Dear Faith Community Church Family,
Over the last several months we’ve been traveling through the book of Exodus, and this Sunday we come to the climactic moment when the Lord’s presence descends upon the tabernacle. Every chapter in the book has been contributing to this pivotal event in Israel’s history–the Lord himself dwelling among his people. What an encouragement this would have been for God’s people in the time of Moses, and what an encouragement it is to us today! The Lord Jesus “tabernacled” with his people in his incarnation (John 1:14), and the Lord’s presence is now with his people through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We do not walk the journey of the Christian life alone, the Lord is with us every step of the way. This Sunday we conclude our series The Lord is My Strength with Exodus 33-40.
Click here to access the livestream of this Sunday’s worship service (9:30am).
On Sunday we will join together during the worship service for the Lord’s Supper. Please prepare your hearts beforehand through prayer and confession for this covenantal meal.
After the Fellowship Time, we will hold a special time of prayer in the Worship Center at 11:15am for the upcoming Community Celebration.
This Sunday: Ordination and Installation Service for Jonathan Keller (4:00pm)
Please join us for the ordination and installation service for Jonathan Keller this Sunday, June 7th at 4:00pm in the Worship Center. A dinner reception immediately following the service will be provided. Please bring sides or salads to share (dessert and the main course will be provided).
Community Celebration: Sign Up to Help!
Our third Community Celebration quickly approaches! On June 13 from 11:00am-3:00pm, we will put on a wonderful event with games, inflatables, and great food to kick off the summer with our community. Please sign up for a time slot to assist with some of the activities on the sign-up sheet in the Narthex. Talk to Jonathan if you have any questions.
A Summer of Prayer at FCC!
This summer there are two excellent opportunities for us to join together for prayer and to go deeper in learning how we can grow as a church of kingdom prayer.
Weekly Kingdom Prayer Meetings (Thursday Evenings Beginning June 18; 6:00pm in the Worship Center): On Thursday evenings at 6:00pm (beginning June 18), Lawrence Owinya will lead a weekly prayer meeting in the Worship Center. This is a time for Scripture reading, reflection, sharing our prayer requests and praises, and interceding for one another and our community.
Monthly A Praying Church Study (First Meeting: Thursday, July 9; 6:00pm at Pastor Rhett’s House): One Thursday per month (in place of the weekly Kingdom Prayer Night), we will hold a conversation on the book A Praying Church by Paul Miller. During this time, we’ll discuss ways to continue to grow as a church of kingdom prayer and to spend time seeking the Lord together in prayer. This is also an opportunity to connect with Pastor Rhett during his sabbatical. The study will meet from July to November. The first meeting will take place at Pastor Rhett’s house at 6pm on Thursday, July 9. We will cover “Part I: Why Pray Together?”.
Click here to purchase the book through the SeeJesus website. If you need financial assistance to cover the cost of the book, please do not hesitate to contact Pastor Rhett or an elder.
Congratulations to Our Graduates!
Congratulations to Jacob Hayward, Jacob Couture, and Anna Huggins for graduating this spring! Both Jacobs are graduating from high school, and Anna has graduated from college and will be starting to teach in the area this fall.
Calling for Nursery Volunteers!
As we look ahead to Pastor Rhett’s sabbatical, we are looking for more nursery volunteers! Please contact the church office or text Katie at 630-485-0153 for more information.
Caring Network Baby Bottle Drive: Bring Your Bottles by Father’s Day (June 21st)
Caring Network is a Christian ministry devoted to loving and serving women considering abortion. Simply take a baby bottle from the table in the church office hallway, fill it with coins (or a check!), and return it by Father’s Day, June 21. View this video on how your giving saves the lives of the most vulnerable.
Prayer Requests and Praises
Ray Bebee: Pray for Ray as he begins chemotherapy again, for Laura and him to have strength and hope in the Lord, and for his doctors to have wisdom.
Austin Family: Pray over their preparations for Pastor Rhett’s upcoming sabbatical and for their time away as a family this summer.
Community Celebration: Pray for preparations and for the hearts of those in our community to desire to come and engage in Gospel conversations.
Jonathan Keller: Praise God for Jonathan’s successful completion of his presbytery exams and for his upcoming ordination and installation service!
Camilla Bahrke: Pray for Camilla, daughter of Ric and Bobbie Bekius (former Wycliffe missionaries), who has a rare and unidentified form of cancer. Pray for her surgery on June 11th and for her husband and three small children.
Graduating Seniors: Praise God for his faithfulness to our recent graduates: Jacob Couture (High School), Jacob Hayward (High School), and Anna Huggins (Grace College).
In Christ,
Pastor Rhett