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Prairie Avenue
Christian Church
To be learning, loving, and serving disciples of Christ from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth.
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Worship Each Week & Daily Prayer |
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NEW WORSHIP SERVICE SCHEDULE |
We will host in-person services on Saturdays at 5 pm, and Sunday mornings at 8 am and 9:30 am. |
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The Answer to Negativity is Hope
Saturday, March 6, 5 pm
Sunday, March 7, 8 am & 9:30 am
and Online
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Did you miss a sermon or can't remember the good statement made by Pastor Jason recently?
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WEEK OF COMPASSION SPECIAL OFFERING UPDATE
Our annual special offering for relief, refugee and development collected over $225. You can still contribute to this important ministry through their website, or marking your cash or check donation for "Week of Compassion. Thank you for your generosity!
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The federal government once employed a veterinarian as a food inspector. He inspected seventy-five
thousand chickens a week at a local poultry company. One day he made an interesting comment to a friend. He said, “I never see a good chicken.” He went on to explain that through years of inspecting millions of chickens, it became necessary for him to train his eyes to see only the bad chickens, the ones that should be rejected.
Unfortunately, religious people can sometimes become like that chicken inspector. They focus only on the negatives. They are known for what they are against rather than what they are for. They are against gambling. They are against drinking. They are against gays. They are against women’s rights. They are against the teachings of science such as evolution or global warming. They are against Muslims. Eventually, their spirit of negativism erases joy, grace, and beauty in their life. Their religion becomes a religion of negativity.
There is pain and suffering in the world, of course. It needs to recognized and responded to. Sin is real, too. But a constant negative and critical spirit is not the spirit of a healthy faith. At heart, faith is about love, hope, joy, peace, gratitude, and wonder. Chronic negativism is an enemy of true faith, which sees what is good and what is possible and helps others to see it as well.
If you are a hammer, you are more likely to see everything else as a nail. You are what you eat, and if you feed yourself only on the worst news stories, the worst life situations, soon you will think and say only the worst in everything and everyone.
At any point in our lives, we could draw two columns, a list of good things that are happening to us and a list of bad things that are happening to us. And we have to decide constantly: Will we resent the bad circumstances, or will be grateful for the good circumstances? Where will our focus be?
Good religion doesn’t ignore problems, wrongdoing, and evil, but neither does it respond to them with chronically negative complaints and condemnation. Good religion is marked by resurrection hope that sees the possibility for good in every situation, giving thanks in all things and casting a vision for a more positive future.
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Grow in Faith
through listening, paying attention, and reading 5 verses a day
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Morning Devotion
Each day, except Sunday, Pastor Jason shares a brief 4-7 minute scripture reading, reflection, response, and prayer. During the season of Lent, Pastor Jason is sharing the gospel of Mark, which will be read through by Easter. We encourage you to read this gospel. The associated devotion is posted to Prairie Avenue's Facebook page.
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Use Your Gifts by sharing five acts of love and kindness each week |
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TRAINING CLASS CONTINUES
SUNDAYS AT 11 AM
GOLDEN CIRCLE ROOM
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Amanda Butterick is our first member to begin exploring Christian caregiving through Stephen minister training! This training is led by Pastor Jason, a trained Stephen Leader, and includes a variety of topics such as listening, Christian assertiveness, maintaining boundaries in caregiving, and grief.
The training lasts about an hour and a half, with a brief 15-minute break. If you would like to check out a session, you can! To qualify as a Stephen minister, you will need to complete all 18 sessions.
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Pray with Thailand, March 7, 2021 - Global Ministries
Lectionary Selection: Psalm 19 Prayers for ThailandYour Law, O God, does revive the soul. It is the Law of Love and the Law of Creating. We human beings are too quick to damage your best work. But bring us back, we pray, to ... Read more
Read more
www.globalministries.org
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Give Regularly through five acts of generosity each month |
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2021 Stewardship Pledges Update |
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Thank you for your generous support of the mission and ministry of Prairie Avenue Christan Church! We celebrated and dedicated the received pledges last weekend.
If you have not turned in your pledge for the operating budget of 2021, you may mail, e-mail, or drop off in-person your pledge card during regular business hours, Monday-Thursday 8:30 am to 4 pm. You can also bring it to any worship service and place it in the offering collection basket.
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India Landslide Relief: Love Flows Beyond Barriers
Several weeks ago, on the morning of February 7, a glacier burst in the Raini village of the Himalayas, causing a flash flood in Rishiganga River. The resulting landslide killed at least 36 people,...
Read more
www.weekofcompassion.org
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General Fund
Donations given to the Prairie Avenue Christian Church General Fund support the year-round ministries of the church. Your generous support keeps our building, staff, and operations working for the mission of the church. The mission of Prairie...
Read more
www.continuetogive.com
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For instructions in registering your Kroger Rewards Card, Click Here.
The Organization code for Prairie Avenue Christian Church is: BY235.
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KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS DONATION |
$33.99 was raised by 14 households who have linked their Kroger customer reward cards to support Prairie Avenue Christian Church. The quarterly contribution is for shopping at Kroger during October - December 2020.
Joining to support the ministries of Prairie Avenue Christian Church is FREE. Any transactions moving forward using the Shopper’s Card number associated with your digital account will be applied to the program, at no added cost to you. Kroger donates annually to participating organizations based on your percentage of spending as it relates to the total spending associated with all participating Kroger Community Rewards organizations.
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Prairie Avenue Christian Church is a listed charity with the Smile.Amazon program. Please use smile.amazon.com, and choose Prairie Avenue Christian Church for your generous support. |
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Share Your Faith through inviting 5 people to church this year |
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Rev. Terri Hord Owens invites Disciples to add something to their Lenten practice and shares the words of Howard Thurman's "The Sustainer of Life." |
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Illinois-Wisconsin & Michigan Explore Partnership
Bloomington IL and Lansing MI - The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) and The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Michigan Region (CCMR) announce they have begun discussions on a new model for partnering...
Read more
cciwdisciples.org
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Camp Program
Dear friends of Camp Walter Scott, The Camp Walter Scott and Regional staff are committed to providing a quality camp experience that promotes the spiritual and physical safety and well-being of all campers, volunteers, staff, and visitors.
Read more
cciwdisciples.org
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