Category: Sermons
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Resurrection Realities
If you would like to send your offering through the mail, our mailing address is:
CrossPointe Community Church
P O Box 126
Chippewa Lake, OH 44215ANNOUNCEMENT
Now that we have live-streaming capability, this printed online worship service will be abbreviated to include just any important announcements, a prayer, the scripture texts, and the sermon. You may access the live video worship service via the video link above.
MORNING PRAYER
Alan Robbins
(more…)Dear Heavenly Father, From the words of today’s prayer song
“Alleluia, Alleluia, give thanks to the Risen Lord.”
What a great uplifting message this song brings as we continue our thoughts during the Easter Season. Knowing the power of the Risen Lord and the hope it brings to all Christians, and the life with Jesus in Heaven.
A special prayer for my sister, Linda Graebe, who has recently been removed from life support. God, please reach out to hold Linda and her family, but also reach out and hold all those that are grieving, for all those that are ill, for all those that are hurting in any way, and prayers for our own needs.
We pray for God’s strength and God’s heart and God’s Peace to those families and leaders in Ukraine and neighboring countries as they fight the evils that surround them.
A special thought to the compassion and generosity of the Chippewa Lake Lions Club as they have helped Cross Pointe Community Church deliver its Mission of bringing God’s Grace to our community.
Let us take a few moments to silently pray for those in need and those on the Church’s prayer list.
Thank you Lord, as we give God’s Glory ….and Grace…… and Joy….and Refuge…… and Strength….. and Love ….and Peace ….and the Holy Spirit to our community and the world in which we live.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen
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A Little bit of Heaven on Earth
Easter Worship Service for April 17, 2022
ANNOUNCEMENTS
He is risen!
I have a special announcement this morning. We are live-streaming this service to the entire world! Well, to anyone who wishes to watch on the YouTube platform. So welcome to those of you who have been listening and/or reading our worship services and who are now witnessing this even as we speak. We are thrilled to have you with us. If you folks have any comments, please let us know. I am especially excited to welcome Joan Long’s sister, Joyce Morrison, from down near Dayton, Ohio who has been listening since the beginning of the pandemic. And my brother Tom K’Meyer, who lives over in Ravenna, has been looking forward to this day. Thanks to those of you who contributed financially to this cause. And thanks to Jerry Barnes, Shane Haumesser, and Lindsay Brandenburg for working the hardware and technical ends of this endeavor.
I apologize if the odiferous smell of pancakes and sausage is wafting over your olfactory receptors this morning. That’s because 36 of us just enjoyed a delicious breakfast of the same. Thanks to Brad, Dave, and Jim for preparing the food.
Thanks to all of the people who were prepared to make yesterday’s Easter Egg Hunt meaningful. But alas, the weather put a damper on our effort and we had to settle with handing Easter Eggs to the kids as they drove up with their parents.
I love the cartoon that pictures the soldiers who were standing by the empty tomb. The stone had been rolled away and one of the soldiers was looking very worried because they had failed in their responsibility to guard the tomb. But the commander shrugged it off by saying, “I wouldn’t worry about it, 100 years from now no one will remember!”
As a matter of fact, 100 years later, a Greek historian, Aristides, wrote to a friend trying to explain the extraordinary success of the Christian faith. Among other things he wrote, “If any man or woman among the Christians passes from this world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God, and they accompany the body with songs and thanksgiving as if he were setting out from one place to another nearby.”
Why was that?
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The First Follower
Worship Service for April 10, 2022
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our community Easter Egg Hunt will be on Saturday. Please pray that we have good weather, that the kids of the community will come out for it, and that they will leave with a better understanding of what Easter is really all about.
There will be an Easter breakfast of pancakes and sausage served at 9 am. Please make your reservation by calling Randy or Gail no later than Wednesday.
Our leaders decided to have one worship service on Easter, hoping that that would be the day that some folks will begin attending worship again. And they wanted all of us to be together for that special worship service. Please let me remind you again that it will be especially important to fill up the back parking lot first. Thank you.
Today is Palm Sunday, called that, of course, because as Jesus made His last entrance into the city of Jerusalem, His followers laid down palm branches on the road ahead of him.
