Happy New Year

I hope that your “tweener” week is going well. I am praying that you are getting some time to rest and/or catch up on things at work.

I am excited about the New Year and I am excited about what God is doing in you and in Venice Church. I am excited about how God is working through you and through Venice Church.

We are going to hit the ground running this Sunday with this new series “Live Like There’s No Tomorrow”. Many believe that the world will end in 2012. We are going to talk about the validity of that belief and what it means to our lives.

And then…and then…beginning on Sunday January 16th we are going to begin a series called “SEXpectations”. We are going to see what the Bible says about God and sex, single sex, married sex, same sex, and all kinds of other aspects of sex. It will be a great time to invite a friend. Just a warning…this series will be PG-13 in some regards. If you have a Middle School student with you in the services you may want to plan to have some conversations with them that center around the messages.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Happy New Year!


Upcoming Events:
January 15th – Men’s Ministry
January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat
January 30th – Annual Business Meeting
February 6th - Communion

Stop

Dear Venice Family,

Stop. Please stop. Just stop long enough this week to thank Almighty God for sending His Son to live among us and die among us and to rise again among us. He came that we might have life. He came that we might be forgiven. He came so that we could be reunited with Almighty God.
Give gifts. Open gifts. Eat. A lot. And stop. Stop long enough to give thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ this Christmas.

Merry Christmas!
Craig


Upcoming Events:
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service @ 6:00 PM.
January 15th – Men’s Ministry
January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat
January 30th – Annual Business Meeting

Christmas Time Is Here

My prayer is that you are enjoying the Christmas Season. Many members of our church family will be traveling over the next couple of weeks. Please pray that God would keep them all safe during their travels.

If you are in town I trust that you are making plans to be with us on Sunday and on Christmas Eve. We are blessed to have such a wonderful season where we can focus on and remember God’s wonderful plan to save us. This is a wonderful time to invite somebody to a service. Take advantage of your opportunity.

Take care. Stay safe.


Upcoming Events:
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service @ 6:00 PM.
January 15th – Men’s Ministry
January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat
January 30th – Annual Business Meeting

Stuff...

Amy is making good progress and her recovery is on schedule. She is healing and getting stronger every day. Thank you all for your continued prayer and support.

A couple of reminders…don’t forget to bring an ornament for the Christmas tree in the lobby. We are counting on you to decorate it with your own personal tradition and flair. Thanks for participating.

And…our annual Christmas Card exchange has begun. There will be two gift boxes in the lobby. You can drop off cards for church family members by the first letter of their last name. And of course, please pick up your cards under your last name.


Upcoming Events:
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service @ 6:00 PM.
January 15th – Men’s Ministry
January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat
January 30th – Annual Business Meeting

Thanks for Your Prayers

Amy and I covet your prayers today. Amy had some emergency “minor” surgery yesterday in the ER. She is at home recovering and is pretty uncomfortable. Her recovery time will be about 10 days. Thank you for all of your prayers and concern.

A couple of reminders…don’t forget to bring an ornament for the Christmas tree in the lobby. We are counting on you to decorate it with your own personal tradition and flair. Thanks for participating.
And…our annual Christmas Card exchange will begin on Sunday. There will be two gift boxes in the lobby. You can drop off cards for church family members by the first letter of their last name. And of course, please pick up your cards under your last name.

Ladies, your Christmas Party is Saturday evening. Check with Becky Henson for more information.
Men, your Men’s Ministry Meeting is Sunday right after church. Check with Brad Jensen for more information or hit them up at Venice Men’s Ministry on Facebook.



Upcoming Events:
December 4th – Women’s Ministry Christmas Party
December 5th – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service @ 6:00 PM.
January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat

Serve Somebody

God has blessed you so that you can be a blessing. This week, give thanks for all that God has done for you and then serve somebody with your gifts, talents, abilities, resources and experiences. You have the Holy Spirit. You have the power. You have been gifted. Give thanks. Give back.

And…here is a service opportunity for you. This Sunday @ 2:00 PM we will be decorating the church for Christmas. Everyone is invited and welcome to help. Even if you cannot help on Sunday we would love for you to be involved. We would like the Christmas tree in the lobby to reflect our families and traditions so please bring an ornament (not a new one, but one that has been around a while) with you to church to hang on the tree in the lobby. Bring an ornament and place it on the tree in the lobby on this Sunday.

Upcoming Events:
November 28th – Christmas Decorating @ 2:00 PM
December 4th – Women’s Ministry Christmas Party
December 5th – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service @ 6:00 PM.
January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat

60/60 Rolls On

Dear Venice Family,

For us to become all that God intended we need people around us. We don’t need people around us to remind us of the junk and baggage that we are leaving behind. We need people around us to remind us that God has created as His masterpiece and that we are created anew in Christ so that we can become all that He planned. We need people to remind us to stay willing before God. We need people to encourage us to hang with God so that He can remove all the baggage and all the stuff that has kept us from being and living as God intended, as the masterpiece that He created us to be. We need a lot of encouragement. The Bible says it this way.

Hebrews3:12-13
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13) You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

This week in the 60/60 Experiment we will learn how to develop new habits that will allow us to stay willing to follow God’s leading and become all that He intended. Read chapters 12 &13 in Soul Revolution. Hang in there. We are almost home.

Blessings,
Craig



Hey Family,

I would like to touch base with you on few items this week. Here is what you need to know…

On Sunday November 28th @ 2:00 PM we will be decorating the church for Christmas. I would like the Christmas tree in the lobby to reflect our families and traditions. Please bring an ornament of your choosing and place it on the tree in the lobby beginning on the 28th.

Ladies…if you have not RSVP’d for the Ladies Christmas Party you can do so by responding to this email or let Becky Henson know by sending her an email at henson.becky@yahoo.com.

And finally…we need to deliver the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to the Palisades this week. We need a large vehicle or truck to get the job done. If you can help with your time and your vehicle it would be greatly appreciated.

Much Love,
Amy



Upcoming Events:

December 4th – Women’s Ministry Christmas Party

December 5th – Men’s Ministry

December 24th – Christmas Eve Service @ 6:30 PM.

January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat

Get Baptized This Sunday!

We all desire to be known and loved. We all long to be known and loved and yet there are things about us that we don’t want people to know about us because if they knew those things that would not love us and they would not want to know us. If people really knew us they would not love us and so we try to bury those things. We run from those things. We hide from those things. What we begin to discover and realize is that we can’t hide from them. They actually contaminate our lives. They keep us from experiencing what we long for…to be loved.

