Go Find Your Desolate Place

“Life comes at you fast”, says a recent string of commercials. That tagline resonates because we all feel it. It’s called stress.

Stress isn’t just when bad things happen.  Even “good stress” can have adverse effects.  Stress knocks us off our groove. Stress can even knock us off our mission.

At the height of Jesus’ popularity and “success” in ministry he does something unexpected: “he would withdraw to desolate places and pray”.  The eternal Son of God felt the need to retreat from his ongoing mission to reset, re-mission, and reconnect with the father.

May I suggest we need this even more! So how do we go to a “desolate place”?  Here’s some questions to guide us:

What is a desolate place? A place of solitude: No distractions. A lean vs. luxurious place. (the Laz-E-Boy is probably not it!)

Why go to a desolate place? To reset and recharge with the Father, to hear the Father’s voice, to sense the Father’s love, to get instruction.

What do you bring to a desolate place? Not much so travel light, even fasting. But bring the bread of life: the Bible.., and a notebook!

How do you get to a desolate place? It won’t come to you! You have to deliberately go. And it may take some time to get there. But The gospel must bring you, so be led by the Spirit. You have to set aside a specific time and place.

Where is your desolate place? Someplace quiet, void of distractions and interruptions. It could be a room, a path, a place. Any sacred space.

When is your desolate place? Jesus set aside deliberate time - special time. Jesus also had ongoing communion with the Father. So set aside a specific time, but also redeem the moments of your day.

And remember: it’s only good if you are on mission! Only when you are advancing do you need to periodically retreat. So get “on mission” with Jesus, and he will take you with him to that “desolate place”!

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,

Pastor Tom

::prayer::

Julie V.: Please pray for Tatiana that the doctor will be able to find what’s wrong with her eyes at her appointment with a second retina specialist on Wed. March 3^rd.  She’s having headaches now too.  Also keep praying for my father, Julian, to be free of anxiety.

Milt M.: Please pray for Carolyn’s mom, Joyce, as she has knee replacement surgery on Monday, March 1^st.  It is a little complicated in that she is in her late 70’s and has a heart condition,.  Carolyn will be with her parents through March 9^th - pray that she will be God’s hands and feet for mom and dad!

Tom M.: Praise - Sue is on the mend.  Thank you for your prayers as she suffered with flu.

Deb T.: Please pray that with God’s blessings the bread sells - people taste it, like it and buy it.  Pray that Deb continues to feel better.

Michelle R.: Please pray for my students.  We have 1 week left before FCAT.

Nancy W.: Pray for needs in our family.  Pray for Janna:  health & career options.  Renewal in my life - faith and hope.

::community::

Daybreak Devotions at the YMCA:

“A Sacred Space in an Active Place”

10 Minutes to start your day with God

Quiet and contemplative

A time to Focus, Listen, and Respond to God

A mini-monastic retreat

Wednesdays:

6:30 AM in the Group Exercise Studio (GES)

8:55 AM in the “Chapel” behind the “Spinning Room”

Men’s Group! Conversation and encouragement this Wednesday night at Tom McCoy’s home at 7:00 PM. We’ll be looking at Chip Ingram’s “The Invisible War: What Every Believer Needs to Know about Satan, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare.” And don’t come just because you need it. Come because we need you! New Gate Access code:  54008

Women’s Bible Study: “Lord, Change My Attitude”, by James MacDonald. Thursdays at 6:45 pm at the home of Tricia Phillips.

M-Con 2010! This year’s Missions Conference is set for April 8-11. From time to time between now and then, we will be asking for prayer for the conference.  Would you please take a moment right now and pray for those planning the conference.  Please pray that God would be in control and lead exactly as He wishes regarding the details of this event.

Matthew’s Hope: We are watching the weather carefully as cold weather (below 39) is Forecast for later this week. Some reports have Winter Garden Temps dipping below 39 beginning Wednesday. If you can volunteer at the Freeze Warning Shelter during this time or can serve in some other way, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Karen Gowing by email at matthewshopeministries@yahoo.com or by calling the Matthews Hope Hot Line at 407.461.2625. If you can assist us as an Overnight Overseer, please contact Larry Black at lblack2666@aol.com asap

Also, please visit www.nextcommunitychurch.com and check out the updated Matthews Hope Needs List located under the Happenings Tab where you will find the Matthews Hope Page. We can still use more Socks and Men’s Pullover & Pocketed T-Shirts in particular.

