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Worship Sermons Planned Through 2010 (1st Quarter) Our 2010 sermon schedule at Markham Woods Church seeks to provide something for everyone. We’ll have the usual array of sermons that are tied to a holiday or some major event in the life of our congregation. We’ll have a guest speaker for those times when both pastors will be away. But the bulk of the sermons will be presented by senior pastor Jim Coffin and associate/youth pastor Luis Gracia. We'll feature three series, addressing a variety of biblical stories and themes. First Service is at 9:00 am, and Second Service begins at 11:30 am. January through March, in a series called "Unsung Heroes," we’ll look at a number of biblical characters whose roles were seemingly insignificant yet whose experiences have much to teach us. From May 8 to July 3, we’ll focus on "The Spirit-Filled Life," basing our sermons on the Spirit-bestowed characteristics described in Galatians 5:22. From July 17 to November 13, we’ll examine "The Gospel According to Mark." Each week we’ll consider a different chapter of the book, focusing on a parable, a miracle, a story or a teaching of Jesus. Our hope is that, whatever your age and wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you’ll find something that encourages, inspires and informs. If you’re blessed by the sermons and the worship experience as a whole, be sure to invite your family, friends and neighbors to come along with you. Good things should be shared! The pulpit of Markham Woods Church is a "No Put-Down Zone." Our goal is to help attenders grow spiritually––not to condemn those who are struggling or to berate those who may not have arrived at the same conclusions we have. Everyone is welcome. So don't keep the Markham Woods worship experience to yourself. Share it. January 2. Barnabas: Son of Encouragement. The act of drawing alongside someone or lending energy to get another going is the basic idea behind a key word in the New Testament. The word is "encourage." There is a man in the New Testament who had a particular reputation for encouragement. His parents named him Joseph, but the leaders of the early church called him Barnabas, which literally means "son of encouragement." Speaker: Luis Gracia. January 9. Diversity Day: All Are Precious in His Sight. God didn't make every flower red. Each snowflake is unique. Even identical twins aren't identical. God seems to love variety. So why are humans so prone to think that everyone should fit the same mold? Or that some molds are superior to others? Join us as we celebrate–in a variety of ways!– diversity in its many forms. Speaker: Jim Coffin. January 16. Beautiful and Brilliant. Abigail may not be a well-known heroine of the Bible, but few biblical women were described as both "beautiful" and "intelligent." It was a male-dominated culture, remember. Abigail proved her right to both descriptions—and became the wife of the king in the process. Speaker: Jim Coffin. January 23. Swimming Against the Current. Robert Kennedy is credited with the statement: "Some men see things as they are and say, 'Why?' I dream things that never were and say, 'Why not?' The biblical character Caleb would have felt right at home with Kennedy's sentiments. Even when in a group of fatalists, Caleb maintained his "can do" attitude. He wasn't afraid to be different. Speaker: Jim Coffin. January 30. Guest Speaker. Our guest speaker today is the sister of senior pastor Jim Coffin. Bonnie Lescanec and her husband, Steve, are escaping the cooler weather of Missouri to spend a couple of weeks in sunny Florida. Bonnie has developed a number of first-person, in-costume, biblical-character monologues that she has presented to various gatherings in Iowa and Missouri. It's our pleasure to welcome her to Florida and Markham Woods Church. Speaker: Bonnie Lescanec. January 30. Young Adult Church. During Second Service, all Young Adults (those having completed high school up to age 30) are invited to enjoy a separate service in the Youth Center. (We would ask that those who don't fall into the Young Adult age bracket not "crash the party.") The Young Adult service will feature praise music, performed music, drama, a guest speaker and more. Speaker: TBA. February 6. Standing Up to the King. The story of the Hebrew midwives Shiprah and Puah, who risked their lives by refusing to obey Pharoah, hasn't received as many column inches of press coverage as Daniel's story of refusing to adapt his prayer life. But it took the same kind of courage. And their behavior is just as admirable. Speaker: Jim Coffin. February 13. Guest Speaker. We welcome to our