| Important Dates |
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Sat. Jan. 10th: LBOA Meeting 8:30-11:30am
Mon. Jan. 12th: Missions Interest Group is Meeting 6:30-8:00pm
Wed. Jan. 14th: FrontLine meets
Sat. Jan. 17th: Red Cross CPR & First Aid Training 8:30am-4:30pm
Mon. Jan. 19th: CDCC Board Meeting 7pm
Mon. Jan. 26th: Property Finance Board Meeting 7pm
Sat. Jan. 31st:Women's Stretch & Powerwalk Time 9-11am
Thurs. Feb. 12th: Couples Date Night 7pm
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| Additional Study Quick Links |
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| Red Cross CPR & First Aid Training |
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Do you know what to do in an emergency? CDCC is offering a CPR and First Aid Training & Certification class put on by the Red Cross. This class covers recognizing and caring for breathing and cardiac emergencies for adults, children and infants; identifying and caring for life-threatening bleeding, sudden illness, and injuries.
This class will be held at FMC in the upper room on Saturday January 17th from 8:30am-4:30pm. There is a cost associated with the class and space is limited. If you are interested, please contact Suzy VanBergen at 965-1338 x234.
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| Our Church Family |
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Congratulation to Brian and Jessica Walker on the birth of their son Orion Michael Walker! Orion was born on Sunday January 4th weighing 11lbs and was 22 inches long.
Al-Anon Group is now meeting. Al-Anon is meeting in the upper room on Friday mornings from 8:30-9:30am. Al-Anon is a 12 step program for anyone who has been affected by someone else's addiction. For more information contact Martha Becker at 966-4458.
PRISM is starting a new 6 week session. This session will begin on Thursday January 15th with the other classes on the 22nd, 29th, Feb. 5th, Feb. 12th and 19th. Classes start at 7pm sharp and end at 8:30pm. Call Mary Ellen Brown at 895-8743 or email at browninsb@cox.net There is a cost for the program.
Lost and Found. Have you misplaced any dishes, Bibles or coffee mugs? Many items such as these are in the lost and found located in the church office. Please stop by or call to claim your missing items 965-1338. Cans for Causes Save your Redeemables: Any glass, plastic, or aluminum container that holds a "CA CASH REDEMPTION VALUE" or "CRV." Bring them to the service you normally attend and look for the bins labeled Cans for Causes. Instead of giving away money to the trash company, let's give it to the church for God's kingdom work! For questions contact Joel Hoffmann (729-1478) or joelhoffmann@verizon.net
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| Fire Destorys Methodist Church on Christmas Morning
Tanveer Ali / The Detroit News |
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DETROIT -- Pastor Bill Mulwee received a call around 4 a.m. Christmas morning that there was trouble at the Free Methodist Church where he had led a service just hours before. Minutes later he arrived and was met with the sight of several fire trucks dousing flames as the red-brick building on Santa Clara and Westbrook crumbled. "I stood there and watched the church burn on Christmas morning," Mulwee said. "I had to say, Lord, what are you doing? Obviously you have some plans for us. I'm still confident that God is with us. Sometimes God alters his plans to fit his agenda." The church was small, holding at most 50 people in its pews, but was known to its congregants and neighbors as a positive force in the neighborhood for its youth program that keeps kids off the streets and in the building's basketball courts. Mulwee said he is searching for a place to hold services Sunday, hopefully nearby, for a congregation that has many members from the surrounding neighborhood. According to its cornerstone, the church building dates back to 1940. Fire Capt. Steve Varnas said when trucks arrived at the scene around 4 a.m., firefighters only noticed smoke coming out of the locked church. Once inside, firefighters said the flames strengthened and bricks came crashing down from above. "The firefighters made their way in when parts of the interior started coming down. It turned into a defensive operation," Varnas said. Varnas said nobody was injured and firefighters believe the church was unoccupied. Officials said they hadn't yet been able to check the building for people who may have been sleeping there overnight, because of excessive water damage and debris. The cause remains undetermined and a full search likely won't be conducted until Friday. Stacha Ross, 42, awoke to the sounds of fire sirens coming to the church two doors down known for its daycare and basketball games on Tuesdays. "This is a nice block," Ross said. "It's not a sound you want to wake up to on Christmas Day." Another neighbor, Melvin Pace, runs the church's youth program and organized a team for a drug-free basketball league. In a neighborhood dotted with boarded up windows, the church was an anchor, Pace said hoping someone can step up to replace the church. "I've received calls asking, 'Coach, what are we going to do?'" Pace said. "I just hope that we can recover. That's all we can hope for." | |
Our Memory Verse
John 1:1-18
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
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The Lamb of God
In Preparation For Sunday's Study
Early in John's gospel we read of the Baptist's testimony concerning Jesus. He has finally come to understand who Jesus is, although, sometime later in prison, he starts to wonder if he was right. The visible coming of the Spirit on Jesus confirmed to the Baptist that Jesus was the messiah - the "chosen one", the coming one, the Christ. Yet, the Baptist's testimony not only identifies Jesus as the messiah, but also identifies his particular messianic role. He does this in the description, "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
There is little doubt that this "lamb" is a sacrificial lamb. The messiah will serve as a sacrificial lamb provided by God. The messiah, as God's sacrificial lamb, will take away sin; he will remove it by vicariously bearing it. The text is not quite clear whether the messiah takes sin up and carries it, or carries it off. The theologian J. Jeremias said the verb "takes away" can mean "take up and carry" or "carry off." He says "in both cases it is a matter of setting aside the guilt of others. In the former, however, the means of doing this is by a substitutionary bearing of penalty; in the latter, sin is removed by means of expiation." Either way, the Baptist has exposed the meaning of the cross. Jesus dies as a sacrifice for sin, thus enabling the sinner to stand approved in the sight of God. Finally, note whom the messiah dies for. It is not just Israel, but rather the "world."
