February 5, 2014
WE RETURN TO THIS IMPORTANT SERIES THIS WEEKEND - with "NURTURED"
Saturday, February 8, 5:10 PM - Pastor Brent Lawrence preaching
Sunday, February 9, 9:00 AM - Pastor Kevin Ulmet preaching
God has been moving among us in unusual ways in recent weeks. Don't miss these services and the content of this Series in both Worship Services and Sunday School classes/small groups. These truly are life's "essential relationships."
Emmaus will be meeting at 5:30pm
Sunday night, 6:00pm, Heritage Chapel, Pastor Ulmet preaching
THE QUEST BEGINS THIS SUNDAY NIGHT!
Feeling spiritually sluggish? Hungry for healing? Thirsting for wholeness? If you realize you can’t go with God while staying where you are and you’re willing to leave your comfort zone & return to 510 on a cold Sunday night, you may be ready for the Quest—but the only way you’ll know is to get up and go! Discover the Quest: a unique participative experience rediscovering an ancient Christian path to relational healing and spiritual wholeness. The journey begins THIS SUNDAY, February 9 @ 6:00pm.
We are still reflecting and thanking God for speaking to us through His servant, Dr. Jim Copple, so powerfully last weekend. Dr. Copple shared with four audiences over the weekend, and each session was charged by the presence of the Holy Spirit. There were 62 Faith Promise cards turned in with OVER $71,500 pledged toward our goal of $279,000.
For those of you who already turned in a Faith Promise card, THANK YOU and may God enable you to fulfill this promise! For those of you who did not yet respond, please prayerfully consider what He would have you give during 2014 for Missions. You can turn in that card Sunday (there will be more in the bulletins!) - or mail them to the church office.
More than 110 interested persons jammed the Teen Worship Center in Jubilee building during Sunday School on Sunday morning. It was an amazing spiritual energy pouring through that room as Dr. Copple and Pastor Sabrina Jones shared the dream of the Kenya Gender-based Violence Response Partnership. Our first large-group mission trip is being planned for June 2015 and we are open to teens through adults to go! A true mission revolution has begun at NFCN! It's so exciting! The Holy Spirit is literally calling people to Kenya.
The Kenya Gender-Based Violence Response Partnership Advance Team has begun forming, with Pastor Ulmet, Pastor Sabrina Jones (Partnership Coordinator), David Lee (Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator) and Ryan Harris (Educational Coordinator) on the team thus far. The story of what God is doing in each of these hearts is truly amazing. You'll be hearing more about that as the months pass!
We are praying and seeking God to provide $15,000 to enable the Advance Team to go to Kenya in the next few months and prepare the way for the 2015 large-group Mission Trip. If YOU are interested in contributing to this you can mark your tax-deductible gift to First Church of the Nazarene, "Kenya Partnership" on the memo, envelope or on-line gift. Please pray for this need to be provided. Please also ask Pastor Ulmet or Pastor Sabrina Jones if you have any questions!
Today, a great group of people from NFCN came to lunch at Piccadilly restaurant. With such a great turn out, the Senior Adults are sure to visit there again soon!
There are few in this world I dare say who desire more creature comforts than your Pastor! I don't like dirt, bugs, rodents, etc. and prefer life to be comfortable and predictable. I was raised that way - my Mother was a fierce crusader for such things and always kept our home and her surroundings as much like that as possible. I remember many a time when on vacation we would stop at a motel - and wait in the car while Mother went inside, got a key from the clerk "to check out a room" - and "inspected" the room before she ever brought her family in to check in. Many a time she returned to the car and we pulled away to "check out" the next motel!
The Holy Spirit has been speaking to me, as well as many others in recent months and days, to reach out in the love and grace of Jesus' name to those in desperate need. Here in Nashville, and around the world. People and places that don't quite fit the "neat and clean and predictable" checklist. Places very near our our church and very far away - like Haiti and Kenya!
This past weekend our church experienced a thunderbolt of Missional teaching through His choice servant, Dr. Jim Copple. It was a truly amazing and church-changing weekend, and the Holy Spirit has begun speaking to individual people. As one put it - "my head is still spinning!" As another said to me on the phone Sunday afternoon, "This morning it all came together for me." The fire in the eyes of more than 100 who gathered to hear Dr. Copple and Pastor Sabrina Jones share the dream of Kenya 2015! A new partnership for NFCN in Mission, responding to gender-based violence in that desperate nation. Who knows where and to whom it's all leading, but one thing is clear - we will be stretched and changed as people and a church in the process.
