First Church of God. Fall Love in Christ, Pastor Kevin Harrodsburg Rd., Danville, KY Dear Church Family,

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1 First Church of God A Place to...believe...belong...become! 3220 Harrodsburg Rd., Danville, KY Website: danvillefirstchurchofgod.com danvillefirstchurchofgod@gmail.com Phone: (859) Fall 2018 Dear Church Family, The change of season is not far away. I woke up early morning one day this week in my t-shirt and shorts ready to do the normal workout at the gym and I thought, Wow, something feels different. It was definitely a tad on the chilly side. I got in my car and it was telling me the temperature was in the fifties. I thought to myself, Fall is not far off. Now I know that the temperatures are bound to go back up. They will yoyo over the next few weeks. But make no mistake we are about to move into another season. As we have the seasonal changes taking place outside we also have seasonal changes to our schedules and our lives. For most of us the vacations are done for a while. We will be putting our summer clothes away and bringing out the fall friendly clothes. Trips to the pool or lake may be replaced by a hiking trip as we watch the leaves fall around us. We not only have the yearly seasonal changes in the weather but we also go through different seasons of our lives. Some of you are in the early seasons, some are a little further along, and then still, some of you are in the latter seasons of life. There are so many things in the seasons of life. I m reminded what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:1-4. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. He actually goes on for a few more verses naming different activities. I don t know what season of life you are in right now but I know that there are some constants no matter what season you find yourself. God loves you and He has a plan for your life. What the Lord said to the Israelites through Jeremiah I still believe applies to His people today. Jeremiah 29:11 he writes, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. God s plan isn t about making us wealthy, obviously, and it isn t about taking all of your struggles away, obviously. But through those struggles we prosper in that we become a stronger person in the end, we come closer to our goal of being more like Christ as we grow during those difficult times. During those times we go through seasons of weeping and maybe even some seasons of mourning. While we are on that journey He does supply our needs and He works some wonders along the way. We do as well go through those seasons of laughing and dancing in this life. Life is a combination of all of those things. There was a song I believe it was written by Steven Curtis Chapman that basically made the point that what you learn on the mountaintop helps sustain you in the valley. No matter where you are at, no matter what season of life, God is with you and He loves you. He is making you into something beautiful. God bless, and keep a jacket close because you will need it soon. Love in Christ, Pastor Kevin

2 Dear Friends and Family, As I write this letter I hope that God is blessing you as greatly as he has been blessing our ministry this past summer. It has been a while since our last newsletter and a lot has happened in the meantime. Our students have traveled to IYC, helped with a new church plant, went to camps, and ran quite a busy race with more details to follow. If you read nothing else know this, the things that we have been able to do and accomplish are done through God s grace and your generosity. So we say thank you! As I mentioned before we have been doing a lot this past summer. We began by changing around how our ministry is structured. By introducing sixth graders into our ministry we have been capable of fleshing out a more robust Jr. High ministry. This includes their own Sunday School, specialized small groups and events while still allowing for them to feel included in our larger SHIFT family on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. Then began the gauntlet of summer; this included camps, retreats, service projects, and even International Youth Convention. Each of these had an impact in a student s life and walk with God. We even got to see this in the baptism of one of our own as soon as we got back. I understand that sometimes we may balk when there are expensive trips and opportunities. We may wonder if the ends really justify the means. Let me tell you first hand that we, as a family, are making an impact for the kingdom when we support our students by facilitating moments where they may be more likely to encounter God. Whether we contribute by donations, acting as a chaperone, teaching a class, or just offering words of support; you are making as much a mark as I am. If you would like to make a more visible contribution, we are in need of volunteers! If you are at all interested, stop by our booth at the ministry fair after church on Oct. 7 th or simply grab me by the collar. Going forward we have a few large things on our calendar, as I am sure you do to. While small groups begin to kick off we are moving from running The Race to study specifically what are the idols that can trip us up. Some of our students leave this weekend for the Tri-Level Leadership Conference, a great in depth opportunity to foster a better understanding of Christian leadership as well as how to lead in your local church, community, and school. Then comes October and with it one of our favorite events, Choctober, feel free to stop by, listen to a message over Almond Joy, and make a little mess. Finally, we like to make sure that our church has an opportunity to serve. In fact I heard from someone in our congregation today that as a church we have grown in service in leaps and bounds over the past year. Our students are no different. We are in the process of planning for next summer an international mission trip. While this is being planned as a transformative experience for our youth, make no mistake that you are invited as well! If you would like to come along to help serve or just want to see what God can do for you, keep your eyes and ears open. Details will be coming out as they are secured. Yet, as we look across our countries borders we do not forget the ministries here at home. One such ministry that has a special place in many of our students hearts are the residents at Arnold Towers. That being said we would ask that our larger church family take a moment to pray for Donna Singleton and her father. Donna has been instrumental in our ministry and genuinely has a heart for spreading God s word and love amongst her neighbors. She means the world to us and we would like to come alongside her in this hard time. Blessings, Alex Mobley Assoc. Pastor of Student Ministries Gracie Sisselberger was baptized on July 8.

