The Christian Builder May 17, 2018

A weekly publication of First Christian Church Midland Volume 62 No. 19

www.fccmidland.org ● 1301 W. Louisiana Ave., Midland, Texas 79701 ● 432.682.2541

This Week’s Sermon

“What Kind Of Church Are We?”

Acts 2

Saturday. May 19 1pm Children & Family End of Year Party

Sunday, May 20 9am Contemporary Worship 10am Sunday School 11am Traditional Worship 1:30pm SOLID Party 4pm Rwanda Genocide Commemoration 5pm Stephen Ministry

Monday, May 21 9am Staff Meeting 6pm CLC Graduation

Tuesday, May 22 1:15pm Food Pantry Delivery 7:30pm Boy Scouts

Wednesday, May 23 7am Men's Prayer Breakfast 12pm Food Pantry 6pm Elders Meeting 7pm Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, May 27 10am Sunday School 11am Combined Worship

A life lesson from long ago taught me the importance of unique. When struggling to grow a program, a wise mentor encouraged me to look for the unique factor in every creative moment. The challenge was to bring something fresh to every ministry. Kennon Callahan, a church growth consultant, explains unique this way: “What ministry or value would cease to be if your church closed their doors tonight?” It’s a question that brings focus to all we should be as church.

Unique. What is it that separates us from a dozen other churches found inside the loop? What makes us special? What happens in our community of faith that attracts people to join us? What description comes to our lips when we explain our church to a visitor? What fans the flame of faith? It’s the way God made me, to celebrate the unique. Don’t get me wrong; I like tradition and routine as much as the next person, but I don’t want to consider life (and church) without a little zest of unique, every now and then. Unique keeps our living (and our faith) from becoming bland. These days, when many around us seek to make the church more like the world, we might do well to major on making the church a unique place to encounter God. This weekend offers two unique opportunities: (1) Come hear about the Christian Church Foundation and how we can endow legacy/permanent gifts to continue ministry long after our lives, and (2) we are hosting a remembrance of the Tutsi genocide on Sunday afternoon at 4. Folks currently attending our church and enrolled in the CLC are among the families directly affected by that tragedy. They have found a welcome place with us. We will continue to look for additional unique ways to welcome others. It’s a very unique why.

Thoughts… Rev. Mike Hunter Senior Minister

Page 2 The Builder, First Christian Church

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his

steadfast love endures forever: Psalms 107:1 I have so much to be thankful for! Many blessings have come my way over the years but

none compare to the gift of you; #ILoveMyChurch! The Sunday before last, we witnessed our youth lead us in worship, we celebrated seven high school seniors, and had a remarkable lunch. Thank you, CHURCH, for being so wonderful! Saturday, I graduated from Brite with my Master of Divinity. Sunday, I was overwhelmed by the many gifts and words of support from an amazing church… And the list goes on! Heather has accepted a teaching position at Hillander, starting in the Fall, as an art teacher. Over the past five years, I have been surrounded by so many remarkable people who are givers of the steadfast love of God; the past few weeks have been a reminder of the goodness of God. But if we are honest, the challenge is not about being thankful in the midst of the good. The challenge, for people of faith, is to find new ways to share the goodness of God, even in moments of darkness. We are called to believe in the steadfast love of God by being doers of love. How are you sharing love? It starts with being thankful and continues by giving back to the world what you have been given. It is about finding a way to share God’s love by being God’s love. Give thanks to the Lord… For he is good!

Page 3 The Builder, First Christian Church

Topics… Rev. T.J. Shoop-York Associate Minister

Page 4 The Builder, First Christian Church

Rubber bands come in different sizes and different colors and different shapes, but they all work on the same principle. Rubber bands must be stretched to be effective.

Like rubber bands, our personalities, talents, and gifts are different. We are also not effective unless we are stretched. If you’re not stretching in your own personal life, whether it is your walk with God, in your job, in your home, then how are you going to be able to be effective for God.

Every person who has ever achieved anything has stretched for it. There’s no such thing as a self-made person; there’s no such thing as a person who comes into the world fully equipped for success. Every person who has ever made it to the top, every person who has achieved anything for God, every person who has been effective, has learned to stretch.

