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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

E-Note From Pastor Andy 4-28-15

April 28, 2015

Dear Eastridge Family,

          It has been a while since I have sent out an enote.  I have lots of excuses like Pastor’s retreat, Easter, working on the Fellowship Hall, etc., but no one really cares to hear all the excuses so let me get to it. 

          Have you heard about the small boy who was attending a strict school and he was asked to write down in order the worst things that humans could do, and wrote: Number 1: murder; Number 2: running down the hall; Number 3: talking in class.  We all get things out of proportion, but we certainly don’t want to get God wrong.

          This is why we encourage every follower of Jesus to spend time each day reading/listening to the Bible, spend time each day in prayer (talking/listening) to God and start each week off gathering with other followers of Jesus in worship.  We want to know God and get Him right.

          Two Sunday’s ago I shared in my sermon that we need to be actively intentionally following Jesus.  This is the only way to answer Jesus’ call to “Come and follow me.”  If we are not following Jesus by being in a relationship with Jesus and with His other followers (the Bride of Jesus) the church; then maybe we are not really following Him after all.  If we are not about the work of Jesus, fishing for men (making disciples), maybe we are not really following Him.

          Last Sunday I shared in the sermon that the goal of following Jesus is growing a faith that overcomes fear of the future and any current circumstances.  Jesus wants us to have a faith that gives us peace in the middle of any problem or circumstance. 

          Do you remember the most frequent command in the Bible?  What instruction, what order, is given, again, and again, by God, by angels, by Jesus, by prophets and apostles?  It is not “Be good” or “Be holy for I am holy.”  It’s not, “Do not sin.”  The most frequent command in the Bible is “Do not be afraid.  Fear not.  Don’t be afraid.”

          Until we learn to live without fear you won’t find it easy to follow Jesus. Remember it's the resurrected Jesus who gives us the command don't be afraid.  Believing in this God means believing that it's going to be alright and disbelief is ultimately incompatible with fear.  As John says in his letter, perfect love casts out fear, 1 John 4:18.   And the resurrection is a revelation of perfect love God's perfect love for us his human creatures.

Election Results
Here are the results of our annual election:
Stewards: Janeth Flores, Faith Shimko, Lucila Vargas and Olga Vargas
Trustees: Nick Heer, Dan Henry, Norman Karns, and Enrique Vargas
Sunday School Superintendent: Stephanie Heer
NMI President: Todd Hunter
Delegates to District Assembly: Nick Heer, Ben Hunter and Elaine Hunter with alternates Peter Nolasco and Olga Vargas

Baby Shower for David and Ana Reyes
David and Ana Reyes are a couple that have recently started attending Eastridge Church of the Nazarene.  David has been playing guitar in the worship team, and both are a part of the young adult small group.  They are expecting a baby girl in mid-June.  This is their first child, and have quite a few things they need to welcome her home with.  Please join us, in celebrating this exciting time for David and Ana, while also getting to know them more.  We will have a Baby Shower, Sunday May 3, @ 4:30 in the fellowship hall.  They have expressed a need for; non-newborn clothes (3 months and up), diapers, and basic baby needs.






Fellowship Hall Kitchen
Two couples from the Pittsburg, Kansas Church of the Nazarene were here last week to lay the tile in the expanded kitchen.  Several volunteers have come out to help paint, install new lights, etc.  We still need to get new kitchen cabinets and counter tops installed.  If you would like to help us fund this work please mark your check or offering envelope “kitchen” and we will apply this to help cover the cost.

Car Wash
The youth group will have a car wash on Saturday May 9th to help raise money for their mission trip this summer.

Mother’s Day
We will have a guest band with us leading us in worship.  Tomas Ticum is the leader of this band and he attends MNU and has been part of the traveling music teams from the University.  His father is a Nazarene pastor here in Wichita Todas Las Naciones.  

Graduation Sunday
On Saturday at 10am Jill Heer will receive her diploma at MidAmerica Nazarene University graduation ceremony.  Also in the next few weeks we will have three other high school graduations for Ashley Heer, David Mares, and Luis Ochoa.  These three have been active in the Eastridge Youth group the past several years and we want to celebrate with them on Sunday evening May 17th in the fellowship hall with reception.

Help Needed
We need volunteer workers for the nursery and for children’s church also in our greeter ministry.  If you would like to help on occasion we have a sign-up sheet on the information table or you may speak with Faith Shimko or Stephanie Heer.

I look forward to seeing you in worship on Sunday,
Pastor Andy



“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.” – C. S. Lewis

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