Around McGregor: October 25

What do your distractions say about you, and what does God's Word say to do about them? Omar Edwards, one of McGregor's elders, extends Sunday's message from Matthew 20 and the urgency of the gospel. He names what distractions reveal: what we crave, what we fear, old habits we have not broken, and areas that lack discipline. Then he lays out a simple game plan drawn from Luke 10, Psalm 101, 2 Corinthians 10, Philippians 4, and Mark 1. The takeaway is this: resisting is not enough. We replace fruitless thoughts with what is true and honorable, and we spend time alone with Jesus, who gives us clear minds for His work. For anyone stuck in a loop of screens, busyness, or avoidance, this episode offers a way forward. Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com Interested in visiting? Learn what to expect at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

Matthew - The King has Come "The Road To The Cross: Preparing The Unready" (Matthew 20:17-19) Jesus knew exactly what waited for Him in Jerusalem, and His disciples did not. On the road toward the cross, Jesus takes the twelve aside and tells them, for the third time and in the most detail yet, that He will be delivered over, condemned, mocked, flogged, crucified, and raised on the third day. Omar Edwards, one of McGregor's elders, walks through the who, what, where, when, and why of this moment, showing a Savior who set His face toward Jerusalem on purpose and shepherded His followers personally along the way. The disciples missed it because they were looking for a conquering king, not a suffering servant. You will walk away seeing God's sovereignty on display, the redemptive work of Jesus finished, and the call to set aside whatever distracts us so we are ready for what He has prepared. Sermon Notes November 8, 2026 Omar Edwards • Elder Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com There's a place for you here. Plan your first Sunday at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

What happens when a church that has waited years for a date finally gets one? Pastor Mark Bricker, Tamar, and Christian share that Welcome Home Sunday, the move back into the renovated Worship Center, is set for Sunday, December 6, with new service and Life Group times of 9:00 and 10:30 AM. The day before, Saturday, December 5, there is an open house and prayer walk from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. They also cover today's November member meeting at 12:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall, where eight deacon candidates will be presented and the 2027 budget will be shared for the first time. Looking ahead: Holiday Shopping Extravaganza on Saturday, November 14 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Surviving the Holidays with DivorceCare on Tuesday, November 17 at 6:00 PM, the Thanksgiving dinner on Tuesday, November 24 at 5:00 PM, the Why He Came Christmas Bible study starting Wednesday, December 2, and Sing Christmas on December 12 and 13 at 3:00 PM. If you call McGregor home, this is the episode that gets you ready for the next month. Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com New to McGregor? Plan a visit at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

Habits of Grace: Looking Biblically at the Spiritual Disciplines "Growing Through the Gathered Church" (Acts 2:44-47; Revelation 4:8-11; Nehemiah 8:1-8) Spiritual growth is not a solo project. In this Midweek Bible Study, Ron Cook turns from personal disciplines to the habits God gives His people to practice together: fellowship, worship, and preaching. From Acts 2, he shows that biblical fellowship (the Greek word koinonia) is more than friendly conversation; it is a shared faith in Jesus, a shared life, and a shared witness. From Revelation 4, he describes worship as the heart bowing before a holy, eternal, and sovereign God, and names what gets in its way. From Nehemiah 8, he shows why God's people sit under His Word and respond to it. You will walk away with practical next steps for staying close to Christ by staying close to His church. November 4, 2026 Ron Cook Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com New to McGregor? Plan a visit at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

If salvation is a free gift of grace, why does the Bible talk about rewards? Pastor Peter Finch takes us beyond his notes from Sunday's message on the parable of the vineyard workers in Matthew 20. He walks through the judgment seat of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:10, the gold, silver, wood, hay, and straw of 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, and John's call in 2 John 8 to win a full reward. Finch shows why this judgment assesses the quality of a believer's work rather than punishing sin already paid for at the cross. You will walk away knowing that works are not the source of the Christian life but the marks of it, and that heaven's greatest reward is God Himself. This is for anyone who has served the Lord and wondered whether it counts, or why they serve at all. Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com Interested in visiting? Learn what to expect at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

