This is so cool!

 

First & Calvary came alive last week at Vacation Bible School! Over 180 children ages 3-11 experienced the Bible in new and exciting ways! They performed science experiments, made crafts, played games, sang songs, heard stories, and prayed together as they learned how God takes the ordinary and turns it into something EXTRAORDINARY! Here are just a few of the things I heard said last week:

 

  • "This is so cool! Can we do this again next week?" (Age 5)
  • "I didn't know it was going to explode!" (age 7, talking about a science experiment)
  • "When I look at these shoelaces, I'll remember that God always walks with me." (age 8)
  • "These kids are the greatest! This is such a blessing to me!" (VBS Volunteer)
  • "Being around kids is softening my heart. I feel myself becoming different." (VBS Volunteer)

 

We know these statements represent just a few of the exciting moments children and adults experienced last week, and we know God will continue to take various experiences from VBS and use them to further His work in each of the children who attended. He may use them, perhaps immediately, by nudging a family who previously didn't attend church to start attending. Or perhaps a little later, when one of the children recalls a story they heard last week and it influences a difficult decision. Or perhaps not until the distant future, when they remember to trust in God's strength and His will later in their lives.

 

Keeping with the theme, "Imagine and Build with God", VBS families also collected a table full of snack foods, water and Gatorade to give to Habitat for Humanity volunteers working on local projects and $234.74 in donations.

 

All these experiences would not have been possible without a HUGE team of volunteer teachers and leaders. Over 70 adults and youth gave their week to nurture, care for, and teach the children who attended VBS. Additionally, there were people "behind the scenes" including the custodial team and the administrative staff who helped facilitate all the moving parts. The prayer team and the Children's Ministry Committee members were also in prayer in the weeks leading up to and during VBS.  Thank you to each of these groups for their part in a great week!

 

God Bless, Erika

Save the Date for VBS 2015

July 13 - 17

Is God Calling YOU to help with our new "College Worship Gathering"?

On Sunday night, August 17, First & Calvary will begin a new chapter in college ministry.  We will offer a "College Worship Gathering" at 7 pm in our multi-purpose room, led by Ryan Hunt.

 

You can help in two ways:

 You can PRAY for this service, and for the students who will be attending.   

 You can consider serving on a "mini meal" team one Sunday evening a month.    

Each mini-meal will be a light "to-go" style meal that the students can pick up before or after the service. 

 

If YOU are willing to help, please contact Sheila Grisham Pippin at [email protected] or 862-5068 (office) or 861-0861 (cell).  Thank you!

Summer Youth Small Group  Report

The Summer season of Youth Small Groups has finished and the participation was great. While we are looking forward to the beginning of the school year, the summer teachers would like to share some information from each of their groups...
  • Brenda Bauer and Barb Burgess taught the High School Ladies class and reported: Our group walked through a very powerful study this summer. Every woman questions if they are beautiful and we studied scripture that confirms that God is wild about us because He created us. Because we are knitted together by God, fear has no place in our lives and we can trust God to overcome our fears. Finally, without fear, we can walk out the purpose God created us to uniquely fulfill! Thank you so much for the privilege of sharing this study with your students!
  • Nia Howard and Christy Conaway taught the Middle School Girls class and said, "We studied from a teen version of the book So Long Insecurities by Beth Moore. The group was small, so we were able to have a relaxed atmosphere with a lot of sharing. Some of the topics discussed were competition between girls and how that affects relationships; the pressure to be popular; facing difficult circumstances; and becoming the women God created you to be. The girls had a lot of great input. Thank you so much for bringing your daughters this summer and allowing us to get to know them. They are great kids and so much wiser than I was at their age! Their parents are doing something right!"
  • David Conaway and Tracy Swanson tried a new format for the Boys' Summer School Bible Study--Exploring the Bible thru skits. Some of the original directions were to: 1) Pick a character/story from the Bible with which you are unfamiliar and put yourselves in the character's shoes (or sandals). 2) What did this account mean contextually or historically? 3) What does it mean to you? 4) How can you communicate what you have learned (in your skit)? The students split into teams researched a biblical story or character, blocked out scenes/wrote scenes and filmed themselves acting out skits that either retold the Bible story or put it into a modern setting. The democratically chosen stories included: The book of Obadiah (in which the boys taped two flashlights to Rob's rolling cart to simulate a vehicular accident); Nebuchadnezzar's Dream (in which King Neddy had to attend a therapy circle); and the assassination of fat King Eglon by Ehud (the team had originally chosen to tackle Job but had to scrap 6 scenes because of creative differences). In the end, the boys were engaged and bonded as they practiced digging out information from the Bible, tried to place themselves into the story, and communicated what they learned in a creative way.
God Bless, Rob Howard, Director of Youth Ministries

Wanted:  Children to do Liturgical Dance in Worship on August 17!

 

We are excited about organizing a children's dance troupe to share a liturgical dance in contemporary worship on Sunday, August 17.

 

The group will be directed by Hannah Adams and Claire Moore.  If you are in elementary school or middle school, and would like to be a part of this group, please contact Sheila Grisham Pippin at [email protected] or call/text her at 417-861-0861 to let her know. 

 

Rehearsals will be held on Wednesday, August 6 and Wednesday, August 13 from 5-6pm each week and are required for participation on August 17.

"American Roots" Worship Service

 

On Sunday, August 17, our sanctuary worship services will take on a considerably different sound as we offer our gifts of music to God. 

