Scott's Thoughts
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Few Quick(ish) Misc Items
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- Click here for FAQs re 1 Service Everywhere, which functionally ‘starts’ on Sun, Dec 22 (because we’re all together at Tusculum University for our All-Church Christmas Candlelight Service—details here) and officially starts on Sun, Dec 29 at all 3 campuses. So, just to be clear, there will be only one, single, solitary service at 10a at each campus. (I mean, that is technically 3 services total, but they’re simultaneous services happening at all 3 campuses, so there’s only 1 Service Everywhere relative to the previous-slash-current context of 2 services everywhere, or 6 total. So we’re both moving from 6 to 3 and 2 to 1. Capiche?!)
- Speaking of 1 Service Everywhere (1SE), check out this cool H7 Story re how 1SE affects kids and families! Here’s what one young mom texted me soon after she found out: It’s cool to hear about how our parents are seeing it as an opportunity to further engage their kiddos in spiritual growth!
- Speaking of H7 Stories, check out this new (5th, I think) flood relief story about another family in our congregation who are simply responding faithfully to opportunities where they can help. Super cool to see how God uses our existing gifts and connections to help get stuff done!
- Click here for details about our Christmas Giving Projects that help with a church planting efforts that is reaching kids and a largely unreached people group in Colombia, (meaning that there are many thousands in a remote area of Colombia where there is no established church and they’ve only had the Bible in their language for a year!)
- Just a brief friendly reminder to help us “praypare" for our upcoming All-Church Christmas Candlelight Service on Sun, Dec 22 at 10a at Tusculum University! We’ve already begun passing out Invite Cards, so please be praying about who to invite!
Really Cool Advent Book for Kids & Families: Promises Made, Promises Kept – A Family Devotional for Christmas
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Totally forgot to mention this in the last couple Scott’s Thoughts, even though it was on my ‘Cover in STs’ list. (Sorry, Samantha and Michael!) We have a really cool children-focused advent book available at The Hub at any campus for only $10. (That’s $7 cheaper than Amazon!) It’s a really nice bordering-on-heirloom-quality hardcover book that has substantial paper, nice colorful drawings, is only 64 pages long, and oh yeah—it’s a great way for families to come together to learn and recapture the beauty and wonder of incarnation! And here’s what I think is the best part… (Ok, not really. This just happens to help assuage a modicum of guilt for being a few weeks late.) … Since Advent officially begins today, you’ve still got the rest of the day to make it seem like this was your plan all along! :o) Boom.
Update re Church Planting Vision Trip to Colombia
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In the last ST and in this post re our 2024 Christmas Giving Projects, we mentioned that 4 FCCers are going on a church planting vision trip to Colombia where a few of them, along with our friend Camila, who lives there and attends FCC when in Greeneville, have been developing relationships and working toward planting a church there. I last reported that $2,400 of the $7,000 needed had been donated, but that’s up to $4,200. Thanks to those who have pitched in! You can donate at this link: fccgreene.org/colombia.
Here’s what Matthew Nasekos, South Greener, texted me on Fri, Nov 22: “The team in Colombia is doing great. We have met with Church planters, done leadership training, passed out Bibles to those that have never owned one, shared the gospel, taught adults, youth, and kids, held an “In Awe of Your Words” workshop, and we are about to share the gospel with and help care for extremely impoverished homeless people. Please be in prayer for Travis as he preaches on Sunday, for me as I lead workshop on God’s Word Sunday afternoon, for our entire team, and that the funds needed for the trip would continue to come in. Thank you!”
Here’s what Travis Chapman, Next Gen/Students/Residents Dir, texted me on Fri, Nov 22: “Hola from Colombia! ?? Too much to share in a text. God is at work here and I am even more encouraged about our trip in May than I was before. [They’re going back in May.] Camila has done an amazing job at coordinating our visits and service opportunities, as well as translating. The pastor in the Soacha area has a true pastor's heart and an eagerness to learn. This trip has given me perspective for the work here, and at the same time, reminded me of our mission in Greene County TN. Thanks for the prayers. See y’all soon.”
Good stuff, y’all!
Here’s what Matthew Nasekos, South Greener, texted me on Fri, Nov 22: “The team in Colombia is doing great. We have met with Church planters, done leadership training, passed out Bibles to those that have never owned one, shared the gospel, taught adults, youth, and kids, held an “In Awe of Your Words” workshop, and we are about to share the gospel with and help care for extremely impoverished homeless people. Please be in prayer for Travis as he preaches on Sunday, for me as I lead workshop on God’s Word Sunday afternoon, for our entire team, and that the funds needed for the trip would continue to come in. Thank you!”
Here’s what Travis Chapman, Next Gen/Students/Residents Dir, texted me on Fri, Nov 22: “Hola from Colombia! ?? Too much to share in a text. God is at work here and I am even more encouraged about our trip in May than I was before. [They’re going back in May.] Camila has done an amazing job at coordinating our visits and service opportunities, as well as translating. The pastor in the Soacha area has a true pastor's heart and an eagerness to learn. This trip has given me perspective for the work here, and at the same time, reminded me of our mission in Greene County TN. Thanks for the prayers. See y’all soon.”
Good stuff, y’all!
Praying and Working on 2025 Budget
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Please be praying with Elders and Staff about the 2025 Budget. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes for the past 4-5 weeks and I think we’re closing in on a good plan that will likely come in at around $1,050,000 for 2025. (That includes everything, missions, building, staff, programming, etc.)
Now, that $1,050,000, which isn’t yet final, is $50,000 fewer than 2024 (fccgreene.org/2024budget. Here’s 2023 for comparison: fccgreene.org/2023budget). Frankly, I think that’s wise for us to continue to be as lean as possible. (Duh.) But it’s beginning to feel like we’re bordering on threadbare(ish)—we don’t really have any more room to cut without cutting staff positions—so I wanna ask you to prayerfully consider giving more or to begin giving during 2025, if you’re able. Now, all told, I’m not worried, the Lord is faithful, we’re gonna be fine regardless of what measures we may need to take to stay lean and in-the-green, I believe our best years are ahead of us, we are growing, God is continuing to do wonderful things among our people, and we have many, many all-in faithful givers among us already who deserve our gratitude. (But if you could help a bit more, that’d be… helpful.) ;o) More 2025 budget details in the next couple/few weeks, as in actual numbers, line items, previous years' numbers, percentages for comparing, etc.
Now, that $1,050,000, which isn’t yet final, is $50,000 fewer than 2024 (fccgreene.org/2024budget. Here’s 2023 for comparison: fccgreene.org/2023budget). Frankly, I think that’s wise for us to continue to be as lean as possible. (Duh.) But it’s beginning to feel like we’re bordering on threadbare(ish)—we don’t really have any more room to cut without cutting staff positions—so I wanna ask you to prayerfully consider giving more or to begin giving during 2025, if you’re able. Now, all told, I’m not worried, the Lord is faithful, we’re gonna be fine regardless of what measures we may need to take to stay lean and in-the-green, I believe our best years are ahead of us, we are growing, God is continuing to do wonderful things among our people, and we have many, many all-in faithful givers among us already who deserve our gratitude. (But if you could help a bit more, that’d be… helpful.) ;o) More 2025 budget details in the next couple/few weeks, as in actual numbers, line items, previous years' numbers, percentages for comparing, etc.
Posted in Scotts Thoughts