|
Looking for a
Check out our
Family Groups
Go to:
Then click on the
'Family Groups' Link
|
 The Family Church Women's Ministry Will Be the Host September 15th SAVE THE DATE! |
|
CLICK BELOW
for FSM Newsletters | |
|
|
|
|
June 2012
The Family Church
'Family Connections' Newsletter
|
A Word from Max
I have been conscious of God's power to heal from an early age. I was only five years old when my four year old brother Neal was diagnosed with incurable juvenile leukemia; a death sentence in 1965. Although the doctors said there was nothing
they could do, the members of our local church thought otherwise. They organized a prayer meeting for my brother and prayed through the night. My brother was completely (and inexplicably as far as medical science was concerned) healed. He is a healthy 50 year old today! The result was a strong faith in my young heart in God's power to heal.
Of course, at the same time, my Uncle Bob, who lived in Washington State, was diagnosed with incurable cancer. Although the doctors were predicting his imminent death, I was sure I had the answer. I need only pray for him, and he would be healed! So each night as I went to bed, I would kneel and say a simple prayer asking that God would heal Uncle Bob. Then I would drift off to sleep confident that my prayers would lead to his healing. I continued this ritual every night for several months. However, one night as I prepared to pray, my mother informed me that Uncle Bob had passed away that day. It was some years after that before I was able to reconcile a loving God who could heal, with the reality that sometimes He seemingly doesn't heal. And yet, I still believe firmly that God answers our prayers for healing...all of them. The answers might not be in the way, the timing, or the method that we intended or even imagined. But God does heal, and He does answer, and therefore I will keep praying.
|
|
Whispers in the Dark
Scripture: Luke 19:32 - "So those who were sent left and found it just as He had told them."
Observation: What Jesus had just asked them to do seemed crazy. These country boys were being asked to go into the city and "borrow" a donkey from people they didn't know, so that Jesus could ride it into town. The penalty for theft of a donkey was steep and these country Galileans would already have been suspect in the city. Jesus didn't help much when he said the only explanation necessary was, "The Lord has need of it." Yet, the disciples demonstrated remarkable obedience in even this odd and slightly dangerous task. After all, Jesus was their Lord, and they had already begun to understand that the words "no" and "Lord" hardly fit together in the same sentence.
|
It's Time!! Time for VBS. Are you registered?
What will you do?
Incrediworld VBS will take kids on a thrill ride
through God's creation! Each day there will be
excitement galore as they travel through the World of
Wonders (WOW) Zone, Craft Cove, Concession
Stand, and Midway Games, in addition to attending
high-energy main assemblies each morning and
afternoon. They won't want to miss this unforgettable
ride as they discover God's truth which counters
misinformation about the Bible and science that they
encounter daily.
When:
June 11th-15th from 9:00AM-12:30PM
Ages:
4 year olds to completed 5th Grade
Cost:
$15 - includes Drawstring bag, water bottles,
Wrist band, souvenir guides, Crafts, and Snacks.
|
|
Worship and Arts Ministry
 | |
Larry Carpenter
|
Hi everyone! For those of you who didn't know, our 1st Touch Ministries which consist of Greeters, Ushers, and the Welcome Desk have been included in the worship and arts program for some time now. Obviously, the 1st Touch teams make "our first impression" to the community during our weekend services which is an important responsibility.
Fortunately we have talented leaders like Ata Sarajedini, Professor and Associate Chair of the UF Department of Astronomy who heads up our ushers here at Family. I've asked Ata to share part of his Gainesville story...
"We moved to Gainesville in late 2000 and bought a G. W. Robinson house. At the closing, he gave us a bible as a gift; he also indicated that
he went to The Family Church. We attended the next Sunday morning service at the church and were quite frankly overwhelmed by the large size of the congregation having come from smaller churches in our past. On that first Sunday, we were approached by Laurel Severino, who invited us to the family group she was attending - Peter and Amy Mantel's group. Our experience with the Mantel family group was a positive one, and we made some connections with the other members so we decided to make The Family Church our church home. Since then, we have been in two other family groups, including one that met at our house and we have become more involved in church ministries. In addition to my ushering duties, Vicki, my wife, teaches in the children's church on a regular basis. I want to give a big shout-out to all of the gentlemen who help make the ushering ministry an immense success. Your service to God, the church, and the congregation is greatly appreciated."
Again, we are so blessed to have Ata, Vicki, and his family in this community; not to mention their involvement here at Family Church! Please let me know how we can get you involved as well?
