A Strange Call

A funny thing happened to me.

I got an interesting call in the church office yesterday. The gal on the other line politely introduced herself and indentified herself as an employee of a California winery. I thought that it was odd to get a call from a winery, but it was your typical sales call with this twist.

She said that my name and number came to her by referral. I said, “That is interesting considering that I don’t drink wine and in fact I have only tasted it a couple of times in my life and didn’t care for it.” She said, “Really? You never drink wine.” I said, “Really I don’t.” She said, “Well, why in the world would somebody give me your name if you are not a wine enthusiast?” I said, “I have no idea unless they either one, do not know me very well, or two, they thought it would be a nice gag. Maybe they thought it would be funny.”

She apologized quite profusely and I said, “No problem. I am sure that one of my friends thought they were being funny. Anyway…have a nice day.” She wished me the same.

I found the entire episode to be quite strange, but extremely humorous.

So, my question today is…which one of you put the winery up to calling your teetotaler pastor? It’s okay. You can admit it and come clean. I won’t be mad. I forgive you. Your sins have already been forgiven…even this one! Your slate is wiped clean. And…we can enjoy a good laugh together.

Upcoming Events:

October 25^th – Ladies Community Service Project

October 31^st – Trunk & Treat presented by Rockstars Childrens Ministry

November 8^th – Men’s Ministry Meeting (Saturday Morning)

November 15^th – CLASS 201: Discovering Maturity

December 14^th – Guest Speaker: Rev. Bob Henson

December 24^th – Christmas Eve Service

If you ain't got God...

It seems that I am reminded each day that apart from God (pardon my poor English) we got nothing. If God is not Almighty, all-knowing, ever present, and filled with immense love for us…we got nothing.

I love what the Psalmist says in the 46^th psalm. It is like he is describing life in Southern California. The beauty of this place we call home is found so much in where the mountains meet the sea and when the place is not rocking and rolling or on fire we revel in the fact that we live in paradise. Okay, it’s not Kauai, but for the mainland it is pretty nice. Despite the fact that we live in paradise and in spite of the fact that we breathe smog and smoke apart from God we got nothing. It doesn’t matter if you live in Santa Monica, Kauai, or Arkansas if you ain't got God you ain’t got nothing.

Look at what God is all about. He is a refuge. He is our strength. He is our help in times of trouble. If we ain’t got God we ain’t go nothing.

Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

Please pray for Mr. & Mrs. Trubey. Mr. Trubey is not doing well. It appears as though God will call him home very soon. Mr. & Mrs. Trubey have been married over 60 years. Mrs. Trubey is doing pretty well all things considered. If you get a chance, give her a call or write her a note to let her know that they are in your prayers.

Upcoming Events:

October 19^th – Men’s Ministry Meeting (Sunday following the service)

October 19^th – 40 Days of Community

October 25^th – Ladies Community Service

October 31^st – Trunk & Treat presented by Rockstars Childrens Ministry

November 8^th – Men’s Ministry Meeting (Saturday Morning)

November 15^th – CLASS 201: Discovering Maturity

40 Days of Community Begins October 19th

Beginning one week from Sunday on October 19^th we will begin a new series called 40 Days of Community. Here is brief synopsis of the campaign from Rick Warren author of The Purpose Driven Life.

We were never meant to live out God’s purposes in solitude.
40 Days of Community will help move your congregation toward spiritual maturity and a meaningful life on earth, revealing how God uses other people for your good and growth.

From the beginning, God’s plan has been that you will fulfill his purposes in community with other people – people in your church family, in your small group, and in the world around you. The bible says we were formed for fellowship, and it’s only in community that we learn life’s most important lesson – how to love.

Take the next step in growing a life of purpose and meaning and join together for this 40-day spiritual journey. Lives will be touched, people will begin a relationship with Christ, practical needs will be met, the church will become known more for the love it shows, and we will see a spiritual awakening that is desperately needed in our culture.

Rick Warren

A spiritual growth campaign experience is always maximized by participation in a small group. If you are not in a small group, would you consider giving one a try during this campaign? I believe that you will find our small groups to be very enjoyable and extremely encouraging. Here is a list of the small group opportunities and when they meet.

Tom Nichols – Berean Senior Small Group, Sunday Morning at the church.
Contact them at nichols10@verizon.net

Wayne Copes – Monday Night in the Coffe Bar at church.
Contact him at f0neman@yahoo.com

Amy Henson & Thea White – Monday Night (women only) in the church office.
Contact them at amersh55@yahoo.com OR exercisegal1@yahoo.com

Ruben Morales - Monday nights @ 8:00 p.m. at the Church.
This group is for young adults.

