August 18th 2015

COMMUNITYFREE CHURCH WEEKLY

Sunday evening during our Islam and Christianity gathering I received the kind of message you dread:

“Skip Dovel has just been hit by a truck on his motorcycle and is being taken to Carle Hospital.”

Skip is a key man in our Elder team and more than that, a much loved man in our church.

I immediately grabbed my bag, let a few key people know why I was leaving so they could facilitate the end of the nights program, and I headed to the hospital. There I was greeted by Skip sitting on the edge of the cot, with many cuts, scrapes, bruises, in pain, but in good spirits - Praise God!

I want to share something with you because it speaks to the type of man serves our church. When I entered the ER there was a 2 year old girl just brought in who had been found underwater in a pool for 45 minutes. Every time the nurse came in Skip asked about the little girl and was deeply concerned about her. Skip was doing Philippians 2 and “considering others above himself” because that is just who he is in Christ.

We are deeply blessed by having this man in our midst.

PRAISE GOD!

www.communityfreechurch.com

What’s Happening This Week at Jesus’ Church?

Wednesday 8/12

Prayer for Our Teachers, Educators, and Homeschoolers Lord, please bless all our teachers, friends and homeschoolers as they make their way back to their classrooms of all different sizes for another year. Help them to feel the excitement and joy in the promise of a new year.  Give them everything they need to start their classes.  Give them imagination and creativity to make wonders out of what they have.Help them stretch their budgets and their supplies.  Grant them wisdom this year and help them quickly spot little souls who need something extra from them this year. Help them have just the right words of encouragement for each student.  Please supply them energy too, Lord.  Please give them rest and refresh them each morning.  Give them patience with students, with parents, and with the administration.  Lord, it’s you who supplies in abundance.  Please keep the students and teachers safe this year  from accidents or evil intent.  Give the parents willing hearts, both to help in the classroom if they can, and certainly to be involved in their children’s homework and in their stories as the year goes on.  Let this be a truly wonderful year for all those who educate. Amen

Youth Group 6:00pm Thursday 8/13 Worship Practice 7:30pm

Saturday 8/15 Act Like Men 7:00am Elders Meeting 8:30am

River Festival Prayer Training 9:00am

Sunday 8/23 Christian Education 9:30-10:30am Worship Gathering 10:45am Isaiah 37-38: Pastor Jason Schifo Angenette Hart’s Baptism Celebration!

AWANA BBQ Registration 4-6:00pm

We have an opportunity to order a quantity of the Jesus Storybook Bible, by Sally Lloyd Jones for only $7.00. This is a great way to start young kids on the road to understanding and loving the stories of the Gospel’s. Let Jan know in the church office so we can order these up ASAP!

Call Jan at 217-586-5165 to order a copy - $7.00.

Print out this simple prayer and put it on an index card for your kids going back to school. It is an easy way to help them to remember and be equipped to pray for Jesus to be their strength this school year!

Lord Jesus, I ask for Your help as I begin this new school year. Allow me to experience Your presence in the many blessings You put before me. Open my eyes to the new challenges and exciting opportunities that this new school year brings. Open my heart and mind to new friends and new teachers. Give me a generous spirit to be enthusiastic with my studies and courage to accept new opportunities. Help me to be attentive to my teachers and let me experience Your presence in my new friends. Jesus, inspire me to do my best this year! Amen

PRAYER FOR STUDENTS

If you are interested in baptism see Pastor Jason this week.

After tons of hard work by Josh DeYoung (Thank God for Josh!) We received our building permit for the nursery construction.

Please pray now forthe doors and windows that need to be ordered so that construction can begin. Your prayers have been a huge part of howGod is working through this whole process! Praise Him and Pray!

As I was sitting in my office late April I was praying for the nursery project and I was struck by a particular vision and scripture. As I closed my eyes I saw young children being prayed over and the bible being read to them. I heard the gospel being shared, and at that moment I heard Acts 11:26, “For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”

My prayer out of that moment is that by seeking the Lord we would establish a “Little Antioch”, a safe and inviting place where children can hear the gospel, and grow as disciples who know and trust Jesus.

Excited? I certainly am, but as with anything I have to make sure my excitement doesn’t exceed my obedience because none of this is possible without prayer. Prayer delights Him and unites us. Please consider stopping by the church and pray - fill out a prayer card - and put it on the wall where

construction will begin to happen!

PRAY FOR GOD’S WORK IN OUR MIDST

Psalm 127:1God this is your

project and place - fill it with Your Glory!

