Begin a New Life

NEW LIFE

We all need to know the real truth about our lives.
This is the way to discover a new way of life.

Jesus Said,
“I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.
— John 10:10

God is our Holy and Loving Creator.

Man was made to know God and to receive life from him. Out of his pleasure God created us and now sustains us. We are completely dependent on him for everything we have. He is totally pure and sets the standard for right and wrong according to his own character. He made us in his image as a person who can have a relationship with him.

God is love, and made us for the purpose of communion with him —

to worship,

honor,

fellowship with him and

delight in him.

God cares for you and wants you to know him personally.
God did this so that men would seek him and reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.
— Acts 17:27-28a

Every person is a sinful creature, separated from God.

Our response has been to rebel by refusing to honor God and do what he commands.

We find ourselves running our lives as if God did not matter, trying to be self-sufficient and self-made people.

We violate his law by wanting to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong.

Sin is the cause of all our problems and hopelessness.

Our sin leads to separation from a holy God who must judge us for our actions.

We are guilty before God and deserve punishment.

We are helpless to save ourselves.

The consequence of sin is a living death that will lead to eternal death.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
—Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death…
— Romans 6:23

Jesus Christ is the only one who can restore our relationship with our Creator.

God loved us enough to send his Son in order to give us eternal life.
He is God who came in the flesh to save us from sin and death.
He is the only way to a right relationship with our Creator.
He does not want us to die in our sins.

He offered himself as the innocent sacrifice for our sins
He died on the cross in our place as a condemned man.
He paid the price for our sins and offers us his righteousness.
He rose from the dead to give us new life

He conquered sin and death in order to give us an eternal relationship with God.

Jesus is alive today and is ready to save anyone who asks for his help.

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He was raised again on the third day according to the Scriptures.
— I Corinthians 15:3-4

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
— John 3:16

God invites us to respond to Jesus Christ.

He tells us to turn from rebellion against him and to trust in him. He does not ask us to try and earn God’s forgiveness and righteousness. He has done everything for us.

God offers us a free gift even though we do not deserve it.

He invites us to believe in what Christ has done for us. Christ died for our sins and was raised again for our salvation. He has done everything necessary for us to be reconciled to God.

He credits the righteousness of Christ to us, and he gives us his eternal life.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not of works, so that no one can boast.
— Ephesians 2:8-9

Anyone can pray to receive God’s gift.

Dear God,

I have ignored and offended you for too long. I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. Thank you for coming to earth to die on the cross for my sins and being raised from the dead to conquer death. I am ready to trust you as my Savior and Lord. By faith I gratefully receive your gift of righteousness and life in Jesus Christ. Please come into my life and show me how to be the person you want me to be. — Amen.

“If you prayed this prayer, please contact me. I would like to encourage you.”
-- Pastor Phil

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
— Romans 10:9

If we believe in Jesus,

If we accept Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin, then

We are given the right to be God’s child and

We receive the incredible benefits of knowing Him.

Everyone who believes in Christ is dead to sin and alive to God.
Life begins immediately and continues throughout eternity.
There is a new quality of life which is holy and loving in a way that is full of joy.
God transforms our lives so we can be righteous and pleasing to him.
His grace is constantly available for people to follow Christ as his disciple.
This is truly a new way of life!

For more information on this topic please contact Pastor Phil.

If you would like to explore further go to the following links:

www.whoisjesus.org

www.nowtrygod.com

Harvest Home Dinner and Celebration, Nov. 21
You are invited to eat, talk, laugh and celebrate. Then you will enter "The Amazing Place" team competition. You will be enthused by the master plan of the "City Ministry Centre", and be able to give toward the next Building Renewal Steps. Tickets on sale after Sunday Services and at the Church Office thru Sunday November 16th. Adults $7.00, Ages 6-12 $4.00, ages 5 and under Free.

Community Christmas Carol Sing
Sunday, December 14th, 7:00 pm is our Christmas Carol Sing, Elmchurch invites the community to join us in celebrating the season of our Christ's birth in song.

Ladies Christmas Tea
December 6th from 2-4 P.M. Women's Ministry will celebrate with their biennial Christmas Tea. Please plan to join us for a concert in our sanctuary followed by tea and dessert in the Fellowship Hall. It will be a day of inspiration and enjoyment for ladies. Invite your friends and neighbors.

SFC Annual Chicago Day
Trip to Chicago by train. Fun day for Middle School Kids. More details in the near future. Save this date: December 13, 2008.

Common Journey
The "Pink Sheet" for November prayer is available in the foyer. It is also available as a pdf file here on our website. Click on the Forms/Info header, and find it under "Information". By request of SPI and their copyright privilege, printing of this "pink sheet" must be made on pink paper. Pink paper is available by request from the church office.

Common Journey
Men's small group meets every Monday at 6:45 P.M. Group study is THE MANUAL, come with the guys on a journey to be a godly manly man!

Women's Evening Edition
Tuesday Evenings at 7:00-8:50 P.M. Please join us as we experience friendships of grace and truth. You will love the relational environment as we learn the habits of a healthy group. And you will be encouraged to grow through a study by Mary Kassian called Knowing God By Name.

Crew
Is a ELMyouth's small group ministry that is designed to help students connect with each other and adults that truly care about their journey with God. The Middle School and High School will each have their own group. Crew meetings are held on Sunday evenings at 6:00 P.M. at a home. For more information contact the church office.

Men's Basketball
Come play ball with us at 8:30 P.M. on Monday evenings in the Church gym. Common Journey meets at 6:45 P.M. and there is still time for Basketball at 8:30 P.M.

Small Groups
ELM Church is increasing your options for connection. The Home Connections Groups will enable you to gain friends in order to do life together. Contact Pastor Phil to discover how to experience the mutual encouragement of a home group.

New Additions to the Library
Adult fiction books added for your reading pleasure: Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury; Blink of an Eye by Ted Dekker; Picture Perfect by Debra White Smith; Dying to Kill by Patricia Rushford; and Stranded in Paradise by Lori Copeland. The DVD The Sin Eater has also been added.

KIDZ POWER HOUR
WHO? Kids entering kindergarten through 5th grade. WHAT? A cool ministry for kids to learn about God at their level with their peers. WHERE? Room 302, which is upstairs on the top floor of the church. WHEN? Every Sunday morning, from 10:20 a.m. until the end of the service. WHY? God desires a relationship with kids! We hope to help kids come into this relationship with God and grow in it.

Wondering about your involvement at ELMchurch?
Thinking about your development as a disciple of Jesus Christ? Find helpful info about both purposeful involvement and personal development at MyELMchurch on this site.

Members
Get your new Membership Covenant right on this site. See Beliefs--Membership Covenant for the downloadable file. Print two--one to sign and return to the office, and the other to keep and remind you of the lifestyle of mutual encouragement it describes.