NOVEMBER 18, 2014
Special Guest Speakers
Emrys and Usha Rees
Where the WORD
Changes People’s Lives
In This Issue
Special Guest Speakers—
Emrys and Usha Rees..................1
Agape Feast...................................1
ECC in the News
Ice Cream Buckets Needed!...........2
Food Pantry Needs........................2
With Loving Sympathy.................2
Change of Address........................2
Thank You Note............................2
Baptisms!.......................................2
Decorate for the Christmas
Season.........................................2
Prime Timers’ Christmas
Luncheon...................................2
K.i.D.S. Zone
Gingerbread Extravaganza!............2
Bethlehem Bound Pageant
Rehearsals...................................2
E2 Student Ministries
Gospel Challenge Reflections .......3
Gift Wrapping and Child Care......3
Loving the Broken.........................3
The Last Word
ECC Scoreboard...........................4
ECC Statistics...............................4
ECC Church Staff.........................4
Contributions...............................4
Noteworthy: The Gospel of Love –
presented by Vocal Explosion......4
T H E E C H O E S 11 . 1 8 . 1 4 Missionaries with
Medical Missions of India
Sunday, November 23, all day
Emrys Rees, a second-generation missionary, along with his wife, Usha, continue the
work started by Emrys’ parents, David and J. Lois Rees in South India. They are involved in
preaching the gospel to Hindus, Moslems, and nominal Christians. Some of their missions’
emphasis is in leadership training, discipling, and strengthening the congregations in urban
and rural areas. They also work with youth groups, ladies groups, and small groups. The
main focus of the Rees’ work is to manage a 40 bed hospital caring for leprosy victims and
people living with HIV/AIDS.
Englewood has supported the Emrys and Usha for many years with our Faith Promise
offerings. Please plan to come and hear an update of their important work!
AGAPE FEAST
Sunday, November 30
5:00 p.m.
in the Fellowship Hall
Once a year, we honor our newest members with a special carry-in meal called
the Agape Feast. This year’s Agape Feast will be on Sunday, November 30, and the
church family is invited for a time of fellowship and sharing with our new brothers and
sisters. Luke Swain, our student minister, will be speaking. Please bring food for your
family and some to share with others. The children’s choirs will meet after the meal.
Child care will be provided for infants and toddlers during the program.
ENGLEWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Ice Cream Buckets Needed!
ECC in the News
We are collecting 4-5 quart ice cream plastic
buckets with handles to use during the Christmas
season. Please place any contributions in the
church office, and thank you for your help!
Prime Timers’ Christmas Luncheon
Tuesday, December 9 • 11:30 a.m.
Food Pantry Needs
Gigi’s Restaurant at the Ramada Mandarin
All of our senior adults are encouraged to mark their
calendars for a superb Christmas event. Vans will leave
from the Barnes Road parking lot at 11:30 a.m., and the
luncheon will last from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Bring a friend, and
come and enjoy the fellowship and food!
As you make your shopping list in the coming weeks,
please include these items which are needed
in the Food Pantry. Your generous giving
provides needed food for many!
spaghetti sauce
spaghetti
pork and beans
With Loving Sympathy
We extend our deepest sympathy to
JoAnn Boatwright and her family at the
sudden death or her son, Dale Boulineau.
May God comfort and give peace.
Gingerbread
Extravaganza!
Change of Address
This December, we will be hosting a GINGERBREAD
HOUSE CONTEST on Friday the 5th, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
in the Fellowship Hall. All K-5th graders are invited to
attend this event. The children will work in teams to build
their own creative, cookie masterpiece. Each child will also
get to make their own individual gingerbread person to take
home, thanks to a sweet donation from Jennifer Hammock.
We will display the houses in the foyer on the following
Sunday for all to see their creations. There is no cost to
attend this event, but we are asking that each child bring a
bag of candies to share. The candy will be used to decorate
the houses. Some examples are lollipops, gumdrops, licorice,
Smarties, and peppermints. We will also be serving some
winter time snacks and hot chocolate. Please sign up in the
foyer if your child would like to attend.
Daniella Bucur
4342 Spring Park Rd., Apt. 8
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Thank You
Note
To My Christian Friends,
Thank you so much for all your
prayers, cards, flowers, food, and
visits during my recuperation.
I’m so happy to be a part of
such a great church family.
Betty Horne
Baptisms
BAPTIZED ON 11-16-14
FAITH FISHER
Bethlehem Bound
Pageant
Rehearsals
We have been busy making props and
54542 Hurst Road, Callahan, FL 32011
AUSTIN NIEVES
4418 Kennedy Court, Jacksonville, FL 32207
learning our routines for our presentation
of Bethlehem Bound. We can’t wait to
share all that we’ve done as we tell the
story of Christmas in a rockin’ new way.
