Celebration Midweek - March 4

I just read an article about the terrorist group ISIS.  Should we pray for their defeat or for their conversion?  Are these 2 mutually exclusive prayers?  We get lost in the destruction of bad people and can only think of God's justice being poured out on extremists who behead 21 Christians for not denying Jesus.  The recent events by ISIS happen around the world all the time.  Christians are to stand up to injustice and care for the powerless (Isaiah 1:17).  Peace will not be reality until evil groups like ISIS are defeated.

However, the thing that sets Christians apart is their love, even for their enemies.  Jesus said to pray for those who persecute us (Matt. 5:44).  How can we, who were enemies of God, not pray that God save other enemies with his grace as well?

SO, pray for justice to be done and evil to be stopped.  May we also pray that God would change hearts of ISIS terrorists like Saul of Tarsus who became Paul, a mighty warrior for God (Acts 9)!  These are not contradictory prayers.  They are the prayers of God's people, saved by his grace and living as followers of Jesus in an evil world.

1. Noteworthy Events 

- SUNDAY, Adult Sunday School, 9:00AM in the Nursery.  Join us as we journey through Corinth.

- SUNDAY, Fellowship Team Meeting after worship.  

- MONDAY, Council Meeting, 6:30PM at church.

- March 13, Family Game Night.  Friday is for games that the entire family will enjoy! Join us at 5:30PM for hot dogs followed by lots of games..

- March 28, Wild Game Dinner.

2.  Youth Ministries

- No Student Ministries tonight.

- SUNDAY, High School Youth Group at Calvin Church, 6:00-8:00PM.  Starts with dinner!

- March 13-14, Middle School "Intersect Lock-In".

3. Celebration Drama - Do you have a love for acting? Are you interested in using your dramatic skills to help prepare people's hearts for worship here at Celebration? We are planning a few short dramatic sketches to be presented during worship over the next few months and will be looking for interested people to be part of the Celebration Players drama team. If this interests you, come to a short meeting after church on Sunday, March 8 for more information, or email Al Schut at ajschut@comcast.net.

4. Other Announcements - Volunteers are needed to help at a "Friendship Ministries Carnival" on Thursday, March 12 at Calvin CRC.  Help out at the carnival and have a ton of fun as you serve!  Contact Sharon or Doug Bergman for more info: dsberg79@comcast.net.

5. Prayers

- Pray for Roger and Brenda Doctor at the passing away of Roger's dad Clarence "Bud" Doctor on Tuesday.  The funeral arrangements have not been set yet.  

- Tim Maat asked for prayers for the wife and family of Joe Gabriel who is a detective with the Muskegon County Sheriff Department.  Joe underwent brain surgery to remove several tumors but died this afternoon.

- Pastor Matt gives his thanks for your prayers for him and his family during their trip to MN last week.  Thanks also for the prayers of his pastor friend Archie's family and his church too.

- Pray for peace in light of the increasing unrest in the Ukraine.  

- Pray for the Christians all over the world who are being persecuted and killed.
- Pray for justice to be done for those who are cruel to the powerless and weak whether they are animals or humans.

- Pray for Ruth Hinajosa who will be traveling to Texas soon to visit family.  Pray for good weather for a safe flight both there and back.

- Linda Bergman gives prayers of thanks for the seizures that have stopped for her granddaughter Kennedy due to her medication.

 - Pray for those of us who struggle to feel the Lord's presence, love and protection each and every day.

- Duane Blohm's shoulder surgery is scheduled for this Thursday, March 5.  

- Pray that each believer at Celebration would know and understand their purpose, and calling in the Kingdom of God.  

- Pray for miracles to happen in families because only God can bring them peace.

- Pray for the unspoken problem in our lives that we need God's guidance and direction to resolve.

- Pray for the difficult people in our lives that make for tough days at work or at home.  Pray that God gives strength and grace to show love to them.

- Pray for renewal that is presently happening in the lives of people at Celebration. Pray for renewal to happen in all of our lives.

- Jenny Merritt's Grandma who died last week. May God comfort her and her family in this time of loss.

- Bob Jackson's girlfriend's son was in a car accident and is recovering.  Bob's brother in law is experiencing kidney failure and battling Leukemia at the same time.  Bob's sister is not taking it well.

- Pray for those who are experiencing grief from the loss of loved ones this year.

- We pray for those in abusive relationships that don't see a way out.

- We pray for conflicts to be resolved and peace to be restored in several relationships.

- Pray for Roger Doctor will have hip surgery on March 16.

-- 

Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.                            
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137

Celebration Midweek - Oct. 15

"Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child." Can you relate? Our God has awesome power to command our storms in life to disappear. He also cares so deeply for you that he brings you safely through the storm. Does it bring you comfort to know this about our God?