Matthew - The King has Come "It's Not Fair!" (Matthew 19:30 – 20:16) When Peter asks what the disciples will receive for leaving everything, Jesus answers with a parable about a vineyard owner who hires workers throughout the day and pays every one of them a full day's wage. Pastor Peter Finch walks through the master's call, the grumbling of the first workers, and the master's reply, showing how pride and comparison can turn God's generosity into a complaint. Salvation is God's initiative and God's gift, never something earned by time served. You will walk away with a clearer view of grace, freedom to celebrate God's goodness to others, and a call to serve Christ from gratitude rather than entitlement. Sermon Notes November 1, 2026 Peter Finch • Administrative Pastor Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com Interested in visiting? Learn what to expect at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

How close is the Worship Center to being finished, and what does November hold for the McGregor church family? Pastor Mark Bricker is back with Tamar and Christian for a Renew update: the cross is in place, carpet is nearly finished, and pews start going in this week. They walk through the month ahead, including the member meeting and budget presentation on November 8, the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza on November 14, Surviving the Holidays on November 17, the Thanksgiving Dinner on November 24, and the last prospective member class of 2026 on December 13. If you call McGregor home, this is your guide to the month. If the holidays will be hard this year, listen for the invitation to Surviving the Holidays and the reminder that God comforts us in all our affliction. Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com There's a place for you here. Plan your first Sunday at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

Habits of Grace: Looking Biblically at the Spiritual Disciplines "Creating Space for Communion with God" Most of us try to grow closer to God by doing more, and we end up running on empty. In this midweek study, Omar Edwards opens Scripture on four quiet habits the church often overlooks: fasting, journaling, solitude, and rest. He shows that Jesus expected His followers to fast, walks through why God's people fasted in Scripture, from seeking guidance to expressing repentance, and explains how journaling helps us remember God's faithfulness and see our growth. He closes with Jesus' own pattern of withdrawing to pray and His invitation to the weary in Matthew 11:28. These habits do not earn God's favor; Christ has already done that. They place us where His grace is already flowing, so we can enjoy Jesus. October 28, 2026 Omar Edwards • Elder Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com Interested in visiting? Learn what to expect at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

Jesus chose twelve. One of them betrayed Him. So who fills the empty seat, and why does it matter? Pastor Russell Howard follows a thread from Sunday's sermon in Matthew 19:28, where Jesus promises His disciples twelve thrones, to Revelation 21:14, where the names of the twelve apostles are written on the foundations of the New Jerusalem. Howard walks through Acts 1 and the choosing of Matthias, then shows how the New Testament uses the word apostle in three ways: the Twelve, apostles outside that circle such as Paul and Barnabas, and messengers sent out by the churches. Anyone who has stumbled over the word apostle in their Bible reading will come away able to tell its uses apart from context, and with a clearer view of the Jesus who calls and sends His people. Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com Interested in visiting? Learn what to expect at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

Matthew - The King has Come "The Cost Of The Kingdom" (Matthew 19:23-29) Can anyone buy their way into the kingdom of God? As a rich young man walks away from Jesus, Jesus tells His disciples it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom. Pastor Russell Howard shows why that word lands closer to home than we think, and names three ways wealth gets in the way: pride, privilege, and priorities. He then turns to Peter's honest question about whether following Jesus is worth what it costs, and to Jesus' answer. Those who leave everything for His name will receive a hundredfold, and they will inherit eternal life. You will walk away seeing that eternal life is never earned as a reward. It is a gift of grace, received as an inheritance by those who follow Jesus by faith, and whatever following Him costs, He is good for it. Sermon Notes October 25, 2026 Russell Howard • Lead Pastor Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com Interested in visiting? Learn what to expect at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit