Check out Pastor’s article about maintaining focus on page 3

Take a look at what’s happening in Faith Kids on page 6Read about “The Market Place”, our new food pantry coming soon on page 9

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SUMMER FUNFOR YOU & YOUR FAMILY

Free Family Movies@ Great Escape Theater in Fenton

The Great Escape Theater in Fenton will be offering free showings of the movies below at 9:30am, on the listed dates. Escape the

summer heat for a free movie with lots of laughs!

CAMPFIRE FOILCHICKEN PACKSIngredients1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat, cubed2 onions, diced1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

1. In a large bowl, or a large zip-loc bag, combine the chicken, onion, mushrooms, yellow pepper, red pepper, garlic, and potatoes. Pour in the olive oil and lemon juice, then mix well.

2. Evenly divide the mixture between 4 large sheets of aluminum foil. Top each with another sheet of foil, and roll up the edges tightly. Wrap each packet again, securely in another sheet of foil to double wrap.

3. Cook in the hot coals of a campfire until the chicken is opaque and the potatoes are tender, around 40 minutes.

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips4 cloves garlic, sliced4 small potatoes, cubed1/4 cup olive oil1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

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A Word From Pastor Ed ShirrellMAINTAINING AN ETERNAL FOCUS

I read a story years ago about a man walking through a cem-etery in Indiana that’s over 150 years old. One tombstone had the following epitaph on it. “Pause stranger, when you pass me by, as you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you will be. So prepare for death and follow me.” An unknown person read those words and decided to add to the epitaph, “To follow you, I’m not content until I know which way you went.”

The age old question is, “When a man dies, will he live again?” There are numerous opinions, but Jesus clearly says we will “all” be resurrected and there will be a separation of the righ-teous from the unrighteous.

Jesus said after the resurrec-tion everyone will enter eternity in either Heaven or Hell. While most believe in Heaven, an increas-ing number choose not to believe in Hell. The real question isn’t if you believe in Hell, but do you be-lieve the Bible? Do you believe Jesus Christ? He spoke of both. It may be convenient to believe in one and not both, but it cer-tainly isn’t truthful, nor will it change the reality of the words of Jesus Christ. As the familiar cliché goes, “Denial is not a river in Egypt.”

Have you ever given serious consideration to judgment or “rewards” that each of us will receive one day, and the fact those rewards are for “eter-nity?”

The Bible tells us that we are

saved by grace “through” faith, and not by works (Ephesians 2: 8 -9), but the following verse (10) is often overlooked. “For we are God’s workmanship, cre-ated in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” How can we understand this basic foun-dational truth - saved by grace, but also judged and rewarded by works?

A simple way to understand this might be enhanced by two words: BELIEF and BEHAVIOR.

Those who are following Jesus will be with Him for eternity in Heaven. Those who are “not” following Jesus will spend eter-nity without Him in Hell. Yet how are each rewarded?

Take for example the judgment in Hell. No matter how you inter-pret the scriptures on Hell, it’s a

bad place that we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemy. Yet it’s ob-vious that people who do good works on earth, but choose to reject Jesus will not be reward-ed the same as Hitler, those involved in human trafficking, or a child molester.

Likewise, it’s also obvious those in heaven will not receive the “same” rewards. The “motives” of why Christians do what they do will be clearly addressed by Almighty God. (1 Corinthians 3:10 -15) Do you seriously believe the Christian who chooses not to use their time, talents and resources for God will be re-

warded the same as the one who uses their time, talents and resources for Him?

My prayer is that we clearly un-derstand that our belief (faith) determines WHERE we spend eternity, while receiving revela-tion that our behavior clearly determines HOW we’ll be re-warded for eternity. Hebrews 11:6 states, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he REWARDS those who earnestly seek him.”

