Guyton Christian Church August 2019 Newsletter · Guyton hristian hurch (DO ), August 2019, Page 4...
Transcript of Guyton Christian Church August 2019 Newsletter · Guyton hristian hurch (DO ), August 2019, Page 4...
Guyton Christian Church (DOC), August 2019, Page 1 www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
Guyton Christian Church
August 2019 Newsletter Web: http://www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
The Greatest Spiritual Gift
A friend with a heart for prophecy envisions a renewal of our community spurred by musical programs at Guyton Christian Church.
Guyton has always been a very musical church. We are blessed with more than a half-dozen talented piano players (at last count). Through our choir, praise & worship team and Gospel Jam, we continually encourage people to share their musical talents. Some would say that makes us a very gifted church. I dare not disagree.
Having been reared in a musical family and trained in musical churches, I am tempted to promote musical talent as the greatest of all Spiritual Gifts. But while I affirm my friend’s confidence that our music can change our community, I have to admit that the music is, at best, a means to an end.
Isaiah 11: 2 says of the coming Messiah:
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. That’s six Spiritual Gifts: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Might, Knowledge, and the Fear of the Lord. In 1 Corinthians
12, Paul’s list of Spiritual Gifts includes Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Tongues, and Interpretation of Tongues. In Romans 12, he lists Prophecy, Ministry, Teaching, Exhortation, Generosity, Leadership, and Mercy. The lists are similar, but not identical, so they aren’t meant to be comprehensive. Even so, as far as I can tell, nowhere in scripture is music referred to as a Spiritual Gift.
Musical talent, like any other talent, can be used for good, or for evil. Music can enlighten or deceive. It can make you rich and build you up. It can also tear you down. If you idolize instruments, sound systems, recordings or concerts, it can even make you poor!
Don’t get me wrong; I do love music. We are so blessed that God lets us worship with our musical friends, “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” as Paul says in Colossians 3:16. Music is vital to our worship services, but it is not the lifeblood of our church. Our lifeblood is the blood of Christ, and our music matters only insofar as we use it to share the Gospel.
I love how music helps us practice hospitality – to those who play, those who sing, and those who only listen. I love how good music teaches, how it helps us remember the Gospel message. I love how we pray and praise God through music. But the Gospel message is also expressed in cooking, cleaning, preaching, teaching, and caring for others. You don’t have to be a musician to change the world. The difference in our community is the difference in our lives, and that is the love of God as revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Whatever we do – picking, grinning, building, cooking, cleaning, accounting, praying, teaching, mowing, painting, driving, giving, writing, calling, or whatever else – becomes a Spiritual Gift when we give it to God by giving God’s love to those around us. Music is just one of many pretty wrappers for the real gift, which is eternal life in Jesus Christ.
So let’s make a joyful noise every chance we get! But let’s also appreciate those who serve behind the scenes, our church leaders, and those who show support for our efforts.
My friend makes a good point. Music can make a big difference in this community, but only if we let God work through us, using everything we have, and everything we are, to glorify Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Joel
Guyton Christian Church (DOC), August 2019, Page 2 www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
August Communion
Preparation
Shannon Thompson
Disciple Men Mon. August 19th @ 7p
Christian Center
Host & Devo: Chris Walz
Eula Powers Circle Location: Christian Center
Thurs., August 15th @ 7p Hostess: Sandra Kelley
Bereavement
Families of Brenda Reece
Lynn Tinker
Health & Wellbeing Michael Thomas Alley
Becky Archer Doris Armstrong Jelane Battle John Battle Janice Beard
Sandy Beckman Al Beiner
Alvin Berry Geneva Boyles Leonard Boyles
Brisher Family Dorothy Brody Ethel Brown Alex Burdo Jerry Burns Linda Clark Jayme Click
Delma Cowart Gwen Cox
Nell Crapps Michael Cribbs
Pat Cutter Carolyn Dixon Greg Durrence
Audry Edwards Doris Jane Edwards
Monroe Epting Ginger Exley
Family of John Farell Angie Fedie Beth Flynt
Rick Fordham John David Fulcher
Scott Garner Demitra Gibson
Fred Griffin Ralph Hall
Stephanie Hall
Herbert Hutcheson Heather Jackson Mckenna Jordan
Annette Lamb Pat Little
Shannon Long Parker McCoy Wren Mason Angie Moore Kathy Murphy Chris Orrico
Rachel Pevey Reed Pevey Amy Rippey
Carolyn Seckinger Joe Secich
Laura Sellers Brittany Sessions
Joan Shelby Kylie Shiell Abby Smith
Henry Southward Ann Stevens John Sullivan Jacky Taylor
Don Thomassen Catherine Tinker
Ava Tinsley Luther True Billy Ward
Becky Weitman
Eddie Wilkerson Irene Wood
Alfreda Youmans John Youngstrom Eugenia Zipperer
All of our Military
at home & abroad, & all of those who protect us.
