A NEWSLETTER FOR FORCEY BIBLE CHURCH

A N EWSLETTER F OR F ORCEY B IBLE C HURCH - F EBRUARY 2016
Some people
still make New Year’s Resolutions at the beginning of each January. But
everybody has New Year’s Expectations, even if they don’t realize it. What do you expect to
happen at work this year? What do you expect in your relationships or your marriage? How
about what you think God will or will not do in your life this year? And what about the level
of joy, peace and victory in your heart? We all come into this year with more expectations
than our arms can carry. But what if things don’t turn out as you expected? What if something completely unexpected—maybe even unwanted—happens?
In C.S. Lewis’s science fiction book Perelandra, a
the forest to pick food and already the thought of
professor named Ransom is sent to the planet
one fruit rather than another has grown up in
Venus. He encounters a green woman who is like
one’s mind. Then, it may be, one finds a
Eve before the fall. She is content and relishes
different fruit and not the fruit one thought of.
fellowship with and trust in her Creator. She
One joy was expected and another is given. But
knows no sin or evil. Ransom tries to explain the
this I had never noticed before—that at the very
ReachGlobal trip to Staten
concept of
moment of the finding there is in the mind a kind
temptation by
of thrusting back, or a setting aside. The picture
asking her if she
of the fruit you have not found is still, for a
ever wished or
moment, before you. And if you wished—if it
hoped that
were possible to wish—you could keep it there.
something had
You could send your soul after the good you had
turned out
expected, instead of turning it to the good you
otherwise. After
had got. You could refuse the real good; you
Island, NY, March 27-April 2 pondering, the
Come to a meeting on Sunday,
Feb. 7, 1-1:30 p.m. in Room
150 to find out more.
Applications will be
due on Feb. 21.
For more information contact
Jaelin Ballard,
[email protected] or
240-723-9854 (cell).
could make the real fruit taste insipid by thinking
green Lady replies:
of the other . . .
“What you have
“And this . . . is the glory and wonder you have
made me see . . . is
made me see; that it is I, I myself, who turn from
as plain as the sky,
the good expected to the given good. Out of my
but I never saw it
own heart I do it. One can conceive a heart which
before. Yet it has
did not: which clung to the good it had first
happened every
thought of and turned the good which was given
day. One goes into
(Continued on page 3)
The Messiah revisited – Art Exhibit
March 12-20, 2016
Featuring original works of art inspired by themes from
G. F. Handel’s classic oratorio, “The Messiah”
In the church world, we are very familiar with using
music as a method of communicating a message,
experience or emotion. Yet visual artists possess the
ability to imagine, capture or illustrate layers of emotion,
poignant depictions of truth, and honest responses to
the imagery and implications of those musical
expressions. This is what we are asking of artists in our
community, listen to PART 1 of Handel’s Messiah, and as
you are affected by a phrase, image or truth, let that
inspire your creative process… and do it soon! We would
love to see and celebrate these themes in a way that will
help us to appreciate the message of this work in a new
or unanticipated way.
A CALL TO ARTISTS
The Forcey Worship Arts Ministry is inviting artists to create and submit 2D (Paintings, Drawings,
Illustrations, Photography, Calligraphy, Digital Art or Mixed Media) or 3D (Glass, Clay, Textiles,
Sculpture or Installations) artwork inspired by themes from Handel’s Messiah.
All entries must be received by February 28th and will be juried on March 1st, 2016. The exhibit will be
on display at Forcey Bible Church from March 12-20th (Palm Sunday).
There is a $25 fee for submission for the first piece and $10 for additional entries. Prizes will be
awarded as follows: $250 Best of Show, $150 First Place, $75 Second Place and $25 Third Place.
You must provide one photo for each entry. Acceptable file types are: pdf,
jpg, jpeg, and png; up to 7MB in file size.
Contact Jonathan Ford, Minister of Worship and Arts to clarify any
questions that you may have or to submit your entry. Email:
[email protected] or call (301) 622-2200 ext.825
Visit our website: www.forcey.org/finearts for more details,
schedules and specific examples of our theme references.
There will be a special gala event
and private exhibit for artist and
invited guest on Friday evening
March 11 at 7:00 pm. The exhibit
will open to the public on Saturday
March 12 and remain in place until
Sunday March 20th.
evening, the husband was waiting for them and
gladly received them into his home. After a brief
period of getting acquainted, the Forcey team
asked about his assurance of going to heaven.
