Happy Mother's Day 2017 - Mary certainly loved her Son...

May 2017 – Happy Mother’s Day! 

Our lesson on Sunday morning (14^th) will focus on the Jesus’ mother’s love for her Son and the lessons we can learn from their relationship.  Jesus’ mother presented Him to God (Luke 2:22).  She carried Him to worship (2:42).  She trusted Him and gave Him freedom to be Himself (2:44).  She worried about Him and didn’t always understand Him (2:48-50).  She gave Him responsibility and held Him responsible (2:48).  She treasured His life (2:51).  She provided for His growth in every way and so He grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man (2:52).  She expected great things from Him (John 2:5).  And Jesus exceeded every expectation.  What about us?  As parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and family and friends, do we live our lives before the boys and girls who will be following our words and examples in a way that will lead them to grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men?  Yes?  Terrific!  Let’s keep on keeping on.  No?  Let’s make a real change today and get on the right track.

On Sunday afternoon at 1:30 our lesson is entitled "Living Life the Way Jesus Lived Life."  Jesus never gave in!  He never gave in to TIME.  He never gave in to HINDRANCES.  He never gave in to DOUBT.  Are you living your life the way He lived His.  Can we?  Of course we can.  Will we?  Now that's up to us.

Coming up at Watterson Trail! 

Our BIG 100% Attendance Day in scheduled for Sunday, June 4^th (Only 3 weeks away).  I hope every member of the Watterson Trail congregation has marked this day to gather for Bible study, worship, and fellowship.  Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have 149 assembled together to honor God and encourage one another? Plans are to meet for Bible Class at 9:30 and then worship together at 10:30.  We’ll have a delicious “potluck” lunch together, meet again at 1:30 for a short devotional period, then break for the day. 

Also, our Tuesday Summer Series begins on Tuesday, June 6^th with Brother Brent Donoho from Martinsburg, Indiana coming over to share a lesson on our theme; “Seeing Jesus in the Midst of the Storms of Life.”  His lesson is entitled “Seeing Jesus in the Midst of Doubt.”  Our Tuesday Summer Series will continue every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in June, July, and August.

God is so good to us; yesterday, today, and forever.  May we live for Him every day in a way that honors Jesus Christ, His most precious gift to the world. 

I CAN & I WILL b/c GOD CAN & GOD WILL

Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?  The Lord asked this question of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18:14 when He promised that Sarah would have a child even though such a thing seemed impossible since Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old (Genesis 17:17).  Of course NOTHING is impossible with God.  The entire world changes at His word.  And the Lord fulfilled His promise to Abraham and Sarah just as He promised when Isaac was born. 

Our brother the Apostle Paul wrote about God’s power in Romans 8:31 and said, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  God can do anything.  He can do the small things.  He can do the great things.  God certainly fulfills all His promises!  Always has.  Always will.

So when the Lord says in Luke 6:38; “Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” He means it.  And He always delivers on His promises.  Just trust and obey and see for yourself.  What “measure” are you using, a teaspoon, a shovel, or a dump truck?  God promises to use the “same measure back to you.”

The Lord always comes through on His promises.  We must open our hearts to trust Him and obey Him and be available for all the possibilities for our lives, our family, and the church.  We must be “opportunity conscious” and take full advantage of every possibility.  We must get ready and stay ready for God’s blessings. 

Look at 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”  Are you?  When you trust and obey the Lord, He will fulfill His promise.

Look at II Corinthians 9:8: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”  God’s promises never fail.

Then Ephesians 3:20: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.”  Again, God is able. 

In the church and in the world we have: Sister “I can’t” and Brother “I won’t” along with Brother “I intend to but never do” and Sister “I will as soon as I get a round2it.”  Fortunately we also have our Sister “I will” and Brother “I can.”  I so very thankful for them.  I can and I will because God can and God will. 

Lads to Leaders Convention has Arrived - April 14-16 - We're ready too!

Hello and welcome.  It is such a privilege to be able to meet together with family and friends on the Lord’s Day and at other times for worship, study, and sweet fellowship.  Life is often filled with busy-ness and it is very easy to take for granted the rich blessings we enjoy, our freedom, our health, our family and friends; just everything that is good and rich in life.  God provides His very best.  Let us thank Him daily for His grace.

This weekend (April 14-16) several from our youth group along with their coaches and leaders will be participating in the Lads to Leaders Convention at the Louisville Marriott Downtown, 280 West Jefferson Street.  Our team is made up of eight of our very best Watterson Trail champions:  Jackson Frederick, Victoria Kalahan, Maddie Lindsey, Geramiah Mitchell, Alex Ritter, Trevor Ritter, Amber Tennill, and Ema Widner.  May God bless our team with strength, clarity, and courage as they represent Christ and His church at Watterson Trail at this year’s convention!  Come and see.  By the way, L2L Conventions are being held in cities across the nation.  Thousands of children and teens with their parents, coaches, and sponsors will gather together and focus on this year’s theme found in the book of Ruth chapter 3 verse 5 where Ruth tells her mother in law, Naomi:  “And she said to her, ‘All that you say to me I will do.”  Cindi and I will be with our group in Louisville, Kentucky only 15 miles from our home.  We are blessed.

