We invite you to join us on Tuesday, March 2nd at 7:30pm for an evening of worship, a time in the word and fellowship. We are continuing our study in the book of Ecclesiastes.
We invite you to join us on Tuesday, January 12th at 7:30pm for an evening of worship, a time in the word and fellowship.
We will be starting our new Bible study in the book of Ecclesiastes. There is still space available in our small groups. The groups meet on different days of the week at different times. If you would like to see the January – March schedule for our Bible study and a list of the times and days of meeting visit our small groups page by clicking here.
This past Saturday, December 12th, was our annual CCk:Ladies’ Christmas Event. This year we hosted a breakfast at the Westin Colonnade in Coral Gables. The hotel was the perfect setting for our joyous occasion. As the doors opened we were instantly welcomed with jolly smiles and warm greetings. The buffet breakfast was a sweet and delicious treat. Following breakfast came a magnificent time of worship which was nothing short of glorious. As the ladies joined in on the worship, their voices traveled through the halls of the Westin Colonnade with what sounded like Heaven. Lourdes Garcia shared a message entitled “Do you Hear what I Hear” and focused on Psalm 4 and Revelation 2-3, the Seven Churches.
Our day was like unwrapping a wonderful gift: the fellowship was like unraveling the beautiful bow around the gift, the time of worship was the unwrapping of the Christmas paper and the teaching of the word was the precious gift that God planted in our hearts that day. It was a wonderful time where every heart was reached by God’s word and lives were blessed by the ultimate Christmas gift, Jesus Christ.
Abide in Me, and I in You—John 15.4
When a new graft is placed in a vine and it abides there, there is a twofold process that takes place. The first is in the wood. The graft shoots its little roots and fibers down into the stem, and the stem grows up into the graft, and what has been called the structural union is effected. The graft abides and becomes one with the vine, and even though the vine were to die, would still be one wood with it. Then there is the second process, in which the sap of the vine enters the new structure, and uses
it as a passage through which sap can flow up to show itself in young shoots and leaves and fruit. Here is the vital union. Into the graft which abides in the stock, the stock enters with sap to abide in it.
When our Lord says: “Abide in me, and I in you,” He points to something analogous to this. “Abide in me”: that refers more to that which we have to do. We have to trust and obey, to detach ourselves from all else, to reach out after Him and cling to Him, to sink ourselves into Him. As we do this, through the grace He gives, a character is formed, and a heart prepared for the fuller experience: “I in you,” God strengthens us with might by the Spirit in the inner man, and Christ dwells in the heart by faith.
Many believers pray and long very earnestly for the filling of the Spirit and the indwelling of Christ, and wonder that they do not make more progress. The reason is often this, the “I in you” cannot come because the “abide in me” is not maintained. “There is one body and one spirit”; before the Spirit can fill, there must be a body prepared. The graft must have grown into the stem, and be abiding in it before the sap can flow through to bring forth fruit. It is as in lowly obedience we follow Christ, even in external things, denying ourselves, forsaking the world, and even in the body seeking to be conformable to Him, as we thus seek to abide in Him, that we shall be able to receive and enjoy the “I in you.” The work enjoined on us: “Abide in me,” will prepare us for the work undertaken by Him: “I in you.”
In—The two parts of the injunction have their unity in that central deep-meaning word “in.” There is no deeper word in Scripture. God is in all. God dwells in Christ. Christ lives in God. We are in Christ. Christ is in us: our life taken up into His; His life received into ours; in a divine reality that words cannot express, we are in Him and He in us. And the words, “Abide in me and I in you,” just tell us to believe it, this divine mystery, and to count upon our God the Husbandman, and Christ the Vine, to make it divinely true. No thinking or teaching or praying can grasp it; it is a divine mystery of love. As little as we can effect the union can we understand it. Let us just look upon this infinite, divine, omnipotent Vine loving us, holding us, working in us. Let us in the faith of His working abide and rest in Him, ever turning heart and hope to Him alone. And let us count upon Him to fulfill in us the mystery: “Ye in me, and I in you.”
Blessed Lord, Thou dost bid me abide in Thee. How can I, Lord, except Thou show Thyself to me, waiting to receive and welcome and keep me? I pray Thee show me how Thou as Vine undertaketh to do all. To be occupied with Thee is to abide in Thee. Here I am, Lord, a branch, cleansed and abiding—resting in Thee, and awaiting the inflow of Thy life and grace.
© The True Vine: Meditations for a Month on John 15:1-16, written by: Andrew Murray, Moody Press
Join us for our annual Christmas event. This year we will host a breakfast at the Westin Colonnade Coral Gables, located at 180 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables. The cost is $15* and includes buffet breakfast. (Valet and self-parking are available at the hotel for an additional charge of $8.)
Registration forms are available at the CCk:InfoCenter.
* Registration Deadline: December 6. After that date, registration will be upon availability and subject to a $5 late fee.
Join us on Saturday, August 1 at 10:30am for a special morning! We will get together to enjoy breakfast, a time of worship and a time in God’s word with other ladies. Deadline to register is Sunday, July 19th.
Small group sign up will also begin at this event. If you would like to know which groups will be available please click on the small group link on the top of this page so you can prayerfully consider which group you would like to be a part of.
I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. Psalm 7:17
Join us on Tuesday, June 2 at 7:30pm for a special night of worship! We hope you will be filled and renewed as we fellowship together and worship the Lord.
Dear Ladies,
We wanted to remind you that the deadline to register for the ladies’ retreat is Sunday, April 19th. Join us from May 15th to the 17th for our 2009 Ladies’ Retreat. We are very excited to have Lenya Heitzig from Calvary Chapel Albuquerque as our guest speaker. We hope you can join us for a wonderful time of teaching, worship, and refreshment in the Lord. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by! Any registrations received after the April 19th deadline date are subject to a $50 late fee and are on an “upon availability” basis only.
Dear Ladies,
We wanted to remind you that our Afternoon Tea is this Saturday, February 28 at 11am. We pray that you have already signed up and will join us as we gather together for worship, a time in the Word of God and an afternoon tea. Coffee and tea will be served along with small pastries and light sandwiches.
We will also begin registration for the next session of small groups. If you are interested in signing up for any of the groups read through the schedule and prayerfully consider which group the Lord is leading you to join based on your interests and available time. Since there are only a limited number of places in each group, please only commit to those you will faithfully attend.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call the office at 305.233.5433 or email laura@calvarykendall.com.