The Pastor s Pen By Rev. Jeff Sames, Associate Pastor

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1 Volume 6, Issue 9 March 5, 2014 Who We Are Faith Fellowship of Lexington is a non-denominational gathering of Christians who enjoy traditional worship services. Where to Find Us Faith Fellowship of Lexington worships in the Seventh-day Adventist Church at 968 Lane Allen Road in Lexington, Kentucky. Our offices are located at 715 Shaker Drive, Suite 80, in Lexington. We're on the Web at You can watch our service live on Sunday mornings by going to You can also watch archived services by gong to the ihigh address above. We Gather for Fellowship Coffee/Donut Fellowship Time: 9:15-9:30 a.m. We Gather for Bible Study Adult I Sunday school meets at 9:30 a.m. in room 8 (Library). Living Faith Sunday school meets at 9:30 a.m. in Room 2. Youth Sunday school class (6 th The Pastor s Pen By Rev. Jeff Sames, Associate Pastor Some see Lent as merely a somber period of sacrifice that is comprised of a little joy. But as we begin the forty day journey of Lent (Sundays make it more than a forty-day period, but Sundays are celebration days and technically not part of Lent) this Ash Wednesday (see below for details). This is a season where we have an opportunity once more to renew our single-minded devotion to Christ above all else. We re reminded of our mortality at the beginning of Lent when ashes are placed on our forehead. Yet, we re also reminded of the call to faithfulness to the one who calls us to love and serve God and others which is the source of our deepest joy. We re called to take up our crosses and make sacrifices for the cause of Christ, but such sacrifices and such discipline in dying to selfish motivations and concerns truly sets us free. No longer do we feel the need to acquire things, to seek fame, to keep up with the Jones when we re properly focused on knowing Christ. These matters recede into the background and fidelity to Christ becomes the center of our attention. This is the path to meaningful living and is cause for true celebration. Going through a focused period of spiritual growth, finding ways to draw close to Christ, such as through faithful Bible reading and prayer, faithful volunteer service in our faith community and the larger community of Lexington, and changing our diets (e.g., the giving up of desserts, coffee, or whatever sacrifice we choose to make this way). Ultimately, Lent ends on Holy Saturday which follows

2 12 th grade), 9:30 a.m., Room 4. FaithKids Choir 9:30 10:30 a.m., Room #1 (Except for Summer months) This is for ages Kindergarten through Fifth grade. We Gather for Worship Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. Children s Church: 11:15 a.m. Child care is available. Upcoming Sundays of Sharing March 16, 2014 Give a cup of water to the thirsty! (Our last of the Six Sundays of Sharing for ). On Valentine s Sunday you will be given a water cup to collect change for Living Water International. One month later on March 16, bring your water cup of change. Living Water provides safe drinking water and hygiene education to third world communities where people are dying due to unsafe drinking water. We re Looking Forward March 9 Daylight Savings Time Begins. Spring forward one hour on Saturday night before you go to bed. Christ s death on Good Friday. Walking through this period of remembering this life has its dark, difficult days prepares for heightened joy when Easter (Resurrection) morning rolls around once more. You truly can t get to Easter without first going through Lent, but once Easter arrives, how powerfully irrepressible is our joy! Here are some special things we are doing at Faith Fellowship as a means of assisting you in allowing Lent to be a focused time of spiritual growth for you. Our Ash Wednesday Service takes place, March 5 th, at 7 p.m., in the Seventh-day Adventist Chapel (where the choir rehearses) which will feature the imposition of ashes and the Service of Communion will take place at 7 p.m. this week. Every Tuesday in Lent from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. we re going to offer you a chance to come to the office and pray if you desire to do so. We ll have a prayer list available for you to use and an open Bible with some suggested passages you might read. We ll also observe our annual Maundy Thursday Service during Holy Week. The time will be announced later. May this be the beginning of a deeply, holy, meaningful season for you that prepares you for an amazing Easter celebration in April. In Christ s service with you

