Apostles Weekly News Message

January 7, 2010

Update on Year-End Financials

"You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance". -Psalm 65:11

Dear Church of the Apostles,

It is a joy and pleasure to announce to you that God has fully supplied as we have closed out our 2009 calendar year with a surplus of over $8,000.00. Be encouraged that God has us on a good path as we seek to be wise and faithful stewards of the vision and resources with which He has blessed us. Please continue to pray that we will do God's work in God's way that we may never lack God's supply.

With gratitude for your faithfulness in the Gospel,

Patrick

This Week's
Schedule

Sunday
Worship Services
8:30am-9:45am
11:00am-12:15pm

Reading
Luke 19:1-10

333 Church at
North Hills Street
formerly
333 Saint Albans Drive
Raleigh, NC 27609

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Anglican Mission in the Americas
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Pray Without Ceasing

Please join your church in praying for the following requests for the life and mission of the church:

Pray that our worship would lead us to one master: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matt 6:24
Please pray for the start of Adult Sunday School and that many folks would grow in their love and knowledge of the Lord through these classes.
For a powerful and effective sermon series on "counterfeit Gods". Pray that God will draw us to true worship and reveal to us any hidden idols in our hearts. Pray that He will use this series to awaken some to faith in Christ for the first time.

Financial Update

Operating Budget
Jul-Dec '09 Budgeted Revenues $672,400
Jul-Dec '09 Actual Revenues    $680,912 Mid- Fiscal Year Surplus         $8,512
Upon This Rock
Pledges (36 mos)         $3,627,401
Received (33 mos)       $2,959,079
$ To Receive (3 mos) $668,322 (ending 3/31/10)

January Series: Counterfeit Gods

The empty promises of money, sex, & power and the only hope that matters .In a decade marked by financial and moral scandals, terrorist attacks and the worst economic downturn since the Depression, many Americans are reconsidering who and what they really need. Why do we pursue money, sex and power, but come away feeling empty? Can we be free of their pervasive influence? Join us as we consider these culture-shaping influences and what the Bible has to say about them.

Help Patrick write his sermons in January

I need your help! I am preaching a series of sermons called "Counterfeit Gods: The empty promises of money, sex, and power, and the only hope that matters." Would you please send me your personal examples of ways you or others (without naming names) have been affected by the issues of treating money, love, sex, power as idols? Also, send any lyrics to songs, examples from movies, books, history or contemporary news that come to your mind when you think of these issues. Please send any ideas, examples, etc. to patrick@apostles-raleigh.org

Thanks much!

In Jesus,

Patrick

Children's Event:
Dan The Animal Man

Dan The Animal Man will be here on January 10th from 10am-11am. The gospel will be presented. Ask all your friends with children. His presentation is an hour then he will stick around for a "meet and greet" with a photo opportunity with Dan and an animal during Kids Time at the 11:00 service.

Leadership Council Nominations

The new term of Leadership Council Members will consist of 5 existing Leadership Council members, the Senior Pastor and 3 new members that are nominated by the membership of Apostles. Leadership Council Nomination Forms will be available in the Church Lobby starting January 10th and also available on the Apostles Website. The Form has guidelines for Members of the Leadership Council and asks you to be very specific in your reasons for nominating a particular person. The Nominations will be reviewed by a seven person Leadership Discernment Team consisting of Chris Judy, John Wilson, Marian Troxler, Sam Bass, Judy Batchelder, Bruce Berger and Ed Bailey. The chosen slate of 3 persons will then be presented to the Leadership Council for approval. Finally, we will have a Church wide meeting for the membership to approve the slate by voice vote. The Nomination Forms must be received at the Church Office no later than January 23rd.

A Nomination Form can be found here.

Adult Sunday School

Our new Adult Sunday School classes begin Sunday, January 17th at 10am. To read more detailed descriptions of the classes being offered, please visit our website.
That The World May Know
Led by John & Janie Farwell
Meets in Room 218

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: 20 Centuries of Christian Thinkers - Part I
Led by Brad & Sarah Lindsay
Meets in Room 217

Becoming a Peacemaker: Learning to Deal with Conflict Biblically

Led by Ford Jordan & Nathan Dickerson
Meets in Room 215

2010 Women's Retreat

The 2010 Women's Retreat will be February 19-21 at Laurel Ridge Retreat Center in Laurel Springs, NC. Our speaker this year is Paula Rinehart.
More detailed information.
Download a registration form.
Forms can be dropped off in Julie's office.

