A LETTER FROM OUR PASTORAL STAFF
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Dear Church Family,
Sometimes the culture of society appears to be changing so quickly that it seems impossible to keep up with it. There are times when I’m willing to throw in the towel: “Are these shoes on trend or are they ‘so 2004’? You know what? I don’t care. They’re comfortable and I like them!” And other times when I’m not: “What is the best response to mass-casualty events in our communities and country?”
As Jesus followers, He calls us to be in the world but not of it. This means we are called to engage with our whole heart, mind and soul, but we do so understanding that our value and our direction come from a different source. It means that we are not conformed to the culture surrounding us, but instead, as we are being transformed by Jesus, we are able to contribute to and even to shape the culture around us.
One way we are providing this opportunity for our church staff is by equipping them with relevant training. In January, the staff participated in a sexual harassment prevention training that was uniquely tailored to church staff. It included the opportunity to think through scenarios of actual recent church sexual harassment cases, and it was inspiring to hear the staff wrestling through them both through the lens of the discipleship, as well as the lens of the law.
In February, our staff will receive sexuality and gender training in partnership with The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender. During this training, Dr. Preston Sprinkle will help us to engage tough questions about faith, sexuality and gender with theological faithfulness and courageous love. In addition to our staff, we will be joined by over 200 leaders from other churches and nonprofits in Orange County.
And then, in March, our very own Pastor Dave Carder will be training the staff on Attractions, Affairs and Addictions in the 21st Century.
Many opportunities are available for you as well! These include the LGBTQ+ Forum, Discipleship Training, the ThinkWell series and more. See below for dates and details. But in the meantime, be encouraged to get out there and courageously engage, and please be praying for our staff as they do the same!
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Jenn Hale
Human Resources Director
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Baptism at EvFree
Baptisms will take place THIS SUNDAY, February 10 in all three services. If you are interested in being baptized, please register here. You may also visit our website here to learn more about baptism or email Heather Freeman with any questions.
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Love for Life – Marriage Prep
STARTING THIS SUNDAY, February 10, 2:00 - 4:00pm, in NC180
A nine-week series for either seriously dating or engaged couples. The class includes Marriage Coaches assigned to each couple, and a 15-page personalized relationship report about YOUR specific relationship, showing areas of strength and areas needing growth. Open to the public, we meet on Sunday afternoons starting Feb.10. Visit here for more info and to register.
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Sunday Night "Service"
THIS SUNDAY, February 10, 5:00pm in the Commons
This month's Sunday Night "Service" is going to be a little different – instead of just one night of service we’re extending it to TWO! This may come as a surprise to many, but one of the most underserved populations in any community are Seniors. So this month we are going to exercise our creative muscles and craft Valentine cards & blankets for two of the local senior living facilities. This simple act gives us the opportunity to show some of the seniors in our neighborhoods that they are seen and madly loved by Jesus. The Craft night will take place on Sunday, February 10 with dinner provided. Then on the following day, we’ll send out two teams to deliver the gifts! This is a great opportunity to serve with your family or even to invite a neighbor. For more info or questions email Mitch.
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LGBTQ+ Forum
February 11, 6:30 - 9:30pm, and February 12, 8:00am - 4:00pm, in the Chapel
As you know, questions surrounding same-sex marriage and how the church responds and cares for LGBTQ+ people and their families are significant matters in our ministry today. In an effort to help navigate these questions more effectively, we have invited Dr. Preston Sprinkle with The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender to conduct an Introduction to the LGBT Conversation on February 11, and a one-day Leaders Forum the following day. The Introduction is for anyone who wants to be better equipped to enter into the conversation, and the Leaders forum is for pastors, pastoral staff, lay leaders and volunteers to be better equipped. The cost for the intro is only $25 and $50-95 for the one-day training. Please register here.
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Prayer Somewhere
Saturday, February 16, 11:00am in the Chapel
Join us for "Prayer Somewhere" – a weekly gathering in an ever-changing location. To find out more about each week's location, please sign up for the "prayer" Push Notifications in the Set-Up section of our app.
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Family Business Meeting
Sunday, February 17, 3:00pm in the Chapel
Join us at our quarterly Family Business Meeting as our leaders discuss the latest ministry news and information. You will also have an opportunity to meet our new elder nominees. We look forward to seeing you there!
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ThinkWell
February 17, 6:00pm, in the Chapel
ThinkWell is a lecture series to address a variety of current issues and how the timeless fundamentals of the Christian faith impact our approach to those topics. Held in our Chapel, each month will feature a variety of different communicators, teaching with the goal of helping each of us to be thoughtful and discerning about important ideas. Designed to be appealing to both longtime disciples of Jesus and those who have no prior connection with the church, we are praying that ThinkWell can be a point of meaningful connection and community around vital issues of the day.
This month we will be joined by Pastor Lemont Hartman of Emmaus Church in Santa Ana. Pastor Lemont will be walking us through a discussion on race titled Race Matters. His unique story will highlight what the Bible teaches about race and reconciliation and how we all can be a part of the solution. This is a timely conversation in our current cultural moment. We pray you are equipped, encouraged, and empowered to continue the conversations after you leave! Questions? Email Mitch Fierro.
