eNews 120405

Know the story…Be the people…Expand the Kingdom
05-06 Priorities: Inreach...Outreach...Worship



If you would like to contribute to the eNews or converse with the editor, send an email to tfbyam1@hotmail.com

A fresh eNews is posted each Monday and updated on Wednesday

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IN THE eNEWS THIS WEEK

REGULAR HAPPENINGS
UPCOMING EVENTS—Next: The Church has left the building—December 18, 2005, 11 a.m.
TUESDAY GATHERING—What next?
SUNDAY COLLEGIUM— Making space for worship
SERMON NOTES—God’s Extreme Makeover: Spiritual Edition--Part 4 - Dealing With Temptations


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Yahoo! Group: TFB Collegium

Staff:
Pastor G (TFB Youth Min Pastor) gbenjamin49@gmail.com
Laura (teacher, AKA the mad tangent rider; eNews editor) lkspringer@gmail.com

Leadership team:
TBA

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REGULAR HAPPENINGS

SUNDAYS
WORSHIP GATHERING @ 9:15 am—Main Worship Center
Intergenerational worship gathering with indy-folk-rockish music and good preaching… too fun!

“COFFEE HOUSE” @ 10:30ish
Coffee, conversation, and donut holes in the TFB Courtyard.

COLLEGIUM @ 11 am—TFB College Room
Sort of like idea potluck, but with a theme
Currently: Worship

SUNDAY GATHERING @ 7:30 pm—place varies
Contact MattC for details

TUESDAYS
TUESDAY GATHERING @ 7:15-9:00 pm— TFB College Room
Hangout and conversation, guided by a teacher-facilitator; often resembles Mr. Toad’s wild ride, but with bibles.
Currently: Revelation

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UPCOMING EVENTS—Next: The Church has left the building—December 18, 2005, 11 a.m.


The Church has left the building—December 18, 2005, 11 a.m.
We’ll be doing a prayer walk in our immediate neighborhood

Christmas Soiree—December 21, 6:30 pm

Last Tuesday: All-Nighter—December 27, 7:00 pm to the crack of dawn

Worship Experience—January

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TUESDAY GATHERING—What next?

Study Space

Well, it was one of those Tuesdays when folks have too much on their plate: school, work, mission trips to Nicaragua (PRAY!)…

So, instead of dutifully plowing through three chapters of Revelation (for sometimes duty is overrated), we took time to talk about what we’ll study next and how the Tuesday Gathering should function. The suggestions narrowed down to:

  • Study non-Christian religions: what they believe from their perspective--how we can respectfully engage them in conversation and earn the right to tell our God story.
  • Start doing an outreach type gathering on a regular basis. The current thinking is to follow the Sunday Collegium model and do a monthly outreach. So, beginning in December, the last Tuesday of every month will be designed to invite those who are interested in God but who may not be comfortable in a study. The first “Last Tuesday” is December 27—all-nighter movie, game, food, hang out, talk, nap, whatever event.


Prep for December 13. Read Revelation 12:1-15:8.

Discussion info is online at http://ministryhandbook.wikispaces.com/curriculum

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SUNDAY COLLEGIUM— Making space for worship

Thoughts on the day: http://lauraswritings.blogspot.com/2005/12/making-space-for-worship.html

Today at collegium we looked at the question,
"How does a worship planner/curator go about making space for worship in a gathering? Especially, how can the worship be kept corporate rather than individuals who happen to be in the same room?"

While a one-hour session cannot answer this question, there are a few insights gleaned:
  • Notions of style, idea, and intention all go into creating flow.
  • The structure tells worshipers what to do, why to do it, and how to do it. This can be mechanical, but it should not be.
  • Make space for response after teaching times.
  • Use time to help worshipers journey to worship. Do not expect them to be able to focus on God straight away.
  • Know what you intend before trying to figure out how to get there.
  • People cannot focus solely on God for extended periods (maybe once in awhile, but humanness mostly gets in the way). So, worship must ebb and flow between worship and other movements like praise, thanks, confession, petition, learning, reflecting, etc.
  • Especially for Christians in the west, individualism come very easily. Make space for it in worship times, but focus on corporate worship and how to make that happen.


Discuss: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tfbcollegium/

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SERMON NOTES—God’s Extreme Makeover: Spiritual Edition--Part 4 - Dealing With Temptations
Pastor Charlie
December 4, 2005

“I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15, NLT).

PREDETERMINE YOUR PATTERN OF TEMPTATION. Proverbs 4:26-27
When am I most tempted?
Where am I most tempted?
Who is with me when I'm most tempted?
What temporary benefit do I get if I give in? Hebrews 11:25
How do I feel right before I'm tempted?

PROTECT THE CONDITION OF YOUR HEART. Proverbs 4:23
Physically Exhausted…0 1 2 3 4…Energetic/In shape
Discouraged/Pessimistic…0 1 2 3 4…Encouraged/Optimistic
Bored/Discontented…0 1 2 3 4…Challenged/Contented
Spiritually Dry/Empty…0 1 2 3 4…Spiritually Growing
Insecure/Unsure…0 1 2 3 4…Secure/Confident
Deeply Wounded/Hurt…0 1 2 3 4…Loved/Understood
Secretly Bitter/Angry…0 1 2 3 4…Have Forgiven Everyone
Alienated/Unsupported…0 1 2 3 4…Close/Supported
Total:

“Do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27, NIV).


PRAY FOR GOD’S HELP. Matthew 26:41; Psalm 50:15; Hebrews 4:15-16

POINT YOUR ATTENTION ELSEWHERE. James 1:14-15; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 12:21

PARTICIPATE IN A SUPPORT GROUP. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; James 5:16; 1 Corinthians 10:13