One Body

This Sunday the First Farragut Family will celebrate a number of things. First it is the culmination of our Power of One Worship Series. We've covered the Power of having One Spirit that gives us our identity, sets us on a mission, and gives us the means to accomplish that mission. We've covered the Power of having One Mind, the mind of Christ, and how we serve with humility. We've covered the Power of having One Heart and testing where our treasure is ("For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"). This Sunday we will look at the Power of One Body.

The Second thing we will celebrate is that this Sunday is "Celebration Sunday" for our annual stewardship campaign. Everyone is invited to bring their estimate of giving card (or pick one up at worship this Sunday) and prayerfully fill it out. The challenge we shared on Sunday was to either take a step toward tithing (add a percentage increase from your income) or to tithe (give 10% of your income to First Farragut Church). I want to add another challenge that I did not share on Sunday, but I will share this Sunday. Even if you feel uncomfortable making an estimate of your giving, I challenge you to go ahead and put down a minimum you will give. By turning in a card you are saying to God, "I embrace the power of one to make a difference at First Farragut."

We will celebrate this Sunday the amazing impact that First Farragut Church is having on our community. As the community of God, our mission is to make God appear. We are the body of Christ. Our hands are his gentle hands, our words are his words of forgiveness and encouragement, and our eyes are the eyes of compassion.

May our extravagant love for God overflow today (and this Sunday, and for always) into extravagant generosity and thereby strengthen the body of Christ here and around the world!

BIT: We'll also celebrate World Communion Sunday!

Be the Sizzle

Yesterday we worshiped around the theme "One Mind" in our "Power of One" Stewardship Worship Series/Campaign. It was a great worship experience even if the rain and swine flu kept some away.

This morning as we were getting ready to leave for school. My four-year-old pulled out his bag which he was supposed to fill for homework -- 3 favorite things (yes, I had to suppress the desire to break into song -- "these are a few of my favorite things"). As we scoured the house for the favorite things (without singing), I was reminded again of the Sizzle (I did break down and go to Estelita's on Thursday -- got the fajitas -- and did they sizzle!). The sizzle seems to keep coming up. I saw a McDonald's breakfast commercial yesterday where they challenged us to "Be the Sizzle". So, I want to highlight 3 sizzlers:

1. David & Marian Lewis who sizzled on Sunday, sharing about their mind-set on giving.
2. Scott Blazer who sizzled last Sunday, sharing why he said "yes" to being the Stewardship Director this year.
3. Kathryn Norton who sizzled through making the video this Sunday (and many Sundays), the Power of One Brochure that goes out next week, the video this Sunday.
4. (it's like the sermon on Sunday, sometimes you get a Brewster Bonus) Mark Veness who said "yes" to being in the video sharing the impact our Teaching/Learning ministry has on his life and the lives of others.

So, I'm looking for sizzlers! What about First Farragut makes you sizzle? Are you sizzling? BE THE SIZZLE!

BIT: My four-year-old put 3 characters from his Spongebob Squarepants Lego set in the bag, I'm sure it was because I wouldn't fit.

Power of One

Yesterday we kicked off our Stewardship Campaign with our new worship series "Power of One". We looked at "One Spirit" from John 17:20-23, which is the focus verse for our worship series.

"My prayer is not for them [the disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

We had a great worship time together and as we gathered together around the Table on Sunday I know I felt as if we were One Spirit -- The Power of One.

Last Tuesday, in preparation for our Power of One Campaign, we gathered all the church leaders (those who could make it) for a time of information, inspiration and challenge. I shared with this group the scripture from Deuteronomy where Moses challenges his people who are getting ready to go into the promised land with Joshua as there leader (in a couple more chapters Moses will die) from chapter 31. I mentioned that Moses doesn't take this opportunity to rehash the hardships, the loses, the struggles, the failings on the part of the people and himself, but concentrates on what the future holds, "Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you." (31:6-The Message)

Moses' charge to his people reminds me of Fajitas. If you've ever been to a restaurant that serves fajitas, you know they are supposed to come to the table sizzling. The marinated meat, the onions, the peppers, the oil, all combine to make a fajita, but if it isn't sizzling ... well, it's not a fajita most people are going to want to eat. Moses knows the exciting things God has planned for his people. They've got all the ingredients. He wants them to start sizzling.

As we move into our Power of One Worship Series and Campaign, as we move into the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010, we've got a lot to celebrate as a church -- First Farragut:

• We project an increase in membership for the first time in 4 years


• We project an increase in worship attendance for the first time in 5 years


• On any given Sunday 35% of our people in worship are under the age of 18


• 60 youth and adult counselors returned from their Spiritual Life Retreat on Sunday. 60!


• We have a great location on the main road in a growing section of West Farragut


• We have a heart for mission giving and are having a deep impact in a number of outreach areas.


