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| Family Connections |
The Family Church Newsletter
October 2009 |
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A Word From Max
Well, fall is in full swing...school is in session....the Gators are amazing....Heaven is waiting ...and we are all as busy as ever. It is both exciting and at times exhausting. But it is always good to be alive and to know that God is on the throne.
I few days ago, I got a text message from Pastor Rick Warren. It simply read "While you're mentoring the core remember you must love everyone else in your congregation & community. It's not optional." That is a good word and one that every pastor, no matter how many things are going on, would do well to remember. But with that reminder comes some challenges.
At The family Church there are over 1,500 people who call this church home. I want to believe in my heart that I love and care about each and every one. I hope before the Lord that is true. But there is one of me and lots of needs. It often creates challenges of how to most effectively share and express that love. That is why I want to ask for your help in a couple of areas.
Many of you may not realize that while it only takes a few seconds to fire off an email it often takes a long time on the other end to read and respond to them. Most days I get well over 100 emails at work, and many more at home. That doesn't even count the texts, messages on Facebook, and "Tweets" I receive. Trust me...I love hearing from every one of you. But the reality is that for the last several years, in an effort to read and answer every correspondence personally I have watched larger and larger chunks of my day become swallowed up by email. It is not uncommon right now for 4-5 hours a day to be spent answering emails. I am not sure that is at all healthy. So here are a couple of changes that I hope will make things better for everyone.
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Ongoing Support Groups
Healing Prayer for Women
A ministry for Women in need of physical, emotional, or spiritual healing.
Prayer times are held individually with a member of our Prayer Team and everything is kept confidential.
Contact person-Terri Straughn
at 332-6459 ex 33.
Grief Share
Grief Share begins again on November 3rd for 13weeks from 7-8:30pm in room 118. Contact Janice Hamilton if more information is needed at rham7233@aol.com
Divorce Care Ministry
Divorce Care is off for the summer and will regroup in the Fall.
DC4K
Divorce Care for Kids Ministry
Contact: Tom and Holly Nelson
386-462-4997 or 352-318-1204
Forgiven and FreeMinistries
►Men, women, and student support group meets off campus on
Mondays. Contact Marie Rucker at 352-278-0057 or
forgivenfree@hotmail.com.
►Parent and Spouse support group meets at TFC on Monday. Contact Carol Cooper 352-356-2055 or
forgivenfree@hotmail.com.
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Nursery News
Thank you to all the volunteers who have helped out in the nursery this month, including our youth volunteers!
We are richly blessed by your service. If you haven't volunteered yet you are missing out on all the fun!
To check out our volunteer opportunities contact heatherh@thefamilychurch.net or angelar@thefamilychurch.net and get connected!
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Whispers in the Dark
Scripture: Luke 6:45 - "For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."
Observation: I love the simple truth of these words. Jesus says it is not what goes into a man but what comes out that determines his life. Yet it is also true that what goes in...the focus of our heart...typically determines what comes out. What we fill up our hearts with determines the "overflow". A septic tank can only overflow sewage. A loving heart overflows love. Garbage in - Garbage out. Good stuff in....well I see the point.
Application: I realized long ago that there is virtually no sense in trying to be good. A fruit tree doesn't "try" to bear fruit. The fruit instead is determined by where the tree is planted, but the nature of the tree, and by the nourishment it receives from the sun, the soil, the fertilizer and the water. It is the same with our hearts. If, instead of "trying" to be good, we focus on training our hearts in the things of God...in rooting our lives in His word, in fertilizing our lives with prayer, in connecting our lives to the nourishment of His Spirit and a life of walking in faith, the overflow will just naturally be a fruitful blessing to ourselves and to others.
Prayer: Lord, plant me in good soil, keep me focused on the things that fill my heart with You! Let my heart overflow with goodness and love for your greater Glory. Amen!
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Operation Christmas Child
is right around the corner
See the display in the lobby
Start saving your shoeboxes and shop for all those items to put inside your shoeboxes to bless those children.
Love offerings will be accepted until October 31st.
OCC Wrapping Party will be
Oct. 10th from 10am-2pm
Deadline to drop off shoeboxes is November 8th.
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Men's Ministry
Look Who's Coming to Ocala!
Iron Sharpens Iron Conference
Worship * Seminars * Exhibitors * Resources
Saturday, October 3rd
Sign up in the main lobby to attend. Checks should be made payable to The Family Church. Registration is $39 plus $8 for optional lunch. For more information about the conference, go to www.IronSharpensIron.net
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Dwight's Fight Against ALS "Courage Walk"
I just want to send a quick thank you to the pastors, staff, members, friends and all my fellow deacons who helped support the Dwight's Fight Against ALS "Courage Walk" on Sept. 12. It was an awesome day and I believe God was glorified as we attempt to do our small part to assist other families in our community who are facing the realities of this insidious disease. It is a great encouragement knowing that my church home has embraced the Gospel's clear message to be "other' oriented. Thank you from the bottom (and top) of my heart! BE STRONG. BE COURAGEOUS.
Joshua 1:9 Dwight Johnson
dwight@scout.com |
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Women's Ministry with Renee Stephens
"Is His Faithfulness True"
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lam 3:21-26
Before I get into my thoughts for this month, I would like to share a portion of an email I received from a friend this morning that truly shows the love, care, mercy, and compassion of the Lord.
