Tag: serving

  • Community Connection – Vol. 60, No. 25

    New Year’s Resolutions

    I love getting to set New Year’s Resolutions. They give me some joy in the possibilities of good things to come in the next year. Will I achieve all of my resolutions? No. But will some good things happen because of my attempts towards these resolutions? Absolutely! For example, this past year I set a goal to read two books a month. As of writing this I’m only at 22 books. Just because I didn’t reach my goal of 24 doesn’t mean those 22 books were a waste. I count that as a win!

    So what resolutions are you setting for yourself this year? I have a suggestion: set a resolution that helps you “seek the good of our community for the glory of God.” That’s the last half of our mission statement. What is a resolution you could set for 2021 that involves you doing good for your community that brings glory to God? We have a lot of opportunities that you could volunteer here at church: providing food for Loaves and Fishes once a month, serving as a part of our Mobile Market team, giving more financially towards benevolence, or serving at our International Community Food Pantry. And it doesn’t have to be something organized through the church. Find a ministry or organization that you are passionate about and volunteer for them. We want Fee Fee to be known as a place that cares about our community and that happens when we will get out in our community and love people for God’s glory. So, what is a resolution you can set for 2021 that will “seek the good of our community for the glory of God?”

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 15

    Summer missions has looked a little different around Fee Fee this year. Other than the Potts still serving with Concord Builders, our other summer trips had to be canceled. Things have not exactly gone the way we expected them to go. However, in the midst of disappointment, there is still opportunity. That opportunity will be to serve others through Impact Week! Biblically, the call to serve others and live out the Great Commission still stands, even in the midst of a pandemic.

    The Bible talks frequently about the need to serve others. Here are a few examples:

    • Matthew 25:40 says, that when we serve those in need, we serve our Lord as well.
    • Isaiah 58:10 says, “If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.”
    • Hebrews 13:16: “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
    • In Mark 9:35, Jesus taught us: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all,” (Mark 9:35).

    I am sharing those passages to remind us of the importance of serving others and being a light in our community. While we couldn’t do everything we originally planned for missions this summer, I am thankful we can still do some mission projects for Impact Week. From August 2-8, our church is going to step out and be the hands and feet of Jesus. We are going to do service projects, meet needs, and share the Gospel with our community. We want for our community to experience a true impact as we coordinate together to serve our city.

    Just like last year, we will have different service projects each day that week for you to choose to participate including: the St. Louis Area Food Bank, Loaves and Fishes, Meals on Wheels, and so much more. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to step out and serve in our community. In addition, we are capping off the week of service on Saturday, August 8, with our Free Market! You can host a table and give away things to people in our community! Finally, we also have recommendations on our website for ways to serve our community with your family, like making cards for first responders.

    We do know that things are going to look a little different this year. We are doing our best to make sure that our service opportunities are safe. You can go online to our website to sign up for any of these local missions projects that you feel comfortable participating in.

    I’m praying that, through Impact Week, we will be able to share about Christ in our community with our acts of service. Please join me in praying for Impact Week.

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

  • Bible Study Corner – Vol. 60, No. 15

    Impact Week and Free Market

    Are you ready for Impact Week? I pray that you and your family and friends have either signed up for the opportunities listed on the website or you have come up with a plan for helping a neighbor or friend. Check out the opportunities for Impact Week and sign up on our website, feefeebc.org/impactweek.

    I hope many of you plan on loading up your car and bringing your giveaways for the Free Market from 9 – noon on Saturday, August 8. Social distancing will be accomplished by a line of tables separating shoppers from those of us giving stuff away. I hope you can participate. Please let me know if you plan to so we can bring out enough tables for your treasures. Check the website for more information: feefeebc.org/freemarket.

    On the day of the Free Market, we will also be giving away backpacks loaded with school supplies. We need backpacks and school supplies. If you are not shopping, perhaps you would consider getting a check to Steve so we can buy supplies. You can also go on Walmart.com and have it shipped for free to the church.

    Needed School Supplies

    backpacks, notebook paper (wide ruled), #2 pencils, erasable markers, colored pencils, 2-pocket folders, ink pens, Kleenex, crayons, Elmer’s school glue, washable markers, spiral notebooks, quart and gallon Ziploc bags, pencil pouches, composition notebooks, and Clorox wipes.

    Thanks in advance for blessing our community.

  • Community Connection – Vol. 60, No. 15

    How are you going to make an Impact?

    Signups have started for Impact Week! You can go to feefeebc.org/impactweek to see the full calendar of events and find the link to sign up to serve that week. If you have any trouble signing up, please contact Andrew and he’d be glad to sign you up. If you do not see something that works with your calendar then I would challenge you to think creatively about how you can make an impact in your community. You could buy some groceries for a family in need. Write cards to people who need some recognition like postal workers, school staff, emergency responders, hospital staff, or grocery store workers. You could do some yard work for a neighbor or pick up trash at a local park. There are lots of different possibilities that you can make an impact that week. Our goal is to have everyone in the church involved in serving in some way that week. If you have any questions contact Andrew (andrew@feefeebc.org). Take a photo documenting your impact this week and send it to Andrew letting him know that you served!

