Sermon Notes

1411 E. Route 29 • Athens, IL 62613

217-636-8463 • www.athenschristian.net

www.facebook.com/athenschristianIL

Ken Gennicks, Senior Minister ken@athenschristian.net • 415-5724

Shane Baker, Associate Minister shane@athenschristian.net • 415-9035

Lorna Baker, Children’s Minister lorna@athenschristian.net • 502-1256

Gary Frank, Associate Minister gary@athenschristian.net • 502-4944

Tyler Basso, Youth Minister tyler@athenschristian.net • 622-0803

Morgan Wells, After School Director morgan@athenschristian.net • 414-5433

7am, 8am, 9am Traditional Services

Prelude • Dick Bachman

Call to Worship • Doug Wendler

Hymn of Praise

America, the Beautiful #690 (v.1-4)

Prayer Requests & Praises • Ken Gennicks

Special Music • Hank Daubs

Military Salute Slide Show

Sermon • Ken Gennicks

“GOSPEL STORIES: His Banner Over Me Is Love”

(Mt. 22:21; Ps. 33:12-22; Song 2:4)

Invitation Hymn

My Country, ‘Tis of Thee #695 (v.1, 4)

Announcements • Vonda Laffey

Communion & Offering Meditation • Ken Gennicks

Quietly move to Communion & Offering tables

before exiting the building

10am, 11am Contemporary Services

Prelude • Ashley Cantrall

Song of Praise

King of My Heart

Prayer Requests & Praises • Ken Gennicks

Special Music • Hank Daubs

Military Salute Slide Show

Sermon • Ken Gennicks

“GOSPEL STORIES: His Banner Over Me Is Love”

(Mt. 22:21; Ps. 33:12-22; Song 2:4)

Invitation Song

Way Maker

Announcements • Vonda Laffey

Communion & Offering Meditation • Ken Gennicks

Quietly move to Communion & Offering tables

before exiting the building

Please take time to stop in the foyer on your way out to sign the

greeting cards for folks in our prayers.

“GOSPEL STORIES: His Banner Over Me Is Love” (Mt. 22:21; Ps. 33:12-22; Song 2:4)

INTRODUCTION

In today’s Bible text, Jesus tells the haters, Give to Caesar what is

Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s (Mt. 22:21). Understanding the

times and knowing what to do, like a group in Old Testament (I

Chron. 12:32), requires a thorough Christian worldview constructed

and tempered by:

1. The ongoing study of _________________

2. The ongoing study of _____________ history

3. The ongoing study of _______________history

4. The ongoing study of ________________ history

5. The ongoing study of _______________ ______________

I. ________________ ____________ (Mt. 22:21; Ps. 33:12)

A. ________________ _________________ B. ___________ __________

II. _________________ ____________ (Mt. 22:21; Song 2:4)

A. ________________ _________________ B. ___________ ___________

CONCLUSION

Banners hold meaning, deep meaning, carefully crafted as a sign

to represent the identity of a nation, a group, or a person. So the

Bible says of God, His banner over me is love (Song of Solomon

2:4). One glaring difference in the two banners today: one

represents the temporary, one represents the eternal. Are you a

citizen of Heaven? For God so loved the world He gave His only

begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish,

but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16).

Prayer Requests

Today’s Worship at 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 am

At St. John’s: Bill Ahrenkiel (to Regency hospice), Jackie

Kelly (Barb Snow’s sister), Blake Monroe (Kathryn Monroe’s

relative/ICU)

At Missouri hospital: Sandy Evans (Ron/Bev Ellsworth’s

relative)

At Dallas hospital: Lu Irwin’s nephew/leukemia

At Virginia, IL nursing home: Glenn Genseal (Shelly

Roat’s dad)

Tests: Chris Roszhart (Mary’s son/heart valve replacement/

Aug. 6), Madison Austin, Al Betz, Richard Sandidge, Annie

Maliongas’ brother, Ron Ellsworth, Tracy Scales, Pat Basso’s

brother, Shandi Chrysler, Roy Hinds (knee/Sept. 11), Jodi

Peacock’s mother, Gail Farrell’s dad, Pam Stewart, Debbie

Rohlf, Donna Moss, Michelle Burcker (Nancy Nale’s cousin),

Krista Austin (foot/22nd/Mem.), Barb Siddons, Ken

Weatherby, Larry Ethell (Elise Fritz/Erin Calcari’s dad), Linda

O’Toole, Jerry Basso (MRI/7th), John Castro

At home: Wanda Stott, Brian/Cindi Setzer, Hank/Karla

Daubs’ grandson, Barb Siddons’ brother, Eddie Miller

(hospice), Diane McCormick’s niece, Marlene Wegner, Terry

Wunderle, Bernie (Marlene) Stitch, Leo Davis (Tyler Basso’s

step-dad/hospice), Jen VanPelt, Mark Becker (after hip

replacement), Gary Richardson (Dennis’ brother/after back

surgery)

Touched by death: Tressa Duewer family

Transitions: Bill Beatty’s mother, Sara Melton’s brother,

Wyatt Alderman/Caleb/Canyon Breazeale/Aaron Reiterman

(military), Tom Halberstadt (Quincy), Mark Smith

(Taylorville), Micah Frank (Ft. Jackson), Jake Montgomery

(Ft. Collins/PhD), Kaiti Steinkamp (back in US now!)