A couple of years ago, it was Palm Sunday but because 5-year-old Sammy came down with a bad cold, he stayed home from church with a babysitter. When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm fronds. Sammy inquired as to what they were for.
His sister said, “People waved them at Jesus as He walked by.”
“Wouldn’t you just know it?” Sammy complained, “The one Sunday I don’t go to church and He shows up.”Which just goes to remind you that when you miss worship, you never know what you’re going to miss.
CALL TO WORSHIP
(more…)After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of His disciples. As He came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, He sent two disciples ahead. “Go into that village over there,” He told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”
And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for Him to ride on. As He rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of Him. When He reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of His followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”
He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
Luke 19:28-40 -
The Fickle Follower, Part II
Worship Service for April 3, 2022
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Today, we have the high privilege of celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion. All who strive to live with faith in Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross are welcome to receive this sacrament. If you are reading or listening to this presentation, please pause and prepare your communion elements so they will be ready when the time comes.
In my e-mail Wednesday, I asked you who arrive first to fill in the back parking first. And then how many of you caught the spelling error? This will leave more readily visible and available species for guests. I don’t how many caught that but Annie Dean not only caught it at the right time. She e-mailed me back: “So I’m watching an episode of Star Trek Discovery when I read your reminder to park so as to make the “SPECIES” visible out front to our guest! I agree Randy! If the species are anything like the ones I’m seeing on Star Trek they should be put out front for all to see!”
Our community Easter Egg Hunt will be on the Saturday before Easter. We noticed that last three years we were able to have one, the majority of the families came as a result of being invited by a CrossPointer or a friend of CrossPointe in the community. So your mission if you wish to accept it is to spread the word. The event will begin at 11 am and conclude at 12:30 pm. We will be encouraging people to pre-register online. We would love for you to get involved. We will need both candy and helpers. There are sign-up sheets on the table in the back.
Did you catch that there will be an Easter breakfast of pancakes and sausage served at 9 am? Please make your reservation. There is a sheet for that purpose on the new information table in the back.
A woman who is 3 months pregnant falls into a deep coma. 6 months later, she awakes and asks the doctor about her baby.
Her doctor informs her she had twins, a boy, and a girl, and lucky for you, your brother named them.
She says, “Oh no, not my brother! He’s an idiot! What did he name the girl?”
The doc says, “De-nise.”
She says, “Well this isn’t too bad, what did he name the boy?”
“De-nephew.”CALL TO WORSHIP
(more…)For the Lord your God is living among you.
Zephaniah 3:17
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With His love, He will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” -
The Blessed Followers
Worship Service for March 27, 2022
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Attendance is returning almost to normal. We had 61 this past Sunday. That’s the highest since the start of the pandemic! Denny Huff is soon to arrive at the church to help me pull down 20 more chairs from the attic. And it is time for me to ask all of you who are able to fill in the west parking lot facing the pavilion first. This will leave more readily visible and available spaces for newcomers. This does not apply to those of you who need to be close to the entrance for health reasons.
We will be opening the nursery and kids’ worship next Sunday. We still need 3 volunteers for kids’ worship and one for the nursery. The folks who lead kids’ worship take the kids in the kids’ worship room during the sermon time to give them a Bible lesson. You will be given a very easy-to-follow curriculum the Sunday before. Both the nursery and kids’ worship will be available each Sunday as volunteers come forward to fill those positions. Please see Gail today after worship to let her know if you can help.
Our community Easter Egg Hunt will be held on the Saturday before Easter. We noticed that in the last three years we were able to have one, the majority of the families came as a result of being invited by a CrossPointer or a friend of CrossPointe in the community. So your mission, if you wish to accept it, is to spread the word. The event will begin at 11 am and conclude at 12:30 pm. We will be encouraging people to pre-register online. We would love for you to get involved. We will need both candy and helpers. There are sign-up sheets on the table in the back.
Let’s show some appreciation to Chuck Lemmon who has been leading our Recovery Ministry for five years!
Larry and Cathy Warner made their weekly sojourn to Akron to fetch some of those wonderful Gardner’s Pies. Please take one home for a donation that will go toward paying down our church mortgage! Thank you Larry and Cathy! And thank you who have been taking home those pies!
