Issue 34 Volume 12 - Week of August 24, 2014

From Dr. Jim Weldon, Jr.

Dear FIPC Church Family,

As promised, when I run across an article which speaks to me deeply, I am committed to sharing it with you. This is one such article!

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Where Is God When I'm in Pain?

by Seth Barnes

As a leader, sometimes I'm called upon to inflict pain. I have to make decisions that hurt people in order to achieve some larger purpose.

The danger in doing so is that I can keep that pain at arm's length. It's hard to embrace pain, even when that may be what God is calling you to do.

I have to continually press into pain in life if I'm to lead well.

If you have proven yourself trustworthy to God, watch out! He may trust you with one of his most precious and misinterpreted of gifts: the gift of pain.

The prosperity gospel people have it wrong. God is probably more interested in our response to testing than he is in showering us with material blessings.

How will you do in tough times? This is the age-old bet that Satan makes with God, the best example of which we see in the book of Job. It goes like this: "I'll bet your servant is just in it for the good times, let's see how he does with a little pain in his life."

You may say to me, "Yeah, that's easy for you to say, you've never gone through what's happened to me ... you don't understand my pain." And my answer is, you're right. I can't understand your pain. But while our family is exceedingly blessed, we have also known pain of our own.

Click on the link below to read the rest of Seth's article with sections on: our personal pain, we have a choice, and God is betting on you.

http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=where-is-god-when-im-in-pain

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

Grace and Peace,

Jim Weldon

Church Celebrations

5th Quarter Like You've Never Seen It Before

5th Quarter resumed last Friday and welcomed 643 youth to the FIPC campus. Check out some of the new highlights this year. We have another 5th Quarter this Friday from 9:30 to 11:30 pm and hope to see you there.

If you want to support this great youth community outreach, we are in need of adult volunteers, bottled water, soda, homemade baked goods, and monetary donations (Donate Online). If you are a military patron, we heard that the base has Coke products 5 for $12 this week. That's a lot of soda for the price!

Ping Pong in The Shack

Sand Volleyball on the New Court

A Game of Human Foosball

Food Trays That Lasted All Night

The Newly Extended Deck That Connects the Youth Room to The Shack

Another Baptism Celebrated

This past Sunday, Chad Robert Marek celebrated the sacrament of baptism with his family and friends. Chad has been attending FIPC since he participated in the 2013 Baccalaureate service held here.

FIPC Ministries and Missions Support

At FIPC, we consider it a privilege for members to joyously give their tithes and offerings in support of the work of the Lord here. In the same manner, in celebration of the Lord's provision, we as a church generously give to support other ministries and missions. Below is a list of the ministries and missions that we have supported so far this year:

Boy Scouts

Compassion International

First Coast Missional Communities

First Coast Women's Services

Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs

Jordan and Jinky Larson (Missionaries to the Philippines)

Living Waters for the World

Mercy Network

Presbytery of St. Augustine

Presbytery of St. Augustine (Jamaica Ecumenical Mutual Mission)

ROW--Rivers of the World

Salvation Army

Seamark Ranch

The Crossing Church

The Outreach Foundation (Rev. Dr. Jose Carlos)

The Way Free Medical Clinic

Church Announcements

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--Donate Online!

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:

August 31 - Mike Horst - To Be Announced

September 7 - Pastor Jim - How To Build A Christ Centered Home. Deuteronomy 6:5-9

September 14 - Pastor Jim - The Power Of Living By And Acting In Faith. Judges 6:12-16

September 21 - Pastor Jim - How Are We To Live Out Our Faith? Daniel 1:1-21

September 28 - Pastor Jim - How Are We To Live Out Our Faith? Part 2 Daniel 1:1-21

October 5 - Pastor Jim - Being Honest, Speaking The Truth In Love. Daniel 2

October 12 - Carissa Hogan - To Be Announced

Pastor Jim invites conversation on the topics before the scheduled Sunday. Dates and topics are 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

Final Payment Due: September 7

Click here for full details!

Please be praying for this very important event. Pray for the Women's Retreat Planning Team, the women signed up for the event, and the people in their lives that are making this retreat a reality for them.

