This Sunday, March 10th, Rev. Scott Hoffman will lead us in worship. The sermon will be "Tempted and Tested". The scripture readings are Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 and Luke 4:1-13 . The Word in Music will be Jesus in the Wilderness by T. Mabry. Please see below for preaching text and questions.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Summer Camp—Director here March 10th
“To provide all campers with a vital encounter with Jesus Christ that leads to growth in Christian faith and discipleship” is the mission of Pine Springs Camp—a Presbyterian summer camp located in Jennerstown, PA. Pine Springs, beloved by the Hoffman family and a favorite of a few other families of the church, is the place where you should consider sending your children or grandchildren for an incredible week of fun and faith development. To provide an introduction to the camp and answer any questions you might have Summer Camp Director Mike Hurley will be at CMPC on Sunday, March 10th. Mike will speak briefly in worship and then have a fuller presentation in the afternoon at 1:00 pm in the open area under the sanctuary. Please plan to attend if you have interest.
Our next GIFT (Generations In Faith Together) gathering is a movie night to watch “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” the Mister Rogers documentary. The movie is rated PG-13 for some thematic elements and language. According to Rotten Tomatoes (98% rating) this is “an emotional and moving film that takes us beyond the zip-up cardigans and the land of make-believe, and into the heart of a creative genius who inspired generations of children with compassion and limitless imagination.” The movie night is for all ages and we suggest that parents read reviews from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/wont-you-be-my-neighbor to decide whether it’s appropriate for their children to watch. There will be an alternative movie (VeggieTales) for young children to watch in the nursery.
A simple pizza dinner will be provided. The event is free but we will accept contributions toward the cost of the meal. Bring your own portable chair or sleeping bag and pillow. We will be in the carpeted open space underneath the sanctuary.
Annual LOGOS Musical
March 17, 4 PM, Fellowship Hall
The children in Christ Memorial Presbyterian Church’s (CMPC’s) LOGOS program are excited to present our musical for this year: Faith News! Angelic anchors at the desk of the Faith News Network, Chera Bim and Sara Fim, introduce Bible news coverage of stories about Noah, Queen Esther, Joshua, Moses, Abraham and Sarah, and Annanias and Saul/Paul. Helping Sara and Chera with the stories are roving reporters Jordan Rivers, Beth Layhem, Naomi Moabston, and Ruthie Baez. Maggie deLane has sports and weather reports. Our preschoolers make a special appearance in a basketball game between the Flappers and the Halos. Present throughout all of the Bible stories and all of the music is the important theme of faith.
Approximately 50 children and youth will be involved in the presentation of Faith News
LOGOS is an inter-generational ministry designed to nurture children and youth into a committed faith relationship with God through Jesus Christ and to prepare them for a lifetime of Christian discipleship. Here at CMPC our LOGOS program meets on Wednesday evenings from October – March and is open to all from preschool – 12th grade. Interested? Please contact our LOGOS Co-Directors, Carrie Jenkins (carrie915@yahoo.com) or Lindsey Kim (LOGOS@cmpcusa.org) for more information.
Women for Women
March 23rd, noon
Please join the W4W group for lunch and a little history in Ellicott City on Saturday March 23. We’ll meet at 12:00 noon for lunch at the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company, 8308 Main Street (http://www.ellicottmillsbrewing.com/). Following lunch, we’ll walk to the Howard County Historical Society Museum, 8328 Court Avenue (http://hchsmd.org/). Those who wish to carpool can meet at the church at 11:30.
Please RSVP to womenforwomen@cmpcusa.org, or to Linda Shields, lbshields@verizon.net, by March 16. All are welcome to join us. If you would not be able to navigate a flight of stairs, please email Linda with this information so that we can arrange for appropriate space in the restaurant.
The museum has recently opened a new exhibit, “A River Runs Through It”, which illustrates the numerous flood events that have plagued Ellicott City throughout its history. The building itself is worth seeing – it was the home of the First Presbyterian Church of Howard County from 1894 to 1959, and the museum has maintained the sanctuary, with beautiful stained glass windows and an 1800’s pipe organ, to use for concerts and lectures.
Congregational Meeting: Sunday, March 24
The session has called a congregational meeting for Sunday, March 24 immediately following worship to discuss a sabbatical for Rev. Hoffman in the summer of 2020. All members are encouraged to attend.
Holy Week Schedule
Palm Sunday
April 14th, 10:30 a.m.
With palms waving and voices raised, we will worship the One who comes in the name of the Lord. Come, bring your worship to the King!
Maundy Thursday
April 18th, 7 p.m.
Join us as we gather to remember the night Jesus and his disciples shared their last meal together. Because of the construction at the church we will not share a meal together, but will worship and celebrate the sacrament. Childcare will be available.
Easter Sunrise Service
April 21st, 6:15 a.m.
