CCOG Newsletter

Weekly Updates

Reflections from Pastor Jennifer

How is your heart? How are you approaching God? Are you hearing His voice and obeying? Or are you allowing entitlement to creep into your spirit? Only you can answer these questions. The way you do and the changes you make will determine the condition of your heart. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts above all else. Why? Because it (the heart) determines the course of our lives! Be mindful of your heart condition.

February Focus: Share the Love

What are some ways you can show love Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the Uttermost Parts of the Earth?

The mission of our church is SOULS - Salvation, Ongoing Development, Uplifting Conversation, Love Never Fails, and Serve in Love. Our Vision is to live these principles out in each of these areas: Jerusalem - close family & best friends, Judea - co-workers, acquaintances, & those with our similar interests, Samaria - underserved people groups (homeless, military, single parents, etc.), and the Uttermost Parts of the World - people we do not know, the mission field in far-off parts of the world or locally.


As we show love in the month of February, it may be easy to share love with those in the last group - give to a foreign charity, never see who is being helped, nothing to lose. It may feel a bit more difficult to show love to those closer to home. I encourage you to make the effort! Jesus said in John that people would know that we belong to Christ based on the love we demonstrate one to another.


Before you attempt to justify your inaction by the statement, "I'm not going to do anything for show!", consider that this statement (John 13:34-35) was a commandment of Jesus. He tells us to show off our love for each other. We claim to live out our Christian faith in front of unbelievers - love is the ultimate display!


A few suggestions for sharing love with each group:

Jerusalem - do a chore for someone in your house, write a card/note for your loved one to find, visit/call a loved one, give a foot rub

Judea - prepare/send a meal for a friend, babysit for stressed-out parents, take a friend out for coffee

Samaria - take flowers to a nursing home, write a thank you note to first responders (police, fire, EMS), "adopt" a widow/widower for Valentine's Day

Uttermost Parts - pay for the person behind you at a drive-thru, become a mentor at a school, send a Gideon card


These are just a few in an endless supply of options. Stretch yourself a little - move beyond your comfort zone. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to opportunities to share love that you may not have noticed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24d6y34tF9k