Preaching at Amazing Grace Church in Modena

Tomorrow Stefano will be with our friends from the Amazing Grace Church in Modena for their Sunday service. Stefano has known Daniele Rebecchi, pastor of the church, for years and it will be a joy to see their ministry in that city.

Stefano will preach from Psalm 41 - The Lord who raises up the oppressed! 

The reformer John Calvin, in the preface to his commentary on the Psalms, wrote: "I have been accustomed to call this book, I think not inappropriately, “An Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul;” for there is not an emotion of which any one can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror." 
Indeed the Psalms speak of hope and fear, of love and hate, of discouragement and thanksgiving, but above all, the Psalms speak to us of Christ (Luke 24:44) and lead us to Christ: the Servant-King, the Messiah-Redeemer! The Psalms are not poems to thrill us in private, but are the powerful praise that the united people of the church, with missional passion sing to their Lord. Each Psalm therefore asks us for an answer: will you remain in the audience of the fools who say that 'there is no God', or will you join the chorus of those justified by Jesus? 

Sunday Service: Philippians 2:25-30 – Gospel servants in Christ (like Epaphroditus)

 

Tomorrow we'll have our morning service to worship God together and to proclaim His Word at the social center Magnolia, a well known cultural meeting point right at the centre of Budrio.

 

At 10.15 we'll start our service continuing our series on the Paul's Letter to the Philippians, engaging with Philippians 2:25-30 – Gospel servants in Christ (like Epaphroditus)!

During the service we'll have our Children's Club, where kids will engage with a Talk on the same Bible passage, followed by a programme dedicated to different age groups.

Where are you going for true joy? Paul radiates a contagious joy here. Though he writes from a Roman prison, he can say, “I rejoice, so you rejoice” (paraphrasing 2:17–18). Paul reminds us that ultimate joy isn’t derived from comfortable circumstances, but from a living, vibrant communion with Christ. 

Paul says, “For me, living is Christ and dying is gain” (1:21). Paul loves the church at Philippi and refers to it as his “joy and crown” (4:1), but disunity exists in the body (4:2). He provides wonderful instruction for us as we seek to unite in the gospel.[1]

[1] Tony Merida and Francis Chan, Exalting Jesus in Philippians, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2016), 4–5.

AppPhilippians - Mid-Week Bible Study

Tomorrow evening we'll have our AppPhilippians (Applying Paul's Letter to the Philippians), our series of Mid-Week Bible Studies in which we'll keep interacting with what we're learning through the preaching in our Sunday services.  
We'll meet at Caffé Filopanti, in Budrio, where we'll engage with Philippians Chapter 2.

Sunday Service: Philippians 2:19-24 – Gospel servants in Christ (like Timothy)

 

Tomorrow we'll have our morning service to worship God together and to proclaim His Word at the social center Magnolia, a well known cultural meeting point right at the centre of Budrio.

 

At 10.15 we'll start our service continuing our series on the Paul's Letter to the Philippians, engaging with Philippians 2:19-24 – Gospel servants in Christ (like Timothy)!

During the service we'll have our Children's Club, where kids will engage with a Talk on the same Bible passage, followed by a programme dedicated to different age groups.

Where are you going for true joy? Paul radiates a contagious joy here. Though he writes from a Roman prison, he can say, “I rejoice, so you rejoice” (paraphrasing 2:17–18). Paul reminds us that ultimate joy isn’t derived from comfortable circumstances, but from a living, vibrant communion with Christ. 

Paul says, “For me, living is Christ and dying is gain” (1:21). Paul loves the church at Philippi and refers to it as his “joy and crown” (4:1), but disunity exists in the body (4:2). He provides wonderful instruction for us as we seek to unite in the gospel.[1]

[1] Tony Merida and Francis Chan, Exalting Jesus in Philippians, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2016), 4–5.

Dinner & Prayer - Home Family Groups

Once a month, we meet as a church family in 3 Home Family Groups, 2 in Budrio and 1 in Molinella.

We'll dine together sharing the many good foods brought by everyone and we'll celebrate the Lord's Supper, with a missional family prayer time involving little ones and grown ups together.

Sunday Service: Visiting Preacher - Massimo Pecoraro

 

Tomorrow we'll have our morning service to worship God together and to proclaim His Word at the social center Magnolia, a well known cultural meeting point right at the centre of Budrio.

 

At 10.15 we'll start our service and Massimo Pecoraro, elder of the Evangelical Church in Sovigliana, and alonside his wife Lidia, organizer of the young adult conference Fellow Travellers. Massimo will preach on: "Faith’s Echo" from 1Thessalonians 1:2-10.

During the service we'll have our children's club, with a programme dedicated to different age groups.

We will celebrate the Lord's Supper, sharing bread and wine as a church family, proclaiming the death and resurrection of the Lord, until he comes!

One to One discipleship Groups

 

From Monday the 6th to Saturday the 11th of April, we'll have our One to One - Bible Study and Prayer meetings, where we'll meet in small groups in Budrio and Molinella, to read God's Word and to pray for one another, interceding missionally for our community and the advancement of God's Kingdom globally!

Resurrection Sunday & Baptismal Service

Tomorrow morning at 10:00 am, we will gather at the La Magnolia Community Centre to praise the Lord together and proclaim His Gospel in Budrio.

Both little ones and grown ups we'll celebrate Resurrection Sunday together, where Yan will be preaching from Genesis 15: An unfailing promise!

Through the resurrection, Christ stamps the word "Kept" onto all the promises of the Old Testament. Today, He promises us that “if we believe in Him, though we die, yet shall we live for eternity with Him. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

We will also have the great joy of celebrating the baptisms of Naomi and Paolo.
As a church family, we are grateful to the Lord for this day of joy and witness, in obedience to the Risen Christ’s command to His church: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).