I want to challenge you to “stretch”. So get ready, because if we are going to stretch and I do believe you want to, we must step outside of our box. So here is one way I’m challenging you to stretch……My prayer is that you will take the challenge.

VBS is June 18-21. It is in the evening, 5:30-8:30. Our theme this year is Hero Central: Discover Your Strength in God!. The children will learn through various Bible Stories and activities that God’s heroes have heart, courage, wisdom and hope.

VBS is a month away and as you are reading this we already have 100 children pre-registered and we still have several weeks to go. We have in place 60+ volunteers. We have volunteers that will be teaching Bible stories, doing arts and crafts, games, music, food, taking pictures, leading children from place to place and helping where ever needed.

We have people who are stretching, and I mean really stretching because we are reaching out to the children in our community, inviting them to come and join us as we help them to know the importance of being a part of a community of faith, a community that shares, cares for others, learns new things and shares that new knowledge. So here’s my challenge……..if you are not already doing one of the activities mentioned above I challenge you to stretch, come and be a warm body, come and be the hands and feet of Christ. Take in the sights and sounds (and there will be a lot to see and hear) that will take place during the week. There is a place for everyone to serve at VBS no matter what your age or what gifts and talents you have to share.

By S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G we can lead others to know Jesus Christ. By S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G we can grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Are you willing to do a little S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G? I can’t wait to hear from you!

In loving partnership,

Ponderings… Rev. Paula Brooks Associate Minister

Camp Sign-Up Sunday There will be laptops in the narthex before and after worship for you to conveniently register your child/youth. However, you can pre-register at www.ccsw.org/disciples-youth. If you have any questions, contact the church office at (432) 682-2541. Camp Dates

• Grand Beginning: Age 4-3rd Grade, June 8-10 $55.00

• Youth Camp: 6th-12th Grade, June 11-16 $195

• Eighters: Incoming 9th Graders, June 24-30 $200 JYF Camp: 3rd -5th Grade June 24-28 $165 Scholarships are available upon request.

Page 5 The Builder, First Christian Church

Disciples Food Pantry May 16

Families served 61 Total People 250 New Clients 11

Guests May 13, 2018

Harold Boze Valerie Brady

Deborah Brown Chaney Coffman

Dziuk Family Saxton Greer Vicky Halsey Russell Hill

Bob Landreth Deborah Lucas Susan Marshall

Jesus Mendoza, Jr Ashton & Payne Morris Jiovanni & Isai Natera James & Olivia Parks

Ramsey Family Linda Remee Zoe Segura Leslie Short

Glen & Margie Singleton Shane Slone Carol SoloRio Danny Walsh

Art & Carla Wilson

Worship Attendance May 13, 2018

Worship Attendance Contemporary 41

Children’s Church 4 Nursery 5 Total 50

Traditional 132 Children’s Church 13

Special Needs Sensory Room 4 Nursery 5 Total 154

Total 204

Adult Sunday School All of our adult Sunday School classes meet at 10 am. Each class is based on studies of particular scriptures and related topics.

2 Chronicles 7:14 - Library A class for adults of all ages. This class is doing a series on the Minor Prophets called “Prone to Wander”.

Fellowship - Room 306 A class for adults in their senior years. They are currently doing a Bible Study of 1 Peter. Jim Mauldin is the leader of this class.

Young Disciples – Room 106 Parents of children of all ages are welcome to be a part of this class. They are studying 12 Ordinary Men – a study on the Disciples. This Sunday the focus is on Thomas-the twin. Paula Brooks is the leader of this class.

Genesis - Parlor A class for adults of all ages. The topic for Sunday is “The Songs of Faith - Hymn Stories” Keith Gibbons is the leader of this class.

