TIDAL WAVE THIS ISSUE: Ash Wednesday & the Beginning of Lent

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1 TIDAL WAVE A Publication of First Christian Church of the Beaches (Disciples of Christ) ISSUE FEBRUARY 2016 Ash Wednesday & the Beginning of Lent THIS ISSUE: ASH WEDNESDAY Three things to know about Ash Wednesday ELDER S CORNER Betty Chinnis discusses Spiritual growth MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORIES Plan to have your photos taken for our new 2016 Membership Directory. Details coming soon! WHAT NOW? Pastor Nathan talks about how he d like to go about getting to know each other. MINISTRY MANAGERS With all of the recent changes, find out who s heading up all of our ministries. THE WAVERIDER Please see the Waverider section for Youth and Children s events What to know about the start of Lent This year, February 10 th is Ash Wednesday, which kicks off the first day of Lent and signals the approach of Easter. Here are three things to know about the day. What s the purpose of Ash Wednesday? It marks the first day of the 40 days of Lent, a roughly six-week period (not including Sundays) dedicated to reflection, prayer and fasting in preparation for Easter. It ends on Holy Thursday, the fifth day of Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter) that marks the Last Supper. In addition to certain rules about foods and fasting, many Christians (and even non-christians) abstain from additional foods, luxury or material goods or certain activities and habits. Where do the ashes some people put on their face come from? They re obtained from the burning of the palms of the previous Palm Sunday, which occurs on the Sunday before Easter, and applied during services. Palm Sunday marks Jesus return to Jerusalem, when people waved palm branches to celebrate his arrival. The ashes are typically mixed with Holy Water or oil. What do the ashes mean? The ashes, applied in the shape of a cross, are a symbol of penance, mourning and mortality. Centuries ago, participants used to sprinkle themselves with ashes and repent much more publicly, but the practice fell away sometime between the 8th-10th century before evolving into what it is today. There aren t any particular rules about how long the ashes should be worn, but most people wear them throughout the day as a public expression of their faith and penance. Pastor Nathan and Pastor Chris will be at the Starbucks on Third Street South from 7:00am to 9:00am for Prayers and Ashes. Everyone is welcome. We will also be having a Worship Service at 6:30PM following our regularly scheduled Wednesday evening Fellowship Supper.

2 Elder s Corner GROWING UP By Betty Chinnis During the installation service for Pastor Nathan, our Regional Minister Juan Rodriguez gave an inspiring message on the importance of growing up both individually and as a church. The Upper Room for January 5 th had this to say about individual spiritual growth: Just as plants draw nourishment from water, we find the nourishment we need to grow spiritually in time spent with God. But what happens when we neglect spending time with God? At first we may thirst; but if we ignore it, this awareness of our thirst will eventually fade and our relationship with God will dry up like desert land bereft of life-giving water. But when we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Water of Life, our faith can flourish and we can receive strength from Him. Remaining connected to God s Living Water requires work. Disciplines such as spending time with God in prayer, studying the Bible and learning how to listen for God s voice are all part of growing in our relationship with Christ. When we seek God every day, our thirst will be quenched by Living Water. How can we, as individuals, facilitate the spiritual growth of our church? First of all, we need to identify our individual spiritual gifts. Scripture declares that each person who accepts Jesus as God s Son and Savior of the world is given one or more spiritual gifts for the purpose of growing the church. Therefore, it is up to each one of us to identify our spiritual gifts and then seek out the ministry in our church for which we are best suited. Here are just some (there are others) of the spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible: Serving, teaching, encouraging, helping others, artistic craftsmanship, wisdom, knowledge, giving, leading, showing mercy, etc. Do you recognize your gift in this list? If so, don t wait to be asked to get involved in a specific job in our church speak up! Volunteer to help out. Trust me, you won t be turned down! Library News by Linda White The February 3rd program given by the missionaries to the Dao people in Indonesia, Jeannie and Scott Phillips is so inspiring. What dedication they have to our Lord's great commission! After listening to their program, you may want to read their book. We have the book on the Biography shelf of our library. Look for the title Prophecies of Pale Skin. Have a blessed read. CWF Update by Rebecca Zellars CWF welcomes all the ladies of the church to join us as we begin a new year. We will be studying Psalms and having some guest speakers. We will be doing some outreach projects and some fund raisers to support the outreach. We have great fellowship, laughing and loving, praying and serving, teaching and learning all to bring honor to our Lord. We installed officers for 2016 at our January meeting. They are: President: Rebecca Zellars, Vice president: Pam Mangine, Secretary: Pat Hernandez, Treasurer: Wanda Banks, Service: Jeanie Peters, Worship: Dianne Pike. We meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 10:00 upstairs in the oceanfront room. Hope to see you on February 23rd. Yours in Christ.

