Start with the End in Mind

​I was uncomfortable in church yesterday.  I prefer to come and worship and have that warm fuzzy feeling that God loves me and everything is great.  Yesterday, Pete preached how Jesus starts the Lord’s Prayer with Our Father or Sodality (community) and then moves into Modality (individual needs) and how if we only focus our prayers Modality our church will die.  That was uncomfortable for me because lately almost all of my prayers have been very inward focused.  This is a pattern that easy to fall into when we stay in our own small area and are not engaging with others.  Yes, God wants to meet our personal needs but it’s important to balance with Sodality.  Start with the End in Mind and remember that God wants everyone to know His saving grace.  Keep your eyes open, your prayers active and your actions ready to engage those who need to know Jesus. 
 
The leadership of the church has taken the same approach in looking for our new lead minister.  We have started with the end in mind and are determining the necessary skills and personality traits that will be required in this minister.  Once those are nailed down we will initiate the search.  Please keep us in prayer tonight as we continue to work through this process. 
 
Pray for Pete as he heads to Kenya tomorrow.  He will be leading a evangelistic team in several slums of Nairobi.  Just as you are praying for a movement of God throughout DeWitt County also pray for a movement of God in Kenya. 
 
We would love for you to be plugged in and involved with our church.  Cody has many volunteer openings in the Care Center, Ben Cassandra and Allison would love to get you plugged into Children’s and Student Ministry.  Jen and Mandi need help in the office and with funeral dinners.  Really the list is endless but if you are looking for a specific area, here are a couple of suggestion:
 
                  - Dinelle Frankland is looking for a rehearsal accompanist for the choir. Come help the choir learn their parts on                                Wednesday evenings, the choir will mainly perform with a CD for worship.   
                  - Jr. High and High School Students will park cars again at Apple & Pork, let Ben know what shifts you can work.
 
Here are some things to pray over:
 
                  - BSF starts for men and women this Tuesday
                  - Rooted continues
                  - Wednesday night programming (Choir, First Kids and Underground Student Ministries)
                  - Pete to Africa
                  - A movement of God throughout DeWitt County
                  - New workers to be sent in the harvest
                  - More and more prayer
                  - Neighborhood Care Center to be a catalyst for gospel transformantion.
                  - Staff/Elder/Search Committee
                  - Next Lead Minister
                  - A specific household within FCC and out
 
 
Mark Behrends
Chairman of the Congregation