NEWSLETTER 

Our monthly fund-raising dinner fellowship went smoothly and without interruption last evening, at the World Buffet on Glendora Avenue, West Covina.

Despite the low numbers we had on the list last Sunday, you came anyway and made our count three times as many as we had on that list!  One factor was that many were away for the long holiday weekend so you didn't get a chance to make your reservations with Johnny or Nellie Chua.  But you came through, anyway, by coming to our venue and taking care of your tickets right there.

We had several guests again, as well, thanks to the ones who cared to invite new people from their bible study group.  Let's continue to set aside this time usually on the third Tuesday evening of the month, to get together on a social basis, where not only our congregants but also our friends, neighbors and other family members can enjoy each other's company in this light setting.

Sacrificial Giving 

At the Good News Hour last Sunday, Pastor Tony Luciano's topic was on Sacrificial Giving, related to the general subject of Stewardship for the month of February.

He made a distinction between Planned Giving, the topic of Pastor Joannie's message on the previous Sunday, and Sacrificial Giving, which calls for one to forego or give up something in order to make funds available for a certain purpose. This also entails sacrificing personal needs or comfort for a worthwhile cause, he said.

Among some of the things he suggested for us to give up, which made us laugh but were very practical, was our daily dose of Starbucks coffee and instead, to brew our own, which in reality would allow us to save about $1000 more each year towards the church or charity we'd like to give to.

Pastor Tony's presentation was well received and got most of us to thinking and planning ahead for our church's benefit.

This coming Sunday's topic is on Volunteer Serving, another aspect of Stewardship. Pastor Conrad will have this message.

NERF TOURNAMENTS!

There are a couple of Nerf Tournaments coming up in short order, one on Friday, March 2, and another on Saturday,

March 3. The one scheduled for Friday begins at 7:30 p.m. and is for those ages 25 up. Team registration starts at 7:00 p.m.  The event is billed as "enriching your relationships

while blasting the crap out of each other.  The fee is $5. No dinner or child care is provided. 

The Youth tournament is presented by DvG (our youth group, the Deviant Generation) on Saturday beginning at 5:00 p.m. Team registration starts at 4:30 p.m. The fee is $10 and pizza will be served during registration. This event's flyer says you will be "shooting like a boss while learning about purity and authenticity in relationships."

If a participant arrives after the team registration time, he or she will be assigned to a team.

Invite your friends to join in these fun tournaments.

Please mark your calendars!  Our Men's Breakfast Meeting is coming up soon:  Saturday, March 10, at 8:30 a.m.

We will have a sign-up sheet at the church foyer on Sunday and we will approach you perchance you forget to list your name on the sheet.

We will also ask you to write down if you are bringing any breakfast item(s) with you, and what they might be, if any.

Our guest, Mr. Scott Chang, is president and founder of the Faith-Based Business Networking International group.  Pastor Tony has invited him to interact with us regarding our impact as Christians in the community and in our workplaces.

..."Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." - John 21:6a

 

The disciples were fishing. It was after Jesus had been crucified. Peter had gone through his most agonizing moment in which he had denied Jesus three times. He had lost a friend. No doubt he probably wondered whether the last three years were a dream. What now?

 

Peter had been prepared three years, but he was not going out to preach; he was going fishing. He had returned to his trade of days gone by. He had a level of experience with Jesus that no other human on earth can boast. This was the third encounter he was about to have with Jesus after His resurrection. Jesus looked to Peter and John in their boat and made a suggestion.

 

"Friends, haven't you any fish?"

 

"No," they answered.

 

He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some" (Jn. 21:6a).

Now, if you are as seasoned in your fishing as these guys were, wouldn't you be a bit irritated if a stranger suggested that you simply put your nets over the other side to catch some fish? Yet we find that they took this stranger's advice. Once they were obedient, the Lord revealed Himself.

 

When they followed Jesus' advice, the catch was enormous - 153 fish in total. In most cases such a haul would have broken the net. Jesus invited them to have breakfast with Him - fish and bread; He had already started the fire. I can only imagine that this scene would resemble some buddies going out and camping together.

 

There is so much that we are to learn in this passage about God's ways. As a workplace believer, we must understand that after we have spent years with Jesus, this does not always mean we must leave our professions in order to fully follow Jesus. Peter went back to his profession - fishing. It was here that Jesus asked him a simple question: Do you love Me and will you feed My sheep? He didn't say to Peter, "Fishing is a waste of time for you now, Peter." This recommissioning was in the area of his original calling - his work.

 

We need not feel that we must go to the "mission field" to please Jesus. Our work is our mission field. We must, however, make a paradigm shift in our thinking about our place in the work world. We must have an overriding sense of mission and ministry that comes out of that work. This is what is meant when we say that we must all be circumcised before we can enter the Promised Land. When this happens, we can expect to see God fill the nets with His blessings. He wants to do this because He now owns the net, and He can trust us to manage it. 
 

(Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.)

March 4 - Lelit & Tony Luciano

March 11 - Ruby & Ding Dijamco

March 18 - Linda & Danny Santos

March 25 - Vonnie & Tito Cabrera

April 1 - Penny & Conrad Miranda

Wednesday, February 22, 7:30 p.m. - Intercessors' Meeting

Fellowship Hall

Sunday, February 26, 10 a.m. - Praise and Worship

11 a.m. - Good News Hour - Pastor Conrad Miranda

12:30 p.m. - Fellowship Lunch - Modular Building

Saturday, March 3, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. -Repaint Fellowship Hall

Extra Volunteers Needed at 9 a.m. and again at 4 p.m.

to help move heavy pieces of furniture/equipment

Saturday, March 10, 8:30 a.m. - Men's Breakfast Meeting

Fellowship Hall