Lastly, if you have an interest in Volunteering on Tuesdays at the Matthews Hope House Trailer beginning at the end of the month, please let Karen know as well.

• Set-up: Jim Phillips
• Nursery: Linn Capice
• Snacks: TBA
• Prayer: John Kelly

::mission::

Outreach Idea of the Week! Hobby with Non-Christians. Pick a hobby that you can share. Get out and do something you enjoy with others. Try city league sports or local rowing and cycling teams. Share your hobby by teaching lessons, such as sewing, piano, knitting, or tennis lessons. Be prayerful. Be intentional. Be winsome. Have fun. Be yourself.

Tim & Janice Greenfield (Mexico) - Pray for the women’s Bible Study, it is going well and they have had 24 ladies in attendance!  Pray they will grow in their Christian walk.

Toby & Kiersten Hull (Home assignment from Burkina Faso) - Pray for Toby as he continues his conference tours and for Kiersten as she remains behind with the children.  Pray for the region of Kenedougou, for new believers, that they will remain steadfast.

3D movies used to be relegated to the cheap horror and sci-fi genre’s of yesteryear. We’ve seen the goofy photos of people in theaters with the red/blue glasses on, waiting for the boogey man or a Martian to pop out of the screen. Now we are those goofy people with the special glasses on!  3D movies are all the rage and may be the future of cinema.

So if you have a 3D movie experience, why are you following a 2D Jesus?  If we r4ead the bible as passive observers, we only see Jesus in 2D. We read (or listen), but we remain uninvolved.  Jesus stays on the page and in the book.

But the real Jesus won’t stand for this. As we encounter him in Scripture, the Holy Spirit draws us in to the story and we become part of the drama.  We are called join Jesus on his mission!

Jesus is still on mission. His mission has not changed. We are called to look to see where he is moving, and join him on mission. Three truths become crucial:

1.     Jesus mission is defined in Luke 4:18-19: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

2.     We are called to go on mission with Jesus to the poor, captive, blind, and broken. If you want to be on mission with Jesus you have to go where he is. Where is Jesus? He is with the poor, captive, blind, and broken.

3. But first we must understand that we are the poor, captive, blind, and broken that Jesus came to. The cross tells us that we are more sinful and broken than we could ever admit. And the cross tells us that we are more loved and cherished than we could ever hope!. The gospel first comes to us in our sin, guilt, brokenness, and bondage. Only then are we fit to share it with the world.

So have a 3D encounter with Christ. Break out of your 1D life and join him on his mission!

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,

Pastor Tom

The Mission on the Move

If you want a quick guilt trip, compare your last 24 hours with Jesus first 24 hours in Luke 4:31-44. Let’s see: preach the good news - check! Deliver from demons - check! Heal the sick - check!  Jesus was definitely a man on a mission!

Okay - so our productivity won’t match up with Jesus productivity*, we can still join him on mission. Remember, Jesus’ mission was to go with authority, power, and compassion.  Let’s see how we follow him.

1. Go: Jesus went. He didn’t wait for people to come to him. He went to where the people were. He took the initiative. We are on mission with Jesus when we “live sent” and go to our friends, neighbors, and co-workers with the words and the works of Jesus.  Look for the Outreach Idea of the Week for ways to “live sent”.

2. Authority: People were amazed at Jesus teaching because he spoke with authority. He had authority because he is king of the kingdom. We aren’t kings of the kingdom, but we carry the King’s message!  We join Christ on his mission when we share with confidence (but not cockiness or condescension!) because of the authority of the gospel.

3. Power: Jesus didn’t shy from power encounters with demonic forces. He knew that we are in a cosmic conflict. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan come to a collision when the gospel is being spread. We join Christ on his mission when we pray against the powers of darkness that blind men’s eyes to the glory of Christ in the gospel!

4. Compassion: Jesus could have looked and the crowd and pronounced a “blanket healing” over all of them and called it a day and grabbed the remote. But rather he took the time to touch every single person that was brought to him. And it took him all night!  We join Christ on his mission when we live sent lives of indiscriminate compassion. We must love first, ask questions later! “Ready, Fire, Aim”

“Jesus, empower us to join you as you go with authority, power, and compassion!”

