CHRISTIAN LINK News. General Information. this issue

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1 05 JANUARY 2015 CHRISTIAN LINK News this issue Prayer Ministry P.2 Connections P.3 Children s & Prayer Ministry 360 P.4 Area Men s Meeting, E-Giving 2015 Link Newsletter Published dates & Weekly Stats.P.5 Connection Article (continued) Food Pantry Update & Calendar P.6 General Information SUNDAY SERVICE TIMES WORSHIP 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:45 a.m. WEDNESDAY ENCOUNTER Programming 5:00-6:15 p.m. ( reservations are required) Begins Wednesday, January 14, is served from 5:00-6:15 p.m. (Sign up in your bulletin or call the church office) GAME PLAN FOR LIFE (Men) Led by Terry Daniel, Room A-3 DANIEL: GOD S MESSENGER OF OUR TIME (Continues through 1/21/15) 1/28/15 - THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO JESUS ~ Olivet Disclosure (Matthew 24-25) Led by Don Dean, Room A-2 GOD OF WAR, GOD VS GODS OF TODAY: THE BATTLE OF IDOLATRY Led by Lenny Hisey, written by Kyle Idleman, Room A-5 EPHESIANS Led by Cathy Hinderliter, Room A-6 I AM A CHURCH MEMBER (Continued for Sunday School Servants) Led by Rick Murphy, Room A-4 THE GATHERING (Gr. 6-12) Led by Jake Schulte & Sponsors, Upstairs J-ZONE (Age 4 - Gr. 5) Led by April Swang & Sponsors, Purple Room - 108

Page 2 We held a 24 Hour Prayer Chain, which served as our Grand Opening for the new Prayer Room.

I found the Prayer Room a very comfortable and peaceful place to commune with God. I would say it was a great investment and a great place to hold prayer chains.

It was nice to have a quiet environment where there were no distractions and I was there for this purpose. I need to do this more often. I felt at home. It was very warm and inviting.

Thanks for the opportunity to pray without interruptions. And without noise.

2 Page 2 We held a 24 Hour Prayer Chain, which served as our Grand Opening for the new Prayer Room. Many of those who participated were intimidated about committing to an hour of prayer, but were pleasantly surprised at the blessings they received. Each newsletter will have a quote from one of those people. I asked each person how they honestly felt before going in for their hour, how they spent their hour, and what the results were. I prayed Sunday morning 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. As you know the time passes very quickly. I had a few things on my heart and spent most of the time praying and listening on those items. I found the Prayer Room a very comfortable and peaceful place to commune with God. I would say it was a great investment and a great place to hold prayer chains. Before I went in, I thought that an hour was going to feel like forever. But I was surprised that the time flew by. The suggestions were very helpful. It was nice to have a quiet environment where there were no distractions and I was there for this purpose. I need to do this more often. I felt at home. It was very warm and inviting. I wrote in my prayer journal (following the list provided), sang a few songs and then just relaxed listening for God's voice. I felt rejuvenated and relaxed. Thanks for the opportunity to pray without interruptions. And without noise. HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE NEW PRAYER ROOM Our Prayer Team would like to encourage you to focus weekly on a specific Prayer emphasis or need. You are encouraged to use this resource as you go to the foot of the cross in your daily prayer time. BUILDING USAGE If you would like to use a room in the church for an event, a study, meeting or a party, please contact Christy Ausley at christy@chccweb.org to check availability. Use of all rooms must be booked through the church office. January ~ PRAYER EMPHASIS: 01/04: Ask the Lord to direct your steps as you begin a new year. 01/11: Seek the Lord on His will for your family this year. 01/18: Pray that the Lord will provide a new pastor to lead us this year. 01/25: Pray that the Lord will guide CHCC to be His hands and feet to our neighbors this year. DOES YOUR HEART BREAK FOR THE LOST? DO YOU HAVE A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE WHO NEEDS JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR? Please share their names with us. We want to help you pray! Contact Tina Ediger at THE TABLE, , tinaediger@gmailcom or make a note on your Sunday Bulletin Communication Card and turn it in with the offering.

Page 3 CONNECTIONS (continued on page 6) HAPPY NEW YEAR! WELCOME TO 2015. CONNECTION MINISTER LENNY HISEY As the New Year begins, I think of a few things I would like to change or improve on.