Contact Ruben at 310-903-1502 or rsmtwtfsm@msn.com

Denise Jensen – Tuesday Morning (women only)

We meet at the home of Denise Jensen from 8:30am - 10:30am.
Contact her at bjensen623@verizon.net

Brad & Denise Jensen – Tuesday Night at various homes.
Contact them at Bjensen623@verizon.net

Craig Henson - Wednesday evenings (Men’s Group) @ 7:00 PM in the church office.

Contact Craig Henson at pastorcraig@venicechurch.com

Randy Kirk – Thursday Night at the church.
Contact him at Quixote77@sbcglobal.com

If I can help you find a group that fits you well, please contact me.

Upcoming Events:

October 19^th – Men’s Ministry Meeting (Sunday following the service)

October 19^th – 40 Days of Community

October 25^th – Ladies Community Service

October 31^st – Trunk & Treat presented by Rockstars Childrens Ministry

November 8^th – Men’s Ministry Meeting (Saturday Morning)

November 15^th – CLASS 201: Discovering Maturity

God Owns It All

It is October 1^st and that means a couple of things. The holidays are just around the corner and the general election is about 30 days away. Personally, I can’t wait for the campaigning to be over. Let me encourage you to pray and seek God and then vote. It is a wonderful, God-given privilege to live in America and participate in our process.

And…in spite of all the financial doom and gloom and the best efforts of our Congress and economic gurus I still find rest and comfort in Almighty God who never changes and never wavers. He owns it all. We are simply given management of it for a short time. God doesn’t need our stuff. We can call on him in difficult times.

Psalm 50:7-15

7 "O my people, listen as I speak.
Here are my charges against you, O Israel:
I am God, your God!
8 I have no complaint about your sacrifices
or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.
9 But I do not need the bulls from your barns
or the goats from your pens.
10 For all the animals of the forest are mine,
and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird on the mountains,
and all the animals of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for all the world is mine and everything in it.
13 Do I eat the meat of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
15 Then call on me when you are in trouble,
and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory."

And now…here’s Amy.

Hey Guys,

We really need to get cranking on Trunk or Treat. We have eight confirmed cars for the event. We still need 12 more. If you are willing to decorate your trunk and help pass out candy please respond to this email. There will be a grand prize for the best decorated trunk. We need everybody to help by donating candy. If you could just pick up a bag of candy every time that you go in the grocery store and then bring them and drop them off in the coffee bar it will be a big help. Please help us make our first go of Trunk or Treat a big success in our community. Invitations will be available in the next week or so. Thanks for all of your help.

Upcoming Events:

October 4^th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership

October 12^th – Men’s Ministry Meeting (Sunday following the service)

October 19^th – 40 Days of Community

October 25^th – Ladies Community Service

October 31^st – Trunk & Treat presented by Rockstars Childrens Ministry

November 8^th – Men’s Ministry Meeting (Saturday Morning)

November 15^th – CLASS 201: Discovering Maturity

Road Trip Report

The brief report on the Men’s Road Trip is that once again it was…fantastic! The speaker, Ken Goodban, was great. Our focus this season is prayer and Ken kicked it off for us very well. The activities were great. Lake Mohave could not have been more beautiful and serene…until Daryl fired up his boat. We had a great time at K-1 Speed driving go karts. And…apparently…I crash better than I drive. Congratulations to Ernesto Diaz who took home first place in the first ever Venice Church Grand Prix!

Thanks so much to Brad Jensen and his team for planning a great event for the men of Venice.

And now…here’s Amy.

Hey Guys,

We really need to get cranking on Trunk or Treat. We have eight confirmed cars for the event. We still need 12 more. If you are willing to decorate your trunk and help pass out candy please respond to this email. There will be a grand prize for the best decorated trunk. We need everybody to help by donating candy. If you could just pick up a bag of candy every time that you go in the grocery store and then bring them and drop them off in the coffee bar it will be a big help. Please help us make our first go of Trunk or Treat a big success in our community. Invitations will be available in the next week or so. Thanks for all of your help.

Think Of All That God Has Done

The news is not good. The economy is, apparently, in bad shape. People are losing equity in their homes and/or losing their homes. Jobs are becoming scarce.

Things don’t always go our way. Economies don’t just keep going up and to the right forever. The Dallas Cowboys are 2-0, but they are not going to go 19-0 especially if they play defense like they did on Monday night. I get that. Things don’t always go our way.

This is what I don’t get. I don’t get how we forget so easily what God has done for us. It is easy for us to get caught up in the “doom and gloom” talk. It is easy for us to look at the bottom line and think that things are just terrible.

