Announcements for March 14, 2021

  • The Sunday evening Bible Study continues at 5:00 pm. You do not need a book to join us! Come and study the life of Christ.
  • Awana request: we are in need cookies and items for the store.
  • If you would like to help with church cleaning, please sign-up!
  • The food pantry is always accepting donations. Please place donations in the orange tote in the foyer.
  • The adult Sunday School Class is doing a study on Daniel and Esther; see Jim Meyer for a copy of the book that is being used.
  • Sunday evening prayer time starting at 6 pm and Wednesday morning prayer time at 9:30 am. Please join others in a time of prayer.
  • March 28th Palm Sunday Brunch; please bring a breakfast dish or side to share.

Philemon

1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker, 2and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; 6and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for the sake of Christ.  7For I have had great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

8Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you since I am such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus

10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I fathered in my imprisonment, 11who previously was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.  12I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, 13whom I wanted to keep with me, so that in your behalf he might be at my service in my imprisonment for the gospel; 14but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion, but of your own free will.  15For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, 16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17If then you regard me as a partner, accept him as you would me. 18But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; 19I, Paul, have written this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). 20Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

21Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

22At the same time also prepare me a guest room, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.

23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.