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Week of February 25, 2024 | |
WHOSE LIFE IS IT ANYWAY?
By Ray Wallace
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“Whose life is it, anyway?” I’ve heard that question for most of my life, usually used as a challenge to mean, “You can’t tell me what to do!” For the most part, I agree, we cannot tell other adults what to do. We can educate them, help them see the light, show the where various chosen paths will lead, but God gave each of us a free will and nothing takes that away. Sharing wisdom is an excellent part of loving others, but we cannot and should not try to force others to take our advice.
That said, our first order of recognition is the actual answer to the question, “Whose life is it anyway?” Truthfully, for the Christian, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body. - 1 Cor. 6:19, 20 NASB
The purchase transaction is even clearer in 1 Peter, " If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."
God bought us back with something more precious than gold, the blood of Christ! Another thing it tells us is that He loves us more than humans can comprehend! God bought you back, redeemed you, from the claws of the devil simply because He loves you!
Back to the question, “Whose life is it, anyway?” It’s His, God’s, because He bought you. Some don’t like it. Many try to ignore it, even after their conversion, but truth is truth. I belong to Him, and you do too. Frankly, I am ecstatically glad that I do. He loves me, He guides me, He leads me to the springs of life’s joys (Psalm 23). Like a deer who pants for the water brook, we need to learn to look to Him for life, for wisdom, for guidance. Our best course of action is to rejoice with a deep smile when we consider, “Whose life is it anyway?” and rejoice at the answer, “I belong to Him.”
So many are so horribly deceived into thinking that following Jesus steals our joy. “I can’t be happy without my Sunday morning fishing trips with my buddies!” In actuality, following “in His steps,” (1 Peter 2:21) is life’s best road to joy!
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. - John 15:11
You see, He owns me, and when I follow my owner, He gives me the gift of unspeakable joy that can come from nowhere else. We belong to Him. He has our best interests in mind, He can see the future. He can lead if we will follow. The cross-shaped hole in every heart can be filled by none other than the one who bought us with His blood. Who does your life belong to? Him!
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Elders
Leon Cort
Mark Craigwell
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Minister
Mark Craigwell
Assistant Minister
Denver Simmons
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Deacons
Raleigh Gallington
Anthony Johnson
Gregory Johnson
Carlfred Malcolm
Albert Martin, Jr.
Walter Maxwell
Richard Meuse
Barry Person
Jason Reid
In Memoriam
Gone, but never forgotten, our beloved brother,
James W. Wade, Sr.
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Sermon for Sunday, February 25, 2024
Title: A Faithful Love
Text: Ephesians 1:15-16
Speaker: Bro. Mark A. Craigwell
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Bro./Sis. Chris & Glinda Meadows will be moving on Saturday, March 16th. Brothers are needed to help with the move. Please contact Bro. Chris Meadows if you can assist. Contact info was sent to members via text blast.
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Bro./Sis. Frank & Ekua Addae are looking for an apartment. They are hoping to move prior to the birth of their baby in April. Contact info for the Addaes was sent to members via text blast.
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Don't Miss Out! Please scroll through the entire e-bulletin each week to be certain not to miss any important announcements or links. Many items are repeated each week, but there are also new announcements that you'll miss if you don't scroll through the entire bulletin.
The New England Lectureship: Friday, May 3 - Sunday, May 5, 2024, at the enVision Hotel and Conference Center in Mansfield/Foxboro, MA. Don't wait until the last minute to register and book your hotel room. Details below in Upcoming Events section.
The Couples’ Ministry meets the 2nd and 3rd Friday of the month via Zoom. See Couples' Ministry section below for connection information.
The Singles’ Ministry will next meet on Monday, March 4th at 6 p.m. at the church building.
Young Adult Ministry (YAM) Upcoming Events
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March 29th @ 7:30pm: YAM Movie Night. Signup Here.
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April 19th @4pm: Volunteer Event at Community Servings. Signup here.
Youth & Family Ministry:
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Opportunities for Youth - see Youth & Family Ministry section below for summer job and other opportunities for youth.
Tech Day: 3rd Saturday of the month, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the church building. Bring your cell phones, tablets, and laptops for help with your tech issues. See Bro. Javier Jackson, Jr., or Bro. Jerard Samuel for details. Sign-up sheets will be posted monthly. The March Tech Day is currently scheduled for Saturday, March 16th.
2024 Mature in Heart Pennsylvania Dutch Country Excursion: We are still accepting registrations for this year's excursion to see a live performance of "Daniel" and the Sight & Sound Theater. See Mature in Heart Ministry section below for details and link to registration form. Registration form and deposits were due by 12/31/23. If you have not yet submitted your deposit, please see Bro. Gallington, Sis. Nagarajah, or Sis. Keitrice Johnson to do so ASAP. Please note that we need a minimum of 30 participants. We currently have 21 participants who have paid the required deposit. Please let us know immediately if you plan to participate but have not yet paid your deposit.
