We hope everyone is having a good week. Here’s the latest news and updates for the week of June 26, 2024
New Songs for this Sunday
As Kyle mentioned on Sunday during announcements, we will have a guest worship leader on Sunday named Logan. This is Logan’s first opportunity to lead a band on a Sunday morning. He will be accompanied by Evie Douglass on piano, Rob Fletcher on drums and Nikki Douglass and Tim Kirby on vocals. In addition, there are two new songs we will be singing and if you’d like to get a preview so you’re a little more familiar for Sunday morning, they are here:
What a Beautiful Name –https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=NRvhHsNuRro&si=ZhJ5gKVsufU69R2t
Show Me Your Ways – https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=BhSCtAC_aKg&si=Lwtlsrvwbfg5owti
Upcoming Hard Teaching
One of the benefits of preaching through a book of the Bible is that whatever God saw fit to include, we preach on. And Jesus’ sermon on the mount includes some hard sayings that will convict or challenge all of us and/or those close to us. Some of those topics are coming up in the next several weeks: Anger, Lust, and Divorce. I (Kyle) am committed to being faithful to Jesus’ teaching and not pulling an punches. But I hope to do that in an ultimately encouraging way, that recognizes our struggles with grace, and points to the hope we have in Jesus to both forgive us and to give us strength to move forward in obedience. Please pray for me and for our church as we seek God through His Word.
Web and App Updates
The technology improvements continue with almost daily updates and additions to the website (frcportage.org). One thing to note is that we are posting the weekly updates as well as bulletins and Youth news on the website, then will email the content or links to the content as needed. Youth Updates can be found here. For the weekly, the page will password protected since some of the info might be for members and regular attenders only. The password is “infoplease”.
On the Church Center app, sermon audio is now available, and our channel is available on Apple Podcasts as well. The URL to subscribe is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frcp-sunday-morning-sermons/id1753994716.
For the Church Center app, don’t forget to go to the Directory link, then select “Share My Info” so that others in the app can see your profile.
VBS Cancelled – Family Fun Night on August 5
We’ve decided to cancel VBS for this year due to the busyness of some key volunteers, but we’re planning a one night “Family Fun Night” instead. The current date is August 5, and we will confirm that shortly, as well as provide additional details.
Progress Continues in First Kids and Student Ministry
The remodel and clean out of the children’s classrooms is almost complete! TV’s, decorations, and posters are all hung. There is one last pile of materials for the taking in the Fellowship Hall stage area. Whatever is left after two weeks will be donated, so please feel free to look through and take what you can use.
First Kids is looking for donations of Christian children’s books in good condition. If you have some, contact the office at firstchurch@frcportage.org.
Thank you to Val Medema for taking on the administration of our safety training for youth volunteers. We continue to implement Ministry Safe procedures and will have an updated Safety and Abuse Prevention Policy soon.
Hayden also continues to work hard planning and preparing for the summer youth schedule. Student Ministry updates can be found on the website here, but he will also be communicating with students and families through the Church Center app.
Hayden had six students at the “Reading Party” at the Douglass’s this past Sunday night. They read through the whole book of Ephesians twice!
Prayer
- Praise for Diane Byholt getting settled into her new living arrangement.
- Praise for Tom St. Peter who’s volunteered to help out Ron with property maintenance.
- Praise for the good start of the youth groups!
- For Logan and friends leading worship this Sunday, that they would be at peace using their gifts to lead in worship.
- For Gail Mullinax recovering from knee work.
- For Todd Powers and family as he nears the end of his cancer battle.
- For Kyle as he prepares to teach some of Jesus’ hard sayings.
- For Marcia Lewis’s recovery from shoulder replacement surgery.
- For Kim Mastenbrook navigating her medical issues.
