Download Report

February, 2015
"As For Me
and My House"
PRAISE THE LORD!
Alex Ferguson was baptized into
Christ by his father, Steve, on Sunday,
January 25. Alex is 11 years old.
WELCOME!
Building a strong FAMILY
BUILDING A STRONG MARRIAGE
bUILDING STRONG cHILDREN
BUILDING A STRONG LEGACY
Dates To Remember. . .
Beyond These Walls
February 1 - Soup-er Bowl Outreach Event
Don’t forget your cans of soup for Big Walnut Friends
Who Share! Place the cans in your favorite team’s box
(located in the gym foyer).
This Year. . .
For each month in 2015, the SCC leadership will
choose an area of focus as we go out and serve our
community— “Beyond These Walls.” THANK YOU
to those who submitted ideas!
For February, we will focus on our local schools!
SCC will bless and encourage the staff at each of the
Big Walnut school buildings by providing treats or
goodies, a colored picture or card, or a craft item.
Include the family in this project! The items will be
taken to the school on MONDAY, February 23, and
placed in the school’s break/lunch room. You can
decide, as a family, what school you want your item
to go to! Items will be collected in the gym on the
morning of SUNDAY, February 22 (there will be a
table set up for each of the schools).
Leadership Meeting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Leadership
Sunday, February 8 | 7-8:15 P.M.
Contact: Mike Bratten|[email protected]|740.965.3821
All Staff, Elders, Deacons, and Ministry Leaders are
encouraged to attend this important meeting. This will
be the first of three meetings for 2015.
Men’s Bible Study & Breakfast. . . . . . . . . . .Men
Friday, February 13 | 6:30 - 7:30 A.M. | SCC Gym
Contact: Tom Hatfield |[email protected]| 740.965.3909
All men are invited to come for this weekly time
together to study God’s Word. The February 13th
study will include a breakfast, too!
Lit n’ Latte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Women
Thursday, February 26 |1:45 P.M. at Sunbury Library
Contact: Shirley Dunahugh|[email protected]
Do you love to read? This group is for you! All ladies
are welcome to come. February’s Book is by John
Grisham—The Innocent Man.
2
February Calendar
1 - “Soup-er” Bowl Outreach - Don’t forget your cans of soup
1 - Jr. & Sr. High Super Bowl XLVIX Party | 6 - 8 p.m.
8 - Leadership Meeting | 7 - 8:15 p.m. | SCC Gym
9 - Elders’ Meeting | 7 p.m.
9-14 - Upward Break Week
11 - Special FEAST - Packing meals for the hungry | 6 - 7:40
13 - Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study | 6:30 a.m. | SCC Gym
14 - Valentine’s Day
15 - Jr. High Youth Group | 6 - 8 P.M. | Swanks’ Home
20-21 - Jr. High—CIY Believe Conference
22 - Sr. High Youth Group | 6 - 8 P.M. | Huffers’ Home
22 - Outreach Opportunity | For the staff at BW schools
26 - Women’s Lit n’ Latte | 1:45 p.m. | Sunbury Library
WEEKLY
Sunday:
Men’s Basketball—Open Gym | 6 - 8 p.m.
(No Open Gym on 1/8/13)
Sun. - Sat.:
Small Groups (See Bulletin Board)
Meet on Various Nights Through the Week
Mon., Tues.
& Thurs.:
Upward Basketball & Cheer Prac. | 6 - 9 p.m.
Monday:
Women’s Bible Study | 5:30 a.m.
(Maxeiner’s home)
Wednesday:
Wednesday Night FEAST | 6 - 7:40 p.m.
Friday:
Men’s Bible Study | 6:30 - 7:30 a.m.
2015 Vacation Bible School
Believe it or not, VBS planning has begun! So now is the
time to speak up if you would like to be involved in a
leadership role for our 2015 program. The participation of
our members is what makes our program great and brings
children from across the community to our church.
For those who are “VBS veterans,” please let us know
if you would like a new role, the same role, or if you would
like to take a break in 2015. Please contact Karyl Shirkey
at [email protected] or 614.309.7784.
January Attendance Averages
1st Worship
Service
2nd Worship
Service
Total Worship
Service
180
276
456
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:19, 20
Hearing From Our Leadership. . .
3
“What A Great Place To Be!”
By Mike Bratten, Sr. Minister
I caught myself bragging on you the other day. . . yes, YOU, the church. YOU make this a great place
to be! You desire to know the Word of God; you want others to find what you've found; you
sacrifice and laugh and pray and. . . you want Jesus Christ to be seen above all else. . . and I love it!
We have such an opportunity to be involved in the lives of other people. Upward Basketball and
Cheerleading is making contact with people who do not have a church home. The Preschool is
making an impact within the families of the 70 children who come our way every week. The
letters and prayers that you are sending to those in our community, letting them know that you
appreciate who they are, what they do, and that you're lifting them to the Lord.
An email came from one of our local ministers who had received a letter from me and from one of you! Along with
expressing his appreciation for our prayers, he was convicted that he should also be doing more of the same. He then
suggested that we get together sometime soon and even offered to let me buy him lunch. Now THAT'S my kind of
preacher! I also received a letter of thanks from one of our Police Departments.
Let me ask you a question: Are you building Bridges or building Fences?
