More Summer Fun

  

Summer Fun

Smmer fun this week!
A glimpse of our camp!!

Here

Prayer Requests and Activities This Week

As we round out the month of June, this week will be full of activities!  Children's Camp is this week and several of our children, teens and adults will be there.  Please pray for the camp, for safety, fun and hearts to be receptive to the Lord.

Some other prayer requests to share include

Barbara F.  - her brother suddenly passed away last night.  Please keep the family in your prayers.

Roy L. will have cateract surgery this week

Garret B. suffered an injury to his leg

Remember the cook out next Sunday from 5:00-8:00 PM at the church.  There will be hamburgers and hot dogs provided and you are encouraged to bring a complimentary side dish or dessert to share. 

Keep a watch on the blog for camp updates throughout the week!

Wedding Photos

Saturday afternoon we were blessed to share the joy of Tiffany and Clay along with their families as they joined hearts and lives in holy matrimony.  Here are a few photos from the day.  (More to come!)

The beautiful decorations and food provided by several of our church family who worked tirelessly to make this day special!

 

July 4th Cook Out

There will be a time of fellowship, fun and food on July 3 from 5:00 - 8:00 PM!  Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided and church family is asked to bring a complimentary side dish or dessert.  There will be great fellowship or outside activities (volleyball, etc.).  Bring the family and enjoy a great time with the church family!

July's Coming

June is winding down quickly and July is on it's way!  Here are some upcoming dates in July to mark down:

July 3 - Cook out and fellowship time at church
July 9 - Men's Fishing Trip
July 10 - Pastor Appreciation Luncheon
July 15-22 - Association Wide Mission Trip
July 25-29 - Vacation Bible School
July 31 - VBS Family Night

A Note To Dads

This letter to dads is from One Million Dads and was writted to encourage men in their roles as fathers on this Father's Day.

"No human being is perfect but Jesus. However, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to strive to become more and more like Him. So, to all Dads, note that the following biblical insights are to encourage you to seek to be all that the Lord would have you to be as an earthly Dad. And they are to encourage you to seek to become more and more like the Lord Jesus, and our Heavenly Father. He is the model for us all.

As Dads, none of us have arrived. We are all in desperate need of God's grace to be the kind of Dad we need to be. Let's pray for each other, and always strive daily to be the faithful Christian fathers God has called us to be.

A Faithful Christian Father

God gives us in His Word some of the most important characteristics or attributes of a faithful Christian father. We can find some of those characteristics in both the Old and New Testament. What are some of those characteristics? Let's consider a few:

1) He has received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of his life. John 3:16, and Romans 10:9

2) He seeks to read the Word of God daily for himself. Psalm 1, and Psalm 119:105

3) He spends time in prayer daily. Mark 1:35 and Philippians 4:6-7

4) He seeks to have a time daily to bring the family together to read the Word of God, teach from the Word, and pray together. Deuteronomy 6:1-9, and Ephesians 6:1-4.

5) He takes and/or makes time to train and instruct his children, teaching them about God, the Word of God, and teaching them wisdom for all areas of life. Deuteronomy 6: 1 - 9, Proverbs 2: 1-9, Proverbs 3: 1-2, Proverbs 4: 1-6.

6) He seeks to lead and take his family to church regularly - such as worship service on Sundays and Bible studies on Wednesdays. Joshua 24:15, and Hebrews 10:24-25

7) He has a sense of mission in his life. He seeks with passion to fulfill the specific call of God on his life, whatever that calling may be. Romans 12:1 - 2, Colossians 3:1-3.

8) He works hard to provide for his family. I Timothy 5:8. (God gave Adam a job before He gave him a wife in Genesis 2.)

9) He is a protector for his family. Matthew 1-2.

10) He lives the life of a good role model for his family and others. Joshua 24:15.

The world in which we live is in tremendous need of the ministry of faithful Christian fathers. Pray that God will raise up many of them who understand the important place and call of God upon them to be men after God's own heart in their home and in society and culture as well."
 
Happy Father's Day to our men.  We love and appreciate you!

Prayer and Fellowship

In a recent sermon, our pastor shared about the church being 'a place of community.'  A place where we gather with one purpose and one desire - for the Lord.  To worship and serve Him.  A place where His love flows among us.  Where His grace enables us to overcome our differences and cling to our bonds of love for the Lord and extend His grace to one another.  A place where we rejoice together in good times and weep together in tough times - always looking to our Heavenly Father with thanksgiving and for His help.

This weekend we have fantastic opportunities to put into motion this community.  First, some prayer needs to lift up as we pray for, love and support one another:

• Roy L. is home from the hospital recovering
• Mary Lou R. is battling some health problems this week
• Kay B. is undergoing cancer treatments and needs our prayers
• Rem F. is recovering from shoulder surgery and needs God's healing and strength
• Janet W.'s mother will undergo shoulder surgery today amidst her other health problems -  needs our prayers along with her family
• The Harry S. family as they begin life without their loved one
• Caroline as she continues to minister to her parents

May you keep these close in your heart and prayers.

Then....we have opportunity to fellowship and rejoice with one another.

Saturday morning will be a Women's Fellowship.  What a beautiful time for women to gather together to share, to be encouraged and to lift one another up.  The meeting will be at Kathy B.'s home beginning at 9:30 AM.

