PRUDENCE AND PRAYER
We are facing an interesting time financially at NFCN. We have celebrated the complete pay-off of building debt through the faithful giving of so many people across the years. We have also celebrated the unexpected blessing God brought our way in selling a parking lot property for a very strong price, enabling us to pay off all other debts, invest well over $1 million in long-term endowment, and to begin a series of facility improvements that have been long-delayed due to lack of funds. These are indeed wonderful blessings from God and we give Him all the glory.
On the other hand, beginning last August as we approached the building debt pay-off, our regular tithe income began to decline a small percentage, and our regular operations budget has struggled in the midst of this other very good news mentioned above. We know we are dealing with less income than in past years, as we continue to transition into the new future God has for us at NFCN. However, why our regular giving would decline in the midst of these past few months is a mystery.
Your Church Board's Finance Committee, as well as our full board and Pastoral Team are all working together these days to try and understand why this is happening, as well as plan for a new fiscal year's budget which begins April 1 of this year. We have had multiple days of focused prayer, as well as spending hours in discussion using the wisdom God gives us.
It occurred to me this week that we need "prudence" and "prayer" in these days. Prudence means, according to Dictionary.com, "provident care in the management of resources, economy, frugality." While leading with prudence, as your pastoral and elected leadership team have been doing in these days, can be taxing to the soul as we "walk by faith" in the area of finances, it has also created an opportunity for us to work together and prudently lead our church financially. We have some hard choices to make for next year's budget, but we believe God will lead us and provide.
We also must pray. Pray for a new spirit of generosity among our people. Pray for those who have not yet discovered the joy of faithful giving, that they will respond to God's call at this hour in our history! Pray that what can't seem to add up on paper will add up because God is in it! And pray for new sources of unexpected provision as God has already provided in our recent past. to enable us to do what we could not do ourselves.
Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No way! I ask you to join us in prayer. To pray for your leaders to have wisdom. Together, we will see the good days God has ahead for us become reality, and the needs will be met. To God be the Glory...
Pastor Ulmet
Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the season of Lent is next Wednesday, February 10. We will have an Ash Wednesday service at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary. Please plan to be a part of this special service.
FINANCIAL PEACE – If improving your financial situation and stewardship is one of your new year resolutions, take advantage of upcoming Financial Peace classes being offered here at NFCN. Register on-line- click below; see Pastor Bruce Oldham if you have questions.
Spring Sundays start Feb. 14, 5:30 PM
HAITI - FUNDING THE MISSION: God has been gracious to the missional work in Haiti!
On February 14, Reaching Beyond International, a division of the 510 Foundation, will bring you an update report of the continuous effort to complete the Van Mullen Memorial Clinic in the village of Siouelle-Pernier II. After the service on February 14, you are invited to a special Saint Valentine Fund-raising Dinner with your family and friends to enjoy the delicious flavor of the Caribbean Cuisine. The dinner will be held in the Fellowship Hall. You can get your ticket for a donation of $10 or more at the info desk starting next Sunday January 24. For more information, call RBI office at 615-690-4425 or NFCN at 615-255-1289.
The motion picture War Room is coming to NFCN Sunday night, February 14 in the sanctuary. Refreshments will begin to be available at 5:00pm and served in the mall where the movie may also be viewed. The movie screening starts at 5:30pm. The movie is appropriate for children and there will be child care for birth through three years. This is a compelling drama with humor and heart that explores the power that prayer can have on marriages, parenting, careers, friendships and every other area of our lives.
CANDY NEEDED FOR EGGSTRAVAGANZA
We need help with our candy supply for our Easter Egg Hunt this year. (The candy must be small enough to fit inside of a small, plastic Easter egg.) Bring your donations of individually wrapped candy to the Information Center February 7-21. Our youth will be stuffing eggs February 21 & 28 if anyone would like to join them at 5:30pm in the Jubilee Building. (More information about Eggstravaganza is below) Thank you so much!!
THE BRIDGE NEWSLETTER - SINGLE ADULT MINISTRIES
The February newsletter of NFCN Single Adult Ministries in available HER
E.
SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, February 28 at 11:00am will be the Branchiversary celebrating two years of the Branch at NFCN.