Church camps: lscacamp.org & littlegalilee.com

Online Vacation Bible School: Wednesdays in July

Wednesday Night Connection: Sept 9-Nov. 18

Kyle Gennicks: missionchurchmontgomery.org

Capital Stewardship Campaign: Run the Race (2020-

2022)

Our missionaries/military/families/terrorism/economy

Each other/unspoken needs

Stephen Ministers:

Donna Douglas, Contact Person

522-1134/971-6732

Steve Gutierrez, Contact Person

414-0126

Debbie Richardson

Gwen DeRosa

Rhonda Briest

Frank Platt

Gwen Staab

Sara McDaniel

Sandra Taylor

Elders:

Brent McArdle/632-2942

Jeremy McDaniel/971-9416

Curt Reichling/636-9252

Doug Wendler/652-2133

Deacons:

Brendan Bachman/309-824-3226

Larry Barregarye/502-0086

Anthony Bolton/309-221-2994

Jason DeBoer/616-970-4003

Terry Henrikson/636-8611

Bob Hill/636-7416

Storm Huse/309-363-9922

Jeff Lopian, Sr./528-2096

Randy Miller/309-252-1845

Craig Reichert/553-1927

Greg Roat/414-2399

Welcome to

Red, White & Blue

Sunday at

Athens Christian Church

UPDATED SECURITY PROCEDURES

BEGIN TODAY!

Today we move to our new access control process for

building entry. This means that building entry will occur

by presenting a FOB or code at a card reader. This

process replaces the use of existing building keys to

enter our building. If you have any questions, please

contact Gary Frank directly.

Plans are still ongoing to upgrade our church security.

Please help us by using the main front doors for entering

and leaving the building on Sunday mornings.

Eventually, all other doors will be locked.

Developing a Security Team at ACC

Volunteers are needed for the Security Team at ACC.

The team will consist of volunteers who are physically

capable, qualified to serve, and willing to respond to the

security needs of the church in the event of a critical

incident or security crisis. If you feel you would be a

good fit for this team and willing to serve, please contact

John Weitekamp at jweitekamp81@gmail.com or by

phone/text at 217-725-8082 for more information.

We hope you enjoyed week 1 of Online Breakout

VBS! This Wednesday, July 8, Episode 2 will be

available at the church YouTube page at noon!

Our mission for this year's VBS is the Athens Food

Pantry. The whole month of July we will be

collecting non-perishable food items. Please help us

with our mission by bringing in non-perishable food

items and leaving them in the church library! The

Food Pantry’s most requested items are corn, green

beans, potatoes, and cereal! Thank you for helping

us break out from ordinary to extraordinary in

giving back to our local food pantry!

Thank you for leaving the rows of

parking spaces closest to our

building for those with disabilities

and for our guests and visitors!

Applying Today’s Sermon to Your Life

1. Our 2020 sermon series is a Bible study of Jesus in the four

Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. What is happening in

Matthew 22:15-22? How did Jesus respond to the haters? How

will you imitate Him?

2. Our Bible study today suggested five requirements for a thorough

Christian worldview. Which of the five is your greatest

strength? Which is your weakness? What could you do to

develop a more informed, complete Christian worldview? What is

the value of this? What action steps will you take to do so now?

3. Our nation’s founding documents were mentioned today because

yesterday was our nation’s Independence Day. Enroll in an

excellent, free, online, 12-part study of our U.S. Constitution at

Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan (www.hillsdale.edu). This

fascinating study explains our Constitution established limited

government, but a government with sufficient powers to protect

American’s God-given rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of

Happiness.

4. Answer the following as TRUE or FALSE:

T F The colors of the American Flag were chosen because they

look good.

T F The Bible is too old to be relevant to modern times.

T F Any study of world history is a boring, waste of time.

T F Christians don’t need to be familiar with U.S. history.

T F Any study of Church history is pointless because we have

the Bible.

T F Any study of current events is merely a distraction.

T F A flag is a banner representing a nation, a group or a

person.

T F The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

T F I am willing to read and study to be more usable to God.

