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Prairie Avenue
Christian Church
To be learning, loving, and serving disciples of Christ from the depths of our being to the ends of the earth.
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Worship Each Week & Daily Prayer |
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REGULAR WORSHIP SERVICE SCHEDULE |
We host in-person services on Saturdays at 5 pm,
and Sunday mornings at 8 am and 9:30 am.
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Did you miss a sermon or can't remember the good statement made by Pastor Jason recently?
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The Pentecost story is the fulfillment of a prophecy from the book of Joel in which it is declared that in "the last days," the Spirit would be poured out from heaven on all people equally, and the systems and structures that had divided humans for so long would be dissolved. God would be in all, through all, and for all. God would be revealed not to reside in temples made by humans, but rather in the true temples of the Spirit, human beings themselves.
Using this imagery of the temple of God moving from a physical location in Jerusalem to within the hearts of every human, we see in Acts 2 a powerful metaphor for the new thing that God desired to do in the world. In the Hebrew Bible, when the tabernacle and temple were first established, the people knew God was present within the Holy of Holies because God appeared as a wild flame of fire above the temple; this was called the shekinah of God. From the very earliest days of the temple, the prophets continued to say that the rituals of the temple were nothing more than shodows of a coming reality that all people would experience. This is ultimately what Joel is prophesying.
The shekinah of God appears above the heads of people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. A new community was birthed, one not bound by law but liberated by grace. A new day had begun, a new revelation that God's dwelling place was within all people, and absolutely no one was excluded. Together, united in the midst of all our diversity, we become the new temple through which the glory of God is made manifest on earth as in heaven. All are welcome to be a part of this new reality, and in fact, all already are a part of it. The question is whether or not our eyes and ears are open to see and perceive this new reality.
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MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: MAY 30-JUNE WORSHIP SERIES |
In nature, things are not always what they appear to be. The mineral pyrite (also called fool's gold) has a pale yellow color and shine that give it the appearance of real gold. The graphite in a pencil is hardly as valuable as a diamond, but graphite and diamonds are just different forms of the same element: carbon. Appearances can be deceiving, and it can be difficult to see the deeper substance without closer examination. For Christian believers, it is necessary to examine our surroundings carefully in order to perceive how God might by showing up in them. Power, faith, transformation, and salvation often appear in ways we do not expect. God's work is radical, unusual, and often surprising, working behind the scenes and beneath the surface. This series, drawn from Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth, focuses on the various ways we are called to look closely and deeply at where, when, and how God works beyond our expectations.
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Grow in Faith
through listening, paying attention, and reading 5 verses a day
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Morning Devotion
Each day, except Sunday, Pastor Jason shares a brief 4-7 minute scripture reading, reflection, response, and prayer. During the season of Lent, Pastor Jason is sharing the gospel of Mark, which will be read through by Easter. We encourage you to read this gospel. The associated devotion is posted to Prairie Avenue's Facebook page.
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Use Your Gifts by sharing five acts of love and kindness each week |
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Parking Lot Attendants / Greeters Needed
We need smiling faces and joyful hearts in greeting and security. I need two parking lot attendants to greet our guests and assist them with their entrance. Once service begins, these parking lot attendants will secure all entrances to the building, locking the doors, closing the garage about 15 minutes into the worship services. I would like to have attendants for each service -Saturdays at 5 pm and Sundays at 8 am & 9:30 am. Contact the church office (217-428-3327) if you are interested in helping assist in guest/welcome services.
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Music Ensembles Resume Wednesday Rehearsals
As we look towards in-person hospitality and activity, we need additional assistants at each of our worship services. I would like to have a music ensemble for each worship service: Saturdays at 5 pm and Sunday mornings at 8 am and 9:30 am. These groups are tentatively called Meadowlands 1, 2, & 3. You will lead the congregation in singing the hymns and leading our expanding list of familiar praise songs and choruses. While the ability to read music is helpful, and holding a musical pitch (no matter what size bucket) is expected, all those willing and able are welcome to join these small ensembles.
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Our in-person services need worship leaders to assist in speaking the call to worship, invocation prayer, and the call to worship for each of our services: Saturday at 5 pm or Sundays at 8 am or 9:30 am. These materials are prepared each week by Tuesday afternoon, so you do not have to create your own! You can sign up a particular Sunday of the month, a particular time, or which service you already (or will eventually) attend in person. Contact Barb Hodges at 217-620-3268 if you would like to sign up or have questions. |
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Pray with Mexico, May 23, 2021 - Global Ministries
Lectionary Selection: Psalm 104:24-34,35b Prayers for Mexico Dear Creator God: We thank you for our capacity to stand in awe before the wonders of your creation. Today we celebrate the natural beauty of the country of Mexico. We are left ... Read ...
