This weekly Vision/Information/Prayer (V.I.P.) thought is designed to inspire, inform and focus Celebration Serve Teams around why we do what we do.

Vision / Information / Prayer

Sunday, August 15 & Wednesday, August 18 (A Teams)

Vision:

“So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Matthew 22:10

In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is like a wedding banquet.  For us, the wedding banquet happens every Sunday: there’s a feast & the Father of the bride (church) wants everyone gathered for it.  Everyone gathered: the good & the bad — not just invited, but gathered.  To “gather” is to pick up or amass as if by harvesting, to scoop or take up from a resting place.  For you, “gather” may mean attending an extra service, or driving out of the way pick someone up, or even buying him or her a meal after service.  Remember, we are not called to just do church on Sunday with our church friends.  Not only did the servants prepare the wedding feast, but they were also sent out into the streets to gather the guests.   We are called to gather.

Information:

Back to School Sunday: Invite friends & family next Sunday for our back-to-school prayer over students & school staff, plus a special performance by Celebration KIDS.

Bags & Boxes of Celebration: Still time to donate a backpack or box full of school supplies for a deserving child.  Get more info online or at the Celebration SERVES booth.

Baptism, August 29th: Have you been baptized since receiving Jesus as Lord?  It’s important to take this step of faith as a believer.  Learn more on Sunday the 29th at a 4pm class and then stay for the 5pm baptism service.

Prayer:

Thank you for the feast, Lord.  We trust that you will give us the courage and the means to gather.  We pray that the bad and the good be brought to this House and that we treat them all as invited & honored guests.  Amen.