REAL TALK FOR REAL MARRIAGES

The Marriage Coach: Real Talk for Real Marriages

Sundays in February at Emmanuel Fellowship Church, Sweetwater

Services at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM

Get the details at www.themarriagecoach.us

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SUMMER MOMENTUM

I love Summer.  I love having my children home from school, I love playing in the back yard, I love heading out on vacation, and I love the Summer activities on the church calendar.

In the Summer months, churches typically experience a brief dip in attendance.  This is understandable because of increased family travel while school is out.  But, it is easy for the break in routine to cause families to miss out on church life more than necessary.

I believe the Summer of 2012 is going to be very important for Emmanuel Fellowship Church.  As we are preparing to renovate our sanctuary this Fall and double our seating capacity, it is essential that we maintain great momentum through the Summer months. 

I want to issue a pastoral challenge to our congregation this Summer.  It is my sincere prayer that your family will have wonderful opportunities to travel and play together.  In the midst of the travel and play, I challenge you to make it a priority that every Sunday you are in town, your family will plan to be in church.

As we continue to commit to fellowship and worship, and as we continue to invite our friends and family to join us on Sunday mornings, we will build a Summer Momentum that will carry us into an amazing Fall semester.

I am continually amazed by what God is doing among us to see the lost saved and the broken healed.  It is so much bigger than any one person, it is the result of a church family coming together in love, worship, and service to our King.  And it will continue to grow as we maintain our vision and momentum in these Summer months!

Podcast

Have you missed a service?  Need to remember part of a sermon?  Click here to listen to recent Emmanuel Fellowship Church messages.    

On the Radar

• Mother’s Day Out now enrolling for the 2012-13 school year!  For more information, or to register your child, click here.
• Treasure Hunt coming Sunday, June 3, 6 pm; join our evangelism team as they head out into our city to let people know they are God’s treasure!
• Kids’ Day Camp coming Tuesday, June 5, for kids ages 5 years – 1^st grade (just completed) to the Aquatic Park in Big Spring; last day to sign up and pay your day camp cost is May 30^th, please see Pastor Lolo for more info!

Links

If you have found yourself needing to renew your vision for a fun family Summer, click here for Pastor Mindy’s Summer fun blog post on Seasonal Goal Posts.

You Heard it at EFC

1. “Deep Cries Out” by Bethel Music
2. “I’ve Found A Love” Jenn Johnson version
3. “Angels” by Brian Johnson
4. “Fire Fall Down” Rita Springer version

Sunday Preview

Next Sunday, May 27, I am very excited to welcome my pastor, Scott Beard, of FountainGate Fellowship in Abilene as our special guest.  Pastor Scott will preach in both the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services.  If you are in town this weekend, plan to be in church!

 

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THE LOVE TRANSLATOR!

Our conversations on love the past 3 weeks through The Marriage Coach sermon series have taught us that communication is an essential aspect of a healthy relationship.  Sometimes it feels like husbands and wives are literally speaking different languages.  I came across this great video that just might save us all from the frustration of being misunderstood.  Click to watch an infomercial about the manslator, a universal translator for men and women!

And make plans to join us this Sunday for our final week of The Marriage Coach as we discuss loving our marriages enough to protect them.

 

Podcast

“Unnecessary Roughness,” Pastor Mindy’s message from last week, is available online.  Click the title to learn more about maintaining a culture of Love and Respect in your home.

On the Radar

• Friday and Saturday, February 24-25: Marriage Conference featuring Dr. Mark and Alison Rutland at FountainGate Fellowship Church in Abilene.
• Sunday, March 4, from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., we will have a Membership Class at Emmanuel Fellowship Church.  If you are new to EFC and would like to discover more of our history, mission, and vision, you are welcome to join us for this informative and entertaining afternoon.  Childcare will be provided.

Links

Ignite a love spark in your marriage.  Visit Pastor Mindy’s blog Treasure the Ordinary and click “love spark” in the archive section to find out how!

Family Connection

Parents! 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. Click “Parent Connect.”

