137 Hopson Road Johnson City, TN 37601 Phone: 928-4421 / Fax: 928-4421 Email: central@jesusiscentral.com April 2015 Minister’s Moment—Power in Prayer I have been thinking a lot, discussing a lot, reading a lot, and practicing a lot on my prayer life. As Christians we know that prayer is important. We know we have been called to prayer, in fact the Bible calls us to pray continually. We even know that prayer is powerful and advantageous to our lives. But with all of that knowledge we still struggle to fit it in to our daily life, well at least that is what we say. So I began to wonder, do we really believe prayer is powerful if we are unwilling to make a priority out of it? Can we call prayer important as a priority if we only devote 10 minutes a day to it? Can we claim to be led by God if we never really listen to what He has to say? Listen to what James says. James 4:2 - You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. Now before we go any farther I want to be careful not to give the impression that prayer is some kind of powerful incantation that provides you with everything your heart desires. Prayer is not Aladdin’s lamp ready to bestow upon you 3 magic wishes. Yet at the same time I think it is important that we realize that Scripture repeatedly tells us that we do not have because we do not ask. Listen to what Jesus tells us. Matthew 21:21,22 - Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." We need to realize just how powerful and effective prayer is! We need to recognize that prayer is not just a religious activity but rather it is our lifeline to God. It is our line of communication. It is one of the powerful ways that God communicates with His children. It is our red phone and our after dinner conversation, it is our 911 call and our “just to let you know I was thinking about you” text. It is how we stay connected and how we keep ourselves properly directed. Now look back at James 4 and think about what it says, you want something and in order to get it you covet and kill, you fight and argue, in other words, you attempt to get it on your own, by your power, with your strength, and for your self-satisfaction, instead of asking God about it. Which made me wonder, “Am I allowing God to work powerfully in my life through prayer or am I trying to work powerfully on my own and only pray when I can’t get it done on my own?” I also wondered, “when I do pray am I making it all about me instead of actively, deliberately, even desperately seeking God’s Will for my life?” So here is my conclusion, prayer doesn’t just access power, prayer is power because through it and by it we have access to the throne room of God and through it and by it we are actively submitting our lives to the Lord. So we need to pray, and not just as a way to receive what we want or desire, but as a way of giving ourselves, our priorities, and our wills to the Lord. Then and only then will we really experience all that God has in store for us. April 2015 SUN MON TUE WED 1 THU 2 FRI 3 7 8 6pm-Basketball at Central Elementary 6:30pm-Connection Groups 14 15 4 1pm-Easter Egg Hunt 6:30pm-Connection Groups 5 6 7am—Sonrise Service (followed by a carry-in Breakfast) 10am—Combined Worship SAT 9 10 11 16 17 18 No Evening Worship 12 13 5pm-Deacon’s Meeting 6pm-Basketball at 6:30pm-Connection Central Elementary Groups 7pm-Carter Co. Men’s Fellowship at Blue Springs Christian 6:30pm-Youth/Adult/CHAOS Kids 7:45pm-SNAC at Amigos in Elizabethton 19 10am-Combined Worship Followed by a Fellowship Meal 20 21 22 6pm-Basketball at Central Elementary 6:30pm-Connection Groups 28 29 6pm-Basketball at Central Elementary 6:30pm-Connection Groups 5:30pm-Joy Group Mystery Meal 23 24 25 9am-Men’s Prayer Breakfast Youth Hiking Trip 26 6:30pm-Youth/Adult/CHAOS Kids 7:45pm-SNAC at Pizza Inn in Elizabethton 27 Sunday Morning Service Times: 9:10am — Worship/Sunday School Children’s Church 10:15am — Fellowship Time 10:35am — Worship/Sunday School 2-Brayden Phillips 8-Betty Fernandes 8-Tony McKeehan 8-Karen Robey 10-Todd Franklin 10-Tom Turbyfield 13-Memphis Scalf 16-Jason Altman 16-James Otis 18-Geoff Hutchings 18-Haley Rice 19-Kim Meredith 22-Angie Milam 22–Keith Ray 24-Heather Hendrix 24-JP Townsend 26-Kinnick Meredith 28-Leah Scalf 9-Luther & Nancy Cox 23-Albert & Pat Wood 25-Gary & Patsy Hurley April 2015 Workers’ Schedule Children’s Ministries Worship Ministries Service Ministries Preschool/Nursery 1st Worship 5: Combined Worship 12: Nathan & Delanie Winningham 19: Combined Worship 26: Charlene Ray & Karen Robey Communion Meditations: Greeters: 5: Jerry & Eileen Hendrix 12: Tom & Terry Turbyfield 19: Billy & Julie Murphy 26: Jeff & Lori Whitson Nursery 2nd Worship: 5: Lori Whitson/Karen Robey 12: Julie Murphy & Melissa Carr 19: Sarah Turbyfield & Amy Vaughan 26: Carolyn & Kenneth Arwood Preschool 2nd Worship: 5 & 12: Ashley Whitson 19 & 26: Cathy Selbert Preschool Helpers 2nd Worship: 5: Meghan Murphy 12: Summer Ward 19: Cassidee Ray 26: Christie Scalf Children’s Church 5: Karen Hughes 12: Verna Vance 19: Family Sunday 26: Debbie Leach Sunday Evening Nursery 5: No Evening Worship 12: Lori Whitson & Leora Hendrix 19: No Evening Worship 26: Karen Robey & Janet Wolfe Sunday Morning Worship #1 5: Michael Vaughan 12: Eddie Thomason 19: David McKinney 26: Garrett Townsend Worship #2 5: Combined Worship 12: Bob Hendrix 19: Combined Worship 26: Bill Combs Sunday Evening 5: No Evening Worship 12: Dick Hendrix 19: No Evening Worship 26: Nathan Winningham Sound Room 5: Tom & Terry Turbyfield 12: Josh Carter 19: Steve Leach 