Dover Assembly of God
12.18.2016 - The Call of Christmas - Zechariah
Locations & Times
Dover Assembly of God
4790 Carlisle Rd, Dover, PA 17315, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
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http://doverassembly.com/christmasThis Week's Bulletin
Dec 18, 2016
Welcome to Dover Assembly!
We are so glad you have chosen to attend Dover Assembly this morning. It is not by accident that you are here. We believe that God has allowed you to be here so that you might receive all that He has for you. We pray you are blessed as you allow the Lord to work in your life.
THIS WEEK
Today
9:00 am - Coffee & Donuts
9:30 am - Sunday School
10:30 am - Worship Service
1:00 pm - Spanish Worship Service
Tuesday
12:30 pm Bible Release
Wednesday
6:30 pm - NO Family Night this week
Thursday
12:30 pm - Bible Release
Saturday
6:00 pm - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
HOLIDAY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Dec 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service - 6:00pm
Dec 25 - Christmas Day Service - 11:00am (No Sunday School)
NO SERVICES: Wed Dec 21, & 28
Dec 31 - New Year’s Eve Fellowship
Jan 1 - Worship Service only - 11:00am (No Sunday School)
Please note all time changes!
WOMEN OF PURPOSE SPRING TOUR
Ladies, mark your calendars now for the upcoming Spring Tours. The tour will be in our location at Christian Life A/G on Saturday, April 29. More information will be forthcoming.
NEW YEAR’S EVE
Let's ring in the New Year with a big family gathering. This year at the church on December 31st from 7 p.m. until whenever you choose to leave we will be ringing in the New Year together. The Activities Committee is planning lots of fun festivities so bring the whole family out and enjoy good Fellowship. We are planning family-oriented games such as Family Feud, Jeopardy, Match Game and $10,000 pyramid and many other well-known games. There's a sign-up sheet on the ladies table. Let us know what appetizer-type food you will be bringing to share with everyone. If you have any questions, please contact Darlene Fearson.
BODY NEWS
NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS
Beginning Sun. Jan. 8 Anna will be teaching a “First Steps” class. This class is designed to teach the basics of the faith and also serves as an introduction to our church. If you would like to learn the simple basics of what you believe or to meet others who are also new to our church, be sure to mark your calendars and meet in the ROCK room on Jan 8 at 9:30. This class will repeat approximately every 13 weeks. Please sign up in the lower foyer if you are interested so we know how much material to order.
GIRL’S MINISTRY FUND-RAISER
Please continue to pray for and support our Girl’s Ministry girls as they seek sponsors for their Bible reading challenge. Please sponsor our girls for any amount per chapter of the Bible that they read. We can both help them raise monies for their retreats and encourage them to read their bibles more.
CHRISTMAS INFO
The mailboxes are remaining up throughout the holidays to use to pass out Christmas cards, gifts and other well-wishes. Please take a list of names and box numbers to use as you write out your cards.
YEAR-END GIVING
Please remember to faithful in the giving of your tithes and offerings during this time of year. As the economy continues to shift and change, our God does not. He is our provider and will always be faithful in providing our needs if we are faithful in our obedience to Him. Also, to be sure that your giving is recorded in 2016, it needs to be received by Dec 31. Thank you for your faithfulness!!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PASTOR JEFF & ANNA
Congratulations to Pastor and Anna on beginning their10th year of Pastoral ministry at Dover Assembly on Dec 16. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!
ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
As we prepare for our annual church business meeting on Sun., Jan. 29, one of the items we will be covering is voting for Deacon Board members. The process at Dover Assembly for the election of our Deacon members is to encourage our voting members to submit names of other voting members whom they prayerfully feel would best serve our church and our Lord, Jesus Christ. There are nominating forms at the Information Center. Please write the names of those who you would like to nominate, sign it and place them in the ballot box. We will only consider names of nominees from this ballot box. If you do not put the ballot in this secured box, the ballot will not be valid for consideration. Our nominating committee will review all nominees to determine if all constitutional requirements are met by that candidate. The eligible nominees will be contacted and asked to pray over acceptance or rejection of the nomination. The names of those who accept the nomination are then presented to the church body three (3) weeks prior to the annual business meeting. Nomination ballots will be accepted until TODAY!
