OFFICE: 1987 S. Lincoln Ave. Vineland, NJ 08361
Mon.-Thurs. 9:00-4:00pm, Fri. 9:00-12:00pm
856.696.3444 / 856.696.6511 (fax) churchoffice@lfachurch.org
Sunday Services: 8:30 /10:30am @ Wallace Middle School
688 N. Mill Rd. Vineland, NJ 08360
Wednesday Evening: 6:30pm @ Cumberland Christian School
1100 W. Sherman Ave. Vineland, NJ 08360
J U L Y 2 0 1 0 V O L U M E 2 I S S U E 7
Freedom From Your Revelation. We are always interpreting God, others, ourselves and
Hurts, Habits and Hang-Ups
Hang- our situations. According to Jesus, we cannot see well on our own.
We are blind! Therefore we need God’s revelation to see Him, others,
ourselves and our situations more accurately and with hope. CR is a
12 step, Christ-centered program that fosters regular interaction with
the Word of God to help us hear God’s plan for our lives.
God’s presence. Through CR ministry, participants have the
opportunity to experience God. The elements that foster this reality
include leaders who desire to follow God in all of life, worshipful times
together, the practice of prayer, fellowship and regular opportunities of
mediation and reflection.
The centrality of Jesus. In CR ministry we recognize that steps,
relationships, study, reflection and accountability by themselves
are not enough means to produce lasting change and healing. Each
small group session or large gathering points to the reality that we are
powerless and that we need to turn our lives to the care of Jesus our
Savior. The ultimate goal of CR is not sobriety, it is Christ-likeness!
Back in June I had shared the idea that our spiritual maturity as
disciples of Jesus Christ hinges in a big part on our emotional health Becoming instruments of healing. CR would be incomplete if it only
(The Emotionally Healthy Church, Pete Scazero, 19) and that pursu- helped people address their hurts, habits and hang ups. CR is de-
ing healing, according to Scazero, needs to be part of our process of signed to encourage each participant to become instruments of heal-
personal discipleship. Celebrate Recovery is for anyone who desires ing in other people’s lives as they experience recovery in their own
to pursue healing. I want to explain the reasons for offering a Cele- lives. There are many opportunities in which a person can become
brate Recovery (CR) ministry and some ways you can consider par- involved to serve and help others. One of the recurring values of CR
ticipating or supporting this ministry. is the development and reproduction of new leaders!
Coming up. We will launch our Celebrate Recovery Ministry in Sep-
Community is essential to healing. Pursuing change in the context
tember. At first we will begin enrollment on a limited basis to ensure
of community remains somewhat foreign to our culture where
the effectiveness of CR.
relationships happen in very impersonal ways. CR fosters relating
with others on an ongoing basis while nurturing increasing levels of How do I sign up? Call the office, complete the bulletin tear off any
personal disclosure and accountability. God is redeeming our lives via Sunday indicating your interest in CR or email us at
interdependence, not isolation (1 Cor. 12), therefore healing is a celebraterecovery@lfachurch.org . Someone will follow up with you to
community project. determine if the groups we will offer fit your need. You must be at
least 19 years old to participate. If you would like to help in the areas
Focus is necessary. I am coming to the conclusion that God does
of setup, greeters, worship, prayer, childcare, information table or
not change us by addressing every weak or inadequate area at once.
donating food/desserts for our weekly Solid Rock Café, follow the
He takes His time to identify where change is needed in us and leads
same procedure indicated above.
us accordingly and with love. CR ministry helps individuals gain
understanding of one struggle at a time as well as the appropriate Your timely feedback is important during the month of July since we
steps the healing process may require. Of course, this takes time. It is are currently making preparations.
not a ministry for quick fixes! In recovery,
Diego Cuartas
CR has taught me that I’m powerless to change the situations and challenges of my life.
That I need to call on the higher power of Jesus Christ. When I was at the end of my
rope, done with life, Jesus came to me and asked: “Do you want to be well?” I felt just
like the man at the pool from John 5, struggling to do it on my own and being disap-
pointed at the outcome, ready to say my life will never change. But when I surrendered to the higher power of
Jesus and stopped struggling in my own strength, just like the man at the well, I was changed. Jesus set me
free from the slavery of my sins that bound me for almost 30 years.
PAGE 2
Children’s Ministry
Connection Times
This Summer
Children’s Ministry would like to invite you to a picnic
this summer. Please mark your calendars of these Bio of the Month
upcoming dates. Job title: Office Manager
Who: Walker/Infant Nursery: What’s playing on your iPod right now?: It’s
When: July 25th from 4:00 - 6:00 pm almost always on shuffle, so anything is possible…it
Where: Wayne & Laurie Haven’s home could be anything from Nat King Cole to B.B. King to
1126 Rainbow Circle, Pittsgrove Ryan Adams to Sara Groves.
Who: 2 and 3 Year Olds: Do you have a hobby?: I just started getting into
When: August 4th from 6:00 - 8:00 pm scrapbooking.
