October is Connection Month!

With so many causes and groups claiming they have an official month, I have decided that October is “Connection Month”.  Instead of wearing special clothes, flashy lapel pins or posting inspiring memes on Facebook – you can celebrate Connection Month by getting to know someone in our church a little better.  You can celebrate by simply saying “Hi” to a familiar (or unfamiliar) face each Sunday in October. 

Some will want to take a bigger risk by adding a question: “Hi my name is Jon, what’s yours?”  If you’re really bold, you can celebrate by suggesting you meet for a cup of coffee or by inviting them to join your connection group!  (All of these are accepted ways to celebrate this new made up month). The most important thing is that you recognize others and move closer to them! 

Happy Connection Month!

​As the fall approaches, a new round of Connection Groups will officially begin the week of September 11th.  Over the next few Sundays, you’ll find information, sign-up sheets and hopefully get personally invited to join a group.  If you are newer to the church, or have never joined a group – this is the perfect opportunity to try one out.  If you are in an existing group – don’t be afraid to try a new one.  Our hope is that these groups will continue to help all of us follow Jesus more closely this year than we did last!

Here are the fall selections:
Sunday Afternoons (4pm) – Applying the Sermon
Sunday Evening Dinner (5pm) – Irresistible
Sunday Evening (5:30pm) – The Great Commission
Monday Night Women (7pm) – Christ in the Psalms
Monday Night Men (7pm) - Spiritual Disciplines
First Wednesday of the Month (6pm) Women’s Book Club - Voice in the Wind
Thursday Night (7pm) – Philippians
Friday Night (7pm) – The Slumber of Christianity
Saturday Morning (10am) - Set Your House in Order
Saturday Women’s Lunch (12:30pm) – 12 Women of the Bible

​“That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”
 
Neil Armstrong said this as he stepped on to the moon on July 20, 1969.  He reminded us that our small steps can also be giant leaps.  As fall approaches, we challenge you to take a small step that may hopefully turn into a giant leap, moving you closer to Jesus.  Whether you are just visiting, or a founding member of St. Joe, we find life as we move closer to Jesus.  Since the Bible proclaims we are connected to one another as the body of Christ, growing closer to Jesus happens in the context of community.  So as fall approaches, please be praying about making a small “connection step” towards Jesus.  That step may be joining a connection group, attending a short-term class or simply having coffee with someone you just met last Sunday.  Our hope is to help everyone grow a little closer to Jesus.  Small steps make a big difference.  In the next few weeks you’ll hear more specifics about what we will offer and when we will meet.  Why not start today by making a decision that you’ll take a small step this fall?

Are you memorizing scripture with us this year?  As we are working on a few verses (Deuteronomy 6:5-6; Psalm 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-18), one of the key things to remember about this discipline is that it is not about memorizing a list of verses, impressing yourself or impressing others with your spiritual skill set, rather it is all about helping us to think better thoughts. 

Philippians 4:8 reminds us that God is concerned with every aspect of our life – including our thought-life.  “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.” 

​There is no better way to dwell these things than to think about our Lord as He reveals Himself in His Word.   This is the point of scripture memory.  Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t memorized any verses yet.  Perhaps you can find the time to read each of these passages and God may use something in one of them to encourage you.  That’s a great place to start!

​The Best Resolution
Lose weight?  Get in shape?  Get Organized? Save Money?  As we begin the New Year and resolutions abound – here’s one with eternal benefits. 

‘This is what the Lord says:  The wise person should not boast in his wisdom; the strong should not boast in his strength; the wealthy should not boast in his wealth. But the one who boasts should boast in this: that he understands and knows me — that I am the Lord, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)


The best resolution you can make in 2022 is to get to know the Lord better.  Experience more of His grace, mercy and love!  Here are a few ideas that might help: Read through the New Testament this coming year, circling a key word like “grace” every time you see it!  Join a Connection Group (We need one another!); Take the 22 in 22 Challenge: Beginning next week, those want a group challenge will attempt to memorize 22 key verses in 2022! 

​Take some time to think it over and endeavor to make 2022 your best year yet!