Bulletin for March 15, 2026
Devotional Verse
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
2026 Church Theme
“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11
Announcements
The Ladies’ Bible Study will be meeting on Tuesday at 9:00am.
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Quick reminder: The annual Annie Armstrong Home Missions offering will be collected through the month of March.
Order of Worship
Hymn: 43 All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (1,2,3,4)
Hymn: 406 Wonderful Words of Life (1,2,3)
Hymn: 571 Trust and Obey (1,2,3,4,5)
Scripture Memory for March – Ephesians 2:1-3, 8-10
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”
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“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Humor in the Pew and Pulpit
Cycling Humor:
Q: When is a bike not a bicycle?
A: When it turns into a driveway.
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Q: What’s the difference between a well-dressed man on a bicycle and a poorly dressed man on a unicycle?
A: Attire.
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Q: What do you call a therapist for cyclists?
A: A cycologist.
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Q: Do you know the hardest thing about learning to ride a bike?
A: The road.
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Q: What’s the difference between a boy scout and a guy fixing bicycle horns?
A: One’s motto is ‘be prepared’, the other’s is ‘beep repaired’
Remembering Persecuted Believers
Uzbekistan – Restricted
Uzbekistan has long been a highly restricted country, though its government made incremental reforms in religious freedom in recent years. Unity among believers across several Christian denominations and a focus on training and equipping Christian leaders have been positive developments for the small number of Uzbek churches and Christians. Still, it remains illegal to distribute evangelistic literature in public. In addition, on Feb. 21, 2025, a law was passed introducing fines of more than a month’s wages and up to 15 days in jail for parents who teach or allow their children to receive any illegal (non-government approved) religious education before the age of 18. The government also requires that every book in the country have a code indicating that it is authorized by the government.
Major Religion: 83 percent of Uzbeks are Sunni Muslims. 2 percent are Christians. Many are irreligious as a result of suffering under decades of atheistic Communist rule prior to the fall of the Soviet Union.
Persecutor: The government gives families tacit approval to reject other family members who become Christians, or to try to force them back to Islam.
From the Mission Field
Peoples of West Uttar Pradesh, India – Two years ago, you were asked to pray for the brothers and sisters who live in the district of Agra in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Please continue to intercede for these believers. Over the past few months, there has been a large increase in the persecution that many are facing there. Ask the Lord to comfort those who are fearful and give them the boldness to hold fast to truth despite a hostile atmosphere. Pray that churches will not shrink back, but instead stand firm and persevere.
Just Common Sense
“Idleness is a constant sin, and labor is a duty. Idleness is the devil’s home for temptation and for unprofitable, distracting musings; while labor profiteth others and ourselves.” Richard Baxter
Weekly Bible Reading Schedule
Monday: Judges 15-19
Tuesday: Joshua 20-Ruth 3
Wednesday: Ruth 4-1 Samuel 4
Thursday: 1 Samuel 5-9
Friday: 1 Samuel 10-14
Tip for Witnessing
“Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon.” John Piper
Quotable
“The worst evils of life are those which do not exist except in our imagination. If we had no troubles but real troubles, we should not have a tenth part of our present sorrows. We feel a thousand deaths in fearing one, but the (the Christian) cured of the disease of fearing.” C. H. Spurgeon