Read more
www.globalministries.org
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Give Regularly through five acts of generosity each month |
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2021 PENTECOST OFFERING
BE THE NEW CHURCH
SUNDAY MAY 16 & MAY 23
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For the past thirteen months, many Disciples living across the United States and Canada have been struggling with social isolation. They’ve stayed away from their various places of worship to protect the health and safety of themselves and others. It has been hard.
How have new church leaders responded? By launching communities of faith in creative and innovative ways. It’s looked like spreading the word about the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) through Door Dash food deliveries, meeting with folks every week on Zoom to discuss anxiety, and making sure that the spiritual needs of transitioning out of correctional facilities are met.
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From hospital and prison chaplains to tri-vocational pastors, courageous new church leaders have answered the call to be the new church. To support them and their efforts to continue the new church movement, please contribute to the 2021 Pentecost Offering, collected in most congregations on Sundays, May 16 and May 23. Each year, half of the gifts made go to your own Region to support local new church development. The other half goes to New Church Ministry, which trains, equips, assists, and multiplies new church leaders. Through programs such as Leadership Academy, New Church Hacks, and Water the Plants, your gifts make a difference across the life of the Church. By participating in this Special Day Offering, you ensure the viability, vitality, and sustainability of unique new church plants in your area and in states, provinces, and territories far away.
Please give generously. Let’s all be the new church, together.
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Week of Compassion:
India Emergency COVID-19 Appeal
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Please consider giving to help respond to the current COVID-19 crisis in India.
Ways to give:
P.O. Box 1986
Indianapolis, IN 46206
Designate gifts for COVID-19 relief
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Through our partners, Week of Compassion is responding to the urgent situation in India, as well as in other parts of the world where COVID-19 rates are escalating. In many countries, new strains of the virus are causing widespread economic hardship, compounding illness and loss of life.
Joseph Sahayam, from our partner CASA in India, reflects, “It’s time to unite and focus on immediate needs. The situation in India could be a warning for the rest of the world, but also lead the way to more global solidarity.”
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General Fund
Donations given to the Prairie Avenue Christian Church General Fund support the year-round ministries of the church. Your generous support keeps our building, staff, and operations working for the mission of the church. The mission of Prairie...
Read more
www.continuetogive.com
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Fundraising Project - reFresh Capital Campaign
Announced at the State of the Church address on June 30, 2015, the reFresh capital campaign has two improvement/update priorities: updating HVAC equipment and internet/network accessibility.
Read more
www.continuetogive.com
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For instructions in registering your Kroger Rewards Card, Click Here.
The Organization code for Prairie Avenue Christian Church is: BY235.
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KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS DONATION |
$29.90 was raised by 14 households who have linked their Kroger customer reward cards to support Prairie Avenue Christian Church. The quarterly contribution is for shopping at Kroger during January - March, 2021.
Joining to support the ministries of Prairie Avenue Christian Church is FREE. Any transactions moving forward using the Shopper’s Card number associated with your digital account will be applied to the program, at no added cost to you. Kroger donates annually to participating organizations based on your percentage of spending as it relates to the total spending associated with all participating Kroger Community Rewards organizations.
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Get Your Disciples Apparel and Gear Here!
Get your Disciples polos, hats, and hoodies in a variety of colors. Order by the 15th to be included in this month's production! 10% of the proceeds benefits the Disciples Mission Fund!
Read more
store.disciples.org
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Prairie Avenue Christian Church is a listed charity with the Smile.Amazon program. Please use smile.amazon.com, and choose Prairie Avenue Christian Church for your generous support. We received a $7.39 donation from the AmazonSmile Foundation as a result of AmazonSmile program activity between October 1 and December 31, 2020.
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Share Your Faith through inviting 5 people to church this year |
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Dear Disciples
Pentecost 2021
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"And as we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel because of vaccines - thank God for science that is helping us to live more protected lives - I feel like we need a revival, a fresh wind, fresh fire, a reminder of the fact that God has indeed equipped us to emerge from this time, just as he equipped those first disciples, those first believers who lived through the disruption of the crucifixion and the resurrection. "
Rev. Terri Hord Owens reflects on the meaning of Pentecost for believers today.
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SAVE THE DATE! August 7, 2021 Nothing can separate us from the love of God! #DisciplesConnect2021 Stay tuned to Disciples News Service for details as they become available.
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