Faith news AUGUST NEWSLETTER OF FAITH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Romans 12 in Our Daily Lives Pastor Gordon Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.--romans 12.9-13 (NASB) This is the scripture passage for Sunday, July 30. Read and meditate on it in preparation for what God might do in your own heart, as well as the overall gathering of God s people at FCF. For some of us, the only appropriate response to these words is "Wow!" Or, in honor of last week s VBS emphasis, maybe the better response is "Wow, God!" In these verses, Paul charges me to be devoted to prayer. I am recalling this morning s prayer time with Beverly. We typically use a Scripture guide to our prayers, following the simple pattern of praise, confession, thanksgiving, intercession (praying for others needs) and petition (praying for our needs). Putting all this together, I can t help but ask myself, Lord Was I fervent in spirit when I sang Your praises? When I was confessing my sin, did I abhor it? Did I sincerely thank You and in so doing cling to what is good? Was brotherly love the tone of my intercession for Your people? Was I willing to persevere in tribulation before I petitioned You to remove it? I say all this because these words cannot be left on the pages of our Bibles. They must meet us in the regular moments of our day. Yes, in morning prayers... Maybe conversation around the dinner table...texts with a friend... My status on Facebook, or my latest #tweet...i can no longer plead ignorance on what Romans 12 qualities God expects to mark my conduct and speech. I will be accountable to this.
Baptism Costa Rica VBS July 2017 Our July Global Ministry Impact Team had a very successful VBS in Ortega, Costa Rica. There were 87 children that attended with several making decisions for Christ. Please pray for the children that attended to grow in their knowledge that God created each of them for a purpose. We will be holding a baptism service on August 6 following the 10:15am service. Baptism is a tangible way for believers to demonstrate their obedience to Christ by publicly professing that they have placed their faith in Him as Savior and Lord (Matthew 10:32) Please call the church office if you would like to be baptized on August 6 or if you have any questions about baptism. Guest Missionaries: In July we had the honor and privilege of hosting two of our Global Mission partners. Pastor Luc St. Felix from Haiti spoke on July 16th and Ray & Katherine H. who partner with us in East Asia spoke during our July 23 rd worship service. Please keep these mission partners in your prayers as they return to their fields of service in August. Nicaragua August 2017 August 25-September 1, we will be sending a team of five men to minister in Nicaragua at the Bible Institute for pastors. The team will help at our Managua feeding center and teach at the institute. Pastor Dave Vance, former pastor of FCF, will join the team from FCF. Please pray for the team to encourage our partners in Nicaragua. August 6 is Faith Kids Promotion Sunday!. Children ages Kindergarten - 6th grade will be promoted to their new classrooms. Children should attend their new classroom upon check-in. (Note: children ages preschool and younger will continue to promote in accordance with their birthday.) Elementary classroom age asdffdafdffd designations are now K-1st, 2nd Grade, and 3rd -5th. Children entering 6th grade are invited to join with the Switchback Huddle at 9:45am on Sundays.
*August* News SUNSCREEN AND LOTS OF WATER! Those are the key words leading to comfort and health during these very hot days of summer. This summer has been a real test for those who don t do well in the heat!!! We, being of this older generation, are particularly susceptible to heat stroke, confusion, heart attacks, and other repercussions of spending too much unprotected time in the sun, or even just being overheated. Let us all be wise and use caution. We aren t 21 anymore. Along those same lines, do you have an indoor or outdoor project that has been simmering on the back burner of your mind, waiting for you to get the time or energy to get it done? Perhaps you have some bushes to be trimmed, a fence to paint, a garage that needs some organization. Any number of projects might come to your mind. Well, help is available! Our FCF Youth Group is looking for local mission projects, and we, Y@H, are being offered the opportunity to be the recipients of their labors of love. It might be that the project has been waiting for you since early spring, and now, already August, perhaps it s time to let someone else lend a helping hand. Several of the Y@H can give wonderful testimonies of how the youth group has blessed them!! Have a need? A project you ve put off? Contact Lewis Rudy at 240-329-8842 / dbxlcr@gmail.com, the FCF office at 301-223-4803, or me to learn more about this blessing. A last minute reminder about our Y@H summer day trip to the Totem Pole Playhouse on Tuesday, August 8 th! Just a few tickets remain for the 2:00 PM show, the Million Dollar Quartet, with the music of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. Lunch will be at the Hickory Bridge Farms prior to the show. Transportation is included. Cost for the day is $50. Contact Dianne at 304-274-2888 / jdbirl@comcast.net to reserve your spot. We invite you to join us each Wednesday morning, 10 AM till Noon for our Y@H Bible Study. We will be continuing our study of the book of James throughout the summer and early fall. Our fall calendar of upcoming potluck dates and special events is in the making. Watch for details in next month s Faith News. Question? Comments? Suggestions? Contact Dianne at 304-274-2888 / jdbirl@comcast.net.