You Heard it at EFC

1. “He Reigns” by the Newsboys.
2. “Furious” by Jeremy Riddle
3. “All I Need” by Rita Springer
4. “How Marvelous” Chris Tomlin version

Sunday Preview

This Sunday, February 26, we will conclude our Marriage Coach sermon series by determining to love our marriages enough to protect them.  Make plans to join us as we culminate this amazing series with a powerful challenge from God’s word!

 

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EVER FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DROWNING?

I remember when I was a little boy, momma loaded us up and took us to Mineral Wells to the city pool. It was a major event for this country boy, because, for us, “swimming pool” meant stock tank.

If swimming didn’t include brownish-red water, mud between your toes, and having to avoid cow patties on the way down to the water, then I was just a little out of my element… (click to read the rest of the transcript from Pastor Eric’s message “Nothing is Impossible.”)

Podcast

“Nothing is Impossible,” Pastor Eric’s final message from the “Dance of Grace” sermon series is available online.  Click to listen.

On the Radar

• Friday and Saturday, February 24-25: Marriage Conference featuring Dr. Mark and Alison Rutland at FountainGate Fellowship Church in Abilene.  Register by February 10 to get the early bird rate!
• Identity Weekend: February 17-19.  If you are interested in participating in the weekend of spiritual growth and healing, contact Curtis Ward at curtis@rootsbythestream.com.

Links

Pastor Mindy has begun a marriage-building countdown to Valentine’s Day on her blog, Treasure the Ordinary.  Log on to invest in your spouse!   www.treasuretheordinary.blogspot.com

As a follow up to our Budgeting Class, here are the links Pastor Loran referred to for those of you who want to budget electronically.

• Cell Phone Envelope App
• Budgeting Worksheets and Calenders
•  Easy to Use and Understand Resources

Family Connection

Parents! 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. Click “Parent Connect.”

You Heard it at EFC

1. “We Cry Out” by Brian Johnson
2. “Your Love is Everything” Chris Quilala version
3. “Healer” Hillsong Version
4. “Our God” by Chris Tomlin

Sunday Preview

This Sunday, February 5, we begin our Marriage Coach Sermon series.  You don’t want to miss a single Sunday of this series as Pastor Eric reveals his top four keys to a healthy marriage.  Whether you are married or single, The Marriage Coach will provide you with tools and resources to strengthen any relationship.  Find out more at www.themarriagecoach.us.

 

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BALANCING YOUR FAMILY BUDGET

January is a great time to focus on setting and reviewing your family’s financial goals.

If you have found yourself ready to take some steps in the right direction, or if you have felt financially stuck, we invite you to attend the “Balancing Your Budget” Discipleship Training class and learn to do what Congress can’t!

Financial stress is damaging to marriages and families, and debt is overwhelming households all over our country, but you don’t have to be a victim to financial mis-management.  You can learn to handle your money with wisdom, and we would love to help you get started!

Make plans to attend both Sundays, January 22 & 29, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Childcare is provided, and your financial future is waiting.

Podcast

“We Live from Heaven to Earth,” Pastor Eric’s message from the “Dance of Grace” sermon series is available online.  Click to listen.

Links

Looking to grow in your understanding of a “Heaven to Earth” mindset?  Click the links to review the following two books on Amazon.

• When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson
• Experiencing the Spirit by Robert Heidler

On the Radar

• Sunday, January 22 & 29: Discipleship Training “How to Balance Your Budget” Each evening from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Childcare is provided.
• Wednesday, February 1: Ignite Families!  Join us for this evening of worship and encouragement to build, strengthen, and renew family relationships.
• Friday and Saturday, February 24-25: Marriage Conference featuring Dr. Mark and Alison Rutland at FountainGate Fellowship Church in Abilene.  Click here to register today to get the early bird rate!

Family Connection

Parents! 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. Click “Parent Connect.”

You Heard it at EFC

1. “Furious” Jeremy Riddle version
2. “One Thing Remains” Brian Johnson version
3. “This Is Our God” Hillsong version
4. “Fire Fall Down” Rita Springer version

Sunday Preview

Next Sunday, January 22, we continue our “Dance of Grace” sermon series with a look at the Biblical truth, “Everyone is Significant.”  Make plans to join us at 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. for a morning of worship and discover how to “know one another after the Spirit.”

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SETTING FINANCIAL GOALS FOR 2012

The beginning of a New Year is a great opportunity to seize the reigns of your family’s finances and develop a vision for your financial future.

