The Scarlet Cord

Rahab the prostitute is one of the women with questionable pasts who are part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. Her story is dramatic and inspiring—and is the topic of Sunday’s sermon in our series on Men and Women of the Bible. Join us at 9:30 a.m. for our sermon titled Be Strong and Courageous.

The Integrity of Joseph

Our upcoming sermon on October 10 is about Joseph, one of the youngest sons of Jacob. His older half brothers were jealous of him.  They threw him in a pit and eventually sold him slave traders headed for Egypt.  He was a man that faced many struggles, but God’s hand was upon him.  His hardships did not lead him to bitterness, but instead to a godly character. The integrity of his life can help to mold us as well.

Who was Tamar?

If you tend to skip over the “begats” in the Bible, you may miss some fascinating stories. In Matthew’s gospel, nearly 50 people are named as Jesus’ ancestors. Surprisingly, that list includes five women. (No women were included in the genealogy given by Luke.) Even more surprising, only one of the five, Jesus’ mother Mary, was Jewish. This week, we will hear about Tamar, the first woman mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy in our sermon on “Deception: How Tamar Became An Unlikely Heroine” using Genesis 38 as the text. Please join us at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday!

Lessons from Abraham

On Sunday, September 26, we are starting a new sermon series on men and women of the Bible. Abraham is first.

To the Jews, Abraham was their biological father; to Christians, he is a spiritual father. He was not perfect, but he was called a friend of God. His spiritual pilgrimage began when God told him to leave Ur and go to the place where He was going to lead. There are important applications for us for we are called to a similar journey.

We hope to see you at 9:30 a.m. this Sunday!

How to stop worrying

The serenity prayer says: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

Jesus told us not to worry and to simply trust in God to take care of us. In Philippians, Paul tells us how he learned to avoid worry and to be content in all circumstances. This week, Dr. Wayne Cook’s sermon is titled “How to Stop Worrying” with Philippians 4:1-15 as the text.

If you need transportation to and from church on Sunday, please call 376-106-0853 during our weekly office hours, 8:30 to 4:30 Tuesday through Friday and we will arrange a ride for you.

What are you waiting for?

It often seems that the happiest people are the ones who live in anticipation. Those who live in the past are disappointed by the present. They prefer the good old days. But those who foresee a better future and work toward it have purpose and joy. The apostle Paul tells us about the future that “we eagerly await” in his letter to the Philippians. This week, Associate Pastor Carolyn Hansen’s sermon is titled “What Are You Waiting For?” with Philippians 3:17-21 as the text.

Please join us in person or watch our service any time at lpcchapala.org. Masking and social distancing protocols continue to apply during our service. If you need transportation to and from church on Sunday, please call 376-106-0853 during our weekly office hours, 8:30 to 4:30 Tuesday through Friday and we will arrange a ride for you.

You have family at Lakeside!

Pressing on to the Prize

Lakeside Presbyterian Church’s English-language congregation meets at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday. This week, Dr. Wayne Cook will speak on “Pressing on to the Prize” using Philippians 3:12-16 as his text.Dr. Cook notes that it often gives people an advantage to be able to focus upon one single thing at a time. In the Olympics, the gold medal isn’t given for how fast someone can run, but on when they cross the goal. In Philippians, Paul talks about “forgetting the past and pressing on towards the mark.”

Losing my religion

The sermon this week is about “Losing My Religion,” from Philippians 3:4-11. When the Apostle Paul was confronted with a blinding light on the road to Damascus, he met Jesus Christ. This event changed him completely. He ended up renouncing everything he had once zealously fought for. In his letter to the Philippian church, Paul explains why his new faith is worth so much more than his old religion.

Our worship service on August 22 begins at 9:30 a.m. We hope you can be there!

Taking a wrong turn

Although Philippians is primarily a joyful letter, Paul takes the time to talk about the danger of going astray.

Jesus tells us that the road to heaven is a narrow one. What a tragedy to think that you’re going in the right direction only to find that you have somehow taken a wrong turn.

Join us at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning for Wayne’s sermon on Philippians 3:1-3.

Are you making any plans to travel?

Making a decision about whether to travel has become more complicated lately. Will I need a COVID test? Will I need to quarantine? How much time and money will quarantining cost me? Even with these added decisions, travel for St. Paul was far more difficult. It’s not surprising that he explained to the readers of his letter to the Philippians just who he wanted to send to them from Rome. (They would have used the road pictured above.) But this choice is enhanced by learning exactly why Paul wants to send these two particular men: Timothy and Epaphroditus.

Find out more during the sermon on August 8 titled “Travel Plans,” using Philippians 2:19-30 as the text.