What in the World is the Church

What in the World is the Church?

At first it seems like a dumb question! A no-brainer! The church is a place with a steeple on top where you go to worship, pray, and listen to a
(hopefully interesting) sermon. And, of course, this definition is both true and very incomplete!

First of all, a church is not a building at all, but a community of people bound together by love for Christ and love for each other. So in this
sense, no one goes to church - rather we are the church!

Second, the church is far more than an hour of worship and preaching once a week. While the worship of God and the preaching of his word are of
absolute importance - and never to be neglected - of equal importance are things like service, fellowship, evangelism, missions, and spiritual
growth.

Our leadership at FBCG is doing a lot of thinking about what it means to be the church these days. We want to be a community of faith devoted to
worship and preaching - but also to

REACHING - the people and families of our local community


CONNECTING - them to Christ, to FBCG and to each other


EQUIPPING - believers for spiritual maturity and ministry


SERVING - others in the name of Christ

This weekend Pastor Jeff and I will begin a 6-week series of messages entitled, What in the World is the Church: Understanding and becoming
the Body of Christ. We will be looking into God's Word (Acts 2 and Ephesians 4) to learn what the Lord expects of us as his people - and
looking forward to where he is leading FBCG as a church family.

I hope you will join us for the journey!

Easter

Remember and Celebrate

Remember is what we do as a church family at our Maundy Thursday communion services. We remember the last supper Jesus shared with
his disciples when he transformed the Passover meal into a symbolic representation of his broken body and shed blood.

We will remember Jesus through bread and cup in a very special way Thursday night in two services at the West Campus. You will be led on a unique
journey of remembrance and worship culminating in a very personal experience of the Lord's Table. I hope you will make this event part of your family
Easter tradition this year.

7:00 p.m. West Campus Child care provided

8:30 p.m. West Campus No child care

Celebrate is our response to the three words that not only changed history, but the eternal destiny of all who believe - "He
is risen!" We will celebrate our risen Lord in seven weekend services beginning on Saturday evening at 5:00 p.m. at the West campus. We will
then be adding 8:00 a.m. services to our normal Sunday schedule at BOTH campuses. I encourage you to join us, if possible, on Saturday evening or for
the early service on Sunday in order to reduce the crowding at later services. Here is the worship schedule:

5:00 p.m. Saturday West Campus Contemporary worship
Pastor Brian Coffey preaching
Sunday BOTH campuses
8:00 a.m.
9:15 a.m.
10:45 a.m.
Pastor Jeff Frazier preaching at East Campus
Pastor Brian Coffey preaching at West Campus

Most importantly I hope and pray that you will be filled with gratitude, joy and wonder as you remember and celebrate what God has done for you!