Come join us as we grow, Larry
|
|
Missions Ministry
 | |
Jeff West
|
Going, Going, Ghana! The first Short Term Mission (STM) team out of the gates this summer is being led by Pastor Max. The team of eleven will travel to Tamale, Ghana to minister alongside of our missionaries Kingspride and Pricilla Hammond with the Alabaster Project. The team will do athletic clinics, primarily soccer, with the possibility of some small scale medical care by a couple of the team members with medical background. The team will have opportunities to minister in two villages near "Bethany Village," Alabaster Project's primary location for their holistic ministry in this majority Muslim area of northern Ghana. Please pray for the team during their time abroad from June 13th through 23rd. Ask for God's protection, physically and spiritually, good health, traveling mercies, team unity, and effective ministry.
Tag Team Travel - The day that the team from Ghana returns, a team led by Rod and Arlene Ingram will leave for a STM in LaHatte, Haiti. From June 23rd through July 1st, a small team will work to establish a new agricultural focused project in this isolated mountain village. With the blessing of our ministry partners Mission Possible (MP), this new thrust will compliment their primary ministry to children. The Ingrams have been working to establish a strong context for The Family Church to have a focused and ongoing ministry in LaHatte that will provide many future STM opportunities. We are also working on developing regular timing of annual trips by The Family Church to MPs traditional ministries.
|
A Heart to Die For
Stephen F. Larner, PhD
Everyone has one, but we seldom think about it, yet it is critical to survival. Its specialty - to pump lifegiving blood throughout the body all day, every day, without fail, until we die. A constant flow of blood must reach all cells throughout the body, delivering oxygen and essential nutrients, while removing waste products like carbon dioxide. Stop the flow for just a few minutes and life would cease. To do this
the heart must overcome some incredible engineering challenges.
Let us look at three such challenges. 1
To ensure this continuous blood flow the heart is made of soft flesh, not of metal, which allows it to be repaired more easily. Estimates vary, but this powerful muscle pushes blood through at least 1,500 miles of blood vessels, some as narrow as one red blood cell in circumference. Moreover, it must beat up to 100,000 times a day without tiring or malfunctioning.
CLICK HERE TO READ ON
|
|
Orphan Care Ministry
Did you know that when a child enters the foster care system, he or she is usually removed from the home suddenly with little or no personal belongings? This can add stress and confusion to an already heartbreaking situation.
The Orphan Care Ministry is currently working on a project that we hope will provide for some of these children's immediate needs while also showing them that there is someone out there who cares for them during this very scary time in their lives. Journey Bags have proven to be a great encouragement to foster children in other areas, and we are so excited to bring this opportunity to the Family Church! This is a wonderful initiative that anyone in the church can become involved in. Much like packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child, this can become a family event where parents, kids and even family groups can get involved and make a genuine difference in the life of a child in need.
Journey Bags are backpacks filled with personal items for foster children to use when they are abruptly taken out of their homes. They may be filled with hygiene products, toys, blankets, a journal, clothing, etc.
We will be launching this outreach project soon, but it will also be a continuing part of our ministry as the bags will need to be replenished quarterly. So be on the lookout at the services for more information about how you can be a part of blessing a hurting child. Or if you can't wait and want to get started right away, please feel free to email Scott and Haley Long at haleyuf@hotmail.com or 375-8685
|
|
Discipleship Ministry
 | | Aaron Read |
"If I were asked to choose between going to one of the weekend services or attending my Family Group, I would easily choose my Family Group." This was a comment made at a Family Group that I visited recently. I am confident that if all of the members of that Family Group were asked which they would choose it would be unanimous. Why am I telling you this? It is because there is something going on in Family Groups that is absent from the weekend services.
My question is, "what is at the heart of this person's statement about his commitment to his Family Group?" The answer is relationships. Family Groups are authentic and safe communities where members can take their masks off and let people into their lives to celebrate the good, to pray about the bad and to share the ugly. This cannot be accomplished sitting with 800 other people on Sunday morning. One of the reasons that I attended this Family Group was to discuss with them about sharing what God is doing through the Family Groups.
CLICK HERE TO READ ON
|
|
Men's Ministry
The M.O.B. (Men of Brotherhood) The Men's Ministry is sponsoring a river baptism on June 23rd. We will try to arrive at about 10:30 AM with the service starting at about 11:00 (that is so that all the tubers can be in the river before we start). Anyone interested in being baptized should contact Jeff West. We are planning our annual fish fry kickoff event for August 30th. You probably want to go ahead and put that date on your calendar as this is an event you do not want to miss. We have HC working on the "meal" part of the evening and he has always come through in the past. We encourage all men of the church to get involved in a family group. These groups are the heart of what happens at our church or any church. Take time to visit different groups until you find one that fits you and your family. Information is available in the lobby which describes each group, the leaders, and any special focus that group may have. If you have ideas for the Men's Ministry, please contact Bob Welch, T-Bone Carlton, or Jeff West. Bob Welch Men's Council Point Man |
|
|
|
|
