to be used (RRCC website,
social media, weekly newsletter, etc.)
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RRCC Newsletter Deadlines
Please submit your
Tuesday Newsletter articles
and pictures
before
10:00 a.m. on Mondays.
and your
Friday Reminders articles and pictures
before 12
:00 p.m. on Thursdays.
Thank you!
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Mondays:
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9
:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Tuesdays:
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2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Wednesdays:
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9
:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Thursdays:
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9
:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Fridays:
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9
:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Upcoming Events
There will be no events/meetings held in the RRCC facility until further notice. Many RRCC activities and events have been cancelled until further notice. Some are continuing online.
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7:00 p.m.
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- Shalom Congregation (via Zoom)
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1:00 p.m.
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- Caring Hearts Prayer Group (via ZOOM)
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7:00 p.m.
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- Chancel Choir (via ZOOM)
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Thursday, June 18, 2020
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11:00 a.m.
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- Faith of Mockingbird Bible Study (via ZOOM) |
| 1:30 p.m. |
- Senior Minister Evaluation Committee |
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7:00 p.m.
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- "Re-Opening" Task Force (via ZOOM) |
Friday, June 19, 2020
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Colossians 3:11
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Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
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Saturday, June 20, 2020
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8:00 a.m.
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- Shalom Congregation (live stream)
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Sunday, June 21
,
2020
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Father's
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Day |
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9:45 a.m.
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- Explorers Sunday School (via ZOOM) |
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10:00 a.m.
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- Open Circle Sunday School (via ZOOM) |
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11:00 a.m.
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- Worship with us (via ZOOM) |
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Evening
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- Manantial de Vida Congregation (off site) |
Monday, June 22
,
2020
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Romans 9: 22-30
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What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory- even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed he says in Hosea, "Those who were not my people I will call 'my people,' and her who was not beloved I will call 'beloved.'" "And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'sons of the living God.'"
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Tuesday, June 23, 2020
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7:00 p.m.
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- Shalom Congregation (off site)
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Elder's Prayer Corner/Closing Message
I have always enjoyed reading various meditations that bring feelings of peace and contentment. Recently, I found the following meditation and would like to share it.
From: The Promise-Keeper by Andrew Murray
In all our prayer let us remember the lesson the Savior would teach on this day, that if there is one thing on earth we can be sure of, it is this, that the Father desires to have us filled with His Spirit, that He delights to give us His Spirit.
And when once we have learned thus to believe for ourselves, and each day to take out of the treasure we hold in heaven, what liberty and power to pray for the outpouring of the Spirit on the Church of God, on all flesh, on individuals, or on special efforts!
He that has once learned to know the Father in prayer for himself, learns to pray most confidently for others, too. The Father gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him, not least, but most, when they ask for others. Lord, teach us to pray.
Prayer: And, so Jesus taught us to pray.
Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever and ever. Amen!
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