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Mother/Son Amazing Race
Saturday, Feb 23, 6:00 - 8:00pm on North Campus (For boys in 1st - 4th grade)
Join us for an exciting night of mother/son competitions all wrapped up with ice cream sundaes at the end! Please eat dinner before you come. The cost is $15 per couple ($20 max for additional sons) until 2/21. $20 per couple ($25 max) after 2/21. Race supplies only guaranteed with online registration. Sign up here or contact Kristen Rhode with any questions.
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Legacy Coalition Grandparenting Summit
February 21 - 23, EvFree Worship Center
Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to attend the Legacy Grandparenting Summit here at EvFree in a few weeks! The cost for the EvFree family/attendees for the 3-day conference is $164 until Feb. 10, when the prices go up. Go online to Legacy Coalition and enter the code "EvFreeMem" to register or you can sign up on the plaza this Sundays. Here's one more option for those of you not able to attend the entire Summit: We've just added a 24-hour rate for $75 which can be divided between two days of a 24-hour period. Go online and enter the Code: " 1day19."
Lastly – if you are a grandparent and have custody and are parenting your grandchildren, please come as our guest at no-cost! Contact Pastor John Coulombe to sign up and attend.
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AMP Conference
March 8 - 9, 2019, at EvFree
AMP is a two-day conference that aims to amplify the voices of Christians in sharing their faith to the world. AMP’s mission, “Equip to Evangelize,” is designed to prepare Christians to use apologetic tools to become confident witnesses to a skeptical world. For program information and to register, visit here. Use code PARTNER to get 20% off “Both Day” tickets.
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Men's Retreat
April 26 - 28, 2019, Catalina Island
Join us for the Men's Retreat which will be held at Campus By the Sea on Catalina Island. We have invited Kirk Winslow, lead pastor of Canvas Church and the host of the podcast Jesus@2am to be our main session speaker.
Retreat costs are $249 per person. The cost for students is $199. (Costs rise to $269 and $219 respectively on March 17). The price includes private chartered ferry boat transportation which departs from San Pedro Harbor on Friday, April 26 at 3:30pm. Our group will return to San Pedro on Sunday at 12:30pm. Scholarships are available as needed. Visit here for more information.
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Ken Walker, a longtime member of EvFree Fullerton, passed away on January 24, 2019. Ken was involved in several ministries at EvFree beginning in 1965. He served on both the Deacon Board and Missions Board. Ken went on short term mission trips to Poland and China and supported many of the church's missionaries. He was involved with Bykota adult fellowship and served in various positions in Bykota. Ken and his wife hosted countless newcomers to the church in their home. His family welcomes your presence at his memorial service on Friday, February 15 at 2:00pm in the Chapel.
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EvFREE STAFF OPPORTUNITIES
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We are hiring! If you are interested in working at EvFree Fullerton click here to see our current list of open positions.
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Missions Moment
Dennise & Joel Smith (Brussels)
Joel & Dennise serve in Belgium as church planters. They make connections with the people in their community through The Well. They offer a variety of classes as well as a Discovery Bible Study.
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Short Term Missions
Someone, somewhere is depending on you to do what God has called you to do.
The Brussels team will be meeting in Belgium July 2 - 13 with other teams from around the US. They will be serving the Church, and our own missionaries Dennise & Joel Smith, by helping at a VBS in an apartment complex, doing simple construction projects, and distributing flyers. This is a great first short term missions trip. To apply visit here or contact Val Wray for more info.
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OC United
Want to make a difference in your city? OC United was founded on the core beliefs that ANYONE could make a difference. We believe that communities are made better when we're united on the front lines with compassion to empower the vulnerable. Join OC United, be a part of the movement!
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Budget–Year to Date
Budget: $5,557,500
Received: $4,946,528
Surplus (or deficit): ($610,972)
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Actual–Year to Date
Actual Income: $4,946,528
Actual Expenses: $4,551,983
Positive Cash Flow: $394,545
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Have you ever been walking down the Plaza on a Sunday and noticed a sweet little face running along waving a paper palm leaf in the air? Or have you passed by the nursery and witnessed a group of eager little children toddle over to a blanket for a snack? These are just two examples of your giving at work.
All across EvFree Kids ministry, in hundreds of ways, we enjoy the fruits of your gifts. From much-needed supplies like wipes, diapers, pencils and crayons, to the ability to host our bigger events like Trunk or Treat and VBS, your giving helps make our ministries happen. God is using your tithe to enable us to create artistic ways for kids to respond to God. We can purchase toys and props that help kids engage with Bible stories and create low to no cost events that are designed to draw in families from our church and community and provide the opportunity for them to connect with each other and with God in unique, fun and meaningful ways. And don’t forget the snacks! God has used your giving to keep our early childhood department swimming in goldfish crackers.
Your faithful gifts to God help us to dream big and reach far with our kids, families and community!
Numbers are based on an annual budget of $7 million dollars.
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On Tuesday mornings, staff and elders gather together to thank God and pray for our church's spiritual health and growth. Praise God for men and women who are dedicated to seeking Him and lifting up our church family in prayer.
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