Messages for This Month
Dear Riverside Baptist Church family,
As we approach the final weeks of 2011, including Thanksgiving and Chrismas, I want to express my thanks to the Lord for the privilege of serving as the Senior Pastor of Riverside Baptist Church. When I arrived here in June of 2005, I was glad for the opportunity to serve the Lord in Decatur, Illinois. Now, looking aback on the six and a half years I have been here, I am amazed at what he Lord has done, and ecited about what the Lord has yet to do?
One of the areas of our church where there is a fresh new emphasis is more outreach to our community. In October, we hosted a great Sportman's Banquet, with over 70 in atendance. Now the Outreach Committee is leading in another way we can connect Decatur with the Gospel. On November 27th, we are providing tracts, booklets, and even a DVD Gospel presentation for the entire congregation in the morning church service. This material is to be taken and freely shared with friends, neighbors, fellow workers, fellow students, relatives- anyone whom you are led to share the Gospel with.
Many think about spiritual things during the Christmas holiday season. Giving away these items in your gifts, Christmas cards, or even with a plate of cookies for your neighbors may be used by God to bring salvation and eternal life to someone who needs Christ.
Also, we are looking for more committee members to help serve on the Out reach Committee. Do you have a burden to see the Gospel shared throughout Decatur ? You can follow Christ's command in Matthew 28:18-20 by volunteering to help the Outreach Committee. Would you take part in this vital effort?
Pastor Norris
I have enjoyed preaching through the Psalms. They are reflections of people giving to God their emotional responses to the situations in life. Sometimes the authors are praising God for he good in their lives, and sometimes, the authors are crying out to God in their pain. In all of it however, people find their comfort and place their trust in the God of the Universe. I think that sometimes we forget that God is indeed in charge of everything. Even our church and its activities are totally His!
As we prepare for 2012, I am excited about some of the opportunities. The youth group will again be going on Snow Trip, and our missions trip will be to Shepherd's home in Wisconsin. This trip is memorable and a great trip for all of our teens. We will be starting a Men's Prayer breakfast where we will focus on being men of prayer and leaders in our homes and in the church. All this and more will happen in addition to many of the things that we are already doing as a church to glorify God.
As we look to 2012, would you consider how you could be an asset to the church in the areas of our fellowship groups? We could use two new host homes and two new leaders for the groups. These jobs are not difficult, and are great ways to connect the newer people coming to our church and help them make the transition from being visitors to being fully integrated into the life of our church. This is a vital ministry and we could use your help.
I will end with the words of Psalm 150 and the reminder that we need to make sure that we are in the regular daily, hourly process of giving praise to God. "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Psalm 150:6.
Pastor Sabin
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