FACES ABOUT THE CROSS

The Unfriendly Friend

I’ve had a few close relationships through the years and the rest have been what you might classify as very pleasant acquaintances. It is in those close friendships that we feel relaxed enough to truly be ourselves. Knowing that we can let down our hair and walk around in our tattered jeans and raggedy t-shirt gives us a sense of comfort that we don’t find in most relationships. It is in those relationships we know we can be open and honest about our greatest fears and our deepest desires.

Those types of friendships aren’t easy to find. We may go through dozens of other relationships before we find that person that we really connect with and want to invest our time and energy into.  

I’ve often wondered what it was about those twelve men that Jesus chose to be His disciples, His friends. They appear to be ordinary men just living regular lives with nothing really special about them that makes them stand out. They weren’t wealthy or famous. They weren’t educated and didn’t seem to possess an obvious amount of intelligence. As a matter of fact, they were very much like you and me. Yet there was something…

These men were going to get the opportunity to spend the next three years with Jesus, sleeping, eating, walking, talking and experiencing more than we could possibly imagine. But even in that group of friends, there were struggles. Men who were at the opposite ends of politics and personalities. Men who were ambitious and ready to take on the world while others were fine just being introverted and living a quiet life.

Friendships are difficult enough but add a mixture of misunderstanding and throw in a pinch of jealousy and you’ve got the beginnings of a fallout. Well, such is the case in our story this week as we examine another Face About the Cross. Judas Iscariot, the one disciple we turn our noses up at when we hear his name. Why would anyone choose him to be their friend is beside me, but, apparently, Jesus saw something in him that we don’t. So, He chose him to be one of his closest friends, a disciple who would get to experience what is was like to walk with Jesus daily. 

This Sunday, why not join us on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fccunion) at 10:00 as we take a deeper look into this man that changed the course of history. 

John

Taking Church to the Community

I’m sure by now you are itching to get out of the house and explore the world again. Maybe this time you’ll be looking through a different set of glasses, one’s that have been adjusted a slight bit to give you a clearer picture of what’s really important in life. 

By now, you’ve probably discovered ways in which to stay in touch with loved ones through a variety of ways. Phone calls, video conferencing, drive-by hellos and maybe even a personal handwritten letter has been your method during this period of isolation. Stay strong and don’t let this time move you into depression. 

This too shall Pass!

While most of you are spending a lot more time at home, I challenge you to use some of that time to read God’s Word, sing or write a hymn of praise, or take up journaling and express yourself in ways you haven’t done in years. Don’t let this opportunity to build relationships slip by. In the past, it seemed like we didn’t have much time to do the things we longed for. Now, we’ve been given an opportunity to do just that. 

So, where is the church in all of this? Well, we’re still here. And if you need us, we’re a phone call away.

Below are a few of the things we are doing as well as ways you can get involved:

Sunday Morning

• Again, we will have a Sunday morning video streaming on Facebook for you to watch and connect with at 10:00 am. A link to the video will be posted on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fccunion) and will also be sent out through an email.

• Hopefully, if all goes well, we should also have this available on YouTube. If you go to www.youtube.com in the search bar enter First Christian Union and you should be directed to a page that has our information tagged. Click on the link and You should find our worship service there as well.

Community Groups

• We are continuing to ask that our Community Groups along with our Children’s and Youth Ministries continue to be a part of each other’s lives throughout the week via video chats through Facebook Messenger, Zoom or Google Hangout. You may even use the archaic method of the phone or the even more ancient method of letter writing to stay connected.

Other Ministry Meetings

• Upcoming meetings such as the Tuesday Morning Women’s Bible Study, Saturday Morning Men’s Bible Study, Celebrate Recover, ALICE Safety Training Meeting, etc. are still canceled until further notice. 

Daily Facebook Podcast

• You might try and catch the church staff throughout the week as they post some short videos communicating what’s on their hearts and encouraging you to dig deeper into the Word of God while you’re physically distancing from others.

Volunteers in Action

• We have established a ministry team of volunteers who are willing to serve those who are shut-in by getting things from stores, pharmacies, etc. If you’d like to be a part of that team or if you have a need, please let the church office know by email (fccunion@fccunion.org, johnwagner@fccunion.org, robrash@fccunion.org) or phone (636) 583-5839 or my personal cell phone (573) 378-9429.

• We are setting up a calling tree program, as well, so we can make contact with those who are an active part of our church. If you’d like to be a caller, again, let us know through the contact information above.

Giving of Tithes

• Giving of tithes and offerings is still a vital part of our ministry and we ask that you prayerfully consider your participation in that. While it’s not the same passing the offering bags on Sunday morning, I want to share with you some ways in which you can continue to bless this ministry.

• 1. You can mail in your check to First Christian Church, 150 Joel Ave., Union, MO 63084. 

  2. You can set up giving through your bank to have a check mailed to us.

  3. You can go online through the church website (www.fccunion.org) or by using the Church Center App. To use these processes, you will need to simply follow the steps to set it up. If you need some assistance, we can help you at the church office, just give us a call.

