Apple and Pork, One service Sunday and Heat!

Every year, tens of thousands of folks descend on the 61727 for the annual Apple and Pork Festival – next year will be 50 years of A & P! 50 years! This year might have been the hottest ever, with temperatures in the mid-90’s both days. As a result, the crowds were as small as I can remember in my 11 years and unfortunately, many of the organizations attempting to raise money were faced with the challenge of unsold product. Bummer! With that said, I know the following:

• The Y is selling uncooked pork cutlets in bulk – call the Y at 935-8307 to find out how to get yours! There are really tasty – thin and delicious – perfect for a sandwich!
• Clinton Rotary has leftover trays (never frozen and never warmed) of Pulled Pork as well – if you are interested in purchasing at Rotary’s cost, contact me!

Great job Ben Pertl and the students and parents of our student ministry for once again running the parking lot with excellence on less than ideal days! And thanks to Cody Monkman for helping Ben is assimilated and indoctrinated in the Apple and Pork culture!
Great job Samuel Green putting together our one service Sunday yesterday – I love when we gather together for one service! We continued our journey through the TELL ME MORE series, looking at Christians and Hypocrisy and will conclude the study next week with a look at relationships and why so many seem to fail. Then on October 8, we will begin a look at some of the concerns/struggles our church self-disclosed during our spiritual formation study last February – sins like Pride, Gossip and Anger – should be an interesting month at FCC!
Keep the following dates/activities on your calendars – much continues to happen:

• Sabbath End – each Sunday evening at 5pm in the Sanctuary foyer
• Ladies BSF study group – Tuesdays at 6:30pm in the Family Life Center
• RELOAD for Men – 2nd and 4th Tuesday mornings at 6am in the Family Life Center
• Discover FCC – Wednesday October 4 at 6pm in the Family Life Center
• Doughnut Day at FCC – grab a doughnut and connect from 9-10:30am on Sunday October 15!
• Ladies Night Out – TH October 26 at 6:30pm

Finally, Saturday night was the latest version of Fan the Flame – at ISU’s Braden Auditorium featuring Michael W Smith. To say I was a kid in a candy store would be the understatement of the year! I had the chance to meet MWS before the concert began (can you say selfie!) and had a front row seat for my favorite concert ever! I love the music of this musical genius, but I think some of my favorite parts of the evening were getting an inside look at key moments in his life and the story behind the music:

• His moving tribute to Cassie Bernall in the aftermath of the 1999 Columbine school shooting with the song “This is your time”
• His White House encounter with then President George W Bush just weeks after 9/11 and 43’s strong encouragement to MWS to write a song about that American tragedy – the backstory to his song “There She Stands”
• His human side – sharing intimately about his father, who he lost two years ago, and about his mother, who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. So beautiful and moving!

The best part of the evening was the worship! So thankful Michael W Smith – nearing the age of 60 – continues to make worship a staple of what he is all about! Great evening Saturday evening at ISU!
Thanks to Randy Anderson for the vision of Fan the Flame – I still remember his phone call in early July 2013 (I have to admit, I thought he was crazy) pitching the concept.  And five and a half weeks later, the first Fan the Flame happened in August of ’13 featuring Jason Gray, Jake Gulledge and Michael Mallick. Randy and Ann are special folks and they have “spoiled” so many of us with Fan the Flame concerts! Many of the concerts have been at Clinton FCC, but we have also seen Fan the Flame concerts at Lincoln Christian University, Little Galilee Camp and even on Mr. Lincoln’s Square in downtown Clinton. Here are most of the artists of the Fan the Flame concerts:

• Jason Gray
• Mike’s Chair and City Harbor
• Finding Favor
• Selah
• Mark Schultz
• Big Daddy Weave
• Remedy Drive
• Rend Collective
• Plumb
• JJ Heller
• Carrolton
• The Prodigal Worship Band
• Grayson Reed
• Michael W Smith

Thanks Randy and Ann! Blessings to you!
Have a great week – see you Sunday!
GT