Issue 33 Volume 12 - Week of August 17, 2014

From Dr. Jim Weldon, Jr.

Dear FIPC Church Family,

Have you ever thought of how big God is? When you think of God, is He a giant? An old man with a white beard? What does God look like? How big is He? I ran across this article and wanted to share it with you...

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How Big is God Exactly?

Stop for a second. Take a deep breath and open your mind up as big as it goes. It's your brain's equivalent to opening your mouth wide for a really big bite - your eyes are squinty, and you're stretching as wide as you can, attempting to take in something new and delicious.

When was the last time you did this, the last time you really stretched your mind to think about our vast and powerful God? We don't do it often.

When it comes to our relationships with God, I think we do the food equivalent of nibbling. We nibble a bit of scripture here, a worship service there, but all the while we're missing the massive feast that is our Creator.

It's no wonder we sometimes mistake God for being small. We do that-you and I. We make God us-sized, forgetting how truly big and great he is, thinking that he operates with the same kind of power and authority that you and I do. We take a nibble and feel satisfied for the moment, but rarely overwhelmed by the power of our God.

But today, I want that to change. I want our minds to be stretched wide open, taking in more of God than we have in a long time, allowing his power and his might to wash over us, maybe spilling down our shirt a little.

It's ok to nibble, and it's normal for us to do it. But the problem is we sometimes come up against problems that are bigger than the nibble is able to sustain. In the face of great loss, sickness, or hardship, a Bible verse seems to fall flat, which leads us to believe God also falls flat in the face of our greatest strife.

But God is bigger than a Bible verse, bigger than a worship service, bigger than those who represent (or sometimes mis-represent) Him. Stretch your mind with me, and lets talk about some of the things God has made. Think about the sky. If it's nighttime, take a second to go look out your window or to stand in the back yard with your eyes on the heavens. How many stars can you see? A few? A bunch? The sky is beautiful in a way that reminds us of the greatness of God. But the crazy thing is: we can barely see a tiny fraction of the hugeness of what he made. Scientists estimate there are billions of galaxies in the universe, with each containing billions of stars. When you look out your window at night, you're not looking at the universe. You're looking at just one of billions of galaxies.

You're looking at the Milky Way, and only even seeing a portion of it. Most stars in our galaxy are too far away to see with your naked eye. Is your brain hurting yet? So how does knowing about stars and galaxies and standing in our back yards with our eyes on the sky help our relationships with God? Why does it matter if we understand the bigness of God? I think it gives us three tangible benefits.

We trust him. Sometimes life feels like is just too big. We're faced with problems, hurts, or losses that leave us feeling like a toy ship in the middle of the sea. And when our Bible verse falls short, we're left wondering if this issue is too big for God as well. Rest assured, today, your problems are not too big for God. You may be a tiny toy boat in the middle of the wild ocean, but God created that wild ocean, and that's not even close to the greatest of his creations. God is bigger than your problem and he is capable of helping you solve it. God, the creator of all this, sent his son Jesus down to earth because he LOVES you. He sent Jesus to give you the greatest gift of all, eternal life. If he gave us his only son, what makes us think he won't take care of us? We can trust him.

We explore him. It's time to take bigger bites. The Lord is infinite, endless, and majestic. We can dive deeply into him forever and never come close to the bottom. But just like we are today, thinking about his creation and the limitlessness of it will leave us absolutely amazed the more we learn and see. Dive into him, read his word, pray, ask him to reveal himself to you, step out in nature to see the wonder of his creation. Explore him and I promise you'll never find an end to him. You'll be amazed beyond your wildest dreams at what you do find.

We worship him. God is the creator of it all. He deserves all of our honor, glory, and worship. And this is what we can do in response. We can stand in the middle of a field, or next to that great ocean, or in our own back yards and praise the one who created it all. How's that for a big bite?

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Maybe, the God you imagine is too small? Take a big bite and see what happens.

Remember...God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good!

Grace and Peace,

Jim Weldon

Church Celebrations

Trivia Night & Silent Auction A Huge Success!

