Prepare the Way...with Thanksgiving!

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7

With the red and green lights already sprouting up around my neighborhood, it’s easy to tell that Christmas is coming! And while I look forward with anticipation to the “most wonderful time of the year” – I also suspect that Thanksgiving is the perfect preparation for our celebration of Christ’s birth. While Christmas can at times get all tangled up with our consumer-driven culture – Thanksgiving seems to resist commercialization and remains a profoundly spiritual exercise. It is the giving of thanks that reminds us of the goodness of God and the blessings he has poured out on our lives. It is the giving of thanks that reminds us of God’s love and presence made flesh through the love and presence of family and friends. It is thanksgiving that prepares us for the celebration of Christmas!

And I believe it is the giving of thanks that will propel us as a church family to Prepare the Way for God’s future in our church! Week after week I hear stories of people and families whose lives are in the process of being transformed by the power of Christ. Week after week I see people investing their time, talent and treasure in serving the world in the name of Jesus and I am so proud – and thankful - to be part of FBCG!

As you know, Prepare the Way is an initiative to reduce or eliminate FBCG’s debt between now and the end of February, 2010. While I am absolutely convinced this is the right thing for us to do as a church family and that through our collective generosity God can do far more than we can imagine – I am equally convinced that our motive must be thanksgiving. We can give out of duty or obligation or guilt – but the greatest joy comes when we give out of love and thanksgiving!

As you consider your part in Prepare the Way I encourage you to do two things:

• Remember that Prepare the Way is a challenge to give above and beyond your normal giving


• Make your gift(s) to Prepare the Way an expression of your thanksgiving to God for all he has already given to you

May you enjoy the joy and peace of Christ as you gather with family and friends this Thursday, and may your hearts be prepared for the celebration of the Advent season!

Thanks for being part of the FBCG family!

Prepare the Way

We believe that FBCG is called to REACH the people and families of our local community, CONNECT them to the church and each other, and EQUIP them to SERVE the world in the name of Christ.

We also believe that God has not only blessed FBCG with facilities, staff, programs and over 1000 families that call FBCG home - but that he has given us a vision to reach, connect, equip and serve our community and our world as never before!

We also believe that if our vision to see more people and families reached, connected and equipped to serve is to become a reality - we must first Prepare the Way.

Prepare the Way is an initiative to reduce or eliminate FBCG's debt in order to pursue our vision for ministry. While the amount of debt we currently carry (see Questions) is certainly reasonable, we do believe it is wise stewardship to reduce our debt in order to Prepare the Way for both ministry and facility development.

Prepare the Way is an opportunity – between now and the end of February, 2010 for us as a church family to invest in the future of God’s vision for us as a church. We would like to invite everyone who calls FBCG home to consider giving above and beyond to share in this opportunity. We believe that God can and will use our collective generosity to Prepare the Way for greater things for FBCG!

Prepare the Way is a simple and straightforward challenge. We are going to reduce our debt, period. It’s the right thing to do and we believe this is the right time. You won’t be asked to make a pledge—but you will be invited into an exciting challenge. Every dollar given toward Prepare the Way will go to debt reduction – toward preparing the way for God’s future!

To participate in Prepare the Way, simply write “PTW” on your giving envelope or on the memo line of your check. For information about giving electronically or contributing capital assets (e.g. stocks) please visit Other Ways to Give

A time to be born and a time to die...

Having just preached a sermon series from the ancient book of Ecclesiastes, little did I know that these words would so quickly define my world. Just before 6:00 a.m. last Sunday morning my brother called me from the Intensive Care Unit of Summa Hospital in Akron to tell me my father had suffered a massive stroke and that the doctor had just informed him and my Mom that there was "zero chance of recovery." As a pastor I have had the privilege of sitting with many families faced with a similar decision - and while the "time" was unexpected - we were prepared to make the decision.
Through tears we agreed on the phone that if that was indeed true - then we would let Dad go into the heaven he longed for. I have never known anyone more ready to meet Jesus than my father. He and my Mom begin almost every day of their lives saying to each other, "Today might be the day." And they mean it.

Just 15 minutes after I had hung up the phone - after I had called both Lorene (who was in Indiana at the time) and my oldest son Jordan -- my brother called back. This time he said another doctor, a neurosurgeon, had met with them and gave them more information about my father's condition. He had suffered a "sub-arachnoid aneurysm" - which meant the bleeding was outside his brain - not inside -- and that his condition might be reversible. He said they could drill a hole in my Dad's skull, insert a shunt, and thereby relieve the pressure on his brain. He believed that would
create a dramatic improvement in his condition -- and if it didn't we could then make the decision to let him go. We decided to pursue that option.

