11/24/2024 Message

Hello LifePoint family,

I hope everyone had a good week.  

In last week’s newsletter, we shared about the Gatlin Brothers Christmas Concert coming to Guthrie on Nov 29.  Convinced that the event will be a fun and entertaining time of Christmas celebration with the award-winning Gatlin’s, I encouraged everyone to consider attending.
 
However, after the newsletter went out, it was brought to my attention that the concert will be held in the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple in Guthrie.  When asked to help promote the event, I didn’t even notice the concert was being held there.  As you probably know, the Masons and Shriners have many beliefs/practices that are contrary to biblical Christianity.  For years, groups like the Southern Baptist Convention have been pointing out the flaws, fallacies, and dangers of the Masons/Shriners organizations.  As a pastor, I have always discouraged believers from aligning with or joining those organizations.  Because of this, I do not want to appear supportive of the Masons/Shriners personally, and I certainly do not want LifePoint to appear to do so as well.  Therefore, I am respectfully withdrawing my and LifePoint’s support for the event.
 
I want to apologize to Gary Good, the promoter, and the LifePoint congregation for not noticing at the outset that the concert is going to be in the Guthrie Masonic Temple.  In visiting with Gary, it is obvious he and his other promoters are not attempting to support the Masons/Shriners groups but are simply utilizing the large auditorium inside the Guthrie Temple.  So, I am not disparaging the concert or the promoters in any way.  
 
As I said, no doubt the Gatlins are great performers, and the concert will be a wonderful Christmas event.  If you were considering attending the concert or have already purchased your tickets and are going, you will have to decide if the concert being in the Masonic Guthrie is a “deal breaker” for you.  If you do attend, nothing negative will be said by me or anyone else in LifePoint leadership.  Frankly, I simply feel the need to officially distance myself and our church from the Masons/Shriners.
 
Again, I apologize for the confusion this may have caused.
 
Here are some other things I want to highlight this week:

• A special thank you goes out to Sue Meyers Dyer for sharing in the Pastor’s Class last Sunday about her recent mission trip to help the victims of Helene in NC. What a testimony! Thank you Sue for making yourself available to God for that incredible outreach.
  
  
• LifePoint Portrait: Our group church portrait turned out great!  Thank you, Jerry Hymer and Val. It is available for you to download. Contact Val for the password & download link.
  
  
• Dec 8:  LifePoint annual budget presentation meeting will be at 10:00am. If you want a copy of the budget ahead of time, they are ready.  See or email Gary Davis.
  
  
• A note from the Women’s Ministry:
  Dear Women of LifePoint,
  This Sunday, Nov 24, is the day! We will begin selling our Taste of Holiday’s Cookbook for $15 each...just in time for Thanksgiving. We will have a table set-up in the lobby, so come by and see us. They will make great gifts. -Women’s Ministry Team
  
  
• Sunday, Nov 24, at 6:30pm: We are going as a church group to see the new Bonhoeffer movie at AMC Theaters at Quail Springs Mall, 2501 W. Memorial Rd., OKC. If you would like to go, you can get your tickets online through the Quail Springs AMC website. They’re going quick, so get yours soon. If you are having trouble with the online ticket purchase process, you can get them by contacting Val and she will help. But do so quickly as seats are filling up. Tickets are approx. $10. It’ll be a great night! Be sure at purchase the 6:30pm tickets as shown below. Very few seats are remaining.
  
  
• Dec 15: A baby shower table will be set up in the church lobby for Jake and Katie Johnson who are expecting their first child. You can be a blessing to this young family by bringing a gift and leaving it at the table. The Johnsons are having a girl named Eloise Grace Johnson. Congrats Jake & Katie!

Here’s how tomorrow’s services will look:
 
Pastor’s Class, 10:00am:   We will continue our present study, “The Final Judgment & the Lake of Fire,” with Part 5: “Is the fire in the Lake of Fire ‘real’ & will those there be tortured forever?”
 
Worship/preaching service, 11:00am:  Even though Thanksgiving is one of the most spiritual holidays on our calendar, many fail to see and practice the true meaning and purpose of this special day.  Rather than being a time for recognizing God’s goodness, for most Americans, it is mainly a time for turkey and football.  Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the turkey and football, but Thanksgiving is much more than that.  It’s an important time to reflect on God’s goodness to us, our country, and on the faithfulness of believers who blazed out a trail before us.  Because of this, tomorrow I will be preaching a sermon entitled, “The sacrifice of Thanksgiving.”  It is my prayer that this timely message will help us have a better focus on God’s goodness as we also enjoy family, food, and football.  ?!

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow,
Dan Fisher