Dear Faith Community Church Family,
In Ephesians 4, the Apostle Paul is addressing the topic of the unity of the church. Paul quotes from Psalm 68:18: “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” Paul tells us that when Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection, he gave gifts to his people, the church. Paul goes on to say that these gifts include “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). God calls people within the body of Christ to serve in particular offices, and this is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (v. 12).
As we seek to train new leaders as a key component of our Called to Flourish vision, the elders are asking you to go before the Lord in prayer and consider whether he would have you nominate a man from our congregation for one of these offices. You will find instructions for submitting a nomination form in the document attached to the Midweek Update. Additional forms are available in the narthex. The deadline to submit a nomination form is this Sunday, September 1.
This week we turn our attention to Mark 7:1-23 as we continue in our series Follow Me. Please prepare your hearts to come together for the Lord’s Supper by spending time beforehand in prayer and confession.
Click here to access the livestream of this Sunday’s worship service (9:30am).
Main Street Entrance Closed Next Monday-Wednesday Morning
Next Monday (September 2) the second half of our parking lot will be sealed. The eastern and southeastern sections of the parking lot will be closed Monday-Wednesday morning. Please use the Hillview Ave entrance as the Main St entrance will be blocked on these days.
Preparation for the September Anniversary Celebration (September 28, 2024)
There are a number of projects underway in preparation for our church’s fifty-year anniversary celebration! We would like to invite you to consider participating in the following tasks for the celebration:
RSVP for Dinner: Kindly remember to RSVP to our celebration dinner as soon as you are able (or do so here).
Memory Boards: Bring your printed photos, old bulletins, brochures, T-shirts or other FCC souvenirs to add to our memory boards! We are working on them together on Tuesdays from 1:00pm-3:00pm and Wednesdays from 6:00pm-8:00pm.
Anniversary Tasks and Projects: There is a list of projects in the Mission Center we could use some help with as we prepare for the anniversary event. Please text or call Tim Wierenga if you are able to help.
Monthly Men’s Lunch (September 11)
The monthly men’s lunch will be at Cooper’s Corner (27W150 Roosevelt Rd., Winfield) on Wednesday, September 11th at 12:00pm. All men are invited to attend.
Fall Women’s Bible Studies
Tuesday Nights (Begins September 17): This fall, the Tuesday night women’s Bible study will be studying the Psalms, using a guide designed by Christine Gordon and Hope Blanton. This study meets 7:00-8:45pm beginning Sept. 17 at Jenn Wright’s home (locations will rotate monthly throughout the study). Books cost $5.00. Text or call Jenny Johnson to register.
Wednesday Mornings: The Wednesday morning women’s Bible study meets 10:00-11:30am at FCC in room 3/4. Summer topics taught by Jean Bultema continue until mid-September, when we pick back up in James by Lydia Brownback. Contact Amy-Jo Wierenga for details.
Blanket Ministry (September 9 & 23; 10:30am)
The Blanket Ministry will begin meeting again in September. The first two meetings will be on Monday, September 9 at 10:30am and Monday, September 23 at 10:30am. Meetings will be the 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month at 10:30am. Our Blanket Ministry makes blankets and shawls, which are given to those having surgery, or who have been injured or have suffered loss. No sewing experience necessary! If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Kay Hurley.
Counter and Cabinet Available
As we prepare the rooms in the church for the fall celebration, we will be getting rid of some excess furniture. If you would like to provide a new home for a bookcase or the counter and cabinets that used to be part of the Mission Center entrance (excellent workmanship!), please contact Tim Wierenga.
Prayer Requests
Audrey and Dennis Dobbs: Please continue to pray for full healing for the Dobbs as Audrey recovers from pneumonia and Dennis continues to recover at home after having recently been discharged from Central DuPage Hospital.
Karla and Gary Van Der Molen: Continue to pray for strength and wisdom for Karla and Gary as they address Karla’s ALS.
In Him,
Pastor Rhett