While reading in the book of Amos this morning I read this:

Amos 2:9

(God says), “Yet think of all I did for my people.”

Amos is bringing a lot of doom and gloom. He is talking about how people have sinned against God and how they will be judged. And still he says, ”Think about all that God has done for us.” We must think about all that God has done for us. Too many times, as I talk with people here at Venice, they forget all that God has done for them. A problem, maybe even a crisis arises in their lives and they turn on God. They turn on the church. They blame God. They distance themselves from the church. Turning on God and turning away from the church is the worst thing that you can do.

Times may be tough. They may get tougher.

Think of all that God has done for you. Think of all that God has done for us. I am not talking about being positive for the sake of being positive. I am talking about really focusing on all that God has done for us and then praising Him and trusting Him and going on with Him for His glory. We can start with the fact that by His grace He has forgiven us when we were unforgivable. What a great God! He has done so much for us and if He never did anything else for us He has done enough.

Today I want to focus on all that God has done for me. I pray that you will too.

In His Love,

Craig

Upcoming Events:

September 21^st – 23^rd – Men’s Ministry Road Trip

October 4^th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership

October 19^th – 40 Days of Community

October 31^st – Trunk & Treat presented by Rockstars Childrens Ministry

One Big Day

Sunday is the big day. My friend and mentor Jerry Thorpe will be here to speak to us in the morning service (10:00 AM). Invite somebody to come with you. Come a little bit early and enjoy a beverage in the coffee bar and receive a free Venice Church mug with the price of your drink.

And if you serve in a ministry or if you are interested in serving in a ministry here at Venice please make plans to be here for our Leadership Gathering on September 14^th @ 5:00 PM. Dessert will be served and Jerry will be challenging us and encouraging us and inspiring us in our service to God and His church. (Child care will be provided.)

Upcoming Events:

September 14^th – Guest Speaker: Dr. Jerry Thorpe

September 14^th @ 5:00 PM – Leadership Seminar with Jerry Thorpe

September 21^st – 23^rd – Men’s Ministry Road Trip – Sign up and pay at the Info Center

October 4^th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership

October 19^th – 40 Days of Community

October 31^st – Trunk & Treat presented by Rockstars Childrens Ministry

September Craziness

Our Day @ the Beach is this Saturday. We are meeting at Dockweiler Beach beginning at 10:00 AM. Look for the awnings and the Venice Church sign. Bring you own lunch and plan to enjoy a lot of good fellowship.

Please continue to make plans to be here on Sunday September 14^th. My friend and mentor Jerry Thorpe will be here to speak to us in the morning service. Invite somebody to come with you. Come a little bit early and enjoy a beverage in the coffee bar and receive a free Venice Church mug with the price of your drink.

And finally…if you serve in a ministry or if you are interested in serving in a ministry here at Venice please make plans to be here for our Leadership Gathering on September 14^th @ 5:00 PM. Dessert will be served and Jerry will be challenging us and encouraging us and inspiring us in our service to God and His church. (Child care will be provided.)

This Sunday we wrap up our study in James as we talk about Praying About Your Problems. I look forward to seeing you then.

And...oh yeah....pro football starts tomorrow.

Growing With You,

Craig

Upcoming Events:

September 6^th – Venice Church Beach Party

September 14^th – Guest Speaker: Dr. Jerry Thorpe

September 14^th @ 5:00 PM – Leadership Seminar with Jerry Thorpe

September 21^st – 23^rd – Men’s Ministry Road Trip – Sign up and pay at the Info Center

October 4^th – CLASS 101: Discovering Membership

October 19^th – 40 Days of Community

October 31st - Trunk or Treat (details are coming)

A Day @ the Beach

Our day at the beach is coming up on Saturday September 6th.
Join us at Dockweiler any time after 10:00 AM.

We will have lots of fun and fellowship and we will baptize.
If you want to be baptized, please just let us know.

Good Summer

I must begin the Touching Base today by commending you for your faithfulness. Your love for Venice Church is displayed in an awesome way by your attendance and giving. Our attendance has been very good this summer and God has provided for us in wonderful ways and He has used you to accomplish it. Your faithfulness to give has allowed us to pay down principal on our building loan and make some improvements to our property like the new sign that will be installed in the coming weeks and some much needed renovation to our offices that will begin very soon.

In addition, we have had many first time visitors this summer and the ones that I have spoken to have all commented on how friendly you are and how “it feels like family” here at Venice. It would be easy to say that is how it should be, but I know that not all churches are as warm and friendly as ours. Thank you for loving and caring for each other. Thank you for welcoming our guests with such hospitality.