Bright and early on Easter Sunday morning we will gather to worship the Risen Son as the sun rises. Weather permitting we will worship outdoors in the beauty of God’s creation beginning at 6:15 a.m. All are welcome to join in this simple and powerful worship experience. The service will be moved indoors in the event of inclement weather. Come dressed for the weather. We hope to see you there!
Easter Worship April 21st, 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.
Come one, come all to worship on Easter Sunday morning when we will pull out all the stops to bring our worship to the Risen Lord! Come, add your voice to the millions gathered around the world to celebrate the blessed day as we unite our voices in song: Christ the Lord is risen today! Alleluia! Due to the limited seating capacity of Fellowship Hall we have decided to hold two services Easter morning. Both services will be identical.
Rebuilding Together Howard County
National Rebuild Day is April 27, 2019
Anyone wishing to participate Please contact Brent, brentvpi@gmail.com, 443-718-1861.
May GIFT- Rise Against Hunger
Saturday, May 4th, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.
For May’s GIFT (Generations in Faith Together) event, Christ Memorial Presbyterian Church will again be sponsoring a meal packaging event through the Rise Against Hunger organization. This year we’ll be packing meals in the area under the sanctuary. Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief non-profit organization that coordinates the packaging and distribution of food and other life-changing aid to people in developing nations.
Once again, our event will have two shifts: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m and 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. All ages from 4 years and up are welcome. We will provide childcare for younger children during the morning shift. Each shift will be limited to 60 volunteers. To sign up for a shift, please visit http://events.riseagainsthunger.org/CMPC
The cost is $0.29/meal, so the total cost for our 20,000 meal event is $5,800. CMPC’s Mission and Local Outreach Committee is funding a portion of the effort, and we are hoping to raise the balance of funds through donations. You may contribute to the cause by making a donation when you register online, by contributing to the “5th Sunday” offering (which will occur on March 31), and/or making a donation at the actual event. Participants of all ages in our past meal packing events have found them meaningful and a whole lot of fun! Please feel free to invite friends outside of the CMPC community to join us! Questions? Contact Jennifer Seinfeld (410-908-6431, jenniferseinfeld@gmail.com)
CMPC Welcomes the Westminster College Concert Choir!
CMPC is fortunate once again to host the Westminster College Concert Choir on Tuesday, May 14th at 7:30 p.m. in our sanctuary as part of their spring tour. Westminster is the Alma Mater of our own Pastor Hoffman, member Allison Miller, and friend of CMPC Rev. Bob Culp! After the concert on the 14th, we will have the opportunity to provide housing for the night and will serve guests breakfast the morning of May 15th prior to their departure for their next concert. If you would be willing to host some students in your home the evening of the 14th please contact Joy Exner after worship or via email (joyousmusic@yahoo.com) to give her your name, contact information, and how many students you are willing to host.
Musical Treats & Sweets
Join us for CMPC’s 14th annual Musical Treats & Sweets on Sunday, June 9 from 6-8pm! The event is held to raise funds for our high schoolers, college students and adult leaders to attend the GenOn Youth Summit in July. In addition to a variety of musical performances, there will be a silent auction, raffles, special snacks and other fun surprises! Stay tuned for the theme to be revealed soon.
All-Church Mission Trip
Once again this summer a group of folks from CMPC (and other churches) will descend upon Mars Hill, NC from July 7-13 for a week of hands-on mission work with our brothers and sisters in need. All ages are encouraged to join the group for this fun-filled and meaningful week of mission work. Children age birth to 11 years enjoy a day of VBS on a beautiful college campus while anyone over the age of 11 heads off to participate in home repair and refurbishment projects throughout the area. No specific skills are needed and a wide range of projects will be available. If you are interested in joining the CMPC delegation be sure to contact Pastor Scott at pastor.hoffman@ cmpcusa.org or 410-997-8011.
Capital Campaign
If you missed the opportunity to participate in the Realizing the Vision Campaign and would like more information feel free to pick up a campaign packet on the table outside of Fellowship Hall. Please direct any questions to Bob Clemens at 240-381-7083 or bobclemens3@yahoo.com.
Care and Wellness Committee
If you have a friend, family member, or know of someone that needs a little cheer and would like them to receive a card from “their friends at CMPC”, please email carecards@cmpcusa.org with their name and address. CMPC’s Care and Wellness Committee will see to it that they receive a caring card from “their CMPC friends” or “their CMPC family”. CMPC cares!
Ministry Group Prayers
Friends, our Presbytery ministry group (named “West Side Story”) has asked each congregation to lift up in prayer another congregation from the group each week. This week, please join in prayer for our sister congregation, Granite Presbyterian Church.
Luke 4:1-13
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”
Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’
and
‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Preaching Questions
What is one of your all-time favorite foods? How often do you eat it?
If the devil had three “shots” at you, what temptations might he use? How do these compare to Jesus’ temptations?
What can help you resist these appeals to self-interest, power, and spiritual pride? What encouragement do you find here?
