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.

New Stage of Life

This Sunday Amy and I will embark on a new stage of life. Paul and Monica will be married on Sunday and we will enter (insert Twilight Zone announcer voice) the Empty Nest Zone. It is interesting how your age and your mortality hits you when your youngest gets married. I mean we are still relatively young, but you just feel a bit older when both of your kids are married and have their own lives. In all seriousness, I am humbled by God’s goodness. By His grace our two sons love God and His church. By His grace God has added two wonderful young ladies to our family. We are excited about Sunday and we are rejoicing during this exciting time in our lives and in our family.

February flew by as you would expect from the short month, but I have a feeling that March will fly by as well. We are just a little over four weeks from Easter and there is much to do between now and then. Just take a look at the calendar below.

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

Chili

There is a lot going on at Venice Church. Check it out below. Get connected. Stay connected.
Here are some highlights:

Men, your February Men’s Ministry Meeting is Sunday right after the service. We always have a great time at these and I am really looking forward to indulging in Wayne’s and Alex’s chili! There will be the usual stuff at the meeting plus important information about our workday and next season.

Ladies, you received a special email earlier today detailing your next event. Be sure to make your reservation at the information counter.

And…there are several of you that receive this email that should seriously consider attending our membership class. It is coming up on Saturday March 13th @ 9:00 AM. I would love to see you there. You can register for the class by checking the appropriate box on the back of your response card on Sunday.


Upcoming Events:
February 28th – Men’s Ministry
February 28th – The Truth Project – 6:00 PM
March 13th – CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family
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

Not Quite a Miracle

What a great win by the USA Hockey Team last night! It was not exactly a miracle. We have closed the gap between Canada and us quite a bit. In fact, as many Americans play hockey now as Canadians.
Our skill level is way up and our tenacity is back where it should be. Hopefully Ryan Miller can stay hot and the boys can bring home the gold.

Give Me a Break NBC...

It has been a beautiful week. There is more rain coming, but this sure was a nice break from it.

You guys watching the Olympics…I mean the commercials? I love seeing one preliminary race and then four commercials and then another preliminary race and then four commercials and then a human interest story and then another four commercials. By the time the medal race comes along I am fast asleep. Oh, by the way…I already know who won the medal. Thank you NBC for all of the commercials and for tape delaying events that are happening live in my time zone.

That is enough ranting for today. Enjoy another beautiful day and I will see you on Sunday when we talk about The Prayer of Surrender.

There is a lot going on at Venice. Check it out below. Get connected. Stay connected.


Upcoming Events:
February 21st – Wedding Shower for Monica Delwarte
February 28th – Men’s Ministry
February 28th – The Truth Project
March 13th – CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family
April 2nd – Good Friday Service @ 7:00 PM.
April 4th – Easter – Two Services @ 9:00 & 10:45
April 18th - Baptism

Truth Project, Parking, etc..

The response to The Truth Project has been outstanding and this session is now full. If you are signed up, please look forward to updates from Brad Jensen. The first session will be Sunday evening February 28th @ 6:00 PM. If you were shut out this time and would like to attend, please look for another seminar coming this fall.

This Sunday we dive deeper into our series Connecting With God: The Lord’s Prayer. We will see the prayer of connection this week. I look forward to seeing you then.

God is blessing us with good attendance so let me remind you…if you arrive early for music, prayer meeting, or other ministries…please help us by parking on the street and down the street just a bit. And…please pray with me that God will add many to our church family through CLASS 101 on March 13th.


Upcoming Events:

February 12th – EPIC Winter Camp

February 28th – Men’s Ministry

February 28th – The Truth Project

March 13th – CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family

April 2nd – Good Friday Service @ 7:00 PM.

April 4th – Easter – Two Services @ 9:00 & 10:45

April 18th - Baptism

Superbowl Prediction

I am going to stay out on the limb with my prediction...Colts 31 - Saints 7.

Special For Ladies...

Ladies, this reminder is especially for you…
You are invited to the shower for Baby Girl Morales this Sunday right after the service. Betsy and Ruben have been faithful members of Venice for many years. Let’s show them our love by celebrating the future arrival of their daughter. The Morales are registered at Babies R Us and Target. Lunch will be served so please RSVP to Becky Henson at henson.becky@yahoo.com.

You are also invited to the wedding shower for Paul Henson and Monica Delwarte on Sunday February 21st following the morning service. Monica is registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Target. Lunch will be served so please RSVP to Denise Jensen at bjensen623@verizon.net.
Your participation is greatly appreciated. Wedding and baby showers are a sign of a growing church. Thanks for celebrating these blessed occasions with us.

