Any interested in helping with children or youth beginning in September?  If you might be, let one of the pastors know.  

As Troy shared yesterday, in the business meeting, this often becomes one of our most challenging efforts: finding helpers for various ministry programs.  I believe it is not so much because we do not want to help, but that we most often don't volunteer to help.   Is your name on a service list at SSB?  

Often when we ask for help and do not get responses we then reach out to folks one-by-one to ask.  God provides (Go God!) but it is a slow way to go.   So...?........?...........???   Might you be interested in helping with youth or children this fall?  Please let us know.  

If you are not interested in helping with those, now might be a good time to let us know that you still would like to help... in another area. We can have a conversation and get you plugged in... based on your time and ability (your giftings) or just what kind of car you drive (joking on this last one).  

All for God's glory.  Amen!    

TLT, Teen Life Truths - This 10-week study of basic life principles for those entering 6th grade is Wednesday nights, from 6:30 to 8:00pm.  Older grades may also join in.  After TLT, they will join with the LIGHThouse.

For the Master - Events this week are POSTPONED.  They'll be ministering again in August (beginning 8/10).  Also, mark your calendar for a November 9th "Veteran's Day" special concert at Standing Stone Bible.   7pm.  

Parenting Class - Working through Tedd Tripp's updated video teaching, "Shepherding Your Child's Heart," on Saturday mornings Saturdays - 9 to 10:30am.  The third of six sessions will be this Saturday through August (no class on 8/9).  Childcare is available.  If you've missed, join us - we can get you caught up with worksheets.  

We opened with a thought or two on John MacArthur's passing... giant of the faith in many ways.    

We then blessed Tish as she leaves Gretna to move to Hastings.  She will be missed but may God bless her and continue to use her in the years to come.  She has blessed us for so many years!   Good-bye.

Pastor Tim shared about Creation Days.  The conference is August 9th.  Join us for this and invite others!  

We then spent a time singing praise and hymns to our GREAT GOD!   The Lord reigns!!!  He does!!! That gives me comfort and tremendous security. How about you?  

The message returned us to Jude as we continued our introductory work.  Perhaps a bit controversial (???) but the message helped to confirm that, although Jude has so often been taught to be primarily about "false teachers," it is really about false believers.  I want to affirm that I don't mean that we throw out all of the teaching on false teachers over the years.  Much is good.  But, knowing that Jude is about false believers changes the nuance of how we should understand and apply it.  False believers are much more pernicious than false teachers.   The danger is even deeper (i.e. "hidden reefs").   We also spent some time giving God glory for the introduction of Jude and how beautiful the first words are to us who are called, beloved, and kept.  Worthy of meditation this week... may you be found as "those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept forb Jesus Christ."  And, May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.  (Jude 1-2).

 See Daniel 12:2; Mark 9:47-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 14:11.  Annihilationism is the belief that after the final judgment, those who reject God will not suffer forever in hell but will be completely destroyed, ceasing to exist. According to this view, eternal punishment means eternal consequences — not eternal suffering. Supporters of annihilationism point to Bible verses that describe the fate of the wicked as "destruction" or being "consumed" (like Matthew 10:28 and 2 Thessalonians 1:9). They argue that God's justice and mercy are better reflected in the idea of ending the existence of the wicked rather than keeping them alive to suffer forever.    This contrasts with the traditional Christian belief in eternal conscious torment, where unbelievers experience unending suffering in hell.