There is a long list of upcoming events below, but let me remind you of a couple that are coming up fast.

Sunday September 14^th Jerry Thorpe will be here to speak to us. Jerry is a vibrant communicator and I know that you will enjoy hearing him. It will be a great day to bring a friend. Let me encourage you to come a little bit early and enjoy a drink in our coffee bar. Every drink that day will be served in a complimentary Venice Church mug that will be yours to keep. Come of the fellowship and take home a free mug.

That evening at 5:00 PM Jerry will be speaking all of the leaders and ministers of Venice at a Leadership Seminar. Dessert will be served and I know that Jerry will inspire you and encourage you in your service to God and Venice Church. Child care will be provided.

And…men…the road trip is coming up. Get signed up and paid up at the information center this week. Guys, it will be a blast. You don’t want to miss this great trip.

See You In Two Weeks

Over the next couple of weeks I am going to be taking some time off. So, I am going to give the Touching Base a two week break. It will return on Wednesday August 20^th.

Amy and I will be out of town on Sunday August 10^th. It will be great to have our veteran missionary Mark DeNeui with us. Mark and Lisa have done a wonderful work and I know that you will be excited to hear about the next chapter in their life and work.

I will be back on Sunday August 17^th, but I will not be speaking. My friend Mark Pointer, a missionary going to Peru, will be here. I am excited for you to meet Mark and hear about what God has called his family to in Peru.

Sunday August 24^th we will get back to the book of James and we will finish up the series on September 7^th.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. We will be in James chapter 4 talking about Facing the Future. It will be a great time together.

Remember

I keep a little journal, mostly to record my diet and exercise routine and how God works in my life. I have done this in the past, but had let it slide and I started again on May 24^th. Yesterday I went back to look at some of the prayer requests that I had recorded and, I don’t know why, but I was amazed at how many of them God had given a definitive answer. There were some in particular that really caused me to pause and praise God. I had given thanks when the answer came down, but by reviewing my journal I was able to worship God again because He has continued to work in those situations. God is so good. He has his fingerprints all over my life.

Sometimes I don’t even realize how much can transpire in just one month. I am kind of a day to day and forward looking guy. Unless I take the time to look back, I forget a lot of what happened. I am focused on today and tomorrow and a month from now. I don’t want to live in the past, but I want to remember all that God has done for me. This is actually a biblical principle. Over and over in the Old Testament God tells the Children of Israel, “Don’t forget the mighty works that I have done on your behalf.” Over and over again they forgot. Over and over again I forget. My little notebook helps me remember.

Let me encourage you to remember what your life was like before Christ. Remember what God has done for you yesterday, last week, this year, and since you accepted Christ. You will remember, like me, that He is worthy of praise.

The Summer Time Blues and God's Goodness

God has been so good to us this summer. Our attendance has been very steady and good and our offerings are very good. This past Sunday we had an excellent attendance and a great time in God's House.
So much for the summer time blues!
God is so good.

Sticks & Stones...

We are learning so much in our study in the book of James.

This past Sunday we learned about managing our mouths...watching our words. Our words are powerful and can be harmful. Ultimately our words simply reveal what is in our hearts.

Harsh words reflect an angry heart.
Negative words reflect a fearful heart.
Too many words reflect an unsettled heart.
Prideful words reflect an insecure heart.
Filthy words reflect an impure heart.
Critical words reflect a bitter heart.
Encouraging words reflect a happy heart.
Gentle words reflect a loving heart.
True words reflect an honest heart.

Ten Things I Think

1. I think that it is definitely the dog days of summer when basketball is over and football camps do not open for another three weeks.

2.I think that our teenagers had a great time at camp last week. You will see and hear about the camp in our service on Sunday July 13^th.

3. I think that baseball is upside down. Both teams from Chicago are in first place and the Tampa Bay (not Devil) Rays have the best record in baseball. They are 5 and 0 against the evil Red Sox. Crazy!

4. I think the book of James is really beating me up. Nobody ever said that following Christ would be easy. This Sunday’s message is Managing Your Mouth.

5. I think that it has already been a hot summer, but aren’t you glad you live on the Westside?

6. I think that movies derived from 70’s television themes is an okay idea. The problem is that in many cases the star of the 70’s show made the show. Get Smart was okay, but Don Adams is Maxwell Smart.

7. I think that I have found a new love and appreciation for what our forefathers endured to see our country established. I caught the series John Adams on HBO and then read the book. I am now reading His Excellency: George Washington. The founders of our country not only lived in a different time…it was a different world! It is very apparent to me that God was at work in the birth and infancy of our nation.