3 Notes from Nancy by Nancy Barrett Exciting things are happening at FCCB. Pastor Nathan has taken leadership and we are moving forward in our ministry. The CHOIR is certainly expanding. We had 32 people in rehearsal. See if you can spot our new faces. February will start out with us recognizing our Cub Scout and Boy Scout Troops in our 9:00 service. We should all feel good that our church has welcomed and taken on responsibility to sponsor these fine young boys. We recently had two young men complete their Eagle Scout and we hope we will have more. The second Sunday is Valentine's Day and the Donna Run. Please watch for further announcements regarding our church services on that day. Easter is early this year, March 27. The CHOIR has already started rehearsing for Palm Sunday and Easter. We will have the Palm Sunday message in music in the 9am service on March 20. Senior Adult Ministry by Pat Hernandez With 26 members present and our new senior minister, Nathan Loewen, honoring us with his presence, we enjoyed Jerry Terrell reminiscing about his life. Graduating from Georgia Tech and after being shot at, and being an attack pilot, we sat in awe listening to his experiences. We had questions and some of our members had experiences to also share. Jerry was in the Vietnam War and we salute him and all our Veterans! Hope everyone celebrated the New Year and now our next meeting will be February 4 in the large fellowship hall at 10:30 a.m. Our program this month will be unique. Our main objective is "promotion". In lieu of a trip for March is our Senior Retreat at Silver Springs. To let you know how exciting this trip is, we will have a panel consisting of Chuck Walker, Phyllis Scott, Barbara Bennett, Pat Hernandez and Agnes Calugar, promoting the Sr. Retreat. We hope by having this panel, we can explain how exciting and interesting this trip has always been. I'm sure we can also answer any questions you might have. We don't have any trips scheduled for February, but we can always participate in going to help with "Seniors on a Mission". This is an on-going mission that is always appreciated. Billie Perretti and Phyllis Scott will be our hostesses and Agnes Calugar will bring us our devotion. Come and fellowship with us in February and bring a casserole, cookies, dessert or rolls to share. Thank You to Rev. Don Lynn by Paul Robbins All of us at FCCB want to Thank You for your servant heart. Your superb leadership as Convening Elder and as Chairman of the Pastor search committee was critical in bringing us to this point of new beginnings. Led by the Holy Spirit and always with prayerful consideration you have lead by example. With gratitude we Thank You for being who you are. May God continue to Bless You.

4 Now What? by Nathan Loewen PASTOR's BLOG First off I want to say thank you. Thank you to the wonderful search team and their spouses. They were fantastic throughout the process and they did a wonderful job representing FCCB. Thank you to each of you for bringing my family here to serve this community as the new pastor. Every day as I drive up to the church building I give thanks to God for this calling to serve His church and His people here on the beaches. I am looking forward to many years of fruitful ministry together. Over the next 90 days I would like to have a chance to get to know each of you a little better. I want to listen to you. I want to hear about who you are, how Christ has impacted your life, and about your hopes and dreams going forward. I want to get to know where you hear God calling you, and how God is using you to bring people to Christ and make disciples. Feel free to call me at (817) or me at nathan.loewen@fc2b.org to schedule time to get together. During these next 90 days I ask each of you to pray daily for the leadership of FCCB. Pray for the Holy Spirit to descend and dwell among the leaders, so we may have guidance and direction. Pray that we may be focused on leading this congregation on the mission God has placed before us. I believe prayer is vital to our health. Our God calls us to be a people of prayer. I also ask of each of you to open your Bibles these next 90 days. Read the Holy Word of God. Listen for words and phrases that stick out to you, write them down. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you interpret the scripture. Each week I will post on the Pastor s blog three new scriptures to read and pray over. I believe if we are in prayer together, and reading scripture together, God will make clear the direction and path we are to go. For this week please read and study: Matthew 5:13-16 Matthew 9:35-38 Matthew 11:28-30 These next 90 days as we meet, pray, study scripture, and worship together will help us to focus on who God is calling us to be, and where God is calling us to go. Peace and Towels, Rev. Nathan Loewen

