Tag Archives: food pantry

Jano22

Chase

0

Agape Newsletter: This Sunday’s message and our efforts to help in Haiti! (BAKE SALE NEXT WEDNESDAY)

Hello everybody, and welcome to a most significant Agape newsletter! This upcoming week @ Agape we will have several opportunities to give of our time, our resources, and even ourselves to help people who are in desperate need! I want to exhort you to take advantage of the opportunities listed below.

Before I get to some important announcements, let me ask you a question. Does God hate Haiti? That is the word on the street currently in Haiti. Pam McCormick, a missionary in Haiti right now, writes this about the earthquakes, ““Bondye pa renmen Ayiti” (God doesn’t like Haiti) is the word on the street. And though I know it is the furthest from the truth, I can’t blame them for feeling like that. From its beginnings as a slave colony, the people of Haiti have suffered and endured unimaginable tragedy, abuse and injustice. When you think things just couldn’t possibly get any worse in Haiti, they do.” Read on for how we can help the people of Haiti, and Glorify God in the process!

  • First up, let me tell you what’s on tap for Sunday morning corporate worship. This Sunday morning we continue our series on the four major purposes of Agape (GRIP or Glorify, Reach, Impact, Propel) we are focusing on the second purpose this week - Reach - reaching people with the Gospel as Jesus told us to in His Great Commission. The title of the message is “No Parking on the Dance Floor“, which might mean something to those of you born in the sixties or seventies. We’ll try to answer the question of how the Great Commission informs our lives individually and as a group, and how practically we can reach people with the good news of Jesus.
  • Next up is the Nest on Tuesday night, January 26. This is where we at Agape feed the homeless of Birmingham, pray for them, provide medical help for them, and point them to the love of Jesus. If you can help, please come to the Agape building at 6:00pm Tuesday
  • Finally, we have a big Wednesday night scheduled for January 27th. We will be doing our normal food pantry outreach that night, feeding many in our area. In addition, we are hosting a bake sale with a silent auction with 100 percent of the proceeds donated to on the ground relief work in Haiti. We are asking our Agape family to do two things:   1. To bake cakes, pies, turnovers, brownies, cookies, etc. for sale that night. The more food you make and the yummier the food, the better! Enlist the help of your friends and neighbors….Draw up a mouth watering description of your baked goods. Whatever it takes!  2. We are asking you to help get the word out about the bake sale. Tell your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Call the local radio stations. Invite your family, and anybody who might come! Put flyers up at grocery stores, and other places. SPREAD THE WORD. Next Wednesday night at 6:30 - Haiti Bake Sale and Silent Auction!  Let people know about this via email, via your Facebook or Myspace page, and however you can think of.

This fund raiser is part 1 of our mission to help Haiti. Part 2 involves us participating in a relief trip with the Alabama or Florida Baptist Association when the doors open to us. If you are curious as to where the money we raise is going to be donated, it will be going to the Haiti Relief Fund of Fellowship International Mission. I found out about this mission via Paula Fargarson, who found it on a post on Beth Moore’s website. If you are looking for more details, I have included the links below:

1. Beth Moore’s daughter talks about Matt and Pam McCormick, missionary friends in Haiti. This link includes Pam’s account of the earthquake in Haiti (Matt and Pam, Pam being 36 weeks pregnant, are on the ground as missionaries in Haiti, along with their 2 under 5 boys.) CLICK HERE

2. Here’s Matt’s post of a few days ago, on how we can help in Haiti. CLICK HERE We will be participating in their efforts to get food from the Dominican Republic directly into Haiti. The current situation in Port Au Prince is that much international relief has poured in, but a great quantity of it is sitting on the tarmac at the Port Au Prince airport. Haiti’s infrastructure and government are not now adequate to distribute it all. Matt is leading a grass roots effort (using small groups and pick up trucks) to distribute aid in a more efficient manner. READ ABOUT IT HERE.

3. Finally, you can read about Fellowship International Mission’s Haiti Relief Fund here: CLICK HERE

Remember to tell your friends and neighbors, and to do everything in your power to spread the word about next Wednesday. While you’re at it - why not invite them to come worship with you this Sunday?!

See you then,

Chase

Deco04

Chase

0

Agape newsletter, December 4, 2009. Special “Let it Snow” edition!

Hello everybody and welcome in to a very cold Agape newsletter. Well, it’s cold outside, but hopefully it’s warm in here for all of you. I doubt we’ll see much snow tonight (maybe?) but I believe we will see three major (for us) snow events this Winter. Of course, I also thought Alabama would beat Auburn pretty badly last week, so I am not the greatest prognosticator that has ever lived.