8. I think that we should return to being the God-fearing nation that we once were.

9. I think that what Tiger Woods accomplished at Torrey Pines last month is one of the most amazing feats in sports history. The fact that he was walking around a golf course is amazing in itself. It is going to be a long year for golf without Tiger around.

10. I think that the price of gas is ridiculous. It is as if the oil companies woke up one day and realized what a bargain gas was and said, “We can fix that. Let’s get the price of gas up there with the outrageous price of every thing else.” They have succeeded and in the process driven up the price of everything else. What a deal!

Just Do It

Here is the follow up that I promised from Sunday’s message. To be blessed by God we must be in His Word, the Bible. I rattled off that list of things to look for when we read and study the Bible.

Here it is…
When we look into God’s Word we should look for sin to confess, promises to claim, attitudes to change, commands to obey, examples to follow, prayers to pray, errors to avoid, truth to believe, and something that is worthy of praise.

James is teaching us that maturity is not measured by knowledge, but rather by character. God’s Word is to be obeyed. This Sunday we continue and we make it to chapter two. James has some interesting things to say about how we treat people. I look forward to seeing you then.

History Made

History was made yesterday. It was inevitable.
We were either going to have our first female presidential candidate or our first African-American presidential candidate. All political views and or biases aside, this is a time that all of us should be proud of. I am proud to have a man of color rise to this esteemed occupation. When so much about America is ridiculed and lambasted it is good to know that we are making progress.

Here is how we will know when we have really arrived. When we no longer find it necessary to mention a man or a woman’s ethnicity in the conversation we will be on the way. It will be a day of days when they are simply known as Americans and when we only refer to them as the Senator from New York and the Senator from Illinois.

I really dread the next 150 days. For the next 150 days we will tear at one another and name call and divide all in the name of democracy and liberty. While I can appreciate the democratic process I do not appreciate the politics. At the end of the day, my prayer is that as Americans we will be united in our desire to be great. Not great in the bully or police of the world sense, but great in our humanity and great in our morals and great in our love. Most of all I pray that we will be a people that will turn or return to Almighty God. What we need more than anything is the blessings of God on our country.

Celebrate this historic day. Participate in the process. Pray that God will be glorified in these United States of America.

Summer Camp

This Sunday the Shockwave Student Ministry is sponsoring a free spaghetti lunch and they would love for you to attend.
Daniel, Kristen, and their team will be telling you about their exciting summer camp that is coming up on June 20^th.
Some students need help with the $250.00 camp fee.
The Shockwave leaders want you to have a part in sending a teenager to this life-changing event.
Please join us right after the service on Sunday.

Please continue reading the book of James.
Our goal is to immerse ourselves in this wonderfully practical book.
This Sunday we will talk about how to make God-honoring decisions.

Faith That Works

This Sunday we are going to begin a new series called Faith That Works. We will be studying the book of James. We will be in this study all summer. To go along with the series you may want to read a chapter in James everyday. You will be immersed in the Word of God and you will be very prepared for our study each week. James is the most practical book in the Bible. It is literally a handbook for our lives as we follow Christ.

And…every Sunday morning the Coffee Bar opens at 9:30. Please join us for a latte, espresso, hot tea, or ice blended. It is a wonderful time to meet new people, catch up with old friends, and just enjoy the company of our church family.

Mother's Day

Sunday is Mother’s Day. That is just a friendly reminder just in case you had forgotten. I know that it is pretty hard to forget when just about every other ad on TV or radio is pitching a gift that your mother must have. I think Mother’s Day is a good thing. It is especially good when my wife and mother of my two sons selects a restaurant that I like. I am so blessed that my wife loves to eat steak! There will not be any foo foo brunch for us on Sunday. No, it will be steak and baked potato baby.

And I also realize that there are some who are skeptical and see Mother’s Day as just another “holiday” that was manufactured by Hallmark, FTD, and See’s Candies. That could be true, but here is how I see it. Every day should be mother’s day. Every day should be father’s day. We should honor our parents every day. As parents, we should honor our commitment to God to be godly mothers and godly fathers every day. So, make the most of Mother’s Day. Join us for our service. I will share with you Eight Things That Moms Need (that won’t cost you any money).

Summer Schedule

This week we will begin our summer worship schedule. We will have one service each Sunday at 10:00 AM.

Please keep these other ministry and fellowship opportunities in mind as you plan your Sunday.

The Berean Senior Adult Small Group will meet every Sunday at 9:00 AM.
If you are over 55 and would like to be in a small group Bible study this group may be for you.
Please contact Bob Tripp (rtripp7992@aol.com) or Tom Nichols (nichols10@verizon.net) for more information.