Coming up at the end of February we will be offering a special seminar for you. It is called The Truth Project and it will be hosted by Brad Jensen. There is limited space available. If you are interested in knowing more about what you believe and why you believe it this study is for you. You may begin signing up on Sunday. For more information contact Brad at bradjensen7@sbcglobal.net.

Celebrating With You,
Amy


Upcoming Events:
February 12th – EPIC Winter Camp
February 28th – Men’s Ministry
February 28th – The Truth Project
March 13th – CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family
April 2nd – Good Friday
April 4th – Easter
April 18th - Baptism

More Reality...

This Sunday morning we will finish up our Eternal Realities Series when we talk about the The Reality of Heaven. It should be an exciting time as we see what God has planned for us.

This Sunday evening will be our Annual Business Meeting. We will review 2009 and look ahead to the remainder of this year. We get started at 6:00 PM. We would love to see you there.

Next week I am going to begin a series called Connecting With God: The Lord’s Prayer. We will take eight weeks and we will walk through the Lord’s Prayer together.

Coming up at the end of February we will be offering a special seminar for you. It is called The Truth Project and it will be hosted by Brad Jensen. There is limited space available. If you are interested in knowing more about what you believe and why you believe it this study is for you. You may begin signing up on Sunday. For more information contact Brad at bradjensen7@sbcglobal.net.

Upcoming Events:
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting
February 12th – EPIC Winter Camp
February 28th – Men’s Ministry
February 28th – The Truth Project
March 13th – CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family
April 2nd – Good Friday
April 4th – Easter
April 18th - Baptism

Update on Mrs. Trubey

Mrs. Trubey is being moved to Culver West Rehabilitation Center today. She is doing a bit better, but still has a long recovery ahead of her. Please keep her in your prayers.

As I mentioned last week, God is sending many visitors our way. Many of those visitors are returning for a second and third visit. Please pray with me that God will draw many to salvation and many into membership here at Venice. It is an exciting time in our church. I am excited about what God will do in our neighborhood. We praise Him for His provision and His desire to use us to reach others.

The next two weeks offer a good opportunity to invite a friend to the service. We are going to embark on a two week series called Eternal Realities. This Sunday I am going to talk about The Reality of Hell. Next week it will be The Reality of Heaven. I hope to see you then.

Upcoming Events:
January 16th – Men’s Ministry
January 23rd – Women’s Ministry
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting
February 12th – EPIC Winter Camp
February 21st – Men’s Ministry
March 13th – CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family

Here we go...

2010 has begun with a bang and with the exception of a half marathon disruption last Sunday things are going very well here at Venice Church. Last Sunday was just a minor distraction and for those who never made it to church, we look forward to seeing you on Sunday. We hope to give you much more notice the next time one of these rolls around.

At Venice Church, we are focused on reaching people who are far from God this year. We fully expect that God will send some others to us that are Christ followers, but need a church home. We are having visitors every Sunday. We want to be as accommodating to our guests as possible and one way that we may be able to help is to think about parking. We have a limited number of parking spaces. If you could help us with our parking it will be greatly appreciated. Here is what we would like to do. If you arrive early and you are able bodied, think about parking on the street, but not right in front on Lucille. This may not work for you if you are a Senior or if you are a family with small children, but if it will work for you it will help us by leaving the best spaces on Lucille and some spaces in the parking lot. It is just one small way that we can be more user friendly here at Venice Church.

I just received word last night that Mrs. Trubey has fallen and been injured. She is in the hospital in the Marina. I will know more after I check on her today. Please put her and keep her in your prayers.

Finally…men I look forward to seeing you at IHOP on Lincoln on Saturday morning at 9:00 for Men’s Ministry.


Upcoming Events:
January 16th – Men’s Ministry
January 23rd – Women’s Ministry
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting
February 12th – EPIC Winter Camp
February 21st – Men’s Ministry
March 13th – CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family

Have a Great Year

God has been so good to us in 2009. I am looking forward expectantly to what 2010 will bring. Beginning on Sunday we will be talking about how to have a great year. I look forward to seeing you then.

FYI…The office will be closed next week (January 4-8). Amy and I will be on a Conference/Cruise.

Upcoming Events:
January 16th – Men’s Ministry
January 23rd – Women’s Ministry
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting

Just a few more days...

I hope that you are having a wonderful Christmas week. I hope that you will be with us on Christmas Eve. The service will begin at 6:00 PM. Childcare will be provided for the little ones.

