Don’t forget to set your clocks forward one hour on Saturday night. Also, we’re going to give away a $50 gift card to one lucky winner at the 9:30 service this Sunday for losing an hour of sleep and still making it to the 9:30 service.
Get Better in 2012
We all like to make resolutions every new year…lose weight, join the gym, eat healthier, spend more time with family, etc. Setting goals or trying to become better is not a bad thing, however, if we are honest, very few of us make an attempt to improve the spiritual aspect of our lives.
Here are a few things that you can do to improve your relationship with (or maybe just your knowledge of) God:
- Subscribe to Cross Training. C3 sends out a weekly devotional every Monday through Friday that you can get right in your email inbox. All you have to do is enter your email and confirm.
- Start a Bible Reading Plan. If you’re new to reading the Bible, picking a daily plan is probably your best option. Youversion has tons of choices and is easy to use. You can check out those plans here.
I’m also going to be doing a new plan called the “Bible Reading Plan for Slackers“. I not only like the name, but I usually struggle with missing a few days of reading and then just figure it’s easier to quit and try again sometime later. On the Slackers plan, you just read on that day and if you miss it…it’s no big deal…just read it the next time around.
- Memorize the Bible. Lifechurch.tv has made it possible to receive a verse to memorize on your mobile phone each week. All you have to do is text the word BETTER to 44622.
The What If Project Results
I know many of you have been praying for C3. For that reason, now that I’ve had the opportunity to share the results with C3 this past Sunday, I’d like to share them with anyone else that maybe missed this past Sunday or doesn’t attend C3. God has done something truly phenomenal here in Tri-State!
One of our Board of Directors and close friends, Dean Fulks worked with us throughout this project and told us that an ambitious goal would be $100,000 over 18 months. I started praying and asking God to do something so enormous and accelerated through our project that everyone would know that it could only be God.
Then I started to realize we had a few problems and we probably should have planned this project at a different time. For one, we also asked C3 to sponsor 200 Thanksgiving baskets this year for those in need in our area. After including the price of hams and bread payed for by C3, I realized that was going to be over $6,000 from the church and due the same day as commitment Sunday. I also realized that Secret Santa was going to follow the week after and we were hoping to sponsor over 100 kids as well. 100 kids would be an additional $5,000 within two weeks of the Thanksgiving baskets. By the way, without much publicity for Secret Santa, we are now sponsoring 123 kids total which is over $6,000!
Needless to say, I was nervous and sweating that goal of $100,000 which now seemed like 1 million dollars to me. So, we fasted, prayed, cast vision, and stretched our faith to the limit.
Honestly, there was nothing that could have prepared us for the outpouring of generosity that we experienced:
The incredible people of C3 pledged a total of over $150,000 to our What If Project!
I don’t think any of us saw that one coming. We knew God was going to show up big, but man! Over $150,000 in total pledges with more still coming in… it could only be God.
The most encouraging statistic of the entire campaign is the sheer number of families and individuals who participated. In other words, the success of our project is a testimony to the power of everybody. Commitments ranged from kids who gave all of their Christmas money, to single moms that stretched themselves more than they ever could have imagined. We all did all we could do. And now, God will receive all the glory.
Oh, and one more thing. During the What If series, our attendance went up. I don’t understand it either. It was one of our highest attended series in the history of the church. It could only be God.
Now, I believe we are positioned to take another huge step in sharing the Gospel with the Tri-State and the world!
I have never been more amazed or proud of the amazing generosity of C3 and better yet….the best is yet to come!
Thanksgiving Communion
C3 will be having a Thanksgiving Communion Wednesday Night at 7 p.m. at C3.
One Service This Week at 11 a.m.
C3 will be combining for only one service this week only (November 20th) at 11 a.m.
New Series: What If…?
Over four years ago some people began asking “What if….?” What if we planted a new church in the Tri-state? What if God could use that church to change lives, families, and our community forever? Years later – lives have changed, families have been put back together, and the church has reached out to the community around it. But, what if God wants to do even more through C3? What if God has bigger plans? What if this is only the beginning?
Join us as we look back at where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are going as we begin answering the question, “What If…?”
C3 Update
Ironton Tribune: SP church may have to vacate
I’m sure many of you have read or heard of the most recent article in the Ironton Tribune concerning the elementary school where we meet each Sunday (if not, you can read it here). The article basically states how we have been given 30 days to vacate the school due to a change in the building code. Let me share a few quick details about the current situation:
- We have spoke with a few officials and they feel VERY confident we can get a waiver and continue to meet in the school past those 30 days. The waiver basically involves filling out a form and attending a hearing in Columbus. We are obviously going to do whatever we need to do (steps, etc.) to prevent relocating within 30 days. We do ask that all C3ers pray for those decisions.
- I have absolute confidence that God is in control of the situation AND in control of where and how we meet. We have faced location issues before and EVERY TIME, God has delivered and made a way for us. You can read this morning’s devotional, “But if it is from God” for more about that.
- Tri-State Worship Center and South Point United Methodist Church have both offered for us to use their facilities if needed. I’m extremely thankful for other churches that would be that generous and reach out to our church. Pastor Kevin at SPUMC and Pastor Terry at TSWC, you guys are awesome and we appreciate the offer more than you’ll ever know!
4 Year Anniversary Cookout
C3 turns 4 years old this month and we are going to celebrate!
Crazy Sports Fans
This Sunday, we are hosting our first annual “Craziest Sports Fan” contest. We only have a few rules:
1. You should wear a shirt
2. No shaving logos or numbers in your back hair (see rule #1 above)
You can paint your face, wear your team’s jersey or anything else you can think of.
4 Year Cookout
After our morning gathering, we will have free food including hot dogs and hamburgers. You can grab some food and get a free lunch on us or hangout if you wish.
We are asking some C3ers to bring a dessert, a big of chips or a case of pop.
Lawrence Commons Water Night
Lawrence Commons Water Night
Wednesday, July 27th – 6:30 p.m.
Come help put on a fun night of slip-n-slides and cookouts at Lawrence Commons.