Exciting News!

I want to begin with some exciting news.  Lisa Brackett has created an app for our church.  If you have an iPhone or Android phone you can go to your store and search "Vero Beach Church of Christ".  Lisa already has various events posted on the app with plans to add more in the near future.  This is great.  How many times have you forgotten the time of an event or what we are to bring, etc.?  Instead of looking for a past email or having to call someone, you can simply use the app on your phone to pull up the information.  If you have any ideas you believe would be helpful to have on a church app, please let us know and we will see if it is possible.  Here is a picture of what it looks like when you pull it up.

It has been a very long week around the church office.  Besides the regular work that is done, David, Joel and myself have been checking out some possible service opportunities for this congregation.  We went to the Family Homeless Center on Thursday to tour the facilities and try to discover ways we may can spread the love of Christ in this place.  Friday Joel attended an informative meeting about Habitat for Humanity and possibilities for serving families of our community.  Both meetings were productive.  Add to that a funeral Saturday morning.  Beth Hoskins, Gene Hoskins Liz Raikes, and David Paladin all helped to serve and make a difficult situation better.  Personally I struggled with this funeral - 35 year old man who leaves behind a wife of 13 years and two children (ages 9 and 7).  To say it mentally wiped me out is an understatement.  I appreciate all who came out in support.  Add to that, Friday night was a new members supper and game night.  Coming back from the funeral home that night, I stopped in to see what was happening.  Scary!  There were people walking around acting like a T-Rex and others playing rock, paper, scissors.  It was actually pretty funny.  David Paladin did a good job putting this together and had a lot of great help from Ethel Meadows, Christin Paladin, Joel and Ann Soumar, and Micheal Scott.  Here are a few pictures.

This is what I walked into



Paul Filsell is a HORRIBLE Jenga player

More craziness

The kids table

 

Sunday morning was a great day of worship.  Our sermon series, gods at war, is in full swing as we began with "gods of pleasure."  If you are paying attention, you know this topic is thought provoking, uncomfortable, powerful, and refreshing at the same time.  It truly has the potential to change your life.  I am learning every week.  Don't forget about our discussion groups on Wednesday nights.  Last week was a great beginning.  A special thanks to all our teachers.  As we have tried to stress for this series, this is not about the other people in the room, it is about you (me) as an individual.  These discussions are not a place to judge others, but to take an inner look at ourselves, no matter how much it hurts.  It doesn't mean you have to share all of your deepest darkest secrets, but to learn what those things are for yourself and grow closer to the One who saved us.  Praise God!  Working privately in your Combat Journal will go along way for self-discovery and commitment.

 

Sunday night we began a new class on "The Masters Men".  These are the 12 apostles Jesus kept close at His side.  These were just ordinary people.  No priests, no rabbis, no officials in the religious groups of the day.  So what does that mean to me?

 

As you begin your week, take time to make a phone call or write a letter of encouragement to someone you know is struggling right now.  This could be someone within this church, someone you work with, or know from your favorite coffee shop.  Pray for them.  Visit someone who is shut-in or lonely.  As you begin to put aside these idols that have consumed you, you will find more time to do things like this.  Take time to pray for our elders and ministers as we get ready to meet tonight.  And PLEASE let us know if there is someone who needs our attention.

 

Have a great week in your service to Christ Jesus.