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,

Pastor Tom

*(Hmm, is “Christ’s productivity” part of our “imputed righteousness”? Let’s hope so!)

::prayer::

Julie V.  Praise the Lord and thank you to all my brothers and sisters who prayed for my girls, Giuliana and Tatiana, and myself.  There is nothing wrong with Tatiana’s retina and I didn’t need to take Giuliana to the doctor.  By Tuesday morning she was fine!

Deborah T.: Thank you, Lord,  fro the sale of the bread. Please pray for Erica’s cough.

Jim: praise God for Jeff’s job!  Pray that God prospers him on his job for God’s glory.

Debbie S.:  Please pray for Evelyn, Darlene’s friend, who has a ruptured appendix and is back in the hospital with complication.  (Monday- she was released on antibiotics).  Pray for Darlene and Brunissa as they settle into their new living situation renting a room at her friend Evelyn’s sister’s.  Pray for a new babysitter in her area (Hiawassee & Old Winter Garden Rd.).

John D:  Continue praying for the Haitians but also pray for the generosity of the Dominican Republic.  They are leery of them and view them as devil worshippers.  Will they accept them and pray for them as they cross the border?

Linn C.:  Please remember my sister as she flies back from visiting her husband where in works in Saudi.  She goes through London to Houston, leaving Thursday night our time and arriving Friday evening our time.

Nancy: Pray for relationship building and outreach opportunities to Stephen’s water polo team and parents.  Job opportunities for Janna when she graduates (May 1^st).  Healing for Tom’s back pain.

::community::

• Our Dinners for 6 groups are set! Now, it’s up to you to make contact and get together. Let us know how it’s going!

Group 1

Herb & Jo Small

Milt & Carolyn Monell

Tom & Nancy Welch

Group 2

Joe & Michelle Relich

Jim & Tricia Phillips

Tony & Sandee Lyons

Wendy Andrew

Group 3

Matt & Maxine Kelly

Lon & Debbie Santora

Michael & Lois Childress

• New Men’s Group! Okay guys, it’s time to get serious and become a real “Band of Brothers”. We’re starting up a men’s group next Wednesday night (February 10^th) at Tom McCoy’s home at 7:00 PM. We’ll meet each week for eight weeks for conversation and encouragement. We’ll be looking at Chip Ingram’s “The Invisible War: What Every Believer Needs to Know about Satan, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare.” And don’t come just because you need it. Come because we need you! Gate Access code: 8898

• Bike Light Sunday - “Matthew’s Hope” homeless ministry has a new need: Bike lights for the homeless friends who don’t have them. This is for both safety reasons and financial reasons. The Winter Garden police have offered to carry bike light kits in their squad cars to give to the homeless people they stop! They will also give them info on Matthew’s Hope where they can get a “hand-up”. For $15 you can sponsor a bike light! Make a separate check out to ‘Next Community Church*” or cash will do! Thanks for making a difference!

• New Women’s Bible Study: “Lord, Change My Attitude“, by James MacDonald is an 11 week study of the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness. Do you need an attitude adjustment? Because we choose our patterns of thinking, there is hope for theattitudinallychallenged. You can replace complaining with thanksgiving, covetousness with contentment, criticism with love, and adjust your attitude to one that honors Him. Beginning February 4^th, 6:45 pm at the home of Tricia Phillips. Sign up now so we can order your book!
• Happy Birthday! Arielle Relich 2/9, Tom Welch 2/15, Lindsey Phillips 2/15, Brunissa Morales 2/16

• Set-up: Joe, Brian, and John
• Nursery: Patti Tindall
• Snacks: Tricia Phillips
• Prayer: Wendy Andrew

::mission::

Tim & Janice Greenfield (Mexico) - Pray for a team of 6 from Iowa that are currently in Guadalajara working along side the Greenfields.  Pray for their safety and health and witness that they will be

Tim & Penny Iverson (Taiwan) - Pray for Abby (5 yr old) and her parents (father is unbeliever) as they go through multiple surgeries for Abby to remove a birth mark from her face.  Praise that the first operation went well.