So - what’s going on at Agape this week, I hear you asking. I’m glad you asked, because this is an exciting month for us! Here’s what’s happening:

This Sunday, December 6: We will have a great time in worship, hear a detailed update and a call to arms on the Live Nativity, and also hear about how we are going to be helping send gifts and love to our soldiers in Iraq for this Christmas. In addition, we will begin to look at what led to the coming of Jesus into the world. Why did He come?

Next Saturday, December 12, we will be reaching out to our community with our Food pantry ministry. This will be a very important food pantry, as this will be our greatest chance to invite many people in the community to our Christmas Feast and celebration on December 20th. Be sure and come help, if possible, and help us get the word out into the community about the Christmas Feast and celebration of the birth of Jesus!

Speaking of the Live Nativity - let me fill you in a little about our plans. The live Nativity will take place two nights in December - Thursday, December 17 and Friday December 18 (with a practice and set up on Wednesday December 16). Each night, we will be presenting the good news of the coming of Jesus to many who turn in to see the Nativity up close, as well as the thousands who are likely to drive by and catch a glimpse of what we are doing. Our focus is to proclaim the coming of Jesus, and to invite people to come celebrate with us on Sunday, December 20th.  We  have some needs that many of you can help with. First and foremost, we need people. We estimate that slightly over thirty people will be needed each night, and fifty or more would be ideal. Everybody will have a part to play, from singing in the choir, to serving hot cocoa and cider, to helping with greeting and parking, and even driving for our planned hayride. We also need some materials - can you help us with any of these things:

1. Live Animals - we don’t want to spend a whole lot of money, but if somebody out there in Agape land has access to some farm animals (even a few) that would be FANTASTIC - and a terrific “draw”.

2. Trailers - our plan at the moment is to use trailers, and have our live nativity function as a hayride (more on this Sunday), but in order to do this, we will need at least two, and preferably three largish trailers. Can anybody help us with this!?

3. We need some bails of hay (or pine straw, even) who can help with this?

4. Plywood - we need some plywood to build the stage - do you have any that you could let us use?

5. We will need some hot cocoa and apple cider. Do you have a great recipe for hot cocoa? Several gallons of apple cider lying around? We will put them all to good use!

More details will be coming this Sunday, as well as an exciting explanation of our complete vision for the live nativity. We have the potential to reach hundreds, maybe thousands with the message of the coming of Jesus. To do this, WE WILL NEED ALL OF US TO PITCH IN AND HELP!!!! This will be the ultimate group effort by Agape - so be sure and let us know if you will help. especially if you haven’t signed up yet!!!

Finally, Brian Perkins sent this heartwarming story to me earlier, and I now share it with you:


” A very old man lay dying in his bed. In death’s doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookie wafting up the stairs.

He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed.  Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands.

With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen.  Were it not for death’s agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven.

There, spread out on newspapers on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies.

Was it heaven?  Or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?

Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table.  The aged and withered hand, shaking, made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when he was suddenly smacked with a spatula by his wife.

“Stay out of those,” she said. “They’re for the funeral.”


I love you all, and look forward to seeing you Sunday!


Chase

Febo10

Chase

0

Agape Baptist Newsletter - February 5, 2009: What about those who never hear the gospel?

Hello friends and family, and welcome in to another Agape newsletter. Here’s what’s going on in the near future: 

1. This week’s sermon: Vision Part 3: What of those who never hear the gospel? 
2. Last week’s message (by Sam Knowles - a must listen to) available online: CLICK HERE
3. Valentines FREE STEAK DINNER (details below) 
4. Food Pantry Wednesday the 11th. 
5. Angel Food orders are due Sunday, February 15: (CLICK HERE FOR MENU )
6. Alabama is number one yet again!!! (see below) 

 

This Wednesday night we had a very interesting (to me at least) and deep discussion on what constitutes blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and why that particular sin would be listed by Jesus as the unforgivable, or unpardonable sin. In the midst of that discussion, yet another very interesting issue was raised: “what happens to those who are born and die, never having heard the gospel - do they go to hell?”This Sunday (instead of next Wednesday), we are going to return to talking about the vision of our fellowship for 2009, and we are going to use this very question as a springboard to discussing what it is that God is calling us to this year. This won’t be a merely theoretical discussion of an interesting Bible theory, but hopefully a vibrant look at the character of God, and the very real importance of evangelism. Come with your Bibles and your opinions, and let us consider together what God is calling us to, and what God’s word says about this important issue. Is God fair? 


