Raytown Christian Church

Click HERE to print your ticket!

"I have hidden your word in my heart." -Psalm 119:11

Have you taken a deep breath yet today? Today, let's breathe in a Scripture. Let's find a way to breathe it into our lives and nestle God's word into our hearts. The method we're learning is called "holy reading", or "lection divia, in Latin. This is likely the oldest for of Bible study we know.

Try it with the 23rd Psalm. Read the Psalm. Click here to read on-line:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2023&version=NIV

"Were not our hearts burning within us while he was opening up the Scriptures to us?" -Luke 24:32

I recently heard the story of a lucky violin student who was invited to observe one of Yo-Yo Ma's master classes. As you know, Ma is arguably the world's finest cellist. This student said Ma listened to the students play a Mozart piece. Afterwards, he complimented them enthusiastically. "That was brilliant!" he said, "You played every note exactly right!" Then, he added, "I have a question: what do you think Mozart was feeling when he wrote that piece? And, what were you feeling when you played it?" The students didn't know how to respond. Ma finally said, "That is the only thing that was missing in your playing."

All too often I read Scripture just to check it off my to-do list. But every Scripture verse was written by a person, with feeling and passion behind it. And every verse is meant to make me feel a certain way too. Today, read a small enough passage of Scripture that you can take time to sense the feeling behind it. Let's read it with our own feelings too.

Have you ever wished that someone could briefly, without religious
jargon or arrogance, tell you about Christian faith? Or have you ever
wanted to tell someone else about your faith but didn't have any idea
how to say it well and humbly? Maybe this could help.

Go to FaithGuide.org for supplemental information. 

Message from Pastor Joe

Special Offering for Haiti Emergency Relief
Raytown Christian Church is currently accepting offering donations which will go directly to emergency relief in Haiti. Make your check payable to the church, with Haiti Emergency Relief in the memo line.

Update from our Missionaries in the area
Our missionaries in the area, the Bentrotts, are safe. Read an update from Kim here.

Approximately 60% of children attending Raytown schools get assistance from the free/reduced lunch program at their school. During the summer, these students are often without the nutrition they need. But we can help! Five churches worked together last summer to deliver lunches to 6 sites with an anticipated count of 170 lunches a day. Raytown Christian, Southwood United Church of Christ and the River Fellowship were all delivery partners and supplied money, supplies and volunteers.  Blue Ridge Presbyterian, Church World Service/CROP Walk and the Raytown Vineyard Church were supporting partners supplying funds, volunteers and/or supplies.  In addition community members and friends of the congregations donated funds. 

The Spirit of God is at work directing this project. There is no other way that this program could grow from 1900 meals served in 2008 to over 6000 meals served in 2009! The goal for next summer is "10 in 10", that is 10,000 lunches served in 2010. 

Nursery Caregiver Position