The SpireFirST CongregaTional ChurCh

35 eaST Main STreeTMiiddleTown, new York 10940

fccmiddletownny@gmail.com (845)343-5764 www. fccmiddletown.net

April 2019

Prayers for all missions that are currently supported through your offering here at First Congregational annually are listed below. Please pray for them each day asking GOD what you

can do to help spread the gospel message, the Good News of Jesus Christ before it is to late.ATLANTIC BRIDGE~ John and Donna Oostdyks

BCM-Bible Center Ministry~Brian & Sarah HampshireCHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP~Marianne Steenburg**

MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP~Mike SnodgrassNAVIGATOR~

WORLD VENTURE~ The ColumbinesWYCLIFFE BIBLE~(Krums)

The magnitude of God’s loveIt would be spectacular and amazing ... if some king’s son were to appear in a beggar’s home to nurse him in his illness, wash off his filth and do everything else the beggar would have to do. Would this not be a profound humility? Any spectator or any beneficiary of this honor would feel impelled to admit that he had seen or experienced something unusual and extraor-dinary, something magnificent.

And yet the love of the Son of God for us is of such magnitude that the greater the filth and stench of our sins, the more he befriends us, the more he cleanses us, relieving us of all our misery and of the burden of all our sins and placing them upon his own back.

Whenever the devil declares: “You are a sinner!” Christ interposes: “I will reverse the order; I will be a sinner, and you are to go scotfree.” Who can thank our God enough for this mercy? —Martin Luther, Luther’s Works 22, 166-167

If you are interested in placing an Easter Plant in the Sanctuary for Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, please complete the form below:

Given in memory of:__________________________________________________Given in appreciation of:_______________________________________________Given by:___________________________________________________________ Please circle your request for flowers: Lily Tulip Hyacinth Enclosed is:__________________($10.00 per plant)_________Give to shut-in_________Plants will be picked up Easter Sunday_________I will help deliver plants.

Make checks payable to First Congregational Church Flower FundMail to: Kay Martin, 1259 Ridgebury Rd., New Hampton, NY 10958DEADLINE FOR ORDERING: Saturday, April 13, 2019/Thank you so much.

The Empty Tomb:

From Genesis to Revelation, the written Word is what gives hope to all hu-manity to ALL who repent, believe, and put your trust is the only One for whom the Bible was written about. For all our hope is in the Resurrection. John 20(NKJV) lays it out for the all those who need real proof that the same Jesus (Our Messiah), who was put to death on the hill outside of Holy city that Good Friday, was alive!

Christ is the very foundation of God’s intentions to rescue humanity from the misdirected pathway taken by Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1-7) . The promise of a Redeemer is shown to us in Genesis 3:15 soon after mankind rebelled against our Heavenly Father. Throughout the pages of scripture we can read as His promises point to a solution to our sin problem. Romans 3:23-24 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justi-fied freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. We cannot and will never be able to earn a place in heaven because of what we think is good. We know that Jesus was born and that He died for one pur-pose—to save us from our sin. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Joy comes into our lives when we hear good news and see wonderful things all around us. I remember when I saw my son, Presley Jr., when he was born after C-Section in February 1980. I had experienced a miscarriage in 1976, and then lost our beloved Leslie who was stillborn in December 1977. My husband was holding him in a swaddling blanket and when I saw him and was so excited. I quickly tried to rise up from the bed. I did not know, nor had planned for an emergency C-Section. The pain of the surgery didn’t stop the joy in my heart. The smile on my husband’s face as he held our son “alive” brought unmatched joy to my heart. Think about the joy that was in the hearts of Mary Magdalene and the dis-ciples when they came to the tomb that morning and saw the stone had been removed from the entrance and Jesus lifeless body they had seen three days earlier gone! The great reveal was overwhelming when Jesus actually spoke with them on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13) Heartbreaks and sadness are removed. Doubt, fear and unbelief were all gone too. He was alive just as He had foretold to them many many times as He lived and walked with them during His earthly ministry. Holy Week and Easter seem bring joy into our lives for a season, but we should always keep that joy and proclaim the hope to everyone around us. Think for a moment, what an amazing life all people could and would expe-rience knowing that they have a Risen Savior who loves them and care for them deeply. We can never be good enough for Jesus to love us and surely not so bad that He couldn’t love us. You need only to give our whole life and heart to Him. Remember that God created us, therefore we are His!