26: Jeff & Lori Whitson Video Recording 5: Nathan Winningham 12: Josh Carter 19: Larry Hammons 26: Jeff Whitson Shut-In Communion: 5: Bill Combs—926-0830 12: Dick Hendrix—926-9537 19: Bob Hendrix—9292075 26: Michael Vaughan & Youth Communion Preparation: Janet Wolfe Communion Servers Matthew Albritton Keith Carr Jeff Carter Jeff Whitson Nathan Winningham Matt Wolfe Jason Altman Kenneth Arwood Larry Hammons Dick Hendrix Mike McNees Billy Murphy Building Lock-Up Billy Murphy & Nathan Winningham Service Attendants: Worship #1 5: Eddie Thomason / David McKinney 12: Wayne Turbyfield / Mike McNees 19: Chauncey Fernandes/Keith Carr 26: Everett Smith / Michael Rice Worship #2: 5: Combined Worship 12: Tom Turbyfield & David Meredith 19: Combined Worship 26: Tim Robey / Garrett Townsend April 2015 Hey everyone! Schedule of Events: We're already a quarter of the way through 2015! Crazy, huh? Time really does fly around here, and if you're like me, you feel like you're just trying to keep up. Well the good thing about Spring is that we get the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors a little more, and escape sickness and the winter-blues. There really is a lot to be excited about as we enter Spring and the Easter season. Christ the Lord is Risen! (Hallelujah!) I think the theme for this month needs to be “Renewal.” We've had a Spring Break (unless you're in Carter County Schools), we've done some Spring Cleaning, and our clocks have “sprung forward.” This month we're looking forward to some hiking trips and other “outdoor” worship events. Also, on the “renewal” theme—we're REnaming the Youth Group, REmodeling the youth room, and REorganizing the way we do Sunday night Youth stuff! I'm going to need some REst!!! I'm very happy with the way you all have been adjusting to the changes we've been making. Wednesday night Small Groups are going really well. And I love seeing how you are growing in your relationships with one another and with the Lord! Join me in praying for all of these other “renewal” things to go well. We really do want to make sure what we're doing helps us to glorify God, grow in our faith, and reach lost people with the Gospel. As important as it is for us to have fun, THOSE are the real goals! Saturday, April 4- Easter Egg Hunt- Come help us hide eggs for the kids! This is a great opportunity to love and serve the church. Plus, it's fun! Sunday, April 5- Easter/Sunrise Service- Yes, it's early. But this day celebrates the most important event in the history of the Universe! So come out and greet the sun (and the Son) with the rest of the church. Then, we can eat some breakfast together! (He is Risen, indeed! Sunday, April 19- Hiking Trip after church- It's going to be awesome. Location TBD. We'll grab some dinner together afterward, so bring a few bucks! Youth Room Remodelling!!!! Date TBD- This is it! We're going to make this happen! It's going to be glorious! Get pumped! In Christ's Love, Michael P.S.- Sign up for camp!! P.P.S.- Invite your friends to youth group!! P.P.P.S.- You know you love the 'stache. Don't deny it. Sunday AM Sunday PM Wednesday PM 4/1- Small Groups 4/5- “Young Moses” (Ex. 2) 4/5- “How does Christ Act as Our Prophet?” 4/8- Small Groups 4/12- “The Call of Moses” (Ex. 3-4) /12- “How does Christ Act as Our Priest?” 4/15- Small Groups 4/19- “Pharaoh and the Plagues” (Ex. 5-11) 4/19- Going Hiking!!!!! 4/22- Small Groups 4/26- “The Passover” (Ex. 12:1-32) 4/26- “How does Christ Act as Our King?” 4/29- Small Groups Easter Sunday Schedule 7:00am—Sonrise Service (followed by carry-in breakfast) 10:00am—Combined Worship Don’t miss this time of celebration! Eggs Needed Our Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be on Saturday, April 4. We will be collecting candy-filled eggs for the kids to hunt on that Saturday. We will invite the children in the community so we will need lots of eggs. Plan now to help out the cause! There will be a box in the foyer for eggs. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Joy Group Mystery Meal The Joy Group (ages 50+) will meet on Saturday, April 18th, at 5:30pm for a time of fellowship and dining together. The theme of the night is “Mystery Meal” Come out and enjoy this time of fun and fellowship! On Tuesday, April 21, the Carter County Christian Men’s Fellowship will meet at Blue Springs Christian Church 7:00pm. Randall Johnson will be the speaker. All men are invited to attend Combined Worship Sunday, April 19th, at 10:00am Weather permitting we will meet outdoors! With the walls and the new heaters that were purchased recently it should be comfortable! On Sunday, April 19th, following our Fellowship Combined Worship, Meal we will have a Carry-in Fellowship Meal. Bring meat, side dishes, desserts and drinks for your family and to share with visitors. Craig & Allison Fowler, Missionaries to Ethiopia, will be with us this Sunday. Don’t miss this opportunity to fellowship together! All men are invited to breakfast for a time of prayer, Bible study and fellowship on Saturday, April 25th, at 9:00am. Don’t miss this opportunity for fel- Opportunities to Serve! In striving toward being servants, modeling ourselves after Jesus, we want your help in meeting the needs of those in our congregation and community. If you know of any needs or service projects that need to be addressed, please see Billy Murphy. In the same way, if you have a gift or talent that you want to offer in service to those in our church family, let Billy know that also.
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