EARLY SERVICE NOW AT 9:00 AM

Starting this Sunday, August 23, we will start a new time for the early service, 9:00 AM. Which is really the "old" time, going back to early March. But don't think "old" or "new," just know that from this point on our early services will be at 9:00 AM.

We'll keep the second service at 11:00 a.m. But sometime in the coming months, we hope to move that back to its old time as well.

I asked Randy Pierce to guest host the Scriptural/devotional piece for this week's Dock. So here is a great reflection from the Psalms to help you through the week.


THE DISTRESS OF OUR TIMES

In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
Deliver me, O Lord…
– Psalm 120:1-2

The Scriptures frequently give us opportunity to gauge our moral choices, and Psalm 120 is one of them. What would I ask the Lord for if I was in distress? More importantly, what is my distress? A moral choice is involved here because the question tests what is truly important to me. A few things come to mind in this year of distress:

Deliver me, O Lord...
because I don't want to get that virus!
Deliver me, O Lord...
because I'm so perplexed about racial issues!
Deliver me, O Lord...
because my friends and relatives don't agree with me!

It's interesting to note what the psalmist doesn't ask for in his distress. He doesn't plead with the Lord for safety, for a decent income, nor even for good health. He pleads with the Lord for truth:

Deliver me, O Lord,
from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.

This child of God is in distress because he lives in a land of lies and deceit; he lives among those who have no regard for the truth.

Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.

Meshech and Kedar were two widely separated geographical places. It is as though the psalmist is saying that wherever he lives, wherever he goes, he is surrounded by lies and deceit. Except for one place: Zion. The psalmist was making his way to Zion, the home for God's people where Truth reigns forever.

The distress of our times is lies and deceit. We might need relief from the threat of sickness or racial unrest, but our greatest need is relief from falsehood. We find that relief in words not spoken by man but by God. We find our relief in God's word. The psalm before this one says it beautifully:

I rejoice at your word
like one who finds great spoil.
I hate and abhor falsehood,
but I love your law.
Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous rules.
Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.
– Psalm 120:162-165

Pastor Randy


MEMBERSHIP CLASS

We're starting back into our regular rhythm of membership classes, three per year. The next on will be held at church, Friday evening and Saturday, September 11-12 (done by noon on that Saturday). Unfortunately, we will not have childcare, and we assume we'll still be doing masks and distancing.

This is for anyone interested in becoming a member, as well as those just interested in learning some basic theology. For instance, we'll walk through each part of our Statement of Faith.

Sign up with the DSC App, or online.


WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY THIS FALL

Come study the Gospel of John with us! This fall the Women's Ministry will be studying John's gospel in two different ways.

You can join us for a year-long study as we work through Kathleen Nielson's book, John: That You May Believe. Participants in these groups will read each week's assigned passage and then answer the homework questions in the study book. Groups will then meet to discuss the passage and the homework. Or…

You can read through John's Gospel in one semester with one of our Bible Reading Groups. These new groups will read each week's assigned passage and then meet to discuss the text. There will be no study book for these groups. Instead, you will be using the same handful of questions each week to guide your reading and the discussion.

Due to COVID-19, all groups will meet online. Group sizes will be limited. All groups will begin after Labor Day. We would love to welcome ladies from incoming high school seniors and up!



PODCAST

Please listen to the podcast that went up yesterday from pastor Drew and Chase, "What Do We Do When We Can't Sing?" This is such an important topic these days. For instance, this podcast answers the question, "If we can't sing, and can't fellowship after the service, and we're just listening to the sermon, can't we just do that at home?"

Or as Drew says, "One of our worship senses is down, so what can we do?"

Pastor Ron