Once again you are to be commended. We reached our goal for the Christmas Outreach Offering. We are at $5,438.00 as of today. It is not too late to give. Just drop it in and write Christmas on the envelope.



Upcoming Events:
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service
January 16th – Men’s Ministry
January 23rd – Women’s Ministry
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting

Your Faithfulness

You rock! As of today the grand total for our Christmas Outreach Offering is $4,748.00. Your faithfulness is amazing. We praise God for His great provision in our lives and for our church. He is good. He is faithful. We praise Him for this offering. And…you still have an opportunity to give. We will wrap up the offering on Sunday. Who will put us over our goal of $5,000.00? If you haven’t given and would like to…just drop it in the basket on Sunday and mark your envelope “Christmas”.

Please pray. The door hangers are beginning to drop. Pray that some far from God would receive the invitation and will come to a service and come to know Christ. That is what it is all about. Please pray that God would draw some into His Kingdom and into Venice Church.

Make plans to be with us on Christmas Eve. The service will begin at 6:00 PM. Childcare will be provided for the little ones.

I look forward to worshipping with you on Sunday.




Upcoming Events:
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service
January 16th – Men’s Ministry
January 23rd – Women’s Ministry
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting

Christmas Offering

Some of you have been asking for it and you got. It’s wintertime (such as it is) in the city. I know that you all have a lot going on…so I am going to attempt to keep this short and sweet today.

Men…your Men’s Ministry Meeting is this Sunday right after the service. Make your plans to be with us and…most of you did not sign up so look for the Men’s Ministry Email and respond to it so they know how much pizza to buy. We always have a great time. Come and join us.

We are continuing to receive our Christmas Outreach Offering. I am very pleased to inform you that we are half way to our goal of $5,000.00. We want to be a blessing to those in our neighborhood who are far from God. The invitations will drop on their doors next week. I know that you want to have a part in this special opportunity to give. I know that God will bless your generosity. Just put your offering in an envelope and write “Christmas” on it.

I look forward to worshipping with you on Sunday.


Upcoming Events:
December 6th – 20th Christmas Outreach Offering
December 13th – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service
January 23rd – Women’s Ministry
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting

Tiger...Come On Man!

I am really disappointed in Tiger Woods. Despite the truth that I know from Scripture, that we all sin and that we are depraved, I always hope for better. I don’t hope for perfection. I know that is not realistic. I hope for better. I want to believe in people. I want to believe that some guy, any guy, is going to excel in his field, make ungodly amounts of money, become a universal icon and not cheat on his wife and his kids. I want to believe that one or some of these guys are not going to become so enamored with it all and so arrogant that they think they are above, not just the law, but basic morality. I hope for one of these guys to realize that you never get away with it.

Numbers32:23
But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

Tiger Woods is a guy who makes his living playing a “gentlemen’s game” where the players police the game themselves without need of referees. Tiger would never, ever, think of cheating at golf, but apparently he will cheat on his wife and kids.

One more thing. Don’t these guys ever learn? Will one of them ever learn from Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and the rest? I get it. I know there are plenty of professional athletes that don’t cheat on their wives, but never get accolades for being “normal”. Just once, could the greatest in the world, the greatest of all time, be a man that we could be proud of?


Upcoming Events:
December 6th – 20th Christmas Outreach Offering
December 13th – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service
January 23rd – Women’s Ministry
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting

Thanksgiving

Please pray about the part that you will have in our Christmas Outreach Offering. We are going to reach approximately 40,000 residences in our neighborhood with Christmas invitations. I know that you want to share in the blessing of touching lives with the gospel this Christmas. The offering will be received the first three Sundays of December. Just put your offering in an envelope and mark it “Christmas Offering”.

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It doesn’t get much better than Thanksgiving. In honor of Thanksgiving I offer up…

My Top Ten Thanksgiving Things…
10. Cranberry Sauce.
9. Family.
8. Turkey.
7. Rook (It’s a card game…just so you know.).
6. Sweet Potatoes or Candied Yams (I don’t know the difference).
5. Dressing
4. Cool Whip
3. Golf Outing the day before Thanksgiving.
2. Pumpkin Pie.
1. Football…when the Cowboys win.
(Easy…just a little holiday humor there.)

I hope that each and every one of you has a very Happy Thanksgiving. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.



Upcoming Events:
December 6th – 20th Christmas Outreach Offering
December 13th – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting

Blessed

Thank you so much for all of the cards, emails, and phone calls that we received since my mom went home to be with the Lord. Your love and encouragement have truly uplifted and sustained me during this difficult time. Thank you for being a wonderful church family.

