JUNE 2012 - Irving Bible Church

J U N E 2 0 12
a letter from
Chatter
Think for a moment about snow. Ah, snow. Yes. I remember snow. It’s cold.
Sometimes slushy. Always mysterious and fleeting, but never neutral. It delights
or horrifies. It makes you catch your breath, or breathe a threat — at least in Texas.
Snow is provocative; you must pick a side. When it’s thick and dense like the
sucked-out structure of a syrup-less Slurpee, snow is fodder for snowball fights,
snowmen-crafting, and, most magically, snow angels. Love snow or hate snow,
there is a unanimous cheer for snow angels. (Don’t you love this subject matter in a
month like June?)
Since snow was so rare when I was a child, I always experienced a moment of
trepidation before laying down in the unpredictable frothiness to flail around.
There was only a promise of a delightful angelic creation and the payoff required
close proximity, the risk of getting cold, the risk of being absorbed. But once I was
on my back and deafened by the roar of crystals scraping under polyester coat
sleeves, snow was bliss.
Life is like snow. While circumstances may seem ordinary, even the most mundane
posses the same exotic ability to make you pick a side. Like snow, circumstances
are unpredictable and mysterious, ever changing, never static — even on “normal”
days — and at every waking moment, we are either disappointed or pleased, with
very little neutrality at any point along the way. The places, people and things we
encounter are as numerous as snowflakes on a January day (somewhere north of
here, that is), and we are constantly forced to deal with a world in which we care,
in which we happen to have opinions and preferences about the variations. It’s
exhausting, isn’t it?
Even King Solomon, the wisest, richest ruler of Israel, wouldn’t touch life with a
ten-foot pole. He left that to the big guns: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and
lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he
will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3: 5-6).
Not even Solomon’s vast understanding and resources could be trusted; even his
own heart was suspect. I’ve always thought he sounds a little paranoid, sort of, like
he thinks he’s in the Indiana Jones snake pit or something. Lean not, he tells us;
lean not. His words are extreme. But life is extreme. (Just like snow. Go figure.)
We are to take all the emotional energy of our hearts — the fire spent pining for
something (or someone) to change, our exertion towards a more secure situation —
and thrust it at the only One who can make any meaningful headway. We are to lie
down and luxuriate not in circumstances that happen to conform with our ideals
and dreams, but in the Lord, who never changes and who sets the pace for everything else. We must be militant about how to invest our trust.
And I suppose at the end of the day, a straight path is all I really want. Potholes and
thieves might litter the straight way, but just knowing I’m on a bona fide trajectory
prescribed by a loving, intentional Father, is enough to keep my chin up and my
gaze set. A straight path is solid footing over waves, it’s a trail through a blizzard;
it’s an acknowledgement that the scenery may change (and may not be pretty), but
that there are more important things to do in this life than sight-see.
That’s enough for me. Trust must be enough. It’s the only way to really play, to really enjoy the variance, to really negotiate the snake pit.
And oh, by the way, I love snow. Just so we’re clear.
June, however, is a different story.
The question is, will we get down in the deafening middle of it all and flail around?
Will we believe the deception that satisfaction is possible if only we get in the
thick of life and exert ourselves towards an end that pleases us? And that’s where
the snow metaphor ends, because life doesn’t conform, it won’t behave, and the
impression we leave will not be angelic at all.
Editor Julie Rhodes
Art Direction, Design & Goodness
Josh Wiese, Dennis Cheatham, Lindsey Sobolik
The Final Say Julie Pierce
Admin Extraordinaire
Victoria Andrews
Editorial Assistance/Proofing
Summer Alexander*
Annie Stone*
Photography
David Farris (5K)*
Evan Chavez (Potluck Lunch)*
Patty Thompson (My Zone, Like the Dickens)*
Jill Park (Game Changer)
Writers
Jason Fox*
Jenny Simmons*
Peggy Norton*
Thoughts, comments, ideas?
Email Chatter at [email protected].
*Most beloved and indispensable Chatter Volunteer.
Irving Bible Church: a community on a journey.
Thanks for picking up Chatter. Chatter is a publication of Irving Bible Church in Irving, Texas.
Why are we here?
How do we do this?
IBC is on a journey committed to growing in Christ,
connecting in community and joining the mission.
Growing in Christ
At the heart of the journey is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the story of the Son of
God coming into our dark world to bring light, life, hope and transformation.
The journey begins when we trust Christ, but it doesn’t end there. God’s desire
for each of us is for our hearts and lives to become more like the one who has
saved us (Ephesians 4:11-13).
This commitment comes from Jesus’ words in the Great Commandment
(Matthew 22:36-39) and Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
Contact IBC
Irving Bible Church | 2435 Kinwest Pkwy, Irving, TX 75063 | (972) 560-4600
Web irvingbible.org | Twitter @ibcvoice | Facebook irvingbible
Sign up for the IBC eLetter, a weekly email update for key ministry event
information and announcements, along with a short devotional by Pastor
Andy to encourage you on your journey week-to-week. Subscribe today at
connect.irvingbible.org.
New to IBC? Turn to page 18.
Connecting in Community
The gospel story draws us into a community of people whose lives have been
transformed by Jesus. This journey is not one that we undertake alone. We are
designed to do life together as a community of Christ-followers. It is essential
that we walk with one another on the journey (John 13:34-35).
Joining the Mission
The gospel tells us that one day God will take all that is broken in this world and
make it whole. Those of us who are on the journey together are called to be
people who do what we can to make glimpses of that day show up in our day.
We do this by telling the gospel story and demonstrating gospel-shaped love to
a needy world (Matthew 28:18-20).
Photo Update: Carry the Jerry + Basic 5K
On March 31, over 240 runners participated in the Dallas arm of the
2012 Carry The Jerry + Basic 5K benefiting Water is Basic. An identical race was held the same day in Charlotte, NC, raising thousands
of dollars to provide clean drinking water for the people of South
Sudan. Relay teams competed with filled jerry cans, and individuals
ran the 5K. A typical jerry can filled with water weighs 42 pounds,
which Sudanese carry for miles after filling up at the nearest water
source each day. (Over 70% of the Sudanese population does not
have access to clean water due to years of devastating civil war.) Visit
waterisbasic.org to get involved.
LIKE
THE
DICKENS
They developed Marriage Core, a
marriage study currently used in about
30 churches worldwide (implemented
at Irving Bible as “Marriage at IBC”),
but Chip and Rebecca Dickens confess
they’re just like everybody else.
Their story writes like a movie.
Jock meets class beauty. Jock gets turned down. Three times in a row. Intelligent beauty finally says “yes” and Jock spends the next four years convincing
her that they are going to get married.
“I love this story,” Rebecca says with a playful smile.
“No — wait — I want to tell it,” Chip says. “I really love this story!”
Chip and Rebecca, the husband and wife team behind the internationally
known marriage study, Marriage Core, seem unlikely candidates to write a
ground-breaking marriage curriculum because they are way too...normal.
“Ok, you tell the story,” Rebecca says with an amused smile.
“Ok. So I went to Texas Wesleyan to play basketball. And that was it. I literally
showed up thinking that I would work my way into classes after I played for a
season or two. I didn’t know you had to register for classes or take classes.”
ABOUT THE DICKENS Chip and Rebecca have been married 20 years. Chip
is a professor in the Biblical Counseling Department at DTS and Rebecca has
a master’s degree in Math, which she uses as a private math coach. They have
two children: Josh, 14, and Jill, 11. Chip once legitimately believed the green,
pocket size New Testament he was given when he was 16 years old was contraband. He didn’t know Bibles were allowed to leave the church and found
it ludicrous that you could buy one at Wal-Mart. Rebecca really does have a
great-great-great Uncle Moses. To find out more, visit MarriageCore.com.