This week in the 60/60 Experiment we will learn how to move past our pride so that we can bring our failures into the light so that God can remove them. Read chapters 10-13 in Soul Revolution. You will be glad that you did.

And…if you have not been baptized and would like to be baptized…we will baptize in the Worship Center this Sunday near the end of the service.. If you have questions about baptism or would like to sign up to be baptized you can respond to this email and I will contact you with everything that you need to know.

Upcoming Events:
November 11th – EPIC Winter Camp
November 14th – Baptism
December 4th – Women’s Ministry Christmas Party
January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat

Fall Back

God wants to take the torn pieces of our lives and our relationships and He wants to rework them and make them new. As we are willing to place our lives and our relationships in His hand He reclaims and reforms and reconciles our relationships. He takes them and forms then into something new. This will be one of God’s primary objectives as we stay connected to Him. Spiritual growth is all about relationships. It is about learning to love God and learning to love people. That is what we are doing in this 60/60 Experiment. We learn to love God and we demonstrate love for God when we respond to His involvement in our lives and as we willingly respond to his will throughout the day. As we talked about last week, we cannot really love God until we learn to love other people.
We can’t do this relationship thing alone. That is why we are learning to respond to God. We can’t do difficult relationships on our own. In fact, we can’t even do the good relationships well on our own. That is why we are learning to be connected and stay connected to God. This is why we are learning to hear and respond to the God promptings that we hear throughout our day. God wants to guide us and He wants to teach us how to love with a higher love.

If you receive this email, but are not a member of Venice Church but are interested in becoming a member of Venice Church then CLASS 101:Discovering Membership is for you. The class is being offered tomorrow evening at 7:00 PM. I would love to see you there. If you have any questions about the class just respond to this email.

Don’t forget to “fall back” on Saturday night. Set your clock back one hour or you will be very early for church on Sunday!

Men’s Ministry will meet this Sunday following the morning service. We will have Tito’s Tacos for lunch. For more information, search Venice Church Men’s Ministry on Facebook.

And…if you have not been baptized and would like to be baptized…we will baptize in the Worship Center on Sunday November 14th. If you have questions about baptism or would like to sign up to be baptized you can respond to this email and I will contact you asap.

Upcoming Events:
November 4th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership
November 7th – Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 7th – Men’s Ministry
November 11th – EPIC Winter Camp
November 14th – Baptism
December 4th – Women’s Ministry Christmas Party
January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat

This Sunday...

So we are reading this book together. We are meeting in groups together. We are setting alarms in our lives to go off every 60 minutes. It reminds us to stay focused on God. It reminds us that God is near and that He is interested. It reminds us of God’s presence. We want to hear from God in those moments and see the world through God’s eyes in those moments.

Here is what is wonderful and worrisome about this exercise. The more that I do this and the more I interact with people the more I realize God’s passion for people. The more I open my eyes and ears to see and hear what God sees and hears the more I see people around me. I see people that take time. I see people that require energy. I see people that take resources.

What I am hearing from others is that they are setting their ears and eyes to hear and see what God hears and sees and the difficult person at the office keeps showing up in their life. We get in tune with God and we see our impatience with our spouse or with our kids. We hear and see what God does and we notice more and more that needy person. This should not be a surprise because God loves people. When we look in the Scripture and we see the essence of God we see again and again that God loves people. You cannot love God without loving people.


And…don’t forget…
Trunk or Treat is this Sunday, Halloween Night, from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Postcard invitations are still available in the postcard rack in the information area. Take as many as you need to invite friends and family to this safe trick or treat alternative.

If you receive this email, but are not a member but are interested in becoming a member of Venice Church then CLASS 101:Discovering Membership is for you. The class is being offered on Thursday November 4th @ 7:00 PM. I would love to see you there. If you have any questions about the class just respond to this email.

Men’s Ministry will meet on Sunday November 7th following the morning service. We will have Tito’s Tacos for lunch. For more information, search Venice Church Men’s Ministry on Facebook.

Upcoming Events:
October 31st – Trunk or Treat
November 4th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership
November 7th – Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 7th – Men’s Ministry
November 11th – EPIC Winter Camp
November 14th – Baptism
December 4th – Women’s Ministry Christmas Party
January 28th – Women’s Ministry Retreat

Set Your Alarm

We are walking together through Soul Revolution and we are participating in the 60/60 Experiment. We are reading the book and setting alarms. What this does is interrupt our natural habit of going through the day ignoring God. We are using this to train us to realize that God is always with us and that He wants to be a part of our life, our day, and each moment. God wants to do life with us. God wants to be hour helper, guide, counselor and friend. He will be all of that if we will seek to stay connected to Him.

It is not too late to join us. Get a book in the coffee bar. If you want to walk through this with a group, respond to this email and I can recommend a good group to you. It is never too late to begin experiencing a relationship with God that is moment-by-moment and day-by-day where we actually hear from God.

And that may be the real question. Does God speak? If I get in this relationship with God, if I get connected to God, how do I know that what I am hearing is from God? How do I know that it is God? Well, it may be difficult to know when it is God. Maybe the way God speaks, in this broken world, is a different kind of way and if we keep ourselves distracted and noisy and busy maybe we never learn to hear. That is why we see this phrase throughout the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation we see the phrase, “any one with ears to hear should listen and understand.” What it means is that there is a spiritual kind of hearing and understanding that we must tune our spiritual ears to. Learning how to hear from God is what we hope to discover this Sunday as we continue with Soul Revolution. I look forward to seeing you then.

And…don’t forget…

Trunk or Treat is Halloween night from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Postcard invitations are now available in the postcard rack in the information area. Take as many as you need to invite friends and family to this safe trick or treat alternative.

If you receive this email, but are not a member but are interested in becoming a member of Venice Church then CLASS 101:Discovering Membership is for you. The class is being offered on Thursday November 4th @ 7:00 PM. I would love to see you there. If you have any questions about the class just respond to this email.

Men’s Ministry will meet on Sunday November 7th following the morning service. We will have Tito’s Tacos for lunch. For more information, search Venice Church Men’s Ministry on Facebook.