If you missed last week’s message, (by my friend Sam Knowles) then you missed a fantastic one, as well as an extremely colorful illustration that you will remember for quite a while. In completing our three part series on holiness, Sam gave us some practical instruction on how to actually walk in holiness. Dealing with holiness in a practical way is kind of a rare thing - often the church preaches the why of holiness, but not the how - this message has the how. Check it out: CLICK HERE

Coming next Saturday (Valentine’s) night, Dennis, Cindy and the missions team are going to be hosting a Valentine’s night dinner and movie for adults and kids. The adults will get a free STEAK meal (can you resist that?!) as well as be able to watch the excellent movie Fireproof. The kids will be watching Horton Hears a Who (another very good movie), and having food of their own in another room. You better believe my family will be there (who can find a baby sitter on Valentine’s night?), and I hope yours will be too! 

Also note, Food pantry will be this next Wednesday the 11th (at 6:00pm). We need your help! Whether you want to help Dennis bring down food to get ready for Food pantry, or whether you want to help John Talley’s team evangelize, or whether you simply want to help people get food to their car - come join us Wednesday night to feed the hungry, and reach the people! Also, Angel Food orders are due Sunday, February 15th. 

And finally, I would like to say, that in my annual February listing of my personal favorite states in America, the state of Alabama still ranks as #1 - my favorite state for at least two years running. (What, you thought I might be talking about something else??)    ;) 

Here’s some interesting/edifying/fun links for you to check out: 

*****     Where is the worst place in the world to be a Christian?: (hint: N.K.) CLICK HERE 

*****     What is the most religious state in the union? Did you know that Alabama is the second most religious? CLICK HERE 

*****     Free messages from the 2009 Desiring God pastor’s conference: CLICK HERE 

*****     NOT FOR SALE: a free audio book describing the efforts of 21st century anti slavery abolitionists: CLICK HERE 

*****     Randy Alcorn: Are you willing to be hated? CLICK HERE

Jano07

Chase

0

Agape Newsletter, 12-4-2008 Vision Casting and Bruce Lee ping-pong.

Brothers and Sisters,

Welcome to another Agape newsletter - a very important one, I believe.

Ultra-quick summary of this week at Agape:

1. Vision Sunday, Part 1:
2. Budget vote moved from December 7 to December 14 plus: review the proposed budget online!
3. Crossroads Sunday night begins again this Sunday (plus Crossroads Christmas party next week)
4. Angel Food orders due this Sunday (December 7 - see Cindy Underwood)
5. Angel food Pick up will be on Saturday, December 13 at Agape.
6. Bruce Lee playing ping-pong   :)   See This week’s links, below:

This week at Agape we will begin our most significant message series since I have arrived at the church. If you are an inactive member, or if it has been a long time since you have come - I want to urge and implore you to come to Agape at least this week and next week (December 14th) to hear more about our direction for 2009. If you are an active member, and you have the email address of somebody who hasn’t been in a long time - please allow me to encourage you to forward this newsletter onto them along with a personal invitation from you.

This Sunday, we will begin talking about the future at Agape - our vision, our calling, our purpose. What exactly does that mean? Maybe I can answer that question by listing a few things that you won’t be hearing this Sunday:

1. You won’t be hearing a big push to give towards a building project or anything like that.

2. You won’t be hearing MY vision - the goal is to articulate OUR vision as a church - that unique thing that God is calling us as a family to do.

3. You won’t be hearing a vision that only a few people can participate in. As I’ve said several times, the role of the pastors and leaders in the church is to build up the church and equip people to be who they are called to be. (See Ephesians 4:11).

The fact is that God has a purpose for our congregation. It can’t be fulfilled by any one person or leader - it can’t be fulfilled by just a few families. God has a purpose and calling (and vision) for our entire congregation - i.e., those things that we are unable to do separately, but that we are uniquely equipped to do together. In this day and age of individualism, it is somewhat foreign to us to think in terms of things that we can’t do without each other. Perhaps we can picture it by way of a football analogy: Saturday, Alabama will play Florida for the SEC championship. As I write this, Florida is favored by approximately 10 points. Think about what would happen if they tried to play the game with just one player on Alabama’s side! Florida could score an almost infinite amount of points.  Think about what would happen if Alabama played with only a few players? Florida would still win by hundreds. How about if only one or two Alabama players were missing? It seems like that wouldn’t make that big of a difference, but I guarantee you that being down two players would hurt Alabama a great deal this weekend.

So then is the church - we are like a team, in essence, capable of doing amazing things together, but hobbled when we don’t come together.  Sunday we’re exploring what God is calling our team to do. I am looking forward to it, and I certainly hope that you’ll make plans to join us!