Here are some important items for this week:
1. Events -
- Youth Ministries, tonight, at 6:30PM at Calvin Church
- Adult Sunday School, 9:00AM on Sunday.
- Pray for Muskegon, Friday, October 24 - Sign up at the info booth for your hour to pray.
- Annual Chili Cook-Off, Sunday, October 26, at Noon. Sign up at the info booth to bring a red or white chili.
- Food Truck at Calvin Church, Saturday, November 1, 8:00-10:00AM. Help distribute food to those who need it.
- Book Club, Wednesday, November 5, 6:30PM. Meet at the Denny's on Seaway Dr. as we go through the book, "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" by Muriel Barbery.

2. Sunday - What if Jesus wrote a letter to Celebration? What would he say to us? Invite a friend to our new series, "We've Got Mail". (Revelation 2:1-7)  Remember to prepare yourself for communion this Sunday!

3. Adoption Benefit: Catered Dinner & Silent Auction to raise funds for Bethany Christian Services for Brandon & Charlene Beck's Domestic Infant Adoption. Sunday, November 16th from 4:30pm-8:00pm at the Century Club in downtown Muskegon. Anyone is welcome to attend, tickets may be purchased at: www.westmibenefits.org by November 9th. Dinner: $30 per person, Dinner with drinks: $35. This event is being hosted by Tyler & Rachel Cebulla.

4. The Glenside Halloween Party, Saturday, October 25,1:00-4:00 pm in the McGraft Park building. Admission and all activities and treats are free, but participants are asked to bring 2 nonperishable food items to be donated to a local food pantry. Volunteers are still needed to help out at this event. If you can help, please call/text Jenn Cole at 563-6749 or email cole021081@hotmail.com.

5. Job Opening - Love INC of Muskegon has an immediate job opening for the Relational Ministries Coordinator position. This position works with many churches in the area to offer and coordinate our New Directions Life Skills program. Contact Matt Kaley at 231-773-3448 for more info.

6. Prayers - Please take time to pray for:
- The DuRose family at the loss of Steve's mom, Joyce. May God give them the comfort they seek.
- For those who are feeling anxious and nervous about life
- Judy Irish’s mom moved to the Heartwood Lodge Nursing home. She is making progress with PT/OT but she has a long road ahead of her.
- Lacey Kremmel (Hentschel) asked for prayers for her search for work. Also, her husband's back has improved and he has returned to work.
- For Celebration's building project as we near the final stages before construction begins.
- Reyes Hinajosa’s sister, Joyce, is battling diabetes. Reyes' son, Marcos, is having PTSD after his tours of duty. We ask God to give him comfort and help him cope with life."
- Pastor Matt’s pastor friend Devin’s dad has the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s.
- Terry Lacy's step-mom, Dorothy, who has been diagnosed with Hepatitis A involving her liver and possibly gall bladder. She fell last week and is in the hospital because she is very weak.
- The Baird’s friends, the Anderson family, because their friend Janet Anderson who is in the final stages of a rare lung cancer. Please pray for strength, peace that transcends, acceptance, and adapting to their life without her.
- Paula Blohm’s dad is home from the hospital after having a stent put in to open up the blockage in his heart. He is doing fine. Also, Paula’s friend Carla has been battling cancer this past year and received troubling test results this last week. Lift her up in prayer to the Great Physician once again for healing.


--
Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137

3 Important Things for This Week

During Joyce DuRose's memorial service yesterday, Psalm 121:1-2 came rushing back to me from the past. Every worship service in the church of my youth would begin with this Q&A: Question: "I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from?" Answer: "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." May this be our answer in the good and the bad times!

Here are some important items for this week:
1. Events -
- Youth Ministries, tonight, at 6:30PM at Calvin Church
- Vision Team/Council Meeting, Monday, October 13, 7PM.
- Bigger Better Boat Team, Tuesday, October 14, 7PM.
- Ironman Men's Group, Tuesday, October 14, 7PM.
- Annual Chili Cook-Off, Sunday, October 26. Sign up at the info booth to bring a red or white chili. I love this event!

2. Sunday - So do you ever wonder what will happen if you set up guardrails in life and actually follow them? Invite a friend as we conclude our "Guardrails" series this Sunday. (Daniel 1)

3. Prayers - Please take time to pray for:
- The DuRose family at the loss of Steve's mom, Joyce on Sunday.
- Harold West's resident was in a coma from falling in the kitchen, having seizures, and not being found for 3 hours. She is up and walking around! Everything is not back to the way it was before the incident but God clearly has more work for her to do!
- Judy Irish's Mom who underwent surgery recently on her hip. There will be much therapy to follow.
- Pray for all of the many guests at church recently. Pray that they will find a church to call home and be involved, whether it be Celebration or someplace else.
- God bless Christians around the world being persecuted for living for Jesus.
- Paula Blohm's dad, who lives in San Antonio, Texas and is 90 years old, was admitted to the hospital yesterday. He had a heart attack and also has pneumonia. He is in intensive care.
- Single moms who are just starting out on this difficult road ahead.
- Those looking for employment.
- Amy Hall asked for prayers for a business partner/friend's father who suffered 2 heartaches last week and is now facing open heart surgery.
- Duane and Paula Blohm ask for prayers for their friends: the dad is fighting substance abuse, the kids are in counseling, and the mom has filed for divorce.