This year the pageant will be held on
Wednesday, December 10, at 7:00 p.m., in the Worship
Center. Please remember that our REHEARSALS will start
each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in Room 208. We are also still
looking for parent helpers for December 3 and 10. If you are
interested in helping out, please call Serena Maerkl in the
office at 733-2356. Thank you for all of your help with this
year’s J.A.M. Christmas pageant.
Decorate for the
Christmas Season
Monday, December 1 • 5:00 p.m. in the Worship Center
Everyone is invited for a special service opportunity
on Monday, December 1, when we decorate the
Worship Center and the foyer for the Christmas season.
Vangie Solomon will oversee the decorating,
and the work will begin at 5:00 p.m. Come and
help as we prepare the building for the
Christmas season.
TH E E CHOES 11.1 8 .1 4 2
E N G LE W O O D C H R I STI A N CHURCH
e
ng
C ha
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Go
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Gosp e
l
Gift Wrapping
and
Child Care
If you are like me, you strongly dislike wrapping
Gospel
Challenge
Reflections
presents. If that is the case, you are in luck because we have a
number of students and sponsors who love wrapping presents and
who would love to do it for you. We are offering free gift wrapping
on November 29 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., and also on
December 5 and 12 starting at 6:00 p.m. and ending at 9:00 p.m.
All that you will need to do for the free gift wrapping is to bring
your gifts in boxes, have them marked with who will be receiving
the gift and who the gift is from, drop them off, and pick them back
up. Everything else will be provided. (If you have special wrapping
paper, ribbon, or bows that you want your gifts to be wrapped in,
you are free to bring that as well.) Not only are we offering gift
wrapping, but also child care. For child care, all you will need to do
is drop your child off, (already fed), fill out some quick paperwork,
and be on your merry shopping way. You are free to use both services
at the same time, all three times, if you chose. We hope that you will
use both of these free services to help your Christmas preparations
be less stressful.
Over the last 14 weeks our student ministry has
walked through the gospels, one chapter a day. During these
14 weeks we have had an awesome opportunity to take a
look at the life of Jesus. We started at the birth of Jesus,
which was one of the most humble births, especially for a
king. Then we walked through Jesus’ ministry. It was a
ministry that was defined by love and compassion for
people. Then we finished at the cross, where the full extent
of Jesus’ love was shown. It’s ironic that it is at the cross and
resurrection where Jesus’ story “ends,” but that is where our
story begins. Over the past 14 weeks we have allowed the
gospel, the cross, and the resurrection to change our lives. I
hope that you will allow them to as well!
As we walked and studied through the gospels, there were
3 common themes that kept surfacing that I believe need to
define our lives.
1. The story is not about us. All too often we get so
caught up and focused on ourselves that we miss the
purpose for life: to glorify and bring honor to God. The
example John the Baptist paints is a beautiful picture of
this and of humility. John knew his place; it was faithfully
following Jesus. John knew that the biggest purpose in
life was Jesus’ story, and he was content playing his part
of watching Jesus’ story play out. Are you?
2.The second common theme is Immediate Obedience.
All throughout the gospels, we see people immediately
doing what God called them to do. Maybe none of them
was more perfect than Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.
When Joseph became engaged to Mary, I don’t think he
envisioned his life playing out the way it did. Imagine
the looks, laughs, and questions that Joseph would have
had to face every single day. I mean, his wife had a child
that wasn’t his. However, in spite of that, his life was
marked by immediate obedience. He did what God
called him to do even when it didn’t make sense. He also
immediately did what God told him to do even when it
complicated his life. My question is this, “Are you willing
to do the same thing?”
3.The third thing that I saw kicking, screaming, and
waving its arms at me as we studied through the
gospels is Love. No one modeled love better than,
you guessed it, Jesus. I know that sounds like a Sunday
School answer, and for good reason. What I find
amazing and inspiring is that Jesus was never harsh with
broken or sinful people. Instead, Jesus loved them
radically. The only times Jesus was harsh was with
self-righteous people. Jesus was all about love, and
because of that my mission in life is to love people. I
hope that you will be like Jesus and love people as well,
especially the broken, sinful, and hurting. They need it
the most.
E N G LEW OOD CHRIST IAN C H U R C H Loving the Broken
As some of you know, for the last months I have had the
opportunity to minister and love the guys on Wolfson High
School’s football team as the team
chaplain. Two weeks ago was Senior
Night. We have over 25 seniors on the
team. As I watched the presentation of
them being honored, I found tears rolling
down my face as only 5 of our seniors
were escorted by their Mom and Dad,
while another couple of them didn’t have
a parent there at all. As I have talked and gotten to know
these guys, most of them, well over 50% of them, come from
broken families. Some of them don’t know their dads. Others
don’t have contact with their moms, and it absolutely breaks
my heart.