If you have some time on Sunday afternoon we are going to be decorating for Christmas at 2:00 PM in the Worship Center. Your help is greatly appreciated. Make sure that when you come…you bring your Christmas spirit with you! It is always a lot of fun. I hope to see you then. If you have any questions, please email me at amersh55@yahoo.com.

Men, don’t forget your Men’s Ministry Meeting/Breakfast on Saturday morning at 9:00 AM in the kitchen. I know that it is always a great time of fellowship.

Much Love,
Amy

Upcoming Events:
November 21st – Men’s Ministry
November 22nd – Christmas Decorating
December 13th – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting

Thank You

The service for Amy’s mom, Eddie Crice, is Saturday at 11:00 AM. Please pray that God would be glorified as we remember and celebrate a life that was devoted to God and her family. Thank you so much for your outpouring of prayers and support for our family. Our loss is heaven’s gain. Amy’s mom is no longer suffering and we look forward to being reunited with her in heaven some day. We are thankful that God is our comfort and refuge during this time. His grace is sufficient for all of our needs.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4) He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5) For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

We give thanks today to the men and women of our Armed Forces both veterans and currently serving. We thank them for their sacrifice as they fight for our flag and to protect our freedoms.

And…if you are signed up for CLASS 201 on Saturday…this is your reminder. You will meet in the Berean Room at 9:00 AM. If you have any questions please contact Brad or Denise at bjensen623@verizon.net or bradjensen7@sbcglobal.net .


Upcoming Events:
November 14th – CLASS 201: Growing to be Like Christ
November 21st – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service
January 31st – Annual Business Meeting

Get In a Group...

The heartbeat of Venice Church is our small groups. The Services are good, but real community, real fellowship happens in small groups. We have had our introductory lesson and now this Sunday we embark on 40 Days of Love. We are going to learn about love. We are going to learn to love. We are going to practice love. The best place to learn, grow and practice is in a small group.

This is a great time to give a group a try. It is just a six-week commitment. Try one for the next 40 days. They meet just about every evening of the week. You can find one that will serve you well. If you try one and it is not a good fit…then try another one. For a list of small groups check out the website at http://venicechurch.com/ministries.html. I would be glad to help you find one that will work for you.

The Women’s Ministry Parking Lot Sale is this Saturday from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM. There is going to be some good stuff for sale and the proceeds will go to our Missionary Families for Christmas. Encourage your friends and neighbors to check out the sale.


Upcoming Events:
November 7th – Women’s Ministry Parking Lot Sale
November 14th – CLASS 201: Growing to be Like Christ
November 21st – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service

A Note From Amy...

Trunk or Treat is coming up on Saturday October 31st from 4-7 PM. If you signed up to bring a car or if you would still like to bring a car, please be in the parking lot at 3:00 PM on Saturday. There are still invitations available in the church office. You may come by and pick some up. Please call before you come. This is an outreach to our community, but it is for you and your kids too! Stop by and trick or treat before you hit your neighborhood. I hope to see there.

Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday. Set your clock back one hour when you go to bed on Saturday night.

If you are interested in serving in the Coffee Bar or if you have been serving in the Coffee Bar we will have a meeting right after the service on Sunday…do you know what I mean by right after…immediately after the service on Sunday. If you are interested in serving once a month or even every Sunday we could use your help. I will do my best to answer any and all of your questions at the meeting.

Women’s Ministry Parking Lot Sale is Saturday November 7th from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Please let me know if you are coming to help at the sale. We have plenty of room for more items. Clean out those closets and bring some stuff to sell. It is for a good cause. We are raising money to send to our Missionaries for Christmas.

On Sunday afternoon, November 22nd at 2:00 PM we will decorate the Worship Center and lobby for Christmas. Your help is greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you would like to help.

There is a brand new Spanish Speaking Small Group. It is led by Ruben Morales and it meets on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the EPIC room. The group is presently studying the book of Galatians. If you are interested or if you know somebody who may be please contact Ruben at rsmtwtfsm@gmail.com.

There is a lot going on at Venice Church. As you can see there are plenty of opportunities to serve. I hope you will get involved and stay involved.

Upcoming Events:
October 31st – Trunk or Treat
November 1st – 40 Days of Love Begins & Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 7th – Women’s Ministry Parking Lot Sale
November 14th – CLASS 201: Growing to be Like Christ
November 21st – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service

A Big Week

We are going to be baptizing this Sunday morning right before the service. If you have not been baptized and you would like to be baptized, please let me know by responding to this email and I will fill you in on all the details.