• 1. 1. But we want you to understand that while the online giving is easy, not all methods ensure the greatest amount of your donation gets to the church account. Choosing to donate through your bank account ensures that most of your donation goes to the church. 

     2. If you choose debit/credit card there is a small percentage fee (usually between 2-4%) of your donation that is deducted from what we receive. The Bank Account method is the cheapest way of donating. 

Until we’re able to meet face to face, may you continue to grow in your faith and influence for the cause of Christ, daily.

John

TAKE HOME COMMUNION

EASTER OFFERING

1. Christian Missionary Fellowship International – Leah Scharfenberg, in Berdyansk, Ukraine, whom we currently support through our Missions Program at FCC, has shared with us that their Christian Summer Camp is in great need of new tents for camping at the Sea of Azov. Their current supply has become tattered and torn due to the many years of use. We are looking at purchasing 20 new tents for them to use for this upcoming summer camp season. (Video Link).
    
2. High Hill Christian Camp – The church camp that our congregation has been a part of since its beginning has been experiencing a lot of growth in their summer attendance as well as the ability to utilize their facilities throughout the year. Currently, they are in a major building project in which they are finishing a new cabin, lodge and multipurpose facility that will enable them to accept more campers through their summer program. It will also give them an opportunity to do more on sight conferences for churches to use in the offseason. Check out their link for more information.

NEW CITY KIDS

• Grab a notebook for each child and ask them to draw a picture or write what they are learning.
• Use Right Now Media throughout the week for your bible time. Make sure to sign up for a FREE account using the link below.

212 STUDENT MINISTRY

Greetings 212 Family, I pray this finds you and your family healthy, well supplied, and peacefully navigating the changes that we all face as we navigate the Corona Virus, COVID-19, pandemic. In case you missed it, 212 and all 212 related activities at the physical Church have been postponed until further notice. This will allow each of us to do our part to help prevent the spread of the virus. 

While we may be limited in meeting face to face, we will once again be using the internet to connect with students via Facebook Messenger and Zoom. What this means is we need you or your student (if neither of you have yet) to get a hold of the 212 Student Ministry page on Facebook Messenger so we can add them to our 212 Messenger Chat Group. It’s here that we stay connected throughout the week, and it is here that we will share the link to the Zoom meeting which starts Wednesday night at 7 pm. Last week we had a lot of fun, with Baylee Bacon taking home the big prize during our 212 version of The Price is Right. We also looked at 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 and how it is the eye-witness testimony of over 500 men and women that helps validate our belief in the resurrection, the foundation by which we can fully trust all of Christ’s promises for the future. This week we will be talking about Hebrews 12:1-3, looking how we can find the power to live out our Christian faith with endurance by looking to the Author and Perfecter of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know many of you have questions about CIY, and as of now, we are still a go for our June 21-27th trip to Johnson City, TN. That being said, this is a fluid situation, and as we have already experienced during this period of time, it is subject to change. As it stands CIY has pushed off deposit dates, and we are asking students who plan on attending CIY to have a $75 deposit down by April 15 in order to secure your spot. Students who have already participated in a fundraiser for CIY are not required to make this payment as everyone who has participated in the fundraisers have already cleared that threshold. In the event CIY is canceled due to COVID-19, all deposits will be refunded, and money raised through fundraising will roll over into next year’s CIY event. 

I’d like to leave you with a Word from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) In this opening line of the beatitudes, Christ is really pointing us to the idea of understanding that we are not self-sufficient, that we are very much reliant on the grace of God for our salvation, and really for everything in our lives. Here is the good news, the great news, the unfathomably fantastic news: God is so incredibly loving, able, and willing to shower us with the grace we so desperately need. Grace for salvation: done! Grace to make it through this Coronavirus season, the next week, the next day, the next breath you take—all that and more! During this pandemic-era, we have all been confronted in one way or another with our lack of self-sufficiency, and I want to challenge each and every one of you to consider this a blessing. It’s an understanding of our need that leads us to look to the One who has the answers. Don’t waste that. Don’t waste this period of time to look around, to look within, and to grow in your understanding of your need for Christ and His grace. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been a faithful disciple for 86 years, this is day one of your Christian walk, or you are still in the process of taking that first step towards Christ in accepting God’s grace by placing your faith in Christ Jesus: we all need God’s grace each and every day, and He is faithful to provide just that when we are ready to stop relying on ourselves and look to Him. Blessed are the poor in spirit indeed: be blessed friends, be blessed.

Grace and peace to you friends; God Bless and keep you in the week ahead!

Shaun

COMMUNITY GROUPS (AKA SMALL GROUPS)
Community Groups and COVID-19 

MEN'S MINISTRY

Bible Study

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

• Due to the Corona Virus, COVID-19, pandemic, the Tuesday morning Bible study will be postponed until further notice.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Due to the Corona Virus, COVID-19, pandemic, our Celebrate Recovery group will be postponed until further notice.
 
Check out our Facebook page at @FCCUnionCR. If you have any questions, comments or requests feel free to email us.

RIGHTNOW MEDIA

PRAYER REQUEST