Chatter | 4
“Can you believe that? He’s serious. He really didn’t know he had to register,”
interjects Rebecca.
“The only thing left was an 8 a.m. business class,” Chip says, recalling the first
time he spoke to his future wife. “And there was this crazy cute girl on the front
row, all dressed up, and I wanted to talk to her.”
Legend has it, Chip found a way to run into Rebecca at the end of class one day
and Rebecca politely said, “Isn’t it nice to have that project done?”
To which Chip replied, “I don’t know. I haven’t started.”
“Well that’s stupid,” she said, and smugly walked away.
Being (More Than) Friends
Headed into my first journalistic interview since high school, I, Jenny, felt a
bit nervous about interviewing marriage experts. I assumed Chip and Rebecca would be well into their 60s or early 70s, with flowing gray hair (the
pre-cursor of true wisdom) and a brood of grandchildren. I prepared myself for
long, awkward, loving gazes between the two sages and wondered if I would
end up confessing the fights that happen in my own marriage, and if Chip and
Rebecca would then give me the tender and obsolete advice an old man gave
me in college, “Whatever you do — just hug it out.”
I prefer bickering and sleeping on the couch, old man.
What I found instead were two adults in their mid-40s, who laughed a lot,
poked fun at each other, respected one another, and swear by the fact that they
are not marriage experts.
The phrase “I cannot tell what the dickens
his name is” appears in William Shakespeare’s
“The Merry Wives of Windsor.”
“I don’t know how to be a husband,” Chip says humbly. “As soon as we were
married, I felt so ill-prepared to be a good husband. I didn’t have anything to
fall back on.”
Chip’s dad bailed when he was 12 years old, and he didn’t grow up in a church
where he might have seen husbands and wives striving to honor God in their
marriages. Chip was a blank slate.
“What I saw growing up is not what I wanted to fall back on. I realized early
on that the only thing I had to fall back on was Christ, who enables me to be a
good husband. That’s it. I rely on that grace. And then I experiment.”
Experimenting seems to be the key for a marriage that went from being on two
parallel tracks to becoming a union of two deeply intertwined friends.
“Four years into marriage, we left all of our friends and family and everything
we knew and moved to Los Angeles for Chip’s first real job after getting his
Ph.D.,” Rebecca says.
“There are like 13.5 million people in this city and we don’t know any of them
and they don’t know us,” Rebecca remembers, adding, “And we have to be
friends now, Chip!”
Rebecca’s upbringing was the complete opposite of Chip’s. Loving family,
chock-full of generations of pastors and missionaries. (Chip informs me, with
some sarcasm, that he’s pretty sure most
of her family can be traced back to Moses.) But her family’s deep love and loyalty created friction in the early years of
Chip and Rebecca’s marriage because it
was difficult for the young couple to create enough space from her family to truly
bond with one another.
And that’s the guiding principle behind their marriage — love each other in a
way that reflects who God is.
In light of this discovery, Chip, who is a Professor of Biblical Counseling at Dallas Theological Seminary, has been a keen observer of the pitfalls common to
marriage ministry. “Professionally, I could see what was going on in marriage
ministries around the country. They were all ministries that would show up
for a big event, and after they left town, there wouldn’t be any transformation.
Kind of like going to youth camp — normal life wouldn’t change. Rebecca and I
started thinking, what if it wasn’t like a big event, but just an authentic conversation and a handful of couples having a weekly conversation about marriage?”
It was around that time that the Fusion class at IBC asked Chip and Rebecca
if they would come talk about “marriage-y things.” Instead of teaching, the
couple would get on stage and bare it all.
“We didn’t mind letting people eavesdrop. Instead of teaching, it was us on
stage, being open, authentic, vulnerable — letting them see our messiness.
Sharing our own stories and working out some of our own issues on stage felt
like the most honest and real way to talk about marriage,” Rebecca says. “The
thing is, you can’t just go to a ‘one and done’ experience to transform or fix your
marriage because marriage isn’t a one and done.”
What began as reality sessions lived out in front of other couples in The Alcove
at Irving Bible Church has since turned into a 24-session course, comprised
of conversation starters to guide couples
through honest, vulnerable conversations. Now it’s used around the world in
over 30 churches.
“We realized that more than
books or seminars or anything
else, the key to having a good
relationship was this idea that
our relationship with each other
should reflect who God is.”
“The emotional and geographic space from
friends and family was one of the best
things to ever happen to our marriage,”
Chip says. “Before California there was
no ‘us’ or ‘we.’ We loved each other, but in
California God helped us start becoming
one. When there is no one else, you have
to depend on each other. You have to be the only other person for your spouse
during that season,” Chip says.
Giving hope to anyone who thinks they
are not qualified or are ill-prepared to be
in a healthy marriage, the very normal
Chip and Rebecca prove time and time
again that being in a loving marriage is
possible for anyone.
“I’m not an expert,” says Chip. “The beauty
about the Marriage Core material is that
there is no expert in the room. We’re just
normal. We are normal couples, some
further along in the journey than others, all with the same goal of figuring
out how to have a marriage that reflects Christ. We’re all just trying to figure it
out together.”
Figuring It Out…Kinda
Fast forward 17 years, two children, and a few career moves later, and Chip
and Rebecca are still working on the in’s and out’s of marriage...while other
people watch.
“As a new believer, at the age of 20 or so, I thought I was supposed to spend
energy on pretending our marriage was good instead of using that energy to be
something else,” Chip says.
“Marriage is where our faith has gotten lived out,” Chip reflects. “We realized
that more than books or seminars or anything else, the key to having a good
relationship was this idea that our relationship with each other should reflect
who God is.”
Rebecca adds, “God has been writing our story. And we have kept coming
around to this theme of however we love one another — whatever that looks
like — it should be a display case or an advertisement of God’s love.”
The city of Los Angeles was founded on
September 4, 1781, by Spanish governor
Felipe de Neve.
Jenny Simmons loves storytelling.
Jenny, Ryan, and their daughter Annie moved to Nashville this month after a lifetime in Dallas and six
years at IBC. They already miss Chatter. To keep up with the storytelling, visit jennysimmons.com.
Get involved in Marriage at IBC
If you had to rate your marriage on a scale of one to ten, what would
you give it? Seriously, think about it for a second. If you’re interested
in reigniting your marriage in the context of open, honest community,
consider Marriage at IBC. See ad, pg. 17.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census,
married couples have dropped below
half of all American households for the
first time.
Chatter | 5
Father’s Day is June 17. Here’s what My
Zone kids had to say about what they love
so much about their dads.
“I love my dad because he lets
me have sugar.” Paige (Kindergarten)
“I love my dad because I really
love him.” Madison (1st grade)
“I love my dad because he is
playful.” Jaylon (2nd grade)
“He is an awesome fisherman and
he takes care of me.” Matthew (3rd grade)
“He is the best. He makes me
laugh. He takes me places. He
makes me a good Christian. He is
the dad everyone wants to have.”
Karsynn (4th grade)
“1. You have grace.
2. You love me.
3. You are nice.
4. I love you.
5. From Emily your Daughter”
Emily (5th grade)
My Zone is a great place for kids to experience
God’s love in the context of fun, friendships,
and plenty of SLIME. Games, crafts, prizes, music, dancing, snacks and Scripture study make
Wednesday nights at IBC a must for elementary kids. Watch for fall kickoff details in Chatter.
Next Gen at IBC Joins the Mission
The Summer 2012 Prayer Guide
Take a moment to pray for the following teams of children, middle and
high school students, and young adults as they travel the world
on behalf of IBC.
