Issue 40 Volume 12 - Week of October 5, 2014

From Dr. Jim Weldon, Jr.

Dear FIPC Church Family,

Have you ever heard the expression, "the best sermons are lived and not preached?" It sounds like great advice, but what does that really mean? My friend Rick sent me this:

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What "The Best Sermon Are Lived, Not Preached" really means...

The following stories have wonderful shades of emotions. These are based on true incidences both wonderful and inspirational.

1. I slipped on the wet tile floor. A boy in a wheelchair caught me before I slammed my head on the ground. He said, "Believe it or not, that's almost exactly how I injured my back 3 years ago."

2. My father told me, "Just go for it and give it a try! You don't have to be a professional to build a successful product. Amateurs started Google and Apple. Professionals built the Titanic."

3. I asked my mentor - a very successful business man in his 70's- what his top 3 tips are for success. He smiled and said, "Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing."

4. I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I'm working on for my Psychology class. When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, "Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile."

5. I am blind by birth. When I was 8 years old, I wanted to play baseball. I asked my father- "Dad, can I play baseball?" He said "You'll never know until you try." When I was a teenager, I asked him, - "Dad can I become a surgeon?". He replied "Son, you'll never know until you try." Today after my own successful sight restoration surgery, I am a surgeon, just because I tried!

6. After a 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug. When I tensed up, she realized I didn't recognize her. She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said, "On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center."

7. After I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying. And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face.

8. Today at 7AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3PM I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.

9. As my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother's hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, "I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often."

10. I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy.

11. Today, when I witnessed a 27-year-old breast cancer patient laughing hysterically at her 2-year-old daughter's antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it again.

12. A boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, "I hope you feel better soon."

13. I was traveling in Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe. He said he hadn't eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating. The first thing the man said was, "We can share it."

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We ALL preach a message with how we live our lives. It is true, the best sermons are lived, not preached. What sermon are you preaching?

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

Grace and Peace,

Jim Weldon

Church Announcements

Operation Christmas Child

Collection Begins this Sunday - November 4

Shoebox Packing Party: Wednesday, November 5 at 6:30 pm

Worship Building

* Join us in helping children of the world experience the joy of Christmas. We will be collecting items to place in the shoe boxes all month long!

We need the following items:

Toothbrushes/paste
Coloring books/crayons
Hair brushes/combs/hair clips
Pencils/pens/sharpeners
Writing pads
Socks
Sun Glasses
Ball caps
Toy jewelry
Small stuffed animals (new)
Small toys (new): cars, dolls, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, slinkies, etc.

Please no war related items, food, liquids/lotions, medications/vitamins, or breakable items.

Bring your items to church and drop them in one of the collection bins, or bring them by the church office. Contact Sara Dryden or Mike Horst for more details.

Christmas Choir Ensemble

Rehearsals Begin

October 7 (Tonight) @ 6:30 pm

Sanctuary

* Looking for men and women, grades 8 to adult, to participate in this year's Christmas Choir Ensemble for the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

* Don't have to be able to read music--we will help you with all of that!

* We'll be singing standard Christmas songs! Just need to be able and willing to make a joyful noise and sing out your best Christmas cheer.

* Sign up on your yellow welcome cards during worship or contact Mike Horst.

Car Show

October 11

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

FIPC Front Lawn

Clay County Cruzers 7th Annual Back to the 50s Car Show. Fun for the entire family! Proceeds go to Scholarships for Clay County High School Seniors and FIPC Ministries.

Blood Drive

October 11

10 am - 2 pm

FIPC Front Lawn

During the Car Show. Bring a Florida Driver's License or State ID to the blood mobile.

It's 5th Quarter Season!

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

homemade desserts
monetary donations--Donate Online!

We also need 40 plus adult volunteers for each 5th Quarter event. Contact Laura Hesperger to sign up or write it on your yellow welcome card during worship. 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:

October 12 - Carissa Hogan - To Be Announced

October 19 - Pastor Jim - How Are We To Live Out Our Faith? Part 2. Daniel 1:1-21

October 26 - Pastor Jim - Being Honest, Speaking The Truth In Love. Daniel 2

November 6 - Pastor Jim - The Price of Following Christ.

Daniel 3

November 9 - Pastor Jim - Trust God and Keep the Faith.