5 Council of Elders Update by Don Lynn MINISTRY MANAGERS: The Council of Elders is pleased to share with you the names of the persons responsible for the following listed ministries in 2016: Personal Spiritual Growth Christian Education Adult Rita Vernon Preschool/Children/Youth Kathy Hopkins Discipleship Don Peters Congregational Spiritual Growth Stewardship John Campbell & Betty Chinnis Fellowship Wes Markham Hospitality Celebrations of Life Pam Mangine & Jeanie Peters Librarian - Linda White Historian Sarah Bledsoe & Connie Wendt Christian Men s Fellowship Don Peters Christian Women s Fellowship Rebecca Zellars Youth Ministries Kathy Hopkins Chancel Guild Lydia Porter Church Family Groups HIS Family Don and Jeanie Peters Vineyard Keepers Barre & Nancy Barrett S.A.M. Wendy Davis Worship Pastor Chris Hopkins Community Spiritual Growth Outreach Jim Vernon Evangelism Jack Young You are invited to participate in one or more of these ministry responsibilities as the Holy Spirit has gifted you. You can share in these opportunities for ministry by contacting our office staff by phoning or by ing office@fc2b.org. May God bless you as you prayerful consider how you might participate in the life and ministry of our community of faith. CWF Game Party by Betty Chinnis The second Saturday next month (March 12 th ) the Christian Women s Fellowship will be hosting the annual Game Party and Luncheon benefitting local charities. Who do you know who enjoys Card Games, Dominoes, Yahtzee, Bunco, or any other kind of game played by two or more people? Who do you know who isn t affiliated with a church? Now is an opportunity to introduce them to our church while having a really fun day and excellent lunch. Tickets remain at $10.00 and are fully deductible. Be sure to buy yours soon from any CWF member. Doors will open at 10:00 and we ll end the day by 2:30.

6 Welcome New Member Ashlee Loewen Church Women United by Connie Wendt Church Women United in the Jacksonville Beaches will meet Friday, February 5 at Pablo Hamlet. We look forward to many of our women attending. We will be presenting our Human Rights award to a special outreach program working in Jacksonville Beach. Join us at 10 am for refreshments, meeting starts at 10:30. If you are not familiar with where Pablo Hamlet is, come to 1610 Shetter Avenue. That is the second building at the end of Shetter. The meeting will be in the Community Room. Questions? Contact Connie Wendt or Jeanie Peters. Feb 10 th is Ash Wednesday. Pastor Nathan and Pastor Chris will be at the Starbucks on Third Street South from 7:00am to 9:00am for Prayers and Ashes. Everyone is welcome. We will also be having a Worship Service at 6:30PM following our regularly scheduled Wednesday evening Fellowship Supper with DONNA Mission The 26.2 with DONNA Mission is to passionately produce world class events to raise funds for ground breaking breast cancer research and women living with breast cancer. Join us Marathon Weekend: On Feb 14, 2016 we will be having a combined worship service at 8:00am. After our service, we will be handing out Communion to Go to all runners, friends and families. The Praise Band will be playing on the East Lawn (weather permitting) starting at 9:00am. We encourage all members to get involved!

7 Bears for the Pews CWF sponsors our Pew Bear Ministry and we need our church members support to continue this worthwhile outreach. If you know someone who needs a little comfort that a Bear Hug" can give, please take a bear from the pews and give it to your friend. We attach a special tag to each bear before placing it in the pew where it is blessed by being in our services. We also need your help in donating NEW bears to continue this ministry. There is a green bin in the Fellowship Hall to collect your donation. If you prefer to donate money to buy a bear instead, please give it to Jeanie Peters or any CWF member. Thank you in advance for your support. Operation Christmas Child / Shoebox Ministry / Samaritan s Purse A BIG thank you to all of you who packed a shoebox this past November. We delivered 118 boxes to be sent all over the world by Samaritan s Purse. Thousands were delivered to 120 countries so we packed a box for almost every country! Thank you Joy Casino for your contribution of t-shirt dresses for girls and t-shirts for boys, all in matching cloth bags. Also thanks to Billie Perritte and Wendy Davis for the many cloth totes you made and donated. These ladies keep the art of sewing alive! A check for $96 from monetary donations was also sent, in addition to the many checks included in the boxes to cover shipping costs. Thank you Kathy Hopkins for getting our youth involved by packing about 20 of these boxes. Our church is truly blessed by the generosity of all of you who gave. Thank you again for helping to share God s love. History Did you know that the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has an exciting history? Yes the Christian Church (DOC) here in the Beaches and in the United States. The First Christian Church of the Beaches will be celebrating our 75 th anniversary in three years. Last month at the meeting of the Elders, Connie Wendt and I volunteered to be the historians and we would like to get as much information as we can before the planning stages begin. If you are a long-time member of the church and have pictures, newspaper clippings, and/or programs that you would be willing to donate or to lend to us, we would be very grateful. We are eager to have your contributions so they can be included with the other that is already on file. We look forward to hearing from you. Please give us a call or send us an . Connie Wendt sewsew8133@gmail.com Phone Sarah Bledsoe job2slb@comcast.net Phone