Set free from the guilt of sin, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Such is the gospel.
Discussion: How would you explain the image of Jesus as "the lamb of God" to a child? |
Light & Life Goleta Turns 1!
LLG's One Year Anniversary Service
You are invited to join Light & Life Goleta as they celebrate their first year of ministry! Join them as they praise God together, have lots of fun and get inspired for their next year of service.
Location:
Christ Lutheran Church
6595 Covington Way
Goleta, CA 93117 US
When:
Sunday, January 11th at 6:00PM
For Information:
Contact Tracy Goss 805-729-4660
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Attention all 6th-12th Graders!
THREE WORDS: BIG BEAR CAMP....
This is the big week. On Sunday, January 11 we need the $100 deposit and completed forms for BIG BEAR CAMP coming February 13-16, 2009. This is open to all youth 6th through 12th grade. If you have not received information on this camp please go to our web page at: www.fmcsb.org/youth.html. Click on the BEAR and scroll down through the COMING EVENTS to February 13. There you can download the needed paperwork. The cost is $205 and $71 extra for snowboarding/skiing. If you need more info please contact Doug and he will be happy to help. |
ABF - Adult Bible Fellowship
*Note Location Change: This week ABF will be meeting at the home of the Farnsworth's at 1358 San Rafael at 9:30am.
This Sunday we continue our study on "Statistics in the Christian Church" Presented by Mark Bates
This class will explore the many uses of statistics in research and media as they pertain to the Christian church and will examine some ground-breaking surveys and studies.
January 11-"How Do We Grow?"
In this class, we will examine how to measure church data, and discuss what it means for a church to "grow." We will examine some of the barriers to effective data collection, and debate to what extent numbers can truly tell the story of the health of a church, conference, or denomination.
January 18-"What Do We Tolerate?"
This third class will look at some surveys that focus on a Christian's tolerance of a number of moral issues. We will discuss how those numbers have changed over time, as well as what makes "Christian belief" different from the world's.
January 25-Conclusion
Our last week will be spent discussing issues that have not been addressed and to answer questions upon which statistics has shed light.
Mark Bates is a mathematics professor at Oxnard College where he has taught for the past 10 years. During his last three years of teaching, he has specialized in the field of statistics. He and wife, Colleen Hurley-Bates, have attended our church for 20 years and are the parents of Olivia. Mark has served as a delegate for the Free Methodist General Conference.
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Women's Stretch & Powerwalk
Saturday Jan. 31st 9-11am
After the holiday treats and new year's resolutions, it's time for a powerwalk! We meet first at 9am for a few warm-up stretches in the upper room led by Tracy Schmidt. We will then leave on 1 of 3 different paths designed for varying levels of abilities to accommodate ALL Walkers!
Tracy will lead the walkers' BOOT CAMP which will be the most strenuous, including a walk to the harbor and back with sit-ups and push-ups along the way! Moms with jogging strollers are welcome!
Our mid-level will be a self-paced walk from the upper room down Santa Cruz Blvd. through Shoreline Park down the hill to the beach cafe, circling the parking lot kiosk and returning up the hill back to the upper room.
Our easy level will be a flat walk, easily do-able for seniors and those who have difficulty walking up and down hills. Cheryl will drive us in her van to one end of Shoreline Park to allow women to walk the length of Shoreline Park and back to the lot and ride back up the hill to the upper room.
After our return to the upper room at 10:15am, we will have more stretches with a devotional as well as fellowship with fruit and light breakfast food.
Childcare is available if reserved by Sat. Jan. 24th by calling Nelda Nutter at 965-1338x226
Join us and bring a Walking friend! |
FM Flashpoints
>> Bereavement
The Free Methodist family grieves the tragic death of Ryan Bartlett, missionary to Malawi. He died as a result of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident Tues., Dec. 2, in Malawi. Ryan and a friend were returning from delivering maize to pastors when the accident occurred. Please be in prayer for Ryan's wife, Katie, and their three daughters: Anna (8), Lydia (6), and Ella (3). The Bartletts have been in Malawi since May 2007 working to train pastors and leaders at the Great Commission Bible School. A memorial service was held Mon., Dec. 15, in Medford, OR.
>> Spain
Josh Fajardo extends this invitation: "Do you enjoy bicycling? Join us for 'A Pilgrimage with a Purpose: Cycling the Way of St. James.' Riders from Light and Life Christian Community in Rivas (Madrid), Spain, will travel this route April 29-May 11, with the goal of raising support for Spain Country Shares. These country shares support leadership development, evangelism efforts and ministry centers in this spiritually hungry country." For information, go to www.thefajardos.com and click "cycling tour."
>> Cambodia
Recently 27 young people attended a three-day Sunday school training seminar. The Cambodia evangelism committee also held a recent training event, after which an evangelistic team of 20 conducted village outreach. |
About Free Methodist Church
Our Mission is to win people to Christ, establish them in the faith, and equip them for ministry.
Free Methodist Church
1435 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, California 93109
805-965-1338
www.fmcsb.org
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