What comes to mind when you think of the blessed life? What do you dream of when you dream of the good life? Most likely you dream of having more and wanting less; more to spend and less to need; more stability and less uncertainty; more toughness and less meekness; and certainly, more winning than losing. Yet, a life of having it all and never needing or losing, is not the picture of the blessed life Jesus gives us in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-12.
Through the Beatitudes, Jesus calls us to see the world through the lens of the Kingdom’s upside-down perspective. Through the Beatitudes, Jesus presents us not with a list of how to be blessed, but with a description of who is blessed. The Beatitudes do not give us a list of things to do to inherit the Kingdom, they describe the people who are invited to find their belonging and hope in the Kingdom. It is through these Beatitudes that we are invited to see how the Kingdom is breaking into the reality of our world, turning our world upside down, and inviting us to join God in the work of His redemptive mission in Christ.
Today’s Worship
Come, Now is the Time to Worship
Lord's Prayer (It's Yours)
Lord I Need You
Scripture
Matthew 5:1-16
Message
"Swimming Upstream."
Communion
He Reigns
ANNOUNCEMENTS
November Mission of the Month: During the month of November, we will have an Angel tree set up outside of the sanctuary with gift tags to choose from. Each tag will tell you who the gift is for, their age, and a desired gift. (We will also have wish lists posted on the bulletin board next to the tree.)
After purchasing your gift, we ask that you return it unwrapped. Please also turn in your receipt with the gift purchased underlined. This is for "charitable contribution" tracking purposes. No gift receipts please.
Wrapping paper, gift tags, and tape are also welcomed donations for this very important mission.
CONNECT this Wednesday, 11/13: We will be serving a breakfast egg bake casserole, a French Toast bake, and dessert for dinner, at 5:30 pm. After dinner the CONNECT Kids and the Jr. & Sr. High youth groups will meet.
Chili Cookoff: Please join us in the Family Life Center, after the worship service on Sunday, November 17th, to enjoy some different kinds of chili and mac & cheese, and then vote for your favorite one! Donations will be accepted to benefit the youth summer mission trips. If you would like to compete in this cook-off by preparing a crockpot of your best chili or mac & cheese, please sign up on our website via the “signups” tab.
Assembling & Delivering Thanksgiving Baskets Sunday, 11/24, After the Service: If you can help assemble and/or deliver baskets, please sign up via our website. We will need a final commitment by Monday, November 11th, Thank you.
Mobile Food Bank: We will have another mobile food bank here at Immanuel on Saturday, December 21 from 9-11 am. If you would like to help sort and put food into cars, please sign up via our website.
Staff Holiday Gifts: If you would like to contribute towards a monetary Christmas gift for the ICRC staff, please enclose your gift in an envelope labeled “Staff Gift”, or you may write this on the memo line of your check, and then drop it into one of the collection plates at the front of the sanctuary. Please include your envelope number for contribution credit. The deadline to contribute is Sunday, 11/24. The deacons will divide the funds among the staff for their annual holiday gifts from the congregation.
Thank You for Continuing to Support the Missions of the Month with Your Offerings: For the last six months of the Fiscal Year (3/24-8/24), as a congregation we have supported RCA Church Camps CranHill & Camp Geneva, The Gideons International, Lansing Christian Services, Family Life Radio, Smile FM, Shine Radio, The Greater Lansing Food Bank, and Judson's Love Clothing Center, for a total of $9,346.18. For the Fiscal Year (9/1/23-8/31/24), our congregation collected and disbursed $19,595.11 to the various Missions. Thank you!
Giving:
The offering plate is located at the front of the sanctuary. You may also submit an offering online at www.icrclansing.org.
Local Needs:
Personal Needs Closet: Provides personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies to families in need. We are currently in need of laundry soap/pods, women’s deodorant, and shaving cream. Please place donations in the baskets under the mailboxes outside of the sanctuary.
CONNECT Wednesdays
CONNECT Dinner – 5:30 pm.
A free meal for the whole family
Connect Kids - 6:15-7:00 pm.
3 Yrs. Old-5th Grade
They will learn about Jesus, sing songs, read bible stories, do arts and crafts, play games, and more!
Jr. High Youth - 6:15- 7:30pm.
6th- 8th Grade
Sr. High Youth- 7:00-9:00 pm
9th-12th Grade
Calling Team Assignments:
In an effort to offer more personalized care to our church members, we have divided each member into smaller groups with one Elder and one Deacon as a resource and contact person. If you need prayer or have a question or concern, please call the Elder or Deacon that you are assigned to according to your last name.
Last Name A-D
Elder Janet V
Deacon Fred H
Last Name E-H
Elder Bruce T
Deacon Sally K
Last Name J-P
Elder Dave S
Deacon Kerri Mi
Last Name R-W
Elder Matt O
Deacon Nate E
Your Leaders are so thankful for your fervent prayers:
Thank you for praying for the ICRC staff and ministry team leaders.
Friends with Health Concerns
Mark B, June B, John B, David C, Joe C, Howard J. C, Don F, Sandy F, Nancy F, John F, Carol G
Kathy G, Roland H, Emily J, Barb K, Dianne K, Dave N, Yvonne N, Marcia N, and Wayne S.
Prayer Requests
Prayer Chain: icrcprayer@icrclansing.org
You may also submit requests via our “Prayer Box”, located near the mailboxes outside of the sanctuary, you can call and talk to Stacia, our church secretary, or you may reach out to Marcia J, the leader of our prayer team directly.
If you would like to become a part of the ICRC Prayer Chain, please sign up on the “Bulletin Board” tab via our website.