 

We will celebrate worship with sacred music from our early American and Appalachian roots at 8:30 and 11am.  Folk music, or "Roots Music", communicated the hopes, sorrows, and convictions of ordinary people's everyday lives.  It was sung in churches, on front porches, in the fields, etc. 

 

Join us as we explore our roots in creative worship in the sanctuary on August 17. 

Pictorial Directory 

The draft of the directory has undergone several proofs, has had additions and corrections, and now the draft is back in the hands of LifeTouch for completion!  We are so appreciative to all who were able to have their photographs taken.  Your complimentary directory should be arriving by mid-September.  For those who were not able to have your pictures taken, we will have additional copies available for a nominal fee.

 

A special thank you to Bethany McDonald who designed the cover and activity pages!  She used her God-given gifts and training as a graphic artist to bless our church!

 

Also, a very special thank you to Liz Sweet who spearheaded the entire project and has put countless hours and much diligent into producing our new Directory!!

Financial Corner

*Month of June 2014 Financial Information:

June Income:  $ 150,419.89

June Expenses:  $ 123,515.82

June Retained Earnings Refund:  $ 26,904.07

  

*June Year-To-Date Financial Information:

YTD Income:  $ 804,760.82

YTD Expenses:  $ 808,045.23

YTD Retained Earnings Usage:  $ 3,284.41


Because of your generosity...

We have currently collected $134.00 in cash towards the Bucket Brigade.

 

  * Financial information pending approval at August's Board of Trustees meeting.

 

Also, hot on the heels of Vacation Bible School, it is exciting to report that the VBS kids and their families contributed $234.74 toward Habitat for Humanity. This is on top of the overflowing table of water, Gatorade, and snacks that you may have seen outside the Multipurpose Room!

 

As well, following Dr. Chaney's exciting article regarding the all-church wi-fi in last week's Review, I wanted to remind you that First and Calvary offers you the option to pay your pledge online through our website! Contact me if you would like additional details.

 

Katy Stewart

Praise and Potluck


Join us this Sunday, July 27, immediately following Worship for a Potluck followed by a concert organized by Ryan Hunt!  You are invited to bring a light dish, sandwiches, salad, and/or a dessert to share.  Beverages will be provided. Please drop food off in the kitchen before 11:00 am Sunday. 

The concert will be performed by several guests with a theme built around the second coming of Christ.  The concert is called Letters Home and will explore the idea of letters written from Jesus to the Father concerning His bride--the church.  Join us for this fun time of fellowship and musical presentation.

Adult Summer Elective-July 27

9:40 am - 10:40 am

Fellowship Hall

During the Summer, Adult Sunday School meets in an intergenerational format in the Fellowship Hall. It's a great way to meet members of other classes! The Electives are taught by members of our congregation, members of the community, and faculty from nearby universities.

This Sunday, July 27, Lynn Wasson will introduce a four week series entitled First and Calvary's Next Building Project: A Sanctuary Without Walls. The predominant message of this entire series is, "God calls His Church to present the message of Christ to the world...and in the 'communities' where the world inhabitants live, work, shop, socialize, love, learn and die." In other words, the Church intentionally moves from the pew to the marketplace with the enticing message of the Good News.
Preaching ScheduleJuly 27

Traditional Services [8:30 am & 11:00 am]

Dick Menzel
Contemporary Service [10:50]
Andrew Chaney

Church Calendar for July 27 - August 2

 

Sunday

  8:30 Traditional Worship/Sanctuary 
  9:30 Coffee Fellowship/FH 
  9:40 Sunday School for all ages 
         Adult Summer Electives/MPR 
10:45 Kairos/119 
10:50 Contemporary Worship/MPR 
11:00 Traditional Worship/Sanctuary 
12:00 Praise and Potluck/FH  
Monday 
 4:00 Security Committee/116 

Tuesday

  1:00 Double F & C Knitters/Library
  6:00 Nominating Committee/114
Wednesday
  6:45 Men's Prayer Breakfast/FH
11:00 Open Prayer Time/Chapel
Thursday
  9:00 Quilters/FH
  9:45 Bible Study/Library
Friday
Saturday

News from the Church Family

Hospitalizations...   Mercy...   Cox...  Ron Miller   Other... 

 

Pray For Our Homebound Friends in...

Culpepper Place of Springfield - 3540 E Cherokee  65809

Bob Walker, #119

Ilene Smith, #114

 

Culpepper Place at Chesterfield - 2410 W Chesterfield  65807

Evelyn Howard, #303

 

 

Congratulations to Brian and Carrie Muegge on the birth of Benjamin Walter on July 20.  Proud Grandparents are Dave and Sarah Muegge. 

 

Sympathy to JoAnne Witherspoon on the death of her brother Steve Pisula on July 11.

 

Collect Box Tops for Springfield Schools! Drop the logo in the jars on the tables in the South Atrium or on the 2nd floor.

 

46-Oz Cans Needed for the Flower Committee: Please bring clean cans to the church office for the Flower Committee to use to bring plants to our homebound members.

 

Need Prayer? Call Ellen Van Osdol at 882-9291 or call the church office at 862-5068.

 

If You Need a Ride to Worship or Sunday school, please call the church office, 862-5068, by noon Friday, or David Young at 942-4435 by noon Saturday.

 

All submissions for the Review must to be given to the church office at least ten days prior to the publication date. All submissions are subject to editing for length and content.

 

Visit us on the WEB at www.firstandcalvary.org

 

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820 E. Cherry
Springfield, MO - 417.862.5068