To maintain an eternal perspec-tive, I recommend meditating on “two” passages of scripture

for the next 30 days. Jesus said, “Stockpile

treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth

and rust and burglars. It’s obvi-ous, isn’t it? The place where your TREASURE is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. (Matthew 6:20 – 21 Message Translation) The NIV states in verse 21, “For where your treasure is, there your HEART will be also.

Our belief (faith in scriptural terms) determines WHERE we spend eternity. Yet our behavior

determines HOW we spend eternity.

Faith Connection (USPS 370-150)Published quarterly by Faith Community Church of House Springs4824 Scottsdale (Hwy 30)PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT HOUSE SPRINGS, MO POSTMASTER: Send address changes toFaith Connection4824 Scottsdale (Hwy 30)House Springs, MO 63051-2103

Continued on Page 4

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PASTOR’S ARTICLECONTINUEDPaul says “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your HEARTS on things ABOVE, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your MINDS on things ABOVE, not on EARTHLY things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-4)

“If you read history, you’ll find that the Christians who did most for the present world were those who thought the most of the next world.” C. S. Lewis

LOOKING FOR A GOOD BOOK?

Too often we spend too much time on temporal treasures and too little time on eternal treasures. Consequently

the person who spends his life moving toward his earthly treasure has a reason to “despair.” Yet, the person who spends his life moving toward his eternal treasure has a

reason to “rejoice.” Which treasures are you focusing on?

RECOMMENDED READINGCan marriage really be Heaven on Earth? Robert & Debbie Morris open their hearts and lives, revealing the stories and sharing the principles that led them to “The Blessed Marriage.”

View the Newsletter Online @ Faith-Community.Org

Check out the interactive version of the quarterly

newsletter. It’s full of links to videos, articles &

other online content. @faithcommunity

/faithcommunity

FOLL

OW

US

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ONE THING IS NEEDFUL

Distractions…Life is full of them. Financial pressure, relationship problems, busy schedules, bills, stress at work, confusion about the next step in life, thinking about all the stuff you have to do; the list goes on and on. These aren’t necessarily bad things. In fact, some-times we are distracted by things and tasks that are good in themselves. Once in a while, though, we need a gentle reminder to keep the main thing, the main thing. So, what is the main thing?

I’m so glad you asked! I’m reminded of the time in Luke 11, when Mary and Mar-tha were having Jesus over for dinner. Martha was working like crazy and get-ting so stressed because she was distracted by all the things that “had” to be done. She was also dis-tracted by her own frustra-tions with her sister for not helping…ever been there? We all have. Finally, she snapped at her sister and at Jesus. And what did Je-sus say? “Martha, Martha.” Have you ever had a talkin’ to by someone in authority over you and they started the conversation by say-ing your name twice? When

that happens you know you are in trouble. LOL. He went on to say, “You are troubled about many things, but only one thing is needful. And Mary has chosen that good part.” So what was Jesus trying to convey to Martha? He was saying that there is only one thing important right here – one thing that has any eternal value…He was saying to her that it’s not in your much DOING but rather in your BEING. He wants to just be with you and with me. He’s a quality time God. It’s amazing how other things work them-selves out when we make our time with the Lord the most precious thing to us!

CLOSINGTHOUGHTS

Word says we can worship Him with feasting too (Psalm 22:29) WOOOHOOO! We have Scripture for that now! We can worship the Lord with joyful songs (Psalm 100:2). We can worship God with sacrifices and offerings (Isaiah 19:21) We can even worship God by walking and jumping, as the man did who had been lame but now

was healed by the name of Jesus (Acts 3:8-9). But regardless of the method, the act of worship must be in spirit (from our rational consciousness) and truth (consistent with the rest of our lives) (John 4:24).

The Lord enjoys the di-versity of sincere worship when expressed through His Spirit and in Truth. Music and songs are ways we can praise God’s name, but the

We are looking to add skilled musicians and singers to our teams in main service as well as in youth. The Scriptures tell us that David, a man after God’s own heart, played skill-fully and evil spirits departed.

Praise and worship music is a beautiful connection and time of communion with our God. If you are interested in becoming a part of this ministry, visit the Worship Ministry Faith Connect page.

