Volume 50 First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 1930 Winchester Ave. Ashland, KY 41101 (606) 324-5335 FirstChristianChurch.org Dr. Ike Nicholson Senior Minister
[email protected] Rev. Larry Sivis Associate Minister/ Minister of Worship
[email protected] Amy Christman Director of Family Life Ministries
[email protected] Kathryn Potter Office Manager
[email protected] Wayne McCulley Facilities Manager Joyce Kiser Financial Secretary
[email protected] Connie Reliford Lead Childcare Provider and Nursery Missy White Preschoolers Church Office Hours Monday—Friday 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m. Lectionary Texts Sunday, January 10 Isaiah 43:1-7; Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22; Psalm 29 January Needs Food Pantry: cans of soup with pop-tops Shelter of Hope: bed pillows 4 Ways to Join our Email List 1. Text “FIRSTASHLAND” to 22828 2. FirstChristianChurch.org/emaillists 3. Facebook.com/FirstAshland and click on the “Join My List” tab 4. Contact the church office. Contact the church office if you’d like to stop receiving the paper copy.
Issue 1
January 7, 2016
A Minister’s Perspective by Rev. Dr. Isaac “Ike” Nicholson, Senior Minister
L
ast week, we focused on resolutions for the New Year. We ended with forgiveness. In retrospect, it might have been better to view the issue of forgiveness from the perspective of Christian tradition. Confession is an essential discipline in the Christian’s life. How are confession and forgiveness related? It is probably the most misunderstood practice within and without the church. You see, confession is all about forgiveness, forgiving and being forgiven.
easy to forgive the words uttered in anger by her husband, but struggle to ever trust him after the discovery of a gambling addiction. Myth #2: If you are a good Christian, you will forgive quickly and completely. Actually, a part of forgiveness requires that we not deny that we have been hurt. Pretending that the hurt was no big deal breeds resentment which can be more destructive than anger. Some folks even try to convince themselves (and others) that what happened wasn’t all that bad. This sort of denial isn’t forgiveness. It is a self-inflicted wound on our own personhood. Myth #3: If you truly forgive, you will forget the offense ever happened. When I was a kid, I remember the preacher saying that God casts our sins into the sea of forgetfulness. It was an illustration that says God forgets we ever sinned. I’m not sure that this is entirely a good interpretation of Scripture, but we’ll leave that for a future article. Suffice it to say, time does not always heal all wounds. One reason for that is humans have a tendency to remember when we believe that we have been victimized or abused. “Forgetting” is something we learn to do as an intentional act of our will.
Forgiveness
Throughout my ministry, I have been fortunate to walk with people through many blessings in life. I have also watched as people allowed themselves to be destroyed by life’s tragedies. Death, divorce, betrayal and other life circumstances are potentially devastating moments in anyone’s life. For many of these situations, Jesus gives us a powerful tool to overcome disappointment and anger. The church calls this tool “Confession and the Assurance of Pardon.” It is, essentially, all about forgiveness. Unfortunately, we too often buy into the myths of forgiveness that rob us of joy. I want to, briefly, look at some of the top myths about forgiveness. Myth #1: Forgiveness means that the relationship goes back to the way it was. Of course, restoring a relationship is one by-product of forgiveness, but it isn’t a universal result. Even with divine forgiveness, theologians say that our relationship with God is restored as it was prior to the sin of disobedience in the Garden of Eden. However, we don’t get to move back into the Garden and frolic among the fruit trees. Human sin has made an impact on all of creation and we are still subject to disease and death. Forgiveness allows for the restoration of the relationship, but life will still be affected in correlation to the intention and severity of the sin. A wife may find it
Reformation History Tour
Join us for a 10-day Reformation History tour in England and Scotland on October 17—26, 2016. Brochures detailing the itinerary and pricing information are available on the Welcome Center or at www.FirstChristianChurch.org. An informational meeting is scheduled for Sunday, January 10 following Morning Worship.
Myth #4: Unless the offending party asks for my forgiveness, I don’t need to forgive them. Look, forgiveness isn’t something we do for the offender. It is something we do for ourselves. Forgiveness denies the ongoing influence of an act of betrayal, intentional or unintentional. Forgiveness is refusing to allow someone or something to have power of your present or your future. Forgiveness is something that each of us deals with in different ways. Among the Christian disciplines, confession and pardon are important because we are taught forgiveness. It isn’t intended to make us feel bad. It is intended to lift us up as we come to understand that in our understanding of forgiveness, we become whole ourselves. We become the person God intended.
Upcoming Meetings Stewardship Department Monday, January 11, 6 p.m. General Board Monday, January 18, 6 p.m. Worship Department Tuesday, January 19, 6 p.m. Congregational Meeting Wednesday, January 20, 6:45 p.m. Christian Education Department Thursday, January 21, 6 p.m.
