The Church Year
We all used calendars to mark important dates, the passage of time, and the changing of the seasons. Throughout much of church history, a calendar referred to the Church Year (or the Liturgical Year) has been a part of many churches. The Church Year marks important seasons of time within Christianity, providing an opportunity for teaching, celebration of faith, and remembering what God has done.

In the Church Year, time is divided into two categories, Sacred Time and Ordinary Time. Sacred Time includes planned and purposeful observances of Christian holidays and seasons. There are two seasons of sacred time once centered on Christmas and the second on Easter. The first runs from the beginning of Advent to Epiphany (which includes Christmas). The second is from the Beginning of Lent (Ash Wednesday) to Pentecost (which includes Easter). The time which is not included in these two time periods is often referred to as ordinary time.

Lent: a season of preparation
Lent lasts for 40 days (Sundays are not counted), beginning Ash Wednesday and concluding the Saturday before Easter. The Lenten season is a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter. Those who celebrate this season often do so through prayer, repentance, giving, and self-denial. Many of those who celebrate this season will give up (or fast from) something for the 40 days of Lent.

Ash Wednesday: A day of repentance
Wednesday, February 17, 2010, is the start of the Christian season of Lent. In the liturgical calendar the first day of Lent is known as Ash Wednesday. It is a day of repentance and humility before God. In the Old Testament when people mourned they would wear sackcloth and ashes a symbol of their grief. It is common to see those who celebrate Ash Wednesday marked with ashes on their foreheads as a sign of humility and repentance before God.

How do we celebrate Ash Wednesday?
Historically, churches in the Restoration Movement have not formally celebrated Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to consider our relationship with our Heavenly Father. For many of us times of contemplation and repentance are rare. This season, preceding Easter, is a wonderful time for introspection and thought regarding our spiritual lives.

Here is a good overview of Biblical repentance.

Sunday, January 3, 2010
Introduction to Nehemiah: Building God’s City
Key Verse: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” – Matthew 5:14 (Jesus)

Sunday, January 10, 2010
A Heart for God’s City
Text: Nehemiah 1:1-4
Key Verses: As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Sermon Notes: A Heart for God’s City

Sunday, January 17, 2010
Prayer and Providence
Text: Nehemiah 1:5-11
Key Verses: And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants… …Now I was cupbearer to the king
Sermon Notes: Prayer and Providence

Sunday, January 24, 2010
Fear and Boldness
Text: Nehemiah 2:1-8
Key Verses: Then I was very much afraid. 3I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5And I said to the king…
Sermon Notes: Essentials

Sunday, January 31, 2010
Strengthen Your Hands
Text: Nehemiah 2:9-16
Key Verses: Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work

Sunday School:
In the case of severe weather that requires some extra time to make sure our parking lot and sidewalks are clear and safe we will cancel Sunday school. You are welcome to come and drink coffee and help us shovel snow in these situations. (Note: a cancellation of Sunday school does not mean a cancellation of Sunday morning worship services.)

Sunday Morning Worship Service:
Sunday morning services generally will not be canceled, however please use caution in determining whether it is safe to make the trip. In the event of severe weather that makes access to the church building unsafe (severe snow or ice) or church equipment failure such as no electricity, heat, water or similar problems we will cancel Sunday morning worship.

Evening Activities (Sunday night and Wednesday night):
Evening services will be canceled for reasons of bad weather (i.e. severe snow, or ice) or because of church equipment failure such as no electricity, heat, water, or similar problems.

We will communicate a church cancellation to you in the following ways:
1. Phone Call to those on our phone list informing them of the cancellation
2. Radio: Church cancellations will be announced on WINC (92.5 FM) and on WTRM (91.3 FM)
3. Our Website: www.collegeparkcc.com