Gifts received for Disciples Food Pantry in Memory Dolores Hodges

Building Fund in Memory Joe Langford (father of Carol Cook)

Davis Scholarship in Memory Dorothy Davis

Page 6 The Builder, First Christian Church

Birthdays 05/01 Betty Couch 05/01 Julie Lastoka 05/02 Jed Heard 05/02 Cierra Stanford 05/02 Char Womack 05/03 Matthew Glover 05/03 Adam Pollard 05/05 John Ross Espino 05/06 Ben Ellis 05/07 Gwyn Hill 05/08 Mark Branum 05/09 Nathan Dziuk 05/09 Barbara Estes 05/09 Zach Kilborn 05/10 Linda Hyatt 05/11 Tom Hill 05/11 Nancy Stanley 05/11 Lucille Vaughan 05/12 Kirk Branum 05/13 Bea Lea Somerville 05/15 Ernie Gilkerson 05/15 Ken Sneed 05/19 Paula Johnson 05/19 Madalyn Mapp 05/19 Jill Wright 05/20 Matti Erwin 05/20 William Pierce

05/21 Scott Brittain Beggs 05/22 Brooklyn Duarte 05/22 Steve Vaughan 05/23 Gavin Magee 05/23 Sandra Wills 05/27 Amber Hopper 05/27 Brenda Morris 05/27 Chloe Wells 05/28 Justin Disney 05/28 Greyson Flores 05/28 Chris Waygood 05/29 Adriana Cardozo 05/29 Yvonne Scarbrough 05/31 Carol Thompson 05/31 Del Windle

Anniversary 05/11 Mark & Pam Branum 05/17 JR & Amanda Bourland 05/19 Tom & Meta Jones 05/28 Gaylon & Pat Howard 05/28 Mike & Enid Hunter

Page 7 The Builder, First Christian Church

Special Notes: Our joys, concerns and deepest

needs are already on God’s heart long before we put them to paper.

…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8

Prayers & Praises

Those in need of prayer: Janell Burnett Carolyn Dixon Ralph Miller Leland Franz Twila Griffin Betty Whitmire June Jarrett Helen Estes Faye Casey Robert & Sheila Crudgington Clint Hurst Roberta Hurt Bill Schneider Mary Mauldin George Head Bill & Char Womack

Military: Joe Henderson - son of Holly Moore Kinder McCullough-daughter of Bill & Kelley McCullough Families, Friends Beyond FCC Rita Curry – mother of Vince Curry Noelle Young & infant son Dimi – family of Pam Young Courtney Bradley– friend of Jeweli Flores & Amanda Bourland Pat Gee-friend of Joy Singleton Maureen Singleton-niece of Joy Singleton

Adrian & Katherine Milton – Gloria Brenneman Corcoran-sister of Brenda Nance Aaron Krauch-friend of Janis Courtney Leigh Irwin – mother of Jana Floyd Millie Duncan – friend of Butch & Sherry Ladd Rita Jones-friend of Celia Ambrose Keith Miller-friend of Anne Schwiening Patricia Petosky Darby-cousin of Ginny Estes Kay Kinsey – friend of Vince Curry Debbie and James Van Stavern-friend of Austella Berry Butch Broom-friend of Sara Cranford Jim Crumrine – uncle of Todd Wells Mark Hendricks-son of Jackie Hendricks Dick Cranford – uncle of Mark Cranford Tom Bauer-friend of Jeweli Flores Margie Singleton-daughter-in-law of Joy Singleton Barbara Williams – daughter of Ray Stewart Kairos Conde – nephew of Olivia Espino Oscar Garcia – brother of Amparo Olguin Kathy Dunnan- friend of Peggy Jones Ferrell Powell- friend of Sharon & Bill Boyd

Martha Pollock – friend of Sara Cranford Please inform the church office if you or a loved one are admitted into a hospital, so we may be there for you & your family. For submission to prayer list contact any staff, submit via web, or e-mail prayerchain@fccmidland.org

Acts 2:1-21 or

Ezekiel 37:1-14 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Romans 8:22-27 or

Acts 2:1-21 John 15:26-27:4b-15

Lectionary Scripture

May 20

The Christian Builder First Christian Church 1301 W. Louisiana Ave. Midland, TX 79701

432.682.2541

www.fccmidland.org May 17, 2018

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Non-Profit Org US Postage

Paid Midland, TX 79711

Permit No. 145