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19-Feb-2012 :: Church Pictorial Directory |
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The Church Council said it is time again to get your picture made! Apparently some of you are getting better looking and we need to have your attractive image in our next pictorial church directory. For the rest of us it is a good reminder that the end may be closer than the beginning and to be sure our house is in order. ☺ In all seriousness it has been many years since our last directory and it is a good thing for the church fellowship.
Our point person for this important work has been Stacie Sahhar for the last couple of directories but Stacie tells me that this year she is going to give someone else the blessing. The good news is that much of the "footwork" has been replaced electronically and the job is not as difficult as in days past. I would love to speak to anyone who feels like they would like to discuss the possibility in detail. Please let this also serve as a heads up for all of our ministry areas to be sure you have good updated pictures of your ministry in action for possible publication in the new directory.
Opportunity to Stand for Life
As most of you are aware our church sets aside one Sunday each year to address the sanctity of human life as presented in scripture. Last Sunday a gentleman visited our church and approached me after the service to remind me of another opportunity for us to stand for life over against abortion. He gave me his name and address and the dates and times that abortions are done at the closest clinic to our church. That location is behind or south of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center on West Eugie Avenue. As you turn right or east off of 59th Avenue onto Eugie it is on the south side of the road. This gentleman and a few other faithful souls quietly stand with signs and symbols reminding the women of the sanctity of human life. They have had several women to change their minds about getting an abortion. The times of those surgical procedures are as follows if you wish to join this group in support of life. Sunday am 8-11:00, Monday/Tuesday/Thursday am 8-10:00.
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12-Feb-2012 :: What Could Love Motivate You to Do? |
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Many of you were here years ago when God just moved into our fellowship and began to teach us about people affected by disabilities. It was one of those unforgettable times where we knew the Lord wanted to change us and how we behaved. Particularly how we behaved around this group of individuals. It was a discipleship moment where we learned about our own fears and feelings of inadequacies and how we had been guilty of not loving people in the name of Christ.
God called Pam Baldwin from out of our church to train us and teach us how to do Disability Ministry but the reality is that God just got our attention on how we could do a better job of what He had already called us to do – love others. God radically changed our church I believe when He brought this ministry to greater fruition for more of us. And for some of us, He was preparing us for the future.
Our church has defied the odds and has gone further than many churches in both accommodating people affected by disabilities and in attempting to reach them with the gospel. I believe it is just one of the wonderful ways that we see God's love for us. We have been greatly changed by the Lord.
So, I am aware that we have church members who have issues that prevent them from being around people saturated with colognes or perfumes and I wonder if our love for one another, and especially them, could make us change what we typically do for Sunday morning? Could we, from the depths of love in our heart for God's people, refrain and restrict the abundance of fragrances so they could worship with us without being forced to leave? I believe God would honored if we would all consciously work toward becoming more of a fragrance-free church for the sake of others.
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05-Feb-2012 :: Thank You Eddy and James! |
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No they are not a music group but they are two great men who are exemplary of so many church members God has blessed us with. When I needed to be out of our church for a Sunday it is people like these two men who make my leaving possible and not only possible but a welcomed change for the rest of the church.
I wonder if you have ever taken a moment to consider how many volunteers we have around this great place and how we experience the "success" we share because people love the Lord enough to give their time, talent and expertise for the kingdom's purposes. Almost all of our janitorial work is done by church member volunteers. Our worship services complete with orchestra and choirs, sound, video and projection only have two paid leaders. Our building and grounds, landscaping and upkeep all are done by our church members who care and give their time generously. Our bus and van drivers are all members who see a vision and perform a ministry for the sake of the kingdom. Our small groups, ministry groups, service groups, committees, music groups and ministry leaders all serve the King without charge but with sacrifice. There are many others I am sure I am not specifically mentioning but you get the idea. The church, she is an amazing blessing from God and how fortunate we all are to be some small part of her.
It always bothers me to not be at this church on a Sunday for worship. But when God requires it I can miss church knowing that you have everything in control and all of the "bases" will be covered by conscientious talented volunteers who will bring a welcomed sense of fresh. Only God could add to His body in such a way that these things happen regularly and without fanfare or missing a beat.
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29-Jan-2012 :: Blessings in 2012! |
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As we launch this first month of 2012 it is quite obvious that God is blessing His people. The Holy Spirit has been working all over the church and throughout many church ministries. And I am sure I don't know the fraction of that great work! I was in business meeting last Sunday to hear that we were able to finish last year well into the black financially speaking and that we are on budget for the first month of 2012. That is great news especially when back in the summer months some were thinking that the sky was falling. When you have a tight budget, as I think we should, you feel every dollar whether it is there or it is missing. God has been good to us and we have been faithful, I trust, to Him and His church.
I feel even more gratitude to God for those who have visited our church in this New Year and especially those who have been led by Him to make this their church home. What an awesome privilege and responsibility it is to be the spiritual family of God for each person God adds. I trust you are making note of each of these new members and are taking a special effort to introduce yourself and get to know them.
I also want to mention as I did last week that we have a couple who currently need a ride to church from the 47th Avenue/Vogel area to morning Bible Study/Worship. I have enjoyed this most wonderful ministry and am more than happy to do it permanently but I am supposed to help give ministry away rather than hog it for myself. So this will be my last offer before I assume the Lord intends the blessing for me and mine! It's a great start to a blessed year; I trust you will commit to being a valuable integral part for love's sake.
