COMPASSION
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7
The merciful are happy. This, like the rest, is a paradox; for the merciful are not taken to be the wisest, nor are likely to be the richest. Yet Christ pronounces them blessed. Those are the merciful who are piously and charitably inclined to pity, help, and succour [help] persons in misery. A man may be truly merciful who has not wherewithal to be bountiful or liberal, and then God accepts the willing mind. We must not only bear our own afflictions patiently, but we must, by Christian sympathy, partake of the afflictions of our brethren. Pity must be shown and bowels of mercy put on, and being put on, we must put forth ourselves in contributing all we can for the assistance of those who are in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of others and help them; pity the ignorant and instruct them, the careless and warn them, those who are in a state of sin and snatch them as brands out of the burning. We must have compassion on those who are melancholy and in sorrow and comfort them; on those whom we have advantage against and not be rigorous and severe with them; on those who are in want and supply them. Nay, a good man is merciful to his beast.
Now, as to the merciful, they are blessed. It is said in the Old Testament, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor,” Ps. 41:1. Herein they resemble God, whose goodness is his glory. In being merciful as he is merciful, we are, in our measure, perfect as he is perfect. It is an evidence of love to God. It will be a satisfaction to ourselves to be in any way instrumental for the benefit of others. One of the purest and most refined delights in this world is that of doing good.
They shall obtain mercy; mercy with men when they need it. We know not how soon we may stand in need of kindness, and therefore we should be kind. But especially shall we obtain mercy with God, for with the merciful he will show himself merciful. The most merciful and charitable cannot pretend to merit, but must fly to mercy. The merciful shall find with God sparing mercy, supplying mercy, sustaining mercy, and mercy in that day. Nay, they shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them; whereas they shall have judgment without mercy who have shown no mercy. – Matthew Henry
The Lord's Day Services
Sunday, January 27, 2019
10:00 a.m. Sunday school for all ages
11:00 a.m. Morning Service – Dr. Larry Saunders
6:00 p.m. Pre-service Prayer Meeting
6:30 p.m. Evening Service – Dr. Larry Saunders
Fellowship & refreshments following the evening service, Team #4 is on duty.
Weekly Announcements
Monday, January 28th
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Gym Fellowship
Tuesday, January 29th
7:15 p.m. Women’s Bible study – Philippians 1:12-20, Whether by life or by death
Wednesday, January 30th
7:25 p.m. Family Bible Study & Prayer meeting
Quiz: Acts Chapters 4 & 5. Study on Ch. 6
Friday, February 1st
7:00 p.m. Good News Bible Club
Advance Announcements
Sunday, February 3rd
10:00 a.m. Sunday School for all ages
11:00 a.m. Morning Service – Dr. Larry Saunders
6:00 p.m. Pre-service Prayer Meeting
6:30 p.m. Evening Service – Dr. Larry Saunders
Wednesday, February 6th
7:25 p.m. Bible Study & Prayer Meeting.
Friday, February 8th
9:00 a.m. Women’s Morning Bible Study
7:00 p.m. Good News Bible Club
ELECTION OF ELDERS
We are planning to have an election at our Annual General Meeting, on April 17, 2019, to choose two new elders to be added to our Session. Members will be able to nominate up to two men for this office. On February 3rd a list of eligible men will be posted, and nomination papers will be available. The nominations will be collected on February 10th. Please pray for the clear direction of the Holy Spirit for this important decision.
MEXICO MISSION SUPPORT TEAM - AUGUST 9th-24th, 2019
Rev. Derrick Bowman under the charge of the FPCNA, is organizing the very first mission team to go and be of assistance to Rev. Jason Boyle, and Brother Lalo Pena, and Marcus Reyes, in Mexico. Below are the specific details of the trip. This trip is not limited to “young people” but anyone over the age of 16 who would be interested in being a part of this Mission Support Team. Details are as follows:
- The cost of the trip is $1,500 which includes travel, accommodations, and meals. A payment schedule is included in the application form.
- We will depart from Winston Salem on Friday, August 9 and return on Saturday, August 24. Our congregation will provide housing for all team members before and after the trip.
- Team members will be responsible for their own travel to and from Winston Salem, NC.
- Applications need to be submitted by Friday, February 22 by regular mail or scanned and emailed to Derrick Bowman at derbow@gmail.com.
- Being able to speak Spanish will be helpful but not necessary for this trip.
- The basic trip itinerary is as follows:
Aug. 9 – Travel to the Puebla City airport in Mexico and then drive to Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico
Aug. 10-14 – Assist Lalo Pena in Cordoba and Marcus Reyes in Orizaba
Aug. 15 – Travel to Mexico City to meet up with Jason Boyle
Aug. 16-23 – Assist with evangelistic outreach ministries at Jason Boyles’ church
Aug. 24 – return home
Mission Statement:
The mission of the FPCNA Ministry Support Team is to strengthen the witness and testimony of local churches and mission works for the glory of God.
Team Member Requirements:
- Each team member must fill out an application form. Attached to your application form you must submit a letter of recommendation from your session, and you must submit in paragraph form your answers to the following questions:
- What is the gospel?
- What is your personal testimony of salvation and have you been baptized?
- What is your current ministry involvement in your local congregation?
- What type of cross-cultural missionaryexperience do you have? (you are not required to have previous experience to be considered for a team)
- Team members must be in regular attendance in a FPCNA congregation to participate in a ministry trip.
- In general, team members must be 16 years of age or older (at the time of the trip). In limited circumstances, exceptions to this rule may be made depending on the location and nature of the trip.
- Dating or engaged couples will not be allowed on the same trip.
- Each team member must read, sign, and abide by the team policy information listed on the application.
- Along with the application, each team member must submit a $100 deposit. Team members will be supplied with a payment schedule. An example is as follows:
$100 with your application (applied toward the first 50% of total trip cost)
50% of total trip cost received by 120 days out
75% of total trip cost received by 90 days out
100% of total trip cost received by 60 days out
