|
|
|
|
|
Worship Service Schedules
8am
Traditional
Service
9:30am
Contemporary Service
11:00 am Contemporary Service
|
|
|
|
May 2013
The Family Church
'Family Connections' Newsletter
|
A Word from Max 
Those of you who were in church during the month of April know that we have been talking a lot about chairs; particularly the four "seats" of discipleship. This concept was more than simply a nice visual for a series of sermons. It can serve as a template against which you can measure your growth as a disciple. The more of these seats you are filling regularly, and the more time you are spending in these seats, the more likely it is that you are not only growing as a disciple, but also that you are becoming more and more like Jesus.
Let's Recap:
First, there is your "chair." This is the place you meet with Jesus daily. Just as Jesus got up early each morning and went off to a quiet place alone, where He prayed (Mark 1:35), so it is important for each of us to have that daily time the Him. With a Bible, a journal, a pen, and some time, you can prepare to literally meet Jesus every day, hear from Him, and record what He is saying to you. Studies have shown that this is the single most productive spiritual practice of all of them. I hope you have picked out your chair, and made a commitment to spend regular time there.
Second, there is your "spot," I don't want anyone to become so territorial in worship that they become angry if someone else is sitting in "their spot." (And a good way to make sure you get to sit where you like is to come on time!) But, I do hope everyone in the church is prioritizing weekly corporate worship so that you are here enough to know where your "spot" is. Remember Jesus said, "Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him." Worship precedes everything else. Let's make weekly worship a priority and a habit.
|
|
I want to deviate a little from the usual format of this column to share someone else's journal entry with you. Twelve years ago, while I was serving a church in Hawaii, I met young man who had just turned 13, named Davin. Shortly after I met Davin, he got himself in some serious trouble, the kind of trouble that has the potential to ruin a person's life. I counseled with him, as did others, and Davin, trusting Jesus, began to put his life together. In just a few days, Davin will turn 25. He is following the Lord, and will be leaving to begin a term as a missionary in Southeast Asia in just a few weeks. His story is one of many that bear witness to how the Lord can not only save us, even from ourselves, but also give us a fresh, new start on life. Below is Davin's journal entry from a few days ago. Although the format is different from the one I usually use, the message is not only inspiring, but one that his life bears testimony to. I thought you would enjoy it.
Experience a New Beginning
The Bible is filled with stories about people who experienced new beginnings. Moses became a leader after being a shepherd for 40 years. Paul hated Christ until God renewed him and made him the greatest apostle of all time.
When we receive Jesus as our Savior, it is the ultimate new beginning. We become new creatures with an opportunity to learn a new way of living. But the first step to experiencing that new life is believing that it's available to you.
|
2013 Marriage Retreat
Memorial Day Weekend (24th - 27th)
from Friday Evening till Monday at Noon.
Always a big event at TFC, the marriage retreat rebuilds, organizes, and adds fun back into relationships.
As an added bonus this year, Dave Wilson (Detriot Lions Chaplain) uses sports analogies that
will help penetrate the thick-headedness
most of us males display.
LOCATION:
Sawgrass Marriott - 1000 Pga Tour Boulevard, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, 32082
(Same place where TPC Golf tournament is held each year, if your into that kind of thing...).
REGISTER NOW AT:
http://www.thefamilychurch.net/marriage.php
|
|
Worship and Arts Ministry
Hi everyone. Here we are into Q2 and we continue to add new members. Also, I feel blessed with the depth of the volunteers that serve on our teams. One such member is Jon Alexander that plays pedal steel for us a few times each month and teaches school during the week...I'll let Jon take it from here:
I am a long time resident of the North Central Florida area.
I teach 6th grade world history in Bradford County and play pedal steel guitar, acoustic and electric guitar having performed with and collaborated with many musicians in the area. I have been playing steel guitar at the Family Church for the last three years. It has been a great privilege to work with the the gifted and accomplished members of the production team and to witness first hand their dedication and commitment to a spirit filled worship of The Lord.
Jon Alexander
Again, we are blessed to have Jon & others like him on our team...great thing is; we have a place for you too!
Come join us as we grow, Larry
|
|
"WELCOME TO MOE'S"
Would you care to accept Jesus?
Scott lives in Ohio but has a number of rental properties in Gainesville. A few times each year he comes to Gainesville to check on his rentals. When he is here, he visits our church if his stay includes a Sunday.
On April 14th, Scott attended our 9:30 service and brought an unmarried couple that lives in one of his rental homes with him. After the service, he introduced me to this young couple in the lobby. The guy was talkative and expressed his interest to get back to church and make his relationship with the Lord a priority but his fiancée wasn't saying anything.
CLICK HERE TO READ ON
|
|
Orphan Care Ministry
"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2
As followers of Jesus, Scott and I understand from his teaching that although not everyone is called to foster or adopt, we are all clearly called to care for orphans. When we share at church (or with anyone who will listen!) about the Global Orphan Crisis many will say they feel inspired to respond but don't know what to do outside of fostering or adopting. So I wanted to share in the next few newsletters some beautifully impactful ways that anyone can be involved in orphan care.