There will be a Prayer Meeting every Sunday at 9:00 AM in the Library/Conference Room. Please contact Richard Guerrero (Richard.Guerrero@imb.com) for more information.

The coffee shop will be open at 9:30 AM each Sunday.
Please come a bit early and have a cup of coffee, a bagel, or the beverage or snack of your choice.
It will be a great opportunity to meet new people and hang out with the church family.
If you bring a first time guest, make sure that you pick up a gift bag for them so they can use their free beverage card in the coffee shop.

And…beginning this Sunday there will be a new check-in procedure for your children.
Your child will be given a name tag and you will be given a claim check.
When you pick up your child your claim check must match your child’s name tag.

If your child is in Studio Green(Nursery) or Studio Blue (2 – 4 years old) you will drop them off at their Studio and they will get their name tag and you will get your claim check.

If your child is in Studio Orange, Red, or Black, they will receive their name tag and you will receive your claim check as you arrive.

Jennifer Villaryo will be there to assist you.

Beginning this Sunday and continuing each Sunday we are going to try something different with our elementary age children.
Children in Studio Orange, Red, and Black will now be in the Worship Center for the opening worship time at 10:00 AM.
They will sit with their parents during the singing and Communion and then they will be dismissed with their Studio Leaders to their studio for their game, craft, and lesson time.
This will offer a wonderful opportunity for you to worship as a family and to share in singing and Communion with your child.

You will pick up your child from the studio at the end of the service.

Choices

Life is about choices. At the end of the day our life is comprised of the sum total of our choices.
Success in life depends upon our desire to and our ability to align our choices with God and His Word.

In our series called Running On Empty we are talking about the pace of our lives and the fuel that is necessary to sustain the pace of our lives.

This Sunday we are going to talk about choices and the role that they play in the pace of our lives.
We don’t have the time, energy, or stamina to do it all.
We must choose.
It is my prayer that we will choose better.

Next Step With Purpose

You are to be commended on your response to our guests this past Sunday. You sent the Powell’s to Viet Nam with an $1,100.00 love offering!! That is fantastic and so I say, “Yea God!! Yea Venice!!” You have done well and should be proud of yourselves. I think that it is safe to say, based on the offering, that the Powell’s were a blessing to you. I am thankful for that as well. They were a real blessing to me.

Here is a very special announcement.
We are going to move to a Summer Worship Schedule beginning on Sunday May 4^th. We will have One Service @ 10:00 AM each Sunday from May through September. This will be a wonderful opportunity for our church family to worship together. The coffee bar will be open at 9:30 AM and I encourage you to come early for coffee, tea, breakfast and fellowship. The worship center will be a little more crowded so you will want to get here early to get “your seat”. With the new schedule we will have Prayer Meeting every Sunday morning at 9:00 AM in the conference room.

Now, let me encourage you with this. You are going to continue to hear about Next Step and so let me help us stay focused on what it is that we hope to see accomplished through Next Step. Venice Church is here to build a family of fully devoted followers of Christ that bring glory to God. To accomplish this mission we focus on God’s five purposes. God’s desire and purpose for us is that we would worship Him with every aspect of our lives, that we would be committed to this church family, that we would grow to be like Christ, that we would serve others in ministry, and that we would share the Good News of Jesus Christ with our friends, loved ones, and acquaintances that are far from God. So, when we talk about taking our Next Step we are talking about stepping out in faith to see if we can deepen our resolve to live out one of these purposes.

Let me give you an example of how this may look. Many of you, on Next Step Sunday, declared that your Next Step was to read and study the Bible more consistently or to kick up your prayer life a bit. I hope that you are doing well in sustaining your commitment. The goal of those commitments is to deepen your fellowship with God and strengthen your walk with Christ. In the fulfillment of that commitment you will grow to be more like Christ, you will be better equipped for ministry, you will be better prepared to share the Good News, your intimacy with God’s family will intensify and you will be more fervent in your worship of God.

So, take your Next Step and continue to worship, grow, serve, fellowship, and share your faith. You will be a strong follower of Christ and as we grow and are strengthened our church family grows and is strengthened. At the end of the day we will have reached our goal of loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and body and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Still Learning

Amy, Jennifer Villaryo and I spent Monday and Tuesday in Clovis with Pastor Otis Ledbetter and his staff at Sonrise Church. We had a wonderful time of fellowship with other pastors, children’s pastors, and their wives. We were given the opportunity to learn about other children’s ministries and we came home with some good ideas that may work for us here at Venice. It is always encouraging to see God working in other churches in other places and to see what is possible with God’s help.