--
Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137

Celebration Midweek - Oct. 1

Here are some important items for this week:

1. Events -
- Youth Ministries, tonight, at 6:30PM at Calvin Church
- Church Classis Meeting at New Era CRC,  October 2

- Seekers Small Group, October 5, Noon

- Vision Team Meeting, October 6, 7PM
- Ironman Men's Group, October 14
- Annual Chili Cook-Off, October 26

2. Celebration Big Thanks -  WOW! Thank you all who helped in planning, set up, clean up, donations, interaction with the children, and serving in other areas. It was a great event and we look forward to next year!

3. Sunday - One of the most uncomfortable things to talk about in church is money yet Jesus spoke about money so often. What are your guardrails when it comes to your finances? (Matthew 6:33)

4. Prayers - Please take time to pray for:
- Judy Irish's Mom's surgery went fairly well Monday afternoon. They put a rod from her hip down to her knee and put in plates, pins and screws to fix her femur. There will be much therapy to follow.
- Thanks for Mitch Brink (Charlene Beck's brother) who is back to normal after he fell off a ladder and was kept overnight at the hospital last week.
- Lacey Kremmel's (Hentschel) husband who is still having serious back issues.
- Steve DuRose' mom, Joyce, who is not doing well. Her cancer is back and spreading.
- Bill Essenberg's prostate cancer has returned.
- Harold West's resident who is in a coma from falling in the kitchen, having seizures, and not being found for 3 hours. She has been upgraded to critical but it does not look good.
- Pray for all of the visitors at church Sunday. Pray that they will find a Church to call home and be involved, whether it be Celebration or someplace else.
- Duane and Paula Blohm ask for prayers for their friends: the dad is fighting substance abuse, the kids are in counseling, and the mom has filed for divorce.
- God bless Christians around the world being persecuted for living for Jesus.
- For the Classis meeting of area CRC churches on Thursday night.
- God bless Celebration and those who are impacted by it.

--
Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137

Celebration Midweek - March 26

3 Key words to remember for today: Keep pressing on!  "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (Philippians 3:12)

1. Easter Flowers - Order your tulips, lilies and hyacinths to decorate church on Easter Sunday. They are $7.00 each and can be taken home after the service. There is a signup sheet on the Information Booth, order is due this Sunday, March 30th. 

2. New Websites - Our last church website was hacked! Argh! So we created a new one. YAY!  Check it out at www.celebrationmuskegon.org. We also created a new Facebook website. Follow the following link (Check us out on Facebook!) and "LIKE" the page. That way you will automatically get information from the Church's page on your FB page.

3. Sunday - Ready for the mirror of self reflection? James says, "Faith without works is dead." What does that mean for your faith? (James 2:14-26)

4. Student Ministries this Wednesday at Calvin CRC:
- Little Peeps (PreK-1st Grade) - Lesson: "Jesus Teaches Us How To Pray"
Memory Verse: "Love your neighbor as yourself” Mark 12:31
- GEMS (2nd-5th Grade) - Lesson: “Daughter of a King” Special evening learning about our identity in Christ.
Memory Verse: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1
- Cadets (2nd-5th Grade) - Lesson then building rockets
Memory Verse: “Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2
- Middle School Youth Group (6th-8th Grades) - Lesson: Is Believing in Jesus Really The Only Way To Get To Heaven?
Memory Verse: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” John 14:6

5. Prayers - Please pray for:
- Terry Lacy's sister, Kate is having a biopsy this week to determine if she has breast cancer. She also has other health issues. Please pray for Kate, her husband, Stan, and daughter Lacy as they go through this difficult time.
- The many people who were prayed for by students during their prayer walk in Detroit this past weekend at a service project with the Bergman's.
- Terry's other sister who is battling heroin addiction.
- Harold West's mom was in the hospital with chest pain but is out again.
- Leslie Zimmerman's grandmother, Pat Bromley, who recently had a pacemaker put in. Pray for healing and strength.
- Natalie Simms asked for prayers of praise for her job.
- Kathy Policka asked for prayers for her daughter who is on medication for a bad heart.
- A friend of Bill Essenberg died on Monday from Cancer.
- Brenda Grabinski is scheduled for back surgery on April 7.
- Several marriages as they work through some relational issues.
- Joe and Barb (friends of Mike and Connie Cerminaro) who are grieving the loss of their son a few weeks ago.
- The stress and joy that goes into wedding plans for several couples in our church family.
- Duane Gray is receiving treatment to stop the bleeding behind his eye.
- The many unspoken prayer requests that only God knows, hears, and answers.

--
Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Check us out on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137