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Prayer Requests/Updates
Joan Baker’s son Steven was in the hospital as a result of a fall. They were primarily concerned about his lungs at that time. Unfortunately, he hurt his shoulder, but it was not treated in the hospital. His shoulder has been dislocated and tendons have been injured and he is in severe pain. He had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon this week. Please pray that he can be healed without surgery and the pain will subside. Cards may be sent to 335 Paige Way, Winder, GA 30680.
Update on Bill Mapes from Rebecca Mapes
Bill’s surgery is scheduled for Thursday, January 13th. I will be the only one able to be with him due to Covid. We are very thankful that this is being handled so quickly. No promises on the outcome of course but we are hopeful.
Continued prayers for healing:
Anthony Alford 1481 Ashland Drive, Statham, GA 30666
Anthony Alford’s sister Precilla Penson
Penelope Baine 1170 Manor Ridge, Bishop, GA 30621
Denise and Derek Carroll 1111 Timarron Trail, Watkinsville, GA 30677
Katherine Hearn 1641 Wild Azalea Lane, Athens, GA 30606
Teresa Howard 220 Pointers Ridge Drive, Athens, GA 30606 Waiting for surgery date in February.
Debbie Johns 416 Winston Manor Drive, Winder, GA 30680
Ken Lauderdale 75 Old Edwards Road, Arnoldsville, GA 30619
Bill Mapes 415 Leyland Drive, Winder, GA 30680 Surgery scheduled for January 13th.
Alexa Pursell 385 N Billups Street, Athens, GA 30606 Surgery scheduled for January 14.
Lark Schroeder’s friend’s daughter Michaelyn Loper
Pat Snow 1260 Nona Drive, Athens, GA 30606
Lisa Washington’s brother-in-law David Simms
Grieving:
Matt Buehler lost his mother Mille Buehler recently. Cards of sympathy may be sent to 175 Farm Lakeside Drive, Winder, GA 30680.
Tom Kulcsar’s father Charles P. Kulcsar ll passed on Christmas Eve. He was 97. Cards of sympathy may be sent to 24 Browns Lane, Hartwell, GA 30643.
Link to obituary: https://www.beaconjournal.com/obituaries/0001048134-01
Barbara Warnock’s father and Jenique Williamses’ grandfather Clifton Warnock passed away recently. Cards of sympathy may be sent to 216 Dyches Drive, Savannah, GA 31406.
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WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!
Jeff Puryear was baptized Wednesday night.
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4
Pictured above: Brad Turner, Jeff Puryear, Craig Rugh, and Ed Baxter. Absent: Dave Bass, Oscar Copeland, and Felix Mccauley.
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Teens/Middle Schoolers and Parents
Matt Baker has been spearheading the renovations in the Teen/MS building and we now have a Certificate of Occupancy. The next step is to clean up the building so we can start using it again.
We are planning to meet up there this Saturday, January 8th from 9am-12pm to start cleaning.
How can you help?
1. If you are willing to come and clean email timcarmstrong@gmail.com
2. We are looking for several carpet cleaners to use to clean the carpets, chairs, etc.
If you have one we can use, please email timcarmstrong@gmail.com
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JANUARY 9TH
SUNDAY MORNING ONLINE
NO IN-PERSON SERVICE
10:30 AM
Due to an increase in the number of people who have tested positive for Covid in our congregation, we will not be meeting in person this Sunday. The service will be streamed online at 10:30 am. Do feel free to meet in smaller groups as you feel comfortable. Regardless of whether you stay home or meet in smaller groups please be sure to tune in to the worship service on Sunday morning. We will be continuing our church wide teaching on the book of Ephesians.
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JANUARY 9TH
ONLINE ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL
8:30 AM
Simply copy & paste the corresponding link for the class of your choice into your browser and join the class!
LESSONS FROM TORAH
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81345063324
Meeting ID: 813 4506 3324
ESCAPING THE BEAST: POLITICS, ALLEGIANCE, AND KINGDOM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6770225451
BEMA DISCIPLESHIP DISCUSSION GROUP – PROPHETS AND WRITINGS
https://zoom.us/j/7065421147
Meeting ID: 706 542 1147
(646) 876 9923
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JANUARY 9TH – 30TH
A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR UPCOMING FAST
WE READ OF FASTING being practiced by faithful men and
women in both the Old and New Testament scriptures. In fact,
fasting is mentioned over 70 times in the Bible. Examples include
public fasts, private fasts, and communal or even national times
of fasting, in which God’s people fasted together, unified in a
common cause.
The scriptures teach us that at various times people who sought
God through fasting were blessed with wisdom, revelation,
greater faith, peace, and often relief from dire circumstances.
Moses, David, Daniel, Esther, disciples in the early church, and
even Jesus, himself, fasted! Jesus also confirmed that it would
be appropriate for his followers to fast after he was no longer
with them (Mt 9:15, Lk 5:35).
SO WHY DO WE FAST TOGETHER EVERY JANUARY?
Like the men and women of the Bible, we fast together to
collectively draw close to God. It is an exercise in spirituality and
unity of the body. Our congregational fast is meant to help us all,
as one, turn our hearts and attention towards God. It is, in part, a
means by which we offer ourselves to God as a “first fruits
offering” and “living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1) for the new year.