Young Adults: June 24-July 4
Middle School: June 9-14
Mission: The team will be working in an outreach library started by IBC mis-
Mission: Almost 10 years ago, New Orleans experienced a life-altering hurri-
Pray for: Team unity, flexibility and vulnerability; for the people they meet,
that they would be open to Christ; for Jackie, who runs the library as she prepares to host the team even while preparing to get married in August.
Pray for: Students and staff as they become the hands and feet of Jesus to
Mombasa, Kenya
sionaries to build relationships with Muslims in the community. They will
also be teaching classes and possibly doing a camp for kids.
High School: June 25-July 1
Navajo Indian Reservation (Apache, Arizona)
Mission: The native population of the Southwest has suffered under the
weight of extreme poverty, racism, substance abuse and political corruption,
but it is also alive with stories, culture, art, and dance. The high school team
will spend a week among the Navajo learning about their culture and history,
and serving the Navajo people in a variety of ways.
Pray for: Open hearts from the people the team will be serving, and that the
team will show Christ’s love with their actions.
High School: July 28-August 3
Honduras, Central America
Mission: The team will participate in work projects at local schools, feeding
impoverished children, delivering gifts to orphans, and working alongside the
Missionaries of Charity at their home for the elderly and those affected by
AIDS.
Pray for: Strength, endurance, and love while serving the children.
New Orleans, LA
cane. Many areas still look the way they did weeks after the storm hit. Students will be tearing down, cleaning up and building homes in the inner city of
NOLA. They will also be helping a low-performing school district improve its
national ranking by cleaning and refurbishing classrooms.
those still impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Middle School: July 30-August 2
DFW area
Mission: One of the biggest values communicated in the IBC middle school
ministry is that “mission” is not just something you do in Honduras or NOLA
— mission can be done in your own backyard. The local trip for IBC middle
school will be an opportunity for students to experience (and help to meet) the
great needs here in the DFW area.
Pray for: Students and staff as they support one of our West Dallas partners in
spreading the Gospel of Jesus to inner-city children and families.
Zone 6:30 (Elementary): June 25-July 4
Moshi, Tanzania (close to Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Mission: Kids from IBC will get the chance to meet all five of the Compassion
International children Zone 6:30 sponsors, as well as serve in a local orphanage. In partnership with ALARM, the team will host a conference for 20 local
church leaders on children’s ministry. Kids will get the opportunity to experience the local culture and way of life by attending a church service, going to the
market, visiting a coffee plantation, and going on safari.
Pray for: Travel safety, physical health, and that the IBC kids would under-
stand their part in God’s world mission.
Other IBC teams going out this summer
Goma, Congo
Pray for: the IBC men who will be teaching at the Pastor Training Conference.
A Game Changer
ESL at IBC opens doors to faith and friendship for Misae
M
isae Amemiya liked to play the lottery — but not for money. If
Misae won this lottery, it would change her life. In Tokyo, Japan the
game of chance Misae was trying to win was the Green Card lottery,
a congressionally mandated program that gives people from other countries a
chance to win a United States Permanent Resident Card.
Misae explains that her family did not go to temple all the time or live a strict
Buddhist lifestyle, so when she came to the States she was open to trying different religions, and visited many different churches over the years. Although
she enjoyed learning about different religious traditions, even today Misae
admits being confused by all of the denominations.
The third time was a charm for Misae, and she finally won the game and set off
to begin the adventure of a lifetime. She left behind her parents and a brother
and traveled over 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean and landed in California. Misae was fortunate enough to be working for an employer in Japan
that had offices in California, but her internship ended just a few months
later. Finding California an expensive place to live, Misae reached out to some
friends she knew who had relocated to Texas and decided to join them.
But when Misae visited IBC in 2005, things began to change. “When I started
coming to IBC, I felt good about coming to church again. It’s such a welcoming place, and I am always amazed at the stories I hear when I am here,” Misae
explains. “It is a privilege to meet such good people.”
Once again, she was on the move. When Misae got to Texas, she was able to
find a job working for an airline. She was finally getting settled and becoming
accustomed to life in the U.S.
“Dallas seemed like a small town to me, compared to all the people in Tokyo,”
Misae says. “And the biggest difference I noticed was that everyone was so
open and friendly.”
Misae embraced her new life in the States and continued to make friends. Her
job at the airlines eventually ended, but she continued to find her way and meet
many new people. When she met Susan, they quickly became best friends. Susan grew up in Korea so she and Misae had many things in common, except for
one. Susan grew up in a Christian home, but Misae had grown up as a Buddhist.
Chatter | 8
Misae had been coming to IBC with Susan for about six months when she
learned about the ESL (English as a Second Language) class offered on
Wednesday nights. At first she was reluctant to attend because of the time
commitment, but she knew she wanted to improve her English, and the ESL
class offered her the resources she needed.
According to Corey Wallis, the ESL program facilitator, the class is open to
anyone in the community and is not just about teaching English. “It’s a practical way to show love,” Corey explains.
And it was this love and acceptance that Misae found in the class that made
her stay and began to make a significant impact in her life. “It is an honor for
me to know such great people, and the teachers are amazing,” Misae says. “I
feel a sense of accomplishment.” And well she should.
The hardest part of learning English is the slang, according to Misae. Misae
recalls when she first came to the U.S. and someone used the phrase, needle in
Idioms can really
open a can of worms.
ESL meets Wednesday nights at IBC.
About ESL at Irving Bible Church
a haystack. She had no idea what that meant until the man who said it took
her for a drive and showed her what a haystack looked like. It was only
then that she realized how hard it would be to find a hidden needle.
The ESL class is held every Wednesday night as part of 2435
Kinwest, IBC’s community center night. According to Corey Wallis, the ESL facilitator, all are welcome regardless of their English
proficiency. The class groups students into three different levels
depending on their abilities. Currently, there are about 25 people
enrolled. If you would like to volunteer, it is not necessary for you
to speak another language or have teaching experience — just a
heart to serve. Contact [email protected].
Misae says that one of the best things about learning English is that she
has been able to learn more about Christianity and is better able to read
and study the Bible. After being in the ESL class for the past two years, she
feels she may be ready to attend the Women’s Bible Study at IBC.
But Misae was not the only one to benefit from the ESL class. One of her
former instructors asked Misae to help him learn to speak Japanese, so
she agreed to teach him. Now, he has been teaching English in Japan at a
private, Christian school and recently decided to renew his contract for
another year.
It is this give-and-take, easy camaraderie that makes the ESL class and
IBC so dear to Misae. What started out as a visit to a church has become
a life changing, affirming experience as Misae continues to improve her
English skills and learn more about what it means to be a Christian.
Misae is still brought to tears by a story she recalls about one of the first
times she went down to the altar to pray during a service. It was a very emotional moment, and when she returned to her seat, she was crying. A gentleman seated close by came up to her when the service was over, touched her
arm and told her he would pray for her. Misae could not believe that a complete stranger would pray for someone he did not even know. Even today, she
would like to meet that man and thank him for his kindness. (It was the 10:45
a.m. service if you are out there!) A friend told Misae that the gentleman was
According to a 2009 “Japan Times”
article, fewer than one percent of
Japanese are Christian.
her guardian angel; Misae agreed, and is starting to understand the kindness of
strangers when they have the love of Christ in their hearts. Also, Misae says that
Easter is now her favorite holiday.
Although Misae misses her family — she tries to get back once a year to visit —
she is extremely happy and gracious about the road she has traveled with all
of its twists and turns: California, Texas, Irving Bible Church, and finally, her
friends in ESL.