pulpit today Pastor Bill Crofton. Bill—who's actually a member of our congregation, though rarely here because of a heavy schedule of speaking appointments elsewhere—was for some two decades director of the Youth Department of the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He recently accepted a position as a chaplain at Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences. Speaker: Bill Crofton. February 20. Amaziah’s Lukewarm Legacy. The story of King Amaziah is a tragic one. One we might prefer to ignore. Amaziah’s story is like those "rumble strips" they put into the road: It’s intended to "rattle" us out of sleep or complacency. Through Amaziah we learn that a lukewarm heart left unattended will ultimately become cold. Speaker: Luis Gracia. February 27. Old Way, New Way, Wrong Way. When you're taking over as head of the government, should you listen primarily to the experienced advisers from the old regime? Or should you listen to those who want change and are seeking to travel new paths? Young King Rehoboam faced just such a decision—and got it wrong! Speaker: Jim Coffin. March 6. Bad Blood in the Household of Abram. Hagar was a foreigner and a lowly servant—maybe even a slave. So when the woman she worked for offered her what seemed like a glamorous assignment, she jumped at the chance. But it didn't turn out anything like she'd expected: She was banished. But God didn't desert her. Speaker: Jim Coffin. March 13. Guest Speaker. We welcome to our pulpit today Rey Descalso. Rey is no stranger to Markham Woods. Not only are he and Rebecca members of our congregation, he served as associate pastor here for some five years in the first half of the past decade. We give a special welcome to both Rey and Rebecca. Speaker: Rey Descalso. March 20. Jethro’s Wise Advice. When Moses led God’s people out of Egypt, there were about 600,000 men, besides women and children. And all day long, every day, for weeks, Moses had been in the desert with the people, constantly judging their many conflicts and disputes. Jethro could see the fatigue in his son-in-law’s eyes. He could tell how worn-down Moses appeared each day. So he gave Moses some wise advice. And his counsels shouldn’t be ignored today. Speaker: Luis Gracia March 27. Don't Mess with a Mother's Love. It's a sad, sordid, hard-to-explain story. But it's in the Bible. So we'd better wrestle with it. One thing for sure, Rizpah may have been nothing more than a concubine of the king, but when it came to her family, she showed as much commitment as any queen could ever have mustered. And it made its impact. Speaker: Jim Coffin April 2. Friday Night Candlelight Communion. This annual tradition at Markham Woods Church provides opportunity to reflect on the love demonstrated by Christ's sacrifice on our behalf and the certainty we have because of His resurrection. This service, which lasts just one hour, is a favorite event on our church calendar for many. Come celebrate with us at 7:30 pm at the church. Invite friends and family to join us as we reflect on the wonder of a conquered grave. Speaker: Jim Coffin April 3. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today! Invite your family, friends, neighbors and the people you meet on the street to join us for this high day of celebrating Christ's resurrection. Come hear our Markham Woods Church Mass Easter Choir (75 voices or more!) sing of Christ's resurrection. Enjoy a thought-provoking drama. Hear a sermon about the significance of that miraculous event some two thousand years ago. Join in singing some of the most triumphant and exuberant Christian hymns ever written. And go home with your faith renewed and your souls refreshed––because our Savior lives! Speaker: Jim Coffin. April 10. Guest Speaker. For the second time this year, we welcome Rey Descalso to our pulpit. Rey, for five years associate pastor of Markham Woods Church, and his wife, Rebecca, are members of Markham Wood Church, and a much-appreciated part of our church family. Speaker: Rey Descalso. April 17. Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges. Jesus regularly went outside his comfort zone and beyond his social circle to minister to people. The result: He was able to share spiritual truth with people he never would have been able to reach otherwise. A daring move? Absolutely! But well worth the risk. Speaker: Luis Gracia April 24. Guest Speaker: Linda Lynch. April 24. What Salvation Isn't All About. My father was a committed Christian from his earliest memories. He was a Seventh-day Adventist from his early teens. His life revolved around God and church. But he never had a sense of assurance that he would go to heaven––because he focused too much on what salvation isn't all about rather than what it is all about. Speaker: Jim Coffin May 1. What Salvation Is All About. When the prophet Elisha told Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times and he'd be cured of leprosy, Naaman didn't believe him––because it seemed too simple an antidote for such a major problem. When the Bible tells us to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and we'll be saved, it seems too simple an antidote for the great estrangement caused by sin. But whether dealing with leprosy or sin, God knows what He's doing. Speaker: Jim Coffin. May 8. Mothers Day Breakfast (serving from 8:30 to 10:00; entire church invited). Love Is All You Need. Today we begin our series on "The Spirit-Filled Life," based on Galatians 5:22. The first fruit of the Spirit––in fact, the prime fruit of the Spirit––is love. And what better way to talk about love than to consider the love of mothers for their children? Speaker: Jim Coffin. May 15. The Pursuit of Happiness. Many times we struggle to find any kind of joy in our lives. Sometimes it feels like our joy has been drained right out of us. Galatians 5 reveals that all human beings have the capacity to have "joy" in their lives. And as Christians, joy is a vital part of our makeup! Speaker: Luis Gracia. May 22. Peace that Defies Description. When no wars are raging between nations, we call it peace. When our inner selves aren't in turmoil, we call it peace. Both types of peace involve the Holy Spirit. But the second type of peace is possible even when the first type of peace is absent. Speaker: Jim Coffin. May 29. If We Do Not Give Up. Rome wasn't built in a day. Bad situations rarely get sorted out overnight. Results from our efforts and sacrifices aren't always visible in the short term. So patience is a crucial component of the Spirit-led, Spirit-filled life. Remember: "At the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Speaker: Jim Coffin. May 29. Young Adult Church. During Second Service, all Young Adults (those having completed high school up to age 30) are invited to enjoy a separate service in the Youth Center. (We would ask that those who don't fall into the Young Adult age bracket not "crash the party.") The Young Adult service will feature praise music, performed music, drama and more. We're still waiting for confirmation from our invited guest speaker. Speaker: TBA. June 5. No More Mr. Nice Guy! Kindness is one of the most under-rated fruits of the Spirit. Acts of kindness (which allow the love of Christ to flow through us) can have a transformational effect on others . . . as well as on us. Speaker: Luis Gracia. June 12. Not a Bad Label to Have. Have you ever heard the expressions "he's a good man" or "she's a good woman." "Good" seems a fairly low-keyed and mundane description. But simple goodness is in short supply in our world. If people would simply be "good," our world would be altogether different. Speaker: Jim Coffin. June 19. Being Sure of What We Hope For. Contrary to popular belief, the opposite of faith isn't doubt. Faith is the willingness to move ahead despite doubt. Faith is dealing with doubt and moving on. Faith is betting one's life that (a) God exists and that (b) He'll deliver on His promises. Faith is action, not just mental assent. Speaker: Jim Coffin. June 26. Fragile: Handle With Care. Spirit-directed, Spirit-filled people understand that humans are fragile. So they handle others with care. The prophecies of the coming Messiah include: "He will not shout or cry out in the streets [no raising of the voice]. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out [no roughness]." In other words, Jesus was gentle––usually. And he expects the same of us––usually. Speaker: Jim Coffin. July 3. Mind Over Matter: Easier Said than Done. Self-control is when our mind learns to rule our body, our passions, our hungers and our appetites. But do we really want our mind to be in control of such important things? Speaker: Luis Gracia. July 10. Bread, Wine and Water. On a remote hillside, Jesus fed 5,000 with a mere five loaves of bread (and two fish). It was a miracle. At a wedding feast, Jesus turned water into wine. It was a miracle. At a well in Samaria, Jesus used a simple request for water to heal a hardened, broken heart. It was a miracle. At the Last Supper, Jesus used wine and bread as symbols of sacrifice, and water as a symbol of service. He now invites us, in the Communion service, to share in the miracle that can come through applying these symbols in our own lives. Speaker: Jim Coffin.
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