The Messenger

NEWS & NOTES

• Sunday, August 8: Park Avenue Youth Swim Party at the Trotters from 5:30-8PM.
• Sunday, August 22: Connect kicks off for the Fall from 5:30-7:30PM.

Jesse Sims, Roy Galyon, Tyler McAlister, Shawn Landrum, Terry Waggoner, Mike Hardy, Mike Morgan, Kim Pendergrass, Peggy Clark
 
Ongoing Needs
Neal Odom, Larry Long, Garland Nevil, Jim & Jane Scroggins, Corky Armstrong, Dewey Martin, Bob Corley, Sandra Aynes, Lisa Cobble, Bobby & Peggy Slaughter, Sandra Thomas, Gene Stogner, James Hawk, Nancy Richards, Bob Tollison, Kaile Williams (Norris)
 
Homebound
Ray & Marsha Jones, Chris Keene, JD Huffman
 
Expectant Mothers
Alissa Cope, Breanna Menifee
 
Missions
Hammer & Dela Afakule (Togo), Mario “Pepe” Torre (Monterrey, Mexico), Jimenez family (Cartagena, Colombia)
 
Friends of Park Avenue
Jason Morgan (son of Mike & Patti Morgan), Rebekah Taylor (great niece of the Russell’s), Becky Sanchez (wife of Gil Sanchez,  Director of orphanage in Mexico), Kathy Hill (friend of Chris & Candsis Slaughter), Mike Lauffer (friend of Sue Lain Harrington), Woody Crump (brother of Janet Gott & Peggy Porter), Wanda Evans, Sue Roberts, Patsy Russel (aunts of Candsis Slaughter), Lois Thomas (mother of Candsis Slaughter), Reba & Jack Sims (sister & brother-in-law of Betty Clark)


TODD'S TAKE
Good morning and welcome to our special time of worship. We do this every week but what a blessing it is to be able to gather together and affirm God’s love for us and his calling on our lives.

Habits, like Sunday worship, can so many times become ritualistic and meaningless. We can’t let that happen. And it doesn't have to happen.

Last week I was reminded of how powerful spiritual songs, prayer, communion, and the Word can be as God spoke to me as we worshipped in Lubbock.  It was a pretty ordinary service, as services go—nothing extraordinary—but  God met me there on the South Plains of Northwest Texas.

Today I pray that God meets you here in Texoma. I pray that he speaks his love to you. I pray that you hear his claim on your life. I pray that his promises are renewed in your heart.

Today may be just another ordinary service, but is anything really ordinary when God is present?

May your heart be open to what God has in store for you today!

Back to Church Sunday
Over the past few decades church attendance has been dropping off across the country. The Pandemic only exacerbated that trend. Can anything be done to reverse this?

The churches of Denison have targeted Sunday, September 19 as a call to all of Denison to come Back to Church! So many people grew up going to church but don’t attend any longer. Some have never attended church outside of a special   holiday service or a wedding or a funeral. Some have gotten out of the habit when churches closed down last year. Back to Church Sunday is our plea to those who have wandered off to come back or to those who never connected to a church to give church a try.

The Bible teaches that a person thrives when in spiritual community. Jesus himself lived in community. Paul urged believers to connect to their local church for personal spiritual growth and opportunities to continue in carrying out the redemptive work of God. We all know that and are blessed by that, and we want to share that invitation with everyone.

So what can you do?

• Connect with someone who has wandered off and invite them back.
• Ask a friend who doesn't go to church to come Sunday, September 19.
• Grab a yard sign to advertise the day.
• Attend the community event that Sunday at Forest Park and the Community Worship at Munson Stadium.
• Pray that God can use you and this special day to connect someone with the life giving Gospel.