Please feel free to join us for any of the following events.

Friday September 3

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.  Open House.  Please join our open house looking at the new building as well as enjoying some refreshments.   Guides are looking forward to sharing some of the building stories, and amazing working of God in the accomplishment of this new facility.

Saturday September 4 

9:00 to 10:30 a.m.  Breakfast For All!  Come and enjoy a great time of food and fellowship as we begin the day off with a wonderful breakfast.

2:00 to 3:00 p.m.  Tea and Dessert!  In the church fellowship hall.

2:00 to 3:00 p.m.  Left Over Building Material Auction in the church parking lot.

7:15 to 9:00 p.m.  Music Fest Celebration in our worship hall.  Please join us for an evening of wonderful music!

Sunday September 5

10:00 to 10:30 a.m. Coffee and Open House – Please come early and grab a cup of coffee before our morning worship Celebration!

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Worship Celebration  -

12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Potluck

2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Family Fun Day – Please join us for a bunch of family oriented games for all ages.

4:30 to 6:30 p.m. BBQ -

6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Bonfire & Singing – Bring your own lawn chair and we end the weekend with a campfire and singing.

If you have any questions please contact the church office.

 Thursday Night Session

The theme for the weekend was “Hospitality” and our superintendent began with a message from Luke 15:11-32.  Hospitality is the work of God and fundamentally it is about what God does.  God is a hospitable God.  The reality of life is naturally exclusion not hospitality.  Hospitality is a way for God’s kingdom to break forth into the world.

 Kingdom Hospitality

1)       Freedom of choice

2)      Vision of what could be – What is God calling us to do?

3)      Unguarded embrace – What does God require us to do?

4)      Honoured Inclusion

 God uses hospitality to break into people’s lives.  We are called to try and embrace a kind of hospitality that is not normal.  God used the crisis of the cross and resurrection to bring hope.

 Friday Night Session – Joyce Rees

What does it look like to embrace the hospitality of Christ?

It is not an us and them mentality but rather is mutuality.

 John 4

1)      Make room in humility by needing the other

1. Jesus is an outside of the town and location
2. Jesus asked her for water
3. Take a risk and step out
4. “Could this be the Messiah?”  it is an invitation not a proclamation.

 2)      Make room by going to foreign places

1. Receive the hospitality of others.

 3)      Make room for dialogue

1. Jesus and the disciples spent two days in the village.

 4)      Make room in our vision

1. What is Jesus calling us to see today?

Sunday Morning Session – Don Engebretsen “Hospitality Flourish In It”

 Work of hospitality is work and the heart of obedience to God and it is a gift to us to flourish in.

 Hospitality is limited by the Pharisees.  For some of us today is it limited but it seems that hospitably is not for all.  Simon thinks to himself this is exactly what Jesus is like.  Jesus knows our thoughts.  “Do you see this woman?”  The hospitality we give opens up gifts for us.  Everyone is expected to be a gift all the time.

 The key to hospitality is Jesus’ command, in the course of relationship.

 Hospitality, church growth is all in “Do you see these people?”  as marvellous gifts in the kingdom of God.

 God is calling us to see and reach out to these people.

Who are the people in the Rainy River District that we don’t see?

Blessings,

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Greetings to the Rainy River ECC family.

On behalf of the Leadership Team of Rainy River ECC, I am pleased to relay the following announcement that not only brings me great joy, but hopefully yourselves also. 

Tonight or when you are reading the email I am pleased to announce that we are holding our first service in our new home of worship this coming Sunday (May 9, 2010).

 The Lord has been very faithful over the many years and today we recall that in 1943 Vivian Smith began to organize a group in Rainy River and later rented a building on Main Street in 1944.  The Lord guided His church to purchase our existing building in 1965 and the Lord has truly blessed the work of the Lord Jesus over the many years.  Over the past 4-5 years, the Lord continued His guidance as the church family in Rainy River purchased the land, equipment, and supplies and built our new home of worship.  We look forward in great anticipation of all the Lord is going to continue to do as we worship in our new house.

We invite you to join us this coming Sunday as we gather at 10:30 a.m. in the Old Church building for a short time of singing and reflection.  Following this time we will proceed to our new house of worship via procession down Broadway Ave. either by foot or by car.  Around 11:00 a.m. we plan to arrive at the new church and begin our Sunday Morning worship service at that time.

 Sunday May 9, 2010 Schedule

There is no Sunday School this coming weekend due to the transition to the New Church Building.

10:30 a.m. – Meeting at the Old Church Location starting promptly at 10:30 a.m.

10:50 a.m. – Procession from the Old Church to New Church Location along Broadway Ave.

11:00 a.m. – Service at the New Church Location.

12:15 p.m. – Closing Benediction at the New Church Location.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”  Ephesians 3:20-21

On Thursday beginning at 9:00 a.m. there is a team preparing the church for Sunday morning, if you are able to assist for a few hours please feel free to join us.

If you have any questions concerning this coming Sunday or another item, please contact myself or another member of the Leadership Team.

Blessings,  Pastor Kors Pater

Pastor Kors Pater
Rainy River Evangelical Covenant Church
“but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,” (1 Peter 1:15)
http://www.rainyriverecc.com/
807-852-4359 (home)
k.pater@live.com

There Is A Redeemer

There is a Redeemer,
Jesus, God’s own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Holy One,

Jesus my Redeemer,
Name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Oh, for sinners slain.

Thank you, oh my Father,
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit,
‘Til the work on Earth is done.

When I stand in Glory,
I will see His face,
And there I’ll serve my King forever,
In that Holy Place.

Thank you, oh my father,
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit,
‘Til the work on Earth is done.

—Melody Green

“The topic of sleep is rarely far from the newsstands. Studies link sleep to everything from academic scores to obesity. A new line of sleep drinks features a shot of melatonin to help you fall asleep (think anti-energy drink). And of course the news is filled with reports of a major pop musician’s sleep problems and of his doctor, who is accused of inducing permanent and irreversible slumber.

Sleep is rarely far from conversation. Probably because sleep is never far removed from our lives.

Roughly speaking, most of us spend about 1/3 of our lives asleep (whereas mothers of small children spend about 1/8 of their lives asleep). The Bible says quite a bit on this topic, probably because sleep is both a good teacher and a revealer of the heart. 

The Bible says:

1. Sleep is a daily gift from God (Psalm 127:1–2).
2. Sleep reminds us daily of our need for God (Psalms 3:5, 4:8).
3. Excessive sleep exposes sin and leads to poverty (Proverbs 6:9–11, 20:13).
4. Sleep is sweet when we are walking in wisdom (Proverbs 3:19–24).
5. Falling asleep provides an opportunity to examine our hearts before God (Psalm 4:4).”

Have a great week everyone!

“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshippers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become “unity” conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. Social religion is perfected when private religion is purified.”  - A.W. Tozer

Let us be reminded today that “There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6, NIV)”

As we continue to move toward occupying our new building let us hold fast to the unity we have in Jesus Christ and focus our attention to the author and perfector of our faith.

There is much in our world that is distracting and without power we realize just how quickly we are asking, “what can we do?”.  Secondly, our minds reflect on the Christian’s power in their lives.  Often we state that it is in God’s power alone, and as we embark on this new year are we allowing God’s power to work through our lives?  What is hindering God’s power at work in our lives and through our lives.

A connection with God enables believers to experience the power of God working through their lives accomplishing His purpose and will.  As we continue journeying through life together may we strive to know Jesus more and the power of Salavation at work in our lives and in our community!

Blessings, Pastor Kors Pater