Weekly Message
The Weekly Message
July, 8 2025
By: In-Touch Ministries
We like to think that delays are no big deal. We tell ourselves, No one is really getting hurt by the things I put off. Over time, however, our choices can develop into an unhealthy pattern. In today’s reading, the ruler Felix delayed making a decision about Christ and eventually completely turned away from Him.
To get on track, we must change our attitude about hesitation, admitting the problem and noticing where we consistently put off action. Confessing that procrastination has a hold in our life is an important step, as is deciding to turn away from it. We also should embrace living decisively. Use God’s Word to fight against feelings of doubt and discomfort. The Bible says that we are new creations, indwelt by God’s Spirit, and we are no longer slaves to sin (Galatians 5:1). Remember that Jesus, our Savior, is our Lord, and through His resurrection power, He provides everything we need. His grace turns our weakness into strength (2 Corinthians 12:9), and we have victory through Him (Romans 8:37).
When we order our life on the basis of Scripture, we will live by faith rather than feelings. Jesus offers to help us do away with hesitation and tentativeness.
Don’t put off accepting His invitation!
Joys & Concerns
Joys
Willie and Trish celebrate their 46th Wedding Anniversary.
ASP trip went well and had a good week of ministry.
Concerns
For Bernice Kissinger who had hip replacement surgery last week.
For Janet Faz a Child Care teacher who lost her grandmother.
For flood victims in Texas.
Ann Herman asks prayers for a friend Bill who has treatment resistant cancer.
Continued prayers
for Kathy Peterson, Heidi Slife, The Bixler Family, Bob Knudson, Trish Poole, Sandy
Gavin, Joyce Laehr, Anne Herman, Chris Ruud, Kim & Zoey Voss, Jeanette Marchetti-Hamm, Bob Herman, Ron Hansen,
Cadyn Albright & her family, Debbie Knudson, Pastor Awilda Nolla, Evie Fell,
Bob & Kim Dewey & Wendy Kumbier, Becca and Blake Kube, the Mcllvaine
Family and the Kolmer Family.
*** CHURCH OFFICE HOURS***
MONDAY- 8:30 am – 3 pm
TUESDAY-THURSDAY - 9 am – 3 pm
FRIDAY - 9am – 12 pm
CALENDAR
Wed July 9 Caregiver Support Group – 1 pm Room 16
Thurs July 10 Events Committee Meeting 6:30 pm Room 16
Fri July 11 Prayer Shawl Meeting 1 pm Friendship Room
Sun July 6 Band Practice – 9 am
Worship/Children’s Church 10 am
Zoo Event 2-pm
Please check out the sign-up sheet for the community meal on July 15.
July/August Upper Rooms are now located in the library.
Announcer: You will find copies in each entryway.
If you have a change in phone number or address, please call the church office at 262-632-1607 or email at christcumc@gmail.com. You can also change that information right on your profile on your app.
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*Please remember to be careful with emails that appear to come from Christ Church but are, indeed, fake. If you hover over the sender address, it should show as this email does, notifications@emails.church or christcumc@gmail.com. The fake emails will usually have a
name on them that is not mine (Cassie Kafer) or Pastor George’s. For those who receive messages from Josh/Family Ministries, it should look like this: christchurchracinefamily@gmail.com
Fake emails usually have misspelled words and/or contain links they want
you to click. They often say to click to see pictures and could be other things. Please be mindful of the things that
are not per our usual format and do not click any links. You can call the office if you would like to verify the authenticity of a message.
The Weekly Message
July, 15 2025
I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me. -Song of Solomon 7:10
The Young Adults have completed a year-long study of the book The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis. For the last 9 months, we have studied the four words for love in ancient Greek (the language of the New Testament): Storge (affection), Philia (friendship) Eros (romance), and Agape, the perfect love of God poured into us and through us to others. Eros (romantic love) is perhaps the most physically felt of the human loves. Our modern language is full of idioms to help describe how we physically feel around someone we are in love with; butterflies in our stomachs, cheeks flushed, pulse racing, walking on air. Eros can make us feel as if our hearts are fluttering, aching, and even breaking. The source of Eros is what C.S. Lewis calls “the beloved”; the object of our infatuation. Eros’ food is simply the intense desire to be near the beloved. Our beloved does not need to love us back, or even know who we are for Eros to be present; Eros is not a relationship, it is simply the feeling of “being in love.” Eros is also
not purely sexual attraction. If it was, we would cease to feel in love with the person after certain activities, and we don’t. Eros desires true intimacy, vulnerability, and to work for the good of its target person. Eros’ real weakness is actually in the target person themselves.
Eros desires true, pure, extravagant, reckless, and passionate devotion and it offers the same, but no human being could ever stand upon the pedestal that Eros tries to build for them. There are only two ways that Eros can resolve itself; in tempered compromise, or in disappointment and despair. We all know people in our lives who jump from love affair to love affair, convinced that they simply need to find the right or perfect person for Eros to simply fall into place and last. Most of us also know a few poor souls who have felt so betrayed by Eros’ grand promises that they have rejected the entire idea for good, for fear of being hurt again. As with the other loves, the solution is once again the person of Jesus.
Jesus used each of the three human loves to describe His love for us in different ways. He described the Church as the Bride of Christ and told
parables using language that revealed his deep and devoted passion for His Church, and His desire to pursue us and woo us into His perfect love. Once again, we see the perfect model of Christ giving us three unique tools: a standard to follow, a physical way to help us understand how passionate the love of God is, and a check on our recklessness in trying to experience that perfect love here on earth with other human beings. Jesus draws our hearts, and our Eros upward to the perfect love of God, whose wisdom guides us into healthy earthly relationships, and whose compassion heals all broken hearts.
Joys & Concerns
Concerns
For Bernice Kissinger who had hip
replacement surgery.
Ann Herman asks prayers for a friend Bill who has treatment resistant cancer.
Continued prayers for
Kathy Peterson, Heidi Slife, The Bixler Family, Bob Knudson, Trish Poole, Sandy
Gavin, Joyce Laehr, Anne Herman, Chris Ruud, Kim & Zoey Voss, Jeanette Marchetti-Hamm, Bob Herman, Ron Hansen,
Cadyn Albright & her family, Debbie Knudson, Pastor Awilda Nolla, Evie Fell,
Bob & Kim Dewey & Wendy Kumbier, Becca and Blake Kube, the Mcllvaine
Family and the Kolmer Family.
*** CHURCH OFFICE HOURS***
MONDAY- 8:30 am – 3 pm
TUESDAY-THURSDAY - 9 am – 3 pm
FRIDAY - 9am – 12 pm
CALENDAR
Tues July 15 Community Meal 3:30 pm North Pointe UMC
Handbell Practice – 6:30 pm Friendship Room
Thurs July 17 Caregiver Support Group 6:00 pm Room 16
Friday July 18 Church Office Closed
Sun July 20 Band Practice – 9 am
Worship/Children’s Church 10 am
Directory Photos – 11:30 am Chapel
Worship Meeting 12 pm Conference Room
Youth Outing Kenosha Beach 12-4 pm
July/August Upper Rooms are now located in the library.
Announcer: You will find copies in each entryway.
If you have a change in phone number or address, please call the church
office at 262-632-1607 or email at christcumc@gmail.com. You can also change information on your profile on you app as well.