There will be a Beth Moore simulcast shown at Windsor Road Christian Church on Saturday, September 12th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is to join the simulcast is $20.00, and lunch is an additional $10.00. The subject will be Beth Moore’s new book, "Audacious".

If anyone is interested in going, please let Deb Henrikson, 586-2918, know by September 1st.

There will be no daytime Ladies Bible Study this fall, but they will begin meeting in January looking at the new Beth Moore study, "Audacious", from the simulcast.

If anyone is interested in doing a Bible study this fall, we want to encourage you to check out Bible Study Fellowship  (see Michelle Shafer or Tasha Schifo for more information) studying the “Book of Revelation”.

Men’s Bible Study Fellowship will start September 14th, 6:45pm, at First Baptist Church of Savoy. The cost is “Free” and there is a program for kids 1st grade through High School.

Women’s Bible Study Fellowship will start September 15th, 9:10am, at First Christian Church in Champaign. The cost is “Free” and there is a children’s program birth through preschool.

4:00-6:00pm

serve the Church

Are you available to volunteer at the River Festival? Friday: 3-5:00pm Friday: 5-7:30pm Saturday: 9-11:00am Saturday: 12-2:00-pmSaturday: 1-3:00pmSaturday: 3-5:00pmSaturday: 5-7:00pm

Sign up to volunteer this Sunday!

Interested in praying for people at the festival? Contact Jan Piasecki!

Prayer training Saturday, August 22nd, 9:00am!

3Are you available to volunteer to help BBQ and register kids at the church?Setup Sunday 2:30-3:00pmSunday 3:00-4:00pmSunday 4:00-5:00pmSunday 5:00-6:00pmClean up Sunday 5:00-5:30pm

Sign up to volunteer this Sunday!

What a Great Sunday!

10:45am Worship!Jake and the students shared about the summer mission trip to Birmingham, Alabama and how God revealed Himself to them! There were some funny moments shared, but also how they saw the church being the church, the importance of Godʼs Word, and that we really can share the hope of the world: Jesus Christ!

Gerry and Donna Smith led worship for last time before moving up north at the end of September! They were joined by singers: Bruce Henrikson, Gretchen Eichstedt, and Ronda Ekberg. Jim Sackett, jake Barrett and Craig Hughes filled out the instruments. It was a powerful time of drawing near to the Lord. Thanks to Gerry and Donna for their faithful, sacrificial, and loving leading!

Then Pastor Jason, The Schifoʼs, Donna Smith, and the Christmanʼs led worship at the Glenwood Retirement Community with a full room of senior saints - join us next time!

Finally, Bob Sievers came and facilitated a “101” class on Islam at 6:00pm. Over 85 people attended this discussion! Yea God.

Save the date! On September 18th, Bob will return to discuss “Islam and the End Times”. Looking at the Christian final view opposed to the Islamic view. This will be super interesting!

Weekly Bible Reading

Here are the scripture passages used in Brent Ressler’s message on keeping God alone as our only perspective. We hope you were blessed by Brent’s message!

Matthew 6:19-231 Samuel 17:1-54 1 Samuel 9:1-2

A new addition to the weekly newsletter is a copy of the scripture outline from Sunday’s sermon. It is my hope that this helps you in reflection on the work that God did through his Word.

As you may know, the United States along with the leaders of 5 other

countries, have signed a “deal with Iran” which includes some language and

promises that are very dangerous to the well being of our nation, and to the

stability of Israel and the Middle-East.

We have an opportunity to lift our voices in a powerful way and lend our support to our leaders, thereby being

instrumental in pursuing a better deal.

September 6th at 6:00pm at Community Evangelical Free Church

of Mahomet - Make a difference!

Peggy Shapiro, Midwest Director of “StandWithUs” will be at the Community Evangelical Free Church of Mahomet, September 6th, at 6:00pm, to discuss this very important and urgent situation. Peggy will help us understand how we can practically engage in a letter-writing campaign to voice our concerns and encourage our leaders.

Aug 16th Revelation 6 Aug 20th Revelation 10Aug 17th Revelation 7 Aug 21st Revelation 11Aug 18th Revelation 8 Aug 22nd Revelation 12Aug 19th Revelation 9

When was the last time you were able to spend an hour rocking a baby?

When was the last time you were able to give your undivided attention to a

curious infant? 

Now is your opportunity!

 The baby/infant nursery needs your loving touch. We have many babies coming to Sunday School and church each week and their parents

could use a break so they can focus on God. During this time it is our chance to tell these

little ones how much God loves them. Say “YES” to serving on a rotating team.