Where: Frank & Laurie Geremia’s home What books are you currently reading or
240 Carpy Avenue, Vineland recommend?: I haven’t read much lately, but a good
Who: Pre-K and K Classes: old book is A Separate Peace by John Knowles.
When: Aug 11th from 6:00 - 8:00 pm What are you passionate about?: Getting
Where: Al & Esther Eisler’s home teenagers and adults/parents involved in each other’s
4281 S. Lincoln Avenue, Vineland lives; music
Where were you born?: Burdette Tomlin Memorial
Hospital in Cape May Court House, NJ
Name a pet peeve: Poor grammar and punctuation;
ref·uge (rěf'yōōj) n. squeaky or wiggly wheels on a shopping cart
1. Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship. Favorite local restaurant?: The Green Olive in
2. A place providing protection or shelter. Hopewell
3. A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble.
Describe a surprising eccentric quirk? I won’t eat
Our initial twelve weeks of REFUGE have come to an blue M&Ms because the color freaks me out, and I
end, incredibly. It feels like they were here and gone in will only eat sour patch kids if someone sucks all the
the blink of an eye. We set out with a goal of running a sour part off first.
pilot program, loving kids and figuring out the kinks and
issues that needed attention. (Amazingly, we weren’t
disappointed in the least and came across plenty of those Looking Ahead:
kinks and issues to keep us busy re-structuring over the
summer). Fall Truth For Living
As we enter into a very different phase of our program, I’d Unavoidable Impact: Parenting Jr. High & Sr. High
like to ask those of you with this ministry and that Children - Parents, even if you don’t see it in the
neighborhood of 3rd & Plum on your hearts to commit us moment, your leadership has an unavoidable impact
to your prayers. We have an abundance of passion, on the life of your student.
3
ideas, questions and decisions-anxiously-waiting-to-be- Breaking Free by the Power of the Holy Spirit - For
made floating amidst the leadership of REFUGE. those of you who find you are stuck in destructive
Please pray that we would remain open-hearted & open- patterns, recognize that you need help and are looking
minded to the direction and desires of our Father; that we to God for change.
would not mistake our ideas for His but become more re- Simple Way to Pray - A workshop modeled after the
ceptive to His will with every single conversation we have. way Jesus taught His disciples to pray.
Please pray for provision for this ministry & those families The Marriage Course - The Marriage Course is very
– that everything we need, we’ll have. Most importantly, practical Biblical help for any marriage. It will help equip
please pray for Jesus to remain at the center & the focus you with the tools needed to build a healthy marriage
of our cause. that lasts a lifetime.
We’re excited for the redemption and restoration God has Parenting II: Raising Toddlers (for parents of 2-5 year
in-store for His people and hope you’ll join us as we work olds) - Learn together with other parents how to bless
on finding our place in His plan. your young children by training them to come under
Tanya Baszner authority.
Financial
Update
Please note the dates for the specific Class Dinners below--you're invited too! As the second quarter comes to
Also, there are two equipping classes available to you this summer a close and June’s numbers
Idle Busyness in Idol Business: Shepherding Jr. and Sr. High Children in come in, we have a lot to be
Technology (Class taught by Mike MacAdam and Erik Howard, 6:30-8:00pm @LFL) thankful for! Just as Paul tells us
Wednesday, July 14--Internet Pornography in Philippians 4, God supplies
Wednesday, July 21--Television/Movies our every need. Our rental situa-
Wednesday, July 28--Cell Phones tion continues to be a success in
Wednesday, August 4--NO CLASS (rafting/paintball trip) creating a space for us to freely
Wednesday, August 11--Video Games worship God. The Sunday morn-
Captivating (particularly for Sr. High girls and their moms) ing attendance continues to
(taught by Connie Jones, 7-9pm @LFL) grow, with the second quarter
This class will meet each Thursday night July 1st through August 19th weekly average exceeding the
first quarter average of 646 by
Jr. High an additional 20 people. It is ex-
Tuesday, July 13th--Class Dinner for new 8th Graders and Parents, 6-7:30pm @LFL citing to see that God’s people
Saturday, July 24th--Jr. vs. Sr. High Flag Football Game, 11-2pm @LFL enjoy growing in unity together,
Wednesday, July 28th, 6:30-8:00pm--Youth Group @LFL wherever we gather.