3 March 16 - March 16, 2014 Give a cup of water to the thirsty! Turn in your cup of change for Living Water International. March 18 Administrative Board Meeting at 7 p.m., Church Office Conference room. March 27 Missions Committee Meeting at 7:00 p.m. March 30 Fifth Sunday Musicale at 4:00 p.m. April 1 Spring Bible Study at Lexington Theological Seminary, 230 Lexington Green Circle, Suite 300. Dr. Wes Allen will lead. (Time TBA) Cost: $10. April 8 Spring Bible Study at Lexington Theological Seminary, 230 Lexington Green Circle, Suite 300. Dr. Wes Allen will lead. (Time TBA) Cost: $10. April 10 Women of Faith meet at 7:00 p.m. Location TBA. April 13 Palm Sunday Service, 11:00 a.m. April 15 Administrative Board Meeting at 7:00 p.m., church office conference room. April 20 Easter Sunday Service, 11:00 a.m. HE IS RISEN INDEED! Daylight Savings Time BEGINS Sunday, March 9, 2014! Living Faith Sunday School Class Begins New Unit By Rev. Jeff Sames The Adult Sunday School Class that meets beside the FaithKids Choir in Room 2 in the Chapel Hallway will begin a new unit of study on Sunday, March 9. It will discuss the 3 basic types of prayer that are recounted in Anne Lamott s 2012 book, Help, Thanks, Wow! You are encouraged to secure a copy of this book but this is entirely optional. No advanced sign up is required to attend simply show up Sunday mornings at 9:30 in Room 2 and we ll make you feel welcome.

4 April 22 Spring Bible Study at Lexington Theological Seminary, 230 Lexington Green Circle, Suite 300. Dr. Wes Allen will lead. (Time TBA) Cost: $10. April 27 Missions Committee meeting, 7:00 p.m. Location TBA. Prayer Requests Mission Moment By Ginny Berry Faith Fellowship of Lexington seeks to become the hands and feet of Christ in the world through engagement in missions. To add a prayer request, please fill out a Prayer Request card that can be obtained at the Welcome Center; call the church office at , or submit a prayer request online by going to click on MEMBER LOGIN and PRAYER REQUESTS. Scroll all the way to the end of the requests. Each request will remain on the website for 2 weeks. Updates are always welcomed. For Judy Hamblin who will meet with her surgeon on March 10 to Pictured left to right are some of our members of the Missions Committee: Ginny Berry, Janet Layman, Carolyn Purcell (and Mori) and Andy Berry. Every year the Lexington Rescue Mission sponsors the Walk for Warmth to raise funds for their programs that specifically target folks in our community who may find themselves unable to pay their rent or other bills because of some unforeseen emergency. On the first Tuesday of the month, individuals can apply for this assistance, citing the special circumstance that has created the need. The LRM will consider an individual s request one time during a year. The number for the LRM is (859)

5 discuss a surgery date necessitated by problems with diverticulitis. For Harlan Joseph Joe Justice who visited the Living Faith Sunday School class on Sunday. Joe has Stage 3 pancreatic cancer and would appreciate our prayers. For Scott and Sharla Parrish, brother and sister-in-law of Kevin Parrish whose newborn daughter, Ann Ray Parrish, is in ICU. For Agnes, friend of Karen Maudsley, who is in the hospital due to a difficult recovery from surgery. For Mary George s brother who had a heart attack. (L. Parrish) For William King, Lori and Kevin Parrish s Landlord s grandfather, who had a stroke recently. For Hank Davis, a dear longtime friend of Sue Thompson. Hank is battling cancer and is very sick. He is currently at home with Hospice care. Pray also for Sue as she ministers to Hank. For Virginia Gilmore who has been moved to the Willows in Hamburg and is undergoing Groups of supporters from around Lexington register their walkers and collect pledges for a one- or two-mile walk around downtown Lexington, ending at Calvary Baptist Church for a nice lunch and awards ceremony. Faith Fellowship was well represented on Saturday. February 22 nd, and turned in a total of $435 in registrations and pledges. Our faithful participants were Wayne Sullivan, Carolyn Purcell, Jerrell Teague, Jeff Sames, Janet Layman, Ginny Berry, Andy Berry, Beverly Komara, Richard Baber, and two four-legged friends, Mori Purcell and Princess Leia Sullivan. The Missions Committee thanks these participants and those of you who sponsored them. Our goal is to have more participants and collect even more pledges next year!! See you then. Lenten Study at Southern Hills UMC By Rev. Dr. Billy Ray Jennings Rev. Billy Ray Jennings will lead a seven-week study of Bishop William Willimon s new book Thank God It s Thursday, beginning March 5-6, Ash Wednesday, (7:00 p.m.) and Thursday, (10:30 a.m.) in the Fireside Room (#608) at Southern Hills UMC. Only the first date of this seven-week study will conflict with Faith Fellowship s scheduled Ash Wednesday Service on March 5, which will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel at the S-dA Church for those of you who prefer to attend that service. Those planning to attend Rev. Jennings s class at Southern Hills UMC may purchase a $10 book from Rev. Jennings or the Faith Fellowship office ( ); the books will be available to non-attenders after the March class.

