Dear Church Family,
The struggle is real, isn’t it? God tells us in his word to “give careful thought to your ways” (Haggai 1:5,7) but then the pace of life picks up again as soon as church is over. The rush of responsibilities. Reports and agendas. Grocery shopping. Laundry. Deadlines and due dates. Tasks and to-do lists. Bills to pay. Notifications. Netflix. Mindless scrolling. Another email? TL;DR
The struggle is real, isn’t it? There is a pattern that the world, like some industrial sized machine, seeks to impose on us and our families. Like play-doh the world is trying to shape and mold us so that our whole inner thought life ends up looking worldly on the outside. The world is relentlessly squeezing the church into its mold until believers like us look indistinguishable from unbelievers.
It’s no wonder that Paul tells us: “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).
As we learned this past weekend, God himself says, “Test me in this” (Malachi 3:10). In what? In setting our priorities. Putting God first. In our giving. With our firstfruits.
So please join me, friends, this weekend as we continue our Test Me! series. We’ll let God’s Spirit renew our minds with God’s love and his good, pleasing, and perfect will for our lives.
Saturday at 5:00 pm
Sunday at 9:30 am
ICYMI:Watch or listen to my message from last weekend as I kicked off our Test Me! series and we heard God tell us, “Give me your best. I will take care of the rest.” Download the accompanying Connect Group study to use with your group, family, or personal devotion.
Open Forum—March 1: English service members and regular attenders are invited to an open forum on Sunday, March 1 following the Sunday service. We’ll enjoy refreshments in the commons after worship and begin the open forum no later than 11:15 am in the commons. This is a follow up to the open forum that was held on January 26. We will present revisions to the proposed plans for building a Worship and Ministry Center based on feedback we received January 26. Please come and give us your feedback!
Find a Group So You Can Grow! Our winter season of spiritual growth has begun. Click here to a view the current list of Connect Groups and Bible Classes and sign up to get connected. Contact me with any questions.
One-Day Marriage Workshop—Feb 22—Register ASAP: It’s easy to forget simple things in your marriage. We get so comfortable or so busy with life that we fail to appreciate our spouse, effectively communicate, or create intimacy. Take this opportunity to participate in a fun, interactive one-day workshop together! Enrich the relationship you have – no matter how long you’ve been married! Join us for Simply Marriage. Click HERE for more details and to save your spot!
Touch-A-Truck Service Opportunity on Our Delray Campus—Feb 22. Our friends in Delray are excited for their 2nd annual Touch-A-Truck event! Last year it was a huge success that drew hundreds of people to our Delray campus. Many hands are needed for this event (for volunteers that are 12 and under, we ask that they pair up with an adult). Be there by 8:45 am, grab a cup of coffee and some breakfast treats; we will have a volunteer meeting at 9:00 am. Please wear either a DSA/DSC polo shirt or blue DSA/DSC t-shirt; if you don’t have one, they will provide you with one. Lunch is not provided but they do have a refrigerator and microwave if you want to bring something to eat. Click here to register to serve.
Starting Point Class: Is the first step for anyone who would like to learn more about God, find out what the Bible says, or pursue becoming a member of Divine Savior Church. I’m going to begin a new Starting Point class on Tuesday evenings beginning Mar 3. If you’re interested in participating in the upcoming March class, or if you have any questions, please send me a quick email.
This Sunday—February 16—Blood Drive:One Blood’s Big Red Bus will again pay us a visit this Sunday. Go365 participants can earn points for blood donations.
All Pro Dad’s Day: Our next breakfast event is coming up Thursday, February 20 at 7:00 am in the high school commons. All dads and their K-6th grade students are welcome. Students do not have to attend DSA to participate. Breakfast is FREE for all. Click HERE to rsvp on our All Pro Dad’s website.
Support Puerto Rico – Our humanitarian aid campaign to support those in Puerto Rico who recently suffered damage from some major earthquakes will end on Mon Feb 17. So far, we have collected about $1,000. You can still donate! Your donations are tax-deductible and will be sent directly to our WELS church there to be distributed to those in need. You can give easily online by CLICKING HERE. Choose GIVE, then DORAL, and Puerto Rico Assistance. There will also be a basket available after worship to place cash or a check made out to Divine Savior Church
Weekly Offerings: Last weekend: $15,957.35 | Average weekly fiscal year to date: $8,474.30 / wk. | Needed weekly to carry out our current ministry plan: $8,374 / wk.
Thanks to a special gift, last weekend exceeded our congregation’s weekly pattern of giving. God be praised! One of the things we are hoping to learn over the next ten weeks is what our true, regular giving potential as a church is. So as we reflect together on our God’s generosity to us during this Test Me! series it is my prayer that everyone who considers DSC-Doral their church home would “give careful thought to their ways” (Haggai 1:5,7) and consider tithing, i.e. using 10% of gross income as a benchmark for giving offerings to the Lord. What elevated giving would allow us to do as a church is twofold: 1) Develop a ministry plan for 2020-2021 that seeks to reach more people in our community with the gospel of Jesus; and 2) Build a Worship and Ministry Center that allows us to do ministry more effectively. The goal? To see more lives changed with Jesus as we worship, connect, and serve!
Did You Know? The ministry of our Divine Savior Church is supported by the freely given offerings of our members and attenders. In other words, the tuition dollars that families of Divine Savior Academy pay do not fund our church’s ministry. Tuition supports the work of the academy. Offerings support the work of our church.
Weekend Playlist – Who You Say I Am | Jesus Your Blood and Righteousness | O God Your Hand the Heavens Made | Take My Life and Let It Be
Changing Lives with Jesus,
Pastor Ben
