Fellowship Through Art

by Jane Barnes

Most Tuesdays, a group of us meets in the Fellowship Hall to paint pictures. This is a time of fellowship and helping one another. We are the "Painting Group", which is composed of 3 Apostles Members and 4 fellow artists.

 

This group meeting in "My Father's House," has blessed me greatly. These friends and this time together is one way that God has fulfilled His promise to me from Psalm 20:4, "May He give you the desire of your heart".  God has given me the desire of my heart, to paint. Here in my father's house I find joy in the fulfillment of this desire.

 

A friend here at church asked me to paint her father's house. Another member saw the painting and asked me to paint her father's house too.  Thus, the 2 paintings shown here.

 

I pray that this painting time is a time of outreach as well as blessing to me. This is one way that we are trying to live out the mission of our church - "Seek the lost, build up the found and transform the city through Jesus Christ."

The Sunday Set-Up for November 17, 2013

Sermon Teaser: Waiting. Perseverance. Patience. These are the exhortations of the apostle James. How have you trained your soul to excel in these biblical attitudes? What are the benefits? How does an attitude like this change the way we treat each other? How does it shape our character? Think about these things…and then wait patiently for Sunday, when we take on this subject in our second to last sermon in the book of James.

Reading for Sunday: James 5:7-12 and Matthew 24:36-44

Bulletin for Sunday: November 17, 2013

When Work and Mission Intersect

Corey is the third person from the left.

by Corey Vana

Several weeks ago I went on a “Vision” Trip to Belize on behalf of Stop Hunger Now.  You see, GSK, for whom I work full time, has a volunteer program called PULSE, where employees can volunteer their time for up to six months at a partner Non-Government Organization (NGO), locally, within their country, or internationally.  I chose to stay in Raleigh and was matched with Stop Hunger Now.

My trip to Belize was set up to meet with our meal partner, Kidz Konnect 4 Jesus, a ministry which began 6 years ago through the work of David and Karen Rhoads.  After visiting southern Belize, Karen and David had a vision to spread the gospel in Belize through school age children where they saw a great need in this very poor country.  Stop Hunger Now began supplying meals to Kidz Konnect 4 Jesus after Karen presented a compelling case to Stop Hunger Now regarding how children and family were starving because of lack of food.  My role on this trip was to observe and document pictorially how the meals are used.

Over the past few years, I have been on several mission trips to Rwanda and Honduras so I was prepared for the stark poverty and subsistence living of these people.  But what struck me on this trip was the dedication and commitment to the Kingdom that both David and Karen had in their ministry.  All credit and glory was directed to the Lord and any decisions to expand operations or ministry are always taken to the Lord. 

David’s effort to repurpose buildings or grounds that have been abandoned by the government are visionary in nature.  Where I saw a row of old, abandoned block homes in a jungle of grass and weeds as an eyesore, David saw it as an opportunity to house abused women and to plant and harvest corn in the fields.

The Lord touched me on this trip reassuring me again of how he uses the willing and faithful for his glory.  Although I haven’t yet heard his call as to the next phase of my life, I am patiently listening for the quiet whisper of his voice to me.

The Sunday Set-Up for November 10, 2013

Sermon Teaser: You could be the lucky winner! We’re giving away $10,000 and a 72” plasma screen TV this week to the first person to sit in the front row. (Pastors not included!) Did I get your attention? This week James gets in the face of wealthy people who use their riches for personal pleasures, and even abuse their employees for personal gain. What’s you’re perspective on wealth? What connection is there between money and following Jesus? What would your spending patterns reveal about your values? What does eternal judgment have to do with the way we spend money? Join us this week as we look at how James deals with this subject. 

(By the way, I was just kidding about the cash prize and the TV giveaway!)

Readings for Sunday: James 5:1-6 and Luke 16:19-31

Bulletin for Sunday: November 10, 2013

Leading with a Limp

Going through the motions doesn’t please you, 

a flawless performance is nothing to you.

I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.

Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment

escape God’s notice.

– Psalm 51:16-17 (MSG)

I recall a question that I received via an email, years back, from a concerned observer of a particular Sunday morning worship service.  “Why don’t your singers smile more?” the person asked, “Are we victorious or aren’t we?”  Now THAT’S a good question.

Recently, a vocalist who serves on the Worship Team at Apostles had to miss Wednesday evening rehearsal due to a difficult family crisis.  The next day, she sent me an email, wanting to know if she could still serve that Sunday even though she’d missed the rehearsal.  She wrote: “It is up to you of course, but I would love to stand up with the team and sing ‘How Great Is Your Faithfulness’ in the midst of this latest storm.” Did I say yes?  You bet I did.  Glorious.

As a leader of corporate worship, as in many other settings, there is the temptation to come off as polished, put together, happy, skilled, charming, profound… the list goes on.  And why not?  I mean, people really dig that.  Who doesn’t like a good standing ovation at the end of the “special music”?  But what does God prefer – our smoking harmonies or our shattered pride?  Both have a fragrance, and no mistake, but which one is pleasing before God?

In my first ten, nearly eleven, months here at Apostles, something I have truly come to appreciate is that our leadership spends little energy attempting to hide their own humanity, their imperfections and struggles.  On the contrary, they lead from their brokenness and dependence on God.  This frees me, and my team, to lead in a similar fashion.  *sigh*

I’ve noticed this.  I believe God has too.  Amen.

- Jonathan Noël, Worship Director

Our Benevolence Ministry

by Gwen Barringer

Our Benevolence Ministry at church helps families in all kinds of crisis with financial support.  We’ve been known to help keep a family’s utilities from being shut off, supply food cards or gas cards, finance car repairs, or help with the cost of day care.  Our team has worked with other churches and North Raleigh Ministries to support the less fortunate folks in our area. 

Our church’s Benevolence Ministry works with the support of our pastoral staff by serving our church family as needs arise.  Financial assistance has been given towards medical bills and counseling.  We even offer budget counseling for families who are finding it hard to make ends meet. 

Here is just one story about how a family was helped through our Benevolence Ministry:

Section 8 housing assistance is offered by HUD through local housing authorities, and this assistance can mean the difference between a family living from shelter to shelter and actually having a home.  After waiting six long years on the Raleigh Housing Authority’s list, Susan (not her real name) finally heard she was to get housing assistance of 100% for her daughter and her.  All she was required to do before she claimed her new home was put down the required security deposit.  Susan had just lost her full time job and was working part time, but could only scrape together a bit more than half of her deposit.  She was frantic at the thought of losing this aid.  She reached out to our church for help through our Benevolence Ministry.  We pledged the remainder of her deposit, prayed with her, and discussed other agencies that could help her getting settled in her new home. 

  

I can tell you that helping, praying with, and walking alongside folks in times of great stress or crisis has been a privilege for me, because I receive far more from these people than our church could ever give them.  It is such an honor to serve in this ministry.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

The Sunday Set-Up for November 3, 2013

Sermon Teaser: Dreaming about your plans? Imagining your better tomorrow? Where does God fit into it all? Are you a person who deeply considers the will of the Lord as you set goals, make plans, and carry out your business? James has some ancient wisdom for us to consider if we truly wish to live out of the center of God’s will. Join us this Sunday as we contemplate the will of the Lord.

Readings for Sunday: James 4:13-17 and Luke 12:13-21

Bulletin for Sunday: November 3, 2013