Please send an email to WCOCNEWS@aol.com if you have any questions regarding the announcements.

Using Our Spiritual Gifts

This week we will continue looking at spiritual gifts.  God’s plan includes every member. The gifts he blesses us with are to be a blessing for his church.

We have all been asked to prayerfully assess the gifts God has given us. Last week we learned these three scriptural principles… 1) All Christians have at least one gift.  2) Our gifts fit us perfectly. 3) All our gifts are from God, not ourselves. This week, Matthew 25:14-30 will the focus of our study.

I) What we have is not ours

• Matthew 25:14
• Psalm 24:1
• Haggai 2:8
• Job 41:11

II) We must invest what God has given to us

• Matthew 25:16-18
• Romans 12:4-8
• I Corinthians 12:7

III) The Goal / Results of our investing ourselves

•  Ephesians 4:11-16

a) Body of Christ May be Built Up
b) We Enjoy Unity in the Church
c) We become Mature & Complete

First Principles Class:  There will be a First Principles Class beginning on Wednesday March 5 for anyone who has never taken the class or for anyone who is not confident in his/her ability to study the Bible with someone.  The class will meet every Wednesday during March and April, while those not taking the First Principles class will follow the regular Midweek schedule.  See Tom Caswell or LJ Grasso to sign up.

Women’s Day:  Save the date!  Our annual Women’s Day “Captivating” is scheduled for Saturday, April 12.  Jeanie Shaw will be our guest speaker. Click Here for women’s day invitations.

Marriage Retreat:  We will be joining the Connecticut churches at Jiminy Peak in Hancock, MA for a marriage retreat on April 26-27.  More information to follow. 

Special Contribution:  We will be collecting our Special Contribution during the month of May.  Our goal is $54,000, or 10 times our regular contribution.  Please be planning and praying now, so that we may make our goal.

Worship Leader’s Workshop:  Any members interested in attending the New England Region Worship Leaders’ Workshop in Hartford, on Friday 2/29 and Saturday 3/1, please register with Jerry Maday. $20 to attend

Parenting Workshop:  The three lessons from last week’s parenting workshop are posted online; see Jerry Maday if you would like a CD.  The lessons are: 

•More Honor, Less Anger (Friday)

•Honorable Communication (Saturday AM)

•Purity and Convictions (Saturday PM)

HOPE Service Trip Fundraiser:  Members of the Springfield Church are sponsoring a brunch to help fund a H.O.P.E World Wide service trip to Lagos, Nigeria this summer.  Date: February 23, from 11 am - 2pm. Location: PVCOC 85 Montcalm St Chicopee, MA 01020.  A minimum donation of $10.00 is requested.  Donations may also be mailed to Philip Seton 12 Ashmont St., Springfield, MA 01108.

Disciples Today:  If you are interested in a free subscription to the Disciples Today website - www.disciplestoday.net , email Jerry Maday at jerrymaday@aol.com.

Songbooks:  If you have inadvertently taken a WC-COC songbook, please be sure to bring it back.  If you would like to buy your own songbook, please let Jayne Bartlett know at wcocnews@aol.com.  The cost is $11. New songbooks will be available after services.  Please see Lisa Swedock or Yvon Aresenault if you wish to purchase one on non-book table services.

Prayer Requests:

Patryce Hudspeth:  Patryce is at a St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester and could use some encouragement.
Denise Lemon:  is out of the hospital and recovering at home, waiting for test results this week. 
Sandy Lazzara is laid up in bed with unexplained severe back pain.
Jayne Bartlett will be having a cardiac stress test on February 20th for difficulty breathing.