We gather every Sunday to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed. God's Word is preached and the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts. We expect to encounter Jesus and be equipped to better serve him each week.
Thanks to all who missed the sermon because you were serving during the service. We are grateful for you and couldn't have done it without you. Enjoy listening to the recording.
February is our Church Membership Month. Each Sunday you’ll hear teaching and member testimonies pertaining to the four aspects that define our culture: joyful, generous, ordinary, neighbors. This week we focused on the ordinary aspect.
Ordinary doesn’t mean boring or less valuable. It’s not something we look beyond or try to escape. Most of our lives are spent doing ordinary things. Ordinary simply means that we are being faithful. We’re not trying to be the next best thing. We’re continuing to do what Christians have done for thousands of years by worshipping, praying, growing, and serving together.
Two examples of our commitment to the ordinary are seen in our membership covenant and church ministries. We covenant with one another to labor to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. This means that we walk together in love by bearing one another’s burdens, praying for one another and building one another up. We’re faithful to uphold this covenant in all our church ministries from small groups to children’s ministry.
Think about being ordinary this week and pray for God’s help. What does this look like? How can you continue to glorify God in each ordinary situation you are in? In what ordinary ways can you serve the church?
Thank you for being a church that is faithful in all things.
As we continue our Church Membership Month we asked Bobby and Alie—two members of our church—to tell us how being a part of the church has shown them the importance of the ordinary. Read what they had to say below.
Bobby:
Good morning church. For those of you who don’t know, my name is Bobby Westphal, and this is my wife Alie. We have been attending Sovereign Grace for 7 years now.
Today, we were asked to share what being an ordinary church member looks like in our lives.
As I sat with this question, I remembered a session of one of my classes in college. The class was Christian Life, Faith, and Ministry, and we were reading through a portion of Acts. The passage is probably familiar. Acts 2:42-47 says:
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Reading through this passage and discussing it in class gave me anxiety. I’m a classic introvert. I’m somebody who maybe (probably) values security too much. I like to make sure I can do something before I try to do it. The idea of stepping forward in radical community, selling possessions, and leaving my idea of “normal” filled me with dread, not awe at the power of God’s work in His people.
Being a part of the community of Sovereign Grace has shown me what this passage is really about. In our time here, we have seen how God uses the ordinary, everyday lives of his people to do his extraordinary work. Over the years, we have seen church members routinely open their homes to each other for a meal, small groups check in and pray for each other, been blessed by meal trains when both of our kids were born, Alie has participated in clothing swaps, and we’ve seen incredible financial generosity when members have experienced hardships.
One recent example that sticks out was when our daughter Sage was born, Christy Sohie and Kristen Smetona set up a meal train for us. The slots were all quickly filled, which was a huge blessing. After that though, we had 2 or 3 families reach out to us personally and say they weren’t fast enough to get a spot and wanted to bring us food. Members of the church were going above and beyond to bless us in our time of transition.
Alie:
When we were asked to speak today, I was so excited because recently, Ordinary has become my favorite word to describe our church. While our world seems so infatuated with the extraordinary, our church lives in the ordinary.
Growing up, I spent the entirety of my adolescence and the beginnings of adulthood going from church to church, always inwardly evaluating what made each church stand out: excellent music, engaging preaching, really the big moments. Sovereign grace was different. It was simple. But immediately, I saw the church full of people faithfully gathering, serving, worshipping, and caring for one another. We were quickly drawn into small group, offered invitations for dinners, and were cared for.
These places are where we get to see God working day to day. God’s grace is evident in the ordinary moments- a friend sending an encouraging text, a mom inviting kids over for play groups, or members making dinner for one another. There is nothing extravagant about these moments. But they are the moments the Lord most often uses, because our lives are made up of mostly ordinary moments.
We see this in church members faithfully showing up week after to week to worship together on Sundays. We see this in small groups gathering to pray for one another and live the ups and downs of life together. We see this in members meeting together to study the Bible, read good books, and offer each other encouragement. We see this in members helping one another through moves, bringing meals, childcare, and countless other ways.
Our time at Sovereign Grace has been marked with highs and lows. But as I think back to moments that stand out to me as examples of our church faithfully serving one another, those moments are ordinary ones. Whether it was fellow church members turning into close friends over dinner, a friend offering an understanding look and a hug on a hard Sunday morning, or good conversations at a women’s study, we have been so blessed by our ordinary church.
Our annual Communion Service is on Sunday, March 12th at the Woman’s Club. Our regular morning service is cancelled and the Communion Service begins at 5pm. We’ll gather together for a banquet-style meal and reflect on the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ. You can view last year’s photos here.
This is a potluck so we need your help to make it happen! See below for what to bring and other questions you may have. If you would like to help out or have additional questions, contact Sue Card.
What should I bring?
Households of 1 or 2, bring a side (green salad, mashed potatoes, macaroni salad, etc.).
Households of 3 or 4, bring an entree.
Households of 5 or more, bring a side and an entree.
We’re counting on volunteers for dessert. If you want to bring something sweet to share, please do!
Is a baby/toddler included in my household size?
If you expect your child to eat the food with us, please count them.
Will there be childcare?
No. We’ll be together the entire time, so don't feel bad about getting up and down from your seat with your children. Think of it like a family dinner.
Who should take communion?
All who have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins whether members or guests. Click here to read our beliefs about communion.
How can I keep my dish warm?
Plan to bring your crockpot. You’ll be able to plug it in at the buffet table.
I have special dietary needs. Will there be food for me to eat?
This is a potluck so everyone is contributing. We would advise you to bring something you know you can eat.
Are guests and regular attenders welcome?
Yes! We would love for all to join us.
We’ve been celebrating God’s gift of the local church for our Church Membership Month. One of the best ways to experience the joys and privileges of belonging to our church is through our small groups. Make plans to attend one this week and see what it’s all about. Each group is different. Visit as many groups as you need in order to find the one that fits you best.
We’ve been talking a lot about generosity this week for our Church Membership Month. The House of Hope is a great place to give your time, energy and affections to our neighbors. We’ll be there next Wednesday (2/22) to serve a meal, spend time with the residents, play games with the kids, and more. Come experience all the great things the Lord is doing. Hit the button for more information.
Our Church Membership Month might have you asking questions about church membership. Why is it important? What exactly are the joys and privileges of belonging to a local church? How do I join the church? These are great questions and we have answers. Whether you’re looking to join the church or have questions about the church, we want to hear from you. Hit the button below to get in contact with a pastor.
We gather every Sunday to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed. God's Word is preached and the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts. We expect to encounter Jesus and be equipped to better serve him each week.
Thanks to all who missed the sermon because you were serving during the service. We are grateful for you and couldn't have done it without you. Enjoy listening to the recording.