We had 66 people attend our Trivia Night & Silent Auction Friday night. We raised approximately $3,500 of our $5,000 fundraising goal. Thank you to all of the people who supported this event. A special thank you to the following families and local businesses who donated items for the Silent Auction:

Arlette's Place Home Decor & Gifts

Artsy Abode

Bedsole Family

Brewer Family

Broudy's Liquor

Butler Family

Cafcules Family

Carmike Theaters

Dillards

Dryden Family

Eagle Harbor Dental

Englander

Hand & Stone Massage & Facial Spa

Hersperger Family

Image Artistic Salon

LongHorn Steakhouse

Massage Envy

Hersperger Family

Mike and Sharon Horst

Mike Shad Auto Nation

Orange Park Furniture

Pearle Vision Fleming Island Vision Center

POSH Upscale Consignment Boutique

Rita Veres

Rose McEachern

Salina Nails

Tina Calloway

Vanderpool Family

Weldon Family

Whataburger

This event would not have been possible without their support!

Thank You For Your Service

We want to thank Reese Stansberry for his significant service for over a year as our part-time Building & Grounds Supervisor. Reese resigned from his position with FIPC to pursue a full-time position utilizing his extensive education. We wish him well as he seeks God's will for his future career. Reese will continue to play a vital role as the lead bass player in our worship band.

Church Announcements

Mercy Support Services'

2014 Annual Benefit Concert

Friday, August 22

7:00-9:00 pm

Celebration Church OP Campus

You are invited to participate in the Mercy Support Services' annual benefit concert which will generate funds to assist displaced families on their journey to self-sufficiency. Join them in celebrating God's mercy through praise & worship. Invite your friends & family. Admission is free: Love Offering will be taken. Pick up a flyer in our Gathering Area after worship Sunday.

Help Needed
Worship Team

(Sunday Morning Singers, Musicians, & Audio Visual)

Our Worship Team rehearsals will kick off again on Tuesday, September 9 at 7:00 pm. If you can sing, play a musical instrument (particularly drums or guitar), or run audio visual equipment, your church family needs you on our Worship Team. Come check us out on September 9th or contact Mike Horst for more information.

Help Needed

Hospitality Ministry Team

(Sunday Morning Refreshments)

The Hospitality Ministry Team has five established teams who serve one time per month to provide welcoming refreshments in support of our Worship Ministry. We have a couple of teams that could use an additional person or couple. Training is absolutely free. If you can assist with this special ministry, please contact Michael Loader at 269-5304 or write a note on your yellow welcome card during worship.

5th Quarter Is Back!

Help us put on the best 5th Quarter season yet! Donations of the following items are needed:

dry snack goods (chips, pretzels, candy)
canned soda (no diet please)
bottled water
hot snack items (tailgating fare)
firewood
monetary donations

Stop by the Golden Eagle in the Gathering Area to pick up a football tag with specific donation items that are still needed.

We also need 40 plus adult volunteers for each 5th Quarter event. Stop by the 5th Quarter Volunteer Table in the Gathering Area to sign up to volunteer at one or more of the events. The volunteers have almost as much fun as the youth!

5th Quarter Dates

August 22

August 29

September 12

September 26

October 3

October 24

Blackboard writings A good example is the best sermon

Upcoming Messages

Don't miss out on the important messages that FIPC has planned this summer:

August 24 - Pastor Jim Weldon - How to Handle Temptation Part 3 James 1:2-18

August 31 - Mike Horst - To be announced

September 7 - Pastor Jim - How to Build a Christ Centered Home Deuteronomy 6:5-9

Pastor Jim invites conversation on the topics before the scheduled Sunday.

Dates and topics subject to change.

Adult Ministries

Christian Growth Classes

September 14

Worship Building

We would love for you to join the church and continue your discipleship journey by partaking in one of these classes. If you are interested in joining the church or attending one of the classes, please contact the Director of Membership Sara Dryden. 1st Base, please sign up ahead of time in order to receive information to be discussed at the meeting.

Women's Beach Retreat

One Ocean Resort & Spa

September 20-21

Single room rate $ 275

Double room rate $ 185

Triple room rate $ 160

Quad room rate $ 145

Final Payment Due: September 7

The above rates are for a luxury room at the exquisite, award winning One Ocean Resort & Spa. These rates also include the following:

Saturday Lunch at North Beach Fish Camp
Saturday Dinner at Ragtime
Sunday Breakfast

Pick up a brochure at worship on Sunday or in the Church Office during the week for additional details and to register. Or, register online today!