Although he seemed confident of going to heaven,
further discussion revealed that he was really
"And daily in the temple, and in every house, they
trusting in his good works to get him there. The
ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ" (Acts
Forcey team then presented the gospel to him,
5:42). The early church, as part of their evangelism
emphasizing that salvation was solely by God's
strategy, carried the message of the gospel into
grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He
the homes of those living in and around Jerusalem.
listened intently to the message and, when the
This strategy still works today, as evidenced when
invitation was given, earnestly called upon the Lord
a team from Forcey recently called at the home of a
Jesus to save him. When the team prepared to
man who was a first-time visitor to the church.
leave, he thanked them sincerely for coming to his
home to show him the way to Heaven and assured
When the Forcey team arrived at his home, they
them that he and his family would be visiting
were greeted warmly by his wife. She informed
Forcey again very soon.
them that her husband had to work that evening,
but then arranged for a return visit later that week.
~ Ralph Zimmerman, Evangelism Team
When the Forcey team returned on Thursday
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!
Annual Missions Conference - April 16-24
The World Next Door, Reaching Your Neighbors Here and There
(Continued from page 1)
into no good . . .
“I thought . . . that I was carried in the will of Him I love, but now I see that I walk with it. I thought
that the good things He sent me drew me into them as the waves lift the islands; but now I see that it
is I who plunge into them with my own legs and arms, as when we go swimming. I feel as if I were
living in that roofless world of yours when men walk undefended beneath naked heaven. It is delight
with terror in it. One’s own self to be walking from one good to another, walking beside Him as
Himself may walk, not even holding hands. How has He made me so separate from Himself? How did
it enter His mind to conceive such a thing? The world is so much larger than I thought . .
.” [Perelandra, Pan Books, Ltd.: London, pp. 61-62]
How easy it is to become discontented and lose our joy when we don’t
get what we had expected. We so easily refuse the real good that God
has given us and make it bitter by focusing on what we thought we
deserved or expected. On the other hand, what joy can be had when
we realize that out of love for God we’re walking in His will.
~ Phil Powers, Lead Pastor
I have learned the secret of being
content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether
living in plenty or in want. 13 I can
do all this through him who gives
me strength.
PHILIPPIANS 4:12-13 (NIV)
12
As part of our Marriage 101 series, we are inviting you to make Sunday, February 14, something
special. At the end of each service we will provide an opportunity for you to renew your marriage
vows at the front of the sanctuary in the presence of the congregation and alongside other couples
doing the same.
If you are interested, we need an RSVP from you by February 10.
Please send the following
information to [email protected]:
(1) Your names as you would like them to appear on a certificate, and
(2) which service you plan to attend.
Calling all Ladies of Forcey…We
need you!
On Saturday, February 27 from 8 a.m. - noon, the
Sisters in Symphony will sponsor some early spring
cleaning in the church building.
Come for all or any part of that time! Whatever age or
ability you are - we will have some work for you (this includes chattin' it up with your fellow cleaners!)
A beautiful and scrumptious brunch will be provided.
We will have supplies, but feel free to bring your
favorite tools, buckets, scrub brushes, etc.
There is a job for everybody! It will be a great day of
fellowship as we invest in our church.
The work starts at 8 a.m. and we’ll end by noon. If
you are able to help at any point during that time,
click here to sign-up! (it's appreciated, not required)
Here are some of the milestone events that occurred in the past
few months in our missionary family. Please remember to pray for these families.
Michael and Cheryl
Gayle welcomed
another grandchild
when their
daughter Christina
(husband
Christopher) gave
birth to a daughter
on January 16.
Daniel Hart graduated from the Memphis Police
Academy on January 14. Dan is the son of Dick and
Sara Hart, who minister with Serving in Mission
(SIM) in Bolivia.
Henry Jonathan was born on January 7
Angela Owen was
to Jonathan and Patricia
engaged to Jacob
Sprague. Grandparents are Forcey
in
missionaries Michael and Donna Sprague.
November. Angela
is the daughter of
Carey and Sharon
Owen, who serve
with TEAM in
Spain.
Grace Rast married Jason Kircher on December
Michelle Heater, daughter of Kevin and Lucy
20. Grace is the daughter of Joel and Cindy Rast and
serving in France with CrossWorld, became
the granddaughter of Cullen and Janet Rast, all of
engaged to David Seeds in November.
whom serve in Brazil.
Forcey Christian School is
now accepting
applications for
admission for the 201617 school year. Applications
are available at
www.fcs.school/admissions.
Members of Forcey will
have the registration fee
($300) waived for one child.
Apply now, as some classes
will fill quickly!
FCS OPEN
HOUSE
2-11-16
6-8 p.m.
Check Forcey Teens web page or bulletin board for details!
Forcey Day Camp is now accepting applications for Assistant Director
positions for Summer 2016. Applications are due February 22nd, 2016.
They are also looking to hire an Office Manager for Summer 2016.
Applications are due March 7th, 2016.
Send an email to Kelsey Nelson, Day Camp Director
[email protected] for an application for either position.