September 2024 at First OPC
Exciting events and opportunities ahead: Silicon Valley Bible Conference, Biblical Sexuality for Teens, Foundations Class.
With September’s arrival, many of us have returned from vacations and resumed normal rhythms of work and school. This is an invigorating time of year, with the refreshment of summer adventure behind us, and familiar responsibilities stretching out ahead, with the end of the year barely in sight!
Foundations Class
We have a fair number of newcomers and guests at church right now, for whom we are very thankful. If that’s you, we invite you to our next Foundations Class, starting Sunday, October 6. This is a six-week class at 9:45-10:45 on Sunday mornings, where we will cover the basics of church membership. Please let me know if you plan to attend.
Adult Sunday School: The Dutch Reformation
Through September, the Adult Sunday School class is studying some texts and themes in 1 Corinthians. Starting in October, Pastor Vroom will take the class through the history of the Dutch Reformation. This will be a great opportunity to learn from heroes and saints who served the Lord faithfully.
Silicon Valley Bible Conference
As I mentioned last month, we are looking forward to the Silicon Valley Bible Conference, which we will be hosting on Saturday, November 16. Pastor Jonty Rhodes from Christ Church of Central Leeds in England will be teaching us the foundations of covenant theology. This should be an enriching weekend, so plan to join us if you can.
Biblical Sexuality for Teens
If you have teenagers in your life, you will also want to mark your calendar for Friday, November 15. That evening, we are inviting teens and those who disciple them to a pre-conference event, “Real Identity, Deep Desire: A Biblical Vision of Sexuality.” Jonty and I will each be giving a talk, and there will be a panel discussion, plus an ice cream social! This is a hugely important subject for teenagers, and I hope that everyone who comes will find God’s word to be directly relevant and powerfully transformative.
Ordinary Ministry
Meanwhile, our weekly ministry continues, according to the old apostolic formula of “teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayers” (Acts 2:42). This is a great time of year to consider how you can participate more fully in this shared Christian life to which God has called us. Those of you who are currently attending our church, I especially invite you to our weekly prayer meeting on Wednesday evenings at 7:15 (and come for the meal at 6!). There are great spiritual challenges ahead of us, and big kingdom opportunities around us, which means that we very much need God’s help to work for his glory.