|
|
|
Thank You for Sharing Your Time, Talent and Treasure
January 2017
Dear EvFree Family,
Thank you for financially participating in our church in 2016. Our church continues to embody generosity in many ways.
This last year, even in the midst of transition and change, you and many others banded together to send 250+ people on short-term mission to share the love of Christ with people across Europe, hosted and shared the gospel with 15,000 people from our community through our Christmas Blvd initiative and over 7,000 did the Walk Through Bethlehem. These only begin to tell the story of the hundreds of other ministry groups and initiatives made possible through the sacrificial giving of time, talent, and treasure. Thank you!
Just as we have seen in years past, 2016 was, once again, marked by God’s grace and provision for our church...
Click here to read more from Paul Burke.
|
|
How Could This Be?
On the last day of Christmas Blvd, Lucera and Omar Ramirez, who were first-time guests to our church, had their child’s stroller and Lucera’s purse stolen as they were riding the horse-drawn carriage around our main campus. As soon as they reported the incident at Guest Central, Security and gracious volunteers were on the lookout all evening hoping to find the missing stroller and purse. It was not found. Omar’s question to us was, “How could this be? I thought these things don’t happen in a church.”
Our church offered to help the family with the purchase of a new stroller. The next day, Omar calls me and tells me that as he was looking through Craigslist to purchase a used stroller, he saw what looked like his stroller posted online! The giveaway was that it also showed his water bottle stored at the bottom of the stroller. This led to a series of events, the likes of which could be an episode on Law & Order. The stroller and the purse were returned, and the criminal placed in custody. Again, Omar asked, “How could this be? I never thought we would get this stroller and purse back.” Clearly, God was wooing this family to Him.
I invited Omar and Lucera to come and attend Christmas Day service with us...
Click here to read the full story from Bambi Encarnacion.
|
|
Congregational Meeting & Pizza
Sunday, January 29, 3:00pm, Worship Center
Join us this Sunday, January 29 for a Congregational Meeting at 3:00pm in the Worship Center to hear some ministry updates. Afterward, we’ll have a time of fellowship and enjoy some pizza.
|
|
Nominating Elders
Annually we nominate Elders in January and affirm them in May. We invite any member of EvFree to submit names by January 29 for future Elders and Chairman who live out I Timothy 3:1–6 to eldernominations@evfreefullerton.com. Thank you for your prayerful participation in nominating Elders for our church.
|
|
DTOX—College & Young Adults
The College & Young Adults ministry exists to liberate college-aged adults from a visionless life, blind ambition, and self-isolating guilt. Only Jesus can heal the source of these problems and address their symptoms. To that effect, we are launching DTOX this Sunday, January 29, a new College & Young Adults venue meeting Sundays from 11:30–11:45am (yes, only 15 minutes) in the Commons that tackles practical issues college aged adults face. Doors open at 11:00am.
Likewise, for those undergoing spiritual oppression in these areas we are launching our Praise & Worship service Sundays 5:00–6:00pm also in the Commons. It is for freedom that Christ has set you free! Receive that freedom with us!
|
|
A Discipleship Pathway
For the past three years, our church has been on a journey called Rooted, a catalyst for spiritual growth. We’ve had hundreds of people experience life change and personal transformation because of Rooted. After prayer and feedback, we feel it is time for us to create our own customized experience to include all stages of faith and every generation. It will be called Pathways and we are planning to launch groups this spring. More details to come.
No matter where we are in life, we are all on a path . . .
|
|
Upcoming Guest Speakers
Beginning February 5, Sean McDowell, Assistant Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Biola University, will begin a three-week sermon series entitled “The Nature of Faith.” Sean will cover what reasonable faith is, how to abide in it, and press in to why some people abandon the faith. February 5, 12 & 19.
Following Sean, we again have the privilege of having Dr. Tim Muehlhoff, Professor of Communication at Biola University, speak to us for a two-week series through the book of Eccleciastes. February 26 & March 5.
Please join us in person for one of our Sunday services. If you are unable to attend, we invite you to watch our Worship Services online by clicking on the “Watch Now” button on our website.
|
|
Marriage Conference 2017
Saturday, February 25, 9:00am–3:30pm, Worship Center
Join us for a daylong conference filled with laughter and learning to help you build the love relationship of your dreams. Dr. Gary Chapman, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller The Five Love Languages, will be here at EvFree Fullerton to lead couples—whether seriously dating, engaged, or married—in a time of growth and discovery. Learn more and register here or via the EvFree App.
|
|
Love Europe Celebration—Looking Back and Looking Forward
Missionary Hudson Taylor once wrote, “I have found that in every work of God, there are three stages: it is impossible, then it is difficult, and then it is done.”
On Saturday night, January 21, over 200 Love Europe participants, supporters and missionaries gathered to look back and to look forward together, acknowledging how the Lord made possible something that looked extremely difficult. Looking back included the sharing of stories and information through videos, slide shows, interviews, and comments from emcees Dan Crane and Robyn Dingfelder. Looking forward included interviews with a missionary currently serving in Europe and three families preparing to become missionaries in the next six months and a commissioning ceremony to launch their Kingdom service. Dan Crane made a direct call to the audience to seek God’s direction and “return on mission.” The entire evening was bathed in prayer as all present acknowledged how the Lord blessed and protected our efforts in Love Europe. Finally, we look forward to announcements about local and global mission opportunities at EvFree Fullerton in the coming months.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|