Saturday, May 26, 2012

Girl Church Is Gonna Be Fun!

Today's post is written by April.

I wanted all the City Church ladies to know about our "girl church" plans for tomorrow and also why we're doing something different this Sunday. Tomorrow we will meet at Sha-Sha's downtown at 11:30 to share a meal and some Jesus conversation. We won't be gathering like we usually do, but there is a reason for that.

I want us to be able to spend some time learning about how Jesus is working in each other's lives and encouraging one another.  I think it will be easier to do that over a shared meal - and it's Biblical. Jesus taught His disciples over meals several times. And I think we'll have a better conversation over lunch. (No one will feel like she's in the spotlight this way!)

Let's spend some time talking about things we are thankful for, things God is teaching us (even those things we feel we're taking a long time to learn!), and those places in our lives where we need some prayer and encouragement. 

I hope to see all our ladies there! And, if finances are an issue, let me know, and The City Church can pick up your tab.

Monday, May 21, 2012

theCityChurch@theSeawall - Lords Supper, Baptism, and to be a church For the City (followed by huge fun tubing!)

These two are raising hands of Freedom in Jesus.  You can see the tank we baptized them moments ago at the bottom of the picture.  #FreedomIsHere
theCityChurch met to worship Jesus at the Civic Center Seawall yesterday, at Bor du lac Marina.  It was warm (some said hot, lol), but so beautiful!  We had people stop in and join us who were walking at the seawall.  

In taking the Lord's Supper, we remembered Jesus, broken and slain for our freedom, and raised back to Life to demonstrate God's victory over our weakness! 

We celebrated people deciding to follow Jesus, marking their lives as connected to his by being baptized!  

And we challenged one another to be a church For The City - a church that partners with many others to be a movement of Jesus' church that brings God's Kingdom in a more real, more tangible way to our whole community.  

We want the city and community leaders in government, education and non-profits to say, "If the churches here stopped their work in raising up families, healing brokenness in people, families and in the community; if the churches here stopped caring for the poor, if the churches here stopped showing us what humility and reconciliation were like (in actions, not just words), our city would be in terrible shape, and we would beg them to come back and reengage!"  

We believe Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-23 can happen in our city in our day.  

We exist so see the city different.



The baptizers and baptizees


the way we know it's working is if we are making disciples who are making disciples who are making disciples.  Here is Pattie baptizing Sabrina.  That's awesome!

Buried like Christ...Raised to walk a new kind of life!




Then the party continued, as we ate jambalaya and spent the afternoon boat riding and tubing!

















the
   city
      should
         be
            different

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Worship Gathering & Baptism at Civic Center Today

 At theCityChurch, we like to shake things up sometimes.  It's in our very motto, theCityShouldBeDifferent.  

So, today our Worship Gathering will be at Bor du lac Marina on the seawall of the Lake Charles Civic Center.  The Marina is right across from the new Millennium Park.  There is a small shade-break there, and we'll bring a little more shade, the band, and a cool trough to baptize some new Jesus-followers on the dock.  

Our gathering will continue into the afternoon with a Jambalaya lunch and a water party: we're bringing our boats to go boat riding and tubing!

A church of Jesus followers:
  • For God
  • For You
  • For the City
See you there,
paul