Upcoming Events:

October 31st – Trunk or Treat

November 4th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership

November 7th – Men’s Ministry

November 14th – Baptism

December 4th – Women’s Christmas Party

Soul Revolution

If you read the Scriptures, if you read the Bible from the beginning to the end, you see that we were created to be in an intimate and loving relationship with God. You will see that we were meant to do life with God at the center of our life. From Abraham to Moses to David and through all of the prophets in the Old Testament you see God call people into a love relationship with Him and you see them respond with love in return.

If we jump ahead into the New Testament we see that Jesus reiterates the words that Moses wrote when He says the two greatest commandments are to love God with all that you have and love your neighbor as yourself. The Scripture goes on to tell us that Jesus came to demonstrate God’s love for us. Jesus lived and served and loved so that God’s character would be revealed to us. Ultimately He demonstrated God’s love for us by dying on the cross for us to pay the penalty for our sin so that we might be restored to this love relationship with God that we were created for.

When we arrive at the last chapter of the last book of the Bible we see this picture of eternity and what we see there is what God calls His wedding day when all those that are pledged to Him are united with Him in love.

We were created to live life and to do life in a love relationship with God. We were created for intimacy with God. We are designed to live in God’s love, with God’s love and returning love to God. The real question is, the tough question is how do you do that?

That is what we hope to discover as we begin Soul Revolution this Sunday. The heart and soul of this emphasis is the 60/60 Experiment. So, get your alarm device ready to go and pick up your book at the Sunday Blend Coffee Shop or in your adult small group. The books are only $7.00. I know that this will be an exciting time in our spiritual development as individuals and as a church.

Just a couple of quick reminders….

Disco Night is Saturday night at 6:00 PM. It is a 70’s themed party so dress the part and come and hang out, have some dessert, and maybe dance a little. And…it is not about dancing. It is about hanging out with your church family and having a good time!! If you forgot to buy a ticket there is still room for you. Just let Amy (amersh55@yahoo.com) know by Thursday at 4:00 PM.

Trunk or Treat is Halloween night from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Postcard invitations are now available in the postcard rack in the information area. Take as many as you need to invite friends and family to this safe trick or treat alternative.

Upcoming Events:

October 16th – Disco Night

October 17th – New Series: Soul Revolution – The 60/60 Experiment

October 31st – Trunk or Treat

November 4th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership

November 7th – Men’s Ministry

November 14th – Baptism

December 4th – Women’s Christmas Party

Get Your Tickets to Disco Night

Disco Night on Saturday October 16th is a 70’s themed party so dress the part and come and hang out, have some dessert, and maybe dance a little. And…it is not about dancing. It is about hanging out with your church family and having a good time!! We need you to buy a ticket so that we know how many to prepare for. Tickets are $5.00 and are on sale in the Sunday Blend.

On Sunday October 17th we begin our walk through Soul Revolution. The heart and soul of this emphasis is the 60/60 Experiment. So, get your alarm device ready to go and pick up your book at the Sunday Blend Coffee Shop or in your adult small group. The books are only $7.00. I know that this will be an exciting time in our spiritual development as individuals and as a church.

Trunk or Treat is Halloween night from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Postcard invitations are now available. You will get one in your handout on Sunday and they will be available in the postcard rack in the information area. Take as many as you need to invite friends and family to this safe trick or treat alternative.


Upcoming Events:
October 16th – Disco Night
October 17th – New Series: Soul Revolution – The 60/60 Experiment
October 31st – Trunk or Treat
November 4th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership
November 7th – Men’s Ministry
November 14th – Baptism
December 4th – Women’s Christmas Party

L.A. Triathlon

Men’s Ministry kicks off Season Five this Saturday morning at 9:00 AM. We will enjoy breakfast together and then what I think will be a very interesting discussion on sin and salvation. Make your plans to join us, and if you need more info hit Venice Church Men’s Ministry on Facebook.

Alert! Alert! The L.A. Triathlon will be held on Sunday October 3rd. The bike portion of the race closes Venice Blvd. This can pose a problem for you finding your way to church. Please visit their website so that you may plan an alternate route if necessary. http://www.latriathlon.com/traffic_and_parking/

This Sunday we continue with our series Losing Your Religion. It is a time for all of us to grow and it will be a good time for your friend who doesn’t know Christ or is far from God to consider connecting or reconnecting with God. Take some of the postcard invites and invite somebody to come with you.

When we finish up with Losing Your Religion we will embark on a new study called Soul Revolution. Soul Revolution is a book by John Burke, the Lead Pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas. We will read the book together and each Sunday we will have a message that will reinforce what we read. You will begin reading and hearing about the 60/60 Experiment. You can get your copy of the book at the Sunday Blend Coffee Shop or in your adult small group. The books are only $7.00. What a deal!!

And finally…make plans to be with us for Disco Night on Saturday October 16th. It is a 70’s themed party so dress the part and come and hang out, have some dessert, and maybe dance a little. Tickets are $5.00 and are on sale in the Sunday Blend.

Upcoming Events:
October 2nd – Men’s Ministry
October 3rd – L.A. Triathlon
October 16th – Disco Night
October 17th – New Series: Soul Revolution – The 60/60 Experiment
October 31st – Trunk or Treat
November 4th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership
November 7th – Men’s Ministry
November 14th – Baptism
December 4th – Women’s Christmas Party

Losing Your Religion

This Sunday we continue with our series Losing Your Religion. It is a time for all of us to grow and it will be a good time for your friend who doesn’t know Christ or is far from God to consider connecting or reconnecting with God. Take some of the postcard invites and invite somebody to come with you.
And…this is very important. To make the most of the new series you need to attend a small group where you can discuss each week’s lesson. There is no better time to join a small group and get involved at Venice Church in a deeper and more meaningful way. You can see a complete list of small group opportunities at the website venicechurch.com. Please contact me if I can assist you in a finding a group that is right for you.

The L.A. Triathlon will be held on Sunday October 3rd. The bike portion of the race closes Venice Blvd. This can pose a problem for you finding your way to church. Please visit their website so that you may plan an alternate route if necessary. http://www.latriathlon.com/traffic_and_parking/

And finally…make plans to be with us for Disco Night on Saturday October 16th. It is a 70’s themed party so dress the part and come and hang out, have some dessert, and maybe dance a little. Tickets are $5.00 and are on sale in the Sunday Blend.