Our current Deacon Board members are:
~ Mark Crumrine
~ Keith Housseal
~ Paul Jones
~ Keith Miller
~ Phil Stough
~ Gil Tunney
The following Deacon Board Member will see his term expire this year and is eligible for re-nomination.
~ Keith Miller
We will be bringing you up to date on our building project, the future of our church and our strategic 3 year plan. We encourage everyone (voting member or not) to attend this meeting. There will be a light luncheon following the meeting in our fellowship room.
NAMES, ADDRESSES UPDATES
Please review the enclosed sheets and make any changes or updates necessary. If there are blank spaces, please fill in the information needed. Once you have reviewed and corrected them, please put your name on the sheets and put them in Pastor Jeff’s door. If your info is correct, please put your name and “ok” on the sheet and place it in Pastor Jeff’s door.
PRAYER CHAIN
We are updating our current prayer chain. This chain is a group of individuals who are available and willing to pray for a specific need as it arises. A call is placed to Betty Ness who is the coordinator. She then initiates the chain. If you would like to be a part of this, please put your name on the blue card in the pew rack and place it in the offering and we will contact you. If you are currently on the chain, please complete the card so we know that you want to continue to be a part of this ministry.
CHURCH DIRECTORY
It has been a few years since our last directory and we are in the initial planning stages for a new one. If you would like to help with this planning, put your name and “directory” on the blue card in the pew rack and place in the offering plate and we will contact you.
Welcome to Dover Assembly!
We are so glad you have chosen to attend Dover Assembly this morning. It is not by accident that you are here. We believe that God has allowed you to be here so that you might receive all that He has for you. We pray you are blessed as you allow the Lord to work in your life.
THIS WEEK
Today
9:00 am - Coffee & Donuts
9:30 am - Sunday School
10:30 am - Worship Service
1:00 pm - Spanish Worship Service
Tuesday
12:30 pm Bible Release
Wednesday
6:30 pm - NO Family Night this week
Thursday
12:30 pm - Bible Release
Saturday
6:00 pm - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
HOLIDAY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Dec 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service - 6:00pm
Dec 25 - Christmas Day Service - 11:00am (No Sunday School)
NO SERVICES: Wed Dec 21, & 28
Dec 31 - New Year’s Eve Fellowship
Jan 1 - Worship Service only - 11:00am (No Sunday School)
Please note all time changes!
WOMEN OF PURPOSE SPRING TOUR
Ladies, mark your calendars now for the upcoming Spring Tours. The tour will be in our location at Christian Life A/G on Saturday, April 29. More information will be forthcoming.
NEW YEAR’S EVE
Let's ring in the New Year with a big family gathering. This year at the church on December 31st from 7 p.m. until whenever you choose to leave we will be ringing in the New Year together. The Activities Committee is planning lots of fun festivities so bring the whole family out and enjoy good Fellowship. We are planning family-oriented games such as Family Feud, Jeopardy, Match Game and $10,000 pyramid and many other well-known games. There's a sign-up sheet on the ladies table. Let us know what appetizer-type food you will be bringing to share with everyone. If you have any questions, please contact Darlene Fearson.
BODY NEWS
NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS
Beginning Sun. Jan. 8 Anna will be teaching a “First Steps” class. This class is designed to teach the basics of the faith and also serves as an introduction to our church. If you would like to learn the simple basics of what you believe or to meet others who are also new to our church, be sure to mark your calendars and meet in the ROCK room on Jan 8 at 9:30. This class will repeat approximately every 13 weeks. Please sign up in the lower foyer if you are interested so we know how much material to order.
GIRL’S MINISTRY FUND-RAISER
Please continue to pray for and support our Girl’s Ministry girls as they seek sponsors for their Bible reading challenge. Please sponsor our girls for any amount per chapter of the Bible that they read. We can both help them raise monies for their retreats and encourage them to read their bibles more.
CHRISTMAS INFO
The mailboxes are remaining up throughout the holidays to use to pass out Christmas cards, gifts and other well-wishes. Please take a list of names and box numbers to use as you write out your cards.