And all because she won the lottery.
Peggy Norton wants to give a shout out to her small group members: Cheryl &
David, Debra & Patrick, Christy, Reed and Lisa, to let them know that they are a
great source of encouragement.
Peggy Norton is a communications professional with over 20 years of writing experience primarily in
corporate communications. She has been married for 27 years and has one son Brandon who is attending UNT. In addition to writing for Chatter, she is an IBC small group leader.
A 2008 Baylor University poll found that
55% of those interviewed answered
affirmatively to the statement, “I was
protected from harm by a guardian angel.”
Chatter | 9
Temperature Appropriate
Activities for Texas: A Nifty Guide
Real Stuff To Do
It’s June in DFW and that means bigger,
better bugs, and bigger, better stuff to do.
Check out these family-friendly events. Most
are free!
Flag Day Celebration: June 14
Move to Australia.
In your delirium, enjoy mental ice fishing.
Plead with your Maker.
Slather epidermis with SPF 89,000.
Listen to it giggle.
Hawk kidney on Craig’s List
to pay air conditioning bill.
Officials in Grapevine will hold the city’s
annual Flag Day Celebration on Tuesday,
June 14 at 11 a.m. The event is free, and
will take place at Grapevine’s Gazebo,
located in the 300 block of Main Street in
Historic Downtown Grapevine. The event is
open to the general public, with cookies and
lemonade to be served upon conclusion of
the program.
Friday Fireworks
June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Bargaining phase:Oh Lord, never again will
I snicker about Snuggies®.
Mark your calendar: It’s June of 2012.
Anger phase: Really? Really?
Fort Worth Herd “Cow Camp”
May 26–September 2, 1:30–2:30 p.m.
Search in vain for optimism.
Denial phase: Surely, surely this is it.
Feel a bit uncomfortable.
Spritz Evian at your discretion.
Sun yourself on the veranda.
(Say with British accent.)
Visit the park/zoo/duck pond.
Commence self-delusion.
Shyly break out flip-flops. Avoid eye contact.
(Do not avoid pedicure.)
Second-guess Cosby sweaters.
Notice speck of frost on windshield.
Check for school closings.
Celebrate Christmas and/or a chilly Texas
Easter and/or Pumpkin Spiced Lattes.
Ice fish in the Trinity River.
EAT AT YOUR PERIL.
Enjoy a 12-minute fireworks display taking
place over Lake Grapevine every Friday night
at 9:30 p.m. Best viewing locations are your
favorite lake parks or on top of the parking
garage at the Gaylord Texan Resort.
Children and adults experience life on the
trail and see how authentic equipment was
used during the cattle drive era. Cost is free;
address is 131 E Exchange Avenue, Fort
Worth, TX 76164 at the Livestock Exchange
Building.
Kid To Do at the Dallas Zoo
June 2, 6-9 p.m.
The first annual Kid To Do at the Dallas Zoo
will feature approximately 20 restaurants
serving kid-friendly fare along with fun, festive activities for the whole family including
entertainment by award-winning children’s
singer and performer Eddie Coker, giraffe
feedings, exploration of the new Koala
Walkabout exhibit, animal encounters,
bounce houses, a DJ and dancing, a private
bird show, face painting, and more! Cost:
$60. Children 2 and under are free.
Sounds of Lewisville Concert
Series: June 5, 7-9 p.m.
Merrily go tobogganing,
and then learn to spell it.
Do not drive. Do not go outside.
Do not collect $200. Do not play MONOPOLY.
The “Sounds of Lewisville” concert series
offers a free summertime family entertainment option in Old Town Lewisville.
Concerts will be every Tuesday until July
31. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs/
blankets. Outside food and beverages are
not allowed, but can be purchased on site.
Event is dog friendly.
Family Movie Time at the
Library: June 26, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Join the Irving Central Library on the fourth
Tuesday of every month for a family-friendly
movie and free snacks.
When the responses of people from
1,000 churches who took the REVEAL
survey were analyzed, Reflection on
Scripture was discovered to be more
likely to help people grow in spiritual
maturity than any other practice by a
significant margin. This was true across
all levels of spiritual maturity: beginning,
intermediate, and advanced.
Bible Reading and Reflection at IBC
The Bible Reading and Reflection seminar at IBC is an experience designed to
deepen your relationship with Jesus as you spend time reading and reflecting
on the Bible. You will learn to hear from God as you read his Word, and discover
how to make Scripture reading experiences more spiritual, powerful, joyful, and
understandable.
Here’s what one IBCer has to say about it.
Interview: Joe Ratliff
phrase?” It is a way to make the passage apply instead of just reading for
entertainment. If you’re reading a
smaller section, it means more to you.
He’s just a regular Joe with two great kids, a wife, and a mean underhand pitch.
IBCer and former IBC softballer Joe Ratliff attended the IBC Men’s retreat this
year and found a new way forward in his spiritual growth through the Bible
Reading and Reflection seminar.
Chat How has your view of the Bible
Chatter First off, does anything intimidate you about the Bible?
changed?
Joe Ratliff I would read 5 or 6 pages of the Bible and look back on it and say,
“Ok, what does that mean to me?” I could recount the story and I wasn’t intimidated by it, but I couldn’t understand how to internalize it; how to comprehend
the meaning behind the lesson. I would get the stories, but not how they apply
to me.
JR I’ve always known that the Bible
is kind of the road map; your guiding
light as God’s Word. I’ve always known that, so my view has not changed, but
my understanding has changed. Now I’m able to follow the road map instead of
just wandering around.
Chat What inspired you to attend the seminar?
Chat How has your life changed?
JR I grew up a nice little southern Baptist boy, but despite being in the church,
nobody had ever explained how to read and study the Bible. I’ve always read
it like you would a novel or a story, chapter after chapter. I wanted to dive in a
little bit deeper.
JR I only did this a couple of months ago, so give me a break! [Laughs.] No, I
find myself wanting to read the Bible more frequently.
Chat What was the most useful takeaway from that morning?
JR I think if you have faith that what the Bible says is real — if you’re not on the
fence — then that’s when this really becomes valuable. It’s more about learning
to feed from the Bible, as opposed to the basic stuff of acceptance and believing. You can come to belief in the Bible by doing this seminar, probably, but it
seems to me once you’re there, you have to be taught how to fish.
JR To actually shorten the sections you’re reading, and to internalize what
you’re reading. Focus on a word from a passage, a phrase from a passage. Ask,
“What does that passage mean for my life in relation to that word or that
Chat Who is the ideal candidate for Bible Reading and Reflection?
What other participants have said:
“I never knew that I could experience the Bible in this way.
God has already shown me so much.”
“This class is ‘outside the box’ down to the details of thinking,
reading, retention, and research.”
Attend the Bible Reading and Reflection class this summer.
Date: June 23
Time: 9 a.m.–Noon
Where: West D
Register: brr.irvingbible.org
The Gutenberg Bible owned by the
University of Texas at Austin was
purchased in 1978 for $2.4 million.
The word “Bible” comes
from a Greek word meaning
“the books.”
Chatter | 11
“Teach Me To Pray”
by Kay Arthur: Preface
having, wishing you didn’t), your friends, your finances. The future. The past.
The present.
What will you do? How will you make it? Where will you turn?
Are you hurting, Beloved? Does the pain run deep? And when I call you
“Beloved,” do you believe it?
There are answers to those questions, loved one, and you can find them in the Word
of God and in prayer, as you cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you.
Do you ever find yourself wondering whether you are truly loved by anyone — even
God? Then again, perhaps pain isn’t the issue in your life right now. Even so, you
feel torn by confusion, stress, or doubts. Perhaps you’re so pressured, so burdened,
and so weighed down that you wonder how you’re going to make it.