Daniel 4

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

Adult Ministries

Courageous

Men's Small Group

Every Other Wednesday @ 6:30 p.m.

Meets every other Wednesday in contacts' homes for fellowship and Bible study. For more information, contact Paul Bedsole or Jim Brewer.

Great Banquet

Women's

November 6-9

Men's

November 20-23

Mandarin Presbyterian Church

Great Banquet

72 hour spiritual retreat held at Mandarin Presbyterian Church. Sign up on your yellow welcome card during worship or contact Elder Iris Cruice.

Christian Growth Classes

November 2 @ 1:00 pm

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 Director of Membership Sara Dryden. 1st Base, please sign up ahead of time in order to receive information to be discussed at the meeting.

In This Issue

Church Announcements

Adult 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.

New Members This Year: 21

Attendance:

10/05/14 = 130

Ministry & Building Fund Offerings:

10/05/14 = $7,108.70

(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

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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:

Phenomenal vacation. Thanks to Don's family for the Roos Family reunion in Jamaica. Thanks for Lord's provision, great time rebuilding family relationships, visiting, and safety, no hurricanes. Angela and Jett cared for, too (furry friends).
My husband, Paul, who is my balance in life. Carissa, great children's message.
Son and family, new life and jobs, answered prayers.
Keep up the wonderful work of God's word.
The Lord does answer prayers.
Chris and Evan, jobs.

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:

Suzanne S. (Sandy's sister) recovery from heart bypass surgery.
Ruth Thomas.
My niece, Michele, that she finds the guidance needed to succeed.
Charles Burgess family as they grieve his loss.
Church and gov't leaders.
Energy and focus to get projects completed.
Ruth Thomas, Mike McCaskey, healing. All who are sick or suffering.
Pray for Jan Lyn as she fights cancer.
Mom to do well at Brooks.
For Sydney with her struggle with God and MS. For my grandparents and my sister.
Aunt Jan, fighting lung cancer.
My daughter, Tracy, to find housing.
Prayers for friend on her doctor's appt. on Monday; Paul, safe travels; Brittany to find Christ again.
That God will guide us with Georgiann with cancer. Please give Harry the strength to serve and guide his sister. For Nicholas as he heals from his surgery. Also, heal the hurt in the family.
Joie McGee's mom, Joan, fell and broke her hip. She is doing well and going through rehab.

This Week's Funny

Reminder: Blood Drive

October 11 from 10 am to 2 pm

(During the Car Show)

FIPC Front Lawn

This Week's Devotional

"God's Word Will Unlock Your Potential"

by Rick Warren

PurposeDriven.com

This Week's Devotional

"You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

(John 8:31b-32 NLT)

Truth be told, you can't even fathom your full potential. Only your Creator can. Only God, the one who made you, knows all you are capable of being. Your parents, your spouse, your friends, your boss - they only get a glimpse of your potential.

Only God knows what you're truly capable of.

You use such a small fraction of your brain. You don't need more intelligence. You need to use more of the intelligence you already have!

Most people live for the approval of others. They spend all of their time worrying about what others think of them. Your life has been limited by replaying tapes in your head of people who lied to you. They may not even mean to lie to you, but they still do. They've told you that you can't do something or that you shouldn't even bother because you're not worth much anyway.

You've played these tapes over and over in your mind. But they're lies! The people who made those statements about you have no idea about your potential. You have to talk to your Creator for that.

Only he knows what he can do through your life. And only he can unlock that potential. How does he do it?

The Lord frees us through his Word. Jesus said this in John 8:31-32: "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (NLT). God's Word will unlock all you've been made to do and be. Through it, you'll be able to do things you never thought possible.

How do you do that?

Learn God's Word. God won't unlock your potential until you actually open the Bible and learn it. You won't unlock potential by osmosis. You'll start to do it by learning what the Bible says.

Accept God's Word. The Bible has to be the authority in your life. You may not like what you're reading, but - if you want God's best for your life - you need to accept what it says as the final authority for how you live.

Obey God's Word. You can't just learn God's Word and accept God's Word. You have to do what the Bible teaches. You don't get blessed for the parts of the Bible you know. You get blessed for the parts of the Bible you do.

You were made for much more than you ever imagined. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:9, "What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. It has never even entered our minds!" (CEV)

So open up God's Word, and get ready to do what only God can imagine.

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