U.S. Alliance Haitians Remember Loved Ones

February 1, 2010

A Concert of Prayer and Consolation for the people of Haiti was held on Saturday evening, January 30, at Broward Community College in North Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  The event, organized by Haitian Alliance pastors, as well as evangelical and community leaders, was attended by more than 500 people who gathered to show support for the suffering people of Haiti. Prominent musicians offered their services and shared their encouragement in song; clergy, community, and government leaders offered prayer and words of hope. (click above link for full story)

Okay guys, it’s time to get serious and become a real “Band of Brothers”. We’re starting up a men’s group next Wednesday night (February 10^th) at Tom McCoy’s home at 7:00 PM.  We’ll meet each week for eight weeks for conversation and encouragement.

We’ll be looking at Chip Ingram’s series on spiritual warfare called “The Invisible War: What Every Believer Needs to Know about Satan, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare.” We need to remember that we are in a battle and need to guard one another’s back.

Nothing fancy - bring yourself and a friend. And don’t come just because you need it. Come because we need you!

Here’s the details again:

Where: Tom McCoy’s home

When: Wednesday’s at 7:00 PM

What: Topic - Conversation - Encouragement

Bike Light Sunday

“Matthew’s Hope” homeless ministry has a new need: Bike lights for the homeless friends who don’t have them. This is for both safety reasons and financial reasons.

Many homeless people rely on their bike for their transportation to and from job sites, grocery stores, etc… But they are often stopped by the police and ticketed for “improper equipment” because they don’t have lights.

Well, the Winter Garden police have offered to carry bike light kits in their squad cars to give to the homeless people they stop!  They will also give them info on Matthew’s Hope where they can get a “hand-up”.

For $15 you can sponsor a bike light!  We’ll be receiving an offering this Sunday. Make a separate check out to ‘Next Community Church*” or cash will do!

Thanks for making a difference!

*”Matthew’s Hope” is awaiting their non-profit status.

The Father’s Heart

What we all crave, deep within our souls is the blessing of our father. The Bible makes much of the importance of a father’s blessing and the heartbreak when that blessing is withheld. Many adults pursue their father’s blessing years after their dads have passed away. That sense of approval, respect, and love is what our heart’s long for,

What does the father’s blessing sound like?  Well, Jesus heard it. It sounds like this:

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)

Think about this: how would it affect your life if you heard this from your father?  Now take it to the ultimate level: what would the impact be if you heard it from God Almighty?!

Here’s the truth: If you are united to Christ by faith, the blessing of the Father to Jesus is the blessing of the Father to you!  Because of all that Christ has done by his life and by his death his blessing is your blessing.  It’s as if Jesus puts his arm over your shoulder and says, “Come here, there’s something I want you to hear…”

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

And then Jesus says, “That’s for you!”

We really cannot make too much of our sonship.  Being children of God is, perhaps, the greatest gift the gospel offers us.  In his book Knowing God, J.I. Packer says this:

“”If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all…  ”Father” is the Christian name for God. Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption.”

I pray that the Father would pour out the Spirit of his Son into your heart until you cry out, “Abba!  Father!” (Galatians 4:6)

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,

Pastor Tom

::prayer::

Julie V. Please pray for Anthony that he reaches out for God and trusts Him with all his heart.

Giuliana V. Please pray that my Mom gets healed because she is in pain.  Also, please pray that my brother decides to go back to church.  Also, pray for the people of Haiti and to help them because of the earthquake.

Barbara B. Pray for Adam Gregg, a 25 year old cottage parent at Edgewood Children’s Ranch now fighting infection, mono and a heart problem caused by these.  Remains in the hospital.  1)  Pray for healing and a complete recovery. He’s having a pacemaker put in tomorrow (Monday).  2) Pray for his wife, Britt, who is 7 months pregnant (high risk) and his daughter, Bonnie, who is 2.  3) Pray for the 10 boys from his cottage (ages 7-11) as Earl and Pete fill in on top of their normal schedules.

Praise! - “Adam came home from the hospital yesterday! Turns out Adam had Epstein Barr virus. No pacemaker needed! Thank you to all who were praying. He is tired and week, but improving with rest.”

Lois: Pray for a student of Quisqueya Christian School whose father is missing in the rubble of a market area in Haiti.  She is having a very rough time accepting what is happening.  Pray for safety and strength for those going in for assistance.  Friend, Dave Uttley was going in with Samaritan’s Purse - he grew up in Haiti (MK) so has language skills.

::community::

• Our New Governing Board will meet this Wednesday at 7:00 PM at Jim Phillip’s home.