The Word of God is the foundation for everything else in our lives. According to
Jesus Himself, man lives by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. The
Word of God is God-breathed. That’s the very term the apostle Paul used in his letter to young Timothy:
The news is bad
the situation difficult
the crisis overwhelming
the insecurity debilitating
the decision-making process scary.
On any given day you can find yourself concerned about any or all of the following:
yourself, your spouse (having one, not having one), children (wishing, wanting,
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate,
equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16).
The word “inspired” in this passage comes from a Greek word that literally means
“God-breathed.” When God speaks on any given issue, what He speaks is truth.
What He commands is to be obeyed. God has spoken and it stands. We are to
believe and obey.
Yet being a Christian is more than merely believing promises and obeying commands. At its very essence, Christianity isn’t a religion, it’s a relationship. And as
we all know, a relationship requires a high commitment to communication.
That’s where prayer comes in. It is through prayer that you and I communicate
with our heavenly Father.
Think about the everyday needs and demands in our lives: the decisions we must
make, the wisdom we need, the resources we require, the relationships that need
so much tending, discernment, and sacrifice. Is it any wonder the Bible says, “Pray
without ceasing”?
A Summer Women’s Bible Study
Do you sometimes struggle with prayer?
How to pray? What to pray?
Being a Christian is more than merely believing
promises and obeying commands. At its very essence,
Christianity isn’t a religion; it’s a relationship. And as we
all know, a relationship requires a high commitment to
communication. That’s where prayer comes in. Join us
this summer as we learn to pray God’s way, according
to his Word.
A 5-week Bible
Study for Women
Lord, Teach Me to Pray
by Kay Arthur
July 10 – August 7, 2012
Tuesdays, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Registration is $15
(includes workbook).
For more info or to register,
visit women.irvingbible.org.
KidZone is available by
advance registration, and
costs $10/child. Register your
child for: “KidZone-Summer
Womens BS-7/10/12.”
We need the strength, wisdom, and love of the Lord in our lives, and we need these
things desperately.
Though Scripture sets forth all of the goals and standards for everyday life in principle, it usually doesn’t fill in the practical details. That’s why we need to talk and
listen to our heavenly Father.
This, Beloved, is prayer. And that’s what this study is all about — learning to pray
God’s way, according to His Word. It’s about learning how to talk to God anytime
about anything and everything. Or to put it in words that resonate with our spirit,
prayer is about communion with God.
This journey of learning you’re about to embark on has already been completed by
hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, many of whom have written to
Precept Ministries with testimonies of what a help and an encouragement it has
been in their lives.
I offer this book with the prayer that God will use it mightily to teach you to pray
“according to His will,” and that His words on prayer will abide in you. Remember,
Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you” (John 15:7).
I am so excited about the truths you are going to learn from the precious Word of
God in the following pages, and the incredible difference I know they will make in
your life and in your relationship with the sovereign ruler of the universe. In just
four short weeks we will learn God’s basic precepts on prayer—principles that will
give you a thoroughgoing biblical understanding of this crucial area of life.
What you learn in this study, dear child of God, will be yours to put into practice for
a lifetime, just as Jesus intended when He taught His own disciples how to pray.
Taken from: LORD, TEACH ME TO PRAY IN 28 DAYS
Revised and updated, Copyright © 1982/2008 by Kay Arthur
Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
Used by Permission. Not to be reproduced.
Chatter | 12
Governor Rick Perry declared
April 22–24, 2011, as Days of Prayer
for Rain in the State of Texas.
About to put Chatter down?
Don’t cease without praying.
Potluck Lunch and
Fellowship/The Bridge
On Sunday April 15, the senior community at IBC gathered for their monthly
potluck lunch following the 10:45 p.m.
service. Fondly dubbed the “seasoned
saints,” IBCers of a certain age also enjoy
taking in local theater and eating out
together every month. Check out This
Month for the latest happenings with
Seniors at IBC (pg. 14-15).
In an effort to enrich the lives of young
and old alike at IBC and cultivate meaningful relationships that span generations, IBC’s Young Adults ministry will be
hosting The Bridge on June 14, a get-together designed to connect women of all
ages in a fun, relaxed venue. The Bridge
will be Thursday, June 14 from 6:30-8:30
p.m. Contact [email protected]
for details.
Potluck and Lunch & Fellowship
Potluck and Lunch & Fellowship
The Bridge
The Bridge
THURSDAY,
June 14
6:30–8:30 p.m.
$8 for dinner
RSVP at [email protected].
On May 17, 1884, P. T. Barnum helped
to squelch doubts about the Brooklyn
Bridge’s stability by parading 21 elephants
across its length.
Chatter potluck recipe: one
part Kentucky, all parts Fried,
and twelve parts Chicken.
Chatter | 13
THIS MONTH
Bible Communities
Groups on Sunday
There’s always something new
going on in Bible Communities!
Here’s a taste of what’s happening
this month:
Synergy — 9 a.m.
Middle School Room
Couples in their 40s & 50s
Join us as we dive into scripture and
deepen our faith.
The Tree
9 a.m. — West D
20s & 30s, married and
young families
Please join us as we grow together
in faith and in our marriages.
Crossroads — 10:45 a.m.
High School Room
20s & 30s, Married
Join us for group discussion and
community.
Journey — 10:45 a.m.
Middle School Room
All Welcome
This summer we will be studying the
book “Twelve People of Influence in
God’s Kingdom.”
On Track — 10:45 — West C
Single Parents
Join us as we sit together at the
9 a.m. service (the lower right hand
side of the worship center) and then
meet to discuss the sermon.
Renew — 10:45 a.m.
Training Center
Diverse, All Ages & Stages
Join us as we explore what it looks
like to be empowered by the
Holy Spirit.
Thrive — 10:45 a.m. — West D
Singles in their 30s & 40s
Join us as we study spiritual disciplines through Ruth Haley Barton’s
“Sacred Rhythms.”
Legacy Builders — 6:45 p.m.
West A — All Welcome
Join us we enjoy fellowship, prayer,
and in-depth Bible teaching.
Please visit page 20 for more Sunday
Bible Communities.
Children
Infants Through 5th Grade
VBS: SKY
Will be June 18-21. Register online
today at vbs.irvingbible.org. See ad
pg. 17.
Respite Care
Every fourth Saturday
For families that have children with
special needs. For info, contact
Shannon at [email protected].
MyZone — Wednesdays,
6:30–8:30 p.m. — Zone/Zone Jr.
Chatter | 14
Will be talking a break for the summer until September 5. Contact
Beth at [email protected].
Zone 6:30
Will be talking a break for the summer until September 11. Contact
Beth at [email protected].
Español
Bilingual Ministry
Traducción del servicio dominical
Será suspendida temporalmente.
Checa Chatter para futuros detalles.
Sunday Service Translations
Will take a temporary hiatus. Watch
Chatter for details.
could benefit from the care of a
Stephen Minister, contact [email protected].
Marriage
Growing Together
Marriage at IBC — Sunday
nights, 6:45 p.m. — West C/D
A small group-based marriage
series designed to help couples
reconnect in the context of community. Visit marriage.irvingbible.org
to register. KidZone is available, but
you must register your child. See
article pg. 16.
Men
Ministry to Men
Faith & Belief
Events and Resources
Bible Reading and Reflection
Saturday, June 23
8 a.m.–12 p.m. — West D
See article pg. 11. Contact Kym at
[email protected] for more
information.
First Watch Summer Series
June 29 at 6:30 a.m.
Come hear Mario Flores, president
of Top Notch Coaching. Breakfast
provided. See ad pg. 17.