Worshipwww.faith-community.org/connect

AUDITIONS

Shelby Singler//Worship Leader

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FAITH KIDS Updates & Summer Events

Cloudy with a Chance… Come find hope through the eyes of Flynn McGee, a young inventor who has lost hope in his failing experiments. Kids ages 4 through 6th grade will learn the life of Moses through skits, Bible stories, games and crafts. This is a free event, however, please fill out a pre-regisration card available in Splashland and The Shore.

Summer VBSJune 18-22 6-8:30pm

Camp ChampionJuly 23-27Come join us at CAMP CHAMPION! This kids camp will be held at the Lake of the Ozarks and the cost is $150 per camper, including a shirt. Pre-registration for Campers and workers has begun, so pick up your registration at Splashland or The Shore today! The deadline for worker registration is June 8. Also, campers need to make a down payment of $30 by June 25.

CamporamaJuly 9-13

Attention all Royal Rangers! Camporama is coming up quickly July 9-13. Medical release forms and a list of requirments will be available on Wednesday nights in Mason Hall Basement.

Pow WowJune 7-10Rangers PowWow is right around the corner. Information and medical release forms will be available in Mason Hall Basement on Wednesday Nights.

What’s Happening in “The Shore”The Shore is Kid’s Church for grades 1-4 that meets in The Student Center. This summer the kids will be moving away from the Center Stage and into Adventures in Science! Each week the kids come home with handouts that coordinate with what they learned that week. We would like to encour-age all parents to go through the hand out with your child and work on the activity. If your child brings the hand out back the next week their team gets extra points that go toward their big prize at the end of the 8 week program! Also we would like to encourage you to visit the Faith Kids Facebook page weekly and look at the past week’s lesson. You can watch a re-cap video or Pepwa the an-nouncement pig and watch the Bible lesson from the previous Sunday. There will also be interac-tive portions from Elevate Kids that you and your child can do together.

An Opportunity to ServeAs summer approaches, we know vacation is on ev-eryone’s mind and we need your help! We are seeking passionate adults, and teens (14 and above) to help out in our various ministries. Help is needed in the Nursery, Splashland, The Shore, and The 56club. We look for-ward to adding you to our staff of people passionate for the kids at Faith, our future church!

For questions & more information, please contact Pastor Philip at phaught@faith-community.org

Faith Kids now has a facebook page! You’ll be able to see updated informa-tion on upcoming events and special news. It’s a great way to stay connect-ed with what your child is doing and

what’s available for your child. Visit us at www.facebook.com/faithkids.fcc.

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Updates & Summer Events

What’s Happening in “The Shore”

An Opportunity to Serve

JUNIOR BIBLE QUIZKid’s Sunday School Class

Why is it important to memorize Bible verses? Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Well, that is what our Ju-nior Bible Quiz kids have been doing for the last year! They have been learning the Bible like you wouldn’t believe. We started the Sunday School class last July and began learning the JBQ questions to prepare for our first meet in September. Most of us were completely new to JBQ so we had no idea what to expect. Our first meet was a huge success and a lot of fun. We continued to learn the remainder of the year and at the end of the season our kids took 7 of the top 12 spots. We then took 6 kids (Liam Holt, Adelaide Newfield, Livia Reeves, Drew Foster, Drew Schnable and

Tyler Watson) to compete at Districts against kids from as far as Kansas City and Spring-field. The kids studied hard for 4 weeks before districts and it paid off! Adelaide Newfield placed 8th, Drew Foster placed

7th and Tyler Watson placed 3rd. Congrats to every single kid that has been involved in JBQ this year you have made us proud!!