King Solomon writes in Proverbs, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18) This quote is exceedingly true regarding our finances.  Without a vision for managing our money, we quickly find ourselves out of control and overwhelmed by debt.

Financial peace in your home can be found through setting goals, establishing a plan, and following through.

SETTING GOALS

What do you want to do with your money this year?  Do you want to be less in debt at the end of 2012 than you are now?  Would you like to be able to take a stress-free trip with your family this summer?  Would you like to begin tithing to your church?

Each year, between Christmas and the New Year, I pull out a piece of paper and begin to dream about how I will manage our money in the New Year.  I start with how much I want to give (15%), and then I look at how much I would like to save (10%).  I also consider the various ways I want to save (IRA, cash, car fund, vacation fund, emergency fund, and other investments).  After I have considered my giving and saving goals, I begin to look at the other areas of my finances.  I consider my current bills and then set goals for managing my car and home loans.

My first financial questions always deal with what I want to accomplish.

ESTABLISHING A PLAN

How are you going to achieve your financial goals this year?

Goals are useless if they do not lead us to action, and the action of financial goals is called a budget.  Through a budget, I consider the resources available to me (my paycheck) in light of the needs around me (my expenses).

I begin my plan by listing the essentials, the things I will not compromise in my finances.  I will not compromise my tithe.  I will not compromise feeding my family and providing a home for them.  From the essentials, I begin to prioritize my way through my other expenses, needs, and desires.  I ask myself questions such as: How much do we need for groceries each month?  What should be our limit on eating out?  What is the average of my electric, gas, and phone bill each month?  What are the areas where I can decrease my spending this year?

FOLLOWING THROUGH

How do I stick with the plan this year?

Even the best plan is of no value if I do not follow through with it.  Two essential keys to accomplishing your plan are training and motivation.

We must all aspire to be life-long learners, and we must recognize there is more we can learn about managing our finances.  There are countless tips, tricks, and methods that have helped families maintain their monthly budget.  If you are going to accomplish more with your finances this year than you did last year, you may need to learn more about managing money than you knew last year.

One great avenue of training is our upcoming Discipleship Training Class on Budgeting.  Through this class, we will help you evaluate your current financial situation, prioritize your spending, and discover tools to help you track your progress.  We believe every family will be able to benefit in some way from these classes.  Make plans to attend both Sundays, January 22 and 29, from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm.

We must also work to maintain our motivation.  Months of financial discipline can be undone by one season of unwise decision making.  Husbands and wives must be working together toward common financial goals, and they must also help one another stay on track.  Motivation is also encouraged through friendships.  Sharing your financial plans with your church Lifegroup and inviting them to pray with you and check up on your progress is a tremendous tool for sticking with a financial plan.

Wednesdays in January and February of 2012, our Lifegroups at Emmanuel Fellowship will go through “The Blessed Life” small group curriculum.  This inspiring teaching series will provide you with excellent training and just the motivation you need to set your family on a strong financial plan for 2012.

Are you ready for a great year?  Are you ready for the tools to make 2012 a great year, and not just a wish that somehow things might get better?

This is your time to connect.  This is your time to get trained.  This is your season to get motivated.  This is your year to get on the track to accomplishing your financial goals.

I look forward to the great things God has in store for your family’s finances this year!

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Eric

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HOW TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL CHRISTMAS

What do you remember about Christmas?  No doubt, there are certain gifts or events that stick out as highlights, but the ingrained memories are found in the rhythms Christmas brings to our homes.

In our fast-paced, ever changing, highly disposable culture, we are finding fewer opportunities to establish family traditions.  Christmas, however, stands as an anchor, rich in heritage and overflowing with possibilities for every home to establish their unique pattern of memories.

Christmas traditions allow us to maintain a proper perspective on the meaning of this precious season, even in the madness of our holiday shopping and schedules.  Christmas traditions allow us to slow down and take a reflective pause, before we clutter our floors with ripped-up wrapping paper and empty boxes.  Christmas traditions allow you to give your children more than a gift each year, but a memory–a memory they, in turn, can pass on to their children.  Christmas traditions give your home a heritage.