First Watch Xtra
Meets Wednesdays at 6:30 a.m. in
the Training Center.
8 p.m.: ICT Mainstage presents “A
Few Good Men.” For tickets call the
Box Office at (972) 252-2787.
Potluck Lunch and Fellowship
June potluck cancelled due to
Father’s Day.
Please contact bgroezinger@
verizon.net.
Single Parents
Community and Resources
Volunteers needed!
To mentor children from single
parent families. Contact Marsha at
[email protected].
Sit with us on Sunday!
Several single-parent families enjoy
worshiping together in the 9 a.m.
service. Come and join us in the
lowest right-hand section, Rows 5 &
6, facing the stage.
Small Groups
Community at IBC
Visit men.irvingbible.org for
more info.
Groups are on break until August.
Contact Ryan Sanders with questions at [email protected].
Missions
Students
Local and Global
Middle/High School and College
Laundry Love — first Saturday
of the month, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Located at Amigo Laundromat,
3349 Country Club Dr. in Irving
(just down from Sam Houston
Middle School). Please join us as we
provide free laundry cycles and detergent, strike up conversations and
build relationships. For more info
visit http://llpirving.org or contact
[email protected].
Register Now: Beach Camp
High School, July 13–17
Middle School, July 17–20.
See ad pg. 16.
Hope & Healing
Community Care
Recovery at IBC
Thursdays, 6–8:30 p.m.
West Wing Youth Lounge
Do you deal with perfectionism,
pride, overeating, inappropriate
anger or control? Recovery is confidential and all are welcome. Join us
for a light meal at 6 p.m. for just $4.
NAMI Class
Mondays, 6:30–9:30 p.m.
West B
Please join us starting May 26 for
our Family to Family class. Contact
Joey at (972) 672-5896 or joey@
netbreezeinc.com.
Mental Health Support
Every other Monday
6:30 p.m. — West A and C
Family Grace Group is for family
members, friends, and caregivers of
those with serious mental disorders.
Contact Buzz Moody at myrabuzz@
gmail.com.
The Living Grace Group
For those who suffer with mental
illness. Contact Melissa Clark at
[email protected].
Stephen Ministry at IBC
A one-to-one caregiving ministry for
people going through hard times
on life’s journey. Stephen Ministers
provide a listening ear and a caring
presence for IBCers going through
emotionally difficult times such as
the loss of a loved one, loss of a job,
illness, injury, divorce or other life
events. If you or someone you know
Parenting
Events and Resources
Save The Date: Shop Talk
September 9
Creating and Maintaining Wise
Boundaries. For parents of kids of
all ages.
Seniors
For Folks Ages 55+
Dinner and a Show
Thursday, June 14
6:30 p.m.: Dinner at Southern
Recipe, located on Story Rd and
Walnut Hill. Please come to dinner
even if you can’t make the show.
Middle School Sundays
MERGE AM — Meets in the Alcove,
10:45 a.m.–12:05 p.m.
June 6 — Middle School cookout.
Middle School Wednesdays
The “W” — Meets in the Student
Ministry area, 6:30–8 p.m.
High School Sundays
Table Discussions — Meets in the
Student Ministry area, 6:45–8 p.m.
Topic: What I wish I would’ve known
in high school.
High School Wednesdays
SWAG (Students Worship
and Gathering) — Meets in
the Alcove, 6:30-8 p.m.
SWAG will be off June 18.
IBC College Ministry Meets
Sundays at 6:45–8 p.m.
Meets in the MO.
IBC serves a delicious meal each
Wednesday and Sunday night
for $3.
Contact [email protected].
WOMEN
Ministry to Women
Save the Date — Summer
Women’s Bible Study — July 10
This 5-week study will explore how
to pray God’s way, according to his
word. See ad. pg. 12.
Sign up today at women.irvingbible.
org.
Visit women.irvingbible.org.
Young Adults
20s and Early 30s
The Gathering
Will be taking a break for the summer until August 9.
Check out these Young Adult
summer events in June:
Volleyball Night
Sunday, July 1, 6:30 p.m.
Yucatan Beach Club
Join us for a night of volleyball and
community!
Save The Date — The Gathering
Kick-Off — August 9
Weekly Groups
Many young adults (marrieds,
singles and mixed) meet in smaller
groups during the week and Sunday
evenings to connect in community and grow in Christ. If you are
interested in learning more, contact
[email protected].
The Breakfast Club — Sundays,
10 a.m. — The Mosiac Café
Join us for some conversation and
light breakfast before the 10:45 a.m.
service.
Be sure to join our Facebook
group (IBC Young Adults) or subscribe to our eLetter (by emailing
[email protected]) to
learn about fun summer get-togethers in July.
Family Dinner — Thursday,
June 7 — Betsy’s House
Come celebrate the end of our
spring season and hear what’s
coming in the fall.
Email [email protected]
for more info.
Man Party — Friday, June 8
Email [email protected]
for more info.
2435 Kinwest
The Bridge — Thursday, June 14
See ad pg 13.
Softball Game Saturday, June 16
Come watch or play the Thrive
Bible Community with us.
Serve with us — Thursday, June 21
IBC
We will be partnering with VBS and
Family Promise to serve dinner and
spend time with the families staying
at IBC.
AZ14 & 15
Do you want to learn English? Improve your English? Come practice
all four skills: speaking, listening,
reading and writing. For more info,
contact Corey at [email protected].
FREE Citizenship Class
Wednesdays, 6:30–8 p.m. — IBC
For those at least 18 years old who
have been issued a Permanent Resident Card. We’ll guide you through
the N-400 paperwork and prepare
you for the main components of
the new citizenship test. Contact
Michael at [email protected].
IBC Career Transition Ministry
Wednesdays, 6:30–8 p.m.
Want to find a job? Come learn how
to craft a rock-solid resume, use the
Internet and LinkedIn to network,
and ace the interview. For more
info, contact Anna Heil at aheil@
irvingbible.org.
Visit 2435kinwest.org.
Miscellaneous
A Little Bit of Everything
Wednesday Nights at IBC
Vox Humana Choir
Wednesdays, 6:30–8:10 p.m.
IBC Worship Center
The choral community of IBC is
always looking for new singers of all
levels — beginner or pro. Everyone
is welcome and you can join at any
time! No auditions necessary. Contact Crystal at celwell@irvingbible.
org.
ESL: English as a Second Language
Wednesdays, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
The Gospel of Mark
Sunday Worship at IBC
Becoming a Christian means embracing a Savior who
loves us and calls us to follow him. We call this “discipleship”, and at its core is learning how to live like Jesus
lived, love like Jesus loved, and serve like Jesus served.
Discipleship is what the Gospel of Mark is all about. As
we follow along with Mark’s story, we will experience
what Jesus really means when he says,“Come follow
me.” Join us Sundays at 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m. or 5 p.m.
In His Image Bible Study
Wednesdays, 6:30–7:45 p.m.
AZ15
A small group for adults (18+)
with special needs. If you know of
someone who would benefit from
this group, please contact Shannon
Miller at specialneeds@irvingbible.
org.
NICHE (North Irving Christian
Home Educators)
The Board of Directors is busily
preparing for the 2012-2013 school
year. Mark your calendar for the
Kick-Off Meeting on Monday, Aug.
27, 2012. For more info, contact
[email protected] or check
www.texasniche.com.
Stitches of Faith
Tuesdays, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
The Haven
Join us as we crochet and knit. We
are working on 12x12 squares for
the VA Hospital, and baby booties/
caps. For more info, contact Myrna
Vick at [email protected].
