NEWS
Stay completely up-to-date by regularly visiting The Orchard's Calendar of Events at: www.theorchardfranklin.com
Men's Fraternity will meet on Saturday, January 16 at 6:45 a.m. (notice the time change) for a time of prayer, sharing, learning and fellowship. Now would be a great time to begin making Men's Fraternity an intentional part of your New Year.
Volunteers are needed on a rotating basis for the Preschool class that meets during Acts 2:42 and for the Nursery during worship time. If you would be willing to volunteer in these two very vital ministry areas, please contact Darla Spears or Pastor Anita.
They're talking layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East, turnovers at headquarters, downturns in the housing market and upswings in global warming. The plague of our day, terrorism, begins with the word terror. Fear, it seems, has taken a hundred-year- lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversized and rude, fear herds us into a prison and slams the doors
Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision the day when you can trust more and fear less?
Fearless - Imagine Your Life Without Fear - a 6-week study from Max Lucado's book "Fearless" during Acts 2:42 beginning January 17 at 9:30 a.m. Books will be available on Sunday for $11 from Pastor Anita/
Pounds for Papa support group for those who would like to lose weight for God's glory meets each Sunday morning immediately following the morning worship service. It's not too late for you to join the effort for health for God's temple.
It is time for us to begin sign-up for 2010 cleaning of the church. If you or your family would be willing to clean the church for one month during the new year, please contact Pastor Anita or sign-up on Sunday.
Ladies Bible Study is coming... watch the O for more details.
The Ladies Prayer Group meets Wednesday at 9:15 a.m at The Orchard Ministry Center.
Mark your calendars for the following events:
Jan13 - Women's Prayer Time
Jan 16 - Men's Fraternity
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for a full Calendar of Events |
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January 9-15, 2010
THE TENT THAT
ALMOST BLEW AWAY
“…lengthen your cords and
strengthen your stakes”
~ Isaiah 54:2 ~
I once served on a volunteer team to put up a large gospel tent in the rural community we lived in. What a sweat laboring, back breaking project! High winds from tornado like weather swept through the valley the day afterwards. The tent blew down, but it didn’t blow away! We had secured the bottom of the tent all the way around with large tent stakes.
The stakes didn’t keep the tent standing tall at all times, but they did keep it from blowing away. With a spirit of expectancy we put the tent up again, being sure to strengthen the stakes all the more. We drove them even further into the ground. That summer, hundreds of lives were saved and helped by the Spirit of God underneath that old tent.
At times, my life has felt like a tent trying to survive high winds. Although I’ve been blown down many times, I haven’t blown away. God, in His mercy, has put down some strong stakes all around my life. Had it not been for the stakes of prayer, the Word of God, spiritual friendship found in community, and the all powerful and keeping hand of God, I am confident that I would have blown away.
As we continue our journey into 2010, I am hearing the Lord say, “strengthen your stakes.” Prepare for the high winds by trusting God to take you deeper in prayer, in the Word, and in community. His Almighty Hand has hold of you. As we go deeper, I believe the Lord will save and help many other lives through our expectant and persevering faith.
For an Enlarged and More Secure Tent,
Weekly Financial Report
Weekly Need: $5,171
Last Week's Giving: $7,054
Over/Under: $1,883
YTD Actual Weekly Giving Average: $4,873
YTD Weekly Average Over/Under: -$298
YTD Total Over/Under: -$596
All contributions given to The Orchard Church will be used exclusively for charitable purposes in accordance with laws governing a tax-exempt organization organized under state law provisions and that of the Internal Revenue Code. In keeping with the foregoing commitment, we reserve the right to distribute all funds contributed to the area of greatest need.
"Grand Sweep" Reading Schedule
As we continue with our "Grand Sweep" series in worship the following readings will supplement what Pastor Chris is preaching each week. We encourage you to follow along. You might even want to go to www.youversion.com a link that can be sent to your Blackberry or email and can remind you of the scripture reading. You can also listen to the scripture reading in just about any scripture version available.
January 11-17 - Joshua 13 - Judges 8
January 18 - 24 - Judges 9 - 1 Samuel 3
January 25 - 31 - 1 Samuel 4 - 1 Samuel 25
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