Forever in His Love,Your editor-Doris

~He is Risen!~ ~Praying in the will of Christ Jesus~

PRAISES:The truthfulness of God’s promisesAmazing love Jesus pours out on us everydayThe resurrection promise realizedJesus is Alive!

PRAYERS FOR HEALING FOR: Peter Reilly ~ recovery from knee replacement surgeryBill & Joan DeMouth~ suffering from the fluJohn Carroll ~recurring coldsLillianna 6 month old needs organ donorMatthew Jones~24 year old grandson of Barbara LaForgeJeanne & Jerry Bricker ~ continued healing and comfortCaroline Mangione~strength and comfortEli Guagenti ~ severe allergies to most food as he starts schoolNick Illobre~radiation treatment(Sharon Jarose’s brother)Maryann Bensen ~ relief from painPRAYERS FOR:Strength and continued courage to all who face persecution for the cause of Christ JesusEndurance of all who give their lives for the cause of freedom and safety to the pub-lic here and around the worldEducation, moral conviction and prayer for all men and women concerning sex out-side of marriage which will eliminate the need for all abortions world wideHomeless families & individuals in Middletown, across the nation and around the world Warming Stations in Middletown and cities around the country as they try to help all people without heat for their homes and the lack of food to eat.People called by GOD to boldly speak the word of truth and growing into true fol-lowers of JESUS! Safety and protection of all students attending college, elementary and high school , administrators, faculty, staff and bus drivers each dayPeace and joy in the hearts and minds of all humanity in the new year********************************************************************

14~Joseph Guagenti22~Joyce Woodruff28~William DeMouth28~Kay Martin28~Nidia Sadosky28~Barbara Thompson30~Edna EmeryApril 2019 Greeters:

7~Ruth Knope & Barbara LaForge14~Joyce, Catherine Woodruff & Bea Van Pelt18~Maundy Thursday**21~Joseph & Lorraine Guagenti28~David & Kay MartinIf you are unable to serve, please call Vera (845)342-3531

April 2019 Ushers:7~Sharon Jarose & Marcella Lord14~Diane Riccobene & Shirley Homan21~Shirley Homan & Michelle Richardson28~Kenneth Richarson & Catherine WoodruffIf you are unable to serve, please call Shirley (845)926-8550

7~Rod & Cathy Mitton*********************************

April 2019 Events1~Women’s Fellowship Mtgs 12:00 noon4~ Deacons & Trustees Mtg 7:00 pm13~ Last day to order Easter Flowers14~Palm Sunday18~Maundy Thursday 7:30 pm21~Sunrise Service 6:30 am/Easter Breakfast follows at 7:00 am21~Easter Worship Service 10:30 am

***************************************Foundations of Apologetics by The RZIM-Wednesday @ 6:30pm

Adult Sunday School 9:15am Sundays

Dear Congregation , The ladies at the Hoving Home would like to express a warm and collective thank you for your open arms and memorable time of worship and fellowship on Sunday, November 18th .Love from all of us at the New York Home!

(Card is from our mission work at the Walter Hoving Home in Garrison , NY in Dutchess Co.

On April 14, 2019 is the date we celebrate Jesus Triumphal en-try into Jerusalem. The people lined the road-way singing “Hosan-na! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! The King of Israel!”(John12:13NKJV

April 21, 2019, we celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ!The proclamation that day gives the body of Christ(His Church) real hope because without the resurrection, Christianity would not exist and we would be dead in our sins and separated from GOD forever! Jesus opened the scriptures to His disicipes again when he spoke to them before His Ascension into heaven. (Please read Luke 24:26-53)