It will be up to your family to determine which traditions you establish in your home, but I recommend you not neglect two basic essentials.  I encourage you to ensure that your Christmas traditions are designed to honor the gifts that are given at Christmas time.  First, honor the gift of Jesus every Christmas morning.  Before a single present is unwrapped, allow time for the Bible to be opened.  Read and remember the nativity story each Christmas morning.  Second, honor the gifts given to one another every Christmas.  Encourage your children to slow down, only allow one gift at a time to be opened, make sure appreciation is expressed to the giver of each gift, and do not allow anyone’s generosity to be lost in the mountains of wrapping paper accumulating in your living room.

The Christmas traditions of the von Atzigen house include:

• We always wake up in our own home on Christmas morning.  We will travel all throughout the holidays, but Christmas morning is uninterrupted and undistracted.  It is our family moment.
• Not a creature stirs before 7:00 a.m.  This builds anticipation and allows mom and dad to recover from their late night of “some assembly required.”  Too many Christmas mornings get lost in early unwrappings and the ensuing crabby sleepiness.  And the thundering of the herd as they break into our room at 7:00 has become a beautiful Christmas morning sound, as well!
• The Christmas story comes before the gifts.  We circle up as a family to read the Christmas story (Luke 2:1-20).  We follow the Christmas story by receiving Communion together.  We use a slice of bread and sparkling apple cider for our Christmas Communion elements, and we always drink from the finest stemware we have in the house.  We follow Communion with a chocolate mint as we remember Psalm 34:8 and “taste and see that the Lord is good!”
• Finally, we make our way to the stockings and the gifts.  Mommy directs traffic as gifts are opened.  We make certain the giver of each gift is recognized and gifts are opened one at a time, as we pause with each present to celebrate the groovy things each person has received.

There are many more traditions you can establish, many more ways of making Christmas morning a worshipful experience.  I pray that your home will find a way to give more than great gifts this year — but, to establish great memories for a lifetime.

What about your family?  I would love to hear some of the special traditions you have established in your home to make the most of the beauty of Christmas.

Podcast

“Favor is Released,” Pastor Eric’s message from the “When God Comes Near” sermon series is available online.  Click to listen.

On the Radar: Holiday Schedule

• Sunday, December 18 @ 11:00 am:  Christmas Pageant at the City Auditorium
• Sunday, December 18 @ 6:00 pm: Church-wide Christmas Party at Camp Boothe Oaks
• Saturday, December 24 @ 7:00 pm: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at EFC
• Sunday, December 25: Christmas Day!  —-No Church Services—-
• Sunday, January 1 @11:00 am: New Year’s Day Service with fellowship meal and football to follow!

Family Connection

Parents! 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. Click “Parent Connect.”

You Heard it at EFC

1. “He Reigns” by the Newsboys
2. “O Come, Let Us Adore Him” traditional carol
3. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” traditional carol

Sunday Preview

Next Sunday, December 18, we will be the City Auditorium for our Christmas Pageant at 11:00 a.m.  We will also join together that evening for a very special Church Christmas Party at Camp Boothe Oaks at 6:00 p.m.

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IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS!

Christmas is always a special time for families, and our Christmas traditions at Emmanuel Fellowship are a very special time for our church family.

I am very excited about our Christmas celebrations planned for Sunday, December 18.  We will be in one service at 11:00 a.m. at the City Auditorium for our Christmas pageant.  Then, we will meet at Camp Boothe Oaks (near Lake Trammel) for a memory- making Christmas party for our entire church family.

Parents, I strongly urge you to make sure your children are involved in this year’s Christmas Pageant.  This special day of performing on stage and participating in the re-telling of the story of Jesus’ birth in front of their friends and family is an amazing moment in their faith journey.  Rehearsals for the pageant begin tonight, Wednesday, November 30, and are scheduled to continue through the month of December.  Check with Pastor Lolo to make sure you have the details!

Also, make plans to join in our Christmas Eve Candlelight worship service, Saturday, December 24, at 7:00 p.m.  Due to Christmas landing on a Sunday this year, we will not have church services Christmas Day.  Our Christmas Eve service will run from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and will provide a beautiful opportunity for families to prepare their hearts for Christmas morning.