Also note that we will be voting on our 2009 budget next Sunday, December 14th, right after our morning worship and word. We had originally announced December 7 as budget Sunday last week, but we decided to move it to the 14th so that we could get a copy of the budget into everybody’s hands to look over. If you would like to look at our budget, we’ve posted it on our website:http://agapepinson.com/online_resources.htm Please note that you will need Microsoft Excel to view the budget proposal. We should have copies available this Sunday morning for your perusal.


David sends this information about the Crossroads Christmas Party in December: December 14th after Crossroads service we are going to have a Christmas fellowship dinner at Mary and David Ledbetter’s house in Pinson. Everyone is welcome. Mary and David ask that everyone who comes bring some kind of a dish, that way we have plenty of food. We are going to have Crossroads on Dec 7th, and the 14th. The 14th will kind of be our end of the year service so to speak. We will take the 21st and the 28th off and come back on Jan 4th.

This Week’s Schedule:  (This month’s schedule online at: http://agapepinson.com/calendar_of_events.htm)

Saturday, December 6 9:00 am - Church wide workday - our main focus this Saturday will be on decorating the sanctuary, so please come and join us!

Sunday, December 7, 9:15 am - Please remember that we’ve changed corporate prayer time from 8:30 to 9:15am
Sunday 9:45 - Small groups
Sunday 10:45 - Corporate worship, prayer and word. This Sunday: Vision 2009 - God’s call for US

Sunday night: 5 pm Sunday night at Crossroads, David will be teaching on: ::

Baptized!

Tonight we will be shifting into what it means to proclaim the gospel with our lives and we will begin with a study on the Biblical picture of how all new Christians first proclaim the gospel: Baptism. There may be no other church ordinance that is so debated among Christians and Christian denominations. Even among Baptists, we often declare baptism to simply be symbolic of an inward change. But, is that all there is to it? Is baptism simply a ‘good thing to do’ if you are a Christian? Join us tonight at 7pm as we attempt to uncover in the word: proclaiming the gospel through baptism.


Wednesday night, December 10 - Advent Part 3 - Join us for Wednesday nights in December as we celebrate Advent together and study/discuss things related to the birth of Jesus. We also have Food Pantry this Wednesday.


Saturday, December 13th: Angel food pick up.

Finally, Christmas this year has been scheduled for December 25 (a Thursday).


This Week’s Links:

*****    This past Sunday, we discussed Advent, and how enriching it can be for a family to celebrate Advent together. Here’s a very easy to use devotional for every night of Advent: http://scriptureunion.gospelcom.net/Advent.pdf

*****     Here is a collection of solid resources on Advent, gathered by Christianity Today: http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/christmas/features/advent.htm


*****     Here it is, as promised, Bruce Lee playing ping-pong with Nunchucks (or Nunchaku if you want to be technical): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QHslHpK4-Q Now what other church newsletter gives you treats like this one?!


*****    Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer, is fast on it’s way to becoming the next Harry Potter. A well written, engaging love story between a teen girl, and a vampire that abstains from drinking human blood, the story is a runaway best seller, and a very popular movie as well. Some abstinence advocates have encouraged reading of the book because the main characters do not ultimately engage in sex until they are married. On the surface, this seems like a good thing, of course, but the level of sensuality in the Twilight series is something that parents and Christians need to be aware of. Tim Challies offers an objective review here: http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/book-review—twilight.php

*****     A bit on John Piper’s new book, Finally Alive: http://adrianwarnock.com/2008/12/john-pipers-most-important-book-finally.html Sounds quite challenging!

*****     Liberty University’s kicker this year (on their division 1 football team) does not have arms http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/men/11596238/

Please be praying for each other, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday! ! 

Chase

Jano07

Chase

0

Agape Newsletter, November 21, 2008: Special Innapropriate Reference to Moonshine Edition. ;)

Hello friends and family,

Welcome in to another action packed edition of the Agape newsletter. This week is a big week, so let’s jump right in:
Ultra-quick summary of this week at Agape:

1. Sermon this week: The Great Romance Part 3 - The Great Romance played out in the world.
1A - Coming December 7 and 14 - Agape’s Vision for 2009…Please be praying!
2. Agape Thanksgiving meal this Sunday after church.
3. Crossroads Sunday night at 5:00 pm - Focus: One Life, One Shot.

4. Crossroads: Christmas party and December schedule (see below).
5. Traci Jones surgery….meals for the Jones family.
6. Cornbread and Cranberry Sauce needed.

