A MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE

Freedom has always carried a heavy price.  I am thankful today for those who have given themselves in service to our country.  May the grace and peace of our Lord cover the hearts and homes of our military.

Podcast

“The Call of Hosea” is now available online.  Click to listen.

On the Radar

Night of Worship this Wednesday evening, 7 pm, at EFC!  Come experience an evening of refreshing and healing in the presence of our Glorious King.

Softball and Ice Cream Fellowship next Wednesday June 8, at Newman Park at 7 pm.  Join in the Redemption Match as the youth attempt to take the championship title from the adults!  There will also be awards given for homemade ice creams, so bring a freezer of your best!

Mother’s Day Out information is available online!  Emmanuel Fellowship Church is excited to host a Mother’s Day Out program beginning Fall 2011 for children ages 1-5.  There are only a few spaces remaining for the Fall semester.  More information and downloadable registration forms are available by clicking HERE.

Study the Feasts with us during the lunch hour on Tuesdays at Emmanuel Fellowship.

Family Connection

Check out these resources to connect with our ministry to children and youth.

• Worldchangers – Discussion starters from Sunday’s Kids’ Church lesson.
• The Salvage Yard – Youth Ministry Website

You Heard it at EFC

• “Friend of God” by Israel Houghton
• “Forever and A Day” by Anthony Skinner
• “Wonderful, Merciful Savior” traditional hymn
• “How Marvelous” Chris Tomlin version

Sunday Preview

Next Sunday, June 5, we begin our summer sermon series entitled, “Prayers that Shook the World.”  Through these messages, we will explore the life and faith of people in the Bible who partnered with God to see Heaven invade Earth.

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THE TIMOTHY LINK

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”  –2 Timothy 2:2

Here it is.  In one verse Paul describes the Christian faith.  A chain of grace, linked together by love and designed for living relationally generational.

It is a verse that demonstrates honoring your fathers and loving your children and grandchildren enough to leave a legacy of faith to those who will follow after you.

2 Timothy 2:2 identifies four people in this faith legacy — Paul, Timothy, reliable men, and others.  These are the people we must have in mind in the development of our spiritual life.  We must take the viewpoint of Timothy in this verse.  From those lenses, it is essential that we identify who fills the role of Paul as a mentor in our life and who fills the role of “reliable men” as the ones we are actively discipling.  And we must disciple those reliable men in such a way that they will be able to teach others.  In essence, we are loving those we may never know through the way we train those who will lead them.

This amazing verse in the book of 2 Timothy paints a picture of very deep and significant relationships.  Relationships which are not to be taken lightly, but must be given prayerful consideration and intentional development.

It is my sincere prayer that you may know where you fit in the chain of grace.  May you know those whom God has placed in your life to coach you along the way.  And may you know and develop those God has placed in your life to receive from the wisdom you have to offer.

May your children’s children be blessed and may they receive an inheritance from your life of faith.  Amen.

Podcast

“Discipleship: The Call of Timothy” is now available online.  Click to listen.

Links

Resources are available online to prepare for week 4 of the “Ringtone” sermon series.  Click the link to explore the life of Hosea this week!

Facebook Quote of the Week: “This use to hang in my Meme’s house over her dining table. On our anniversary trip, Eric bought me one to go in our dining room. I love family legacies.”  (Mindy von Atzigen in reference to the photo “Grace.”)

Find out more about this painting at http://www.gracebyenstrom.com/history.html

 On the Radar

Membership Dessert tonight at 7:00 at EFC.

Mother’s Day Out information is available online!  Emmanuel Fellowship Church is excited to host a Mother’s Day Out program beginning Fall 2011 for children ages 1-5.  There are only a few spaces remaining for the Fall semester.  More information and downloadable registration forms are available by clicking HERE.

Study the Feasts with us during the lunch hour on Tuesdays at Emmanuel Fellowship.

Family Connection

Check out these resources to connect with our ministry to children and youth.