As we enter the fast pace of the holiday season, I pray your family finds treasured moments together through our church celebrations.  May our holiday events create an overflow of joy and meaningful context to the purpose of Christmas morning!

Podcast

“Failure in Perspective,” Pastor Eric’s message from Sunday morning, will be available online soon.  Click to listen to this encouraging message.

On the Radar: Holiday Schedule

• Sunday, December 18 @ 11:00 am:  Christmas Pageant at the City Auditorium
• Sunday, December 18 @ 6:00 pm: Church-wide Christmas Party at Camp Boothe Oaks
• Saturday, December 24 @ 7:00 pm: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at EFC
• Sunday, December 25: Christmas Day!  —-No Church Services—-
• Sunday, January 1 @11:00 am: New Year’s Day Service with fellowship meal and football to follow!

Family Connection

Parents! 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. Click “Parent Connect.”

You Heard it at EFC

1. “O Taste and See” by Brian and Jenn Johnson
2. “Furious” Bethel Live version
3. “I Will Exalt” by Amanda Falk
4. “One Thing Remains” by Chris Tomlin and Matt Redmand

Sunday Preview

Next Sunday, December 4, we begin our Advent Sermon Series by exploring the amazing grace that occurs in moments “When God Comes Near.”

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LIGHT THE NIGHT!

Emmanuel Fellowship is excited to host a Light the Night festival Sunday, October 30, 2011.  This amazing evening will run from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and offer games and fun for children of all ages.

Everyone is invited to wear friendly costumes and participate in the games, prizes, face painting, and jumpy castle adventures.  As a very special addition, we are thrilled to host Fletcher Runyan, a trained circus acrobat, as he performs stunts and a low wire exhibition at 6:15, 6:45, 7:15, and 7:45 pm in the church parking lot!

Emmanuel Fellowship Church is located at 1418 Hailey Street in Sweetwater, Texas.

We look forward to celebrating a wonderful evening with you!

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BREAK OUT YOUR SHOVEL

In the 25^th chapter of the book of Matthew, Jesus tells an intriguing story.  He introduces us to two servants who are each given a certain amount of talents by their master.  They each invest the money wisely and double what was given to them.

There is also a third servant in the story, a man who received one talent.  This man took his talent and buried it in the ground.  Listen to the words of the third servant:

“I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground.”

Those are painful words.  Those are convicting words.

As a servant of Jesus, I pray those words will not be my declaration before my Lord.  As a pastor, it is my sincere prayer those words will not be your declaration before our Lord.

My friends, God has made a deposit into your life, a good deposit.  And He is looking for a return on His investment.  He has a right to expect you to bear good fruit.

Have the circumstances of your life caused you to bury the talent Jesus has given you?  “I was afraid…I was too busy…I was hurt…I was offended…I was (insert excuse hear)…and went out and hid my talent in the ground.”

Don’t you think it’s time to break out your shovel, dig up those talents, and invest them in the Kingdom of God?

In March, we begin a new sermon series, “City on our Knees.”  It is an invitation to step across whatever line has held you back and live with purpose in the Kingdom of God.  It is an invitation to live a “well done” life for our King.

Podcast

“Happy Child, Happy House” is the concluding message to the Family Foundations series.  Click to listen.

On the Radar

Baptism Service this Wednesday evening at First Christian Church!  Come join in the celebration this Wednesday at 7:00 PM as we honor what God is doing among us.  The evening will begin with a time of worship and lead into baptism of those who have recently given their hearts to Jesus.

Emmanuel Fellowship is now in TWO SERVICES.  Our Sunday morning worship times are 9:00 and 11:00.  A pre-school nursery only is available during the 9:00 service, and full children’s ministry is offered in the 11:00 service.

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

Been trying to remember one of those awesome songs we sang?  Here is our worship list from yesterday for those of you who just absolutely need a copy for yourself.  You can usually find them for purchase on itunes.com.

1. “He Reigns” by Newsboys
2. “I’ve Found a Love” Jenn Johnson version
3. “All I Need” by Rita Springer
4. “You’ll Come” by Hillsong

Sunday Preview

“City on our Knees” is the theme of our March sermon series.  Inspired by the call of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and named after TobyMac’s chart topping song, it will be an excellent study of living according to what we believe.

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