July 26, 2009 by PastorMark.

#355, Praying Through, Pastor Mark Boucher, Sunday, 07-26-2009

Text: Daniel 9

Pastor Mark Boucher concludes the Godly Living in Ungodly Times series: “Praying Through” (Daniel 9 )

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July 26, 2009 by admin.

Four years of ESL are behind us. We have helped provide numerous students with skills for the English language and are looking forward to another year.

This year we will offer Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning classes. And, we could use your help!!! Are you willing to prayerfully commit to this special and unique cause? You might be thinking, I am not a teacher. I can’t do that. Training sessions and support will be available for you. You just need a willingness to serve the Lord, a love for people, enthusiasm, and a joyful spirit. Please consider this endeavor to help “teach the nations.”

If interested in helping or in finding out more about ESL, please complete and detach the form below. Then place it in the basket at the Welcome Center. We will contact you!

Rita and Bernadette (ESL Co-directors)

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July 26, 2009 by admin.

Tisha B’Av - Huh?

To most Christians, hearing the words September 11th strikes a chord of sadness, grief, and other painful emotions, but the term Tisha B’Av (pronounced tee sha b’ahv) means nothing. Let us change that by learning something new today about Tisha B’Av.

Actually, it is a date on the Hebrew calendar, the 9th day in the month of Av. This year it falls on our Thursday, July 30. It is on this day that many Jewish people fast and grieve over the great losses and tragic events that happened on this date in their history. According to the sages, here are some of the tragedies that have happened on the 9th of Av:

1. In 586 BC, the First Temple (built by Solomon) was destroyed by the Babylonians. One hundred thousand
   Jews perished, and millions were exiled.
2. In 70 AD, the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans, led by Titus. Again many Jews died and
   many were exiled. This destruction was prophesied by Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) in Matthew 24:2.
3. In 135 AD, the Jewish Bar Kochba revolt was crushed by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. A stronghold of over
   100,000 Jews was slaughtered.
4. In 1290, an official decree was signed, expelling all of the Jewish people from England.
5. In 1492, the large Jewish community in Spain was expelled from the country.

As Christians, we are the spiritual seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). Therefore, the Jewish history and family tree is our history and our tree. Her losses become our losses and her mourning, our mourning. I believe the heart of Ruth, a Gentile, toward her Jewish mother-in-law could be expressed like this: “Where you go, I will go; where you live live, I will live; your people will be my people; your God will be my God; and your losses and grief will be my losses and grief.”

On Thursday, may the Lord knit our hearts together with the grieving Jewish people (”Weep with those who weep;” “Jesus wept”) and make us sensitive, as well, to our own losses and grief as spiritual Jews. As the Lord leads, may we join together in fasting with many Christians and Jews around the world.

Finally, although this day reminds us of the hatred aimed at God’s Chosen People, let it also remind us that Adonai has preserved His people, in spite of Satan’s continual attempts to destroy their hope. “Am Y’israel Chai!” (The Jewish people live on!) And, indeed, soon all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26), the Third Temple will be built, and we will all rejoice together, forever with our Messiah, Jesus!

Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you  who love her; rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her” (Isaiah 66:10).

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July 26, 2009 by admin.

WELCOME TO LEOMINSTER ASSEMBLY OF GOD

• Welcome Center ~ Just inside our main entrance you will find friendly assistance, maps, and literature about LAOG.
• Bulletin ~ Our weekly bulletin provides up-to-date information about what is happening at LAOG.
• Web site ~ Check out www.laog.org for up-to-date information about ministries and staff, bulletin, calendar, sermon notes, etc.
• LifeLine TV ~ Sunday services are aired on local access TV. Schedules are available at the Welcome Center.
• LifeLine ~ WFGL 960 AM (1:15/6:00 AM, 5:15/9:00 PM, M-F)
• Van Service ~ Call 978.534.1190 x19 for a ride to the Sunday morning services. Please call by Thursday if at all possible.

JULY 26, 2009

• WORSHIP and THE WORD at 8:30 and 11:00 AM
  • Nursery, 4s and 5s, Kids 4 Christ (Youth Chapel)
  • Pastor Mark Boucher concludes the Godly Living in Ungodly Times series: “Praying Through” (Daniel 9 )
• CHRISTIAN EDUCATION at 10:00 AM
  • Bible classes for all ages. Brochures for the summer quarter are at the Welcome Center. The adult class, “Coffee and the Core Values,” meets in the Youth Chapel for the summer.
• YOUNG ADULTS, 4:30 PM, Youth Chapel
  • Young adults, 18 to mid-20s, are invited to cultivate a deeper study of the Word, get assistance with life purpose planning, and pursue a life fully dedicated to the Lord.
• JESUS AND PRAYER, 6:30 PM, Sanctuary
  • Our summer prayer series continues tonight. Join us for worship, teaching, and prayer.
• YOUTH BIBLE STUDY, 6:30 PM, Youth Chapel
  • Youth, ages 12-18, are encouraged to explore God’s Word and come to understand its relevance and power for them today!