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22-Jan-2012 :: Give a Ride and Blessing? |
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What a privilege it is for me to offer some family a great blessing! We currently have a middle-age couple attending our church, and they have off and on for a long time, who are in current need of a ride to bible study and morning worship service. Currently our church software does not allow us to search church membership by addresses and their proximity to another location. Therefore, I need to know if there is a faithful church family near the intersection of Vogel and 47th avenue or who passes near this intersection as they come to church each Sunday. This couple needs a friendly person(s) who would be delighted to "bring people to Jesus" and consider it a part of their kingdom service. If you think God may want you to be a part of this glorious ministry please give me call at your earliest convenience. It would be great to have a couple of substitutes as well.
On another related blessing note, I failed to mention even more good news last Sunday when we examined the biblical concept of the sanctity of human life. I know my list was long of the exceptional blessings that have been ours in just the last year but I need to add to that list. Our own Arizona Baptist Children's Services helped 1,181 women take a pregnancy test and 4,185 individuals attended a pregnancy or parenting class, and 8,694 distributions of baby-related goods such as diapers and clothing were made. And the best news is that 54 abortion-minded women chose life for their babies through our pregnancy counseling and 18 adults made professions of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord! God has blessed our work indeed. Thank you for standing for life and making a real difference where God has appointed us the privilege of serving Him!
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15-Jan-2012 :: Just a Few Things… |
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I have been intending for several weeks to make you aware of a young man who serves with our college students in the west valley colleges. Kyle Hall has been in the valley for over four years now and is responsible to our state collegiate staff for the campuses of ASU West, Glendale Community College, North Glendale Community College, and Estrella Mountain Junior College. Kyle not long ago married Mallery and is now doing much better. ☺ Kyle raises his own support to serve Southern Baptists in the west valley as we attempt to win people to Christ. Kyle has worked with several of our college students in the past and currently as well.
Since we benefit from Kyle and Mallery's ministry I just wanted to make you aware of their service. As you can imagine living by faith and raising your own support is not easy, especially these days. I know many of you have a heart for college ministry and for our own local community college. If you would like to contribute to Kyle's ministry you are welcome to call him personally at 623-308-6412 or I can facilitate a meeting with him if you would prefer. I felt it was important enough to bring the need to your attention and let the Lord lead how He will. Thanks for your prayer for our collegiate ministry.
I appreciate the Funk family for helping feed all of the attendees at our January Bible Study on Sunday afternoons and evenings. This is the first time we have ever studied the book of Ecclesiastes in a JBS format and it is proving to be interesting. Thank you for being a part and be sure to thank the Funks the next time you see them for taking extra time to bless our study time together. Thank you so much!
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08-Jan-2012 :: Starting the Year Out Well |
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I wanted to remind everyone as we turn fully into the New Year that if by some chance you missed your offering for International Missions (aka Lottie Moon) it is not to late to be a part of this once-a-year offering. We have not reached our goal of $12,000 yet and I imagine some have simply missed it on accident. If everyone would make the effort to give something, it will go a long way toward our goal and be a blessing when that day of accountability comes for us all.
I will soon publish a complete list of all the monetary requests we typically make in a year so you can plan and budget accordingly. Where can you possibly get a return on your money like the Kingdom of God?
In case you missed it last week, there are Bible reading plans in the foyer that will give you a suggested guideline for reading your Bible through in just a year. If you have never disciplined yourself to have a regular reading time with the Lord every day I highly recommend it. Many of our members choose a different translation of the Bible each year to help them enrich their reading from a different perspective each year.
Whatever your personal preference and plan I trust you are consistently staying immersed in God's word and are preparing each week for a great group Bible Study time. If you are not regularly attending every Sunday morning and need help finding a class that is right for you please see Pastor Steve or myself anytime and it will thrill us to death to help you find options. Our Bible Study hour is the prime opportunity to get to know people and find a place of service in the church.
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01-Jan-2012 :: God Has Been and Always Will Be Faithful! |
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Thank you for blessing my heart and the church family last Sunday by being present before the Lord on Christmas morning! We will only have a few of these opportunities in our lifetime (Christmas on Sunday) and you honored the Lord with this one. For some it was a test of what the celebration was all about and who should get the attention and glory. Thank you for confirming the spiritual growth that I know God has brought to your lives. You do honor the Lord and our own church family.
God has provided not only an opportunity to honor Him on the last Sunday of the year but also another opportunity to begin the New Year as we worship and minister to one another on the very first day of the year. Today we have said "goodbye" to the year 2011 and welcome 2012 and all that God has planned for it. What an adventure faith in Jesus brings every day!
As always and with every year, despite what the unbelieving world tells us, it is with a profound sense of gratitude for all that God has done that we close the books on last year. God has indeed been faithful. While we each have been on mission with the Lord this last year and have experienced many things we come together on this first day of the year to acknowledge and recognize the supremacy of Jesus in our lives and our deep love for Him. I'm glad you are here.
Today we closely examine two passages of scripture that teach us one timeless truth. Our God is marvelous in that He does marvelous things for those who wait on Him because they love Him.
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