Bulletin for October 26, 2025

UPDATED TIMES

Since it is starting to get dark earlier, times for choir and prayer meeting have changed!

1. Choir will now meet at 4PM on Thursdays.
2. Bible study will now meet at 5:30PM on Wednesdays.

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

This week (and for two weeks following), we’ll have a baptism at the creek immediately following the service. All who would like to join us are welcome.

Then, next Lord’s Day, November 2, we’ll have communion during worship. Please be in preparation in the coming days.

Your friend in Christ,
Reid

Bulletin for October 19, 2025

The Simplicity of Baptism

Baptism is a remarkably simple ceremony. Though I never noticed this as a layman, as a pastor, the simplicity is almost jarring. The baptism is almost over before you know it. A long, drawn-out baptism takes five seconds at the most. There are no flashing lights or fireworks. No signs and wonders. Instead, there are the simple words of promise (“I baptize you”) and the water.

Our Book of Worship instructs ministers in baptism with these words:

Then the Minister shall use the following or like formula without adding any other ceremony and shall baptize the child with water, saying: “___________, child of the covenant, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” (BoW 3-2.G.4.d)¹

The phrase “without adding any other ceremony” is striking to me. It is drawn from the original Westminster Directory for Public Worship produced in the 17th century alongside the Confession of Faith. But why is that phrase added? It is almost certainly because our temptation is to do the opposite.

We look at this simple ceremony and think, “That’s not special enough.” Baptisms have become a social event for families, complete with celebrations and gifts. It has sentimental value as well. We like to gather up keepsakes and take pictures. And none of that is bad; we should cherish baptism! It is good and right to rejoice when God adds to his church! But the temptation, when the family is gathered and roast is in the crockpot, is to attempt to make the baptism “worth it.” In the context of our celebrations, the simplicity of baptism almost seems out of place. But we should never let the desire to make baptism special override God’s chief purposes and designs in baptism.

The simplicity of baptism is an image of the simplicity of the gospel. It is a sign and a seal of God’s promises: the forgiveness of sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit by faith. In baptism, God assures us of his pardoning grace. The baptized person does nothing to earn that grace. In fact, we come to the waters of baptism precisely because there is no ceremony or ritual that we can perform to earn God’s favor. Instead, the sign of God’s grace is placed on us. We stand in quiet humility, offering nothing, while the sign of the Spirit is poured over us. And we do not need anything else because the grace of God’s Spirit is completely sufficient to make us whole. It is that simple, but it is also potent. The grace of God is so powerful that it only takes a few drops to completely save us.

So consider what you see when you witness a baptism. It is such an unextraordinary act, but it is also the most extraordinary act imaginable. A strong man lifting a boulder over his head makes it look easy, but only when we try to lift it ourselves do we realize his power. Baptism is the same. Baptism happens with the shake of hand, but when God shakes his hand, worlds move.

Your friend in Christ,
Reid

Bulletin for October 12, 2025

A Note from Presbyterian Women on Operation Christmas Child

Shoe box packing day is coming soon. If you wish to contribute toward small items that our children can place in OCC boxes, you can bring “stuff” or your monetary gift to help. The money will be used for missing items or for postage ($10 per box). This overseas mission project helps to spread the gospel through Samaritan’s Purse. Please pray with us for the children who receive the boxed gifts.

Bulletin for October 5, 2025

This Lord’s Day, we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper. But one special thing about this week’s celebration is that it is World Communion Sunday. Although each local church has its own communion schedule, participating churches from many denominations will all celebrate the Lord’s Supper at the same time this week. That is especially appropriate as we consider a key theme in this week’s sermon text. Zechariah tells us that “those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the Lord” (Zech. 6:15). Though Christians gather in particular congregations around the world, we all participate in the one holy, catholic, and apostolic church. Despite all our theological distinctives and national divisions, Christ joins us together as one under himself.

So as you prepare your hearts this week for communion, consider this truth:

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” (1 Cor. 10:16-17)

Your friend in Christ,
Reid

Bulletin for September 28, 2025

Bulletin for September 21, 2025

This week, we’ll be ordaining and installing our new ruling elders! Please be praying for them as they take on this weighty responsibility of leading Christ’s church.

After the service, we’ll have a fellowship lunch to celebrate. Everyone is welcome!

Your friend in Christ,
Reid

Bulletin for September 14, 2025

On this week’s bulletin, you’ll notice an extra page at the end. That is my (admittedly crude) drawing of what Zechariah sees during his fifth night vision in Zechariah 4. I will have those printed and available as well. Chapter four contains one of the stranger visions in Zechariah, so it may help you to look at that picture as you read this week’s sermon passage in preparation.

Updates

1. On September 21st, we will have an ordination and installation service for our new Ruling Elders. Lunch will follow.

2. Backpack Buddies has started. There is a sign-up sheet in the hallway.

Your friend in Christ,
Reid

Bulletin for September 7, 2025

Getting Ready for the Lord’s Supper

Since we are having communion this week, I wanted to give you something to think about as you prepare. Of course, Larger Catechism 171 is always a great resource, but here consider what Richard Baxter says about participating in communion:

In the time of the administration, go along with the minister throughout the work, and keep your hearts close to Jesus Christ, in the exercise of all those graces which are suited to the several parts of the administration. Think not that all the work must be the minister’s: it should be a busy day with you, and your hearts should be taken up with as much diligence, as your hands be in your common labour; but not in a toilsome, weary diligence, but in such delightful business as becometh the guests of the God of heaven, at so sweet a feast, and in the receiving of such invaluable gifts. (Baxter, A Christian Directory, 3:333)

If you’re interested, you can read his whole chapter on the Lord’s Supper (31 pages) here.

Updates

1. A sign-up sheet for Backpack Buddies is on the table in the hallway.
2. Presbyterian Women meets on September 11 at 6:30 PM.
3. Ruling Elder Ordination will be September 21 during the regular Lord’s Day service.

Your friend in Christ,
Reid

Bulletin for August 31, 2025

Bulletin for August 24, 2025

Psalm 133

We’ve been singing Psalm 133 for a couple of weeks now, but I wanted to give a brief exposition of the psalm since it may not be immediately clear what it’s talking about. It begins with call to remember this truth:

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

It then goes on to illustrate this truth with two images. First, it describes the anointing of Aaron the priest.

It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!

The picture presented there is of abundance. This isn’t a drop of oil; instead, it runs down his beard all the way to the bottom of his robes, down to his feet. That is paired with a second image:

It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!

Hermon is the tallest mountain in the bounds of Old Testament Israel. Hermon is a snow-capped mountain. It’s also a place where rain falls heavily. In the spring, the water from this mountain flows southward toward Jerusalem and Mount Zion, where the temple stood.

Both of these taken together tell us what it means when the saints of God gather together. When we gather, we are united under the high priest, who is Jesus Christ, and we receive all the blessings he offers in abundance. This is what Christ means when he says, “Where two or three are gathered together, I am there.” When God’s people come together in unity, and especially in public worship (this is, of course, a psalm of ascents, intended to be sung as the people of Israel gathered at Zion), Christ is with us.

But why does he come to us? Psalm 133 tells us:

For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

In the gathering of God’s saints, the church, Christ comes down and gives to us eternal life. That’s what Lord’s Day worship is. It’s not merely a social event where people and families share a common interest and listen to a Bible study. In the church’s public worship of God, we are receiving eternal life through the gospel from the hand of Christ himself. And when we sing this psalm, that’s what we’re rejoicing in.

Arise, My Soul, Arise

This Sunday, our closing hymn is “Arise, My Soul, Arise.” Since I’ve been with you, I’m not sure that we’ve sung it in worship, but not only is it a very fitting hymn for this week’s sermon text, it’s also a hymn we should know. It speaks of Christ’s intercession for his people and the Father’s gracious response on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice. You can listen to it below as you prepare for worship on Sunday.

Your friend in Christ,
Reid

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