Issue 45 Volume 12 - Week of November 9, 2014

From Dr. Jim Weldon, Jr.

Dear FIPC Church Family,

Have you ever felt like you needed to set firmer boundaries but struggled because you felt selfish? The article below has a great perspective on setting boundaries.

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Is Setting Boundaries Selfish?

by The Boundaries Book Team

"Now, wait a minute," Teresa said, shaking her head. "How can I set limits on those who need me? Isn't that living for me and not for God?"

Teresa was voicing one of the main objections to boundary setting for Christians: a deep-seated fear of being self-centered, interested only in one's own concerns and not those of others.

It is absolutely true that we are to be a loving people. Concerned for the welfare of others. In fact, the number-one hallmark of Christians is that we love others (John 13:35).

So don't boundaries turn us from other-centeredness to self-centeredness? The answer is no. Appropriate boundaries actually increase our ability to care about others. People with highly developed limits are the most caring people on earth. How can this be true?

First, let's make a distinction between selfishness and stewardship. Selfishness has to do with a fixation on our own wishes and desires, to the exclusion of our responsibility to love others. Though having wishes and desires is a God-given trait (Proverbs 13:4), we are to keep them in line with healthy goals and responsibility.

For one thing, we may not want what we need. Mr. Insensitive may desperately need help with the fact that he's a terrible listener. But he may not want it. God is much more interested in meeting our needs than he is granting all our wishes. For example, he denied Paul's wish to heal his "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). At the same time, he met Paul's needs to the point that Paul felt content and full:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:12-13)

It helps the Christian afraid of setting boundaries to know that God meets our needs. "God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). At the same time, God does not make our wishes and desires "all bad" either. He will meet many of them.

Our Needs Are Our Responsibility - Even with God's help, however, it is crucial to understand that meeting our own needs is basically our job. We can't wait passively for others to take care of us. Jesus told us to "Ask ... seek ... knock" (Matthew 7:7). We are to "work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). Even knowing that "it is God who works in [us]" (Philippians 2:13), we are our own responsibility.

This is a very different picture than many of us are used to. Some individuals see their needs as bad, selfish, and at best, a luxury. Others see them as something that God or others should do for them. But the biblical picture is clear: our lives are our responsibility.

At the end of our lives this truth becomes crystal clear. We will all "appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10). A sobering thought.

The Gift of Stewardship - A helpful way to understand setting limits is that our lives are a gift from God. Just as a store manager takes good care of a shop for the owner, we are to do the same with our souls. If a lack of boundaries causes us to mismanage the store, the owner has a right to be upset with us.

We are to develop our lives, abilities, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Our spiritual and emotional growth is God's "interest" on his investment in us. When we say no to people and activities that are hurtful to us, we are protecting God's investment. As you can see, there's quite a difference between selfishness and stewardship. That's why boundaries make life better!

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

P.S. I cannot thank you enough for all the Pastor appreciation cards, gifts, and meals. You truly are a blessing to me and my family. It is an honor to be your pastor!

Grace and Peace,

Jim Weldon

Church Celebrations

Operation Christmas Child

We packed 111 shoeboxes last Wednesday evening at our Operation Christmas Child Packing Party. Thank you to all those who donated money and items for the mission and outreach project. A special thanks to all of the youth and adult volunteers who participated in the packing party. If you missed out on all the fun, check out the photos below!

Church Announcements

All Church Potluck Lunch

November 16 @ 11:15 am

Gathering Area

Join in the celebration,

fellowship, and conversation.

Everyone's coming,

so you should be there.

Bring your whole family,

plus a yummy dish to share!

We will also be collecting items for the Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs. Please bring non-perishable items from the items listed below:

oatmeal spaghetti & sauce

grits Ramen noodles

rice cake mix

boxed: cookie mix

macaroni & cheese pie filling

rice sides jello

mashed potatoes jelly

stuffing peanut butter

pasta condiments

canned: sugar

tuna tea bags

beef stew soap

pasta toilet paper

vegetables

soup

Christmas Offering

Now through December 29

During this holiday season, a season of generosity, we would like to offer you the opportunity to give to a special Christmas Offering. This Christmas Offering is intended for gifts above and beyond your regular giving. The Christmas Offering will be dedicated to the FIPC Building Fund with the goal of raising the equivalent of one month's mortgage payment ($9,287.26)! Each Sunday, you will be provided with a special Christmas Offering envelope to use for your gifts to this offering. The Christmas Offering begins this Sunday, November 16, and the last day to give will be December 29. As you are making your gift giving list and checking it twice, be sure to remember a gift to your church. If you have any questions, please contact Joe Perry, Treasurer, or Dawn Vanderpool, CFO & Church Administrator.

Love Offering

A Gift of Appreciation for Our Pastor and Staff

Now through December 7

FIPC Family,

During this special season of generosity, if you would like to give thanks to our Pastor and four paid staff members, the Session invites you to contribute to a special "Love Offering". This gift will be presented to them prior to Christmas. Since our Pastor and staff have not received raises in two years and do not receive a Christmas bonus, I know these gifts will be deeply appreciated. If you would like to contribute, please place your gift in an offering envelope and mark it "Love Offering". You can put your envelope in the offering plate any Sunday until December 7th or give it to one of the Elders to be handled.

