This Week at Agape: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning + Important Genesis Meeting Sunday Night (part 2).

Hello all,

We have one more big weekend this week!

Sunday morning, we will begin our small groups at 9:45, and then morning worship at 10:45. The message this Sunday is called, “Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning”, and will be about how to see it when people around you are struggling for air, and how to intervene and help them, both spiritually and physically. This will be a message that is targeted in the direction of two groups: 1. Those who are called to help and minister to other people. and 2. Those of you who are currently going through a place in their lives where it just seems like it is almost impossible to keep your head above the water. It will be a message of hope and equipping, and offer practical ways to be helped, and to genuinely offer help to others that offers long-term benefits. In addition, John Talley and the worship team will be leading us in glorifying and enjoying God, and we will close with an extended time of ministry for people to find new light, freedom, hope and destiny in Jesus, our Savior, Lord and Hero. Come join us!

This Sunday night, we are having the second of our two important Genesis meetings. As you have heard lately, the leadership of Agape believes that God is leading us to make a few significant changes (improvements!) to the way we operate. These transitions will ultimately give us more time to pray and worship, more time to fellowship and grow together with each other, and help us become a place that is more open and accessible to those who aren’t part of Agape now. During these Genesis meetings, we want to share with those who are interested, the direction we believe God is leading us, and answer questions, hear wisdom and converse about this period of transition we are in. Our meeting will start at six pm, and be in the sanctuary. All are invited. Come dressed casually, and bring some food and drink to share with each other, if possible.

Also - we’ve experienced significant church growth this week! Sarah Eden Hicks was born yesterday to Kristy and David Hicks. Please pray for the Hicks family, and for Sarah Eden. Also, Ann Talley has a way we can join together and bless this Hicks family. Read On:

Kristy and David welcomed Sarah Eden into the world yesterday! They should be going home tomorrow night. It would be great if we could organize meals for them for the next few nights as they settle in with the new baby. Please volunteer to prepare and deliver a meal to them! I will be glad to coordinate. Let’s start with Saturday night and see how many nights we can cover… please email me at annltalley(insert at symbol here)gmail.com and let me know what night you would like and what you plan to take them. This way we don’t have three people all bring fried chicken on the same day!:) I will put together a schedule and send it back out soon. Thanks Family in advance for loving on our newest little addition and her sweet mommy, daddy and brother and sister.

Thanks, Ann Talley

That’s all for now. Pray for our corporate together time this weekend, and pray for each other! See you Sunday,

Chase

Agape Newsletter - Special It’s Hotter than a City in Montana Edition.

Hello all,

I hope you are staying cool during this heat!

This Sunday we are going to talk about the church as a family. Many of us in America treat the fellowship of believers (the church) as a destination, or a building, or a once a week meeting, but really and truly, the church is not at all described by those things. If somebody views “church” as a meeting, or a building, or an obligation, then that person is likely to be very unfulfilled from the experience. The sad fact is that most of us “do” church that way, and most church leaders schedule events, and plan activities that perpetuate the church as a destination, building, or obligation. I think it is high time that we do something about that, and take a better view of what it means to be the church - well, better and messier. The fact is, the church is a people group, a fellowship, a community, a FAMILY. What does it mean that the church is a family?
How does somebody who doesn’t feel like family become a part of the family? (i.e. - how do I feel included?)
What is my role in the family?
Why do I feel like my church is NOT a family?
How do I help make the family stronger?
Is there really life on Mars?
Is Bigfoot an Alabama or Auburn fan?

These are the questions we will explore this Sunday (most of them, anyway). We will explore the Word, hear from Pastor Mark Driscoll via video, and seek God on what it means to be a family, and how we can become a better family at Agape. I hope you can join us!

Upcoming Events:

Sunday, July 18, 6:00 p.m. - A very important and strategic Genesis meeting.

Sunday, July 25, after church: Covered Dish Luncheon on the grounds.

Sunday, July 25 (evening): Awakening - a focused time of worship and prayer.

Prayer Requests:

Please pray for the Sellers family and for Steve’s mom, Evelyn. Pray that Evelyn would grow stronger physically, and do the things that she needs to do in order to recover.

Please pray for Ann, Lynn and Sue’s Uncle Gray (who is the brother of Vivian Hughes)

Please pray for Awakening on July 25th!

Please pray for 7 year old Kaitlyn Ladowsky, granddaughter of Janice Graves (friend of Brian Perkins). She is very sick with a burst appendix.

All for now - See you Sunday!

Chase

Agape mini-newsletter: Special July 4th Holiday Edition.

Greetings to all,

The newsletter is a little late because I have spent the better part of the last two days fighting a life and death battle between me and an almost innumerable army of bloodthirsty foes. Yes, thanks to our dog, we are undergoing the Battle of the Fleas. The good news is that it looks like we are finally winning. The bad news is that I’m pretty sure that I have violated the Geneva Conventions against chemical warfare multiple times. They attacked my children, however, and I will not tolerate that! ;)

Speaking of battles, this Sunday is July the 4th. I am not normally one to bring special “holiday” style messages, but this Sunday shall represent something of an exception. We are going to be looking at three different periods of our American military history (including a shocking one where our own government proposed an attack on the people of the United States of America, with an intent to blame it on another country!), three inspiring or surprising stories of liberty in America, and then examine scripture, where we will find three practical and applicable principles for prevailing and overcoming in spiritual areas. I know that some might be out of town, but if you are here, I think you are going to want to join us Sunday.

I am also planning on asking some interesting American history trivia questions - so come prepared!

Prayer needs:

Please pray for Linda Roberts, who is in the hospital again with a fever.

Please pray for Tommy and Johnnie Marshall

Also - Awakening is coming, Sunday, July 25th at 6:00pm. More on what that means very soon.

See you Sunday!

Chase