The Purpose Driven Life

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Charlotte Singleton
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1 January 15, 2004 (Volume 11, Issue 1) 1110 RFD, Long Grove, IL Phone (847) Website: longgrovecommunitychurch.org INSIDE THIS ISSUE: The Purpose Driven Life Page 2: Mark Your Calendar Service Opportunities Page 3: From the Office Page 4: New Members Someone You Should Know Page 5: Frontlines Cover: Worship Schedule February Calendar Long Grove Church Staff: Rev. Dr. Craig Baldacci Sr. Pastor Rev. Bill Ferrell Pastor Lyudmila Lakisova, Interim Choir Director Linda Blankshain, Lay Worship Leader Pamela Menas, Soloist Michele Bellinder Director of Youth Ministries Renee Boyle Co-Director of Children s Ministries Andrea Matker Co-Director of Children s Ministries Sue Adams Wedding/Baptism Coordinator Robyn Bortfeld Office Manager Kathy Wood Financial Manager Sandy Merwin Secretary/Receptionist Richard Robinson, Custodian The New York Times number one best-selling fictional book on Dec. 28, 2003 was The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown. The book is a story about the unraveling a 2,000 year-old papal conspiracy. The plot includes murder, mystery, suspense, and a race throughout Europe to uncover the cipher that will ultimately reveal the accounts about Jesus were false. The book has created quite a stir as some people have proposed this fictional account is real and Jesus is a fraud. To me, it seemed ironic that on that very same day, the New York Times number one bestselling non-fictional book was The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren. Rick is the Senior Pastor of Saddleback Church in California, author of The Purpose Driven Church, and an avid follower of Jesus Christ. His book is devoted to encouraging people to discover and engage in the five purposes for which God created them. This book has also created quite a stir as believers and non-believers have found it helpful, encouraging, and liberating. People crave to know their purpose. There have been other books about finding your purpose. But The Purpose Driven Life is different. It points out that we will never find our purpose by focusing on ourselves. As the book says, you cannot arrive at life s purpose by starting with a focus on yourself. You must begin with God, your Creator. You were made by God and for God and until you understand that, life will never make sense. It is only in God that we will discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny. Every other path leads to a dead end. During my Sabbatical last summer, I read this book one small chapter a day for 40 days. I even took time to journal my thoughts. I found the book to be fascinating, helpful, liberating, challenging, encouraging, spiritually uplifting and practical. I highly recommend it. Each day s reading is short, easily understood, and easily applied. During Lent this year we are going to focus the entire church on working through The Purpose Driven Life together. We have never done anything like this before. The idea is most exciting. Imagine, the entire church taking 40 days to focus together on discovering our life s purpose. Imagine, the entire church gathering together once a week in small groups to discuss their thoughts and personal revelations about those purposes. Beginning Feb 22 nd and running through April 4 th, each Sunday s message will focus on THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE. I want to encourage every one of you to make reading this book your personal Lenten discipline. What a way to prepare for Easter. Every day for 10 minutes, read a chapter of the book. I want to also encourage you to join a PDL Small Group that will meet once a week to discuss what you have learned. In the coming weeks, we will be telling you more about this exciting spiritual adventure... we will provide the book at a really good price, and we will begin sign ups for PDL small groups. Our church has been preparing for this experience since last September. Our vision is that everyone will participate in it reading the book and joining a small group. We are trusting God to inspire 50 PDL Small Groups! Be sure to join us.