• We have a great facility


• We have great, talented, and dedicated leaders and church staff

These and many more make up the ingredients of a fantastic fajita. We've got the oil (the Holy Spirit) coating and holding it all together. Now, with the Power of One -- let's light the flame and sizzle!

Bit: I'm on a diet, but I may have to run to Estelita's for lunch.

About That Boat

Yes, there is a "John Boat" in our worship center at First Farragut. And no, I don't know why they call it a "John Boat". All I know is that I asked if anyone had a boat that we could put in the worship center and Voila, there is was [Bayou VBS is over and I'm still speaking French!]. So here's the reason for the boat, as I wrote in my July Newsletter Article.

June kicked off our “Get on the Boat: Adventures with Jesus” worship series. It continues through JULY! So far we’ve looked at what it means to take an adventure with Jesus – what we can expect when we “Get on the Boat” with Jesus. First we learned that being on a boat with someone naturally leads to a growing relationship with that person. The same is true with Jesus. Jesus wants to spend some quality time with us and wants us to have a growing relationship with Him. But, we also learned that getting on the boat with Jesus is a busy and wearisome experience. Even when we make plans, sometimes those plans are interrupted. Jesus showed us how to handle interruptions with grace and compassion. We closed out June with a merging of our “Get on the Boat” theme and our Vacation Bible School’s theme of “Crocodile Dock: Where Fearless Kids Shine God’s Light”. Our children led both of our worship services in the 5 VBS promises: God is with us; God is powerful, God does what He says He’ll do; God gives us life; and, God Cares for us. We discovered what happened to the disciples when they got in a boat without Jesus.

In July we’ll look at how getting on the boat with Jesus is not always as easy as it looks, using the disciples own struggle with understanding Jesus as our example. We’ll also look at how getting on the boat with Jesus means risk, but that it also means healing change. To close out our series we’ll take a look at what happens after we’ve been boating with Jesus.

The challenge this summer is to make sure you carve out some time in your busy summer schedules to take a spiritual adventure with Jesus and to spend some quality time with Him. An adventure with Jesus is something you won’t soon forget!

BIT: So, if you're reading this and your church doesn't have a boat in it's worship center (aka Sanctuary), then what are you waiting for? Get on the Boat. I promise you'll get a fantastic reaction when you bring it up at your next church council meeting.

A Boat Load of Underwear (Literally)!

The VBS mission this year was for the kids to fill the boat that is in our worship center (not many churches have a boat in their worship center -- more on that later) with underwear and socks for children. One of the things we are always short on in our Wesley's Attic Clothing Ministry (which is located in the basement -- more on that later) is underwear and socks. We do not take used underwear and socks, so we have to purchase these items.

BIT: This boat load of socks and underwear in our worship center will make a big splash (aka "deep impact") in Service to our community. THANK YOU VBS!

BITTER: That's what I'll be if I don't see you at VBS worship on Sunday!

Four of Five

Today we have finished our fourth day of VBS. There was some rockin' the dock (Crocodile Dock, that is)! Only one more day and then our worship spectacular on Sunday. Both worship services will be led by our children and we'll be singing VBS songs!

BIT: Yesterday I was Mary Lin (no, she is not a Biblical Character [a character, yes, just not Biblical {even though she knows her Bible, because she is a Sunday School teacher}]) I wanted to avoid confusion with being Pharaoh on Tuesday -- a Biblical Character. Even though I played Pharaoh on Tuesday, some of the kids are still booing me on Thursday. Move on already. Oh, yes, I was Mary ... Mary works in the tech loft and in honor of doing hardly anything, because Matt Benson is incredible with tech, I compiled a video (yes, you may oh and ah) of some of my favorite pictures so far (they all wouldn't fit). Enjoy.

Crossroads

I have been known to change topics in mid-conversation, so why not mid-VBS. I was reading Mark's thank you in this weeks "By the Way" [this is our "green" version of a weekly newsletter sent out weekly via email -- how environmentally friendly is that! [not to mention we ran out of money to send out the regular newsletter] and I was moved at how much our youth accomplished on their mission trip. [If you haven't signed up for "By the Way" go to ffumc.org and sign up at the top of our web page].

So, I interrupt our regularly scheduled blog on the conspiracies of First Farragut's VBS "Crocodile Dock". [and some have mentioned that the blogs are far from regular, but I note that this is 3 in one week, which surpasses the one who plays golf instead of blogging]

So, don't miss the "By the Way" on Friday and check out what "the one who plays golf" says about the trip by clicking Mark Aronowitz in my blog list.

BIT: I'm so glad I'm the pastor of a church with such a serious, intensive on the task at hand, don't waist time with frivolity, group of youth and youth counselors.