EAST TAMPA CHRISTIAN CHURCH
7824 S. 24th Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33619 / (813) 626-2507
Terry Tyree, Minister
ORDER OF WORSHIP
Announcements
Prayer
Sermon
Invitation Song
Communion Song
Communion / Offering
Praise Songs
To God Be the Glory
No Longer Slaves
Count Your Blessings
Closing Prayer
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
ON THE CALENDAR
Sunday Sunday School: Adults, 9 a.m., Children, 9 and 10 a.m., Worship, 10 a.m.
Tuesday Hunger-Free Mission food sharing, 10 a.m.
Wednesday Bible study and prayer meeting, 6 p.m.
Thursday Thanksgiving
THIS AND THAT
Tithes and offerings last week: TBA
Meditations next week: Jim Fairchild
FROM THE WORD
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Mark 10:46-47
ADDITIONAL
IS THANKSGIVING A CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY?
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love family and friends coming together and sharing a big meal. I actually enjoy spending the day in the kitchen stuffing and roasting the turkey with a football game running in the background. As we sit down to enjoy the feast, the day's theme strikes home for me.
I have so much to be thankful for: a happy and healthy family, a humble home, a wonderful church, lots of friends, and all our needs being met. But after the hustle and bustle of reaching this moment, it’s time to thank God for his provision and blessings.
I have to take a deep breath before offering to pray. All the preparation and activity can distract me from the main point: We’ve taken this day as a nation to focus on thankfulness and gratitude and, as Christians, specifically, our thanksgiving to God.
Since 1863, Thanksgiving Day has been a national holiday in the United States. God calls his people to live thankful lives all the time, but our forebears decided to establish one day each year to emphasize giving thanks as a nation. Since it’s a federal holiday, some might ask, “Is Thanksgiving a Christian holiday?”
The answer to that question is a definite “yes and no.” Yes, on the one hand, because giving thanks to God for his blessings and provision was the stated purpose of the holiday declared in 1863. But, on the other hand, no, because Thanksgiving Day is not part of the traditional liturgical calendar like Christmas and Easter. From that perspective, it is a secular holiday despite its remaining Christian overtones, and perhaps a majority of families in the U.S., whatever their relationship with God, still “say grace” before the Thanksgiving meal.
In any case, Thanksgiving does have deep roots in Christianity. And at the end of the day, as we slip into our food comas, we’re free to make our Thanksgiving Day celebrations as Christian as we like.
Christopher Hunt
TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION
The invitation at the close of each worship service extends an opportunity for anyone outside of Christ to unite with him and become a Christian through belief (John 3:16); repentance (turning away from sin,
Acts 2:38); confession of belief in Christ (Romans 10:10); baptism into Christ for forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-8) and devoting the rest of your life to
Christ (Matthew 10:22).
The Lord’s invitation also is open to anyone desiring to rededicate his or her life to Christ; to baptized
believers wanting to transfer their membership to this congregation, or to request prayer support.
ABOUT US
For more than a half-century, we have been a restoration plea fellowship in unity with other independent New Testament church bodies. Certainly, we are not the only Christians, but we are Christians only.
In that regard, we assume no denominational name. We observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday to honor him and reflect upon his great sacrifice on our behalf (Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 11:23-28, Hebrews 10:25).
We teach directly from the Bible. Where it speaks clearly – such as the Gospel plan of salvation and other directions or commands – we seek unity. In matters of opinion, where the Bible does not expressly speak, we seek liberty. In all things, however, we speak love for one another, just as Jesus loved us and laid down his life for us!
If you agree with these matters, please join us to proclaim salvation and unity to those who need to hear it in the name of our blessed Lord and only Savior, Jesus Christ. We urgently invite you to do so since his glorious return is imminent.
OUR ELDERS
Jim Fairchild (813) 361-7809 jfairchild@famins.com
Dan Hefner (813) 244-9843 danshirlh@msn.com