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| Family Student Movement |  | |
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Parent's Day Out |
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PARENT'S DAY OUT
Available for Children:
8 weeks to 5 years old
Every Wednesday
8 am -12 pm (Half day)
Or
8 am - 5 (Full Day)
Additional Children:
20% Discount
The Family Church Academy
2022 SW 122nd St. Gainesville
Activities:
Circle time, Story time,
Outdoor Play, Snacks,
Lunch, Nap time,
Centers,
Music, Art, and
Other Activities
Contact:
Suzana Sargent, Ph.D.
352-642-1290
academy@thefamilychurch.net
DCFL #CO8AL0710
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| Baby Congrats | | |
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Levi James Trent
Congratulations
to
Jimmy and Kelly Trent
on the birth of
Levi James Trent on October 3, 2010.
Levi joins big sisters Lilly and Abigail. |
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New Ministry: OCM
Orphan Care Ministry | |
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Thinking About... ?
Thinking About
Adoption!
Breakfast Meeting
coming up on
Sunday, November 14th at
9 am in Room 122
For more information,
contact Scott or Haley Long at
375-8685 or
scottyuf@hotmail.com
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How to Be Safe on
The Internet | |
"What you don't know about the Internet can hurt you!"
A FREE seminar on what the dangers really are, how to protect yourself and your family against them.
Jan 30th, 2011
2pm-5pm.
Speaker: Chris Wagoner
Police Commander - Computer Crime Investigator
& Instructor
Location:
The Family Church
2022 SW 122 Ave
Gainesville, Fl 32607
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| Men's Ministry Upcoming Events | |
Don't Forget!
Men's Fellowship
and Cook-Out
November 9th
Let's Get Together!!
Be sure to check online for ministry opportunities through the HELPs ministry here at The Family Church! |
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Family Connections Newsletter
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A Word from Max
During this current election season, and this challenging football season, and this anemic economic season, I have noticed that the one thing we seem to be lacking in every area is kindness. As the civility of our public discourse plummets and the challenges of our private lives increase, it seems that not only common sense, but also common kindness have simply gone the way of the Do-Do bird.
This is a sad reality. Especially given that kindness is a part of the fruit of the Spirit. It is always noteworthy to me when I hear a truth expressed in the secular business world and think it is a corrective needed in the church. I was impressed with the truth in Bill Taylor's piece below. We aren't selling cars at The Family Church. Instead, we are ambassadors of Jesus Christ (a fairly significant calling!) How much more important is it for us to remember the kindness lesson. I hope you enjoy Taylor's article.
From Bill Taylor, Co-Founder of Fast Company Magazine - Two weeks ago, my father turned 75. I wanted to give him a special gift to mark the milestone, and I got an idea. How does a red-blooded American male do something nice for his Dad? Why, he buys him a Cadillac, of course! So I called my father, whose 2001 Cadillac was showing its age, and gave him the news: You visit the showroom, pick the model, negotiate the price (that's half the fun, right?) and I'll take care of the rest. (continued)
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Whispers in the Dark
Scripture: Jeremiah 23:30-32 - "Therefore, take note! I am against the prophets - the Lord's declaration - who steal my words from each other. I am against the prophets - the Lord's declaration - who use their own tongues to deliver an oracle. I am against those who prophesy false dreams - the Lord's declaration - telling them and leading my people astray with their falsehoods and their boasting. It was not I who sent or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all to these people - this is the Lord's declaration.
Observation: The Lord is now pouring out His anger on the people of Judah, but He has a special wrath set aside for the shepherds of His people. So what exactly was the fault of the shepherds? Jeremiah takes pains in these verses to remind us that these issues are the Lord's issues. Four times he interrupts to say this is "the Lord's declaration." The Lord is concerned that his shepherds are not leading from His Word, but from their own imaginations, or worse, from the imaginations of others.
There are four specific problems that the Lord lifts up:
(Continued)
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Aged or Mature? 
By Stephen F. Larner, PhD
Does the universe look old or just mature? Consider this, when God finished creating the heavens and earth, everything was completely functional. The stars shone, the trees were fruit laden, and animals were ready to bear young. Moreover, the earth and all its creatures were designed to last forever. You could not tell whether the first animals and humans were alive only one day or for one thousand years.
When someone believes the universe has "apparent age", the assumption is the universe "looks old." Such people implicitly trust that the fallible dating methods of fallible scientists have actually uncovered evidence that shows the earth and the stars are very old. Therefore, even if they believe what the Scriptures says about a 6,000-year-old universe, they feel the need to explain away this apparent vast appearance of age. This mindset needs to be scrutinized. Does the universe really look old or is it a simple case of indoctrination to believe it looks old? Would the Creator, who does not lie, really deceive us into thinking that the universe is old when according to Biblical history He created it about 6,000 years ago?
Besides what would a young created universe look like, anyway? . . .(continued)
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"God sets the lonely in families" 
by Haley Long
During this time of year with the holidays approaching, many of us find ourselves spending more time with our families, enjoying meals together and thanking God for the incredible gift of family. I love that God created us with a deep need for one another; we simply were not meant to live alone.