First is a way that you can jump right in this summer and open your home for just 4-5 weeks to host an orphan child from either Eastern Europe or China. Many of these children are getting older and have been passed over so many times for a forever family. Bringing them into your home for this short time shows them that they are not forgotten by God and that someone out there truly does care. Can you imagine going your whole life and not really knowing that? What an incredible way to spend part of your summer, investing in the life of a child! Who knows, perhaps someone in your family or circle of friends will meet this child and realize that they can provide them with a permanent home? One simple month of hosting a child and you have provided just the door God swung open to change the rest of this child's life!
CLICK HERE TO READ ON
|
|
Missions Ministry
 | | Jeff West |
Responding to Muslim Terrorists
There is often a visceral response when we observe senseless actions of violence against innocent people. When this occurs within the borders of our own country, it rapidly moves from general emotions to becoming personal. When these situations arise, we must be diligent to avoid two extremes of errors while maintaining our focus on the biblical truths that should channel our reactions toward righteous actions.
The first extreme reaction is to hate all Muslims and incorrectly label all Muslims as terrorists. The Family Church vision statement to love God and make disciples everywhere is inspired by the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. That Great Commandment is to love God whole-heartedly and love our neighbors. There is no place for hating people. Yes we can hate evil and evil actions. Yes we desire and should pursue justice. It is easy to forget, however, that we all need mercy. The Apostle Paul terrorized Christians before he met and was transformed by Jesus. If all Muslims are labeled terrorists, that pejorative appelation builds walls that inhibit our desire to reach out and hinders our effectiveness in loving and liberating the lost.
The second extreme reaction is to deny the harsh reality about Islam as a religion and religious system. We see the nice Muslim family that lives next door and incorrectly believe that the extreme actions of terrorists are a distortion of a peaceful religion. We are tempted to think that because the people are nice, the religion cannot be that bad. Make no mistake about it, where Islam is the dominant religion, Christians and Christianity are severely oppressed. When the foundational differences between Islam and Christianity is ignored, and the understanding that "hate" is not an option, then the ever popular, but equally dangerous, value of tolerance opposes the truth of the gospel. If all religions are created equal, then the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations is senseless.
|
|
Youth Ministry
Events
RADIANT
SUMMER BREAKOUT TOUR 2013
Weeklong mission camp to West Palm Beach, FL July 21-26.
The cost is $160. Sign up online: atwww.tfcsummer2013.eventbrite.com.
Space is limited and already filling up.
FUZE Student Ministries Summer Internship
2 weeks of intensive spiritual growth and leadership development around TFC pastors and staff.
It happens Monday to Thursday on the 2nd and 3rd weeks of July. Open to all TFC High School students. Contact Pastor Mark @ 332-6459 xt11 or markh@thefamilychurch.net to express interest and get an application. Limited to 10 students so, APPLY TODAY!! '
Congratulations, Graduates!
We are honoring the Class of 2013 on June 2nd.
If your son or daughter is graduating HS or college, please contact markh@thefamilychurch.net or brendah@thefamilychurch.net as soon as possible.
|
|
Men's Ministry
Adam Sandler's movie Click was about a man that was given a unique remote control that allowed him to click "play, pause and fast-forward" through his life. There are many life lessons from this comedy about why it is not good to fast-forward through life, but one button we would all benefit from is having a pause button.
Stephen Covey in his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families, wrote that we need to have a pause button when it comes to our families. Covey suggests that we need to stop and think about our decisions prior to having to make the decisions.
As Covey noted, "Family life would be a whole lot better if people acted on their deepest values instead of reacting to the emotion or circumstances of the moment." By stopping and thinking about our decisions in advance, we will often come to better and wiser decisions.
CLICK HERE TO READ ON
|
Plant's Pollinating Partners1
by Stephen F. Larner, PhD
 | |
Figure 2: Turk's cap lily, Photo Credit: Dr. ThomasBarnes/USFWS
|
Surrounding the earth is a magnetic field that protects all living things. This field, generated by well-understood and well-documented electric currents in its metallic core, impedes and filters incoming solar and stellar radiation that continually bombards earth. This radiation can do severe damage to life by causing harmful mutations that can contribute to aging and death of living things. Indeed life here would be impossible without this field.
Yet scientists to their surprise discovered the field is quickly wearing down. When reported in 1971 by creation scientist Dr. Thomas Barnes, then Professor of Physics at The University of Texas at El Paso, drew fresh attention to the fact the strength of the earth's magnetic field was decreasing5. Barnes, author of a well-regarded electromagnetism textbook6, proposed the magnetic field was caused by a decaying electric current in the earth's metallic core. Barnes calculated that at the current's existing rate of decay it could not have been declining for more than 10,000 years. Any stronger it would have been so large as to melt the earth. Therefore, the earth must be younger than that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wives and Husbands
Ephesians 5:22-33
New International Version (NIV)
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
|
The Family Church
2022 SW 122nd Street
Gainesville, FL 32607352-332-6459
Weekly Calendar
Family News
Archived Newsletters
Daily Bible Readings
and/or
Listen to Sermons and great praise music and more!
To submit questions or information regarding the newsletter,
|
|
|
|
|
|