Kyle Flowers Gary Hall
William Hintz Jerimiah Inman Rebecca Inman Victoria Inman Ozzy Morales
CMSgt Tom McQuiston Haley Pope
Benjamin Rud
Young at Heart Thurs. August 22nd @ 11am
Christian Center
Join us for BINGO & a great lunch!
Loose Threads Tues. August 13th
6:30pm Christian Center
Prayer Concerns
Sojourners Adult Bible Study
Summer Break: July & August
Guyton Christian Church (DOC), August 2019, Page 3 www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
Musicians, Singers & Everybody Else!
Come to our Ole Time
GOSPEL
JAM
Bring the whole family for an Old-School sing-along.
Musicians of ANY skill level welcome.
Bring Any Instrument: Guitar, Uke, Mandolin OR JUST YOUR VOICE
Sundays at 6pm, Christian Center
Volunteers for Children’s Chat
If you would like to lead Children’s Chat on Sunday mornings with our younger children, please contact Chris Walz.
Drive In Movie Day was Awesome!
Thank you Mrs. Debbie!
Our new sign!
Almost there!
The Depot is almost finished! We are
awaiting the completion of the flooring and
installation of the sound system. Look for
information on a dedication and grand
opening in the near future.
Guyton Christian Church (DOC), August 2019, Page 4 www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
Guyton Christian Hosts Week of
October 6th
1 Kaytie Summerour 2 Beverly Bodnar 4 Jennifer Reiser 5 Stuart Jennings 8 Angie MacKay 11 Molly Moore 12 Vivian Alley 16 Wesley Dawson
August Birthdays
August Anniversaries
Check the Christian
Center! Unclaimed dishes
will soon be making a
road trip!
The Fillin’ Station Community Food Pantry
Our food collection item this month for The Fillin’ Station is BEANS! Navy, Pinto, Black-eyed Peas, Lima! Any kind will do! The 1-2 pound bags or boxes are great for distribution. The Fillin’ Station also welcomes mac & cheese, Hamburger Helper, Rice-A-Roni, cake mixes & frosting in addition to canned meats such as tuna, chicken and ham.
Save your plastic grocery bags, also!
Volunteers are also needed for Tuesdays and Thursdays. Won’t you consider giving a few hours of your time?
Collection bins are in the Christian Center.
Tuesday & Thursdays 10am—1pm 1290 Ga Hwy 119 South, Springfield
7 Lamar & Sheri Hall 9 Joel & Nancy Tucker 11 Teri & Elisa Massey 31 John & Jelane Battle
16 Jack Malcom 16 Geraldine Reese 18 Addison Burnsed 24 Zachary Antee 28 Shaw Wilkerson
Back to School
Bash!
Saturday, August 10
10a—2p
Christian Center
Come have a blast with an assort-
ment of games, slip & slide kick
ball, and a water slide! As always,
adult volunteers are needed.