In the middle of creation, God is talking to one of his angels and says, “Do you know what I have just done? I have just created a 24-hour period of alternating light and darkness on Earth. Isn’t that good?”
The angel says, “Yes, but what are You going to do now?”
God says, “I think I’ll call it a day.”CALL TO WORSHIP
(more…)He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and called out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
John 1:10-17 -
The Enthusiastic Follower
Worship Service for March 20, 2022
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Most of you are aware that we recently expanded our stage and had new flooring installed on it and back into our office space. Thanks to our Trustees and especially Trustee Jerry Barnes. At the same time, the Trustees thought it would be nice to take advantage of the situation to also install some mic/instrument inputs and electrical outlets and I want to thank Jim Brandenburg for putting them in. You can readily see some of them on the facing of the stage. It was a very tedious job as Jim had to solder about 80 connections to make it happen.
Our leaders met this past Tuesday evening and among other decisions we made, set a goal to re-open the nursery and kids’ worship by the first Sunday in April. If your heart beats for kids and you would like to know more about either position, please talk to Gail today after the service.
Next Friday is our next Community Meal. If you’d like to help serve it, please let Sandy Barnes know.
Lastly, we are planning an Easter Egg Hunt for the Saturday before Easter. We need volunteers. There are sign-up sheets on the table I the back.
Before I read today’s Call to Worship, I have a little story. Whether it’s true or not, I leave to you to decide.
After God made Adam, he noticed that Adam was sad and asked what was wrong.
Adam replied, “I’m lonely.”
God said, “That’s no good! How about I make you a companion? One that is appealing, will cook and clean, and doesn’t mind it when you hang out with the guys or watch football?”
Adam can’t contain himself: “That sounds awesome! What will it cost me?”
God says, “An arm and a leg!”
Adam asks, “What can I get for a rib?”By the way, were you aware that we’d all be living in paradise if Adam and Eve were Chinese. Because they would’ve eaten the snake and not the apple.
But alas, they ate the forbidden fruit as Paul writes about it in our . . .
CALL TO WORSHIP
(more…)When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. … Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:12, 14b-17 -
He Chose the Cross
Worship Service for March 13, 2022
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lets’ begin with a little ancient Biblical history:
After God created Adam from dust, He noticed that Adam was sad and asked what was wrong.
Adam answered, “I’m lonely.”
So God said something like, “How about I make you a companion? One that is pretty, will cook and clean, and doesn’t mind it when you spend time with the guys or watch football?”
Adam says, “That sounds awesome! What will it cost me?”
God replies, “An arm and a leg!”
Adam asks, “What can I get for a rib?”Speaking of being sad, Gail and I were scheduled to go to Syracuse New York this weekend to help celebrate the birthday of our grandson, Eliot. But alas, he and his sister, Anna, came down with bad colds and their parents thought it best to cancel. That’s the third time this year that we have had to cancel trips to see family due to illness.
Anyway, I had asked and Jim Brandenburg had accepted the invitation to preach today while we were supposedly going to be away. And so, although it was sad that we could not make our trip we are glad to be here today to participate in this service of worship.
Our leaders met this past Tuesday evening and among other decisions we made, set a goal to re-open the nursery and kid’s worship by the first Sunday in April.
One practice that we adopted during the pandemic was to not pass offering baskets and we are going to maintain that. Not because of covid fears, but because it seems to work better. So for the time being we will continue the practice of placing our offerings in the wooden box on the wooden table next to the doors.
CALL TO WORSHIP
(more…)Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.O Israel, hope in the Lord!
Psalm 130
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities. -
The Fickle Follower
Worship Service for March 6, 2022
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thanks to all who participated in this past Wednesday’s Prayer Vigil.
Today, we are blessed to be able to celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion. I am so happy to say all who desire to be right with God through the Lord Jesus are welcome to come to the table and receive what God in Christ offers. If you are reading or listening at home, I encourage you to pause in order to prepare the communion elements you will be using.
This is also the first Sunday of six in the Lenten season. On these Sundays, I plan on drawing closer to Christ by examining the lives of some of the people who were close to Jesus then. Today we will focus on who I am calling “the fickle follower.”
CALL TO WORSHIP
(more…)This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.
Ephesians 1:1-7