'Yesterday my 17 year-old daughter, Jessica, was driving home from school. When she got home she was distressed-------she told us she was at a red light with another car stopped next to her in the other lane. She glanced up into her rearview mirror and saw a "utility type truck" heading towards her at a high rate of speed. She didn't think he was going to stop, so she quickly pulled over a little, as much as she could. The truck ended up going right between her and the other car, taking the other car's outside mirror all the way off, but the truck just kept going. We were so thankful that she arrived home safely. This a.m. on the front page of the Gainesville Sun was this article:
"5-vehicle wreck shuts down University Ave. Teen accused of stealing DOT truck and causing 3 crashes"
We had no idea that this was the result. I've been so thankful all day, and told this to anyone who would listen at work. After you read the article keep on reading because you will see the devotional that I read yesterday (See Gainesville Sun article and See Crosswalk.com - Encouragement for Today - September 28th, by Tracie Miles) ......God is truly amazing!'
Photos from Women's Awesome Fall Kick-off
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GO! Missions and Evangelism
with Jeff Moody
My Fishing Buddy
I have a buddy named Billy from high school who I reconnected with recently (thank you Facebook). He loves to fish. As we chatted, one of the first things he asked was, "Do you like offshore fishing? I have a boat. We should go."
Imagine if Billy set out into the deep blue ocean and thought, "You know, when I get out there, the wind is just going to blow me around. So why should I even bother charting a course when the wind is going to blow me off that course anyway?"
That would be pretty silly. Not just silly, it could even be tragic. But it sure seems like that is the thought process that many people follow in charting (or not charting) the course of their lives.
That's something I feel pretty strongly about - living life on purpose. Taking the time to discern what God's plan and will is for our lives, then living intentionally into it. That gets exciting, and yields a life with a clear sense of purpose and direction.
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Focus on the Family Groups with Patrick Callahan
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8: 38-39
Are you really convinced? In Forum Magazine, Frederic Huntington writes "It is not scientific doubt, nor atheism, not pantheism, nor agnosticism that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going hollow-hearted prosperity". If we were really convinced that the God of the Universe would persist in loving us with the relentless kind of love described in Romans 8 above, our response would not, could not be so lukewarm. Lately, I have camped in a book study called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. I have been challenged by my definition of God as "comfortable" Mike Evans of Wholeness Ministries expresses this thought so poignantly "For much of my life, I thought I understood how much God loved me. My relationship with God was comfortable and safe. I called on Him when I needed something. He didn't put too many demands on me and I did those things I felt were required to stay on His good side. My relationship with God had become as comfortable as the place that many of our relationships end up when we take each other for granted and fall into our comfortable and familiar patterns of behavior."
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Children's Ministry 
Geeks. Jocks. Brainiacs. Skaters.
The Pretty Committee.
Were you a member of one of these crowds?
What about your kidz?
Where do they feel they belong?
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First month of school has past, and everything is into full swing. Athletics and other various events are going strong, academics are a priority (maybe) and hanging out with friends is life.
In the month of October FUZE will be exploring The Battle Within and seeking to understand the roots of temptation. What is temptation? How do we deal with it? If I give in to it, what will happen? I can't help myself. Is it wrong to cheat? These thoughts as well as others run through our heads when faced with various circumstances that call for choice. The Battle Within is all about knowing the right thing to do and choosing to do it even if it means the choice will be really hard or even painful. We all face temptation, but what are the roots of it and how do we walk wisely and stand strong in the face of it. Your students don't want to miss this exciting series starting October 7th.
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On the Home Front - A Few Hints on Home Decoration by Connie Reid
As our thoughts turn toward the upcoming holidays, here are a few decorating tips that may bring a room to life.
- Evaluate geometrically - Look at a room and mentally sum up the number of rectangular, square and round objects. Windows, furniture, mirrors, picture frames, rugs, decorative objects, and fireplaces should all be included in your mental inventory. Most rooms could use a few round objects to balance the angular edges. This is easily accomplished with a round rug, coffee table, picture frame, mirror, or decorative plate.
- Evaluate the weight distribution - Do you have all the heavy furniture on one side of the room. If so, consider a new arrangement to balance out the room.
- Evaluate the room for contrasts - Add some punch to a decorating scheme by adding contrasts. Light and dark fabrics, hard and soft surfaces, or a complimentary color in a pillow on a sofa will all add interest to a room.
- Evaluate your art work - Does it relate to the room? Add interest by displaying an object from the picture on a nearby wall or table.
- Rule or Three - When displaying decorative objects, think in odd numbers. It is more pleasing to the eye.
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Worship Through Creative Arts arry Carpenter
Growing pains are the "best" things an organization can have...fortunately that is where we are now coming into the fall. Again, I'd like to say "welcome" to all of our new talented volunteers that are taking positions in every weekend service. The "servant's heart" attitude of our veterans and new people is the glue that makes our worship experience happen in all of our services.
We are just scratching the surface of where I believe God wants us to grow spiritually and relationally. The combination of taking care of each other and at the same time reaching out to the community is the goal. Without that balance we either become inbred and stagnant or we don't have the foundation to support the growth. Great thing is, we still have room for you in every team - that includes media, sound and lighting, video, worship leading, singing and playing. Come join us as we grow...Larry
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