Youth Ministries

Rock The Universe

Grades 8th-12th

September 5-7

Universal Studios, Orlando

Rock The Universe is Florida's biggest Christian music festival. This is going to be a fantastic weekend of worshiping Christ with bands such as Third Day, Jeremy Camp, Toby Mac, and Lacrea, as well as a great time for our youth group to fellowship and have fun at Universal Studios. The trip will be chaperoned by 5 qualified FIPC leaders.

Departing from FIPC on Friday, September 5 at 4:00 pm. Staying at the newly established, Cabana Bay Resort on Universal Property. We will have early access to the park on Saturday morning before it opens!

Cost of the trip: $275.00
Second Payment: $135.00 (Due August 31)
Cost includes: Travel, 2 night stay hotel accommodations, 2 full days (Saturday and Sunday) in Universal/Islands of Adventure with park hopper passes, and Rock the Universe admission Friday and Saturday nights!

Make your final payment online today!

In This Issue

Church Celebrations

Church Announcements

Adult Ministries

Youth Ministries

Thank You

Thanks and Prayer Requests

This Week's Funny

This Week's Devotional

FIPC Calendar

A Record of Our Faithfulness

FIPC is a member supported church.

We do not receive any outside funding. Everything we do is made possible through your faithful giving.

Attendance:

08/17/14 = 191

Ministry & Building Fund Offerings:

08/17/14 = $7,476.81

(2014 weekly need = $10,048)

Offering envelopes are available in the church bulletin for cash offerings. The envelopes are not necessary for checks. If you ever have any questions about FIPC finances, please contact our CFO & Church Administrator, Dawn Vanderpool, at the church office at (904) 269-2412 ext. 701.

Sunday Worship

Worship Service is held every Sunday morning
10:00 AM

Attire is casual. It is an uplifting, come as you are service.

God never intended for us to go it alone!

We want to help you find the Small Group where you can you grow in your faith and have some fun doing it!

ChristLife - Senior High Youth

Fuel - Jr. High Youth Group

ROCK / Children

Thank You Notes

Thanks to:

The Hospitality Team for Sunday morning refreshments!

The counting team for your continued service to your church!

Our Awesome Worship Band!

Those who helped usher/greet last Sunday!

Our Children's Ministry Volunteers!

Our Youth Ministry Team!

Announcements

Announcements for the e-newsletter, power point slide show during worship, and web site should be emailed to Dawn Vanderpool by 9 am on Mondays.

Announcements for the bulletin should be emailed to Sara Dryden by 10 am on Tuesdays.

Christian Counseling Center

A ministry of Fleming Island Presbyterian Church, The Christian Counseling Center of FIPC is an outreach of the church to our community.

Church Staff

If you would like to contact a church staff member please go to our website.

Facebook

Check out our Facebook page! It's a great way to add photos of events and stay in contact with your church.

Quick Links

Register Now

News

Related Topics

More On Us

Thanks and Prayer Requests

Praise / Thanks:

To God for all the new families He is bringing to us.
To God for blessing us abundantly.
To God for His Word revealed to us in the Bible.
To God for all those who work so hard behind the scenes.
To God for our Hospitality Ministry.
To God for our Sunday School Team.
To God for our Youth Group Leaders.
To God for our Great Worship Band and AV Team.
To God for all those folks who pray each day for FIPC.

Praise from the Welcome Cards:

Great job Mike!
Good job Mike!
Thank you to God and my wife. Their love never fails, never runs out, never gives up on me. I am blessed.
Wonderful music! Great job Mike!
Surgery for Doris went well.
Trivia Night results and team who served you, Jesus.
The Women's Retreat Team. The women who are coming to the retreat.
Donna Bedsole, thanks for your ability to get all those Silent Auction goodies. Impressive. The Lord's blessings!
Mike, excellent sermon to me and my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I am going through some difficulties right now and Mike's delivery of the message this morning was amazing. He did a phenomenal job.
Mike, wonderful sermon. Music.
Convicting message.
Molly is finishing her degree in Special Education.
Safe return of Chris from Marine duties in CA.
Great children's message, Joie. Love our praise band. Fantastic sermon by Mike Horst.
Wonderful service, the Holy Spirit was present. Love seeing old faces and new.