WOMEN'S MINISTRY SPRING RETREAT
Women’s Ministry Spring Retreat will be April 15-17, 2016 at Garner Creek Retreat Center in Dickson, TN. Registration will be open Sunday mornings only beginning February 14. An early-bird discount will last through February 28. A minimum, non-refundable deposit of $40 is required to reserve your spot. Latan Murphy will be our special speaker for retreat this year as we delve into Conversations with God together, and learn about the richness of a deeper place with God where the vast resources of His Almighty power are accessed.
SENIOR ADULT PRIME TIME RETREAT
The dates for the Prime Time Retreat at Garner Creek are April 4-6. It is at Camp Garner Creek. Information and applications may be found at the Info Desk Sunday morning.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE WOMEN'S RETREAT
Ann Downing's 25th Annual Middle Tennessee Women's Retreat will be March 18-20, 2016 at the Holiday Inn on Elm Hill Pike in Nashville. The keynote speakers for this year's retreat include Sandra Alrich, Mike Benson and Kathy Blume. Early bird Registration is until February 15 and more information can be found HERE or at the NFCN information desk on Sunday.
UPCOMING CHILDREN'S MINISTRIES EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
NFCN Kids Super Bowl Sunday is THIS SUNDAY February 7. All children are invited to wear their jeans and a fun jersey to church on this day. It will be a fun theme day with football donuts as we learn the Truths of God’s Word together. (There is no evening worship that night)
February 10, is Ash Wednesday, and our 4’s through 5th graders will join us in Family Worship during the 6:30pm service.
EGGSTRAVAGANZA
Our East Nashville “Eggstravaganza” in East Park is just around the corner on Saturday, March 19 from 11:00am-1:00pm. Details are on our website. We need a small army of volunteers who are willing to fill a variety of roles for this ministry to our East Nashville community. Please sign-up to serve at either the Information Center, Kid Central, or Elementary Welcome Desk. This is an Outreach Ministry where we are Extending the Love of Christ, and we need you! Contact Pastor Sabrina with any questions.
Sunday School Classes and Small Groups ---The Room in the Inn dates are being scheduled quickly so please contact Pastor Bob Milburn now to select the date your group will volunteer for Room in the Inn or for more information.
Here is the last open and available date to volunteer as of Tuesday this week:
OPEN date--- Mar. 24
URBAN MINISTRIES
Colder weather is here! Donations of winter coats, hats, gloves, and blankets can be left in the Emmaus barrels located in the foyer. The need for toiletries and new socks and underwear continues year round.
RIGHTNOW MEDIA - A GIFT FOR YOU
Nashville First Church of the Nazarene has a gift for you. You may have received an email about this and we hope you are already taking advantage of RightNow Media! We want to give you access to a huge, steaming, on-line, access-on-any-device library of over 10,000 video Bible studies, leadership videos, kids shows and more. To sum it up — it’s like the Netflix of Bible study videos. You will have FREE access to thousands of video resources to help you with parenting, marriage, discipleship and more. It includes content for all ages and stages of life, and all of your family members are invited to set up their own accounts as well.
Click here: RightNow Media to start your account now.
LOVEBOOKS
In middle-income neighborhoods, the ratio of books per child is 13 to 1, in low-income neighborhoods
, the ratio is 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children.
LoveBooks is a new ministry, developed by First Church volunteers, that distributes books to disadvantaged kids ages 0-18. If you are interested in donating books, money, or volunteering, contact Eric or Wendy Jans at 615-478-7146 or email. Visit LoveBooks on-line: here.
BEGIN THE NEW YEAR WITH NAZARTS!
*Piano *Guitar *Drums *Woodwinds
*Ballet (inquire for age range offered)
Consider giving to NazArts Scholarship Fund….help develop the gifts of a passionate student!
GIVE TO OUR YOUTH WHEN YOU SHOP AT KROGER and AMAZON!
If you live in Tennessee and shop at Kroger, you can donate to our Youth Group every time you shop by scanning your Kroger Plus card at check out! It doesn't cost you anything; all you have to do is register your Kroger Plus Card and choose First Church of the Nazarene (NPO #35793) as your charity of choice. You can also donate to First Church when you purchase through Amazon.com at no cost to you. Click here and log-in with your existing account or create a new account; Amazon will remember your selection with every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com and give a donation of .5% of the price of eligible purchases.
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