5. What similar values are held in the founding documents

represented by both the American and the Christian flags? What

differences can be found between these documents? Why is it

valuable to the Christian’s worldview to be keenly aware of these

similarities and these differences?

6. How is the price that was paid similar under both the American

flag and the Christian flag? How is the price that was paid

different? What is the price that continues to be paid under both

banners? Why is it valuable to the Christian’s worldview to

remain keenly aware of these similarities and differences?

7. Is there freedom in Christ to be patriotic, whether one lives in the

United States, in Poland, in Brazil, or in other foreign

countries? Read Romans 13:1-4 and I Timothy 2:1-2. How do

these Bible texts speak to this question?

8. Read I Samuel 8. Israel demands a king because everyone else has

one. What warnings does the Prophet Samuel explain about the

price of big government? How is this truth timeless? How was

Samuel warning them the bigger the government, the smaller the

citizen?

9. In light of today’s Bible study, I will:

Welcome Back to ACC! We are so excited to be together again as a church family!

We have temporarily reconstructed our usual 8 & 10:15 am

worship service schedule to five services at 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11

am. Also, our Sunday mornings will be very different with

many safety measures in place throughout the morning:

—The building will be thoroughly cleaned between each service

by our cleaning team

—Volunteers and staff will open doors for you

—We are asking families to sit with their family group and leave

space between other family groups when seated

—All helpful doors have been propped open or opened by our

greeters and staff

—Hand sanitizer is available throughout the building

—Bulletins may be picked up from several locations

—We will not be passing offering or communion trays but will

have them available at the end of each service

—Overflow rooms in the youth room, kids’ check-in area and

lobby are available for viewing the service live on screens

—No childcare or children’s classes are currently available

For those who prefer to continue worshipping from home,

we still offer online viewing:

• Traditional Service will stream live at 9 am

• Contemporary Service will stream live at 11 am

A link will be posted on the “ON-LINE WORSHIP” tab of our

website (www.athenschristian.net) to view the service live.

Both services will also be recorded and made available on

YouTube some time following the services for those who

aren’t able to watch live.

Giving Options for ACC General Fund

& Building Fund •Mail a check to the church office at:

PO Box 260, Athens, IL 62613

(All checks will be deposited into our General Fund unless

otherwise designated on the memo line of your check.)

•Electronic giving for a one-time or recurring gift:

…www.athenschristian.net/give

…Give+ app (search GivePlus Church

on your mobile phone)

•Permanent, secure drop box

We have installed a permanent, secure drop box on the

front of our building west of our outer office door for

everyone who prefers to drop off their financial support in

person. There is also a drop box on the wall in the church

library.

Today & This Week

TODAY, Sunday, July 5 Red, White & Blue Sunday! (FIRST DAY OF NEW BUILDING SECURITY ACCESS)

6:30 am: Prayer with the Pastors

(at the pulpit/everyone welcome)

7am, 8am, 9am: Traditional Services

10am, 11am: Contemporary Services

**SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES BEGIN IN PERSON TODAY** 11:00 Ambassadors in Room 203 led by Gary Frank

Also meeting on Zoom - contact Gary for info

11:00 That the World May Know in Room 220 led

by Brent McArdle

11:00 Ohana led by Curt Reichling at the Athens

Park Pavillion (see Curt Reichling for details)

6:00 Jr./Sr. High Spikeball Tournament (outside at ACC)

Monday, July 6 Read Romans 14

6:00am Men’s Group/Rm. 105 All men should join us!

Tuesday, July 7 Read Romans 15

7:00 Ladies With a Heart to Pray Zoom chat

312-626-6799; Meeting ID: 772518439##

Wednesday, July 8 Read Romans 16

Online VBS Episode #2 released at noon (watch anytime)

Thursday, July 9 Read 1 Corinthians 1

Friday, July 10 Read 1 Corinthians 2

Church office closed

Sunday, July 12

6:30 am Prayer with the Pastors

7, 8, 9 am Traditional Services

10, 11 am Contemporary Services

11:00 Ambassadors in Room 203 led by Gary Frank

Also meeting on Zoom - contact Gary for link info

11:00 That the World May Know in Room 220 led by Brent

McArdle

11:00 Ohana led by Curt Reichling meeting at the Athens Park

Pavillion (see Curt Reichling for details)

6:00 Jr./Sr. High Wiffle Ball Game (outside at ACC)

All services below are available to watch live in the foyer, kids’ wing check-in area, youth room and

nursing mothers’ room.

—»«— Services will be live-streamed on YouTube and recorded to

be available on YouTube following the services.

—»«— An audio recording of today’s sermon will also be

downloaded to our website. You can listen to today’s message and past sermons at

www.athenschristian.net/worship/media.

Online Vacation Bible School