THIS WEEK

• MONDAY
  • 7:00 PM  Prayer (Prayer Room)
• TUESDAY
  • 6:30 PM  Prayer (Prayer Room)
  • 7:30 PM  Christian 12-Step (Room 205)
• WEDNESDAY
  • 6:30 PM  FAMILY NIGHT
  • Rainbows (3 up to K boys & girls)
  • Girls Ministries (K-8th grade girls)
  • Royal Rangers (K-5th grade boys)
  • School of the Word & the Spirit “Breaking Intimidation” DVD Series
• SATURDAY
  • 12:00 PM  Ministry of Joy (Fellowship Hall)
  • 4:00 PM  African Fellowship (Onos’ home)
  • 7:00 PM  Prayer (Prayer Room)

UP AND COMING

• Ministry of Joy (August 1). The adult fellowship group meets the first Saturday of the month, 12:00-2:30 PM, in the Fellowship Hall. Enjoy worshiping with the SOS Band, teaching from Pastor Rafael, fellowshipping and “breaking bread” with brothers and sisters in the Lord (bring a lunch dish to share).
• African Fellowship (August 1). Manny and Beatrice Onos host this at their Fitchburg home this Saturday at 4:00 PM. Call them at 978.345.2040 for directions and more information.
• Messianic Ministries (August 7). Join them for First Friday Fellowship, 7:00 PM, in the Fellowship Hall. There will be worship, Jewish dance, snacks, fellowship, and more.
  Child Dedication (August 23). If you want to dedicate your child to the Lord, please fill out a yellow application card (located at the Welcome Center) and turn it in.
• Water Baptism (August 23). The next water baptism will be at the church picnic at Sunset Lake. If you desire to be baptized, please fill out an application card (located at the Welcome Center) and turn it in.

CHURCH FAMILY NEEDS

• Work Needed. Mature Christian woman, well organized and reliable, is available for overnight stays in an elder’s home. Can also run errands on weekends. Affordable rates. Can provide solid references. Call the church off and ask for Diane’s phone number.
• Car Needed. Michael Jacob is in immediate need of a car and would like to work out a payment plan. If you have a good-running, used car, please call 978.466.6284 or 508.331.8629.

THE ABCs OF SALVATION
To know God and be ready for heaven, follow these steps:
A.  Admit you are a sinner.

“There is no one righteous, not even one … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23). Ask God’s forgiveness and repent of your sins. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

B.  Believe in Jesus as your only hope of salvation.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Become a child of God by receiving Christ.
“To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

C.  Confess that Jesus is your Lord.

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

SMALL GROUPS

• HOMETEAMS
  • Fliers for HomeTeams, home discipleship small groups, are located at the Welcome Center (directions included).
  • Seekers of Light (every other Sunday, 3:00 PM). For men, led by Jim Sullivan, Leominster.
  • In Line with the Word (Tuesdays, 6:30 PM). Led by Sally Dyer, Lunenburg, check out their blog at: Inlinewiththeword.blogspot.com
  • Branches of Messiah (Wednesdays, 6:30 PM). Led by Gus and Dale Wheeler, Leominster.
  • Women of Faith (Fridays, 10:00 AM). Led by Carol Tellier, Leominster.
• ONCE-A-MONTH FELLOWSHIPS
  • Messianic Fellowship (first Friday of the month, 7:00 PM). Led by Gus and Dale Wheeler. Meets for worship, Jewish dance, snacking, etc. in the Fellowship Hall.
  • Ministry of Joy (first Saturday of the month, 12:00-2:30 PM). Led by Ray and Rita Trainque. Meets for lunch, fellowship, and worship in the church Fellowship Hall.
  • African Fellowship (first Saturday of the month, 4:00 PM). Led by Manny and Beatrice Onos, Fitchburg.
  • Prayer Shawl Ministry (third Sunday of the month, 1:00 PM). Led by Alice Stacy. Meets in Pastor’s office.
  • The King’s Beloved (third Saturday of the month, 1:00 PM). Led by Kara Sanders, Single Moms’ Group meets at the church.

TAKE THE LAND UPDATE

• Cost of Property Purchase:  $700,000
• Cash Deposit at Purchase:  100,000
• Paid Down from Church Budget: 116,669
• Total Offerings, 6/07 - 7/09: 142,072
• Current Loan Balance: 341,259
• Avg. Monthly Offerings (last 6 mos.):  4,791
• Avg. Monthly Offerings (since 6/07):  5,517
• Expected payoff date for loan is December 2011.

BULLETIN INSERTS

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July 26, 2009 by PastorMark.

Colossians 2:13b-14 tells us, “He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” Back in Bible times, a “written code” referred to a certificate of indebtedness, written in the debtor’s handwriting, spelling out what he owed. Our sins were like that debt, keeping us guilty and separated from God. But in Jesus, our debt is paid! Through the cross, He took our debt certificate and wrote on it “paid in full.” What He requires of us is to simply admit our debt and our inability to pay it and to look to Christ in faith. We can worship God today no matter what we have done in the past if our trust is in the One who died for us!

Pastor Mark Boucher

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