Do you have a child in grades Kindergarten-5th that is inter-ested in JBQ? We would love to have them join our class. We meet every Sunday morning at 9am down in Mason Hall base-ment. Our first 30 minutes we spend learning a hand-ful of new questions. Then we break up into groups and play games using those questions that we just learned. The kids also have an opportunity each week to earn “JBQ Bucks” which they can spend on prizes once a month. We will practice all through the summer and

then we start having meets one Saturday a month beginning in September. We also send home the questions for you to work on with your children at home. This is a great way to study God’s Word with your child and learn together. While it is fun to compete at the meets, our main goal in JBQ is to get God’s word into children’s hearts. I believe this will give them a strong foundation to stand on when they become adults. If you have any questions feel free to con-tact me at christyrheth@gmail.com or (314)608-9093.

1. To start, go through your house and gather some trinkets or toys you don’t mind burying.

2. Next, put together a treasure-finding toolkit that includes a hand shovel, an old paintbrush (to clean off unearthed treasures), zip-loc bags (to contain what they find) and a map showing where kids should start their search.

3. Then, either bury the treasures in your garden (placing them in an area without plants is a good idea) or in a large bucket filled with dirt in your backyard. Give the kids their toolkits and watch them scavenge for treasures!

For an extra bit of fun, have kids label their finds with made-up names and place them in a “museum” (or on a serving platter) to share with visitors.

A Fun Summer Game For the KidsDig For Buried Treasure

www.family-fun.kaboose.com

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Souls in Motion Get Fit For Free

Ladies! Summer is upon us and you may be starting to feel that urgency to get in shape so you can look good in your swimsuit, shorts and cute little tops. Men! Are you thinking about how you’ll look in your swim trunks, shorts and tank tops? Are you wondering where you can go to get a great work out and not spend a lot of money? We’ve got just the thing for you.

Getting in shape is not just about how you look. It’s also about feeling terrific, having great en-ergy and keeping your heart healthy. The size of your clothing does not measure your health. Five years ago, God opened up an opportunity at Faith Community Church for people in the church and community to have a place to come and exercise without breaking the bank. We of-fer a FREE cardio kickboxing class on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM in the Student Center. All you need to bring is a mat or towel, bottle of water, hand weights from 2-5 pounds (if you have them…we have some if you don’t) and a positive, “can do” attitude. You can leave your wallets at home! We do of-fer childcare for $2/child for children up to 10 years of age. This is a co-ed class and it is open to people of all ages (parents use discretion where children are concerned).

We open and close each class with prayer be-cause we must honor God in ALL things, even exercise. After all, He is the one that made this class possible! We spend the first half of class on the floor doing partner work and the second half on cardio which consists of fun, en-ergetic combos to get your heart going!

Don’t let doubt or negativity stand in your way of trying something new. Again, it’s FREE so what do you have to lose, except maybe some unwanted pounds? Warning, you may GAIN friendships, high self esteem and a bigger smile on your face! Sometimes we are our own big-gest obstacle, so push your doubt out of the way and join us on Tuesdays and Thursdays!

AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE

Tuesday & Thursday @ 7pm

This class is a ministry; therefore, we do not want to charge for it. We have been asked by several participants if there was a way to give back and now there is. We have decided as a class to adopt a girl named Ruth from Paraguay. The cost is $32/month which, besides her basic needs, also helps to pay for a good Christian education. This is NOT a requirement to be a part of our class. This is an opportunity for those who can and are able to contribute. If you are un-able, that’s fine. There is in no way any pressure because God will provide! Look for a box at the sign in table if you choose to donate.

GOT A SWEET TOOTH?Top Reasons to Avoid SugarDid you know that cancer cannot live in the presence of oxygen and feeds on sugar? In light of that information, I’d like to share just a few of the 78 reasons to avoid sugar from the writings of Dr. Victor Frank, founder/creator of Total Body Modification. According to Dr. Frank sugar can cause or contribute to:

• Hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating• Quickened aging• Asthma• Appendicitis • Osteoporosis • Food allergies• Eczema in children• Cataracts

If you would like to know more, search online for the 78 rea-sons to avoid sugar. Remember my pre-cious brothers and sisters in Christ, “I pray

that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers!” 3 John 2 (NASB) Mona Johnston

• Constipation• Myopia• Depression• Hormonal Balance• Alzheimer’s Disease

A Note From Shelli Wassall

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We are excited to an-nounce the opening of the church’s new food pantry, the Faith

Community Market Place. Doors will open late this summer, and construction is already under-way in the Scottsdale building. The Market Place will be located next to the Peace by Piece Clothes Closet.