3 Page 3 CONNECTIONS (continued on page 6) HAPPY NEW YEAR! WELCOME TO CONNECTION MINISTER LENNY HISEY As the New Year begins, I think of a few things I would like to change or improve on. One of those being the tendency to worry or fret over things that I shouldn t. With that in mind, I share this article by Jonathan Parnell from desiringgod.org for any others who may struggle with worry and fretting. We tend to fret. It is a fact about creatures that we are derivative beings who can t ultimately control the world around us. We have questions about whether we should do this or that, and about what might happen if we do this or that, which quickly turns into worries about how badly this or that might turn out. Before long, we re in the storm of outright anxiety. It begins to bear down on us with hurricane-force winds all the facts and would-be s, the haywire of things gone sideways, and our incapacity to determine results. What are we supposed to do? Remember God. That is what we are supposed to do. We remember that these worries are as ancient as our earliest forefathers, and that God has been in the business of answering them since the beginning, and better, that the way he answers them is not by ignoring the complexity, but by stepping into it. In short, we should know we re not alone, that God hears, and that God works in the middle of our mess. 1. You re Not Alone The psalms are incomparable in making this point. Not only do they show us again and again that God cares, but they, in one sense, come alongside us to feel what we feel. We can forget sometimes that the psalmists were real people like us, and that their situations were as literal as anything we d experience. We shouldn t lose that in the poetry. When David says, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil (Psalm 23:4), we should remember that actual enemies were trying to kill him. Now, that s a beautiful metaphor the valley and the shadow and all that but it works only because death was seriously all around him. The psalms are real life, and that s why they help us. Whatever circumstances we are going through, as different as they might be from the psalmist s so many years ago, there are wonderful similarities. Psalm 37 stands out. The psalm opens: Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! (Psalm 37:1). Again, Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil (Psalm 37:8). The point is that we don t worry. Granted, there are various reasons for why any of God s people might worry over the course of centuries, but the command not to worry and the basis of not worrying are the same. Whatever worries we have, we are not alone. Our brothers and sisters have been there. 2. God Hears You A psalmist is writing about fret, which means it s happened before. But also, and more specifically, the psalmist is exhorting God s people about fret, which means God knows what s going on. God isn t a stranger to this. He has heard his people then, and he hears us now. The psalms as a whole make this wonderfully clear. It is even thematic, as I think we can see in the first few psalms. What begins to stand out when we read the first handful together is that David has this unremitting confidence in God s nearness that God listens to him and cares. I cried aloud the Lᴏʀᴅ,

CHILDREN S MINISTRY APRIL SWANG JANUARY 14... HAPPY NEW YEAR!! JANUARY 21... Jesus Calls His Disciples Matthew 4:19 Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. JANUARY 28.

4 Page 4 JESUS ZONE This is an extremely exciting and high-energy evening of events for your Pre-Kindergarten through 5th Grade children. We spend time with our graded groups learning about Jesus life and His followers. We enjoy crafts, a snack and lessons based on the awesome life of Jesus! Join us at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday evening to see what a blast it is to learn about Jesus in J-ZONE. CHILDREN S MINISTRY APRIL SWANG JANUARY HAPPY NEW YEAR!! JANUARY Jesus Calls His Disciples Matthew 4:19 Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. JANUARY The Crowds Follow Jesus Matthew 4:25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. Grade 3 through 5 Friday, February 20 & Saturday, February 21 Leave time Friday (2/20) at 3:30 p.m. Return (2/21) at 5:30 p.m. Cost: $70 Deadline to sign up is Sunday, January 18 Continue to be in Prayer for our Leadership & Staff If you are interested in serving on one of our Prayer Teams, please contact Brandi Beins at or at BeinsFamily@gmail.com. The FAMILY PRAYER TEAM We are dedicated to making sure that each family is being covered by prayer and scripture! We want to honor what God has placed together and to protect the family unit as well as each member through prayer. Prayer requests may be sent through the church office or directly to me, John Ausley, at johnausley@att.net. These prayers will be lifted up daily by those on the Family Prayer Team and at our prayer meetings. Below are listed some of the continuing focus points of the Family Prayer Team: 1. Pray that marriages and family relationships throughout the congregation will be strengthened. 2. Pray that strained or broken relationships among families and friends will be restored. 3. Pray that the power and presence of God will increase in homes. 4. Pray for and believe in salvation for the whole family. 5. Pray for the plans God has for the family and children. 6. Pray for marriages to be a true reflection of Christ and the church. 7. Pray for barriers to be broken down between our family members. 8. Pray for blessings upon families and households. 9. Pray a hedge of protection over families and their children.

5 Page 5 INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES Services will be cancelled for the following reasons: Cherokee Hills Christian 6601 N MacArthur Boulevard Oklahoma City, Oklahoma WEB Site: chccweb.org 1. Severe weather (tornado, ice, snow or other type of weather.) Alerts will be available to you on the Church answering machine, News stations, Facebook page & WEB page. 2. A power failure that will not be repaired in a reasonable length of time. Join our CHCC FB page at 3. Other mitigating circumstances that the Leadership deem appropriate. WEEKLY STATS DECEMBER 21 Morning Worship 279 8:30 a.m :00 a.m Offering: Goal $ 12, Total Received $ 12, Includes: $ 1, E-giving Special Designations: AREA MEN S MEETING 2015 LINK NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION DATES Monday January 19, :00 p.m. Program - 7:00 p.m. GUEST SPEAKER: Dr. Tom Lawson Professor, Ozark Christian College Theology, Church History and New Testament Hosted by: Harmony Christian Church 7100 S Choctaw Road Special (Food Pantry) $ Special (Great CoMission) $ DECEMBER 28 Morning Worship 295 8:30 a.m :00 a.m January 5 & 19 February 2 & 16 March 2, 16 & 30 April 13 & 27 May 11 June 1, 15 & 29 July 13 & 27 August 10 & 24 September 14 & 28 October 12 & 26 November 9 & 30 Offering: Goal $ 12, Total Received $ 18, Includes: $ 2, E-giving End of Year Giving: $6, Special Designations: Special (Food Pantry) $ JANUARY 4 Morning Worship 318 8:30 a.m :00 a.m Offering: Goal $ 13, Total Received $ 13, Includes: $ 1, E-giving Special Designations: Special (Food Pantry) $ December 14 CHCC VISION STATEMENT COME JOIN US AT THE TABLE! The Table is a safe place for the CHCC family to find out about all of the "family" happenings - prayer requests, service opportunities, new classes, camp pictures, the church calendar, etc. The Table will also enable your Care Groups, Sunday School classes, Bible Study Groups and Ministry Groups to stay connected. Each group will have their own page with all of their pictures, calendars, discussions and other information. Cherokee Hills Christian Church is a growing family of believers in Jesus Christ that seeks to balance outreach to our community and the world with internal care and discipleship by engaging active members that are strong in the Word and prayer. CHCC MISSION STATEMENT