We also fast together to remind ourselves of our dependence on
God. It is a means by which we seek his face and better
understanding of him and his will, both individually and as a
community of believers. Thus, we pray and fast both for
individual needs and concerns and for the body as a whole.
SO HOW DOES IT WORK?
Our congregational fast lasts for 3 weeks. This year, we are
beginning our fast this Sunday, Jan 9, and it will run through
Sunday, Jan 30. We will break the fast together in our House
Churches on Sunday the 30th.
A true fast involves abstaining from food, and sometimes drink,
for a period of time in order to focus on prayer and seeking
God’s will or favor. Most of our members choose to fast from
certain foods which they normally love (examples might be
meats, sweets, breads, coffee, etc.) A few choose to engage in
full fasts, at least for part of the time, abstaining from all food for
a period.
CAUTION: Before choosing to fast from food or drink, make sure
your body is healthy enough to do it. Certain health conditions
make it unwise and dangerous to fast. If this is the case for you,
we encourage you to participate in other ways, such as choosing
to give up an activity or hobby for the duration of the fast as an
offering to God, then using the time normally spent on said
activities to pray, read scripture, or engage in some other
spiritually focused pursuit.
This year we are asking every disciple in the Athens Church of
Christ to have 3 areas of focus when it comes to our fast.
FIRST, we have a communal, churchwide focus. We have been
studying the book of Ephesians and learning how the church has
always been God’s predestined, eternal plan for revealing his
wisdom and glory, and for restoring his people to the image of
Christ! Ephesians 4:1 urges us to live lives worthy of this calling!
Let us fast together that God will continue to empower us to live
such lives that we will exhibit the God-glorifying community he
has called us to be in 2022!
SECOND, in the spirit of continually becoming more unified in
our family groups, have a family group focus as well. Fast for
something together that you pray to see happen as a family
group in 2022!
THIRD, by all means, have your personal areas of focus also.
Maybe it is a circumstance you hope to see change or, if not,
endure with faith and which results in spiritual growth. Maybe
you simply want to grow in your faith and learn to trust God
more. It could be anything.
Below are some scriptures you can study if you would like to
examine fasting further. There are many others as well. Don’t
hesitate to contact Kindred or any of the elders or family group
leaders if you have more questions. May God bless our fast and
use it to help us know him better!
2 Samuel 1:12; 12:15-17 Luke 2:37; 4:2-4
Esther 4:16 Nehemiah 1:4
Daniel 9:3-5, 10:3 1 Kings 21:25-27
Joel 2:12 Ezra 8:21-23
Acts 13:2-4; 14:23 Matthew 6:16-18
The fast will feature 3 consecutive FRIDAY NIGHTS OF PRAYER, each beginning at 7 pm and running through 8:30 pm. We are asking all disciples who can attend to do so.
Friday, January 14 — The men will assemble and pray at the church
Friday, January 21 — The women will assemble and pray at the church
Friday, January 28 — The entire congregation will assemble and pray at the church
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Parent Meeting Sunday Night at 8 pm
Hello to All Parents and Those Willing to Help with Our Children’s Ministry!
As announced last Sunday, there will be a special online meeting via Zoom this Sunday night, January 9, 8-9p regarding the future of our children’s ministry. The meeting will be led by the Howards and the Pursells. All parents as well as any other disciples with a passion for, or interest in, serving in the children’s ministry are invited to attend. The purpose of the meeting is to inform you of decisions which have been made as well as solicit input on areas where no final direction has yet been decided. Below is the zoom link for attending said meeting.
Kindred Howard is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Childrens Ministry
Time: Jan 9, 2022 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88274844705?pwd=aXNURDhIaWVpaW9vOXJzYUEyNzBxdz09
Meeting ID: 882 7484 4705
Passcode: 322756
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Below is the church’s MIDWEEK SCHEDULE for the first quarter of the year. This should help Family Group Leaders plan accordingly.
Wed 1/12 Congregational
Wed 1/19 Family Groups
Wed 1/26 Congregational
Wed 2/2 Family Groups
Wed 2/9 Congregational
Wed 2/16 Family Groups
Wed 2/23 Congregational
Wed 3/2 Family Groups
Wed 3/9 Congregational
Wed 3/16 Family Groups
Wed 3/23 Congregational
Wed 3/30 Family Groups
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MLK Day of Service: Volunteer with FPA!
This year, FPA is joining in the Athens MLK Day of Service on January 17th. We will have two shifts (morning and afternoon) for volunteers to help clean and organize the static site. If anyone is wanting to volunteer they can sign up below. In addition, if you have a group looking for separate group volunteer activities, we have availability in January and February for groups to come help clean and organize the Day Center before it’s reopening. Please reach out for additional details.
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HELP FOR CHILDREN IN INDIA
Greetings from Wilmington, DE! If anyone is interested in sponsoring a child at the Asharan orphanage in New Delhi India, please contact Lisa Goodwin: lisagoodwin79@gmail.com. Due to the ongoing pandemic, funding has been cut. One hundred dollars will cover provisions for each child per month, but donations of any amount are appreciated. There are currently 23 children at Asharan. I hope you all have a Healthy & Happy New Year!
XO,
Lisa Goodwin
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Opportunity to Meet a Need
One of our sisters took in a young woman who has aged out of foster care. She only has a couple outfits, no jacket. If you have some some clothes for a 19 year old, she wears 14/16 pants and size medium shirts. If you can help, please text or call Amy Mock at 404-247-2201.
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