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JAN 15 Sermon Text: Acts 17:16-32
JAN 20 Caregiver Group Meeting - 4:00PM at Beth Kindstedt's home
JAN 23 Discipleship Groups Begin
JAN 29 All Church Potluck
FEB 26 Congregational Meeting
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A Message From Pastor Jeremiah
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Dear Church Family,
Hi there FEFCLC! I wanted to take the time to share with you some of what we can expect for 2023.
First, I am looking forward to continuing to build relationships within our body. I’ve enjoyed getting to know our board, church leaders and many of the members in our church. It has also been good to get to know the flow of ministry.
Starting this month we will begin to increase the number of CLAM meetings for church leaders. This will be our time for leadership development and a time to help strengthen communication within our leadership as we look to the future together to accomplish the priorities established by our church.
The elders and wives will be having a mini-retreat on the weekend of January 28th. Pray for us as we will give our attention to the development of our team as well as focus our attention toward what we hope to accomplish in the next several months.
Finally, we are going to take some time to adjust to change. A change in leadership is stressful on a church— even when things are going well. We also made some staffing and budget adjustments at the end of 2022 that we need to feel out and let the dust settle. With these changes, it is possible for things to get missed and we ask for your patience as we work out the kinks. We are eager to serve our body but need to adjust.
With all this being said, I need your help to continue to make our ministry successful. The next 12 months are crucial. We have a window of opportunity that I don’t want us to miss that comes with a new pastor. I want you to know that I am working diligently to get settled and plugged in here at EFCLC so that we can accomplish the dream for our church— God’s dream for us.
As we adjust together, let’s keep communication open and honest. I have an “open door” policy and if you have questions or concerns, please come visit with me. Also, the elders are a great resource that can help us navigate through frustrations or discouragements that can come with change.
We must strive for unity. The number one priority that the church prescribed for leadership is to make the necessary changes to attract families with children and youth to our church. On the surface this sounds exciting, but let’s be real. Change is not easy. It is hard. It requires sacrifice and adjustments. Change can be irritating and bring about a feeling of loss or being left behind when things don’t look or feel the same.
I want you to look forward to the future together as leadership works to essentially rebrand and rename our ministry to reach the next generation. But I also want us to be prepared to conquer Satan’s attacks on our church that could come in the form of internal complaining, gossiping, anger, discouragement, and so forth that comes alongside broken sinful people working together– even when they are redeemed and have great intentions!
The reality is that our church has identified a need to reach the younger generation. This will require every person to own the mission of our church, to give personal sacrifice so that the mission can prevail, to maintain a posture of humility, and to be a support to one another. I am grateful because we have strong leaders in our church and we are adequately resourced to reach the next generation. The only thing we need now is the heart and the grit to go after those who do not yet know Jesus!
Will you please consider how you might invest to help us accomplish our number one priority this year? I want to ask you to put your heart into reaching the next generation. We need everyone on board, all hands on deck. With God’s blessing, we can do this together!
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As you may know, we launched our equipping class Biblical Finance this past Sunday. It was a great start!
The team planned to launch with one class and, in the future, offer more classes. The team encourages you to come to the class, bring friends, and use the class as an opportunity to grow and help others grow in understanding biblical finance.
The purpose of the equipping ministry is to equip people for life and ministry, addressing the needs of the body by Spirit-led, Word-centered teaching, producing fruit.
The Equipping Ministry Team has talked with several people in the congregation about the needs of the body in regard to classes that would equip people for life and ministry. Some of the ideas for classes that came from our conversations and planning are marriage class, parenting class, Technology and God class, How do I reach my neighbor, and interpersonal relationships class.
We ask for you to pray as we develop classes and work out a plan.
We also invite you to share thoughts about potential classes that would meet the body's needs. So if you have ideas, we welcome them. Those on the team are Mary Eiceman, Rona Powell, Abigail Oliver, Peter Fowler, Pastor Mike, and Pastor Jeremiah.
We are looking for people to teach classes as well.
Those who are qualified to teach would need to be a member, have the desire to teach, and have gifts in teaching. If you are not sure you are qualified, please talk to one of the pastors/elders to help you explore your gifting. If you think you meet the qualifications or have the desire to explore if teaching is a good fit for you, we will come alongside you to help and encourage you. With every class that is taught, the main teacher will work with another person as a "buddy" to help them learn and grow in teaching. The main teacher will also be helped and encouraged by the "buddy."
Please reach out to Pastor Mike or any of the equipping team members if you have any questions or inputs for classes or have the desire to teach.
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Discipleship Small Groups
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Like the Israelites of the Exodus, in our personal ‘deserts’ we “experience intimate dependence
on God’s love and provision in faithful obedience to his every word.”
Beginning Week of January 23—
“With All Your Heart” by Ray Vander Laan (six sessions)
Video and Small Groups
Meeting at FEFC—
Tuesday Evenings 6:30pm, Midweek Mornings (Day TBD), Thursday Afternoons (Time TBD)
Men’s group(s) Tuesday Evenings
In a Discipleship Group? Check with your leader for details.
Interested but not yet in a group?
See Mary Eiceman m.eiceman@comcast.net
Or Mike Gardenhire mike@efclascruces.org
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Please join us Sunday, January 29th, after the worship service for a Church Potluck. It will be a great time of fellowship. Everyone is welcome whether you bring a dish to share ... or not!
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The following staff openings at Mesilla Valley Christian School, both of these positions are now open, interviews are on-going until filled. Interested parties should contact Dr. John Foreman, Head of School for more information. Thanks for your assistance!
- Fourth Grade Teacher (FT)
- Varsity Volleyball Coach (seasonable)
Dr. John Foreman, Head of School
jforeman@mvcsonline.com
(575) 525-8515
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We ask that if you are approached by anyone asking for money while on our church property, particularly on Sunday mornings, please do not give them money but rather send them to a response team member.
Pastor Mike,
On behalf of the Elder Team
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Visit Us Online to Find More Information about First EFC
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Want to Contact a Leader at First EFC?
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Missed an Issue of the Free & Clear?
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