    Swim Night – Friday, July 31

    Want a fun night of swimming for you and your family? Join us this Friday night, July 31 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Bridgeton Pool (4201 Fee Fee Rd.) for our Swim Night. Swimming is FREE for everyone! So, bring your family and friends to this fun night. You can read about the steps that the Bridgeton Pool is taking to stay safe during COVID concerns on their website.

  • Family Front – Vol. 60, No. 14

    Family Worship!

    It has been so good to worship together in person these last few weeks. It was wonderful to have kids in worship again! Families will find a onetime-use individual Praise Packs with a few activities for kids to follow along with the worship service. It is okay, too, if you choose to stay at home to worship!  We will look forward to seeing you again soon as you feel comfortable getting out. You can pick up a Praise Pack and bring it back with you to the Worship Center for worship – you are not required to sit in the gym.

    Ministry Opportunities

    Despite the sheltering in place, we have some great opportunities to serve our community. We still have the Mobile Food Market every other Monday and another blood drive July 22-23. Impact Week will be August 2-8, where we serve our community through various projects. These will be great opportunities for families to serve together. Watch for more information!

    KidsZone Bible Study

    Just a reminder, there are weekly Bible plans on our church website that you can use at home as well as some downloadable activities. The KidsZone lessons follow the sermon series, “I AM,” the statements of Jesus in the book of John. You can find these on our website on the KidsZone page.

    My Prayer for You

    I miss you all immensely! I pray for you often that the Father will give you all the patience and love you need to carry on leading your children to know Christ better. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you lead your families.

    “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go,” Joshua 1:7.

  • Community Connection – Vol. 60, No. 06

    How to be missional and isolated

    I know that in all the chaos and strangeness of the Coronavirus effects, many people are stuck inside on their own. It’s easy in that situation to feel very limited including in our ability to reach people with the Gospel. As I thought about this, I thought about Paul being isolated in prison. But in that state he didn’t say “woe is me” and do nothing. He realized he is still called to proclaim the Gospel and writes letters to churches to encourage them, challenge them, and let them know he was praying for them. He spoke with the guards around him about the Gospel. He still reached people with the Gospel during his isolation. Amid our own isolation we are still called to reach people with the Gospel – we just have to think creatively about how to do it. Here are some ideas: 

    • Pray. No matter what your situation or limitations you can pray. Pray for our world, healing, wisdom for leaders, the lost, healthcare workers, your neighbors…the list could go on forever. Take quality time to pray.
    • Contact those in your life that are on their own or may battle with loneliness. Call them, send a text or an email, Skype them, or write a letter. Let them know you were thinking about them. Continue to check in with the people in your life.
    • If you are younger and physically healthy, provide for your neighbors who aren’t. Ask them if you could go grocery shopping for them or pick up medication. Ask parents who are working if you could watch their kids for a day. Order a dinner to be delivered to the family with the parent whose hours have been cut back at work.

    These are just some quick ideas, but I encourage you to think creatively and find ways to show the love of God to those in our world who are hurting and afraid today. Church, just like Paul, our isolation doesn’t have to keep us from declaring the love of God by loving the people around us.

    Week of Prayer for North American Missions – March 29 – April 4

    During these coming weeks there will be plenty of North American Missionaries that are working extra hard to try and reach people in new ways. They could definitely use our prayers. March 29 through April 4 is a Week of Prayer for North American Missions. You can download the prayer guide on the “Downloads” section of our website. Then Sunday, April 5 we are taking a special offering for the Annie Armstrong Offering – all the money given to this offering goes towards North American Missionaries. Please be praying for our missionaries!

  • Community Connection – Vol. 60, No. 05

    Week of Prayer for North American Missions – March 29-April 5

    We have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus, taking love throughout the continent and shining light into dark places! We can do this by praying for the lost, giving to Gospel ministries, witnessing to those around us, and reaching out in compassion. March 29-April 5 is a Week of Prayer for North American Missions. You can pick up a prayer guide at the church to help direct you as you pray. These missionaries in the prayer guide represent thousands more who benefit from your prayers and sacrificial giving. Then on Sunday, April 5 we will be taking a special offering for the Annie Armstrong Offering – all the money given to this offering goes towards North American Missionaries.

    Loaves and FishesApril 21

    Every month different groups from our church act as the hands and feet of Christ by providing dinner one night for Loaves and Fishes Homeless Ministry. We are in need of a group to bring dinner on Tuesday, April 21. Would your Bible study group be willing to serve that night?  Contact Gloria or Andrew or call the church office if you’d like to sign up for that night or if you have questions.