Coming in September on Wednesdays for kids ages 3 through 5th Grade... What is KidzLife? KidzLife is built with Scripture at it s core. Each lesson uses God s word to help kids understand and connect with His true heart and character. The carefully crafted lessons, journals, and songs are accessible to kids without cheapening the message with man-made moral lessons or trivia. We believe that when we teach kids about God, if we add anything or take anything away, we aren t showing Him to be as perfect as He actually is... For more information, check out www.kidzlife.com will launch on September 13. Cost is $12.00. To register, scan the QR code or visit www.explorefcf.com Interactive Journals KidzLife Journals are highly interactive using 3D, glow-in-the-dark, disappearing ink and cater to unique age groups (K-2nd) and (3rd-5th). They also feature key scriptures to look up and read along with each week s memory verse. Our journals were written to mirror the teachings of Jesus and the way He asked questions. Rarely did Jesus ask a question like, How many disciples were in the boat? That is academic; the goal is application. Rather, His questions were more open-ended and along the lines of, When do you feel afraid? These journals dig deep to provide lasting transformation and learning.
August Events Aug. 2 Amazing Race Aug 6 Promotion Sunday for 6th Graders Aug 9 Bible Study Aug 16 Fear Factor Aug 23 Bible Study Aug 30 NO Switchback Join us on Sundays at 9:45am in the lobby. We will move to another location for a brief huddle. For more information about Switchback Student Ministries, contact Lewis Rudy at youth@explorefcf.com Amazing Race August 2nd 6:00pm - 9:30pm 100 Summit Ave Hagerstown, MD 21740 Join us for an evening of riddles and challenges! Students will be divided up with leaders to find items hidden around Hagerstown. Dinner will not be served; please eat before you arrive. Students are to be dropped off in the Herald Mail parking lot and picked up at the Rescue Mission. We welcome all of our incoming 6th Graders to join us on Sunday, August 6 to they 9:45am Huddle and 10:15pm worship service on Sundays. 6th graders are also encouraged to join us for the August Summer events. We are excited to have you at Switchback! Please keep all those who will be returning to school in August in your prayers Switchback Students on the mission trip to Clendenin, WV
Thank you to all who were a part of Maker Fun Factory VBS! We raised $1300 which will be used to support Isaac in the Rugandabara Orphanage and the remainder will help to get water to the village of Rugandabara. WOW GOD!!
We would like to thank Cassaundra St. George for the wonderful work she accomplished in leading the Meals Ministry at FCF. Jessica Hykes will be taking over leading this ministry as the St. George family is relocating with their military service. FCF Meals Ministry is offered to families of those recovering from surgery, illness or injury, or for those celebrating the arrival of a new child. Meals are arranged and brought to the family s home for several days to help individuals and families adjust during this time. If you would like to help with this important ministry of FCF, contact Jessica by phone or text at 240-344-4552 or email hykes.jessica@@gmail.com FCF Staff/ and Contact Information Gordon McDaniel, Lead Pastor Email: pastor@explorefcf.com Mike McNamee, Pastor of Administration Email: admin@explorefcf.com Dave Glaze, Missions Pastor Email: missions@explorefcf.com Robin Meek, FK Discipleship Director Email: faithkids@explorefcf.com Lewis Rudy, Student Ministry Director Email: youth@explorefcf.com Tony and Sarah Lehman, Worship Leaders Email: worship@explorefcf.com Karen Hoagland, Media Director Email: creativemedia@explorefcf.com Christy Hixon, Communications Secretary Email: communications@explorefcf.com Valerie Carbaugh, Office Assistant Email: officeassistant@explorefcf.com Beginning August 1, FCF will have new office hours. The office will be closed on Mondays and have office hours, 9:30-3pm Tuesday through -Friday. If you have an online giving account, you can now Text to Give by texting 301-265-2797 to give. For more information about online giving or Text to Give, contact Pastor Mike at the church office. Service and Ministry Meeting Times Worship Celebrations Sundays 8am - Traditional Service 9:45am Switchback Huddle (Teens will worship in the sanctuary at 10:15am) 10:15am Contemporary Service 10:15am Faith Kids Worship Mid-Week Service Wednesdays Bible Study 6pm Switchback Student Ministries
August 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 7pm Meal & Service at the Mission Prayer and Fasting 6pm Switchback Amazing Race 7pm Global Impact Team Meeting 6 8am &10:15 Worship Services Baptism following 10:15am service 7 8 9 6pm Switchback 10 11 12 13 8am &10:15 Worship Services 20 8am &10:15 Worship Services 14 15 16 21 22 23 6pm Switchback Fear Factor 6pm Switchback 17 18 19 24 25 26 Nicaragua Bible Institute 27 8am &10:15 Worship Services 28 29 30 No Switchback 31 Nicaragua Bible Institute