Guyton Christian Church (DOC), August 2019, Page 5 www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
Servants in Ministry — Communion — August
Date Elders Deacons Deaconesses Acolyte
Aug 4 Claudette Griffin
Medie Still Ron Clary
Bryan Thompson Nancy Summerour Joyce Ann Tuten
Kaytie Summerour
Aug 11 Chad Zittrouer Melissa Proctor
Johnny Taylor David Proctor
Angie MacKay Faye Smith
Edward Hall
Aug 18 Archie Jenkins
Mary Grace Fisher Brandon Long
Woody MacKay Kelly Long Sheri Hall
Nicholas Case
Aug 25 Mike Smith
Shannon Thompson Bill Exley
Shaw Wilkerson Vivian Alley Molly Moore
Christian Petersen
Servants in Ministry — Children Worship & Wonder — August *Tentative
Date Storyteller Worship Helper Junior Greeter
Story
Aug 11 Becky Malcom Leana Radcliffe
Kaytie Summerour Graduation
Orientation—Talking to God
Aug 18 Jennifer Reiser Debbie Snooks
Sam Reiser Orientation—Listening to God
The Story of The Light
Aug 25 Sandra Moore Chris Walz
Edward Hall The Good Shepherd
Servants in Ministry — Wednesday JYF Youth — August Rotation Workshops — “Creation” — Storytelling, Art, Cooking, Music, Games
Date Workshop @ 6:00—6:45p
YY Workshop Leader / Shepherd
Light Supper @ 6:45p (JYF, DL, CYF) CC
Aug 14 Storytelling Nancy Summerour Shepherds Needed
Jennifer & Angie
Aug 21 Art Debbie Snooks
Shepherds Needed Melissa & Sue
Aug 28 Cooking Jennifer Reiser
Shepherds Needed *Mary Ann & *Autumn
Children Worship & Wonder Graduation August 11
Prospective Graduates —
Abigail Burnsed Danny Massey
Christian Petersen Lawton Reiser
Zane Summerour
*Tentative
Guyton Christian Church (DOC), August 2019, Page 6 www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
One of my preoccupations in ministry is “Why do people lose their faith?” I try to structure the les-sons I teach our youth in such a way that they hopefully won’t contribute to the statistics which say as many as half of teenagers leave the church after graduating high school.
I remember once seeing a blog post by an atheist about my age. It was a list of books he claimed had convinced him to abandon his faith. At the end of the blog, he said that he hoped to read these books some-day! This would be funny if it weren’t so sobering. It seems that just the idea such books exist in the aca-demic circle is enough to give people the impression that faith is largely devoid of intellectual substance, a fact that scares away a person who considers herself thoughtful and reasonable. Obviously, I’m of the opin-ion that this case is overblown. I think the intellectual can be quite at home in the Church. I think such peo-ple would find deep meaning in loving God with all their minds; and I think there are ample reasons to be-lieve, not only that God exists, but that He raised Jesus from the dead. As G.K. Chesterton once said “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”
But convenient as it would be for me if the skeptic’s unbelief was always some intellectual stumbling block, and the world just one answered question away from universal salvation, that is clearly not the case. I mentioned in a recent Children’s Chat that I recently re-watched an old favorite television show, Firefly. If you haven’t heard of it, it was a show about (basically) cowboys-turned-space-pirates and was Joss Whedon’s follow-up to his massively successful series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We’re introduced to our main character, Captain Malcolm Reynolds (played by nerd-king Nathan Fillion) during what are to be the final hours of “The War” in which he is a sergeant on the losing side. He’s funny, optimistic, a strong and pragmatic leader and, as shown by him kneeling to pray and kissing the cross pendant he wears around his neck just before a mission, a man of devout faith. He also encourages one of the men under his command by saying “We are simply too pretty for God to let us die.”
Unfortunately, Mal (as he’s known to his friends) doesn’t stay that way very long. The things he ex-periences through his defeat in this battle break his spirit and cause him to abandon his faith. In a deleted scene, when his second-in-command thanks God upon seeing the medical squadron coming to take the wounded, Captain Reynolds angrily asks “God? Whose colors he flyin’?” Later, when a traveling preacher books passage aboard the ship which he captains, Mal tells the man “You’re welcome aboard my ship. God ain’t.”
