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NEWSLETTER
Wednesday Edition |
February 20, 2013 |
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A Loving Community
Theme for February |
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Greetings! |
What is your idea of a loving community? If Christianity's take on love is what 1 Corinthians 13 says it is, then it is only fair to conclude that loving includes serving others, cultivating its practice and thriving in its afterglow. True love cannot exist without loving God. And loving your neighbor can never happen unless you love yourself first. That's what Jesus said. Does that sound selfish? At first blush, you might think, yes, it is selfish. But think again. How can you love someone else if you do not have it in you to love yourself to begin with? That's where the secret lies. You can't be a loving person to anyone else unless you truly love yourself. And loving yourself is not going to happen unless you love God back, because it's a given that God loves you, no matter who you are, what you are, where you are, how you are or when! The Church Staff |
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Tonight is the Night! | |
THE PINK INK
The "Pink Ink" group starts its first meeting tonight at 8:00 p.m. after the "Awakening" service in church. Pastor Joannie and Tessa Charles will be leading out. This is for women. The book resource is called "The Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free" NANCY LEIGH DeMOSS, MOODY PUBLISHERS, CHICAGO.
If you live a distance from the church it may be possible for you to join the meeting by Skype. We are not certain yet. It will depend on whether wi-fi is currently available at the church. We'll let you know by next meeting.
THE AWAKENING
Just a plug for the "Awakening." It starts every Wednesday evening at the church at 7:00 p.m. It is praise and worship, sharing, learning, teaching all rolled into one. It is probably an experience difficult to stay away from once you begin attending. Come and join us!
INTERCESSORS' GROUP MEETING
Also after the "Awakening" is the Intercessors' group meeting. Bring your prayer requests. We also take the prayer requests from the Contact Cards you pass in during the time your gifts and offerings are received in church. Prayer requests are also honored and prayed over during our staff meetings. Please use the Contact Card inserted in your church bulletin to write your prayer requests on, and use it also for address changes (postal, e-mail, or otherwise) and for any other message you'd like to convey to the church staff. You can put your name on it or leave it anonymous, your choice. |
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Kingdom Life |
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Pastor Hansel |
Do not miss out on the "Kingdom Life" workshop/seminar on Sunday, 10:30 a.m., at the GL Office. It is life-inspiring. It is a load-lightening time (as in baggage?) It is an experience worth having, at least even once. No blame, no guilt, no shame. No kidding! Pastor Hansel leads out. Dynamite! |
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FOCUS: THE SMALL GROUP | 
The Monday group of Ernie and Ruth Jordan, and the Tuesday and Friday groups of Tony Luciano are going through Pastor Rick Warren's new book, "What on Earth Am I Here For?"
Ruth sent the following intro for the six-week course: "The most basic question everyone faces in life is Why am I here? What is my purpose?
"Self-help books suggest that people should look within, at their own desires and dreams, but Rick Warren says the starting place must be with God and his eternal purposes for each life. Real meaning and significance comes from understanding and fulfilling God's purposes for putting us on earth."
Ruth states further that "The Monday Night small group will be starting a study (has actually started last Monday) based on Rick Warren's latest book, "What on Earth am I Here For?," an updated book that takes The Purpose Driven Life book and goes deeper, applying it to the lifestyle of individual Christians. Join us and together we will study and discuss until we understand God's incredible plan for our lives. Rick Warren enables us to see the big picture of what life is all about so we can begin to live the life God created us to live."
TWENTY SOMETHING GROUP
Pastor Hansel and Natalie's "Twenty Something" group started meeting last Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the GL Office. This is a new small group whose focus at this time is the Basic 10 "Keys to the Kingdom." This group of young adults is a good place to invite your young adult friends to join for a fun, challenging bible study.