Prayer Requests:

For our community.
For our church's growth in spirit, connections, and number.
For those who do not know Christ.
For our Church's Pastor and Staff.
The grace to live out our faith.
For our FIPC Pastor, Staff, Elders, Deacons and their families.
For families and individuals who are hurting.
For the PCUSA and FIPC's response to the changes. For our Denominational Relations Committee.
Martha Williams, health.
Faircloth family.
Sydney Ward.

Prayers from the Welcome Cards:

Doris, Dale Capito's mom, recovering from surgery.
Ruth, Carol-Anne Hallam's mom, recovering at home.
Dawn D.'s father in St. Vincent's hospital.
Students going back to school; students going back to college; people who are struggling financially; for continued recovery for my mom.
Dawn and Tami DeAbreu's father's health. He is in ICU and we need to pray for healing and support for the family.
For my daughter to find her way back to Christ.
Kyle K. family. Klye, 22, died 2 weeks ago, hit by a motorcycle; church and gov't leaders.
Pray for Jan L. to give her strength and wisdom as she is fighting cancer.
Successful school year for my grandchildren.
That we get good results on report for Dale's mom, Doris.
Doris' recovery from colon cancer surgery. All who are sick and suffering.
Kevin H. recovering from last week's motorcycle accident.

This Week's Funny

5th Quarter Kicks Off This Friday

August 22 from 9:30 - 11:30 pm

Don't forget to join us this Friday night immediately following the Fleming Island High School football game for the kick off of our 5th Quarter season. We expect 500 plus youth, so we need all hands on deck. As Pastor Jim would say, "This Is An All Skate Event!" We don't have enough soda (no diet please) or bottled water to cover even our first event. If you want to donate some for this week, please drop it off at the church office Thursday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., bring it up Friday night after 8:00 p.m., or contact Sara Dryden. If you want to donate for future weeks (we will have 5 more events), bring your donation items to church on Sunday. 5th Quarter is not possible without the donations from our church family and local businesses. Thank you!

This Week's Devotional

"How To Rekindle Lost Love"

by Rick Warren

PurposeDriven.com

This Week's Devotional

"You have left the love you had in the beginning. So remember where you were before you fell. Change your hearts and do what you did at first."

(Revelation 2:4-5 NCV)

At first glance you may not think the book of Revelation - with its images of beasts, lambs, and angels - has anything to do with romance and the kind of affection needed to sustain a growing marriage.

But it does.

In Revelation 2:4-5, Jesus uses an analogy from romantic love to describe the relationship of a church that had gone astray. Jesus said to the church of Laodicea: "You have left the love you had in the beginning. So remember where you were before you fell. Change your hearts and do what you did at first" (NCV).

He tells us to do four things that are important when recapturing our marriage: remember, return, repent, and repeat.

Remember. Think about what you did in your first days together that made you fall in love in the first place. Think about the happy days. Stop thinking about all the problems you have now, and remember how your love began.

Return. Return your focus to God. Your focus is likely on everything but God. It's likely on your problems, your pressures, your stresses, and your career. But if you want to return to your first love, you need to turn your attention back to God.

Repent. Choose to change how you think and act. Love isn't a feeling, but it creates feelings - sometimes enormous feelings. But love is a choice. It's a commitment to put someone else's best interest over your own. Anything other than that isn't love. God couldn't command it if it were a feeling. Yet God commands us over and over in his Word to choose to love others (including our spouses). When you make a choice to love your spouse as Jesus would when you haven't been doing so, that's called repentance.

Do what you did at first. Do what you did when you first fell in love. Feelings always follow actions. It's easier to act your way into a feeling than to feel your way into an action. If you wait to feel affectionate and romantic, the devil will make sure you never feel it. So you choose to act in a loving way, and the feelings will come back.

The kind of affection that leads to a lasting relationship tends to seep out of marriages. It's almost inevitable at some point. But how will you deal with it when it does?

The practice of "remember, return, repent, and repeat" should be continual in any marriage.

Fleming Island Presbyterian Church 1743 County Road 220 Fleming Island, FL 32003 904-269-2412 www.myfipc.org Directions