Upcoming Events:
October 2nd – Men’s Ministry
October 3rd – L.A. Triathlon
October 16th – Disco Night
October 17th – New Series: Soul Revolution – The 60/60 Experiment
October 31st – Trunk or Treat
November 4th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership
November 7th – Men’s Ministry
November 14th – Baptism
December 4th – Women’s Christmas Party

Disco Night

Amy here…I am happy that the men had a great trip. I am glad they are home. My husband is here to protect me so I don’t have to sleep with a golf club and tennis racket nearby for protection!

It is so far out that we are having Disco Night at Venice Church on Saturday October 16th @ 6:00 PM. The preparations are coming together and tickets are on sale in the Sunday Blend, which is the coffee shop, beginning this Sunday. Tickets are $5.00 and this is for adults only.

Speaking of the Sunday Blend…coffee and donuts are available every Sunday beginning at 9:00 AM. This month’s drink of the month is an Orange Julius…totally a 70’s thing! Karen Montez and I had so much fun remembering our High School days as we sipped Orange Julius on Sunday. If you haven’t visited the Blend, come a bit early and check it out. We have quality products at reasonable prices.

And…Craig here…This Sunday we will begin a new series of messages called Losing Your Religion. We will talk about some of the obstacles that hinder people from coming to Christ and following Christ. It will be a time for all of us to grow and it will be a good time for your friend who doesn’t know Christ or is far from God to consider connecting or reconnecting with God. Invite somebody to come with you.

And…this is very important. To make the most of the new series you need to attend a small group where you can discuss each week’s lesson. There is no better time to join a small group and get involved at Venice Church in a deeper and more meaningful way. You can see a complete list of small group opportunities at the website venicechurch.com.


Upcoming Events:
Septebmer 19th – October 10th New! Message Series: Losing Your Religion
October 2nd – Men’s Ministry Meeting
October 16th – Disco Night
October 30th – Trunk or Treat
November 11th – EPIC Youth Ministry Winter Camp

Hatch On Sunday

Amy and I are home safely. We had a wonderful time in Hawaii and Shaun and Katy Tucker’s wedding was amazing! We were blessed to be a part of it.

It will be great to have my dear friend Robert Hatch with us on Sunday. Hatch will be preaching in the morning service at 10:00 AM and then will be our speaker on the Men’s Ministry Road Trip this coming Sunday through Tuesday. Please pray for the service and for the Men’s Trip.

On Sunday September 19th I will begin a new series of messages called Losing Your Religion. We will talk about some of the obstacles that hinder people from coming to Christ and following Christ. It will be a time for all of us to grow and it will be a good time for your friend who doesn’t know Christ or is far from God to consider connecting or reconnecting with God. Invite somebody to come with you.
And…this is very important. To make the most of the new series you need to attend a small group where you can discuss each week’s lesson. There is no better time to join a small group and get involved at Venice Church in a deeper and more meaningful way. You can see a complete list of small group opportunities at the website venicechurch.com or in your handout on Sunday.

Upcoming Events:
September 12th – Guest Speaker: Robert Hatch
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
Septebmer 19th – October 10th New! Message Series: Losing Your Religion
October 16th – Disco Night

Hawaii

Amy and I are off to Hawaii later today. Please pray for us as we travel and pray that God will be honored as Shaun & Katy are married on Sunday.

For all of you that are surfers or aspiring surfers…Seek N Surf is this Saturday. In the water at 7:30 AM at El Porto #43. Check them out on Facebook for more information.

Men! Our road trip is coming up September 12th – 14th. Brad will fill you in on all the details at the meeting this Sunday. Meet near the piano immediately following the service. For more info in the mean time…contact Brad Jensen at bradjensen7@sbcglobal.net.


Upcoming Events:
September 4th – Seek N Surf
September 5th – Richie Henson Speaking
September 12th – Guest Speaker: Robert Hatch
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

Prayer, House boating, etc...

This Saturday our Just Pray ministry is hosting a prayer “retreat” in Temescal Canyon. All are invited to attend and participate. You are welcome to attend all of the retreat or just come for some segments. Feel free to come and go. For more information contact them at justprayvbc@gmail.com.

Men! Our road trip is coming up September 12th – 14th. That is just over two weeks away. We are going to be house boating on Lake Mojave. It will be spectacular. There is still some space available. It is a great time. We would love for you to go. For more information or to sign up, contact Brad Jensen at bradjensen7@sbcglobal.net.

Ladies, plans and preparations are underway for your 2010-2011 Ladies Ministry season. Look for an information email and check your handout on Sunday for a list of events.


Upcoming Events:
August 28th – Just Pray Retreat
September 5th – Richie Henson Speaking
September 12th – Guest Speaker: Robert Hatch
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

We Made It Back...

It is great to be home. We had a wonderful time in Chicago. It is a great city with great people and many things to see and do. We saw and did just about everything in 5 days! We are just awesome like that. We did miss being here with you on Sunday. I have heard that you guys had a great time. My mom and dad always love being here. Dad’s message was right on as always. The message is now available, if you missed it or if you just want to listen again.

This Saturday our Just Pray ministry is hosting a prayer “retreat” in Temescal Canyon. All are invited to attend and participate. For more information contact them at justprayvbc@gmail.com.

Men! Our road trip is coming up September 12th – 14th. Space is filling up quickly. You better get signed up! We are going to be houseboating on Lake Mojave. It will be spectacular.

Upcoming Events:
August 28th – Just Pray Retreat
September 5th – Richie Henson Speaking
September 12th – Guest Speaker: Robert Hatch
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

A little trip to the Windy City...

Another reminder…for your convenience the Sunday morning messages are now available online. You can listen to the message online or you can download the message and take it with you on your handheld device. You can link to the messages through the website (venicechurch.com) or you can subscribe to the podcast at iTunes. Just search Venice Church Podcast in the iTunes store. Unfortunately, the messages will no longer be available on cd. I apologize for any inconvenience.

On Saturday August 28th our Just Pray ministry is hosting a prayer “retreat” in Temescal Canyon. All are invited to attend and participate. For more information contact them at justprayvbc@gmail.com.

The next Seek N Surf is coming on Saturday August 14th at Manhattan Beach Pier. Beach Volleyballers are also welcome. Mark Coleman is getting that rolling. In the water at 7:00 AM and the devotion will follow at 8:30. For more information you can find them on Facebook or email them at seeknsurf@gmail.com.

Men! Our road trip is coming up September 12th – 14th. Space is filling up quickly. You better get signed up! We are going to be houseboating on Lake Mojave. It will be spectacular.