With more than 20,000 people in Jefferson Coun-ty living at or below poverty level, we see a real need to reach out as part of Christ’s body to be His hands and feet. Considering His mandate and heart for the needy, Jesus said, “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 13:13-14. While we are not necessarily having banquets, you get the picture. We believe we have a responsibil-ity to give our neighbors not a handout, but a “hand-up” through the good news of the gospel of Christ Jesus. In the future we hope to provide additional resources like budget planning, addic-tion recovery and job training.

With God’s blessing, as well as our Pastors’, we embark on this new adventure. That being said,

The Market Place will require many volunteers to make it happen. Are you looking for a place to get involved with the community? This is your op-portunity! Various volunteer positions will become available soon, as well as the necessary training. Perhaps you’re thinking “my life is ready to be put on a shelf, collecting dust,” but let’s think again. Are we breathing? Aha! That is positive proof our Lord is not finished with us quite yet. Young or old, strong in body, mind and Holy Spirit there is a purpose He has for you to fulfill in this generation. His pleasure is the redemp-tion of souls and He desires to use us. Let the endeavor begin!

THE MARKET PLACE@ Faith Community Church

OH TASTE & SEETHAT THE LORD IS

GOODPSALM 38:4a

Festival of the NationsA Tour Around the World in St. Louis

Tower Grove Park

This free, annual event is our region’s pre-mier multicultural celebration, featuring over 40 ethnic food booths, non-stop dance and music, arts and crafts, and an international bazaar with unique gifts from around the world. You’ll get to take a tour of different areas throughout the world right here in St. Louis. Full details of this year’s event will be released on their website beginning August 1.

www.festivalofnationsstl.org

August 25: 10am-7pmAugust 26: 10am-6pm

Mark & Maureen LauerThe Market Place Directors

If you would like to be a part of this new ministry, visit their Faith Connect page to find out more.

Faith-Community.org/Connect

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THE BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERINGWhy It’s Good For You To ServeWith busy lives, it can be hard to find time to volunteer. However, the benefits of volunteering are enormous to you, your family, and the community. It can help you find friends, learn new skills, and even advance your career. Volun-teering can also help protect your men-tal and physical health.

Volunteering Helps You Make New Friends & ContactsOne of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relation-ships is to commit to a shared activity together. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to an area. Volunteering also strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your support network, exposing you to people with common interests, neighborhood resources, and fun and fulfilling activities.

Volunteering as a FamilyWhile it might be a challenge to coordi-nate everyone’s schedules, volunteer-ing as a family has many worthwhile benefits. Children watch everything you do. By giving back to the community, you show them firsthand how volunteering makes a difference and how good it feels to help others and enact change. It’s also a valuable way for you to get to know organizations in the community and find resources and activities for your children and family.

Volunteering is Good For Your Mind & Body • Volunteering Increases self-confidence: Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity. And the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.

• Volunteering combats depression: Reducing the risk of depression is another important benefit of volunteering. A key risk factor for depression is social isolation. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against stress and depression when you’re going through challenging times.

How to Find the Right Volunteer OpportunityThere are numerous volunteer opportunities avail-able. The key is to find a volunteer position that you would enjoy and are capable of doing. It’s also important to make sure that your commitment matches the organization’s needs. The following questions can help you narrow your options:• Are you better behind the scenes or do you pre-fer to take a more visible role?• How much time are you willing to commit?• How much responsibility are you ready to have?• What skills can you bring to a volunteer job?• What causes are important to you?