2 MARK YOUR CALENDAR: ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING Our Annual Congregational Meeting will be held Sunday, February 15, 2004 at 12:30pm in the Community House Assembly Area. During the meeting we will approve the 2003 Trustee and Deacon reports, the 2004 budget, and elect new Council and Endowment Committee members. Please mark your calendar now and plan to attend! OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE CHILDREN S MINISTRIES KID-MUNITY We still need your help! Volunteers are needed to make our programs all they can be. We are looking for TEACHERS for the 9 a.m. elementary program. These volunteers would serve on a team and only teach three to five Sundays each quarter. GREETERS Needed twice a month for the beginning of each service, you would choose which service you could serve. For the 9 a.m. service, greeters would need to be present from 8:40 until 9:15 a.m. and at the 11 a.m. service, greeters would need to be present from 10:45 until 11:15 a.m. If you feel you would like to help in either of these serving opportunities, please contact Andrea Matker, (847) or Renee Boyle, (262) ANGEL TREE 2003 UPDATE For sponsored children who participated in the Angel Tree program this year, Long Grove Community Church members purchased over 100 gifts and delivered gifts to over 30 sponsored children. Additionally, we were able to provide unsponsored children in the program with gifts through the Maranatha Revival Center in Chicago. Over 38 church members volunteered to either purchase, sort and/or deliver gifts to the Angel Tree participants. God bless you for doing His work. Thank you. A special thank you to Kim Phillips and Stephanie St. John for helping make phone calls to gather the children s gift ideas from the Angel Tree families. A big thank you to Ron and Jo-Anne Dettmann for taking care of the sorting and delivery distribution of the gifts. God bless you. Page 2

mailed in February and will cover March, are due in the church office no later than 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 4 th. Thank you. We have a new e-mail address.

3 As of Dec. 31, 2003 FROM THE OFFICE Actual Budget Total Pledges $527,394 $499,150 Total Income $706,551 $675,450 Total Expenses $671,108 $675,450 Please Note: Submissions for the next newsletter, which is mailed in February and will cover March, are due in the church office no later than 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 4 th. Thank you. We have a new address. Please direct your messages to longgrovechurch@sbcglobal.net * * * * * * * * * * STAFF CHANGE In 2000, Carol Schumacher joined our staff as our Network Ministry Coordinator. Under her leadership: The Network Ministry developed and implemented the Discovery Seminar through which our congregation members can identify their spiritual gifts and passions so they can find a meaningful and fruitful place to serve in the church; a ministry manual was developed that identifies all ministry opportunities; the Audio Tape Ministry was developed; and Frontline Ministry was developed and launched. Frontline includes the people who welcome you every Sunday and those who work to make our church surroundings beautiful. Carol also helped ministries streamline their areas so they can more effectively accomplish their missions and purpose. Carol has greatly contributed to God s kingdom building work and so it is with regret we announce that Carol has resigned her staff position. Carol will continue to work in the church as a volunteer with Frontline Ministry and she will also continue to assist in developing leaders within our church. Carol has a true servant s heart for connecting people with one another and we are pleased that she will be continuing in that work. Carol will be sorely missed on staff and we encourage you to join us in letting her know how much we appreciate all she has done for us. COUNCIL AND ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE APPLICATIONS are now available in the office. If you are interested in applying for a position on the Church Council or Endowment Committee, please stop in to pick up an application. Individuals must be 21 years of age and a member of the church for at least one year. Applications should be submitted to the office by January 25, For more information, call the church office at (847) THANK YOU Due to the overwhelming support, love and prayers I have received from everyone, I would like to express my deep appreciation for your prayers, cards, phone calls and visits. Your expression of love and concern has brought great comfort to me. May God bless you all Thank you, Claudine McGowan GOD IS FAITHFUL It s Official. They re Getting Married We re happy to announce that John Morrison and Lyudmila Lakisova are getting married. Lyudmila has been on staff with us as our accompanist since John is a recent new member, but has been attending our church for the last six years. John and Lyudmila met in the music ministry of our church. While this might be coming as a surprise to you, the choir has known for a while that they re an item. John and Lyudmila are planning a spring wedding. Please be sure to congratulate them. Let s also be sure to keep them in our prayers! PAGE 3

PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS Richard, Nancy & John Edwards Jim Moss & Cheryl Kafer IN HIS SERVICE Someone You Should Know. Meet Jim and Jo Halborg. They are someone you should know.

Having been drawn to our church by the fellowship, teaching and opportunities to serve, Jim and Jo became members of our church family in April, 2003.