This is an exciting week for Amy and me. On Wednesday we will celebrate our 26th Wedding Anniversary. God has been so good to us. His mercies never fail. God has been especially good to me. Amy is the great blessing of my life. We enjoy our life together here so much. We love and enjoy serving with you here at Venice Church.

And…on Thursday we leave for 5 days in Chicago. It is a little vacation just to see the Windy City. All of the kids are going along. We will have a great time. I will see you a week from Sunday. I know that you will enjoy hearing my dad speak on Sunday. Mom and dad always enjoy being here.

Upcoming Events:
August 14th – Seek N Surf
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
August 28th – Just Pray Retreat
September 5th – Richie Henson Speaking
September 12th – Guest Speaker: Robert Hatch
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

Just Pray

I have exciting news! For your convenience the Sunday morning messages will now be available online. You can listen to the message online or you can download the message and take it with you on your handheld device. You can link to the messages through the website, my blog, or you can subscribe to the podcast at iTunes. Just search Venice Church Podcast in the iTunes store. Unfortunately, the messages will no longer be available on cd. I apologize for any inconvenience.

Our prayer ministry, Just Pray, has a couple of events coming up this month. This Friday evening they are going to the Venice Boardwalk to take some food and to pray with people there. On Saturday August 28th they are having a prayer “retreat” in Temescal Canyon. All are invited to attend and participate. For more information contact them at justprayvbc@gmail.com.

The next Seek N Surf is coming on Saturday August 14th at Manhattan Beach Pier. Beach Volleyballers are also welcome. Mark Coleman is getting that rolling. In the water at 7:00 AM and a devotion will follow at 8:30. For more information you can find them on Facebook or email them at seeknsurf@gmail.com.

Men! Our road trip is coming up September 12th – 14th. Space is filling up quickly. You better get signed up! We are going to be houseboating on Lake Mojave. It will be spectacular.

Upcoming Events:
August 6th – Just Pray @ the Venice Boardwalk
August 14th – Seek N Surf
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
August 28th – Just Pray Retreat
September 5th – Richie Henson Speaking
September 12th – Guest Speaker: Robert Hatch
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

Podcast

I am happy to inform you that we are just days away from having our sermons online. You can listen here and very soon you will be able to subscribe to the podcast through itunes and other outlets.
Feel free to begin listening here.

Church Picnic

We are having a picnic on Saturday and it will be tons of fun. We will be at Kronenthal Park (http://www.culvercity.org/Government/PRCS/Parks/ParkSites/KronenthalPark.aspx) in Culver City from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Everybody is welcome. There is a great playground for the kids. There is shade. Bring your own lunch and beverages. You may not bring your own grill, however there is some space to grill there at the park. For those that are interested there will be a soccer match at 10:00 AM sharp. Softball will follow lunch at 1:00 PM. Come on out and enjoy the mild summer temperatures and the lovely company.

Men! Our road trip is coming up September 12th – 14th. Space is filling up quickly. You better get signed up! We are going to be houseboating on Lake Mojave. It will be spectacular.

Upcoming Events:
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 5th – Richie Henson Speaking
September 12th – Guest Speaker: Robert Hatch
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

Upcoming Stuff

If you are into surfing or are learning or want to learn our Seek N Surf ministry may be for you. They are meeting again this Saturday July 24th at Lifeguard 43 El Porto at 7:00 AM. It is a great way to connect with people here at Venice Church. If you want more information hit them on Facebook. Just search Seek N Surf.

Our church picnic is just over a week away on Saturday July 31st at Kronenthal Park in Culver City. We will have a great time. Bring your own lunch and beverages. You can find more details in the handout on Sunday.

Have a wonderful week.

Upcoming Events:
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 5th – Richie Henson Speaking
September 12th – Guest Speaker: Robert Hatch
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

Sound System

I trust that your week is going well. Mine is going quite well, thank you. I hope that you are enjoying our study in Philippians. To date we have talked about living with joy in our relationships and in our circumstances. This Sunday we are going to tackle our attitudes. Our attitudes have a lot to do with our joy and Paul will teach us the attitudes that lead to joy in our lives. To whet your appetite you might want to read Philippians 2:1-15.

If you are into surfing or are learning or want to learn our Seek N Surf ministry may be for you. They are meeting again on Saturday July 24th at Lifeguard 43 El Porto at 7:00 AM. It is great way to connect with people here at Venice Church. If you want more information hit them on Facebook. Just search Seek N Surf.

Make your plans to be with us for the church picnic on July 31st. We had a great time last year and you can expect more of the same this year. Bring your own lunch and beverages. You can find more details in the handout on Sunday.

And…Lord, willing our sound system repair and upgrade will be completed this week. God is good.

Have a wonderful week.

Upcoming Events:
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 5th – Richie Henson Speaking
September 12th – Guest Speaker: Robert Hatch
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

Complaining??

Okay…so here is my question today. Why is everybody complaining about the weather? It’s just a little mist. I know. I know. It’s supposed to be summer, but would you rather be in New York where it is 105 with humidity? I don’t know about you, but I can’t be out in the weather right now anyway…cause I’m working. And you can be sure of this. We will all be complaining when we are paying for this in October when it will be 90 on the Westside. I’m just sayin…

Here is a quick sound system update. We are making good progress. We survived on Sunday despite a couple of hiccups. We have one more Sunday with some of the older equipment and by Sunday the 18th…we should have all of our new equipment in place and up to speed. Thank you for your patience and prayers.

And…make your plans to be with us for the church picnic on July 31st. We had a great time last year and you can expect more of the same this year. You can find details in the handout on Sunday.

Have a wonderful week.

Upcoming Events:
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 5th – Richie Henson Speaking
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

July 4th

Please join us for a portion of your 4th of July this Sunday. We are going to begin our series in the book of Philippians. For the remainder of the summer we will be discovering how to live with great joy. Please invite somebody to be here with you. As always, our service begins at 10:00 AM.

You may or may not know that we are having some serious difficulties with our sound system. We have enlisted some very good professional help and we are hoping to be functioning at an optimum level in the very near future. I would appreciate your prayers in this matter.

And…make your plans to be with us for the church picnic on July 31st. We had a great time last year and you can expect more of the same this year. You can find details in the handout on Sunday.

Have a wonderful week.


Upcoming Events:
July 4th – Philippians: 9 Secrets to Expressing Great Joy
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

EPIC Camp

The Touching Base is coming out a little early this week because I am taking a little vacation time. We are going to spending some time with my parents who are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. God has been very good to our family. I will miss seeing you on Sunday. My friend Dennis Carlson will be here to preach. I know that you will enjoy Dennis and Sandra. They are great people.

