Newsletter DECEMBER 2011 | ISSUE TWENTY-ONE
BRINGING FOCUS
TO LFAC by Pastor Nate Howard
Here, at the close of 2011, we are
giving five Sundays to do two things. In
Matthew 12, we are learning from Jesus
how, in the middle of difficulties and
challenges, to re-root ourselves in our Christmas Eve is nearly here, and it's a great
core values. We also are looking at what
we believe are three next steps for LFAC: service to invite family and friends! The
1) We must prioritize our primary call to service at Cumberland Christian School will
do our part to provide every man,
woman and child in South Jersey with begin at 5:00 PM and end at 6:30, so there is
repeated, credible opportunities to
see, hear and respond to the Gospel plenty of time to still have family dinners
of Jesus Christ. To do that we are
embracing a vision to establish a
and get those kids to bed early. Childcare is
network of at least five churches
through a multi-site strategy;
provided from infants through three-
2) We must increase the quality of our year-olds. Many older children
worship experience on Sunday
morning, enhance the experience of
will be participating in the
serving on ministry teams (including
set-up team) and increase our Sunday
Christmas Eve service
Attendance to 700; and,
itself.
3) We must make the transition to
Cumberland Christian School
successfully.
Details on the LFA Focus are now on our
website (www.LFAchurch.org), via a FAQ
page, the Annual Report and a video
explanation of multi-site. As you interact
with what you are hearing on Sundays,
please send your thoughts and
questions to: Questions@LFAchurch.org.
Living Faith Alliance Church SUNDAY SERVICES: 8:30 /10:30 am
Wallace Middle School 688 N. Mill Rd. Vineland, NJ 08360
1987 South Lincoln Avenue • Vineland, NJ 08361
WEDNESDAY CLASSES: 6:30 pm
856-696-3444 • www.LFAChurch.org Cumberland Christian School 1100 W. Sherman Ave. Vineland, NJ 08360
Leading Your
Family Through the
Christmas Season
by Sharon Howard, Family Ministry Coordinator
Here are some practical ways to help you truly celebrate Jesus
this holiday season.
Have you and your family been looking
Set aside times to meditate on God’s Word about
for someone you can bless this
the real meaning of Christmas.
Christmas? We have some friends
Listen to Christmas music and talk about the
who we know could use the joy
significance of the words
of Jesus. Check the lobby on
Memorize our church’s theme verse for
Sunday for a list of families
Christmas this year (Isaiah 9:2, or 9:6-7)
who have needs and would
Read from “Advent Devotionals” by Max
be grateful for your
Lucado (see the FM resource table) or
Scripture passages like Luke 1:26-2:40 generosity..
As schedules get busy, take times to slow down
and connect with God through prayer.
Pray for hurting people (the December verses
on our Prayer Tool are all Christmas themes)
There is
Take time to praise God for His most precious
NO SERVICE
gift… Jesus on Christmas
As you gather with family, take time to give morning. Enjoy
prayers of thanksgiving for each other the time with
your family!
Keep your focus on God by taking moments to talk
about what you see Him doing.
On the way home from Christmas shopping or
putting up your tree
After you go on an outreach with your
pastorate or family
For ways he provides or answers prayer at this
time
There will be ONE NEW YEAR'S DAY SERVICE
Look for chances to practically show love to people
that don’t know Jesus. at 10:30 a.m. with normal childcare,
Take time to sit down in the busy mall to including Treasure Seekers. Celebrate the
notice and pray for people new year at Cumberland Christian School as
Make a Christmas card or bake cookies for we worship our great
your neighbors
God together! We will
Invite someone to join you for the Christmas
Eve and New Years Services then be back at
Plan to bless another family (listed here in this Wallace School on
Newsletter) that our Church Family is involved January 8, 2012.
in this Christmas! (see list in lobby)
Winter Courses
Sign up for any course at www.lfachurch.org/TFL or by calling the church office.
Wednesday Nights (starting January 4)
1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month | 6:30-8:00 (coincides with Children’s Ministry and Jr. High) | Cumberland Christian School
Parenting II: Raising Toddlers amazing results. On average, these families paid off $5,300 in
Led by Family Ministries Coordinator Sharon Howard debt and saved $2,700 in just the first 90 days! In preparation
Our culture often builds fear in parents about "the terrible for bringing this Biblically-based financial training to many who
twos". We believe children between the ages of 2-5 years old need it, we are looking to train some additional leaders. Please
are at a perfect stage to begin learning the blessing of coming join us this winter to go through Financial Peace University and
under authority. Come and join other parents as we learn about get equipped to help others.