That’s how many people lose their faith. Usually, their reason is emotional, not intellectual. They’ve lost someone and they’re angry at God for taking that person away. Or there’s something that they want to do, and they know that it’s not what God wants for their life, so they walk away from God. For these people it doesn’t matter how much evidence I present for believing that God exists and Jesus was exactly who He said He was. They won’t care about my clever little analogies about faith in a spouse and faith in God. What these people need isn’t an appeal to the mind. They need us to appeal to their hearts. To quote my favorite band Casting Crowns from their second album Lifesong: “Love them like Jesus/ Carry them to Him/ His yoke is easy/ His burden is light/ Don’t need the answers/ To all of life’s questions/ Just know that He loves them/ Stay by their side/ And love them like Jesus”
For Christ and His Kingdom
Chris Chris Walz, Youth Coordinator
Take My Love
Guyton Christian Church (DOC), August 2019, Page 7 www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
My Father’s House Game Night!
August 9th, 6p-8p
New location! Join us for game night at the Christian Center! Gaming tables will be set up with board games, checkers, dominoes, etc. It will be lots of fun! Enjoy a cup of lemonade or coffee as you try your skill at various games. Live music will be provided by Russ and The Rev.
My Father’s House provides social opportunities to people of all abilities.
Come! My Father’s House has many rooms!
Rev. Joel Tucker, Senior Pastor Email: [email protected]; Cell: (561) 252-0493
Youth Coordinator: Chris Walz; Email: [email protected]; (912) 429-8922
Office hours: Sun 12:30-5:30; Tues 10-2; Wed 1-5:30; Thurs 2-6; Fri 2-6; Sat 2-6
Admin. Assistant: Becky Malcom; Office Hours —Mon-Thu, 9am-Noon Email: [email protected] Office: (912) 772-3478 Mail: P. O. Box 5, Guyton The Rock: (912) 772-8415 Fax: (912) 772-4206 Christian Center: (912) 772-8843 Sanctuary: (912) 772-3478
Church offices located at 306 Central Boulevard, Guyton. Web: http://www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
Mailing address: P. O. Box 5, Guyton, GA 31312
GCC Hosts Clergy Cluster August 18th, Christian Center @ 4pm
The Georgia Region wants to hear your voice about your concerns and needs - so that as a Region, we may better serve you. As clergy and leaders, you are an integral part of ensur-ing the vitality and relevance of our congregations and communities. Help us help you! Dates and locations have been set for these new Clergy Clusters. Join us at your location to discuss with your Regional leaders what you, as our clergy, are interested and in need of. Please regis-ter to attend so we know how many to accommodate for. Registration closes one week before each event. Please let the office know you are attending! Or register on-line: gadisciples.org.
Friday, August 9th
6p-8p
Free! Suggested Donations:
$2 per person; $5 per family
Unlimited coffee, tea and lemonade
Guyton Christian Church (DOC), August 2019, Page 8 www.GuytonChristianChurch.org
Meet and Greet in the
Christian Center for coffee and fellowship Sundays at 9:45am.
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
My Father’s House
RICO & Karaoke August 17th @ 6:00pm, Christian Center
Cook-off entry/dishes should be on the table by 5:45pm.
Entries should be SECURELY labeled with the course only. (Appetizer, Entrée, or Dessert). NO
NAMES! We will put a number on the label, so the label should be securely attached to the
dish. Judging is by assigned number. First & Second Place Prize winners in each category plus
one Overall Grand Prize!
Appetizer: Sardines (canned, any variety)
Banana Peppers (or pepperoncini) Green Olives
Entrée: Chicken (your choice: rotisserie, deli sliced...even canned, if you dare!)
Golden Raisins Rice Chex Cereal (or store brand)
Dessert: Ice Cream (any flavor or brand)
Honey Plain Potato Chips (any brand...but must be plain)
Remember, you may add as many other ingredients as you wish, BUT — you must include ALL three random ingredients in the dish.
KARAOKE fun after judging cook-off!
New for 2019!
Overall winner will receive our
R.I.C.O. Red Apron!