What has become abundantly clear to me over the past few months and especially this past weekend is this: God is not just moving us towards Kenya! He's moving us towards changed hearts, which will affect EVERYTHING from East Nashville to the suburbs to the world - everywhere NFCN people go in the power of the Spirit. We are starting to see people as Jesus sees them. We are starting to see the world through Kingdom eyes.
I'm also aware of another factor that experience has taught me: not everyone will "see it" or "get it." Others will resist it, and wonder what is going on around them! That's OK, I've learned. The Holy Spirit will be faithful - and He will continue to speak and move among us - and one by one He will awaken individuals to His call!
The Mission Revolution has begun! The train has left the station. The "cat is out of the barn!" This is truly a "great adventure" - are you on board yet?
Pastor Ulmet
MIDDLE SCHOOL SKI RETREAT
Be in prayer for our Middle School Students and Sponsors who will be going to our annual Winter Retreat in Paoli, Indiana this weekend!
WONDER-FULL WEEKEND
We are calling the church to fasting and prayer over the lunch hour on Thursday, February 20, so we can join our hearts in prayer over the events of the Wonderfull Weekend. If you can make it to the church, we will have the Sanctuary open from 12:00-1:00pm. Scott Humston will be with us. We would love for you to join us! Park across 5th Street and enter at the Downtown Entrance.
The Wonderfull Weekend will be here February 21-23. We are still in need of volunteers. If you can help, please complete a form at the Connection Center or email Pastor Sabrina. We are encouraging each of you to invite ten of your friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers to the events of the weekend. You will be glad that you did!
SPIRITUAL RENEWAL IS COMING TO NFCN MARCH 1-5
Plan now to attend these special services. Our speaker for this year's Spiritual Renewal is Dr. David Sharpes who has been a pastor in the Church of the Nazarene for 26 years and currently serves as District Superintendent of the Upstate New York district. Dave and Carol (McCollough) Sharpes have been happily married for 29 years and they have two children. Jonathan and his wife Katelyn are both graduates of TNU and are currently in graduate programs there. Hannah is a freshman at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. Dave is a graduate of Mid-America Nazarene University, Nazarene Theological Seminary, and Fuller Theological Seminary. He has served the Church of the Nazarene on Boards of Trustee’s at NTS and currently at ENC, as well as the book committee at NPH. He is also adjunct professor of evangelism at NTS and teaches visionary leadership at ONU.
ASHES TO FIRE 2014
This year during the season of Lent, we will be using the Ashes to Fire (Year A) devotional as we move through this time that begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5 and takes us through to Pentecost Sunday, June 8. These beautiful books include a CD of music and provide 14 weeks of devotional materials that relate to the sermon and Sunday School series for the Lenten season. Your may purchase a copy of the book for $10 (half off the cover price of $19.99!) at a special table outside the sanctuary this Sunday. Information about purchasing digital copies in various formats is available here.
PROMONTORY LUNCH
Promontory is having a BBQ lunch for college students and university ministries workers on Sunday, February 16 at 11:30am. The lunch will be in the Third Floor Mall.
WOMEN'S MINISTRIES
Sweets & Sweeties is our theme for this month's First Ladies event on Thursday, February 20 at 6:30pm. You are welcome to bring a friend or your spouse but it is not a necessity. Details about your region's meeting arrangements will be sent by email and posted on the website. If you have any questions, please contact Laura Parker at 615 - 210-2976.
IMPROVE YOUR SERVE is coming!
Saturday, March 1 will be a great day of training for Sunday School teachers and lay leaders, children's/youth workers, and anyone interested in improving their ministry here at NFCN. Registration information will be in Sunday School classes and at the Connection Center in the Reed Lobby beginning this Sunday. Cost is only $15 and includS lunch. Sign up today!
ROOM AT THE INN: We thank all those have accepted a role in our hospitality ministry to those experiencing homelessness this winter. We are still in need of volunteers to assist us in this wonderful endeavor. Upcoming dates are February 13 & 27, and March 13 & 27. For more information and questions contact Emmaus Fellowship Pastor Bob Milburn.