YEAR-END GIVING
Please remember to faithful in the giving of your tithes and offerings during this time of year. As the economy continues to shift and change, our God does not. He is our provider and will always be faithful in providing our needs if we are faithful in our obedience to Him. Also, to be sure that your giving is recorded in 2016, it needs to be received by Dec 31. Thank you for your faithfulness!!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PASTOR JEFF & ANNA
Congratulations to Pastor and Anna on beginning their10th year of Pastoral ministry at Dover Assembly on Dec 16. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!
ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
As we prepare for our annual church business meeting on Sun., Jan. 29, one of the items we will be covering is voting for Deacon Board members. The process at Dover Assembly for the election of our Deacon members is to encourage our voting members to submit names of other voting members whom they prayerfully feel would best serve our church and our Lord, Jesus Christ. There are nominating forms at the Information Center. Please write the names of those who you would like to nominate, sign it and place them in the ballot box. We will only consider names of nominees from this ballot box. If you do not put the ballot in this secured box, the ballot will not be valid for consideration. Our nominating committee will review all nominees to determine if all constitutional requirements are met by that candidate. The eligible nominees will be contacted and asked to pray over acceptance or rejection of the nomination. The names of those who accept the nomination are then presented to the church body three (3) weeks prior to the annual business meeting. Nomination ballots will be accepted until TODAY!
Our current Deacon Board members are:
~ Mark Crumrine
~ Keith Housseal
~ Paul Jones
~ Keith Miller
~ Phil Stough
~ Gil Tunney
The following Deacon Board Member will see his term expire this year and is eligible for re-nomination.
~ Keith Miller
We will be bringing you up to date on our building project, the future of our church and our strategic 3 year plan. We encourage everyone (voting member or not) to attend this meeting. There will be a light luncheon following the meeting in our fellowship room.
NAMES, ADDRESSES UPDATES
Please review the enclosed sheets and make any changes or updates necessary. If there are blank spaces, please fill in the information needed. Once you have reviewed and corrected them, please put your name on the sheets and put them in Pastor Jeff’s door. If your info is correct, please put your name and “ok” on the sheet and place it in Pastor Jeff’s door.
PRAYER CHAIN
We are updating our current prayer chain. This chain is a group of individuals who are available and willing to pray for a specific need as it arises. A call is placed to Betty Ness who is the coordinator. She then initiates the chain. If you would like to be a part of this, please put your name on the blue card in the pew rack and place it in the offering and we will contact you. If you are currently on the chain, please complete the card so we know that you want to continue to be a part of this ministry.
CHURCH DIRECTORY
It has been a few years since our last directory and we are in the initial planning stages for a new one. If you would like to help with this planning, put your name and “directory” on the blue card in the pew rack and place in the offering plate and we will contact you.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the busyness of the season, we forget or don’t take time to think about the Biblical account of Christmas or how the simple birth of Jesus speaks to us today. Over the next few weeks, we'll take a look at the lives of some of the key people involved in the birth of Jesus.
This was the last verse in the last book of the OT.
It was a dark time in Israel. The spiritual leaders had almost all been corrupted by tradition.
Tradition became more important than God’s word. Some were just plain wicked.
Even in the nations darkest times, God always has a remnant of devoted and obedient followers...one of them being Zechariah
It was a dark time in Israel. The spiritual leaders had almost all been corrupted by tradition.
Tradition became more important than God’s word. Some were just plain wicked.
Even in the nations darkest times, God always has a remnant of devoted and obedient followers...one of them being Zechariah
His name Zechariah means "Jehovah has remembered"
Elizabeth means "God is my oath"
Elizabeth means "God is my oath"
In spite of the godlessness that surrounded them, they were still able to serve God with all their hearts and be blameless.
We as believers should not be able to blame what is going on around us as an excuse for not living godly lives.
We as believers should not be able to blame what is going on around us as an excuse for not living godly lives.
Just because they were faithful doesn’t mean they didn’t experience hardship in their lives as well.
Being faithful to God today doesn’t mean our lives will go perfect. Faithful people suffer at times.
Things don’t always go our way. Little did they know what God was going to do.
Being faithful to God today doesn’t mean our lives will go perfect. Faithful people suffer at times.