• Worldchangers – Discussion starters from Sunday’s Kids’ Church lesson.
• The Salvage Yard – Youth Ministry Website

You Heard it at EFC

1. “Here With Me” by Hillsong United
2. “Happy Day” by Tim Hughes
3. “How He Loves” by John Mark McMillan
4. “Your Glory” by Mindy von Atzigen
5. “Savior King” by Hillsong United

Sunday Preview

Next Sunday, May 29, we will conclude our Ringtone sermon series with a look at God’s heart through the call He gives to the prophet Hosea.  Click here to prepare for this beautiful, yet heartbreaking love story.

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EFC is going BYOB!

Are you ready to accept the call?  Are you ready to go BYOB?  Are you ready to move Beyond Your Own Benefit?  I encourage you to check out yesterday’s message where we explored the call of Paul and discovered how God gave an extraordinary invitation to an ordinary man.

That same invitation has been issued to each of us who would dare to spend ourselves on behalf of the gospel of the Kingdom — who would dare to live Beyond Your Own Benefit!

Podcast

We’ve got two new messages available online this week!

• “Three Strikes: The Call of Rahab” by Loran Rule
• “Beyond Your Own Benefit: The Call of Paul” by Eric von Atzigen

Links

Click here to participate in the Snyder Jr. High Art Auction and help provide sewing machines for women in Uganda!

Info available online to prepare for week 4 of the “Ringtone” sermon series.  Click the link to explore the life of Timothy this week!

Facebook Quote of the Week: “Shakey!  Shakey!.” –Pastor Lolo

On the Radar

Mother’s Day Out information is available online!  Emmanuel Fellowship Church is excited to host a Mother’s Day Out program beginning Fall 2011 for children ages 1-5.  More info and downloadable registration forms available by clicking HERE.

Study the Feasts with us during the lunch hour on Tuesdays at Emmanuel Fellowship.

Family Connection

Check out these resources to connect with our ministry to children and youth.

• Worldchangers – Discussion starters from Sunday’s Kids’ Church lesson.
• The Salvage Yard – Youth Ministry Website

You Heard it at EFC

1. “We Cry Out” Jesus Culture version
2. “Your Love Never Fails” Jesus Culture Version
3. “Your Favorite One” by Misty Edwards
4. “You Won’t Relent” by Misty Edwards

Sunday Preview

Next Sunday, May 22, we continue our Ringtone sermon series with a look at Paul’s charge to Timothy.  Click here to get to know the call of this powerful young preacher.

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THE CALL OF PAUL

Looking forward to a great Sunday together!  We will explore the call of the Apostle Paul as we continue our Ringtone sermon series.  Daily Devotions are available online to prepare for this week’s message.  Follow the link to discover more about the ministry and message of Paul.

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A TRIBUTE TO RAHAB AND ALL THE OTHER MOTHERS

Happy Mother's Day

If you missed this Sunday, let me wish you a belated happy Mother’s Day. I hope your special day was indeed a special one.

I also want to publicly express a very heartfelt thank you and congratulations to the other Pastor Loran (I feel like we are living a Newhart episode) for running the show Sunday and doing a fabulous job.

I want to encourage everyone to let Pastor Eric and Pastor Mindy know they left the Church in very capable hands.

A quick recap of Sunday’s message: (1) there’s a little Rahab in all of us (and what a relief it is to learn that!), (2) God wants to use you anyway, and (3) you can rewrite your own faith Hall of Fame memorial. So, hats off to Rahab and all the mothers out there.

Podcast

Check back soon to listen to Pastor Loran’s message on Rahab Answering the Call of God.

Links

A quick reminder that the Daily Devotions for the “Ringtone” sermon series are available online. This week we will explore the life of Paul.

Find out what your mom’s salary should be and print her a check demonstrating her value like Pastor Loran printed out for Tiffany.

Speaking of moms, make sure you let the special mothers in your life know about EFC’s Mother’s Day Out coming in the fall for children ages 1-5. Space is limited and registration is going on now.

