Sunday, July 29, 2007

The Month of July

Here is the month in Pictures:
Little Kids BVBS


The Youth Boys Pointing at a Wild Animal


The Youth Girls Pointing at a Wild Animal


A Cutie Wishing Everyone a Happy 4th of July!


We are thankful for the month of July,
and pray that August is a blessed month for each one!

Weekly Sermon 7/29- Congregational Worship

This Sunday we had congregation-led worship. Several shared how they had seen God at work in the last week, or even that morning--how God was speaking to them. We had some special music and scripture reading. We prayed over a couple who are feeling led to go as missionaries to a largely unreached people group. God was at work in our midst.

So, what is the sermon? Simply this--Our God is living and active, he is working in our lives today just as he did in days of old. We can be confident that if we listen, he will speak to us by his Holy Spirit guiding us into his truth.

Proverbs 3:5-6.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.

Weekly Schedules 7/29 & 8/5

Tuesday July 31st- Dig Into the Sermon 6:30 pm in Pastor's Study

Wednesday August 1st- No Lunch Group

Thursday August 2nd- Pastor's Vacation begins. Emergency contacts Barb and Marjie
(Pastor back from vacation after August 13th.)

Sunday August 5th- Sunday School9:30 am; Fellowship Time10:30; Morning Worship 10:45;
3:00 pm Iglesia Amigos Evangelicos

Tuesday August 7th- No Dig Into the Sermon Group

Wednesday August 8th- No Lunch Group

Sunday August 12th-Sunday School9:30 am; Fellowship Time10:30; Morning Worship 10:45;
3:00 pm Iglesia Amigos Evangelicos

Sunday, July 22, 2007

This week's sermon 7/22: Stewardship of our experiences

Hebrews 11.
The people in the Bible are normal, everyday ordinary people. Their lives had ups and downs. They made good choices some days and bad choices others. Their lives were not perfect. Their stories are in the Bible because they lived their lives through eyes of faith. Their lives are testimonies of God at work.

Hebrews 12:1-3.
When we read about people in the Bible, their stories should direct our focus to God and more specifically Jesus who started our faith and will complete the work he started in each of us. If we will live our lives managing whatever comes by walking in faith, our lives can be testimonies for others; pointing to God at work in us today.

Weekly Schedule 7/22

Tuesday July 24th- Friends Women 9:30 am; Dig Into the Sermon 6:30 pm in Pastor's Study

Wednesday July 25th- No Lunch Group

Thursday July 26th- Friends Ministry Conference in Wichita,
Pastor available by Cell

Friday July 27th- Friends Ministry Conference in Wichita,
Pastor available by Cell

Saturday July 28th- Friends Ministry Conference in Wichita,
Pastor available by Cell

Sunday July 29th- Sunday School9:30 am; Fellowship Time10:30; Morning Worship 10:45;
3:00 pm Iglesia Amigos Evangelicos

Bilingual Vacation Bible School

We had 16 children participate in Vacation Bible School this year!
It was a fun and busy two days covering four stories about how God is seeking after the lost and we can be his helpers. Be sure to check out the pictures below!
































































Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Youth Event July 6-7

We hosted an area Friends Church youth event the weekend after July 4th. We gathered at the church and set off on a digital picture scavenger hunt pitting the girls against the boys.**
Racing back to the church, we decided it was a tie. Then out to the country for a hot-dog roast, swimming, horse-back riding, game playing, staying-up-til-2:00am good time! (Pastor went home at 9:00pm and went to bed!) Early breakfast finished off the event and goodbyes were said by 8:30am.
What a fun time, we hope to do it again next year!
**Check out some of the scavenger hunt pics below!

Youth Event- Girl Scavenger Hunt Pictures

Here are the Girls with a Historical Marker...















Here are the Girls dramatically Sitting on a Park Bench...













Here are the Girls Standing in Water...











Here are the Girls REALLY Standing in Water...











Here are the Girls with an Antique Vehicle...












Here are the Girls with an Emergency Vehicle and Emergency Response Person...










Here are the Girls Helping!

Youth Event-Boy Scavenger Hunt Pictures

Here are the Boys on Playground Gymn...

















Here are the Boys Sitting on a park bench...













Here are the Boys Helping...












Here are the Boys with an Antique Vehicle...









Here are the Boys with an Emergency Vehicle...









Here are the Boys Standing in Water...





Here are the Boys with a Statue!

Monday, July 16, 2007

This week's sermon: Stewardship of our treasure

1Chronicles 29:10-14.
Everything we have came from God. It is all his. We can only give back to him what he has already given to us.

Luke 12:32-34.
God is providing for us and wants to give us the kingdom—that frees us to give to others knowing that he will continue to provide for us.

