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
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
No Longer Slaves
Even Then
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 and clothes sharing, 10 a.m.
Wednesday: Bible study and prayer meeting, 6 p.m.
Thursday: Bible study, 10 a.m.
Hunger-Free Mission fellowship dinner, 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 25-28: Rock Solid Ministries revival, 6 p.m.
March 1-2: Men’s retreat, Lake Aurora Christian Camp
April 12-13: Women’s retreat 1, Lake Aurora Christian Camp
April 13-14: Women’s retreat 2, Lake Aurora Christian Camp
THIS AND THAT
Offerings last week: $2,535 (general fund)
Meditations next week: Roger Jenkins
FROM THE WORD
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
Ephesians 4:17-19
ADDITIONAL
Does the caterpillar have any idea of the transformation it’s about to undergo when it shuts itself away inside a dark and lonely cocoon? Some caterpillars are beautiful, their colors and markings a sight to behold.
The human mind, if it did not know of the metamorphosis about to occur, would marvel at the creature and acclaim it for such a striking appearance. But we do know what faces the lowly caterpillar – renewal of its life into something magnificent!
I believe many Christians, myself included, go through seasons, long and short, of imagining our lives are lovely enough in caterpillar mode. We are content with our lot and desire no change, so we warm up to the ways of the world around us and settle in for a mundane existence. After all, this requires no spiritual exertion to examine our lives, character, habits, beliefs, personal truths.
Life in Caterpillar City is fine by us. But what are we missing? A butterfly robe. A beautiful transformation from the old to the new, from the past-our-use-by-date to the just-getting-started adventure!
Sure, that butterfly has to exert some serious energy and strength to break free of the cocoon to fully complete the metamorphosis, but what a spectacle it is when the last shreds of its dingy grey grave clothes fall away.
That's what God has in store for us if we ask Him to renew our minds, washing them free from the stains of the world we've allowed to soil our hearts, thoughts, and lives.
We may have to break free of the things to which we've shackled our lives, and that could be difficult, but imagine the freedom when those tentacles of sin and worldly conformity are broken.
Are you game? I am. I think my butterfly robe will be blues, and carry the fragrance of heaven in every thread. What about you?
Jennifer Reynolds
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