When it comes to volunteering, passion and positiv-ity are the only requirementsWhile learning new skills can be beneficial to many, it’s not a requirement for a fulfilling volunteer ex-perience. Bear in mind that the most valuable skills you can bring to any volunteer effort are compas-sion, an open mind, a willingness to do whatever is needed, and a positive attitude.

For opportunities to serve at Faith Community, visit Faith-Community.Org/Connect

Information from “Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits” on Helpguide.org

Julie Nunn helping prepare Christmas Food Baskets for families during the holidays

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FAITH STUDENT MINISTRIESFSM UPDATE

In the months of May and June we celebrate

two of the most important days in the year: Mother’s and Father’s Day. Many holidays remind us of past events and leaders that made a difference, but these particular holidays are dedicated specifically to the celebration of parents. It’s our chance to honor and recognize those that have a big impact in our lives. In our culture, parenting has become down played, but in reality, it is a lost art. Parenting is one of the greatest callings, it’s a difficult task at times because it often gets overlooked and has many challenges. As we parent, we have to make a decision to invest all we have to reach our children. However, with our jobs, long hours, and housework, we often times slip into a rut of just getting by instead of being purposeful in our parenting. I believe if you focus on these three items you will begin to take steps towards being a parent that invests in your children:

1. Get In Their WorldSometimes we get overwhelmed because things are different than when we were younger. Young people today deal with so many things that we honestly don’t understand. It’s easy for us to discount and shrug off things in their life, but things happen when we invest and get in their world. In the coming months look at the many things going on in their lives and pick 1-2 that you are going to learn more about.This will show your children that you care, and give you a more influential voice.

2. Invite Others InAt times, our words seem to fall on deaf ears, especially in the teenage years. That’s when we have to find ways for others to come in and be a supportive voice in our children’s lives. This takes us approaching and ask-ing others to help us. Most adults are willing to step in and help, but won’t without being asked. They want to make sure they don’t cross any lines or step on any toes, but will jump in to help if asked. This Summer, look for

people you know to step into your children’s lives that can be a supportive voice.

3. Stay ConsistentWhen we interact with our chil-dren one of the most important things is to stay consistent. We have heard in the past of stay-ing consistent with discipline, but I also believe that it is important to stay consistent in how we interact with them. I know this is hard because it means we have to look past our tiredness and invest our time in our children. So this Summer look for ways to get out and spend time with your children weekly.

It is my prayer that you will know how important you are in your child’s life. I know it is hard to stay in the trenches year in and year out with what you do being overlooked. But let me encour-age you that you are making a difference and will have an impact. Stay in there and know you will see the rewards in time. I will be praying for you as we are in this thing called parenting together.

// Pastor Patrick Ringler

Check this book out for a great perspective o n parenting

CAMP INFO6.8 Camp (Ozarks)•June 10 - 12• Final Deadline: June 1 - $150

9.12 Camp (Desperation)•June 25 - July 1• Deadlines: June 1 - $200Final Deadline: June 17 - $250*Registration forms are due by deadline w/ $50 deposit. Balance to be paid at departure.

Facebook.com/FSMisYOU• Newsletters• Podcasts• Texting Updates

Twitter.com/F_S_M• Quick Updates

You can also contact Pastor Patrick at patrick@faith-community.org or 636.748.0376

Faith Community ChurchOf House Springs, MO

Phone: 636.671.4190 Fax: 636.671.0309WWW.FAITH-COMMUNITY.ORG

Faith Connection (USPS; 370-150)4824 Scottsdale (HWY 30)House Springs, MO 63051-2103

Periodial Postage

PAIDat House Springs, MO

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry “Abba! Father!”

1st service................. 9am2nd service............... 10:30amSmall Groups........... 9 & 10:30amChildren’s Church...10:30am

Adult Bible Study..... 7pmYouth Service............ 7pmRoyal Rangers & Missionettes.............. 7pm

Wednesday

WORSHIPSERVICES

Romans 8:15

Sunday