This question came to me as I sat in a Ministers' Meeting this morning. As the presenter was sharing some valuable
things, I believe the Holy Spirit impressed this question on my heart. . . and I believe He wants me to ask you the same
thing. No one remains stagnant for long. We move in one direction or another. We have to move; it's in our nature.
When we make the choice to move, Do we build fences? defend what's ours? keep others out? OR Do we build
bridges? allow God to work through us? include those around us, especially those who are hurting?
I think this is a great place to be because we are helping people cross the bridge from sinfulness to holiness, from
feelings of inferiority to those of value because of who God has made them to be. People are looking for hope and
encouragement. They need someone to truly care. Oh, may God help us to be that kind of church. . . to look past
the income, the occupation, the house, the clothes, the phones, and all the things of this world to what is really
important. . . the eternal souls of men and women who need to be born again, from above. What a great place to be!
“Jesus Didn’t Own Running Shoes”
By Casey Shofner, Youth Minister
As I write this article,
I’m keenly aware of
everything that needs
my attention. Emails to
respond to, meetings to
be at (in 15 minutes),
shopping list to fulfill,
sporting events to
attend, car to pick up
at the shop on my way home, etc., etc. Lately
it feels like I am running from one thing to
the next.
Knowing the rapid pace that I catch myself
in, I thought it would be interesting to
research verses in the Gospels, which help us
understand the tempo at which Jesus led His
life. Here’s what I found:
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee,
He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake,
for they were fishermen. (Mark 1:16)
As He walked along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax
collector’s booth. (Mark 2:14)
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as His
disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.
(Mark 2:23)
As they talked and discussed these things with each other,
Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them. (Luke 24:15)
Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.
(John 10:23)
Now while this is not meant to be an anti-running commercial
(because physical running is something we all should do from
time to time), it is meant to be a helpful reminder as to the rhythm
and pace at which Jesus conducted himself.
Throughout the gospels it seems as though Jesus moved along on a
steady course from one encounter to another. Nowhere do we read
about the disciples being out of breath trying to keep up with their
hyper-speed rabbi.
(Con’t. on back page)
“Building meaningful relationships
with Jesus Christ and those we meet”
Sunbury Christian Church
250 Rainbow Ave.
Sunbury, OH 43074
First Service: 9:00 A.M.
Sunday School 9:00 A.M.
Coffee & Fellowship 10 - 10:20 A.M.
Second Ser vice: 10:30 A.M.
Nursery - Grade 6 | Classes & Kids Club
Michael Bratten, Senior Minister
Ken Muller, Associate Minister
Casey Shofner, Youth Minister
Lloyd Huffer II, Teen Minister
Dawn Boehm, Childr en’s Coor dinator
Debbie Clem, Secr etar y
Trish Stewart, Office Assistant
Church Office - (740) 965-3821
*** NOTICE: If you would like to be removed from our mailing list, please
cut out the above label, write “remove” on it, and send to the above address.
Or, you may e-mail Debbie Clem, [email protected], with your
address information. ***
Jan Erndt, Administr ator
Sonshine Preschool - (740) 965-2630
Visit our Web Site:
www.sunburychristian.com
E-mail addresses are available.
Youth And Misc.
Wednesday Night FEAST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All
Casey’s Article—Con’t.
Wednesdays |Dinner: 6 P.M. |Classes: 6:40 P.M.
Perhaps it would be a good thing for us to consider our
pace. Are we moving too fast to see what God wants us to
see—and might we be limiting ourselves in the process?
Could it be that time management starts with me doing
some sort of pace-of-life analysis? How different would
our perspective be if Jesus had said to the lame man in
John chapter 5, “Get up. Pick up your mat and run”?
Contact: Mike Bratten |[email protected]| 740.965.3821
Join us for a mid-week refreshment, both spiritually and
physically! We begin with dinner for the family followed
by classes for all ages. Dinner cost: Adults: $3,
Children:$2 (age 3—6th Grade) and Family Max: $10.
On February 11 SCC will sponsor a food packing session
in collaboration with Lifeline Christian Mission. This is a
family friendly activity that has a big impact. All ages are
welcome! You and your family will literally be feeding
hundreds of people.
Super Bowl XLIX Party. . . . . . . . . . . . . Jr. & Sr. High
Sunday, February 1 | 6 - 8 P.M. (or until halftime)
Contact: Casey Shofner | [email protected] |740.965.3821
Two adult classes available on Weds.—6:40 P.M.
Adult Class (Sanctuary) Led by: Mike Bratten
“Bible Basics” - Includes one general principle which
helps to understand the Bible and two specific ways to
apply that principle.
Come and cheer on your favorite team! Food, Football,
and Fun! Jr. and Sr. High will meet at the Swanks’
home (13821 Ulery Rd., Sunbury).
Women’s Study (Rm. 6) Led by: Erica Maxeiner
“What Love Is” - A Bible Study of I, II, III John—
Author: Kelly Minter. This class includes a
DVD, discussion, and study guide.
Contact: Casey Shofner |[email protected]| 740.965.3821
Youth Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jr. and Sr. High
Sunday, February 15 and 22 | 6 - 8 P.M.
February 15 | Sr. High will meet at the Swanks’ home.
(13821 Ulery Rd., Sunbury)
February 22 | Jr. High will meet at the Huffers’ home.
(360 Fox Trail Dr., Sunbury)