3 Photo from International Youth Convention in July. Photo from Tri-Level Leadership Conference in Sept. SUNDAY SCHOOL Sunday School Promotions Students who were promoted during our August 26 Worship Service: Sophia Pike and Abbey Boyd from Pre-K & K to Primary Abygail Leis from Primary to Intermediate Isaac Cummins, Julia Lavender and Briley Samons - from Intermediate to Middle School Elijah Coomer from High School to Young Adult Ministry Sunday, Oct. 7 following AM Worship Service There will be tables set up in the fellowship hall for our various ministries and someone available to share information and the need for volunteers in each ministry. This will be a great time for you to get plugged in if you re not already involved in ministry!! Our new year of PIONEER CLUBS has begun! All kids age 2 5 th grade are invited to join us on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM!

4 Women s Ministry Christian Women Connection/Women of Church of God -submitted by Gayle Bastin Fall is upon us!! I can t believe how fast this year has gone. Thankfully we are always busy and have numerous opportunities to serve as women of the church. I pray you will find your niche in the church. We are always looking for women to help on our projects. Our Fall Bazaar is fast approaching. If you would like to have a booth or know someone who would be interested, let us know. We will send an invitation. The Bazaar will be held here at the church on Saturday, November 17 th. Mark your calendars!! This is a good time to do your Christmas shopping. Our next meeting is on Tues. evening, October 9 th at 7:00 p.m. We would love to see you there! Help us plan the next few months! Upcoming events: 2019 Kentucky CWC Convention: Our national director, Dr. Arnetta Bailey will be our speaker. The state officers want to pack the house! Mark your calendars now! It will be April 12-13, Speaker: Dr. Rev. Arnetta Bailey Worship Leader: Lorie Daugherty Theme: The Great Harvest Place: Clarion North Hotel and Convention Center, Newton Pike, Lexington, KY National CWC Convention: October 10-13, 2019 at Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Hotel Several of our ladies were recently blessed. On September 11 th, we delivered goodie baskets to our first responders. Baskets assembled & ready for delivery! This photo was made at the local EMS office. We also made deliveries to 6 other first responders departments in Danville.

5 Our Christmas Bazaar flyer and booth reservation form are both available on our church website at danvillefirstchurchofgod.com under Resources and Downloads or they may be picked up in the church office or mailed if requested. As of the end of September, we already have 12 booth spaces reserved. We re looking forward to a great group of crafters/vendors this year!! Please help us spread the word with every opportunity you have! We have an opportunity to raise funds for missions projects by using the goodsearch search engine on the internet whenever searching for something (just like if you were using google). Set goodsearch.org as your default search page. When you first set it up, you ll need to go to and choose the charity you re supporting. Please choose Danville First Church of God WCG/CWC. You ll notice a penny is contributed every time you use this page. This doesn t seem like much, but if several are using this search, you can see the donation increasing. When you re looking to order something online, take a moment and go to and search for the company or the item you re looking for. You may find special promo codes or coupons. There may be a link that directs you to click on it for a percentage donation to be made to the organization so if you order online, you may be able to help us with our fundraising in this way as certain companies donate a percentage of sales. Please feel free to call the church office for more info on this. Please note: Signing up with goodsearch.org and goodshop.com is very simple and once you choose our ladies ministry (as directed above), you will only need to log-in when searching or shopping and funds will be credited to our CWC account. We receive payment once per year.

6 This fall s Small Groups began Sun., Sept. 23. You re invited to join a group! Congratulations to Weston & Alexis Martt on the birth of Gentry Marie Martt - born on July 8, 2018! Small Group Study/Facilitator Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman This is a 5-week study. Facilitator: Gloria Woodrum Meeting here at church The Comeback by Louie Giglio This is a 6-week study. Facilitator: Ellen Morlote Meeting here at church The Comeback by Louie Giglio This is a 6-week study. Facilitator: Pastor Kevin Meeting at Linda Beaty s home in Harrodsburg Book of Matthew with emphasis on the Sermon on the Mount This is a 6-week study. Facilitator: Christy Goble Meeting at Agnes Johnson s home Marriage/Parenting (Young Marrieds) Day & time to be determined. There is no childcare available. Facilitators/Hosts: Dan & Diane Stoltzfus Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman This is a 5-week study. Young Adult Ministry Facilitators/Hosts: Gerry & Cheryl Collett We partner with Southside Christian Church in helping with meals for their Celebrate Recovery meetings every other Thurs. evening. We currently have 5 teams and we serve on a rotation schedule. We can always use a few more people to help with this ministry. If you would be willing to serve on a team and help with preparation of a meal and then go as a team to deliver it and set it up and then spend some time eating and fellowshipping with the participants, please contact the church office and we ll give you more information. The meals are greatly appreciated by the CR leaders and participants and you will be blessed by being a part! In Loving Memory of Lillian Turner who passed away on September 23, 2018.