• Time to sign up for Dinners for 6! Sign up on sheet passed around or contact Lois Childress if you are interested in joining the fun. loischildress@cfl.rr.com Dinners will be each month from February through March.

• Happy Birthday! Herb Small - 1/19

Opportunities to be Jesus to our community:

“We need help! Matthews Hope (formerly “Freeze Warning“) has been charged in assisting the Homeless Services Network in getting an accurate count of the homeless in West Orange County. This has to take place on Wednesday January 27. We are going to need some help with the following if any of y’all are available. We need volunteers to take surveys at the Labor Ready Labor Pool in Ocoee at 5:30 AM, the Christian Service Center in Ocoee at 11:30 AM, and at the Luau/BBQ we are hosting at the Church of Christ from 4:00-7:00 PM. We need each Homeless Person to answer a few simple non-invasive survey questions. We will also need help with Set Up, Breakdown and Clean Up. At the Luau we will be Roasting a Hog, serving Pulled Pork & Chicken, some great sides and some amazing Dessert and we will have a Shower Trailer, folks doing haircuts, and we’ll opening up our supply of clothes & shoes. The more homeless we can find and count, the more money will be made available to assist our friends here in West Orange County. In addition, to help out that day, we could use some donations of Towels and Personal Hygiene Products as well as Socks and Underwear.”

http://churchofwestorange.wordpress.com/

• Set-up: Glenn Tindall
• Nursery: Deb Thompson
• Snacks: Jo Small
• Prayer: Jim Phillips

::mission::

Haiti - There are hundreds of mission organizations in Haiti ranging from Mennonite to Assemblies of God.  Pray for them as they assist in the aftermath of the earthquake.  Pray for the people of Haiti, that they will see Christ through the missionaries and come to know His saving grace. You can give through the Christian & Missionary Alliance here.

Tim & Penny Iverson (Taiwan) - Two separate people who the Iverson’s have worked with in the past have passed away.  Pray for Tim & Penny as they minister to the grieving families.

Haiti Update

This weekend, our district leadership team, met with our Haitian pastors in the Southeast Florida region.  There is a deep burden among our Haitian people who are receiving mixed reports from their homeland.   What we are seeing on the news each day, their families and their church’s families are experiencing.  On Sunday, we visited, as many Haitian churches as possible letting them know their Alliance family is standing with them through prayer and support.

From Chuck Hughes- Update on Haiti Response

One of our Haitian pastors attempted to go to Haiti on Saturday, but was unable to get his flight to Port Au Prince.  He was to go and do preparation for an advance team that would go in this week.  We know of four US pastors already there, and we hear of others who are planning to go this week, as well.  As we gather reports, we will know better how we (the Southeastern District) should respond.

Phil Skellie and Robin Dirks, of CAMA Services, are coming to Orlando today to meet with us and to seek to get into Haiti to discern the need and establish a base from which we can operate.

The response we are encouraging is…

1. For immediate emergency relief, give to CAMA Services.  Details of how those funds are used with other organizations already on the ground there is on their website: http://www.camaservices.org/

1. The Haiti Relief Fund has also been established by the Southeastern District.  This will be used for assistance to the Alliance family in the US and Haiti affected by this crisis.  We foresee costs of travel for teams to get in, temporary facilities for churches, shelter and provisions for homeless, travel for our US pastors to minister to family and congregations in Haiti, and other needs not addressed by the larger relief efforts already underway.  In a few months, we see the need for help with counseling, orphan care and adoption, and the rebuilding of homes and churches,

There are over 150 churches, schools, and orphanages in Haiti that use the name of the Alliance, but there has been no organization or training of them.  Many of them have been planted and supported by pastors who also pastor US churches.  We are seeking to identify each one, as well as “mother” churches (not necessarily C&MA) where our workers have come from, and extended family from there.  We don’t know what this will look like, but we are hearing there is a great need for those in the Port au Prince region.

This past Saturday, the Superintendent and I met with the many of the pastors of the Haitian South Association of the C&MA.  We heard from those who have spoken to family and friends in Haiti.  The reports are grim, and there is a level of frustration at the inability for help to get to those who are injured or hungry.  Plans were made on how to proceed.

On Sunday, we visited eleven churches in South Florida, sharing how the churches of the C&MA are supporting them in prayer and relief efforts.  It was greatly appreciated.