AMiA Winter Conference

The 2010 AMiA Winter Conference is coming to Greensboro, NC again. It will be from January 27-30 with the Opening Worship Service on Wednesday night, January 27. For more information, please click here.

Opportunity to Serve
There is also a chance to help out with rides to and from RDU Airport and the Conference. If you are planning to go and could give 2 ladies a ride, please email Julie at julie@apostles-raleigh.org.

Community Group Sign-Ups

Are you desiring to connect with others here at Apostles? Would you like to be a part of a community that devotes themselves to the study of God's word, that shares in times of fellowship, that prays for one another and that cares for one another's needs? Then please join a Community Group. Sign up in the lobby at church on Sunday or email Ford Jordan (ford@apostles-raleigh.org).

The Vine: Apostles' 20s/30s Community

2^nd Saturday Dinner

There will be no 2^nd Saturday Dinner in January as we are going to do a larger scale dinner later in the month on January 30^th. Details will follow, but please mark January 30^th on your calendar and plan on joining us that evening.

Small Group Bible Study

Our Wednesday night small group Bible study will resume on Wednesday, January 6^th at 7:30pm at the Jordan's House (702 E Hargett St, 27601). We'll start back up by looking at Exodus chapters 16-19. Please come and join us if you are interested or contact Ford Jordan if you have any questions (ford@apostles-raleigh.org).

The Truth Project Community Group

This Spring Bo and Judy Batchelder are hosting and facilitating a Community Group which will take an in-depth study of the Christian worldview. They will be studying through The Truth Project, "a DVD-based small group curriculum designed to build a systematic and comprehensive biblical worldview in the lives of believers. Each lesson looks at life from a biblical perspective, studying the very nature and character of God and how He has revealed Himself to us." Follow this link to learn more about the Truth Project (http://www.thetruthproject.org/) or click here to see the schedule for this Spring and to sign up with the Batchelders.

Devotional Guides for Adults

A key part of our vision here at Apostles is to help "build up the found", and one way we would like to do that is by beginning to make a daily devotional guide called "Explore" available for you. This book is an excellent resource for your daily quiet time. Each day it guides you through a different passage of Scripture, and provides insights and thought provoking questions on how to apply the truths of that Scripture to your life.
So, if you have struggled to make daily Bible reading and prayer a part of your life, or if you would like some more structure in your times with Lord, please stop by the information table in the lobby to purchase one this coming Sunday. (Explore is published quarterly and costs $5).

N2N Opportunity to Serve

Tapestry Church of the Nazarene (the congregation that is a part of Neighbor to Neighbor Outreach downtown) has a weekly fellowship meal at 1:30p.m. following their Sunday services. Each week a different group of people provide the meal and serve it to the members of the Tapestry congregation. Darrell and Natalie Taylor are looking for others who might join them in serving or providing food on the 4th Sundays each month. If you would like to help or just find out more information about this, please email Natalie Taylor (ntaylor@cftriangle.org) or you can call her cell (906-9402).

Wednesday Women's
Bible Study

Esther: It's Tough Being A Woman" by Beth Moore.The study will meet for 18 weeks and will go from 9:45 am to 11:30 am each Wednesday. Dates - January 6th - May 12th. Childcare will be provided.Location: Church of the Apostles. Contact: Inger VanOsdell: ingervanosdell@gmail.com or 696-1780 or visit the church website.

Muffins 'N More Women's Bible Study

Muffins 'n More will be starting a new Bible study series on the Parables of Jesus on Monday, January 11th. We will continue to meet in Room 215 on the second and fourth Mondays, January through April, from 10 - 11:30 a.m. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact either Sue Barclay - 783-5043; suebarclay@juno.com or Jane Barnes - 848-8378; jkpbarnes@gmail.com. Please come join us! (No childcare is provided.)

Women's 6-Week
Bible Study

Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God speaks. Video and Study by Priscilla Shirer. Through this 6 week study you will learn to recognize God's character, language and tone of voice. As you spend time in His Word and better understand the role of the Holy Spirit, you'll be able to distinguish God's voice above all the

others in our world and in your head.

Learn to put into practice key insights that will draw you closer to God.

Home Study Jan. 12th-Feb. 16, Tuesday evenings, 7 to 8:30 pm study books $13 Betty Edwards 787-4565 ejeraleigh@aol.com