themes like: nurturing faith at an early age, what obedience
looks like, coming under authority, intentional training, and Life Lessons for Ladies
forms of discipline. Don't miss a chance to get help with this Led by Mona Mauro
very crucial stage of parenting! Discover God's truth for living through the lives and faith of the
founders of the nation of Israel (the Patriarchs), their wives and
Membership their dysfunctional families. We will study the triumphs and
Led by Pastor Greg Hill failures, twists and turns, redemption and mystery of Genesis
Membership is not about getting your name on a roster or 12-50. No matter how experienced you are in reading the
getting a special parking spot. Membership is about getting Bible, you will feel right at home. You will be amazed at
connected. The membership course is designed to how much we will learn and grow as women and be
connect the movement of the Spirit of God in your able to apply practically to our everyday lives.
life with the movement of the Spirit of God at Living
Faith Alliance Church. Encountering God in Scripture
Led by Rich Irion
Financial Peace Perhaps you find yourself intimidated by Scripture or
Led by Tim Vaughn unmotivated to read it. Many of us experience the sad truth that
Are you passionate about personal finances? Do you enjoy this precious gift of the Bible that God has handed down
helping others through a struggle that you victoriously to us through generations has very little impact on our
overcame? We are looking for people with a passion lives. Rich will be leading you through the Bible in such
for personal finances. More than 1.5 million families a way that you will learn to Encounter the God of the
have attended Financial Peace University with Bible on your own.
Tuesdays
Sunday Nights 6:30 AM | Larry’s II Café
10:00 AM | Women’s Study at Living Faith Lincoln
6:30-8:00 | Living Faith Lincoln 7:00 PM | Men’s Study at the home of Larry Baruffi
Learning to Pray Like a Child Formed by His Word
Led by Pastor Diego Cuartas This winter all 3 Formed By His word groups are going to be
We will use Paul Miller’s book, A Praying Life as a guide to the focused on the Parables of Matthew 13. As Nate preaches them
training. This course is designed to help you learn to pray in on Sunday, the Tuesday groups will meet every week to read
such a way that you are paying attention to the thoughts, and discuss the parable. Our desire is that our lives would start
desires and emotions of God. You will then weave the to be formed and shaped by His Word. Through this
realties of God into the realities of your everyday life guided discipline of reading Scripture you can
and talk to God like you would a good loving and establish daily rhythms of seeking God in His Word on
attentive parent. your own.
— continued on next page —
The 7 Essentials of Discipleship are courses of training designed to
equip people with foundational truth and basic practices for a
lifetime of following Jesus. You do not have to take the courses in
order; you can jump in at any point. For more info on the 7 Essentials,
go to www.LFAchurch.org and find them under Truth For Living.
Various Times Frank & Kim Medio
Sundays 4:30 pm
609.567.1324
frankmed@comcast.net
Dave & Connie Jones
Life Transformation Groups Sundays 1:00 pm
If none of these classes are fitting your current life experience and you have already 856.327.4845
gotten the basics of the 7 Essentials of Discipleship, consider an LTG. An LTG is a small spikettejns@yahoo.com
group experience for personal growth using the discipline of prayer, confession and
Scripture reading. Talk to your Pastorate leader for more details. Steve & Sharon Schalick
Sundays 1:00 pm
856.457.2192
schalickpastorate@gmail.com
Harry & Val Behrens
Sundays 5:00 pm
856.205.0767
hbehrens4@comcast.net
Alpha is an excellent introduction to following Dave & Jayme Carter
Jesus and a great way to experience the pulse Sundays 4:30 pm
856.692.6747
of Living Faith Alliance Church. If you have not carterpastorate@gmail.com
been on the Alpha course, check it out. You
have dinner every week, make some new Joel Howard (young adults)
Sundays 7:00 pm
friends and talk about the existence of God, 570.575.4851
the work of the Holy Spirit or what happens joelhoward5@gmail.com
after death. You will get to know God better,
Hap & Sue Hyson
and you will get a clearer understanding of Wednesdays 6:30 pm
Living Faith Alliance Church. 856.691.5903
pastoratehayelect@verizon.net
For those of you who have been on the course,
Starting January 4th, Larry & Leslie Baruffi
I want to ask you to pray this prayer: “Father, Wednesdays 7:00 pm
from 6:00-8:30 at
please show me someone I can invite to 856.691.9211
Cumberland larrybaruffi@yahoo.com
Christian School Alpha.” Now start looking for God to answer
Hosted by that prayer. You already have relationships Ed Gove (LFAC Fenimore Group)
Matt Hartman with all sorts of people, and there are tens of Saturdays 5:30 pm
856.899.4909
thousands living in our area who do not yet gove.pastorate@gmail.com
know Jesus. If you are willing, God can use you
to invite someone for just one night to see Bill & Patrice Fennen
Saturdays 5:30 pm
what God will do. 856.794.8237
wdfennen@comcast.net
Mark & Lisa Gebhardt (Millville
West)
Thursdays 6:00 pm
856.305.5272
mgebhardt@LFAchurch.org