SMALL GROUPS YOU CAN JOIN
Sunday, 7:00 p.m.- GL Office - Hansel/Natalie Orzame (626) 487-1549
Monday, 7:30 p.m.- GL Office - Ernie/Ruth Jordan (626) 667-7345
Tuesday, 12 noon - GL Office - Tony Luciano (909) 468-1406
Wednesday, 8:00 p.m. - Church - Joannie Alano/Tessa Charles
(626) 391-4426 / (626) 833-8377
8:00 p.m. - Church - Intercessors' Group
Thursday, 7:30 p.m. - L.A. - Alcaraz Residence - Medy/Irma Alcaraz
(323) 255-2112
Friday, 7:30 p.m. - GL Office - Tony/Lelit Luciano (909) 468-1406
7:30 p.m. - Glendale - Pasco Residence - Ademir/Kay Pasco
(818) 243-2606
7:30 p.m. - GL Office - LOL - Martin Cabrera, Jr. (626) 917-6422
START A SMALL GROUP
We need volunteers to either host and/or lead small groups. Small groups can be just three or four people getting together for a reason. No experience needed to be a host. Just offer your house or office to be a meeting place. Many of you who have been attending small groups for a while are now potential leaders of new small groups! Let the church staff know. Pastor Tony is in charge of small group fellowships or bible study groups. Remember that small groups do not necessarily have to be teaching groups. They can be fellowship/support groups or certain ministry groups, too. You decide. |
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Over a Cup of Coffee | 
Pastor Joannie's Coffee Ministry is going well. Every Saturday afternoon at about 4:00 p.m. she sets up coffee and cookies for the early church goers to sit around or just mill around for the goodies before the 5:00 p.m. church service. It is something she enjoys doing, she says. It's one of her ministries.
Sometimes, somebody may want to volunteer doing it for one Saturday evening, just like Ruby Dijamco did a couple of weeks ago. And that's ok. Just let Pastor Joannie know beforehand. Otherwise, it's Pastor Joannie's "baby," and we thank her for this service.
One thing to remember: this is only available through 4:45 p.m. If you come later than that, chances are you won't have that cup of coffee, or the cookies, either. |
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MARKETPLACE MINISTRY | |
Faith is spelled "risk"
"Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" (Matt 14:29-30).
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Jesus told Peter to get out of the boat. There is always a risk when we attempt something never done before. Naysayers seem to come out of the wood work. Why? Because it's not their vision, it's yours. Sometimes we fail the first time out. It's a fact that most entrepreneurs fail before they are really successful.
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"Success," said Winston Churchill, "is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Everybody fails. It's part of the process that leads us to maturity and success. Most successful entrepreneurs don't think of their failures as defeats. They think of them as lessons.
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If you hope to succeed, learn everything you can from your failures. In The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar, Orlando Magic executive Pat Williams observed, "Our experiences may not all be triumphs and successes, but so what? Failure is usually a far better teacher than success - if we are willing to learn the lessons. As Houston Astros pitcher Larry Dierker observed, 'Experience is the best teacher, but a hard grader. She gives the test first, the lesson later.'"*
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God never gets mired in our past failures. He is constantly viewing our lives with future success in mind. "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Isa. 43:19). Someone once said, "When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave." God wants to give us new dreams that are bigger than anything that has ever happened to us in the past.
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Don't let past failures keep you from future successes.
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*Pat Williams and Jay Strack, The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar (Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 2004), p. 103.
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(Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders)
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CHURCH GREETERS | |
February 23 - Vonnie & Tito Cabrera
March 2 - Penny & Conrad Miranda
March 9 - Eunice Alinsod
March 16 - Lelit & Tony Luciano
March 23 - Ruby & Ding Dijamco
March 30 - Linda & Danny Santos |
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Office Address: 1414 S. Azusa Ave., Suites 20-21, W. Covina, CA 91791
Church Address: 18901 E. Amar Rd., Walnut, CA 91789
MAILING ADDRESS: 436 Crestwood Lane, Walnut, CA 91789
Telephone: (626) 965-4300
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| Meditation |
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God, sometimes I wonder why in the world I go through the things I do. What lesson is it that I am supposed to learn? I rejoice in the times You have allowed me to have "faith experiences"--times that have tested and strengthened my faith in You.
I know that faith experiences are usually not easy, but they end up being a blessing in disguise. Thank You for holding me up and keeping me from stumbling. Thank You for blessing me that I may be a blessing to others and to You.
And, Lord, thank You for working through me so that my faith experiences will be a testimony to help others who need a special touch. I love You, my Jesus. Amen. |
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