IBC Crop Night — Friday, June 1
Commons Annex
Bring your pictures, albums, and
tools and let’s crop. Paper crafters
and digital scrappers also welcome.
For more information please contact Nikki at [email protected].
IBC spring softball,
Men’s and Coed.
We like to form teams in the city
leagues of Lewisville, Euless and
Carrollton on Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday and Friday nights.
Contact Kurt Heinemann at [email protected] or (972) 765-9912.
Thrive Missions Dinner
Saturday, June 23, 6–10 p.m.
IBC Commons
Dinner and auction supporting
Thrive summer missions. For more
info visit ibcthrive.wordpress.com/
missions-dinner.
Hearing Assistance
Hearing Assistance is available during all three worship services. Stop
by the Journey Lounge for instructions.
New Arrivals
Congratulations to the following families on the births of their
children:
Amber and Chad Bearden and
their son Elijah John, born April
13, at 8 lbs, 1 oz, and 20.5 inches.
June 3: Images of the Kingdom
June 10: Nature’s King
June 17: Authority over Evil
June 24: Hope for the Hopeless
Visit media.irvingbible.org to
listen to recent Sunday sermons.
Chatter | 15
High School
Summer Camp
July 13–17
Join us as we head to Gulf
Shores, Alabama for a week of
great teaching and worship. The
theme is Fully Human (Romans
12) with speaker David McNeely.
Cost is $345. Register now!
Contact [email protected]
for more info.
VBS
2012
Middle School
Summer Camp
July 17–20
We’re packing our bags and heading for Gulf
Shores, Alabama. Speaker Steve Fitzhugh will
teach us how to Get Over Yourself (Romans
12). Cost is $320.
For more info, contact
[email protected].
June 18–21 9 a.m.–12 p.m. at IBC
At VBS this summer, your child will learn that God is totally trustworthy.
Imagine the joy, freedom, and thrill of knowing that with God, all things
are possible! SKY will be a fun-filled week for kids to connect with their
friends, grow in Christ — or begin their faith journey for the very first
time — and reach out to their neighbors and friends.
VBS is for children entering K-5th grade.
Cost
$20 per child (before June 1)
$30 per child (after June 1)
$50 max per family
Scholarships are available.
Register: vbs.irvingbible.org. Online registration closes June 13. Walk in
registation will be available Monday morining, June 18.
Married?
If you had to rate your marriage
on a scale of one to ten, where
would it rate?
Seriously.
Think about it for a second.
First Watch
Summer
Series
June 29, 6:30 a.m.
Mario Flores
President of Top Notch Coaching
“The Heart-Centered Mind”
Meets in The Commons. Breakfast is provided.*
Marriage at IBC is a collection
of couples small groups working
in community to strengthen their
marriages and move towards oneness. Whether your marriage needs
to be reignited or resurrected, Marriage at IBC is a safe place for you
to reconnect with one another
among friends.
July 27, 6:30 a.m.
Everson Walls,
former Dallas Cowboy,
“Serious Generosity”
August 28, 6:30 p.m.
First Watch Kick-off BBQ
Dinner
Sujo John,
I Am Second,
“Buried but not Lost at
Ground Zero”
First Watch
Resumes in September
For more info, contact
Kym at [email protected].
Marriage at IBC kicks off September 9.
Watch Chatter for details.
For more info contact: Kym at [email protected].
*There is no charge for breakfast but all proceeds from donations benefit
New Friends New Life.
Want to be
Christian Bale?
You remember, from “Newsies.” Maybe
you don’t have the Brooklyn accent. No
problem. Maybe you’re female. Do we
look worried? No. Chatter is here for
you. Yes, it’s here…in boxes, fresh off
the press every month, just waiting to
be set out by a paper-phile like yourself.
If you’re looking for a fun way to serve and would love a first glimpse
of Chatter every month, get your knickers on and box-step over to
[email protected].
Reams of Chatter a little too hefty for you? Not built like The Fighter?
No sweat. Literally. You can still support communications at IBC by
helping to update bathroom signage every month — which is deeply
rewarding and very, very spiritual.
So go on. Be the Dark Knight of buzz.
Sunday Schedule
HOW DO I GIVE?
First Worship Service: 9 a.m.
My Time, Talents & Skills
Children’s Classes (all ages)
The Tree (young marrieds and families), West D
Synergy (40s and 50s couples),
Middle School Room
Second Worship Service: 10:45 a.m.
Children’s Classes (all ages)
Crossroads (mid 20s-30s couples),
High School Room
On Track (single parents), West C
Journey (all welcome), Middle School Room
Renew (multi-generational), Training Center
Thrive (30s & 40s singles), West D
Third Worship Service: 5 p.m.
Children’s Classes (all ages)
Community Dinner: 6 p.m.
Community Events: 6:45 p.m.
Legacy Builders (all welcome), West A
Middle School, The Commons
High School, Student Ministries Area
sunday Community Meals
Each Sunday in the Town Square at 6 p.m. Cost is
$3/meal or $10 max./family.
6/3
Spaghetti with meatballs, salad bar.
6/10 Fajita Madness, salad bar.
Respite Care Volunteers
By giving a few hours of your time to do crafts, play
games, and spend time with special needs children,
you give their parents a few hours for themselves. Every
fourth Saturday evening.
SonShine Volunteers
A SonShine Pal helps a child with higher-functioning
special needs to participate in ministry with their peers.
Commitment: weekly or bi-weekly, all services available.
Our SonShine rooms are available during the 10:45 a.m.
service for children who need more individual attention.
Commitment: anywhere from once a month to weekly.
For any of the above opportunities, contact Shannon at
[email protected].
Middle School/High School Summer Mission Trips
Middle School students will be working on projects in
New Orleans, LA and Dallas. The High School students
will be going to Honduras and the Navajo Indian Reservation in Apache, Arizona. Contact Mary Ann at [email protected] to find out how you can support
them through prayer or financially.
Meals for New Friends, New Life
IBC has the privilege of providing a meal once a month
to the women and children of NFNL. Contact Christine at
[email protected].
detergent, strike up conversations and build relationships
at Amigo Laundromat in Irving. For more info, contact
[email protected].
Mentor Kids in Single-Parent Families
Men mentor a boy, and women mentor a girl from a
single-parent family. All it takes is a little time and a big
heart. Contact Marsha at [email protected].
Kids’ Night Out Volunteer
Kids’ Night Out, a ministry for single parent families, is designed to give parents a much needed evening to themselves. Contact Jennifer at [email protected].
My Resources
Laundry Soap and Dryer Sheets
Laundry Love is collecting laundry soap and dryer sheets
for their monthly events in Irving. Please bring these
to the Laundry Love box in the donation area by the
Training Center. For more info visit http://llpirving.org or
contact [email protected].
Cars for Missionary Families
Do you have an extra car to loan a missionary family on
furlough? Contact Missions at [email protected].
Online Giving Option
If you would find it more convenient to donate to the
ministries of Irving Bible Church online, visit give.irvingbible.org.
Laundry Love Volunteers
Volunteers needed to provide free laundry cycles and
6/17 Burgers and brats, salad bar.
6/24 Baked potatoes, salad bar.
If you’d like to serve on a Sunday night meal team,
contact Pat at [email protected].
Interested in learning more about IBC’s budget for 2012 or other
financial nuts and bolts? Visit budgetinfo.irvingbible.org.
Wednesday Midweek Meals
Each Wednesday night from 5–6:20 p.m. in The
Commons. Cost is $3/meal or $10 max./family.
6/6
New to IBC?
Loaded baked potatoes, salad, dessert.
6/13 Burgers, tater tots, baked beans,
salad, dessert.