We have come through the Easter season and Spring Breaks are coming to an end and we are looking forward to what God will do through the rest of this spring. Let me encourage you to be faithful to our worship services, your small group and your ministry. If you need to find a small group, please contact me and I will help you find one. And…if you still have not found a place of ministry, we can help you find that as well.

And…let me encourage you to invite a seeking person to a service. The best way to spread the good news and get the word out about Venice Church is word of mouth.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday. Our special guests will be Henry & Sandie Powell. I know that you will want to hear what God is doing through them in Southeast Asia.

Baptism

As you will note below there is a lot going on here at Venice and so I encourage you to get involved and stay involved. We will be baptizing in the Worship Center on Sunday just before the second service. If you are a first service attendee grab a cup of coffee after the service and then hang around for the baptism at 10:40 AM. If you are a second service attendee come a bit early for a cup of coffee and then head into the Worship Center for the baptism and the service to follow. It is always a blessing to celebrate with those being baptized.

Ten Things I Think

1. I think that it was a wonderful weekend here at Venice. In our three services the total attendance was 302. There were visitors here who had never heard the gospel. Please pray that their lives will be changed by the power of God and His Word.

2. I think that it is fantastic that our teenagers are going to be serving the hurting this Saturday. Adam’s team does a great job each month and it is exciting to see Daniel and Kristen encouraging the kids to join in.

3. I think that the Major League Baseball season started this week and nobody noticed…except maybe those who play fantasy baseball.

4. I think that this message series, Running on Empty, is extremely pertinent to people who live in west L.A. It is a great time to invite a friend to a service.

5. I think that we are having a great time in our small group study. We are studying 3:16. Max Lucado is leading us in a study of John 3:16. He makes this statement at the beginning of the study. “If you know nothing of the Bible start here. If you know everything about the Bible return here.” I am not a newbie and I certainly do not know everything about the Bible, but it has been good for me to return there!

6. I think that the “summer tease” that we had last week was great, but it makes me wish that we could skip June gloom.

7. I think that UCLA will fall just short of winning a national championship in basketball. They will probably make it to the final four and another final four appearance will be good but it is all about winning championships in Westwood. I hope that I am wrong about this prognostication.

8. I think that “Next Step” has been a success so far, but for it to really take hold we must follow-up and follow through to see our steps come to fruition.

9. I think that this is the best overall talent that there has ever been on American Idol. A good singer is going to go home every week. By the way, you might want to set your TIVO for next Tuesday night’s episode. Thanks to Sandra Pettway, Amy and I will be in the audience. I can’t wait!!

10. I think that I hate election years. It is only March and I am just sick of hearing about it. Don’t get me wrong. I love our country. I pray for our country. I think that we have the best process, but it just gets old hearing about it everyday. It is a bit disconcerting to see how polarized we are in America.

1.

Implement

So…how’s it going?
I mean, how’s it going with your Next Step?
Have you implemented it?
Do you have a plan to implement it?
Sunday was a great day and I do not have any doubt that it will be life-changing for you and for our church, but…we must implement.

I hope that you are enjoying your week. I trust that you are planning to join us for our Good Friday Service and one of our Easter Services. It is a great time to invite a friend to a service. It could be the weekend or weekend that their life and their eternal destiny is changed by Christ. It doesn’t get better than that.

Happy Spring!!

Upcoming Events:

Good Friday Service – March 21^st @ 7:00 PM

Easter – March 23^rd Two Services

Feeding the Homeless & Hurting – March 29^th

CLASS 101: Discovering Membership – April 5^th

Baptism – April 6th

What Is Your NEXT STEP?

Sunday is the big day.
What will it be for you?

• Accept Christ as Savior
• Get Baptized
• Read your Bible everyday.
• Pray everyday.
• Join a small group for encouragement and spiritual growth.
• Lead a small group.
• Host a small group.
• Attend Class 101-Discovering Membership and join Venice Church.
• Take Class 201-Discovering Maturity.
• Begin using your unique SHAPE to serve in ministry.
• Forsake a particular sin that you struggle with.
• Set aside a bad habit.
• Break free from addiction.
• Love God more.
• Love people more.

Spring Cleaning

March of 2008 is an interesting time. It is our first foray into starting daylight savings time one month earlier. Don’t forget to “spring forward” on Saturday night. You don’t want to be late for church. It is traditionally the month to go fly a kite, the month when grown men head to Florida and Arizona to play a kid’s game called baseball and it ushers in the freshness and beauty of spring. March is a time for planting gardens and new beginnings. It is a time for spring cleaning and golf!

