Romans 1:1-23

2nd June 2019 A very warm welcome to our services of worship today. We pray that you will all know God’s blessing as we meet together. Worship this morning and evening is led by the Rev George Macaskill. Induction loops are fitted in both the Church and hall for the hard of hearing. Please set your hearing aid to position ‘T’. Recordings of all our services are available on our website www.crossnesschurch.com as free Podcasts. CD recordings are also made of the services and are made available free of charge to the housebound and elderly. Please ask one of the office bearers or Anne MacDonald if you would like a copy. Crèche available by request. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eaglaisnis or via Google by entering ‘@eaglaisnis’ for more information and audio content. If you would like information posted on the website, please contact Chris or email the website www.crossnesschurch.com crossnesschurch@gmail.com Cross Ness Church of Scotland is a registered Scottish Charity No.SC000991 11am Service led by Rev George Macaskill. Sunday School after the children’s service. Praise Psalm Psalm Psalm Psalm - 34: 1-9 34: 11-17 87: 1-7 73: 25-28 Reading: Romans 1: 1-23 (ESV) 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Tea/coffee will be served in the Church hall after the morning service to which everyone is warmly invited. 6pm Service – Rev George Macaskill. 7.30pm – Barvas Mission Tent - Faith Mission Gospel service. Everyone is invited. Tea and coffee will be served after the service. The Week Ahead Monday 3rd June, 7.30pm, Church Hall – Monthly Prayer Meeting. Wednesday 5th June, 10.45am – Women’s Bible Study at Etta Morrison’s house. All women welcome. Wednesday 5th June, 7.30pm, Church Hall – Prayer Meeting. Sunday 2nd June - Thursday 13th June, 7.30pm each night except Saturdays & Monday 3rd June - Faith Mission. The Mission Tent is beside Barvas & Brue Community Centre. Services next Sunday 9th June 2019 11am Service – Jonathan Currie (Faith Mission). Sunday School after the children’s service. 6pm Service - Peter Craig (Faith Mission). Dates For Your Diary Saturday 15th June, 2 - 5pm Church Hall - Coffee afternoon. Backpackers holiday club fundraiser. Please note change of date. Baking welcomed. Please come along and support the holiday club. Monday 17thJune, 7.30pm Church Hall – Bible Study. Our study is on 1 Corinthians. Everyone’s welcome. Saturday 22nd June – Sunday school trip. Let’s make it a church day out. Everyone’s welcome. More details to follow. Food bank collection. As we come to the end of Sunday school term we plan to have a collection for the food bank. If you are able to donate dried food, tins, toiletries etc. please leave it in the church hall over the next 2 weeks and we’ll deliver it to town. Summer Sunday club. We plan to run a summer Sunday club during the morning service over the school holidays. If you are able to help out - even if it’s a wee bit out of your comfort zone - it would be appreciated. There will always be at least 2 leaders and a programme to follow. Sign up sheet is in the foyer. It would only involve one (or max of two) mornings over the summer if there are enough volunteers. Presbytery of Lewis – PSE Guidelines “The Scottish Government has recently introduced a new policy on ‘Personal and Social Education’ for the 3 to 18 curriculum and it falls to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, as our Education Authority, to implement the policy across the 3 to 18 age group, covering Pre-School, Primary and Secondary School. The Comhairle is now seeking the views of local faith groups as they move towards local implementation. Lewis Presbytery of the Church of Scotland has considered the new policy and has prepared a response for the Comhairle, submitted during this past week. Copies of the response are available at the door as you leave and Presbytery urges all parents and concerned individuals to make local implementation of this policy a matter for prayer. Flourish A massive thank you to everyone who helped with the Flourish, women’s bible conference. Thanks to deacons courts of the Free Church, our own congregation and Carthannas Nis for helping financially and Comunn Eachdraidh Nis for such a wonderful venue. So many helped out - from lots of bakers, Lynn, Annie and Ishbel for singing, Lorraine for soaps, Maybury for plants, Chris and Hector for IT, art club, car park attendants, and those who beavered away in the background in any way. We were blessed by Rachel Sloan’s talks and grateful for the prayers of those unable to attend which encouraged a real sense of unity. It was a special day. To God alone is the glory. The nomination committee would value the congregation’s prayers at this time for God’s guidance, wisdom and discernment as they continue to search for a new minister.