6/20 Lasagna, salad, bread sticks, dessert.
6/27 Sloppy Joes, cole slaw, pickles, dessert.
All June meals are hosted by Mike Gwartney’s Team.
Changes to the menu may be made depending on
cost and availability and Bob Downey’s whim.
If you’d like to serve on a Wednesday night meal
team, please email [email protected].
The Mosaic café (the mo)
Hours
Monday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tuesday–Thursday: 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m.–12:30 p.m. & 4–7 p.m.
Phone: (972) 443-3323
June drink special: Nutella Frappe
Information Center
Have questions? We’re here to help.
information.irvingbible.org
Newcomer Gathering
Learn more about IBC
and meet others like you.
newcomergathering.irvingbible.org
Propel
Ready to get plugged in?
propel.irvingbible.org
Small Groups
Connect with others on the journey.
smallgroups.irvingbible.org
Chatter | 18
We’re so glad you’re here. Sometimes it’s hard to know
where to begin, but we want to make the process of connecting and feeling at home as easy as possible. Here are
some ways to start.
The Information Center is a great place to get your questions answered, find help and encouragement for your personal journey, or just have a cup of coffee and settle in. Our
team of volunteers would be happy to help you, and our
goal is to make you feel at home. The Information Center
is open every Sunday after all three worship services.
The Newcomer Gathering is an informal get-together
for those new to IBC and/or those wanting to learn more
about who we are, what we believe and how to get plugged
in. Meet other newcomers, ministry leaders and elders.
Can’t seem to figure out what IBC is all about or how
you fit into the larger picture? Want free breakfast every
Sunday for four weeks? Propel is designed to help you
figure out how to best plug in to IBC’s culture and calling.
We’ll talk about what it means to grow in Christ, connect
in community and join the mission — and what that might
look like for you. You’ll also learn more about membership
at IBC.
Small groups exist to cultivate deep relationships that
advance the kingdom of God in dark places — dark places
in our world, in our relationships and in our hearts. We
do this in the context of sermon-based Bible studies that
meet in homes. Groups comprise 12 people or fewer and
are formed by leaders who have completed small group
leader training. To sign up for a group or get more info,
contact Ryan Sanders at [email protected].
Fear the
Mayansquitos
According to famed ethnographer
and one-legged ski champion John
“Lane Myer” Cusack, the world will end
on either December 30 or 31, 2012, or
January 1, 2013, depending on which side
of the International Date Line you’re
straddling. JLMC, however, will escape
the apocalypse in a 747 equipped with a
flux capacitor, hope and change. But only
three hours of jet fuel. Still, the Mayans
will have more or less been proven right in their prediction, even if said prediction is only the result of running out of “Far Side” comics for their Page-a-Days
and not some great foreknowledge of things henceforth to come.
Still, if Hollywood and Lloyd Dobler have taught us anything, it’s that vampires
and werewolves rarely need to work out or attend acting lessons. Also, they’re
super-hunky. Double also, the end of the world is always close at hand — be it
in the form of Dr. No, Dr. Evil or an Aerosmith-loving asteroid that flunked evil
medical school. Unfortunately, the Left Coasters have a poor record of telling us the signs of our impending doom, preferring to lay the responsibility at
ignored scientists like Pierce Brosnan. For shame.
Fortunately (or not, depending on the timing), the Bible is literally spilling over
with tips and tricks for deciphering the encroaching end of days. Sure, no one
knows the exact time of Christ’s coming, but that doesn’t mean we should be
caught totally unawares (from the Greek for “in our undertogas”). In fact, the
books of Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel and Revelation are so full of eschatological
goodness, Kirk Cameron will have to live to be 139 to make movies about it all.
Nonetheless, for the purposes of comedy, let’s wander away from the wars and
rumors of wars and into the realm of lesser-known prophetic omenology.
past decade telling us to worship idols so obviously false (no way Taylor Hicks
beats Daughtry in an unfallen world) that we hardly blink when his production
company throws the Kardashians into our Google searches even though we
were just looking for information on psoriasis. Also, pretty sure he ate Dunkleman.
“Behold, though the Lord comes quickly, others shall scoot forth and clog
the arteries of commerce until there is weeping and gnashing of teeth
and a shortage of Little Debbies.” Whether it was Job or Isaiah or Brimley
who foresaw the advent of the Hoveround makes no matter. Nor does its use by
people who would otherwise be immobile. This bit of postscripture speaks of
those who find self-ambulation simply too burdensome to bother with. Those
who take the mobile carts at the mall because the walk between Dillard’s and
Macy’s cracks the 300 yard marker. Those who, if they fell, could definitely get
back up, but would instead choose to lie prostrate, wallowing in their shameless shame. Like you, Mrs. Edith Crabbleton.
“In the Eastern Time Zone, a golden idol shall be bestowed upon a
descendant of Cane, née Cain, and The Oprah shall declare it good.” Yes,
when Susan Lucci finally wins a Daytime Emmy…what? This happened? In
1999?! Hmm. Looks like we’ve been living on borrowed time, my friends. As the
Mayans were wont to say, duck and cover.
Jason Fox really thought the 2001 Pontiac Aztek heralded the Lord’s return.
Jason is a freelance creative director, copywriter and columnist who offends the prevailing culture at
jasonfox.net. His first book, “leeclowsbeard,” (based on his popular Twitter fee of the same name), is
available now.
“And, lo, a tide of bestingered beasties clothed in indignation and impervious to DEET shall rise forth and ruin sunset dog walks and backyard
barbecues. This is the forty-fifth woe.” Growing up, mosquitoes were a
nuisance. Like homework and bathing. But a few bites never stopped anyone
from an evening lightning bug hunt or 3 1/2 minutes of tossing the glow-softlyin-the-dark Frisbee. Now I can’t take my young ’uns out past 6:30 for fear
they’ll be carried off to wherever mosquitoes carry things off to. Albuquerque?
And if you don’t think the size or voluminous appetites of modern skeeters is a
sign from on high, feel free to Google the creature God recently let loose in the
Philippines to eat these massive insect Edward Cullens: the giant fox bat.
“But before the Beast could put his mark upon mankind, a bespectacled
Buddhist shall soften their resolve with shiny things bearing ill-tempered fowl.” Much has been conjectured, opined and made up concerning the
mark of the beast. And many of us wonder how the world’s population could
be convinced to have a barcode or RFID chip permanently installed on their
person. Well, maybe if said tech promises to run on 5G networks and pipe Pandora straight into one’s cerebral cortex while giving a head-up display of Angry
Birds on the old optic nerve, much coaxing may not be needed. Especially if
the beast promises better coverage than AT&Verisprint. Besides, what made
Man fall the first time? Hint: An apple. Granted, I’m a pre-tribber, so, you know,
whatevs.
“Beware those proffering a reality that is unreal, dressed in the guise of
orange skin and copious booty, especially the one whose frosted locks
flutter like a crest upon the sea.” Yes, grandma, Ryan Seacrest is a portent
of the Great White Throne Judgment. Think about it. The man has spent the
Chatter hasn’t read
Twilight, but understands
that it is very popular.
Chatter has learned that December 21, 2012
isn’t actually the apocalypse, just the marking of
the completion of a cycle of 13 baktuns and the
begining of a new cycle. Got that? Thought so.
Susan Lucci would like to
remind everyone that you like
her. You really like her.
The diet of the giant fox bat
consists primarily of figs. And
other Foxes, like Jason.
Chatter | 19
Nancy Fennell and Chatter, across the bay from the
famous Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia.
Chatter…you CAN take it with you. Send us
your Chatter photos on location, and you may
see yourself in an upcoming issue. Email us
at [email protected].