Both our annual Friend Day and Church Picnic are scheduled for this Sunday, September 8th. We are planning for our best attendance of the year (except Easter) in Sunday School and Worship. We are also challenging every member and active attender to be present 3 out of 4 Sundays through the rest of the month. Thanks in advance to all of our Sunday school classes who have contacted their class roll/ministry list and have invited guests. Remember, we are targeting those in our relationship circle who are unchurched or “under churched” to be our guests. More times than not, someone who has received a personal invitation from someone they know will say yes to coming to church.

 Our picnic will take place at the City Park. We will be cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone, and we will begin serving food at 5:30 PM. There will be cornhole boards, 9 square, and gaga ball set up for the kids. There will also be a concert towards the end of the evening. The only thing you will need is a smile and a lawn chair. I also want to say a big “THANK YOU” to our Membership and Fellowship committee for all their hard work in setting up and cleaning up for this event. 

 On Sunday September 22nd, we will have our annual Deacon election. All church members 16 years and older are eligible to cast one ballot selecting 7 men from this list of 10. Once the ten men who will appear on the ballot has been determined through our nomination process, the church will be notified by way of church-wide email. Ballots will be distributed in the worship bulletins and will be collected at the end of the service. Absentee ballots will be available through the church office as of Wednesday, September 18th. I encourage you to prayerfully participate in this important process of positioning good and godly men to serve the church. 

 I also want to thank our Nominating Committee (Sharon Alexander, Laura French, Christi Gallman, Eric Jackson, Laura Jones, Rebecca Owen, and staff representative Steven Waters) for their work in filling out the various committees and leadership positions within the church for the upcoming church year that begins in October. The church will be asked to approve the Nominating Committee Report during a Called Conference scheduled for Sunday, September 29th, during the 11 AM service. I am grateful for every role of service, whether big or small, filled by faithful members of our church because they love the Lord and want to further the impact of our ministry.

 I look forward to sharing a message about our fifth and final First Family Value, “Going in Neighborhoods and Nations,” this Sunday. I hope you will be present as we continue to focus on what it means to live in pursuit of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission

Blessings! 

Pastor John