A memorial service for the Haitian community is being planned in Fort Lauderdale by several of our pastors.

If you have helpful input on the District’s response, the best way to communicate is by email to harris@sedcma.org.  Thank you for your prayers

Why care?

Christmas (yes, we are still in the Christmas season) is a time of giving. We drop coins into bell ringers buckets and participate in special offerings for those in need.  We should do this all year round. But we especially show compassion at Christmastime.  But why care?  We care because God does. Consider a verse from the psalm we looked at last Sunday:

“For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.” (Psalms 138:6)

We regard the lowly because God regards the lowly! And we should love the lowly the way God does, both in body and in soul!  Some people give only to meet the physical needs of the lowly. Others say we should only be concerned with their souls.  But we must do both!

The great pastor/theologian Jonathan Edwards has some wise words for us on this subject:

“Some men shew a love to others as to their outward man, they are liberal of their worldly substance, and often give to the poor; but have no love to, or concern for the souls of men. Others pretend a great love to men’s souls, that are not compassionate and charitable towards their bodies. The making a great shew of love, pity and distress for souls, cost them nothing; but in order to shew mercy to men’s bodies, they must part with money out of their pockets.  But a true Christian love to our brethren extends both to their bodies and souls”

Let us then, love people well - as Christ loves them, body and soul!

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,

Pastor Tom

::prayer::

• Tricia: Pray for God’s mercy and peace in the Kirven family as Chris fights this battle with terminal cancer. Pray that God would use me and give me the words to share with the spiritually tender hearts in my FBH class.
• Pray that 2010 will be a year of growth and missional focus for our church for the glory of the Lord.
• Nancy: Pray for spiritual awakening in our community and outreach to our friends and neighbors; decisions regarding a new Women’s Bible Study for Winter 2010; decisions and changes in our kids lives. And please pray for provision for a new car for Janna. Hers died!
• Debbie S.: Please pray for Lon’s Mom, Lu. Her health is declining rapidly. Pray for peace and God’s mercy. Also, Dan, my step brother, is our of work. He has been a pastor and is looking for employment. And Michelle is at a conference is Nashville - pray for safely and spiritual renewal.
• Pray for Rich, our friend who has Aphasia - an Alzheimer’s like disease (only in his 50’s). He’s had to be moved 3 times to new facilities (aggression, anger). The new meds are helping. He needs the kindness of the Lord. Pray the meds work and that he can experience the peace of the Holy Spirit.
• Pray for safety for those traveling this holiday season - McCoys, Relichs, Thompsons, Kellys, Barbara B., etc.
• Praise the Lord for a wonderful church service “in the round” today!
• Lois - Prayer for friend and co-worker, Wanda Natale,who lost her husband on Sunday to a massive heart attack. Pray for her and her adult son as they go through the preparations and grieving process

::community::

• New Year’s Eve Potluck & White elephant Gift Exchange: Thursday, December 31^st 6:30-9:00pm at the Welch’s home. Bring a White Elephant gift (one per person) and a side dish, salad, or main dish (enough for your crew +). Please RSVP with what you are bringing (the food - not the gift!)

• New FBH Class: The Gospel Centered Life begins this Sunday at 9:15 AM. Please RSVP your participation! Thanks!

• Congregational Annual Meeting: We will meet as members of Southwest Church on Sunday, January 10^th to elect officers. 9:15 AM!

Opportunities to be Jesus to our community:

• December 27th - Car for the Kongs Sunday - Final Sunday for special offering to support Joe and Kay Kong in Cambodia. So far you all have given $970.00!

• Benevolence: Thanks for over $1200 given to help out those in need right here at home! We have already been able to distribute over $500!

Happy Birthday!

• Milton Monell - January 8

• Set-up:
• Nursery: Patti Tindall
• Snacks:
• Prayer: Eloise Bender

::mission::

Urbana 09 - The 22nd Student Missions Conference begins today through the 31st in St Louis, MO.  Pray for those in attendance that they will hear and follow God’s calling in their lives, whether it be foreign or domestic missions. Check out: http://ow.ly/QJlT

Gordon & Cheryl Roedding (Mali) - Praise that their Business English class is going well and had more students then expected. Pray these students will have open and questioning hearts for them to share Jesus

Undies Sunday… from tom welch on Vimeo.