2024 Roxbury Ladies' Day: Saturday, March 16th at the Tirrell Room in Quincy. See Women's Ministry below for details. Please submit payments ASAP if you have not already done so.
Community Outreach: Our monthly community outreach grocery distribution will take place on Saturday, March 23rd at 9:30 a.m. at the church building. All are welcome to participate.
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The congregation is requesting member support of its Mission Fund as we provide an educational stipend to Bro. Phillip Morrison while he attends Sunset International Bible Institute full time for the next 18 months to train as a minister. We are asking members to commit/pledge at whatever amount your heart and ability can provide for this period of time. This is a commitment over and above your regular giving and we hope all members will participate to the level of their ability and heart for God. Our target is to provide $3,000 per month and all commitments, whether large or small, are helpful and appreciated.
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Please make checks and money orders payable to Church of Christ in Roxbury and write Mission Fund in the memo line.
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Electronic donations may be made via the E-Giving option at ChurchofChristinRoxbury.org/e-giving, followed up with a text or email to Bro. Gallington [(617) 922-4598, mrcg13@hotmail.com].
Click here to complete the pledge form electronically.
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If you haven't already registered for this year's New England Lectureship, scheduled for Friday, May 3rd through Sunday, May 5th, at the enVision Hotel & Conference Center in Mansfield-Foxboro, MA, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible. For detailed information and links to the schedule, registration, vendor, souvenir book, and hotel information, please visit the New England Lectureship website at Home | New England (newenglandlectureship.org). | |
OUR CURRENT COVID PROTOCOLS | |
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Effective immediately, and until further notice, we have suspended the requirement for attendees to sign up in advance to attend Sunday worship. We have also suspended attendance taking at our in-person services, classes, and events. Masking remains optional.
Remember that although COVID numbers are down, COVID has not gone away, and is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Please protect yourself and those around you by adhering to the guidelines below.
If you test positive for COVID after attending an in-person church event, please notify us by email at cocroxbury@gmail.com or by text to Sis. Gloria Gallington at 617-922-5987 so that notifications can be made as needed.
For up-to-date information regarding COVID in Massachusetts, click the link below:
COVID-19 Updates and Information | Mass.gov
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We will continue to offer two Sunday morning worship services to accommodate in-person attendees
The first service begins at 8:30 a.m. and runs until approximately 9:45 a.m.; the second service begins at 11:00 a.m. Our weekly Bible classes for all ages begin at 10:00 a.m. We will continue to livestream the 11:00 service on our YouTube channel, and we encourage members to utilize e-giving, even when attending in person. As noted under News & Notes, it is no longer necessary to sign up in advance to attend worship services in person.
E-giving link
https://churchofchristinroxbury.org/e-giving
Livestream link
Church of Christ in Roxbury - YouTube
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Our monthly community outreach grocery distribution will resume on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. at the church building. All are welcome to participate. Distribution will begin at 11:00 a.m. | |
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Remote & In-Person
Class/Meeting Schedule
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Wednesday Night In-Person & Dial-In Bible Study
Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in-person and via freeconferencecall.com.
Dial in number: 978-990-5000
Access Code: 261232#
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REMINDER: Please remember to mute your phone or computer when joining any of the above conference calls to avoid interrupting the class or service you are entering, particularly if you are joining the call after the event has started. | |
The Couples' Ministry meets the second and third Fridays of the month at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. | |
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Our February Women's Class will take place on Sunday, February 25th at 5:00 p.m. at the church building and via Free Conference Call.
Dial in number: 978-990-5000
Access Code: 261232#
Or join the class online at join.freeconferencecall.com/carl95fred
If you would like to present a lesson for our Women's Class in 2024, please see Sis. Wendy Craigwell.
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February 2024
Visitor Thank You Letters: Sis. Sharee Farley
Visitor Gift Bags: Sis. Sandra Wade
Baptistry: Sis. Wendy Craigwell
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Roxbury Sisters: Please check the bulletin board to make sure you are signed up to attend this event. The date will be here before you know it. The cost is $70 per person/$35 for ages 18 and under. Remember that we do not ask our guests or our sisters from other congregations to pay to attend this event. Please submit your payment(s) to Sis. Gallington, Sis. Cindy Woodley, or Sis. Maria Harris or submit your payment online via our e-giving link at: https://www.churchofchristinroxbury.org/e-giving. If you submit your payment online, please follow up with an email to cocroxbury@gmail.com with the subject line "Ladies' Day Payment," and your name and payment amount in the body of the email. | |
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2024 Mature in Heart Pennsylvania Dutch Country Excursion:
We are accepting registrations for the 2024 trip to Lancaster County Pennsylvania to see the September 19th showing of "Daniel" at the Sight and Sound Theater. The bus will be scheduled to leave at 4am on the 19th and estimated to return between 9pm and 10pm on the 20th. A minimum initial deposit of $120 is required to secure a spot. This should be completed by December 31, 2023 to allow us to plan for the number to attend. The deposit (and subsequent payments) can be made by cash, check (payable to Church of Christ in Roxbury), or electronically via our e-giving link: churchofchristinroxbury.org/e-giving. If you make your deposit or any subsequent payments electronically, please follow up with an email to cocroxbury@gmail.com with the subject line 2024 Pennsylvania Trip, and your name and payment amount in the body of the email.
