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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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Did you miss a sermon or can't remember the good statement made by Pastor Jason recently?
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If there ever was a word that these days were used to excess (and in mostly frivolous ways), it would be "love." So, what a gift it is to have this text, which asks us to spend time imagining and wondering about what this means for us to love God with our whole heart and soul and mind and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves.
Advertisements would have us believe that love is a feeling, that love equals happiness, that love with a partner is what completes you. Yet loving with your strength, mind, and soul surely widens the scope far beyond the realm of feeling, to commitment, to making a choice about how we treat someone. Love of God means the love of what God loves, which means loving all people. It means living out what it would look like if we as the church and society actually loved whom God loves, with the extensive and unrestricted love of God. This is not a love limited in space to a romantic relationship or a nuclear family or limited in depth to times it is convenient. This is abundant love. Love enough for the whole world.
Often engaged couples wanting a meaningful scripture reading during the wedding ceremony choose some portion of 1 Corinthians 13. When I speak about the passage, I always remind attendees and hearers that this is a description of how a church should look, be, and act. When Paul wrote these meaningful words, he was confronting a church that measured itself mostly by who was responsible for baptisms, who had the greatest talents (tongue-speaking or prophecy?), and eating before everyone could be part and being drunk when the rest did arrive!
Lots of things (and people) claim extravagant value and importance that will not (and cannot) ultimately matter. Love is the ultimate marker and identity. The kind of love God has for us and the kind of love we are called to embody for the whole world--a love that fills our own hearts to the point we have more than enough to give.
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Remembering The Saints
Sunday, November 7, 8 & 9:30 AM
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In church tradition, November 1 has been called "All Saints Day." On the first Sunday of November, we will honor our saints who have died since November 1, 2020, and those honored with memorial gifts.
This year we will honor:
- Ina Woodworth, 2/20/2021
- Kathleen Hubbell, 5/16/2021
- Helen Kater, 6/17/2021
- Marion Gardner, 6/28/2021
- Barbara Kater, 9/7/2021
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One of the joys of having live broadcasts is that from time to time we experience either a piece of equipment or network failure. Sometimes we can resolve it; other times it is a service providers' issue out of our hands.
The other issue facing our live stream production is staffing. A good run for our live stream involves at least 3 persons: one to monitor the Facebook live feed, one to monitor slides, one to monitor audio/video issues. For the last couple of weeks, this has been only reliably covered by one person, making it next to impossible to broadcast. We also have been broadcasting both at 8 am and 9:30 am. 3 people minimum, each service.
For these reasons, we have had pre-recorded videos "ready-to-go" to broadcast rather than scramble because there are not enough people at the broadcast equipment to broadcast live effectively.
Since we are currently without a contemporary praise team to lead a worship service, we have made both 8 am and 9:30 am in-person services identical and traditional. We have been offering a Modern service that is broadcast (and pre-recorded) at 9:30 am, rather than a "second take" of the same service as 8 am.
A pre-recorded contemporary service will be provided on the prairieavenuechristianchurch.org website since it is less likely to be "muted" for good legal copyright restrictions and permissions.
Our goal is to resume full live stream production with a consistent, committed, and responsive live stream crew. If you might be interested or want to know more about what is needed to be a live stream crew member, please contact Patrick Butterick at 217-853-6945. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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Grow in Faith
through listening, paying attention, and reading 5 verses a day
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Morning Devotion
Each weekday (Monday - Friday), Pastor Jason shares a brief 4-7 minute scripture reading, reflection, response, and prayer. The associated devotion is posted to Prairie Avenue's Facebook page.
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The Cost of Discipleship
Book Study Group Resumes
Sunday, November 7, 10:30 AM
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When our discussion group gathers on November 7, it will review and discuss chapters 2-5 (they are short chapters). What does it mean to be called into discipleship? It means leaving a life of relative security into a life of absolute insecurity (but a relationship with Jesus). It will require single-minded obedience, connecting oneself closely with the suffering and rejection Jesus himself experiences. Discipleship is a complete attachment to Christ's person. |
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Use Your Gifts by sharing five acts of love and kindness each week |
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Pray with Egypt, October 31, 2021 - Global Ministries
Lectionary Selection: Ruth 1:1-18 Prayers for Egypt God, help us to act as Ruth: stalwart and supportive of those who have proven themselves our family in Christ - be they our blood kin, our adoptive kin, or otherwise. We persevere ... Read more
Read more
www.globalministries.org
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Give Regularly through five acts of generosity each month |
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A Future With Hope
2022 Stewardship Campaign
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Over the past year, we have experienced separation and togetherness, exile and return. At our core, Prairie Avenue Christian Church is a community of reunion, homecoming, and return. Now more than ever, in a world full of exile, our congregation stands as a beacon of hope, welcome, and radical hospitality.
With all this in mind, we invite you to join us in giving thanks for all the resources--spiritual, theological, physical, and financial--that support this indispensable work. You will shortly receive your statement of giving for this year, a special prayer written by a member of the congregation, and pledge cards for 2022.
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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 Program News |
$32.73 was raised by 13 households who have linked their Kroger customer reward cards to support Prairie Avenue Christian Church. The quarterly contribution is for shopping at Kroger during July-September, 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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"When you shop for items or gifts at smile.amazon.com/ch/37-6056944, AmazonSmile will donate a portion of your eligible purchases to Prairie Avenue Christian Church at no cost to you!"
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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 $5.33 donation from the AmazonSmile Foundation as a result of AmazonSmile program activity between January 1 and March 31, 2021.
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Share Your Faith through inviting 5 people to church this year |
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