8 Scout News by Barre Barrett FEBRUARY Monday Feb. 1 Pack 40 Den Meetings Tuesday Feb. 2 Troop 40 Meeting Sunday Feb. 7: Scout Sunday - Cubs and Boy Scouts present the flags and participate in 9:00 am church service at FCCB. Greet the boys afterwards at fellowship. Monday Feb. 8: Pack 40 Den Meetings Tuesday Feb. 9 Troop 40 Meeting Sunday Feb. 14: Pack 40 Day trip to Olustee to see Civil War reenactment. Feb Troop 40 Campout Monday Feb.15: Pack 40 Den Meetings Tuesday Feb. 16: Troop 40 meeting Saturday Feb. 20: Blue and Gold Luncheon and Pack 40 Webelos2 Crossover to Troop 40 Boy Scouts Monday Feb. 22 Pack 40 Den Meetings Tuesday Feb. 23 Troop 40 meeting Friday Feb 26: Pinewood Derby Practice Saturday Feb 27: Pinewood Derby Races Monday Feb. 29 Pack 40 Den Meetings Tuesday Mar. 1 Troop 40 Meeting Prayer Requests Alice Dudley, Amanda Beal, Baby Ava, Barry Stevenson, Betty Faye McClure, Bill & Trish Hunt, Bill Rouse, Billy Womble, Bob Banks, Bob Wendt, Dan Hall, Deborah Zarandi, Don Jordan, Eula Wood, George & Gen Gallie, George Huff, Hazel Twitty, Iglesia Evangelica Bethel, in Cuba, Jay & Laura Kirkley, Jeanne Long, Jeff Waldrop, Jennifer Harris, Jim & Joan Chandler, Jim Cunningham, Josh Kerschner, Katie Bennett, Lana Suarez, Larre Barrett, Laurie Jones, Lee McClure, Leia Morgan, Leon Atlan, Mary Kessler, Mary Morrison, Mary Smith, Matthew Williams, Mike Cobb, Military & their Families, Mopsy O Brien, Mrs. Bouathong, Olive Calhoun, Pastor Elizabeth Martell, Pastor Jose Manuel Martell, Pastor Thom Gibson, Russian Lickfeld, School Teachers & Students, Sonya Falcon, Terry Worth, The Brewer Family, The Christian Church DOC, The Ginslinger Family, The Harman Family, The Miles Family, The Terrell Family, Wimpy Sutton, Yvonne Byars.

9 MARK YOUR CALENDAR for FEBRUARY 02 6:30PM Bible Study with Don Lynn 03 5:30PM Fellowship Supper 6:30PM Missionaries Scott & Jennie Phillips 04 10:30AM S.A.M. Meeting 07 7:30AM DMF Breakfast / Scout Sunday 09 6:30PM Choir; Bible Study with Don Lynn 10 7:00AM Ashes & Prayers at Starbucks 5:30PM Fellowship Supper 6:30PM Ash Wednesday Service 12 6:00PM HIS Family Dinner 13 6:00PM Sweetheart Dinner & Dance 15 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED for President s Day 16 6:30PM Bible Study with Don Lynn 17 5:30PM Fellowship Supper 6:30PM Bible Study, Choir, Crochet, Youth 19 6:00PM Pizza Dinner 7:00PM Movie Night -90 Minutes in Heaven 20 11:00AM Cub Scout Blue & Gold Luncheon 21 5:00PM The Body of Elders Meeting 23 10:00AM CWF 6:30PM Bible Study with Don Lynn 24 5:30PM Fellowship Supper 6:30PM Bible Study, Choir, Crochet, Youth 26 5:00PM Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby Practice 27 9:00AM Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby Races NATHAN LOEWEN, SENIOR PASTOR CHRIS HOPKINS, ASSOCIATE PASTOR LESLIE HALE, OFFICE MANAGER MONTH of FEBRUARY SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT am 9am 11am 3 FEB 10 FEB 17 FEB 24 FEB SERVING SCHEDULE for FEBRUARY ELDERS Brandy Hibbard Sarah Bledsoe Connie Wendt Pam Mangine DEACONS Gary Grider and Ruth Forrest Dave and Linda White Tracye Hawkins and Josh Mele Jack & Leslie Young Jake Young and Jim Claytor DINNER MENU FOR FEBRUARY Oven Roasted Chicken, Rice Pilaf, Gravy, Green Peas, Rolls, Salad Bar & Peach Cobbler Ham, Black Eyed Peas, Collards, Rice, Corn Bread, Salad Bar & Pastry Hard and Soft Shell Tacos with Toppings Bar, Nachos and Cheese, Refried Beans & Texas Brownies Beer Battered Fish, Potatoes Wedges, Broccoli with Cheese Sauce, Garlic Toast, Salad Bar & Apple Pie HAPPY BIRTHDAY 1 February Amy McIntyre 2 February Josh Mele 3 February Carol Ann Womble Cathy Horn 7 February Don Jordan 10 February Donna Turner 14 February Dollie Lim 18 February Barbara Bennett 19 February Maurine Choate 22 February Holger Lamm 24 February Susie Morison HAPPY ANNIVERSARY 9 February Wally & Shirlee Green If you require a visit from the Pastor, please call the Church at (904)

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