Luke 12:13-21.
The rich fool spared no expense building bigger barns so that he could hoard his possessions. Jesus tells us that a person is not the sum of their possessions.
This is good no matter what your status: for the wealthy it means that life has more purpose than just keeping and maintaining THINGS; for the poor it means that life without material possessions can be just as meaningful, fulfilling, and significant as life with possessions.

Luke 21:1-6.
The widow only had two coins, but she gave it all and for that reason God honored her with a place in scripture. It is not what we have that matters, it is what we do with what we have.

Application:
It is not a sin to plan ahead, but to be consumed by our financial planning is idolatry.
Jesus tells us we can’t serve both God and money. Either we will use our possessions to serve God, or we’ll try to use God to get more possessions. It comes down to a question of trust. Do we trust God to do what he says he will do, or not? If we trust him, we will have no problem being obedient when he calls us to give.


Weekly Schedule 7/15

Tuesday July 17th-Dig Into the Sermon 6:30 pm in Pastor's Study

Wednesday July 18th-Lunch Bible Study 12:15 in the Birchwood Room

Friday July 20th-Bilingual Vacation Bible School 10:00am-3:00pm; Ages 3-12

Saturday July 21st-Bilingual Vacation Bible School 10:00am-3:00pm; Ages 3-12

Sunday July 22nd-Sunday School 9:30; Morning Worship 10:45;
Iglesia Amigos Evangelicos 3:00pm

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

This week's sermon: Stewardship of our talents

John 15:1-17
Jesus says he is the vine, we are the branches. In order for us to have a lasting impact on our world, He says we need to remain in him and allow his words to remain in us. Jesus says he chose us to bear fruit that will last.
Romans 12:6 and 1Corinthians 12:11
Paul says we all have little pieces of God's grace that he has given to us in the form of spiritual gifts and abilities. Paul tells us we need to use those gifts.
1Peter 4:11
Peter tells us we must use our gifts and serve in the strength God gives us.

Weekly Schedule

Tuesday July 10th-Elder's Meeting 6:30 pm

Wednesday July 11th-Lunch Bible Study 12:15 in the Birchwood Room

Thursday July 12th-Set up for Friends Women Sale 10:00 am

Friday July 13th-Friends Women Sale noon to 6:00pm

Saturday July 14th-Friends Women Sale 7:00 am to noon; clean up until 3:00 pm

Sunday July 15th-Sunday School 9:30; Morning Worship 10:45;
Iglesia Amigos Evangelicos 3:00pm

What we believe

Emporia Friends Church is part of

Evangelical Friends Church-Mid America.

Evangelical Friends believe the apostolic doctrines in the New Testament are the essentials of Christian faith.

While Friends do not stress a formal written creed, they do state the primary principles of their faith in order to make their doctrinal position clear. Not wishing to be dogmatic, they record certain beliefs which are held as basic to their faith.


The Evangelical Friends Statement of Faith may be summarized as follows:


· The Bible is the inspired rule of faith and subject to the Holy Spirit's interpretation. The Bible is the written authority and standard for Truth. The Bible is our means for seeing God at work through history. Genuine guidance from God is in accord with the Holy Scriptures.


· God is sovereign. There is one sovereign God, the Maker and Preserver of all things; He alone is worthy of worship. God exists as a unity of three equal and distinct, yet inseparable, persons: the Father, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.


· Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is God's revelation of Himself to the world. He was divine and yet human; conceived by God's Spirit and born of a virgin. Through the blood He shed dying on the cross Jesus Christ became the atonement for sin, providing direct access to God.


· The Holy Spirit brings people to experience salvation. The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sin, gives life to believers, and sanctifies the child of God. The Holy Spirit works in individual lives as well as in corporate groups of the Church, enabling ministry in various forms.


· People are sinful, but redeemable. They were created in the image of God, but because they disobeyed God, they suffered the penalty of spiritual death. People are not able to work off this debt, they need a savior.


· Salvation. Those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are born again into His kingdom by His Spirit. Salvation does not depend on outward ceremonies or symbols. Everyone who believes stands equal before God and may approach Him directly.


· Sanctification is both an act in which one's heart is cleansed and a process in which the life is transformed into Christ-likeness.


· Inner communion and the baptism with the Holy Spirit are spiritual realities beyond outward symbols.


· The Church is the visible expression of Christ. By His Spirit, Christ is present whenever two or three meet together for worship in his name. The Church is not a building, but people united in fellowship to worship and serve God, and minister to their fellow man.


· Christian liberty is to be granted in all areas not essential to one's final salvation. There are differences of faith and practice among God's children, but we anticipate a time of greater unity in the faith. Until that time there must be unity in essentials but liberty in non-essentials, with love in all things.


· The Lord's Return. At His second coming, Jesus Christ will return in power as King of kings to consummate His rule over all by the final triumph over Satan. The dead shall be resurrected and all shall be judged by God; some to eternal life, others to everlasting punishment.