Friday Jan. 29- ICE CREAM SOCIAL and DEVO at the Concord Street Church of Christ, Orlando from 6-9 pm.

(alternative college and young professionals event) Metro Church hosts     ASCENSION DAY in CONCERT @ 7:30

Saturday  Jan. 30- LAUNCH CONFERENCE TIME from 8am through lunch!Singing with Mike Gurganus & Reggie Minor, Welcome by Jim Miller and keynote by DR. ANTHONY FISCHETTO, “TRANSFORMED: INTIMACY WITH GOD”     

LUNCHEON

BREAKOUTS and Freetime with Greg Fite “is it ok to be happy again?” (dealing with loss),  Bekki McKinney and Kay Watson  (women’s group) , Ken Jones and Anthony Fischetto (men’s group), Mike and Kate Gurganus (cyber dating???), Donny Dillon (college and young professionals)

EVENING DEVO AND CONCERT BY ASCENSION DAY!

Sunday Jan. 31- Worship service at the resort (conducted by the Singles Ministry at 8:30 am —then—to Disney for the Day

     The LAUNCH Singles Weekend is a time of friends, faith and fun for Christian Singles of all ages! It will be held at the Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World January 29-31!!!

     Registration fee is $50 which includes a very nice plated lunch at the resort! The deadline to register is Nov. 25. There will be late registration but will not include the luncheon. Mail your check to Jim Miller, 11390 CR 99, Lillian, AL 36549. Make it out to the Gateway Church of Christ.

     We have reduced rate rooms at DISNEY! The Coronado Springs Resort rooms are $99. The All-Star resort rooms are $59. Up to 4 per room. To book call (407) 939-1020 and use this code: go550472. You can add days before or after the event for this price!

      Group rates will be available for park tickets. I will update as soon as I have it. You may do volunteer work through www.handsonnetwork.com for a free day at the park. This is a national non-profit. Contact them directly.

     If you have questions:  (850) 449-2145  Jim Miller or (850) 791-2241 Rachel Miller. E-mail jim:  xybatt@gmail.com

     Depression can affect you short term after a loss of a loved one or a disaster. It may be a chronic feeling of hopelessness caused by life experience. Or, it may be a chemical imbalance that robs the individual of the opportunity to experience happiness.

     What ever the source, we as Christians have an obligation to help those who are dealing with the devastating effects of depression. We are to encourage and support. We are to pray for one another. We are to cry with the mourning and laugh with the happy. We are to assist the medically needy, including taking a friend to a doctor.

     Many struggle with depression alone. Let’s help our Christian family to face the challenge and know that they are not alone!

      Comments?

January 29-31, I hope to see many of you at the Coronado Resort at Walt Disney World for our Singles Weekend. Please send at least $25 deposit (for the plated lunch) by Nov. 25. You don’t have to buy the lunch but the more for lunch, the bigger space we get for conference and entertainment time.  All other details under the tab!

Do you like yourself? You should! After all, God made you.  Psalms 139:14 says “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” and GOD knows you Psalms 139:1 “you have searched me and you know me…”. Did you know that GOD has a plan for you? Jeremiah 29:11 ” I know the plans I have for you.”

      We let Satan beat us down through unresolved guilt, life experiences, social standing and unfulfilled expectations. He tells us we aren’t good enough, pretty enough, tall enough, smart enough……Remember, he is a liar. You are a child of GOD. An heir to the kingdom!!!

James 2 addresses the problem where a well dressed person is treated better than a shabby dressed person. But does the church discriminate by spending most of the money on only a few ministries? Does the single parent get the same treatment as a married couple? Are we racially sensitive? Do we shy away from the unique? Are we guilty of fellowshipping only people who are our age or social status?

All are invited to our Singles Weekend at Disney. It is affordable and all ages are coveted!  (Married folks could come as volunteer staff).

      In Genesis 24, Abraham had his chief servant go to a good place and find a nice girl to be a possible wife for his son. Both Issac and Rebecca aproved and a match was made. So…..what about it? Would you let your mom, dad, friend or the butler set you up?

      Those who know me well know my story about the blind date I rejected? And only, my very best friend at the time knows all the details (and he died awhile back). The short story is that I chose not to go on a blind date with Kathy Ireland. Reality is, I would have been one of several guys at them table to provide a buffer from the general public. But, I was arrogant. Too good to serve.

     What if Mom or Dad or Cousin Bill knew the perfect person for you? Would you listen? Or would pride and arrogance get in the way? Beware the messages that the heart gives and heed the head! If the right person comes along, don’t reject just because they aren’t your choice (first).

      Got a good story? A warning? An affirmation? Tell us about it!

      See you next Saturday in Deltona and January in Orlando!

We all know the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-8) Some seeds fell on the path and were wasted, some were choked by the weeds, some burned up by the sun and some grew into a crop….But what about preparing the soil. I know that the land must be cleared, the soil tilled, fertilizer applied and the seedlings nurtured also. It’s not enough to have a sign out front and expect a harvest. We must love and nurture each person who comes to us. We must help them overcome the sun..and weeds…and hard times….

Reason #45 to attend the LAUNCH Singles weekend: to build and nurture  relationships!

      Read James 1:27 -”Pure religion includes caring for widows and orphans…. and James 2:1-9 which forbids favoritism!

     Hypothetically, I saw a sign on a church building. “Gospel Meeting”. I envision a small number of the church members attending with a paid guest speaker to preach. A good news meeting without guests? Where are the single parents who need ministering to (and their children)? The young widows (we are losing young people, both in the war and in accidents)? Where are the divorced? Forgiveness is part of the Good News, isn’t it? What does the good news offer the never married?

     Here’s the basic facts for those of you who want to take the Gospel to the world (Matthew 28:19)

• The world is not in the building. It’s in the community.
• Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and prisoners is always scriptural (and frequently neglected)
• 50.5% of the US population is unmarried and may singles love Jesus just as much as married people.
• The average single mother earns less than $15,000 a year and the average child of single mothers has more depression, anxiety, guilt, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy. If you want to “preach” the good news, then “practice” the good news and help!
• Studies show that 90% of regular churchgoers quit attending church after a divorce. Their kids go with them.
• Over 50% of church kids quit attending church when they go away to college.

Like Jack Webb said, “just the facts”….here they are? Are we content to be a church for married couples and their children or will we choose to “go to the world (whoever they may be) and preach the gospel”.

Capt. John Newton was a drunken slavetrader. A man so poorly regarded that his own crew refused to rescue him when he fell off the ship. A man who was flogged publically for his behavior. A captain who was so cruel and careless that his own crew were often without food. Yet, as the years went by, and he faced death at sea, he turned to a sovereign GOD. The words of “Amazing Grace”  fit John Newton….Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me………Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD. 

     Look in the mirror. Is there a bit of John Newton in you? Were you once lost but now found. Blind but now I see. Other than looking a day older, what do you see this morning?  Is there a glow of Amazing Grace on your face?

      God bless your week! Check out the upcoming events for details of Singles Day at Deltona Church of Christ and ……………check out the Singles Weekend at WDW tab! I hope you are planning to be with us that weekend. It will be a time of FAITH, FRIENDS and FUN!