The teenagers leave for camp on Wednesday. Pray for their safety and that God would work in their lives during their special time away.

Have a great week. I will drop you a line next week at the regular time.

Upcoming Events:
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp
June 27th – Guest Speaker: Dennis Carlson
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip
October 16th – Disco Night

Father's Day

This Sunday should be a great day at Venice Church. It is Father’s Day and we encourage you to honor the dads by wearing your favorite sports team gear. Make your plans to arrive early. The Sunday Blend, our coffee bar, will be serving FREE Krispy Kreme Donuts and Coffee.

If you did not have a chance to get connected with our surfing ministry this past week you have another opportunity. Seek N Surf will meet this Saturday at 7:00 AM just off of Ocean Park at Hollister. For more information you can find Seek N Surf on Facebook.


Upcoming Events:
June 19th – Seek N Surf
June 20th – Father’s Day – Wear your favorite sports team gear!
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp
June 27th – Guest Speaker: Dennis Carlson
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip

Seek N Surf 2010

God is blessing Venice Church in many wonderful ways. One of the ways is with guests. Since Easter Sunday we have given out over 100 gift bags to first time guests. That is amazing. Here is the cool thing. Every single guest is a person that God loves and wants in His family. Please pray that many who visit will come to know Christ and will find a church family with us here at Venice.

We need your help. We are looking for people who are interested in serving by greeting our guests and our church family before our Sunday services. If you are looking for a place to serve, energetic, and friendly we would love to have you join our team. If you are interested, please respond to this email.

Our Seek N Surf ministry kicks off it’s 2010 season this Saturday. They are meeting at the Manhattan Beach Pier from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM on Saturday. Go check it out. It is a great time in the surf. You can find Seek N Surf on Facebook.

And…men…I know that it seems early but you need to start making your plans and signing up for our Men’s Ministry Road Trip that is coming up on September 12th. Details will be coming your way in the next few weeks.


Upcoming Events:
June 12th – Seek N Surf Summer Kickoff
June 20th – Father’s Day – Wear your favorite sports team gear!
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp
June 27th – Guest Speaker: Dennis Carlson
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip

Information

There is some very cool stuff coming up in the next few days and weeks. This week’s email will serve to remind you to get connected and stay connected and to get involved and stay involved.

This Saturday our Ladies Ministry and our Rockstars Children’s Ministry is combining to assemble 100 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. It will be a great time and is a wonderful opportunity to bless some less fortunate children in the world. It all starts at 1:00 PM here at the church.

This Sunday, immediately following the service, is our EPIC Student Ministry Camp Fundraiser. Lunch will be served and you will have an opportunity to bless one of our students by helping them get to camp. The cost of camp is $200.00. Please make plans to attend the lunch and please pray about the part that God would have you play in helping a teenager go to camp. You may want to give a full scholarship or a1/2 scholarship. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Our surfing ministry, Seek N Surf, will kick off the 2010 season on Saturday June 12th. They will be hanging ten at the Manhattan Beach Pier from 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM. For more information check them out on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/seeknsurf?ref=ts

Sunday morning we continue our series Too Good To Be True. Romans 8:28 says all things work together for good. Is everything good? Is it too good to be true? We will discover the truth together on Sunday. I will see you then.


Upcoming Events:
June 5th – Women’s Ministry & Rockstars Christmas in June
June 6th – Epic Camp Fundraiser
June 12th – Seek N Surf Summer Kickoff
June 20th – Father’s Day – Wear your favorite sports team gear!
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp
June 27th – Guest Speaker: Dennis Carlson
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip

Big Time Blessing

You guys are unbelievable!! Your generosity is beyond belief. Your response to the Lyons family was fantastic. You honored them with a $3,019.00 love offering. What a blessing to that family and what an awesome testimony to your faithfulness. I am so proud of our church.

Please pray with me as we consider the Lyons family for full-time support. I believe that they would be a fine addition to our Missions family and they fit precisely with our Missions vision.

This week I will begin a new series called Too Good To Be True. There are some things in the Bible that have become cliché and in some cases they seem to be too good to be true. This Sunday we will talk about faith. Did Jesus really say, “if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could move mountains,”? Is that what he really meant? What did he mean? Is it too good to be true? We’ll find out on Sunday.

Have a wonderful week.

Upcoming Events:
June 5th – Women’s Ministry & Rockstars Christmas in June
June 6th – Epic Camp Fundraiser
June 20th – Father’s Day – Wear your favorite sports team gear!
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp
June 27th – Guest Speaker: Dennis Carlson
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip

Big Week

It will be our pleasure to have Luke and Kelly Lyons with us on Sunday. They will be telling us about what God has called them to in the Philippines. If you would like to learn more about them in advance you can go to impactingasia.org.
We will be receiving a love offering for them at the end of the service. This is how it will work. We will receive our regular offering at the usual time in the service and then we will have the folks bring the baskets by a second time and we will receive a separate offering for the Lyons. I wanted to give you a heads up so that you are prepared. I know that you will enjoy meeting and hearing from the Lyons.

And…God has added another to our church family. I am pleased to tell you that Alex and Christy Sears are the proud parents (and Colton the big brother of) another beautiful boy. Sebastian was born Tuesday morning and weighed in at 9 lbs. 8 oz. The Lord has truly blessed the Sears family.

I pray that you are enjoying your damp week. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Upcoming Events:
May 23rd – Missionaries Luke & Kelly Lyons
June 5th – Women’s Ministry & Rockstars Christmas in June
June 6th – Epic Camp Fundraiser
June 20th – Father’s Day
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp
June 27th – Guest Speaker: Dennis Carlson
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip

The Time Is Now

I told you that it was coming and it has arrived. God has presented us with three wonderful mission projects that I would like to tell you about.

Gospel Alive is an organization that sponsors youth camps in Great Britain. The youth of England need desperately to know the truth about Jesus. Dale Peterson and Gospel Alive take the gospel there every summer. 53% of the students who attend the camp give their lives to Christ. We have the privilege of sponsoring 4 students that will attend a camp this summer. We are sending $1,000.00 to assist these students so that they can hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are also getting in on the ground floor of the Boston Project. The Boston Project is designed to start 5 new churches in the greater Boston area over the next 10 years. There are two churches that have started in the last five years that are doing well and will serve as the sending churches for the new church plants. Our Leadership Team believes that this is a worthwhile endeavor. Think about this. There are more Christ followers residing in Bagdad, Iraq than there are in Boston, Massachusetts. I know. That’s crazy right? We want to partner with other churches to start new churches in Boston. Support of this project will begin when the infrastructure is ready to receive funding.

