The Weekly
Hey,
The Weekly is your regular update of what's happening around Shallowford.
Family Game Night
On April 9, 5-7 pm, our Family Ministries will be hosting a game night for all of our kids, students, and their friends. If you'll be in town over Spring Break and you're looking for something to do, then this is for you!
Part of building our kids up in the faith is immersing them in the community of the church so that they build meaningful friendships with other kids and adults. This game night will help you do exactly that.
At the same time, this is a great front porch for your kids' friends who are unsure about stepping all the way into a church on Sunday morning. This is a middle ground for them to be exposed to the church community and grow closer to hearing the good news of Jesus.
Overflowing in Generosity
Paul describes the church in Macedonia in 2 Corinthians 8 as "overflowed in a wealth of generosity." We may read that and immediately consider it nice, but is not really possible for us.
Can we really overflow in generosity?
Their formula for generosity, though, is actually more than relatable!
Affliction + Joy + Poverty = wealth of generosity
Maybe that sounds more like a formula for despair, or needing a new budget, but Paul says it caused them to overflow in generosity.
When we consider how God has been generous to us, it actually creates a generous spirit in us.
Giving is not an optional add on in the Christian life. It is part of what it means to be united to our infinitely generous Savior.
If you are not regularly giving, consider how you could start today.
If you are regularly giving, remember that this isn't something we do easily and naturally. It's a work of God in us to be able to give.
https://shallowford.churchcenter.com/giving
Easter
As we move closer to Easter, we are going to have two different ways to worship together on Easter weekend.
First, on Good Friday we will have a Stations of the Cross at 6 pm. Last year was our very first stations of the cross service and it was such a wonderful time together. This service is different than what we normally do on Sundays. We get outside and actually walk from station to station remembering each part of Christ's journey to the cross. We read, pray, sing, and reflect on the cross of Christ. This service is outdoors and kid-friendly, so we will not have any childcare.
Second, our Easter service is at our regular time on Sunday at 10:30. This day is special for us as God's people. It is set aside to remember the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, securing our eternal life in Him forever! But this day is also special for our culture. It is one of just a few days when people choose to come to church who almost never do. We can take advantage of this God-given opportunity by first praying that God will present himself to these people in a fresh way.
You can also take some of our Easter invite cards and invite people you know to join you!
Finally, on Easter Sunday, we can all be on the lookout for new faces to welcome.
I love you all!
In Christ,
Jonny Day