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:

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

Coming soon to Agape:

I am so going to do this in church one day. And if I can’t figure it out, we’ll just have to have Dr. Shine come in for a guest appearance! 

A Guy Called Annie. (This post is tagged “off topic” for good reason!)

Well, this is from out in left field, but I thought it funny enough to be worth posting here: 

Things you don’t often see on a church site #7: A mating dance.

This Bird of Paradise mating dance is so cool and unbelievable that I simply had to post it here. You won’t regret the time you spent watching this!

As long as we’re on the subject of birds, here’s another bird video that is even more amazing than the one above. This is the Lyre bird, which can imitate almost any bird song or call, as well as other sounds (like a chainsaw). Utterly amazing! (The best parts are towards the end…keep watching)

Coming tomorrow: The Agape weekly newsletter…stay tuned!

-Chase

Agape Newsletter Volume 3 #1 Happy New Year!

Hello all, and welcome to the promised second mini-newsletter of the week.

I hope you had a wonderful New Years celebration with your family and enjoyed some black eyed peas, and turnips and such. I’m writing to let you know what’s going on this Sunday, as well as give a preview of what’s to come at Agape this month, so let’s get started.

This Sunday, we are going to continue to talk about God’s call for us in 2009, and specifically, we will are going to talk about how we, as the people of God, are going to triumph in 2009 by being smelly. (Yes, you read that right!) What in the world does that mean? I hope you join us Sunday morning to find out!

Next Wednesday, we will renew our study and discussion of Matthew, specifically chapter 12. What does it mean that the nations will put their trust in the name of Jesus? This is a clue for us as we consider how to reach northeastern Jefferson county with the gospel! The next Wednesday after that (January 14) will be our first Food Pantry of 2009, and Cindy and the Missions Team would love to have your help. Arrive at 5:45 (or sooner) to help them feed the hungry and minister to the lost! The next Wednesday after that (January 21) will be our monthly Wednesday night food and fellowship. For more upcoming events, visit our calendar online: http://agapepinson.com/calendar_of_events.htm

Finally, Angel Food orders are due by January 11…more info at: http://agapepinson.com/angel_food_ministries.htm

*****     Here’s some great advice for those who are making New Year’s resolutions, and looking back at 2008: “As we consider our goals and hopes for 2009, how about putting this one at the top: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). It’s impossible on our own, but are we willing to lean on Christ and trust him to work it into us? Are we even willing to have this sort of heart? Jesus followed up his words on true discipleship with a warning about counting the cost, which means that “For me to live is Christ” might include letting go of personal goals, dreams, and hopes along the way. Are we willing–willing enough to pray this week that God will work into us a Philippians 1:21 heart throughout the coming year?” Source: http://purplecellar.blogspot.com/2008/12/2009-disciples.html

*****      Pop quiz: Which world leader, thought by many to be a dullard, reads the Bible from cover to cover each year, as well as dozens and dozens of deep history, philosophy and nonfiction works? Frankly, I was surprised by President Bush’s reading list. He leads the country, and still has time to significantly out-read most all of us: http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB123025595706634689.html

*****     Seven great resolutions from David Jeremiah: http://thepoint.breakpoint.org/2008/12/the-best-new-ye.html

*****     Here’s a cool video of the stars taken in Namibia. You can see a lot more stars from Africa since there is less light pollution at night. It is breathtaking! http://www.theskyinmotion.com/

*****     Interesting article on the faith of Kurt Warner, the 37 year old pro bowl quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. Interesting note from the article: “During a visit to the “Oprah Winfrey Show” to honor Masters champion and fellow Iowan Zach Johnson a couple of years ago, Warner purposely mentioned Johnson’s faith in the second of three sentences, believing the show’s editors wouldn’t be able to cut the sentence and eliminate the religious reference. But when the show ran, the second sentence was gone.”Anytime you mention Jesus or faith, people are turned off,” Warner said. “I think it scares a lot of people.”  How about that?! http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/sports&id=6572434

*****     This won’t be funny for everybody, but for some it should be quite amusing: I think My Wife’s a Calvinist (video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZdoSG0IdNE “she likes Spurgeon more than she likes me”.  ;)

Love you, and see you Sunday!

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).

Agape Newsletter - 10-17-2008 - Economic Crisis part 1