Things don’t always go our way. Little did they know what God was going to do.
If we never needed and trusted God for a miracle, how would we experience one?
Do you think that God was supernaturally working all these details out so that at just the right time according to God, he would do the miraculous?
What details in your life do we think are just accidents or coincidences rather than God-directed divine providence?
What details in your life do we think are just accidents or coincidences rather than God-directed divine providence?
Notice also that Zechariah was going about his daily affairs. He wasn’t sitting around waiting for God, he was working, living, doing ministry.
He wasn’t moping around and blaming God. He lived his life, fulfilled his duties, keep the faith and that is where God meets him.
He wasn’t moping around and blaming God. He lived his life, fulfilled his duties, keep the faith and that is where God meets him.
When we get busy doing God’s work, God starts to direct us. If we are faithful, we will already be in a position to be used for something greater.
Keep busy doing God’s work and trust God to do His part.
Remember what would happen in the Holy of Holies if the priest was found unworthy:
Zechariah and Elizabeth were continuing to pray even when it seemed that it was humanly impossible for something to happen.
They were trusting God for a miracle.
How often do we give up praying or even think that it’s beyond what God is going to do?
What happens when we trust God to do things His way?
They were trusting God for a miracle.
How often do we give up praying or even think that it’s beyond what God is going to do?
What happens when we trust God to do things His way?
Miracles and answers to prayer are meant to be shared so that many can rejoice because of it and as we said last week, the angel told Mary that he had done a miracle in Elizabeth.
He used one miracle to increase the faith of another person.
He used one miracle to increase the faith of another person.
Testimonies are designed to increase our faith and trust that God can also work in our situation.
The word JOY or REJOICE is a common theme in Luke.
It is mentioned at least 19 times. Good news should always bring great Joy!
It is mentioned at least 19 times. Good news should always bring great Joy!
Notice that even though God had ordained him for a ministry, it was up to the parents to make sure he was raised right.
Even though he was filled with the Holy Spirit at birth, they were still in charge of seeing that he live right.
We parents still have that charge placed on us.
Even though he was filled with the Holy Spirit at birth, they were still in charge of seeing that he live right.
We parents still have that charge placed on us.
No wine or fermented drink?
We need to keep them from things that will hurt their walk. In those days, wine was ok for everyone, even the Jews, except those with the Nazarite vow.
There will be things that as Christians we should abstain from even though it may be viewed as being ok to do. Even by other believers.
We need to keep them from things that will hurt their walk. In those days, wine was ok for everyone, even the Jews, except those with the Nazarite vow.
There will be things that as Christians we should abstain from even though it may be viewed as being ok to do. Even by other believers.
We never know what God intends to do with our kids or even our lives for that matter.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were just normal folks who loved God, lived righteously in spite of the society around them suffered through not having kids but they are who God used to bring about the fore-runner of the Messiah.
One of you here may be the one who God uses to do something fantastic.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were just normal folks who loved God, lived righteously in spite of the society around them suffered through not having kids but they are who God used to bring about the fore-runner of the Messiah.
One of you here may be the one who God uses to do something fantastic.
You may even have doubts about what God can do. Zechariah, for all his blameless, still doubted.
Sometimes we want some more assurance of what God intends to do. Assurance that other than His word, we will not receive.
If we look at only our circumstances and our own resources, we will always come up short. We want to know HOW God can do this given what we can see.
But how does God describe true faith?
If we look at only our circumstances and our own resources, we will always come up short. We want to know HOW God can do this given what we can see.
But how does God describe true faith?
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV84)
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.
What answer to prayer have you been waiting on? What miracle have you been praying for?
If we simply live our lives righteously before God, keep doing what he has called us to do, keep praying and trusting, God will intervene when we least expect it. But we needed by surprised or doubtful.
This is what we have been trusting God to do.
If we simply live our lives righteously before God, keep doing what he has called us to do, keep praying and trusting, God will intervene when we least expect it. But we needed by surprised or doubtful.
This is what we have been trusting God to do.
Thanks for joining us!
If you haven't already, be sure to check out our website and follow us on social media @doverassembly! Have a great week!
http://doverassembly.com