August 3, 2023
Dear Central Church,
This week I saw a commercial for a cruise line that was filled with beautiful people in beautiful places doing all sorts of wonderful things. They swam, snorkeled, dined, played, and danced their way across my TV screen in a way that made me want to be where they were. They were fully alive!
And then I remembered the last time I was on a cruise ship: I got sea sick. I remember feeling NOT fully alive.
We’re subjected to so many different messages that promise so much but ultimately deliver so little. The book of Colossians has good news for those who live in a world of broken promises and unfulfilled expectations: God has kept every promise, and he exceeds every expectation in Christ. Jesus is “the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27)
This Sunday, our friend Dr. Samantha Chambo will be preaching from Colossians 1:24-2:5 continuing our “Fully Alive” sermon series. Samantha is currently serving as the USA/Canada Regional Education Coordinator for the Church of the Nazarene. She is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene and has been a local pastor in Mozambique and Johannesburg, South Africa. She has served as the regional coordinator for various initiatives on the Africa region and has been a lecturer at Mozambique Seminary and Nazarene Theological College-South.
Samantha is an accomplished writer, communicator, and speaker. She has authored two devotional books and was a contributing writer to a third.
Samantha is married to Fili and they have two adult children, Tsakani and Emmanuel. We are blessed to have the Chambo family as a part of Central Church. You will not want to miss the word God has put on Samantha’s heart as she shares about the hope we have in Christ.
Please keep our Cuba mission team in your prayers. We leave Saturday to spend a week reconnecting with our ministry partners in Cuba. This partnership is made possible through your giving to global mission through Faith Promise. I look forward to sharing with you all that God there!
Until He’s Finished,
Pastor Mark