Page 6 CHCC FOODPANTRY OPEN Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. If you would like to be a part of this special ministry you have two opportunities.

6 Page 6 CHCC FOODPANTRY OPEN Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. If you would like to be a part of this special ministry you have two opportunities. #1 - VOLUNTEER by contacting Elaine Baker at luellen.s@att.net. #2 - Pick up a blue My Grocery SACK rifice shopping bag and grab a few items listed on the back of the bag. Or you may make a designated donation through offering. CONNECTIONS (continued from page 3) and he answered me from his holy hill (Psalm 3:4); The Lᴏʀᴅ has set apart the godly for himself; the Lᴏʀᴅ hears when I call to him (Psalm 4:1, 3); O Lᴏʀᴅ, in the morning you hear my voice (Psalm 5:3); The Lᴏʀᴅ has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lᴏʀᴅ has heard my plea; the Lᴏʀᴅ accepts my prayer (Psalm 6:8 9). Even in the thick of our fret, we never find God indifferent or helpless or caught by surprise. This is the great reminder that even in the thick of our fret, we never find God indifferent or helpless or caught by surprise. And that even when it seems like no one else hears, that our friends have all deserted us, we can turn the page with David to Psalm 38:9, O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you. God hears, always. 3. God Works for You But he doesn t just hear, he also responds. The exhortations of Psalm 37 are filled with reminders of God s action. It s like the psalmist calls us up from the fog and invites us to see the way God does. [The evil] will soon fade like grass (Psalm 37:2); For the evildoers will be cut off (Psalm 37:9); In just a little while the wicked will be no more (Psalm 37:10). In fact, the Lᴏʀᴅ laughs at the wicked, for he sees his day is coming (Psalm 37:13). We need God s promise about the future to be so certain to us that we pick up his sense of humor. God steps into our complexity, our questions, our worry, and he works. As David reminds us, the Lᴏʀᴅ upholds the righteous (Psalm 37:17); the Lᴏʀᴅ knows the days of the blameless (Psalm 37:18); the Lᴏʀᴅ upholds his hand (Psalm 37:24); the Lᴏʀᴅ loves justice; he will not forsake his saints (Psalm 37:28); The Lᴏʀᴅ will not abandon [the righteous] to the power [of the wicked] (Psalm 37:33). The salvation of the righteous is from the Lᴏʀᴅ; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble (Psalm 37:39). And to make it more clear, to rid away the idea that this is mere sentiment, that we only need to believe hard enough, God doesn t just have a good word to say to us, but he is his very Word to us. He doesn t just drop spiritual platitudes on us from afar, but he rolled up his sleeves, as it were, and he came here. The Word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood (John 1:14, The Message). Jesus lived for us. He died for us. He was raised for us. He showed us God up close and personal, full of grace and truth. And he said to us creatures who fret, Let not your hearts be troubled (John 14:1). JANAURY MANDITORY MEETING Teens working Wednesday s 10:45 a.m. (Upstairs) Spring ENCOUNTER (Sign up in Bulletin) 5-6:15 p.m CHILDCARE OUTREACH 6-9:00 p.m SUPERSTART Grade 3-5 Deadline to sign up 19 AREA MEN S MEETING Hosted at Harmony Christian, Choctaw Spring ENCOUNTER (Sign up in Bulletin) 5-6:15 p.m Spring ENCOUNTER (Sign up in Bulletin) 5-6:15 p.m

FIT. FOOD PANTRY Elaine Baker CHILDCARE OUTREACH Jeff & Linda Heath

FIT. FOOD PANTRY Elaine Baker CHILDCARE OUTREACH Jeff & Linda Heath 19 JANUARY 2015 CHRISTIAN LINK News this issue Prayer Ministry & Weekly Emphasis P.2 Youth & Connections P.3 Children s & Prayer Ministry 360 P.4 Encounter, Coming Events E-Giving & Weekly Stats P.5 Help