6 therapy to attempt to walk again. For Rose Marie Dalton, a fellow resident of Virginia s at The Willows who has had bone marrow and other health issues. For Jean Newman who is healing from recent ankle replacement surgery at home. For Ann who is in serious condition due to a stroke. (B. Savage) For the Bonner family in the recent death of their 34-year-old son-in-law, Joel Dale Church. For Vicki Clark who is healing from surgery on a broken leg. For the family of Mary Alice Acklin, cousin of Susan Booker who passed away on February 20. Ongoing Prayers for our Soldiers Faith Afield Here are the names of the service people we currently know about. SSGT. Jamen Berry, son of Andy Berry Capt. Ginny Iskandarov niece of Ginny Berry Elnur Iskandarov nephew of Ginny Berry by marriage Congratulations, Rachel! By Rev. Jeff Sames Celebrating the accomplishments of youth and young adults is one of the ways we show our care and support of our young people! Last week, we celebrated the accomplishments of Devon Hart and Reynolds Martin. This week here s a quick article on my daughter, Rachel Sames. Some interesting things are going on with my daughter that I thought you might enjoy knowing. Rachel, who is 17 years-old, is a Youth Salute winner (a leadership award) so if you see her picture in the Fayette Mall or at a Walmart location in the near future, you ll know why it s there. She also is one of a selected small group of students from George Rogers Clark High School who has been named as a United States representative invited to attend the 75 th anniversary of the Normandy invasion this June 6 th. The French government sponsoring this event has planned for every nation involved in the Normandy battle to be present and will honor the lives of those lost there. It s promoting dialogue among nations for the cause of peace with this amazing celebration. GRCHS students are the single US high school that will be present for this historical gathering. Rachel is also a finalist for two state scholarship award programs that will announce winners later this spring. Congratulations Rachel!

7 SSGT. Cameron Smith brother of Sean Smith Airman Benjamin Engelbrecht son of Paul Engelbrecht Please send Ginny Berry any updates on the status of these persons change in rank, address, new assignment Her address is Leadership Available You will find a list of leaders below who serve on the Administrative Board. Feel free to call one of these persons if you have questions or concerns. Administrative Board Liz Berryman, Chair Anne Crowe, Treasurer Judy Brand, Secretary Mitch Borders, Charlotte Krasinski, Bob Quisenberry, Ron Reaguer, Roger Blair, David Hart, Sarah Reeves, John Compton, Catherine Cook, Lowell Eberwein, Adam Rudder Volunteer Skill Bank Contact Information Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Church Office: Other times, call: Ground For Hope, Saturday, March 8 th Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) By Rev. Jeff Sames What does the Bible say about environmental concerns? Are there resources to help us take the care of earth seriously? What are some key environmental issues the church and other faith communities should be addressing? How can I participate in advocacy for taking care of the earth? These are the kind of questions you will find answers to at an upcoming event held right here in Lexington. Ground For Hope is a free conference that I plan to attend and I hope you will, too. It will take place at Central Christian, Saturday, March 8 th from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Noon). To register simply get online at Then, click on the Ground for Hope tab (there is a Sunday, Mar. 9th event in Louisville, too, but the local event takes place on Saturday, March 8 th ). If you have trouble registering for this contact Jeff and he ll be glad to assist you.

8 Liz Berryman: Andy Berry: If they cannot be reached, call: Mary Anne Pollock: or Deadlines Prayer requests, committee news or announcements, and personal interest stories should be submitted by Monday at noon for inclusion in the next issue of The Current. Please send them by to Announcements for the Sunday bulletin should be sent to Norma by noon on Wednesdays at