"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families." Psalm 68: 5-6a
You know what I love about this verse? I love that God moves on behalf of the lonely. Even though he has already stated that HE will be a father to the fatherless, yet He still sees a need that they be set in earthly families as well. Sometimes when I sneak in to watch my youngest son, Beniam, sleeping at night I think about this. I think about God in his 'holy dwelling' and the measures he went to to set this one orphan boy far away in Ethiopia in our family. Always I am filled with this sense of awe and gratitude. I guess there is nothing our Father would not do to care for his children. (Continued)
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Worship Through Creative Arts with Larry Carpenter
In Jonathan Swift's immortal classic, Gulliver's Travels, the hero washes ashore after a shipwreck and awakens to find himself a prisoner of the inhabitans of Lilliput - a race of people one-twelfth the size of normal human beings. The normal size Gulliver is tied down to the ground by hundreds of tiny pegs, ropes, and strings.
Even Gulliver (who did finally manage to free himself) had an advantage over average Americans trying to make their way in these trying times. But there is hope...scripture tells us to focus on the problem, not people!
2 Chronicles 7-9: "If my people, who are called by my name, will land."humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
Come join us as we grow, Larry
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Important Dates and Holiday Events to Remember
IHN Housing will be the week of November 21-27th. Contact Michele Thomas if you would like to help with meals or spend the night hosting the families at the church.
Thanksgiving Holidays: The church office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 25th/26th, for Thanksgiving. We will have regular worship services that weekend. Enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving Day with your families and friends.
The India 2010 Team will be ministering in India: Jeff Moody left October 30th; Bryan Prine, Robin Arnold and Sherry Meurer leave November 4th. The entire team returns to Gainesville late on November 14th.
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Well, most if not all of you know by now that I am leaving my staff position with TFC at the end of this year. Max did such a great job when he announced this in the worship services. I wanted to share a little more detail about what our plans are...
1. For months, God has been shaping my heart regarding my place in the Body of Christ. I have grown in a passion for authentic discipleship at the "small/simple church" level. I now believe that it is God's desire for me to directly enact that passion, and move out from underneath the "umbrella" of The Family Church, with the hopes of starting and developing a network of simple, home-based church communities which will develop and reproduce over time. We are going to see if we can lead "a simpler expression of the church", where we actively reach out with the gospel to those who do not know Christ, see them come to Christ, form them into simple fellowships, and then see them grow into believers who will mature, move on, make disciples of others, and birth new fellowships. Simple reproduction of the church... that is what I long to see...!
2. There is also a "missions mobilization" component. . .(Continued)
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On The Homefront
by Connie Reid
Virtual Virtuoso
Studies show that the average teenager has spent 10,000 hours on the computer by the time he or she graduates from high school! That number blew me away as it is the magic number for becoming a virtuoso at any activity such as learning to play an instrument. I mean do the math on that statement. Depending on what age these kids start playing around with a computer, we are talking many hours a day gaming, emailing, googling, checking out facebook, or whatever. The studies also showed that if a child plays a computer game that involves cooperation they are more likely to exhibit that characteristic in the following weeks such as offering to help with household chores. Also those who play a game involving playing an instrument or sport are more likely in real life to try that activity. I would think conversely that children allowed to play games that involve shooting at policemen are more likely to challenge authority or worse. Each parent has to decide what limits they are going to set, but I encourage you to make sure that the hours they are allowed to spend on the computer are having a positive influence in your child's life.
Money Saving Tip
There are many magazine publications available online from the Alachua County Library. I recently wanted to consult Consumer Reports and found I would need to buy the subscription to view it online. After driving to the library to check out the copy I wanted, at no charge of course, they showed me how to pull it up online through their system.
Go to Library website : aclib.us
Click on link above: "Research"
Scroll down to "View all databases" icon on right and click
Click on "Master File Premier" link in pop-up
After you have clicked on Master file, a search bar will appear in which you should type the subject you are researching.
Recipe
Here is a recipe I threw together for some house guests I had never met and will probably never see again short of heaven (good subjects for trying new recipes on). They seemed to really like it and asked for the recipe. I thought it tasted good too but tried it again on my family group who I knew would be honest with me. They too requested the recipe. So here is a no fuss, easy recipe for a quick dessert.
Click link to print recipe: 
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What Are You Here For?
The beginning of chapter 12 of the Book of John contains a great story. There is much to learn hidden in this story about our lives as followers, believers and disciples.
As Jesus is enjoying a meal and some time with friends we get an account of two people who are close to Him. Mary and Judas are both present at this meal. Both are close to Jesus and have spent real and personal time with Him. Both know that there is much to be gained through their connection to this Man. The problem is that only one of them truly gets it. Mary and Judas each show where their true heart for Christ lies. And that is the question for you, where does your heart lie? (continued)
A Devotional for Men
Click below to: 
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Women's Ministry
"Just know I'm here for you."
I'm confident you have had someone say this to you before, if indeed you have those who are in close fellowship with you. Perhaps you have even said this to someone yourself.
Last month I talked about resting in the presence of God and some ideas of what that looked like. It was not all inclusive to be sure, but I took a stab at what it looked like to me to rest in the presence of God. This month, as thanksgiving approaches, and we are thinking about all the people in our lives we are thankful for, I would like to share what it means to me to "be there" for someone - either from the perspective of me being there for them, or vice versa. And, perhaps who we need "to be there" for.
Before I begin, I want to hold up two examples (and there are many I could mention and may for that matter) who hold the example for being there for others. Have you met Dr. Tom Courtney and his lovely wife of 67 years, Fran? If you have not, then you are missing a true blessing! These folks are truly here for us at the family church. I am amazed and challenged by their level of service and giving, especially considering that they perhaps are closer to going home than most of us (that is, if it is God's will.) From the moment they came to The Family Church, they began to serve. They serve with a tireless heart, though I am sure they get tired. It would seem to me, they are NEVER too busy for anyone. Just how do they do it?! (continued. ..)
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Weekly Calendar
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