The freshness of March should also signal a time of spiritual refreshment. The opportunity appears to be even keener this year with Easter arriving so early. Easter is earlier this year than it has been since 1818 and even most, if not all, of our grandchildren will never see it this early again. March and Easter is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts with God. It is a time for each one of us to be refreshed and it is a time for us to share Jesus Christ with those who need a new heart and fresh start with God.

This passage of Scripture continues to resurface in my study of Scripture. It has sprung forth in my personal time with God, in our small group study that centers on John 3:16, and in my message study as we head to the season of Christ’s passion. It is the truth that changed my life. It is the life-changing truth that is available to you and to your friends and loved ones.

2 Corinthians 5:21
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

In this one verse we see the entire picture of Christ’s coming and Christ’s passion. Our hearts are deceitful and sinful and we are at odds with God. Jesus came to make us right with God. Jesus, the Holy Son of God, the One who knew nothing of sin, became sin for us. He literally became the offering and sacrifice for our sin. When we come to Christ by faith we are made right with God the Father. It is the essence of our faith and it is the message to be shared.

When you clean out that closet or sweep out the garage let the truth of who Jesus is sweep out your heart. Let the Holy Spirit remind you of what Jesus has done for you and then tell somebody. Invite somebody to the Good Friday service or one of our Easter services. They might need a fresh start or a spiritual spring cleaning.

Hear ye, hear he!

1. Men’s Ministry Service Project – As you have heard over the last couple of weeks the men of Venice are taking some physical and spiritual necessities to some men who need our help. The project will take place on Saturday March 8^th. If you have signed up to donate any of the items, please drop them off when you come to church this Sunday. And, if you have not bought items to donate, please take part in our project offering this Sunday. In addition to our regular offering we will be receiving an offering for this project.

2. The prayer meeting now meets on the first and last Friday of every month @ 7:00 PM in the worship center and the first and last Sunday of every month @ 9:00 AM in the conference room. Contact Richard Guerrero for more information. Richard.Guerrero@imb.com.

3. Next Step Kickoff Sunday – March 16^th – One Service @ 10:00 AM. Lunch will follow our service. Everybody is invited. Childcare will be provided up through 5^th grade. Our desire is to see every member and attendee of Venice Church take their “next step” with God. At the luncheon we will help you discover your next step and we want to give you the encouragement and tools that you need to take your next step. Make your plans to be with us.

Questions...

If you want to know where you should minister, you must know what you are passionate about. Here are some questions that will help you uncover your passion.

What do I care the most about?
What could I care less about?
What makes me happy?
What breaks my heart?
What do I dream about?
What motivates me?
What do I really want to do for God?
Where can I make the greatest impact for God?
What would release the passion in my life for God?
If there were no barriers or obstacles and no chance for failure what would I like to attempt for God?

Our heart will play an enormous role in our service to God.
Be real.
Get in touch with you.
Ask God to give you a passion for Him and for ministry.

Happy Valentine's Day

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.
(Perhaps a friendly reminder to all of you men who have not hit the florist or See’s Candy yet.)
Valentine’s Day is a day where we think about matters of the heart. Tomorrow we will think about it in the “love” sense, but the Bible speaks about the heart in terms of who we are.

Our heart is who we are. We are talking about our SHAPE on Sunday mornings right now, but as I said at the end of Sunday’s message we have to focus on what matters most. What matters most is who we are on the inside. If our heart is not in line with God’s there is no chance that we will use our shape for His glory in His Kingdom and church.

If we really want to change for the better and live lives that are pleasing to God we must start on the inside and work our way to the outside. Lasting change does not happen “out there”, but rather “in here”. Change happens in our hearts and is not dependent upon our particular circumstances.

If you want to be transformed do not wait for your circumstances to miraculously change you. Transformation starts with God and it continues in the humble heart of a human being.

So when you see one of those big old heart decorations or one of those nasty tasting little hearts with the quaint saying on them tomorrow, just pause for a moment and think about your heart. Does it match up with Gods? Is it filled with love for Him and others? If it is not…it can change. God can help. He will do for us what He wanted to do for Israel.

Ezekiel 36:26
And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart.

By the way, I received this encouragement from a daily devotional. They really can help.
They may even lead to a change of heart. Give one a try.

Shaped For Service

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday when we will begin a new series called Shaped For Serving God. God has created each one of us uniquely. God has created us to serve Him by serving others and our church. In this series I hope to help you discover and uncover your unique shape. When we know our shape we will be prepared to serve God and His purposes and when we do that it brings God glory.

Upcoming Events:

Women’s Ministry – February 9^th.

Men’s Ministry – February 16^th.

CLASS 201: Discovering Maturity – February 23^rd.