I think about my life and how I have a Dad whose love for
me, my Mom, or my siblings, I never once doubted. I have
a Mom who I honestly believe is an angel, who I look up to
more than she knows. Then, I look at the guys that I love on
the football team, some of whose parents didn’t show up for
one of the most memorable events in their high school lives so
far, and my heart just aches.
There are guys and girls in this exact situation everywhere.
Instead of judging them, shaking your head, or yelling at
them for some of the stupid things that they do to get
attention, love, respect, or just because they haven’t seen any
different, love them! Invite them over for a meal! Pray for
them! Become their family, their support group, their role
models! Model Jesus for them! Bring them to church!
Psalm 68:6 says, “God sets
A Slave of Jesus Christ,
the lonely in families.”
Luke Swain
3
T H E E CHOE S 11. 18. 14
Where the
WORD
Changes
People’s Lives
Dated Material
(See panel to left)
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
ENGLEWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH
4316 Barnes Road • Jacksonville, Florida 32207
Phone: 904-733-2356 • Fax: 733-9096 • TLC: 737-5669
www.eccjax.com
POSTAL INFORMATION
“The Echoes” (USPS 118270)
Published Bi-Weekly by:
Englewood Christian Church
4316 Barnes Road, Jacksonville, FL 32207
PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT:
Jacksonville, Florida 32203-9998
POSTMASTER send address changes to:
THE ECHOES, 4316 Barnes Road,
Jacksonville, FL 32207-7099
November 18, 2014 Vol LV, No. 11
Contributions
ECC Scoreboard
11/09/14 11/16/14
Officers................................ 1..................1
Birth to 1 year...................... 8..................7
1-2 years............................... 3..................4
2 years.................................. 3..................2
3 years.................................. 5..................7
4’s & 5’s............................. 10................16
Grades 1 & 2.......................7..................9
Grades 3 & 4.......................8..................5
Grade 5................................ 6..................8
Middle School...................... 6..................9
High School....................... 16................20
Stronghold........................... 6..................6
Converge............................ 16................19
Homebuilders.................... 18................18
Seekers............................... 31................40
Philathea............................ 15................18
Cornerstone....................... 12................11
Saints................................... 8..................7
Ambassadors...................... 25................25
TOTAL.......................... 204............. 232
ECC Statistics
Sunday, November 9, 2014
SS MW EW WED ADD
204 250 128 157
Sunday, November 16, 2014
SS MW EW WED ADD
232 289 120 157
2
ECC Church Staff
Ken Gemeinhart, Senior Minister
Luke Swain, Student/Youth Minister
Gayle Gemeinhart, Music Director
Serena Maerkl, Children’s Director
Stephanie Powell
Power Challengers’ Ministries Director
Heather Hicks, Secretary
Mary Worth, Bookkeeper
Lonna Hale, TLC Director
TH E E CHOES 11.1 8 .1 4 November 9, 2014
Weekly Budget................................................... $10,392.00
Tithes and Offerings........................................... $13,311.00
Week 24 Average................................................ $10,143.39
TOTAL UNDER BUDGET
$248.61 x 24 weeks.......................................... ($ 5,966.64)
Faith Promise Budget......................................... $ 4,208.00
Faith Promise Offering....................................... $ 3,402.00
Week 37 Average................................................ $ 3,313.00
TOTAL UNDER BUDGET
$895.00 x 37 weeks...........................................($33,115.00)
November 16, 2014
Weekly Budget................................................... $10,392.00
Tithes and Offerings........................................... $ 9,157.19
Week 25 Average................................................ $10,103.94
TOTAL UNDER BUDGET
$288.06 x 25 weeks...........................................($ 8,885.59)
Faith Promise Budget......................................... $ 4,208.00
Faith Promise Offering....................................... $ 2,097.00
Week 36 Average................................................ $ 3,281.00
TOTAL UNDER BUDGET
$927.00 x 38 weeks...........................................($35,226.00)
The Last Word
The Gospel of Love
presented by Vocal Explosion
Sunday, December 7 • 5:30 p.m.
Our youth choir for students in grades 6-12, Vocal Explosion, will present The Gospel
of Love on Sunday, December 7, at 5:30 p.m. The gospel is the true story of the life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus. It is when that straight-forward story is told and believed that God
can use His power to save someone. Romans 1:16 says this: “For I am not ashamed of the
gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first
and also for the Greek.”
The gospel will be told through songs, solos, instrumental pieces, acting, and
choreography, and it is not to be missed! Begin your Christmas celebration with The Gospel
of Love, adrenalin-charged Christmas worship!
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E N G LE W O O D C H R I STI A N CHURCH