3/24 Sunday Announcements

1. *HAPPY PALM SUNDAY! – Today we remember Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem before bearing the sufferings of the cross, in triumph as our servant and king, welcomed by the crowds with palm branches and declaring the name of our congregation – Hosanna to the promised Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! (MATTHEW 21:9). Let us also wave our branches of praise and call to Jesus as our Hosanna, our Savior, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!
2. *LENT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE – As we continue into this season of lent, we are using the online devotional by our friends at Highland Park Presbyterian Church of Dallas. One Scripture text is given per week, with different aspects of the text highlighted throughout each day to draw us deeper into God’s Word. This week is the PASSION WEEK, the final week leading to Easter Sunday, as we recall the sufferings of Jesus. Our text is MARK 15:21-26 with the theme, “The Crosses We Carry.” The devotional can be found at the QR code or unlisted online webpage here: https://www.hosannapc.org/lent.html
3. *NEW TABLE SIGNS AND NEWCOMER’S WELCOMING PLATE SHEETS! – *If you are a new or returning visitor, please be ushered after-service to a seat with a welcoming plate sheet, and let our Welcoming Team serve you a meal and a cup of water. It is our joy to serve you! For our Covenant Partners, let us be the hands and feet of Jesus in serving our guests in table fellowship. Let each empty plate sheet remind us to always be reaching out to those around us to share the living bread of Jesus Christ and to grow together in reflecting His image and love into the world.
4. *TODAY’S LUNCH MENU – KOREAN ARMY STEW with tofu/ spam/baked bean/kimchee (bu-dae-jji-gae)! – Also a children’s menu of seaweed and rice will be provided weekly. As time allows, join us after-service to break bread together in the gym as an important part of our worship on the LORD’s day. Today’s menu is delicious Korean Korean Army Stew! Thank the team that prepared it by enjoying the soup!
5. *TABLES/CHAIRS SETUP/CLEANUP continues – For all Sundays in March, Hosanna is taking stewardship of the 12:45pm Saturday setting-up and 1:00pm Sunday cleaning-up of the tables/chairs, seating for 300 people, in the gym for Sunday lunch. *Special thank you to those who helped yesterday’s setup. Cleanup continues today at 1:00pm with table wipe-down and chairs/tables cleanup. Thank you!
6. *TODAY, MINISTRY TEAM (Deacons & Elders) LEADERS meeting, 1:45pm @ Corner Conference Room – The Ministry Team Leaders of Deacons, Elders, and Advisors will gather today at 1:45pm in the corner conference room to pray, evaluate, and dream of new ways to flourish our community. Pray for our Deacons and Elders as they work together in spiritual leadership, godly unity, and common purpose to advance Christ and His Kingdom through Hosanna. Pray for our Elders and Deacons!
7. *THIS FRIDAY (3/29), GOOD FRIDAY WORSHIP, 7:00pm-8:00pm @ Ezra Chapel – As we walk through the holy week of Jesus’ passion, take time this Friday to celebrate the truly good day when Jesus died for our sins! Worship service will begin at 7:00pm.
8. *NEXT SUNDAY (3/30), EASTER JOINT WORSHIP with children, HOLY COMMUNION, after-service CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES on the front lawn (Korean congregation’s O Happy Day festivities) – All children and youth will join us for a joint Easter worship at 11:10am next Sunday, so there is no separate youth, children, or preschool program. *Please prepare your hearts to receive holy communion – all ages (infant to elderly) are invited to the table of our Lord to take of His body and new covenant made in His blood. *You do not have to be baptized and confirmed in the faith to participate, but we encourage those who have not to seek to do so without delay. After-worship, there is a special lunch prepared alongside outside activities for children on the front lawn (prepared by our Korean congregation). Enjoy & celebrate new resurrected life in Christ!
9. *APRIL SPRING PICNIC! – *We continue to ask all to be aware that on 4/21 (Sun), we will not gather at our church facility but at Mary Heads Carter Park in Carrollton for an outdoor Sunday worship, followed by a delicious BBQ picnic lunch with games/fellowship, and prizes from 10am to 3pm. *The purpose of our Spring Picnic is to be a “House of Prayer for All Nations” (ISAIAH 56:1-8), calling all to true righteous worship (not sourced in a location) and mobilizing cross-generational fellowship across our congregation (from children to adults) to inspire godly unity and outreach to our neighbors in need of His love and His house. As we keep announcing this blessed picnic worship throughout the next few weeks, familiarize yourself with the location change for that particular Sunday (4/21). Enjoy God’s beautiful outdoor weather and creation as we become a house of prayer for all nations! *DISCLAIMER: This event is not sponsored by the City of Carrollton.
10. *KINGDOM EXPANSION PRAYER – After two complete cycles of praying for God’s Kingdom to expand in the state of Texas through the work of our Texas Presbytery and ECO denominational family, we are moving to pray for a wider vision of God’s Kingdom to expand through the global prayer guide for the persecuted church and persecuted Christians worldwide from The Voice of the Martyrs organization. Today, we are praying for our persecuted Columbian brothers and sisters in Christ in Latin/South America.

 
**Prayer Topic: Persecuted Christians in Columbia, Latin/South America
     Many Christians in Colombia are taking great risks to share the gospel in some of the most dangerous places for Christians on earth. Working in these hostile areas often results in persecution from armed guerrillas and paramilitary forces. After voters rejected a 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a Marxist rebel group, the government approved an agreement with the insurgents without public approval in 2017. Since the agreement, various paramilitary groups in rural areas of the north and west have grown more active and violent.    
     Pastors in Colombia’s “red zones” (areas controlled by militant groups rather than the government) have not benefited significantly from the government’s 2017 peace treaty with the Marxist guerrillas. While the guerrillas no longer officially affiliate with the FARC, they continue to oppress Christians and remain involved in the drug trade. Christians are targeted because their obedience to God’s Word prevents them from supporting or joining the violent factions (guerrillas or paramilitary groups) funded through narcotics trafficking and other criminal activities. Worship, evangelism and travel are dangerous in these areas, as the guerrillas seek to control all aspects of villagers’ lives.
 
The Scripture for today is:
 
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (MATTHEW 5:44)
 
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 PETER 4:16-19)
 
Prayer by Pastor Chester:
Our Father, we lift up to You our Columbian brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ in Latin America. We pray for a decrease in violence, and Your hand to move to stop the narcotics trafficking and other criminal activities that are funding the violent guerilla militants. We pray that the Columbian families of those loved ones already martyred will remain faithful and continue to heal emotionally and spiritually. We pray for widows and orphans in Columbia who are rebuilding their lives, for a touch of Your overflowing love in Christ to fill the emptiness. We pray for the scattered Columbian churches in the “red zones” to stay faithful to testifying of the gospel, even as violence comes to their doorsteps. We pray for the front-line missionaries, to encourage them to press on in this eternal work for You and the salvation of the Columbian people. In the risen Savior of Columbia, Jesus Christ’s name we pray, Amen.