V O L U ME 5 0 | I S S UE 1
Worship Participants—January 10, 2016
Elders: Jack VanHoose/Loaf; Terri VanHoose/Cup; Sharon Brown/Homebound Deacons: Will Stevens, Jim Ward, Katie Wesley, Patty Wiley, Terri Wonn, Ron Wright, Libby Albright, Bryan Brumfield Acolytes: John Young, Katelyn Harmon A/V Department: 2 Coffee Fellowship: Scott, Kim, and Wren Jenkins Communion Coordinators: Charles & Linda Buchanan Greeters: Proctor & Debbie Castle Lay Readers: Katie Wesley, Beth Taylor Ushers: Steve Damron, Jake Damron Van Driver: Marvin Childers Youth Deacon Liturgist: Connor Fannin
Librarian’s Pick
January’s pick is Sarah by Marek Halter. Sarah's story begins in the Sumerian city of Ur. She is the daughter of a powerful lord, and refuses the marriage her father has arranged for her. On Sarah's wedding day, she flees to the empty marshes, outside the city walls. There she meets a young man named Abram, from a tribe of outsiders. Drawn to this stranger, she stays the night and reluctantly returns to her father's house. There she drinks a poison, that will make her barren and unfit for marriage. Many years later, Abram returns to Ur and discovers the rebellious girl is now the high priestess of the goddess Ishtar. Sarah gives up her "exalted" life to join Abram's tribe and follow the one true God. It is then her journey truly begins.
It’s Toddler Time!
Calendar of Events: 01/10/16—01/16/16 SUNDAY 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m.
10:45 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. MONDAY 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. TUESDAY 8:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY 11:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. THURSDAY 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.
Men’s Ensemble Rehearsal FIRST KIDS! Sunday School “A Place For You” Television Ministry (Adelphia, Ch. 9; Time Warner, Ch. 9) Morning Worship Reformation Trip Info Meeting Chi-Rho & CYF Women’s Bell/Chime Ensemble Rehearsal Classical Conversations Faith and Fitness Stewardship Department Meeting Boy Scouts Men’s Breakfast Fellowship/country ham & eggs, biscuits & redeye gravy Little Disciples’ Toddler Time Moms In Prayer/Deanna Bradley’s home Fellowship Hall Reserved/basketball Meals on Wheels/Brenda & Larry Hall St. Andrew’s Kids Vespers Chalice Ensemble Rehearsal Faith and Fitness Room 13 Reserved/Shelter of Hope Biloxi Trip Info Meeting
Youth News Parents/caregivers and children are invited to Little Disciples’ Toddler Time (for ages 18 months—3 years and siblings) on Tuesday, January 12 at 10 a.m. for Christ-centered stories, games and activities.
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
On Sunday, January 17 at 5 p.m., the Ashland Area Ministerial Association will host the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Service at New Hope Baptist Church (2717 Carter Avenue).
• Chi-Rho (grades 6-8) and Christian Youth Fellowship (grades 9-12) resume this Sunday, January 10 from 5—6:30 p.m. We will learn about the Judges in the Bible and play a fun game of Fishbowl, a game that includes charades, Catch Phrase, and laughing! • Check your mail, Facebook, or the church website for the January/February 2016 Youth Newsletter for a calendar of upcoming events and important information. If you are going on the Ski Trip, please work to complete the checklist included with the newsletter.
Biloxi Mission Trip
In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the office will be closed on Monday, January 18.
An informational meeting for participants will be held on Thursday, January 14 at 6 p.m. For more information, please see Amy (
[email protected], 606-324-5335).
Nominations for Elders and Deacons
Disciples Women’s Ministries News
The ministry of Elders and Deacons is an essential part of our congregation’s life and ministry. The Constitution of our Congregation urges that Elders “promote the growth and welfare of the congregation” through “spiritual oversight to the members with respect to regular attendance at the Lord’s Supper, visitation of the sick and concern for the morally delinquent and spiritually indifferent” and encourage the life of the congregation “by example and word, the missionary, evangelistic, educational, and stewardship responsibilities of the congregation” (Article VII, E, 11). Deacons, likewise, assist the Elders in the above ministry with an added responsibility of offering “counsel and serve in the business affairs and program activities of the congregation” and an emphasis in “ministering to the needy” (Article VII, E, 12). We will receive nominations from the congregation through Monday, February 22 of those you believe possess the gifts of the Holy Spirit to fulfill these duties. Please submit nominations in writing to the church office including the name of the nominee and your name as the one making the nomination.
World Outreach Community Dinner
• A new Beth Moore Bible study will begin on Tuesday, February 2 at 6:30 p.m. The Inheritance is a nine session lecture-only series that takes an in-depth look at inheritance throughout God’s word. Each session is approximately one hour in length and is based on the key verse, Psalm 16:5-6: “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” The cost of the listening guide is $5. Please note this study does not include homework! Please sign up at the table in the Narthex. • The DWM Book Club is reading Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. Join us on Thursday, February 25 at 7 p.m. to discuss the book!
The World Outreach Department has teamed up with the Evangelism Department to host another Community Dinner for the Hungry and Homeless on Saturday, January 23 at 5:30 p.m. We hope you will join us in providing a hot meal and fellowship to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Volunteers are needed throughout the evening to help set up, prepare and serve the food, and clean up. Sign up sheets are on the table in the Narthex. We look forward to serving with you. (Cheri Daniel, World Outreach Chair)