This Week’s Schedule
Sunday
8:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
6:00 p.m.
Worship on the Water (WoW)
Sunday School
Morning Worship Service
Evening Worship Service
Wednesday
6:00 p.m.
Bible Study
Friday
10:00 a.m.
Seekers Prayer Group
Schedule of Events
Today
Cemetery Meeting
5:00 p.m.
During Sunday Evening Worship we are watching
the video series of “Agents of Babylon”, a study of
the book of Daniel by Dr. Davis Jeremiah which is
very interesting and everyone is invited to join us.
We recently completed the video study of
Revelations “Agents of the Apocalypse”. The
DVDs and books are available if anyone would like
to borrow them to watch at home or if you watched
the series but missed a night. See Valeria if you are
interested.
Prayer Concerns
The Lost and Unchurched, Our Nation, Our Church
Our Homebound: Duffy Hagler, Patty Jean Armstrong, Elsie Guy, Bobbie Morrow, Betty
Tierce
Our Church Family: Johnny Bigham, Deborah Sellers, Jeff & Joyce Turner, Susan Shirley,
Evonne Brown, Joe Ed Brown, Debbie Medders, Sharon Evans, Jean Hallmark, Abide Team
Friends & Family: Marvin Johnson, Jimmie Colburn, Reggie Simpson, Reggie Watkins,
Ray Bigham family, Suzy Davis family, Brianna Hyche, Marie Henderson, Anita McReath,
Bill Porter, Sue Brown, Thad Flannagan, Mike Stiteler, Geraldine Willcutt, Douglas Frazier,
Wilfred Calhoun, Nadine Estes, Mitchell Bagwell, Judy Kelley, Leavelle Lemley, Lewis &
Faye Kirkley, Amy Hodges, Joe Thomas, Lisa Hughes, Melissa Johnson, Allene Sparks,
Mike Mitchim, Paul Peeples, Toby Madden, Louise Boone, Jake Barrentine, Charles
Collins, Hope Henry, Heidi Shields, David Patrick, David Schafer, Dale Cargile, Mandy
Latner, Jerome & Bobbie Carter, Jim Tierce, Cathy Jones, Skip Nicholson, Jake Falls,
Robert & Pam McCraw, James O’Neal, Bill Miller, Chuck Cardinal, Alyson Chapman,
Mary Bryant, Lester Sellers, Junior Holeman, Wanda Stripling, Lisa Hughes, Sharon Poole,
Dixie Bigham, Jeanette Collins, Tom Belk, Dixie McCraw, Theresa Sellers, David Sutphen,
Betty Crumbley, Robin Beasley, Jeanette Sellers, Charles McCraw, Diane Ballard, Jason
McNeill, Naomia Brown, Shelby Brown, Willie Lemley
MACEDONIA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
“The Church on the Lake”
February 14, 2016
Pastor Rock Stone
(205)792-3301
Email: rock.stone@umcna.org
14837 Highway 69 N, Northport AL 35475
Office: 205-339-6360 Fax: 205-339-6610
Website: thechurchonthelakeumc.org
Facebook:”The Church on the Lake”
Office email: secretary@thechurchonthelakeumc.org
Welcome to Macedonia!
We've been waiting for you! It's true, because we believe that every person who comes
into the circle of our special fellowship was sent by God Himself. So, above all else, we
want to express Christ's love to you, and let you know that we're eager to know you and
excited to share with you the marvelous ways God is working in our church! We offer a
variety of services, including an early contemporary service overlooking the Lake and a
traditional service in the sanctuary. Come on in and learn more about Macedonia UMC
where, like the original Disciples of old and those down through the ages, we have
followed the Master and become "Fishers of Men"! (Mark 1:17 NIV)
If you are a first time visitor or need to update your contact information please fill out a
Connect card and leave in the offering plate or on the table in the foyer.
February 14, 2016
Prelude
*Hymn
I Love to Tell the Story
*Affirmation of Faith (The Apostle’s Creed)
Welcome
Praise
He Touched Me
Prayer Concerns and Glory Sightings
Pastoral Prayer (followed by Lord’s Prayer)
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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen
Hymn
Take Time to Be Holy
Tithes and Offerings
*Doxology
Special Music
Message
*Response
395
Jesus Encounters a Blind Man
John 9:1-12
Open My Eyes, That I May See
454
*Congregation please stand as able
Our Mission Statement:
Striving to make active, growing disciples; to meet the needs of a hurting world, for
the Glory of God through meaningful worship, biblical teachings and Christian
outreach.
The season of Lent is a time for Spiritual renewal through repentance and growth
in the Faith of Easter. It consists of 40 days beginning with Ash Wednesday (excluding
Sundays) and ends on Easter at sunrise. It is the time of the church year when the passion
of and the death of Christ come into focus. Lent is to be a period of self-denial and
fasting and a time of Spiritual discipline.
I suppose I should say spoiler alert for I have chosen to go back into the files and
dust off one of my favorite Lenten series. For those who were here in 2006 you may
recall some of the sermons that will be part of this Lenten series. During the season of
Lent we take time to examine our Spiritual life as well as evaluate our relationship with
Christ. This Lenten journey will focus on the encounters of Jesus. This morning we shall
look at Jesus Encounters a Blind Man. For the rest of our journey we are scheduled to
look at Jesus and Martha and Mary, Jesus and Nicodemus, Jesus and James and John,
Jesus and the woman at the well and finally Jesus and Caiaphas. These encounters will
show us the compassion that Jesus had for those in need as well as some wonderful
teachings that Jesus gave to not only His disciples then but for us today as well.
The season of Lent as I have said numerous times before is my favorite time of
the Christian calendar. It can be a very sorrowful time for us as we remember the passion
of our Lord but also a time of Spiritual growth as we grow closer to Him during this 40
day journey. It really is up to us what we glean from this journey together. I know for me
right now this journey has already become more than I could have ever imagined. It is
my prayer for all of us that this Lenten season I can share with you in a more precise way
than I have ever preached in my thirty years of ministry. So let’s get started with our
time together as Jesus Encounters a Blind Man.
In His ministry that covered between two and a half to three years Jesus
performed numerous miracles. It appears that of all the miracles that He performed only
two were done in Jerusalem. (I had the privilege to give a homely on the other healing
while in Jerusalem this past Monday. That was the healing of the invalid at the Pool of
Bethesda found in John chapter 5.) So for this morning to be to able speak on the other
healing is very exciting. The story of the blind man actually covers the entire ninth
chapter of John. We will use the first twelve verses as our foundation. This healing that
took place on the southern end of the City of David was a miracle of not only physical
healing but of Spiritual healing as well. While the man received his sight, having been
blind since birth, he also had his spiritual eyes opened as well.
That is our desire and prayer for this Lenten journey. I pray that our eyes are
opened to all that God has for us. I pray that Jesus reaches out and touches each one of us
and gives us clarity of thought and sight. I pray that we all are willing to receive His
touch. And like the blind man in the story who was touched we are to react. Are you
ready for your sight to be restored today? Are you ready for your encounter with the Man
from Galilee? Open our eyes Lord, that we might see. Shalom