Youth Ministries

Rock The Universe

Grades 8th-12th

September 5-7

Universal Studios, Orlando

Second Payment ($135) Due: August 31

Click here for full details!

Please be praying for this amazing two day event for our youth. Pray for Mike Horst, his adult chaperons, the youth registered to attend, and the parents that are financially supporting their participation.

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:

08/24/14 = 158

Ministry & Building Fund Offerings:

08/24/14 = $4,483.76

(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:

Many thanks for all who helped on all the work on The Shack.
Thank you Lord, for a smooth and uneventful move. Praise to the Lord for the wonderful friends of Lifers who helped us pack.
Carissa Hogan; Michael Tanner; 643 kids at 5th Quarter.
5th Quarter Team.
WooHoo! Good job 5th Quarter Team.

Prayer Requests:

For our community.
For our church's growth in spirit, connections, and number.
For those who do not know Christ.
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:

Horst family in the loss of Mike's grandfather.
Suzanne S., Sandy May's sister, health issues; London B. (3rd grader) at my school, losing her sight; going through testing for other health issues.
God bless Mike Horst and his family for their loss. Sydney who is living with MS.
Shannon, Lorraine, Jerry, Lou, Adrianna.
Ann is home nursing a cold. Please lift her up in prayer and for quick recovery to full health.
For my daughter, Missy, for her safe travels to Soeul Korea. Dear God, bless her and move her closer to you.
For my children who are facing changes in their lives.
Elizabeth, Mike & family. For Sydney and her struggle with MS and for my grandparents and my grandma.
Karen and Doris' health. All who are sick and suffering.
Please pray for Leigh Ann's father as he recovers from triple bypass surgery and a minor stroke.
My mother, Barbara, suffered a stroke and is now in a nursing home for re-hab. She isn't being motivated to try to recover and is suffering from depression. Prayers needed for her and my father.
Carol-Anne Hallam who is caring for her mother, Ruth Thomas.
Prayer for friend, Lucy, dying from cancer, reduce her pain; allow to go home.
Pray for Christians who are being persecuted for their faith. Pastor Saaed.
Carolyn, migranes; Evan, job; church and gov't leaders.
David Norton USAF; Brandon Norton USAF; Ruth T. and other church members that are ill.
Step dad to regain his strength, mom as she cares for him. Brother, heath issues.
For all those who are suffering from mental illness that they reach out for help.
For our pastor and staff who care for us on a daily basis.

This Week's Funny

Labor Day Holiday

Monday, September 1st

See how Maxine weighs in on this holiday--Happy Labor Day!

This Week's Devotional

"God's Rod and Staff Comfort, Not Condemn"

by Rick Warren

PurposeDriven.com

This Week's Devotional

"But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness."
(Psalm 86:15 NIV)

God is a God of compassion. Psalm 86:15 says, "But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (NIV). The Bible also says, "God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:3b NCV).

Some of you may have grown up with a father who was full of judgment and distanced himself from you. But that's not who God is. God isn't that father. God is the Father who is full of mercy. God is the Father who is full of comfort. That is the kind of relationship he offers to you.

If you're going to have hope, you've got to see who God really is. You've got to see that he doesn't come into your life to make you feel judged but to let you know he really cares.

What's God really like? God is all about being a part of your everyday life. God is about being close to you. God is about having a relationship with you. The Bible says in Psalm 23:4, "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (NIV).

Some of you who struggle with seeing God as condemning are going, "See right there! He is a condemning God. He's got a rod and a staff, and he's out to get me. There's the proof."

Let me tell you what this is about. This verse is comforting, not condemning. God's rod and staff are not out to get you or punish you. They comfort you. How? Picture a shepherd and his sheep. The shepherd uses a rod to discipline the sheep and a staff to direct the sheep. If a sheep is headed off of a cliff, the shepherd uses the rod and staff to make sure it doesn't. Wouldn't you agree that's a good thing? When you're heading off a cliff, God will bring discipline and direction into your life to keep you from falling off that cliff. It's not condemning; it's comforting, because somebody loves you enough to tell you when you're headed the wrong direction.

That is the kind of God who loves us. That is the kind of God who comforts us. That is the kind of God who gives us hope.

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