I can’t let these opportunities go without plugging my own blog, Beauty of the Bible. Check it out.

On the Radar

EFC Family Campout is this weekend, and it is going to be a blast! Check out the EFC website for more info or directions to the campsite.

Mother’s Day Out information is available online!  Emmanuel Fellowship Church is excited to host a Mother’s Day Out program beginning Fall 2011 for children ages 1-5.  More info and downloadable registration forms are available online.

Identity Weekend. May 13-15 at Camp Butman. Learn your identity and authority in Christ and how to walk in freedom. For more information contact Curtis Ward.

Study the Feasts of the Lord with us Tuesdays over lunch at Emmanuel Fellowship.

Family Connection

Connect with our children’s and youth ministry.

• Worldchangers – Discussion starters from Sunday’s Kids’ Church lesson.
• The Salvage Yard – Youth Ministry Website

You Heard it at EFC

1. “You’ll Come” – Hillsong United.
2. “Counting on God” – Desperation Band.
3. “Healer” – Kari Job.
4. “What I Want” – The City Harmonic.

Sunday Preview

Next Sunday Pastor Eric continues the sermon series “Ringtone: Answering the Call of God” with a look at Paul. You won’t want to miss it.

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READY FOR RAHAB

 

http://www.drawneartogod.com

Devotions are available online to prepare for this week’s message in the “Ringtone” sermon series.  Click here to explore the life of Rahab!

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.  Hebrews 11:31 (NIV)

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A DAY TO PRAY!

In honor of the National Day of Prayer, the Nolan County Ministerial Alliance is hosting a 12 hour prayer vigil at the Sweetwater Prayer Center at 1418 Hailey Street.

We invite our community to join us any time from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, as we unite in prayer for our nation.

Prayer stations will be set up following the 7X7 prayer model, providing  opportunities to pray for government, education, church, family, media, business, and our military.

2011 marks the 60th annual observance of the National Day of Prayer. This year’s theme “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” comes from Psalm 91:2 which states: “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

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DOWN TO THE POTTER’S HOUSE

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.  — Jeremiah 18:1-6 (NIV)

“Can I not do with you as the potter does?” declares the Lord.

“Yes, Lord, you can,” I reply.

Podcast

Click here to listen to “Crack Kills, but God Heals” part 1 of the Ringtone sermon series.

Links

Daily Devotions are available online to prepare for week 2 of the “Ringtone” sermon series.  Click the link to explore the life of Rahab this week!

Facebook Quote of the Week: “Mediocrity is always invisible until passion shows up and exposes it.” –Ian Green

Mountain Boomer?  What’s a Mountain Boomer?  Click here to get the facts on the Collared Lizard Pastor Eric mentioned in his sermon! 

Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday!  Get your creative on by logging on here for some good ideas. 

On the Radar

Mother’s Day Out information is available online!  Emmanuel Fellowship Church is excited to host a Mother’s Day Out program beginning Fall 2011 for children ages 1-5.  More info and downloadable registration forms available by clicking HERE.

National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 5, 2011.  Make plans to participate in the 12 Hour Prayer Vigil hosted by the Ministerial Alliance at the Sweetwater Prayer Center.

Study the Feasts with us during the lunch hour on Tuesdays at Emmanuel Fellowship.

The Family Campout is around the corner!  We have quite a few families signed up, so click here for details on how to join this memory making time!

Family Connection

Check out these resources to connect with our ministry to children and youth.

• Worldchangers – Discussion starters from Sunday’s Kids’ Church lesson.
• The Salvage Yard – Youth Ministry Website

You Heard it at EFC

1. “Rain Down” Jesus Culture version
2. “I’ve Found A Love” Jenn Johnson version
3. “All I Need” by Rita Springer
4.  “Fire Fall Down” Jesus Culture version

Sunday Preview

Next Sunday, May 8, is Mother’s Day!  We look forward to a wonderful morning of worship and celebration as we honor the moms among us and continue to explore the Ringtone sermon series and how we can answer the call of God.

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