The Rock Weekly – November 27, 2024

  • IMPORTANT!  –  NO SERVICES TONIGHT (Wednesday) – All events (including Youth, Foundations, and Worship/Prayer) canceled tonight (11/27) due to Thanksgiving Holiday.  Please stay warm and safe this evening.
  • THANKSGIVING DAY OUTREACH – Thursday (11/28): 
  • 8am-10am – Turkey Bowl Flag Football at Bison Park in Castle Rock.  Recommended minimum age to play is 13.
  • 11-12pm at The Rock – Serving To-Go Turkey Meals and Praying for Families.
  • 12-1:30pm – Dine-In Thanksgiving Meal (we cooked 60 turkeys!)  Bring a side dish if you can. Invite others!  Register to serve and/or attend our Thanksgiving outreach. https://www.therock.org/thanksgiving/ 
  • FAMILY BREAKFAST THIS SUNDAY at 9am! – Join us in the Foyer followed by our Family Service where we cultivate group discussions & discipleship.

 

True Meaning of Thanksgiving

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  Colossians 3:17 ESV

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays of the year. It is a time when we focus on giving thanks to the Lord, on spending time with family and friends, and a time of eating some amazing food…and lots of it, taking walks after the big meal so we feel better about all we ate, and then resting as our bodies go into a comatose state.  And I know some of you are thinking, ‘Don’t forget about the football games’.  And since you went there, I would just encourage you to minimize your screen time this Thanksgiving, and maximize times of intentional interaction and communication with real humans and prayer/thanks to the Lord.  🙂

As for the true meaning of Thanksgiving, I am curious as to how you might answer.  Stop reading for a moment and think what your answer would be….   You didn’t stop…Don’t cheat!  😊  I think there are many that would relate it to the 3-day harvest feast of 1621 in Plymouth between the Wampanoag people and the Pilgrims (colonists from England).  And that would be a pretty good answer, but actually the true Thanksgiving origin goes back to a feast in Bible times called Passover which foreshadowed the ultimate Thanksgiving which was Jesus Christ being sacrificed as our Passover lamb. (1 Cor 5:7).  The Greek word in the Bible for ‘Thanksgiving’ is Eucharisteó which literally means “To be thankful for God’s good grace”.  And the greatest grace we have from God is the salvation of our souls and eternal life that comes only through the death and resurrection life of Jesus.  And from Eucharisteó (Thanksgiving), we get the word Eucharist or Holy Communion which commemorates the Last Supper with Jesus and the taking of His broken body and blood by which we now have eternal life. (Jn 6:54)  So when you think of thanksgiving or giving thanks, realize that the ultimate way we can live out thanksgiving is to take hold of the body and blood of Jesus with thanksgiving in our heart for what Jesus has done for us…to give us eternal life with Jesus!   I leave you with this…This Thanksgiving I would ask you to begin your meal with Communion, taking the body and blood of Jesus, and giving Him the thanks He deserves for His GOOD GRACE…Eucharisteó!

I love you and am very thankful for each of you!  Happy Eucharisteó!

Pastor Mike and your Rock staff

 

 

IMPORTANT SERVICE & WEEKLY INFORMATION:

WEDNESDAY NIGHT WORSHIP & PRAYER SERVICE  7:00pm * In-Person & On-Line *
Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/rockchurchco
The Rock Online Livestream:  https://www.therock.org/live/

 

FOUNDATIONS CLASS – 6:00pm Wednesdays
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99757846764?pwd=Tm8zQ0JQWk1xeHFBcEU5anNFN1l4dz09

 

YOUTH ~ BASE CAMP (6th – 12th Grade) – WEDNESDAY NIGHT – 7:00pm
Invite a friend and come have a great time. If you have any questions, email jaden@therock.org

 

FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION – 1st & 3rd Saturday of each Month
https://www.therock.org/foodbank/
Email Lindy@therock.org if you would like to volunteer or have questions.

 

SUNDAY MORNING PRE-SERVICE PRAYER  8:15-9:15am – *In-Person & On-line*
ZOOM Direct Video Link:
           https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85340164797?pwd=V0lmWFRRL0R6Tm56QTdRUHNoMWI3QT09
ZOOM Meeting ID: 853 4016 4797
          ZOOM Phone Option +12532158782,,85340164797#

 

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE 9:45am  *In-Person & On-line*
           Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/rockchurchco
The Rock Online Livestream:  https://www.therock.org/live/

 

OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE  Here are some ways you can partner with The Rock as you practice generosity – our regular tithe/giving, compassion help, missions, and our food bank.  Click on the following link or graphic.  www.therock.org/give

 

Have a Question, Need Prayer, Help, Feel Alone, or Disconnected?

Please email us at family@therock.org and put QUESTION, PRAYER, NEED HELP, or CONNECT ME at the top of your email.