What an exciting week we have ahead of us! In the Thompson family we love Thanksgiving week. It means great food and fellowship, and a time of thanksgiving, of course - but also - it means Christmas music! We look forward every year to the day after Thanksgiving as the time that marks the beginning of Advent, and the breaking out of Christmas worship music that will be played throughout the day. “What is Advent?”, I hear some of you ask? “Are you Catholic?” I hear others ask. Advent, put simply, consists of the weeks leading up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus. In our family, beginning after Thanksgiving, we gather nightly for a candle lit devotion, responsive reading, and singing. Then we place an Advent ornament on the Christmas tree. By speaking of the birth of Jesus every night leading up to Christmas, I believe it really communicates to our entire family what this season is all about. Next Sunday, I believe I’ll be sharing more with you about Advent and family worship, so stay tuned. Also, we are not Catholic, though we have caught Abbey sneaking around with a nun’s wimple lately. (I kid…)
Speaking of Sunday’s - this Sunday we will be concluding our series on The Great Romance. Two weeks ago we looked at the amazing fact that God loves us not just as a Father, but also as a Husband - indeed we are to be the Bride of Christ. Last week, we looked at the implications of that Romance - He loves us, so we are to especially love each other in the church. Sunday, we will take The Great Romance a step further and look at how the Love of Christ compels us to go into the world and invite others to the wedding feast.
After worship and word, we will all join together to celebrate Thanksgiving. You are encouraged to bring 2 dishes - either 2 side dishes, or 1 side dish and 1 dessert. The church will be providing the meat, rolls, drinks and moonshine*.


Also Sunday, our missions team asks that you bring corn bread and cranberry sauce for the food pantry. During last week’s food pantry, we had the largest line I have ever seen here - and even this week (when no food pantry was scheduled), we had people lining up outside the doors. Help us feed the hungry!
Please be in prayer for Traci Jones, who had back surgery this week. We would like to bless her family with meals as she recovers from surgery, so please email me if you’d like to provide a meal for the Jones family!
Finally, David sends this information about Crossroads in December: December 14th after Crossroads service we are going to have a Christmas fellowship dinner at Mary and David Ledbetter’s house in Pinson. Everyone is welcome. Mary and David ask that everyone who comes bring some kind of a dish, that way we have plenty of food. We are going to have Crossroads on Dec 7th, and the 14th. The 14th will kind of be our end of the year service so to speak. We will take the 21st and the 28th off and come back on Jan 4th.

This Week’s Schedule:  (This month’s schedule online at: http://agapepinson.com/calendar_of_events.htm)
Saturday, November 22: Angel Food pick up. If you’ve ordered Angel Food for this month, then it needs to be picked up at 9:30am Saturday.

Sunday, November 23, 9:15 am - Please remember that we’ve changed corporate prayer time from 8:30 to 9:15am
Sunday 9:45 - Small groups
Sunday 10:45 - Corporate worship, prayer and word. This Sunday: The Great Romance, part 3 - Into The World…

Sunday night: 5 pm Sunday night at Crossroads, David will be teaching on: :: One Life…One Shot

Jonathan Edwards once said that he was resolved to live his life the way that he would wish he had lived it when he came to die. All around us we are surrounded by the worldly ideals of what will make us a success in life. But in light of the gospel we have experienced, what will a successful life look like when we stand before Christ? Join us on November 23rd as we look at what scripture says it means to make life count for all of eternity.


Tuesday Night, November 25th: The Nest - church volunteers leave Agape at 6:30.


Wednesday night, November 26th - We will not be having Wednesday night Bible Study, but the Food Pantry will be open - from 6 to 8 pm, and I’m sure the mission’s team would appreciate your help!


Next Sunday, November 23 (right after worship: Thanksgiving fellowship meal and celebration.

This Week’s Links:

*****    In San Francisco, a group of 13 young adults with the San Francisco Justice House of Prayer, were physically and sexually assaulted by 200-500 homosexuals who were angered by the passage of proposition 8. The response of the 13 is a great example of love under fire. http://www.jhopsf.org/


*****    Serbian doctor who performed almost 50,000 abortions, becomes a pro-life activist. A must read!: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/nov/08111304.html
*****    Let the shaking begin! http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/worship/11584250/

*****    Tragedy in India: Hindu extremist groups are offering rewards of food, money, and alcohol to those who kill Christians and burn their homes: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5186703.ece


*****     For you artsy folks, the Bible in sand (a video): http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/worship/11584250/

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday! 

Chase

*moonshine not available at all churches. Including ours. Why, the very thought of moonshine at a church - shame on you!  ;)