And…Luke and Kelly Lyons will be with us on Sunday May 23rd to tell us more about what God has called them to do in Metro Manila in the Philippines. God is doing amazing things in the Philippines and I know that you will want to hear more about what God is doing through this young couple.

God is using us here to reach the people of Venice and the surrounding areas. God is using us to partner with others to reach around the world. I want to encourage you to continue to give your tithe to Venice Church so that we can reach our neighbors with the gospel, but let me encourage you to give to our missions program as well. I am excited about the new opportunities that God has and will put before us. Not all of us can go, but most of us can give. If you want to give to support projects like these make sure that you designate your mission offering on your envelope.

Have a great week and tell somebody about Jesus.


Upcoming Events:
May 23rd – Missionaries Luke & Kelly Lyons
June 5th – Women’s Ministry & Rockstars Christmas in June
June 6th – Epic Camp Fundraiser
June 20th – Father’s Day
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp
June 27th – Guest Speaker: Dennis Carlson
July 31st – Church Picnic
August 15th – Guest Speaker: Bob Henson
September 12th – 14th Men’s Road Trip

Missions

Over the next several weeks and months you will be presented with opportunities to impact the lives of people all over the world. You can read about the Operation Christmas Child project below and coming up on Sunday May 23rd a fine missionary couple, the Lyons, will be here to talk to us about what God is doing in Manila. More opportunities will be presented in the future.
It is our desire to put more missions opportunities before you on a more regular basis. So…this is what I would like for you to do for now. I believe that God would like for Venice Church to do more to support missions in our country and around the world. Would you pray with me that God would work in us and show us who to partner with? Would you pray about what God would have you do in the area of missions? It could be that you give to missions here at Venice and you will be moved to give more. It could be that you have not been giving to missions and God will move you to begin. For now…let’s pray together and see what God will do.

I am excited about the Rockstars Childrens Ministry and Ladies Ministry missions project. The kids and the ladies are partnering to send 100 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child this year. The project takes place on Saturday June 5th. There will be a flyer with details in your handout this Sunday. Even if you are not a kid or a lady you can participate. Contact Amy (amersh55@yahoo.com) for more information.

Get connected.
Stay connected.

Upcoming Events:
May 9th – Mother’s Day
May 23rd – Missionaries Luke & Kelly Lyons
June 5th – Women’s Ministry & Rockstars Christmas in June
June 6th – Epic Camp Fundraiser
June 20th – Father’s Day
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp
July 31st – Church Picnic

Mustache Challenge...Over

I kept it for three plus weeks, but it bugged.
Mustache Challenger...over and out.

Men's & Women's and Kid's Ministry Oh My

This Sunday our Men’s Ministry season wraps up with a BBQ at Bob Tripp’s house. Men, let me encourage you this way. If you have been attending the meetings this year…finish strong. Make the last meeting. Enjoy the fellowship. If you have not been attending the meetings…start with this one. I promise this. You will enjoy the food. You will enjoy the fellowship. You will not be lost during the lesson. You don’t need to have been at the meetings or read the book to follow this lesson. Most importantly, you will get your foot in the door, get acquainted with the guys, and you will hear about next season. Next season is going to kick off with a fantastic and fun trip. You will want to hear about it and when you hear about it you will want to go.

I am excited about the Rockstars Childrens Ministry and Ladies Ministry missions project. The kids and the ladies are partnering to send 100 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child this year. The project takes place on Saturday June 5th. There will be a flyer with details in your handout this Sunday. Even if you are not a kid or a lady you can participate. Contact Amy (amersh55@yahoo.com) for more information.

There is a lot of good stuff going on at Venice.
Get connected.
Stay connected.


Upcoming Events:
May 1st – Rockstars Portrait Party
May 2nd – Men’s Ministry
May 9th – Mother’s Day
May 23rd – Missionarires Luke & Kelly Lyons
June 5th – Women’s Ministry & Rockstars Christmas in June
June 6th – Epic Camp Fundraiser
June 20th – Father’s Day
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp

Kids...

Dreams do come true! We have and have had many dreams for Venice Church. Some of them are big dreams and some of them seem to be fairly simple dreams, but when they come true it is thrilling. I have always dreamed that God would fill our church nursery with babies. It seemed like it might never happen, but alas it has happened. We have new babies and more on the way. God is so good.

We have dreamed of a ministry for children that would be growing and thriving and God has blessed us with more and more children to minister to. This past Sunday we had 29 kids and 10 leaders working with them. We thank God for Richie, Becky and their entire team. I believe that God has bigger and better things in store for our kids and their families. Check out their upcoming events in the calendar below and look for details in the handout on Sunday.

And…we have dreamed of a youth ministry that is marked by love for God and love and acceptance of others. God has delivered there as well. Daniel, Kristen and their staff do a wonderful job. I am excited about what God has in store for the EPIC Student Ministry. Their camp is coming up on June 23rd. Please pray that God will have his hand on the camp. Please join them for their camp fund raiser after church on June 6th. You can be a blessing to a kid by giving to help them go to camp.

There is a lot of good stuff going on at Venice.
Get connected.
Stay connected.


Upcoming Events:
May 1st – Rockstars Portrait Party
May 2nd – Men’s Ministry
May 9th – Mother’s Day
May 23rd – Missionary Luke Lyons
June 5th – Women’s Ministry & Rockstars Christmas in June
June 6th – Epic Camp Fundraiser
June 20th – Father’s Day
June 23rd – 26th – Epic Camp

We Must Be Doing Something Right....

I guess you can file this under…we must be doing something right. My pastor friends tell me that when God begins to move in a church or in a community that adversity is right around the corner. I know that when God shows up many times the Devil shows up too. This past Friday night our sign was “tagged”. On Sunday night, somebody threw a piece of concrete through one side of our sign. It will be repaired today and we will move on.
And…we will not be deterred from what God has called us to do. God placed Venice Church right here on this corner to bring people to Christ and then help them grow to be like Him. We will continue to do what God has called us to do.
Pray that God will continue to provide for us. Pray that God will protect us. Pray for the people in our neighborhood who are far from God. And take advantage of your opportunities to share Christ. At our Men’s Ministry meeting this past Sunday we were challenged with the truth that each one of us has been given a platform for sharing Christ. Your platform is your home, your job, your school, your team, your club…wherever God has put you. Help somebody find Jesus. Tell somebody about Jesus. Tell them what He has done in your life.