We will be having a very special “send-off” ice cream supper for our L2L (Lads to Leaders) team immediately following our devotional period this Wednesday evening, April 12^th.  Plan on coming out for Bible Class at 7:00, a short devotional period at 7:45, then ice cream to follow.  Mmmm!

Coming in June:  Wouldn’t be great to have every member of the church of Christ at Watterson Trail present for one Sunday in the year?  Well, mark your calendar.  Make plans to be present.  Invite and remind every member of the church of Christ at Watterson Trail.  We’re having a 100% Membership Day on Sunday, June 4^th.  We’re planning this very special Sunday to celebrate how very blessed we are to have such a loving and caring family of Christian brothers and sisters.  Our goal is to have all 149 members present for worship and fellowship on this very special day. We’ll need every member to commit to this day and also to call, write, and remind others to do the same.  Wouldn’t this be simply “family-tastic!”  Let’s do it!

Just an Invitation - But what a difference an invitation makes!

Hello.  Welcome.  In Matthew 11, Jesus “finished commanding His disciples” and taught and preached in their cities.  He answered John’s question; “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” with “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see.”  After speaking about John’s mission and His own, He rebuked the cities who should have believed in Him but would not repent.  He then prayed a prayer of thanksgiving to His Father after which He extended His great invitation; “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

One of our Christian brothers was not as faithful as he should have been.  This is his story.

I didn’t meet for worship and fellowship on the Lord’s Day this week.  On Monday a friend met me on the street and said, “I noticed that you were absent from our assembly yesterday.  Will you be there next Sunday?”  “No,” I replied.  “I can’t make it.  Don’t look for me.”  Two Christian brothers saw me on Tuesday at Walmart and asked me about my absence.  I said to the first, “I wish I could have been there on Sunday, maybe next Sunday” and to the second, “My schedule looks impossible, but I’ll try to make it.”  On Wednesday morning at the Post Office a fourth Christian brother asked if I would be at church next service.  “I’ll certainly try to be there, but I may not be able to make it.”  Before I reached my car a fifth Christian stopped me, and then and there I promised I would be there for sure.  I don’t know whose official duty it was to contact me, but I couldn’t resist the invitation from five Christian brothers and sisters. 

We all like to go where we are wanted and needed.  If we want the saved and the unsaved, the different and the indifferent, as well as the absentees to attend when the church meets together to hear the best news in all the world, we must let them know.  If we really want them to come, we will find the opportunity to invite them.  This is our task and the duty of every member of the church of Christ at Watterson Trail.  Let’s do this.  Jesus did.

Ladies' Day at Watterson Trail - Saturday, March 18 - Registration - 8:30 Program - 9:00 a.m.

Hello my friends.  It’s March.  Flowers are up and blooming.  The trees are budding.  The April showers are a bit early.  We’re supposed to “spring forward” in time this Saturday night (11^th).  And the weatherman is predicting snow and 24 degrees this weekend.  Really?  Oh, for a moment there I forgot.  I live in Louisville, Kentucky.

Our 11^th Annual Ladies’ Day here at Watterson Trail is now upon us (only 10 days away) scheduled for Saturday, March 18^th.  Our ladies have been meeting, planning, organizing, and working toward this spectacular event for several weeks.  Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 9:00.  Our featured speaker this year is Courtney Kendall Steed from the Nashville, Tennessee area.  Our theme is “Everything You Need” taken from 2 Peter 1:3.  This is a ladies only event with the exception of our Christian brothers serving lunch to all the ladies who attend.  Ladies, mark your calendar, invite a friend, and come and enjoy the day.  It’ll be fantastic with great lessons from the Bible and the life of Jesus, good Christian fellowship, games, food, and a whole lot of singing, prayer, laughter, joy, and happiness; everything you need.

Mark your calendar for several events coming soon:

Activity Night/Teacher’s Appreciation Dinner/MAGI Project – March 31

Annual Worship Service at the Forum at Brookside – April 2 at 2:00 p.m.

Youth Sunday at WT – April 30

Pray and Play in May – May (tba)

Annual Men’s Retreat – May (tba)

100% Membership Sunday – June 4 at 9:30/10:30/1:30

Annual Ladies’ Retreat – June 23-24

Friends and Family Day at WT – August 20

Gaslight Festival – September 15-16

VBS at WT – October 8-10

Fall Harvest Weekend at WT with David Shannon – October 20-21

May God bless our efforts to honor God, show our devotion to Christ and our love to all.