 

Sunday morning there will be a Family Breakfast to celebrate Father's Day.  A full breakfast will be served at 8:30 AM in the church fellowship hall.  What a way to share dad's special day as a family and with the church family. 

Saturday - June 25 will be the wedding of Tiffany and Clay. Although the wedding will be in Alachua, you are encouraged to come and show your support, love and blessings to the couple and their family.  Directions to the church in Alachua are at the front of our church (by the pulpit).  What an opportunity to celebrate God's love!

May you be encouraged to take part in the activities this weekend as we celebrate God's faithfulness and goodness together.

Father's Day Family Breakfast

Sunday is Father's Day!  Our church will celebrate with a Family Breakfast as we honor and show our appreciation to our dads.  Meet in the fellowship hall at 8:30 AM for a full course breakfast.  We'll enjoy some great fellowship together as we emphasize our love and support for our fathers.

Women's Fellowship This Saturday!

Ladies, you are invited to a Women's Fellowship Saturday morning beginning at 9:30 AM at the home of Kathy B.  Please bring an empty mug (for coffee or tea) and a snack to share.  You will find some great fellowship and encouragement as we gather together. 

There will be a fun, short session on how to grow and use fresh herbs, a devotion, snacks and a time to share together ways to meet as a group of women seeking to be the wife, mother and woman God wants us to be. 

Camp Donations

Children's Camp is coming up soon!  We are looking for donations of snacks and/or drinks to keep in our church kid's cabins.  Your donations of individual snacks or drinks (Capri sun, Hawaiian punch etc.) would be greatly appreciated.  There is a basket in the foyer marked to receive donations. 

Youth Easter Pics…More!

Our Easter Celebration was for the children and our youth came out that day and did a fantastic job helping hide eggs, set up, clean up and anything else that needed doing. Thank you youth for a great job. We love our children and our teens!

Marks of a Transformed Life

Church has been described by being a place where 'good people' teach 'good people' how to 'be good'.  Now, there is nothing wrong with 'being good', but according to God's Word, being good is not a way to get to heaven.  The Gospel shares and demands a transformation - from sin to righteousness, from  death to life, to be brought to Christ and then be equipped to live a life like Him.  

Transformation is to recognize the life of God in us and His ability to fully form His image in us.

Here are 8 Marks To Direct Us to live a transformed life:

1.  Surrender - living sacrificially - surrendered to God's plans instead of our own.

2.  Renewal - transformation begins in the mind.  We need a spiritual mind - a mind renewed by reading God's Word.

3.  God's Service - we are gifted by God to serve His church and to do His mission.  We are saved to serve.

4.  Love - as we bond with believers, God's love removes our selfishness and guides us to think of others.  Love is the one trait that distinguishes Christians from the world. 

5.  Diligence - Christian life is not a sprint, but a marathon.  It takes perseverance and persistence to keep going through good times and bad.

6.  Perspective - How we view our lives is how we carry out our ministry. Are we God - focused?

7.  Community - meeting the needs of one another is how transformation occurs.  When we rejoice with others who rejoice and weep when those who weep. 

8.  Righteousness - We are to model a life to others as a Christian.  We are to live out the Word of God.

These are outward marks of evidence of Christ living in us.  This is us in cooperation with God - this is true transformation.

Memorial Service

A Memorial Service will be held for Harry S. on Saturday at 11:00 AM at Antioch.  The church will be providing a lunch for the family following the service.

Ladies, your food donations would be appreciated and are a beautiful way to minister your love and support to the family. Please keep the family in your prayers.

Urgent Prayer Requests

There are two urgent prayer needs today among our church family.

Harry S. passed away this morning after a courageous battle with aggressive cancer.  The family is in the process of making final decisions and updates will be given as they become available.  Our hearts extend deepest sympathy to the family of Harry, but as Christians, we know that Harry is now free from pain and suffering and we have a hope and comfort from the Lord. Please keep the family in prayer.

Janet W.'s mother has been in the hospital and is facing very serious surgery.  The doctors will meet today to decide where to do the surgery.  The family is anxious about the surgery due to the serious nature of it that  the doctors shared with them.  Please pray today for wisdom for the doctors to make the best decision, for peace and strength for Janet and her family and comfort, peace and healing for her mom. 

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? 

My help comes from the LORD,Who made heaven and earth.  Psalms 123:1-2

Senior Adult Sunday School Class...

The Senior Adult SS Class will have a fellowship on Friday night (June 10), beginning at 6:00 PM at the home of Dave and Kathy B.  Meat and drinks will be provided. Please bring a covered side dish or dessert and join for a great time of food, fun and fellowship!!

Dates For June

June is filled with some great activities for the church family.  If you can't participate, please be in prayer for all we do to be a blessing to others and to draw them nearer to the Lord.

June 12 ~ Graduate Recognition Day (breakfast for graduate, family and friends)
June 19 ~ Father's Day - we will celebrate with a family breakfast
June 25 ~ Tiffany R. wedding - will be held in Alachua - church family and friends are invited
June 27-30 ~ Children's Camp - please pray for children and adults through out the week

Go ahead and mark your calendars and stay connected with the church family this summer.