On Friday, September 22 at 7:00 PM, Enola First Church of God is hosting a free coffee house featuring entertainment by Jeffrey Imboden (Christian music through trumpet, vocal, guitar). Come join us for free snacks, beverages, and Christian entertainment in an informal atmosphere! A Freewill Offering will be received. For more information and future Coffee House dates, visit our website at www.enolacog.com/coffee-house or call the church office at 717-732-4253.
On Friday, July 28 at 7:00 PM, Enola First Church of God is hosting a FREE COFFEE HOUSE featuring entertainment by Codie Reed (Gospel, Hymns, Oldies Vocal). The Coffee House will be held in our lower level Fellowship Hall. Come join us for free snacks, beverages, and Christian entertainment in an informal atmosphere! A freewill offering will be received. For a schedule of upcoming Coffee Houses throughout 2023, visit our website at www.enolacog.com/coffee-house.
A FREE concert featuring RYAN STEVENSON will be held Saturday, July 29, 7:30pm at Levitt Pavilion at SteelStacks in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. Local Christian bands begin performing at 4pm. Bring your family & lawn chairs for a day of great music! More details provided by Ebenezer Bible Fellowship Church at: aPlaceForYou.org.
On Friday, June 23 at 7:00 PM, Enola First Church of God is hosting a FREE COFFEE HOUSE featuring Christian entertainment by Marquel Ortiz. Come join us for free snacks, beverages, and Christian entertainment in an informal atmosphere! A Freewill Offering will be received. For more information and a schedule with more 2023 Coffee House dates, visit our website at www.enolacog.com/coffee-house.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is Psalm 59:16.
I will sing of your strength. In the morning, I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
Meeting with God in the morning is effective for setting the tone for a brighter day.
One of the ways we can have a meaningful encounter with the living God is through worship music. This will refresh our spirit with songs of joy, gratitude, and celebration. The language of music is uplifting to our faith when the lyrics draw our attention to God’s love for us.
This Light Reflection inspires us to sing of God’s love and strength as we rise to start each new day in the Year to Shine.
21st Annual Christmas Vesper Service featuring the Reading Pops Orchestra & vocal soloists. Preservice music at 3:30pm by the Conrad Weiser Brass Ensemble. Entrance is free. A free will offering will be taken.
Join us on October 28, 2022 at 7:00 pm at Enola First Church of God for our own version of the game, “Don’t Forget the Lyrics”! Pastor George Jensen will serve as game show host for the evening. Free Coffee and other beverages will be served along with food and snacks. Bring the whole family for free FUN, FOOD, & FELLOWSHIP.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Sharing our love of music with others.
We can do this in a number of ways. We can talk about favorite songs that we hear on the radio or share songs with others that we find on social media. We can sing songs together in church, or hear songs together in a concert venue.
Music has a way of bringing people together. In Matthew 26:30, Jesus sung a hymn with His disciples before going out to the Mount of Olives.
Ephesians 5:19 instructs us to speak “to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”
Sharing our Love of Music with others is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verses are Psalm 33:2 to 4.
“Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”
Worship is a way of life that includes music. With a joyful heart, we can celebrate with shouts of joy for God’s grace and goodness. With a troubled heart, we can pour out our heart to God with words of lament and petition. This too can be a meaningful time of worship as we seek God in the midst of our trials. Music is given to us as a creative expression to glorify God.
Whether we sing from the hymnbook or the newest song on the radio, we have the opportunity to express our love for God in a way that honors His name and edifies our soul.
These Faith-Building Verses inspire us to use music as an instrument for worship in the Year of Relationship.
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to use music as an instrument of worship.
Music is a gift from God and is a meaningful way to express our love for Him.
Throughout history, God’s people have lifted up their voices together in praise to God. Music can be a picture of how God desires for His people to live in unity with each other. We don’t all play the same instruments, nor do we all sing the same parts, but as we harmonize with the body of Christ, we lift up a beautiful song that glorifies God.
Ephesians 5:19 encourages us to be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Take the daily challenge to use music as an instrument of worship on the journey of faith.
Praise & Worship Podcast Episode 3 features special guest, David Leonard! Singer/Songwriter, Worship Leader, Producer–he’s a Dove Award winning unstoppable generating force of creativity. We talk about filming a music video with his dad, corporate versus individual worship songs, and breaking away from the keyboard on MercyMe’s 2020 tour. Plus, miscarriage from a man’s perspective: how it feels and what helps.
On a personal note: David Leonard‘s album, “The Wait”, was huge for my husband and me. If you know our story, you know Sam was diagnosed with testicular cancer right after we were married. I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a couple years later. Doctor’s said we had a one in a million chance at having a baby. It was 7 years before our son, Josiah, was born with some help from IVF. We say (hands down!) infertility is harder to go through than cancer. You might also know that last year: after trying and waiting for even more years, we got pregnant–but it was ectopic, which meant emergency surgery and incredible shock. Pain like that threatens to destroy you. But, surprisingly God has encouraged us deeply, reawakening our hearts and our hope! After that hardest hit yet, we feel more compelled than ever to share and encourage you. We know so many can relate. For me, songs are essential in this process. Lyrics give you voice while music does its work on your soul. If you are in this boat too, I’d love to share this conversation with you. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud. I pray it helps you feel more hope (and less alone).
