As our church grows I have a harder time speaking to everyone on Sunday. We have something called the 10 minute rush where about half of our crowd will come in during the last 10 minutes before the service begins. I stand near the main entrance to be available but the "rush" crowd dynamic allows for only a brief welcome or hello and then people are off to find a seat. By the way, finding a group of seats is getting harder for those who come in close to service time.
So as we grow larger we must also grow smaller. Or to say it another way, the importance of small groups goes up along with total attendance. For example, I may only get a minute to speak with you on Sunday morning, but if you participate in the Inspiration group I lead on Wednesday nights we will have more time to talk (and pray).
If you want the church to feel like your church, if you want the church to feel like home, if you want to feel connected; then get involved in a group. Connecting in a small group is where you get to know the people who are your faith family. In some ways you are like me, you don't have opportunity on Sunday morning to spend significant time with most of the people you see at church. But in a group you can.
Right now we have two adult Groups/Sunday School Classes that meet on Sundays at 9:30 am. You can join anytime. The group I lead, Inspiration, meets Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary. We have a men's prayer group that meets each Thursday morning at 6:15 am. And we have other groups that meet occasionally, sometimes for 4 to 6 weeks or longer. I encourage you to try Group Life.
Ladies Brunch May 20th at 10 am.
This is going to be good! Watch this video of Teresa Meares.
Brunch will be served in the Fellowship Hall and Teresa will be speaking in the Sanctuary afterward. Each year ladies sign up to decorate a table and invite guests to join them for the brunch. To reserve a table please sign up in the church foyer or contact Fran Anderson at 904.669.1705. Tickets will be available next Sunday. There is no cost for a ticket but everyone needs a ticket so accommodations can be made.
Mother's Day
May 14th is Mother's Day and we will have a Baby Dedication! The church has a small gift for all mothers in the service that day and will have a time of special prayer.
Dental Clinic May 11, 10 am to 4 pm
Mt. Olive is pleased to host the Dental Bus from St. Vincent's for services in our community. Scheduling is done through the Wildflower Clinic. We welcome volunteers to serve as hosts during the clinic. You can welcome guests, give out literature, and help people find their way. This is a great way to serve others. Hosts can serve any length of time. If you only have an hour, come for an hour.
Vacation Bible School
Our VBS is June 5-9. You may register a child by calling the church office or through the church website. Barbara Rackliff has a list of needed items on the table in the foyer of the church. Check it out and see if there is something you can provide.
Breakfast for Students
Each Sunday morning volunteers serve breakfast to our students. A schedule is on the white board in the fellowship hall. See Barbara Rackliff if you would like to provide the breakfast one of the available weeks.
Plug-In To A Group
Ongoing groups are held Sunday mornings at 9:30 and Wednesday nights at 6:30. Other groups are available. A list of all groups is on the table in the foyer of the church. You can find out more about groups by calling the church office or emailing me.
Monday Morning 5
1. The Surprising Upside to Sadness
2. How the Prosperity Gospel Hurts Racial Reconciliation
3. 5 Ways to Fight Fake News
4. 2 STEPS TO LIVING SMARTPHONE SMART
5. “13 REASONS WHY” IS DECEPTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE
Monday Meditation
Our Daily Bread May 8, 2017
Over the last few years, two members of my family have faced life-threatening diagnoses. For me, the hardest part of supporting them through their treatments has been the constant uncertainty. I am always desperate for a definitive word from a doctor, but things are rarely that straightforward. Instead of being given clarity, we are often asked to wait.
It’s hard to bear the burden of uncertainty, always wondering what the next test will reveal. Will we have weeks, months, years, or decades before death separates us? But regardless of disease and diagnosis, each of us will die one day—things like cancer just bring our mortality to the forefront instead of letting it hide in the recesses of our minds.
How can we best spend the time we’ve been given?
Faced with sobering reminders of our mortality, I find myself praying words that Moses once prayed. Psalm 90 tells us that though our lives are like grass that withers and fades (vv. 5–6), we have an eternal home with God (v. 1). Like Moses, we can ask God to teach us to number our days so we can make wise decisions (v. 12), and to make our brief lives fruitful by making what we do for Him count (v. 17). Ultimately, the psalm reminds us that our hope is not in a doctor’s diagnosis, but in a God who is “from everlasting to everlasting.”
And as always, your pastor is praying for you.
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