Their spiritual gifts of Faith, Administration and Helps enable them to work closely and effectively as a team.

4 PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS Richard, Nancy & John Edwards Jim Moss & Cheryl Kafer IN HIS SERVICE Someone You Should Know. Meet Jim and Jo Halborg. They are someone you should know. Married for 32 years, Jim and Jo have a daughter, two sons and three grandchildren. Having been drawn to our church by the fellowship, teaching and opportunities to serve, Jim and Jo became members of our church family in April, Under their leadership, the tape/cd ministry has grown in efficiency and volume. Due to the acquisition of new technology, they are now able to provide the sermon tapes right after each service. Their spiritual gifts of Faith, Administration and Helps enable them to work closely and effectively as a team. Jim s gift of Evangelism and his passion for fishing has led him to write a tract, Is There Fishing in Heaven? He has also used these gifts for the early morning fishing trip at summer camp and both Jim and Jo shared their passion for fishing by helping organize the Hooked for Life fishing derby for the youth group this past summer. A Bible verse that is particularly meaningful to them is Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10. We thank you, Jim and Jo, for your acts of service and your commitment to exalting God among us. Page 4

5 BILL FRONTLINES WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU HERE FOR? A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree. (Proverbs 11:28) BY PASTOR Down throughout the ages, this has been a question that most men and women have asked themselves at one time or another: What on earth am I here for? We are going to explore that question together as a congregation and we are asking you to come along for an adventure that will transform your life. We are asking you to take 40 days to consider this question with us. It seems that whenever God wanted to change someone s perspective and prepare them for His purposes, He often took 40 days: Noah s life was transformed by 40 days of rain. Moses life was transformed by 40 days on Mount Sinai. The spies were transformed by 40 days of viewing the Promised Land. David s life was transformed by Goliath s 40 days of challenging Israel. Elijah was transformed when his strength lasted 40 days on a supernatural meal God provided. The entire city of Ninevah was transformed when God gave them 40 days to change. Jesus was empowered for his public ministry of miracles by a 40-day experience in the wilderness. The disciples were transformed when Jesus spent 40 days with them after His resurrection. The 40 Days of Purpose is an exciting time of spiritual growth that has been a catalyst in transforming the lives of many in churches all across the U.S. and the world. We are trusting that God will use it to have the same impact on our lives and the life of Long Grove Community Church. What s involved? The 40 days will be launched on the morning of Sunday, February 22 nd. The worship service will center on the topic: What on Earth Am I Here For? We will be making Rick Warren s book, The Purpose Driven Life, available for anyone who doesn t have a copy. The 40 days revolve around the principles and teaching of The Purpose Driven Life. It involves the daily personal discipline of reading a chapter in the book and memorizing a few key verses for each purpose. The 40 days also involve attending a small group during this time. We are asking all of the existing small groups to go through The Purpose Driven Life material during this time. And for those who are not already in a small group, we are asking EVERYONE IN THE CHURCH (adults) to join a small group during these 40 days. A small group is a powerful way to experience this material and has proven to be life-transforming. There will be an opportunity to sign up on Sunday mornings in the Community House Info Center. You can also call Patty MacCarthy, (847) or Woody McManaway, (847) Page 5

6 God is going to do great things! Let s all be on this adventure together! Page 6

7 LONG GROVE COMMUNITY CHURCH PERIODICAL 1110 RFD U.S. POSTAGE LONG GROVE, IL PAID LAKE ZURICH, IL The Pastoral Newsletter (USPS ) is published monthly by Long Grove Community Church, 1110 RFD, LONG GROVE, IL Periodical postage paid at Lake Zurich, IL and additional THE PASTORAL NEWSLETTER, Long Grove Community Church, mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Address Service Requested RFD, Long Grove, IL Sermon Series Learning to Walk with Jesus January 25 th February 1 st February 8 th February 15 th A New Kind of Worship Radical New Love Redefining Greatness Extreme Faith Page 7

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