Thank you for your support and generosity.

Joe Perry, Treasurer

Adult Christmas Dinner

December 11 @ 6:00 pm

Mark your calendars and save the date! Details to be announced soon.

Women's Ornament Exchange

December 15 @ 6:30 pm

This is an annual event for the women of our church that you won't want to miss! Invite a friend and enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share and a wrapped ornament to exchange ($5-$10 limit). For more information, please contact Ann Roos at 887-2265.

Christmas Eve Family Service

December 24 @ 4:00 pm

Sanctuary

Looking for Hams, Divas, and SuperStars for our Family Christmas Eve Service! We have speaking, as well as non-speaking, roles for Children, Youth, and Adults! Practices will be for one hour on Sundays after church beginning December 9th. Don't like the spotlight? We need volunteers for set decoration, costumes, and stage hands (community service hours for youth volunteers!). Contact Carissa Hogan at 449-0703 for more information.

Blackboard writings A good example is the best sermon

Upcoming Messages

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

November 16 - Pastor Jim - Daniel Series, Part 6: The Writing On The Wall.

Daniel 5:1-31

November 23 - Pastor Jim - Daniel Series, Part 7: In The Lions' Den. Daniel 6

November 30 - Mike Horst - To Be Announced

December 9 - Greg Cruice - To Be Announced

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

Adult Ministries

Great Banquet

Mandarin Presbyterian Church

Men's

November 20-23

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

January 11 @ 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 Sara Dryden, Director of Membership. 1st Base participants, please sign up ahead of time in order to receive information to be discussed at the meeting.

Youth & Children's Ministries

ROCK Wednesday Nights

5:30-7:00 pm

ROCK Room

ROCK stands for "Reaching Out for Christ's Kingdom" and is a youth group for 5th and 6th graders. Check out the fun that is planned this Fall:

November 12: Dinner TBA--Study: Who is in Heaven?

November 19: Dinner TBA--Study: Who is the God of Heaven?

November 26: Thanksgiving holiday--No ROCK.

In This Issue

Church Celebrations

Church Announcements

Adult Ministries

Youth & Children 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:

11/09/14 = 152

Ministry & Building Fund Offerings:

11/09/14 = $7,267.21

(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 sermon Jim!
Beautiful weather; thanks for a good job; thanks for a great church family.
Praise band for all their hard work.
Thank you Jesus for the opportunity to serve my church family and family. Thank you for this blessing.

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.
Betty Gedrottis

Prayers from the Welcome Cards:

Co-worker, Linda, skin condition; church and gov't leaders.
Suzanne (Sandy's sister) health issues; London (3rd grader) health issues.
The Stokes family that just lost a loving husband and father to lung cancer.
For Georgiann as she goes through radiation therapy; that the side effects are lessened.
My mother-in-law, Sara, bypass surgery; Shannon, heal her heart and body.
Daughters looking for new jobs; friend, Gil, fighting cancer.
Continued healing and transition.
Safety for Hannah as she takes 38 middle school kids on a mission trip to Indonesia.
Reading, reading, reading!
Kevin to find a job; Rafael prepares to have surgery.
Pray for Jan as she goes thru a fight with cancer; give Meldy inner peace as she visits her son in prison.
For my sister in and around Hong Kong; for my grandparents and my grandma; also for Sydney.
Guidance for my sister; my mom who is in a rehab for a broken pelvis.
Healing prayers for Gayle and Lee as they both battle cancer.
Bruce, positive tests results.

This Week's Funny

This Week's Devotional

"Faithful People Are Generous"

by Rick Warren

PurposeDriven.com

This Week's Devotional

"So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

(Luke 16:11-13 CEV)

Faithful people are generous when they don't have anything to give. Anybody can be generous when they have a surplus. I can be generous with my time when I've got a lot of extra time. I can be generous with my money when I've got a lot of extra money. I can be generous with my energy when I've got extra energy to spend. It's when I don't have enough time for me, I don't have enough energy for me, I don't have enough money for me, I don't have enough talent for me that God says, "This is a test. I'm watching you to see if you are faithful. Will you be faithful, and will you trust me?"

Here are five principles in which God will test you and then bless you:

1. God gives to generous people. Why does God want me to be generous? Because he wants me to be like him.

2. Obeying God's vision will bring God's provision. If you do what God tells you to do, God will bring along the resources you need at the right time. What he's given you the vision for he will give you the provision for.

3. When I do all that God tells me to do, he does what I can't do. God often asks you to do the impossible to stretch your faith. When you give what little you have, God multiples it and makes up for it.

4. When I have a need, I sow a seed. Whatever you need in your life, sow that as a seed, and it will come back to you.

5. There's always a delay between sowing and reaping. There is a season between planting and harvesting. What's going on in the time delay? It's a test of your faith.

Will you be faithful to give when you have little? Will you keep on doing the right thing? Will you do what God wants you to do, no matter the cost, and then see what God does?

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

All Church Potluck Lunch November 16 @ 11:15 am Gathering Area

All Church Potluck Lunch

November 16 @ 11:15 am

Gathering Area