By the time I arrived in Ohio late Sunday afternoon, the procedure had been done and my Dad was on a ventilator and in a medically induced coma. While his blood pressure had returned to normal - he was completely unresponsive. But the medical staff was guardedly optimistic that "things were going in the right direction."

Monday was a long and amazing day. It began with us believing it was possible that we could make a decision to let Dad go to glory, and ended with him talking to us and even making a few of his trademark wise cracks! He not only regained consciousness, but he can move his arms and legs, and his personality seems intact. He has a long way to go - but it appears that his season of life will continue for at least a while.

I share this story with you for several reasons. First, to thank so many of you for your expressions of love, concern and prayer - it means more to me and my family than you will ever know! Second, to remind all of us that the words of "The Teacher" are still true - there is indeed "a time to be born and a time to die" and neither end of that equation makes any sense until informed by the love and truth of our eternal God!

Finally I want to remind all of us of the reason my Dad was ready for his time and why we were prepared for that time. In Galatians 2:20 we read:

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me."

Simply put, my Dad was ready to die because he has known for a long time that his life is not his own - but belongs to Jesus. In the same way, because his life is not his own - he is also free to live whatever days he has left in complete trust in the grace and sovereignty of God. That's the truth and power of the gospel in one man's life - and it is what the Apostle Paul wants for each of us in his letter to the Galatians.

This weekend we begin a new series of messages entitled: "Gospel of the Heart Set Free: A study from Galatians" - I hope you will join us as we take a deeper look at the wonder of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

wePray Weekend

Two weeks ago we celebrated a great summer of "One-Campus worship" at our annual FBCG picnic! This weekend, Labor Day weekend, marks not only a National Holiday but the beginning of our fall season of ministry together!

In the next couple of weeks we will be launching some of our "bread and butter" programs like Children's, Student's, Women's and the TEAM Men's Ministries; in addition to a couple of new initiatives - CORE Groups and Adult Learning Communities. These programs are only a portion of the ministry to which we believe God has called us to as a church family!

We recognize that while all these programs are important - we cannot accomplish anything of significance without the power and presence of our God!

I want to invite you to participate in "wePray" - by stopping by the designated "prayer rooms" at each campus this weekend and spend some time in prayer for the people and ministries of FBCG. The East Campus prayer room is on the lower level (room 203) and the West Campus room is on the first level near the coffee bar (room 103). You can simply drop by when you can and stay as long as you can - there are prayer guides in each room for your convenience.

Thanks for your partnership in prayer!

wePray!

Two weeks ago we celebrated a great summer of "One-Campus worship" at our annual FBCG picnic! This weekend, Labor Day weekend, marks not only a
National Holiday but the beginning of our fall season of ministry together!

In the next couple of weeks we will be launching some of "bread and butter" programs like Children's, Student, Women's and the TEAM Men's Ministries;
in addition to a couple of new initiatives - CORE Groups and Adult Learning Communities. These programs are only a portion of the ministry to which
we
believe God has called us to as a church family!

We recognize that while all these programs are important - we cannot accomplish anything of significance without the power and presence of our God!

I want to invite you to participate in "wePray" - by stopping by the designated "prayer rooms" at each campus this weekend and spend some time in
prayer for the people and ministries of FBCG. The East Campus prayer room is on the lower level (room 203) and the West Campus room is on the first
level near the coffee bar (room 103). You can simply drop by when you can and stay as long as you can - there are prayer guides in each room for your
convenience.

Thanks for your partnership in prayer!

Town Hall Meetings

Next @ FBCG

"Town Hall" Meetings regarding facility design and development

All FBCGers are invited to participate in one of two "Town Hall" meetings:

• July 23 (6-8 p.m. East Campus Sanctuary)


• July 25 (6:15 p.m. West Campus following the Saturday service)

The purpose of these meetings is to both present the issues surrounding the continued development of FBCG facilities as well as to solicit input from the congregation. The meetings will be led by FBCG leadership as well as representatives from Aspen Group - the architect/design firm working with FBCG throughout this process.

No reservation is required - all those who call FBCG their church home are invited to participate!
 

In Concert

The David Yeager Band
Saturday, July 18
6:15 p.m. West Campus

Those of you who have made our Saturday night service your "worship home" will recognize the name "David Yeager!" David was one of our regular worship leaders a couple of years ago - and has led FBCG in worship periodically since then. You may not know that David has formed a band with three guys who play regularly in our West Campus worship teams - and they have just released their first album!

We have the unique opportunity to host the David Yeager Band on Saturday evening, July 18 immediately following our Saturday worship service. The band will play a "Coffee-house" style acoustic set in our new connection space at the West Campus.

Take advantage of this opportunity not only to hear the David Yeager Band up close and personal - but also to share in the Saturday night worship experience as well!

http://davidyeagerband.com/