Trunk or Treat is coming up on Saturday October 31st from 4-7 PM and we need your help. We need you to bring your car and decorate it and we need you to donate candy. You can sign up to decorate a car at the information center. You can drop off candy donations in the coffee bar. If you have questions please contact Jennifer at vjennifer@hotmail.com. This is a great opportunity to reach out to and minister to our community. Please participate if you can.

Men, don’t forget that your first meeting of Men’s Ministry Season 4 is this Sunday right after the service. For more information hit Brad at bradjensen7@sbcglobal.net.


Upcoming Events:
October 25th - Baptism
October 25th – Men’s Ministry
October 31st – Trunk or Treat
November 1st – 40 Days of Love & Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 7th – Ladies Parking Lot Sale
November 14th – CLASS 201: Growing to be Like Christ
November 21st – Men’s Ministry
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service

We Need Your Help...

The CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family that was scheduled for this Saturday has been postponed. Turns out it was not a good day for those interested. It will be rescheduled asap. CLASS 201, scheduled for November 14th, will proceed as planned.

Trunk or Treat is just two weeks away and we need your help. We need you to bring your car and decorate it and we need you to donate candy. You can sign up to decorate a car at the information center. You can drop off candy donations in the coffee bar. If you have questions please contact Jennifer at vjennifer@hotmail.com. This is a great opportunity to reach out to and minister to our community. Please participate if you can.

I will continue Who’s the Boss? on Sunday when we talk about discipline. It should be interesting.
Have a wonderful week.

Upcoming Events:
October 18th – Small Group Leader Meeting
October 25th - Baptism
October 31st – Trunk or Treat
November 1st – 40 Days of Love & Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 7th – Ladies Parking Lot Sale
November 14th – CLASS 201: Growing to be Like Christ

New Format

Dear Venice Family,


There is so much going on here at Venice that I cannot possibly talk about all of it in these emails each week. So, beginning with this edition I will include small snippets and announcements that will be attached and included at the bottom. So…be sure to click on the attachments or simply scroll down to see some important information.
This week there are special announcements for women and for those interested in joining a small group.

As for me, I am back in the office today after a quick run to San Diego for a pastor’s conference. We had the opportunity to meet with a couple of great pastors at their great churches. We heard from Mike Meeks at Eastlake Church and from Miles McPherson at the Rock Church. I was encouraged and I know this. God has great things in store for us here at Venice Church. We are right where God wants us doing what He wants us to do. You and I are here to do God’s work. It is a pleasure to serve with you. Let’s keep doing what God has called us to for His honor and glory.

I will see you on Sunday for Message Three in the series Who’s the Boss? This Sunday we are going to talk about…sex! That will give you something to look forward to.

Blessings,
Craig

Upcoming Events:
October 17th – CLASS 101: Connecting With God’s Family
October 18th – Small Group Leader Meeting
October 25th - Baptism
October 31st – Trunk or Treat
November 1st – 40 Days of Love & Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 7th – Ladies Parking Lot Sale
November 14th – CLASS 201: Growing to be Like Christ


Genesis to Revelation Small Group News:
We have completed Song of Solomon, and there was only a small bit of blushing. Coming up on October 8, we will be introducing the prophets and Isaiah. So we are going into some heavy sledding. We'd like to invite all those who are not in a small group to join us for what is likely to be close to a year's journey through Isaiah. We'd like to remind folks that this is a discussion group that thrives on input from all who attend. We are even hopeful of finding those who might want to take on discussion leader functions from time-to-time.

We are currently meeting at 6:45 on Thursday evenings in the Berean Room between the Sunday School Classrooms and the Chapel. Please enter through the Walgrove Ave. side.


Good Morning!
Amy here…hello!!!
I am in need of your help and response. On Saturday November 7th the Women of Venice are having a Parking Lot Sale to raise money to send to our missionaries for Christmas.
To have a successful parking lot sale we need stuff to sell. I need you to let me know if you have some stuff that you would like to sell. And…to have a successful sale we must be organized. I need to know if you can help set up, sell, and/or take down.
So please respond to this email with a “yes I have stuff” and with the specific kind of stuff and if you can help. You can let me know if you have “bigger” stuff and if you need help getting that stuff to the church. Please let me know at amersh55@yahoo.com.
Venice Women’s Parking Lot Sale
Friday, November 6th: Pricing and Set Up
Saturday, November 7th: The Sale from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM (clean up to follow immediately)

Thank you for your help.

Amy