The number of participants is limited by bus capacity. The overall cost of the charter bus, show ticket hotel and banquet has increased by $54 per person from 2023, however we have made some changes and restrictions to try to reduce the impact.
1. The minimum number for the event is increased from 24 to 30 (bus passengers). This will ensure that the bus cost per person is no more than $145.
2. The family-only restriction is removed for triple and quad hotel accommodations. However, we are requiring that all roommates be identified at the time of registration and the spots are not confirmed until all roommates have registered. There are also restrictions on refunds to make sure room costs are covered. More details are available upon request. Please see Bro. or Sis. Gallington, Sis. Keitrice Johnson, or Sis. Elizabeth Nagarajah with any questions.
Based on the changes described above, the following are the trip costs for 2024:
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Quad Occupancy hotel room, banquet seat, bus seat and theater seat -- $352
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Triple occupancy hotel room, banquet seat, bus seat and theater seat -- $371
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Double occupancy hotel room, banquet seat, bus seat and theater seat -- $408
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Single occupancy hotel room, banquet seat, bus seat and theater seat -- $535
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Grand king hotel room, two banquet seats, two bus seats and two theater seats -- $859
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Banquet seat and theater seat only -- $120
Please note that we need a minimum of 30 participants. We currently have 21 participants who have paid the required deposit. Please let us know immediately if you plan to participate but have not yet paid your deposit.
Please click here to access the online registration form.
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February men's class is Sunday, February 25th at 5 p.m. at the church building.
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Young Adult Ministry (YAM) | |
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Upcoming Events
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March 29th @ 7:30pm: YAM Movie Night. Signup Here.
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April 19th @4pm: Volunteer Event at Community Servings. Signup here.
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Monthly Ministry Meeting
1st Sunday of each month at 1:00 p.m.
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2024 Youth Jobs & Resource Fair
Our Annual Youth Jobs & Resource Fair will be a great opportunity for youth ages 14-24 to connect with employers, get a summer job, gain resources, and more! Free food, fun activities, and live performances—register your spot!
We are also looking for Volunteers to participate! Register here!
More details to come!
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Meetings & Events
2/4 - Youth & Family Ministry Meeting, 2pm @church building.
2/5 - Singles' Ministry Meeting, 6pm @church building.
2/5 - Ministers'/Elders'/Deacons' Meeting, 7pm
2/11 - Deacons' Meeting following 11:00 service @church building.
2/11 - Spiritual Development Class, 5pm @church building.
2/16 - Youth & Family Ministry VIP Session. See Upcoming Events for details.
2/17 - Ministers'/Elders'/Deacons' Wives' Meeting, 10am
2/17 - Tech Day, 11am-1pm
2/18 - Retention Ministry Meeting following 11:00 service @church building.
2/19 - Ice Skating at Frog Pond. See Upcoming Events for details.
2/24 - Community Outreach, 9:30am @church building.
2/25 - Men's & Women's Classes, 5pm @church building.
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Ministry Meetings - Please contact your ministry coordinator for remote meeting schedules.
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- Sunday New Converts' Class, 10:00am @church building
- Sunday Bible Class (children) Sundays at 10:00am @church building
- Sunday Adult Devotional/Bible Study, 10:00am @church building
- Sunday Worship Service 8:30 and 11:00am in person and 11:00am via livestream on YouTube. See above for details.
- Men's/Women's Classes, 5pm (4th Sunday of the month) @church building
- Youth & Family Ministry (1st Sunday of the month at 2pm)
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Mature in Heart Women's Prayer (Tuesdays @ 10:30am) VIA TELECONFERENCE (connection info above)
- Prayer Meeting (Tuesdays @ 7pm) VIA TELECONFERENCE (connection info above)
- Mid-Week Bible Study (Wednesdays @ 6:30pm) in person and VIA TELECONFERENCE (connection info above)
- Mid-Week New Converts' Class (Wednesdays @ 7pm) @church building
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Healing Hearts (Thursdays @6:15pm) VIA ZOOM
- Choral Ministry (Thursdays @7:30pm) in person @church building
- Couple's Ministry (2nd & 3rd Fridays @ 7 pm)
- Retention Ministry (3rd Sunday following 11:00 service)
- Women's Prayer (Saturdays 9:30am) VIA TELECONFERENCE (Connection info above)
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Bro. John Kurpiel, minister for the Lawrence congregation, hosts an international radio program, “Soul Food,” on Mondays and Tuesdays from 11AM until 3PM. The program airs on Ignite Radio Broadcast via Mixlr, an interactive internet radio platform. Use the link below to tune in to listen, or to participate in the conversation. Always free to listen. https://mixlr.com/ignite-radio-broadcast.
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Church of Christ in Roxbury
81 Walnut Avenue
Roxbury, MA 02119
617-442-5826
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