Growth of the Body for the Building Up of Itself in Love

As we’ve been mentioning over the last couple of weeks, Willie Phan is our new Church Secretary.  She’s taking over the role previously (and faithfully!) filled by Kay Fisher, who recently retired.  Please keep Willie in your prayers as she “learns the ropes” of her new responsibilities.  Also, please keep the following details in mind:

 

  • This is a part-time position, and Willie is currently going to be working on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  The office will be open on those days from 9AM – 4PM.
  • While being the Church Secretary is a ministry role, please note that we want Willie to be “off-duty” from her secretary responsibilities on the Lord’s Day.  Please respect this by avoiding the temptation to interact with Willie about clerical needs during our Lord’s Day gatherings.  Instead, please simply email (rcgoffice@sbcglobal.net) or call (916-972-1106) the church office during the week.

 

Thanks for your attention to these details, and for your prayers.  May the Lord continue to direct and supply for every part of the corporate life of RCG – including our clerical/administrative needs – to the end that He would be glorified in the ongoing “…growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”  (Eph. 4:16)

The Lord’s Abundant Mercies

As I mentioned yesterday in our Corporate Worship Service, some changes are taking place in our church office.  After more than three years of faithful, excellent service, Kay Fisher has recently resigned as our Church Secretary.  I want to publicly thank her for the gracious way she has diligently ministered in this role.  Not only has she given great clerical support to myself, Pastor Steve, and Gary Holman, but she has also been the “glue” in holding together so many vital administrative and communication related details for us as a church family.  I trust you’ll join with me in thanking God for Kay, and also that you’ll personally express thanks to Kay as well.  We’ll miss her in the church office!

 

With Kay’s resignation, Willie Phan has been hired to step into the Church Secretary role.  I’m grateful for the Lord’s provision in this way, and want to encourage you to keep Willie in your prayers as she gets oriented and acclimated to things.

 

In all these matters, and for a million other reasons, I’m thankful to the Lord for His abundant mercies!

The Love of Christ Is Rich and Free

As we saw again yesterday from John 20, Jesus Christ loves His own with a perfect, persevering, and holy love.  May the words of the following hymn encourage you to dwell upon and trust in the immeasurable love of Christ all the more!  (You can listen to a more recent version of this hymn here.)

 

The Love of Christ Is Rich and Free

Words:  William Gadsby.

1. The love of Christ is rich and free;

Fixed on His own eternally;

Nor earth, nor hell, can it remove;

Long as He lives, His own He’ll love.

2. His loving heart engaged to be

Their everlasting Surety;

’Twas love that took their cause in hand,

And love maintains it to the end.

 

Chorus :

Love cannot from its post withdraw;

Nor death, nor hell, nor sin, nor law,

Can turn the Surety’s heart away;

He’ll love His own to endless day.

 

3. Love has redeemed His sheep with blood;

And love will bring them safe to God;

Love calls them all from death to life;

And love will finish all their strife.

4. He loves through every changing scene,

Nor aught from Him can Zion wean;

Not all the wanderings of her heart

Can make His love for her depart.

(Repeat chorus)

5. At death, beyond the grave, He’ll love;

In endless bliss, His own shall prove

The blazing glory of that love

Which never could from them remove.