7 Photos above: Outreach at Jackson Park with Backyard Ministries and Eventide Trio Sun. evening, July 29 Photos below: Church in the Park (at Jackson Park) Sun. evening, August 19 These were our 2 nd and 3 rd outreach events this summer at Jackson Park. Many more photos of each are available on our church Facebook page.

8 The photos above are from our Church Picnic and Pavilion Dedication on August 22. Many more photos are available on our church Facebook page. Pavilion construction began in Dec and it was completed this summer and is now fully ready to be used for church activities, family gatherings, etc. Community Rewards Provided by Kroger Are you participating in the Kroger Community Rewards Program and supporting ministries in our church or another local organization? Please check the bottom of your next Kroger receipt to verify that the Community Rewards are being donated to the organization you ve designated. If you are not signed up with the Kroger Community Rewards, we encourage you to please sign up to support ministries in our church. You may take care of this when you log-in on the Kroger website or on the Kroger app. Our new organization # is IT925. Please contact the church office if you have questions or if we can help you sign up. All funds that are donated to our church benefit our Youth and our CWC Ladies Ministry. Thanks for your support! On our latest report from Kroger for the period of May 29 August 28, their donation to our church amounted to $ and is based on 39 households. Please help us to see this number grow by checking your receipt to be sure you re enrolled and also to tell others about this opportunity. Again, please feel free to call the church office if we can help with enrollment in the program. If you don t already have the Kroger Plus Card, you will also benefit by enrolling.

9 Danville First Church of God For the 8 months ended August 31, 2018 Operating Statement General receipts $ 112, General disbursements: Missions Ministry $ Church Operations 36, Church Ministry 10, Ministry of the Word 62, Worship Ministry Hostess & Other 1, Capital Improvements 4, Total disbursements $ 116, Statistical Snapshot Averages June July August Sunday School AM Worship PM Ministries Wed. Night Weekly Offering $3, $2, $3, Amount needed weekly for 2018 budget: $3, If you are viewing this newsletter as a black & white copy, a color digital copy is available online at General Income (Loss) $ (3,712.04) The above is a brief summary of our operating statement, a detail statement with budget can be seen on the hallway bulletin board. Our new Capital Campaign year begins October 1. These financial facts were prepared by Jim Critchfield, our Church Treasurer. IMPORTANT FINANCIAL FACTS from Jim Critchfield, Church Treasurer Sun., Nov. 4 Van Pick-up Since we have not had any riders lately, we are not making a schedule. But any time anyone needs a ride to Church, please call Jim Critchfield at or and he will make sure you have a lift. Original June 2010 mortgage loan was $587,837. Mortgage loan (interest rate 4.5%) as of September 6, 2018 is $245,978. Since the loan's origination, we have paid $341,859 principal on the note. Our required monthly mortgage note payment is $2,314.29, which will pay the building loan off in 11 years 4 months. For the last 15 months, the average monthly note payment has been $5,171. If our payment continues to average this, our loan will be paid off in 4 years and 5 months. If we receive annual building fund donations of $75,000, the note would be paid off in 3 years and 7 months. If we receive annual building fund donations of $58,000, the note would be paid off in 4 years and 9 months. We are continuing to collect General Mills Box Tops for the Galilean Home and used postage stamps for missions. Collection baskets are on the table in the Resource Center.

10 First Church of God Danville A Place to Believe Belong Become!! 3220 Harrodsburg Rd. Danville, KY Sunday Ministries: Sunday School 9:45 AM Worship Service 10:45 AM Small Group Ministry 6:00 PM Wednesday Ministries: Bible Study 7:00 PM Ladies Small Group 7:00 PM Young Adult Ministry 7:00 PM Student Ministry 7:00 PM Children s Ministry 7:00 PM First Church of God Danville 3220 Harrodsburg Rd., Danville, KY Phone Mark your calendar for our OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD PACKING PARTY Sat., Oct. 27 at 10:00 AM! Thanks for all the items you ve brought in this year!! Come and help us pack the boxes! Individuals and families are also invited to pack one or more shoeboxes at home and bring to church by Sun. morning, Nov. 18. A table with OCC resources/info will be set up in the back of the sanctuary. Last year we had a total of 117 boxes to deliver to the local distribution center. The following info was shared at the OCC Heart of Kentucky 2018 Area Kickoff on Sun. evening, Sept. 23 at JCFBC: 2017 Shoebox Totals: Heart of KY Area (which includes 6 counties Boyle & surrounding counties) 21,962 boxes Kentucky 236,343 United States 8,878,954 International - 10,999,792 Nearly 2 million (1,915,780) reported decisions for Jesus Christ as a result of children receiving boxes and participating in the follow-up discipleship program, The Greatest Journey. They shared an encouraging statistic for every 5 shoeboxes there is a good possibility that one child or family member will make a decision for Christ. Let s pray harder for the Operation Christmas Child mission!!