Wednesday, August 11th, 6:30-8:00pm--Youth Group @LFL
Giving to the General Fund, the
Sr. High main operating account, which
Saturday, July 10th--Lake Day @Laurel Lake (Jones' house), 11-3pm has been doing exceptionally
Tuesday, July 20th--Class Dinner for new 9th Graders and Parents, 6-7:30pm @LFL well this year, has shown a dip in
Saturday, July 24th--Jr. vs. Sr. High Flag Football Game, 11-2pm @LFL June as we failed to meet budget
Tuesday, July 27th--Class Dinner for new 10th Graders and Parents, 6-7:30pm @LFL this month. This dip in giving is
Tuesday, August 3rd through Thursday, August 5th--WW Rafting & Paintball Trip typical for June, and still beats
Saturday, August 14th--Lake Day @ Laurel Lake (Jones' house), 11-3pm the 5 year weekly giving average
for June by $700. We need
$13,520 each week to meet our
Summer Truth For Living income budget; June’s weekly
A Closer Look at Two of The Classes Being Offered giving average was $13,130.
Even so, with strong giving for
Baptism Class the first half of the year we re-
Why get Baptized? main $31,900 ahead of year-to-
To answer that question more fully I would like to invite you to attend the Baptism Course date income projection.
we are offering this summer. Going through the Baptism course gives you an opportunity
The Building Fund continues to
to understand more fully God’s design for baptism and His work in your life.
gain momentum as $55,000 has
To give you a quick answer, let me give you two reasons to get baptized. The first reason been given this year; or approxi-
is that Jesus said so, Matthew 28:19. That’s right Jesus said it, so let’s obey it. (That little
mately $2,000 a week. That
rhyme might help you remember). The second reason is just my opinion, not a Biblical
brings the total in the account to
command, but there is great benefit in public declarations of our faith in Jesus. It is good
for our soul to publicly say I am following Jesus, His death matters to my life. So please
$139,000. This money will fund
consider this step of obedience. the platform lift that is being in-
stalled from the first floor to the
August 11, 18, 25 6:00-8:30 @ LFAC Lincoln. Dinner starts at 6:00!
basement, which will hopefully
Please sign up online or call the church office.
begin construction in July. Thank
Membership Class you for giving above and be-
I already attend, why should I bother becoming a member? yond!
I get that question a lot, so let me give you my answer. First of all, it is not because we Finally, the Great Commission
want you “on the rolls.” Membership at Living Faith Alliance has 2 big points of emphasis. Fund has brought in over
The first emphasis is that we want you to know the mission we believe God has for us as a $27,000 this year. That’s $5,500
church. We want you to know where we are going and how we believe God is getting us more than the same time period
there. The second emphasis is that we want you to pay attention to your own calling, the last year. Join me in praising
movement that God has started in you. God for all He has given us. Di-
Our desire is that over the 3 sessions of the membership course these two points of em- rect any giving question to
phasis would come together into one. We are not just looking for warm bodies to fill space. giving@LFAchurch.org
We want people who will partner with LFAC in what God is doing in South Jersey and
around the world, according to the specific design of God on their lives. Matthew Rudd
July 21, 28, & Aug. 4 6:00-8:30 @ LFAC Lincoln. Dinner starts at 6:00!
Please sign up online or call the church office.
Interested in receiving this newsletter via email? Send your name & email to churchoffice@lfachurch.org
Let’s peek in on a Pastorate….
Children’s Ministry Picnic—A Great Time Had By All!
Our Children's Ministry “End of Year” Picnic was held at Cumberland Christian School on Wednesday July 23. Before
we ate we thanked the Jelinek pastorate for providing the dinner. There were about 180 hungry children, parents and
workers present. We ate 125 hamburgers and 125 hot dogs. In addition, many parents brought wonderful side
dishes that were gone by the end of the night. For dessert we all got ice cream sandwiches.
Children had a great time playing in the different play yards. Some of the youth children’s workers organized a soccer
game for kids and parents. Everyone seemed to have a great time playing together whether they were young or "old".
The play time was followed by a children's program. Each age group, starting with the infants, shared things they had
learned throughout the year. Teachers also got to express how it blessed them to be able to work with the children
this year. Kim Geremia led each of the age groups in singing some of their favorite songs. Everyone did a great
job. Congratulations to teachers and kids on a job well done.
Following the program Mr. Mark Gebhardt led everyone in a time of worship which was followed by a time of
prayer. Mr. "G" asked for families to get together. He asked the Heads of Families to lead moms and children in a
prayer based on Psalm 78. At the end of the prayer time the Jelinek pastorate handed out the ice cream treats to
everyone.
Thanks to everyone who came. And thank you to all who helped by setting up, cooking food, bringing a side dish and
leading some portion of the night.
Frank Geremia and Chris Laury