Don’t forget that we are baptizing on Sunday the 18th. If you would like to be baptized just respond to this email and I will add you to the list. If you have questions about baptism then respond to the email and I will do my best to answer your questions.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. We will wrap up our series talking about The Mystery of God’s Glory. Have a great week.

There is a lot of good stuff going on at Venice.
Get connected.
Stay connected.

Upcoming Events:
May 2nd – Men’s Ministry
May 9th – Mother’s Day
May 23rd – Missionary Luke Lyons
June 20th – Father’s Day

God Showed Up

The email is coming to you a day early this week because…well…I cannot contain this news any longer. God came up big for us this past Easter weekend. We had a total attendance of 439 (79 more than last year) and 9 adults marked their card that they had given their life to Christ! God is so good and we give Him all the glory for what was accomplished this past weekend.
You are to be commended. Many of you had a guest or guests with you. Thank you for caring for your friends and family and inviting them to a service. Special thanks to our Communication Team. They did a wonderful job on our door hanger and campaign. Many visitors came because of the door hangers. Again we praise God for working in us and through us here at Venice Church.

This Sunday our Men’s Ministry will meet right after the service. We are having hot wings for lunch. We always have a great time. Don’t miss out guys!

And don’t forget that we are baptizing on Sunday the 18th. If you would like to be baptized just respond to this email and I will add you to the list. If you have questions about baptism then respond to the email and I will do my best to answer your questions.

There is a lot of good stuff going on at Venice.
Get connected.
Stay connected.

Passion Week

It is Easter week and this week is always an exciting time in the Kingdom of God. It is an exciting time here at Venice Church. I hope that you are planning to be with us for our Good Friday Service. It will begin at 7:00 PM and there will be free coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies served immediately following the service. Plan to hang around for a bit and enjoy your friends and church family.

Of course Sunday is the big day. We have two services at 9:00 and 10:45 AM. Free coffee, hot chocolate, and Krispy Kreme Donuts will be served before each service. I hope you are planning to attend and have invited somebody to come with you.

And…we would like to have a concerted effort to welcome those who arrive on Sunday. If you would like to help by greeting those who arrive or by passing out handouts, please let me know by responding to this email. When you respond, please let me know which service you will be attending. Thank you.

Get connected.
Stay connected.

Upcoming Events:
April 2nd – Good Friday Service @ 7:00 PM.
April 4th – Easter – Two Services @ 9:00 & 10:45 AM.
April 11th – Men’s Ministry
April 18th – Baptism
May 1st – Men’s Ministry
May 23rd – Missionary Luke Lyons

Years and counting...

Amy and I hit another milestone this week. This Sunday will mark our 14th year here at Venice Church. God has been so good to us and to our church. It is a pleasure to serve with all of you here. We look forward to what God has in store for us in the future.

Our Easter door hangers are being delivered this week. Please pray that God would use them to turn hearts to Christ. When a person grasps the true meaning of Easter it can literally be life-changing. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Our desire, with these door hangers, is to seek out some who need to be saved.

This Sunday we will wrap up our series called Connecting With God. This week…The Prayer of Fulfillment. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday at 10:00 AM.

There is good stuff going on at Venice. Get connected. Stay connected.


Upcoming Events:
April 2nd – Good Friday Service @ 7:00 PM.
April 4th – Easter – Two Services @ 9:00 & 10:45
April 11th – Men’s Ministry
April 18th – Baptism
May 1st – Men’s Ministry
May 23rd – Missionary Luke Lyons

New Members

It was my pleasure to walk 13 new members through our membership class last Saturday. God has blessed us with many wonderful people and He has added another batch to our family. It is exciting to see what God is doing in our church an in our neighborhood. Please pray that God would use the door hangers that go out Easter week.

Please invite somebody to attend one of our Easter services with you. Door hangers and campaigns are all well and good, but there is something about one of you saying to your friend, “I really like my church. You might like it too. Would you like to go with me sometime?”

This Sunday we will continue our series called Connecting With God. This week…The Prayer of Deliverance. I will see you on Sunday at 10:00 Am.

Get connected. Stay connected.


Upcoming Events:
March 20th – Men’s Ministry Workday
March 21st – Women’s Ministry Luncheon
April 2nd – Good Friday Service @ 7:00 PM.
April 4th – Easter – Two Services @ 9:00 & 10:45
April 18th – Baptism
May 23rd – Missionary Luke Lyons

Spring Forward 2010

Don’t forget to spring forward on Saturday night. Daylight Savings Time begins and with it comes the anticipation of spring and summer. Easter is right around the corner and I always like to remind you that it is a wonderful time to invite a friend to a service. We are rolling out an Easter campaign. It is complete with 40,000 door hangers going to our neighbors to invite them to one of our three services. You can get the gist of the campaign at our website at venicechurch.com. Please pray that God will give an increase in attendance and people giving their lives to Christ. On Easter Sunday I am going to begin a series of messages called Making Sense of Life’s Mysteries. I hope that we can answer some of the difficult questions of life.

This Sunday we will continue our series called Connecting With God. This week…The Prayer of Release. I will see you on Sunday at 10:00 Am.

Get connected. Stay connected.

Upcoming Events:
March 13th – CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family
March 14th – Daylight Savings Time Begins
March 20th – Men’s Ministry Workday
March 21st – Women’s Ministry Luncheon
April 2nd – Good Friday Service @ 7:00 PM.
April 4th – Easter – Two Services @ 9:00 & 10:45
April 18th – Baptism
May 23rd – Missionary Luke Lyons

Congratulations!

Congratulations to our son Paul and his new bride Monica!
We are blessed with two wonderful sons and now two wonderful daughters-in-law.

C3 West Coast

I am attending the C3 Conference in San Diego. C3 stands for Creative Church Conference. I have learned a lot and have been encouraged to keep doing what we do at Venice Church. There is nothing like the church when it is working right. God has been so good to us at Venice. We really have momentum and I believe that God is going to keep it going.
You guys are the best. Amy and I are blessed to serve in such a great place with such great people. I look forward to seeing you and worshiping with you on Sunday.