Thank you for the warm send off yesterday, and for your prayers for us as we make our way to Siberia to serve the Lord there during these weeks. We plan to be in Russia from Aug. 31 – October 1 (Clare Jackson will travel back on Sept 17th). Thanks for praying for the following things:

• A safe and unhindered travel.
• Effective ministry with both believers and unbelievers.
• That we are an encouragement to the Elders of The Good News Church.
• That the rust would quickly fall from my Russian language skills.
• That all of us would stay healthy.

We will pray for you too, and thank you for being a part of this work in Russia.

In Christ, and for His Glory!

Mike, for the rest.

P.S. you can keep up with us on my FaceBook page, and my Blog.

While we make no candidate endorsements, we do want you to be informed about the candidates’ experience and positions on the issues. Therefore, we are happy to provide you with this voter guide, and we encourage you to consult it and all of your biblical awareness when you hit the polls!

We apologize for the inconvenience and we should be able to upload current sermons very soon.

To browse earlier sermons, click here.

The 2010-11 AWANA season is fast approaching (first meeting is September 1st). To save time, you can download a registration form and pre-register (click here to download).

Vacation Bible School, what a week! 120 children had a great time learning that God has the answers to their questions. Through the work of 70, yes, seventy, volunteers, those precious children saw God’s love at work. The greatest part was that several children made a decision for Christ and that is why we have VBS.

To all of you volunteers who worked so hard, thank you. There will be some extra children entering the Kingdom of God because YOU were faithful.

Please keep the children in your prayers as we follow up with them. Please pray that we will also reach their family members.

Thank you again and sign-up now for VBS 2011 Big Apple Adventure!
God Bless,
Deb L, VBS Director

If you have not yet registered your child please download the registration form (by clicking here), print it, and bring the completed form to the church by Sunday, June 20th. It is much easier to pre-register your child than to register during the first day of VBS. All children must be registered by a parent or legal guardian.

We will be serving Pizza at 5:30PM, and Andrea will take the floor at 6:30.

I want to encourage you to make plans to be at this special event. For over 12 years, Andrea has worked to encourage and help young ladies with unexpected pregnancies, and has doubtlessly saved many, many lives. I, for one, am very much looking forward to learning more about her ministry.

Geneva Evergreens

The monthly Evergreens luncheon is this Friday at 11:30AM in the fellowship hall. We will have the privilege of hearing from a missionary pilot and his wife from Indonesia who serve with Mission Aviation Fellowship. It is sure to be an interesting and encouraging time. So please make your plans to be here at 11:30AM, and bring a covered dish and a friend.

Also, please call your friends who do not have email and make sure that they are aware of this exciting event.

See you Friday!

Here is the link to the Greater Things Pastors’ Conference.

Here is a link to the schedule of speakers.

1. Congresswoman Suzanne M. Kosmas
Representing the 24th District of Florida
238 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Click here for web form (sort of like email).
Tel: (202) 225-2706

2. Senator George LeMieux
356 Russell Senate Office Building
WASHINGTON DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-3041
Click here for web form (sort of like email).

3. Senator Bill Nelson
716 Hart Senate Office Building
WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5274
Click here for web form (sort of like email).

4. President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Phone Numbers:
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
Click here for web form (sort of like email).

Activities begin at 10:00AM in the Pavilion area (East of the Fellowship Hall). Come early to get a good seat, and bring all your friends.

What: Bluegrass Jam and Gospel Preaching

When: June 12, 2010, 10:00AM – 12:00PM

Where: The pavilion area and field behind the Fellowship Hall of FBCG.

How Much: Free!

“… for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.” – Mark 6.52

Faith does not come by accident, nor is it automatic. Faith is a decision, and one that often must be made in the midst of trail and hardship. In Mark 6.52, we learn that the disciples failed to grasp the significance of Jesus’ miracle: feeding five thousand people with only 5 loaves and 2 fish (read Mark 6:30-44 for the full account). The interesting thing about Mark’s comment in verse 52 is that he says this after the next major miracle of Jesus – after he walked on the sea and then calmed the storm which had so frightened the disciples (see Mark 6:45-51).

So Mark draws a connection between the two situations (the hungry crowd being fed by Jesus and the storm at sea in which the disciples later found themselves). We have to figure out how these two stories relate; but I do not think it is very difficult to see. In fact, it is plain. Had the disciples understood the significance of his earlier miracle then they would have reacted differently when they saw Jesus calm the storm.

Jesus proved himself as the all-powerful provider. He is never limited by circumstances. If the disciples had softer hearts, that is the conclusion they would have come to as they watched 5 loaves of bread satisfy a humongous crowd of people (a crowd about the size of, say, the population of Geneva!). Had they grasped that truth, they would not have been frightened on the water (because they would have learned that they could trust Jesus through the storm) and they would not have been baffled at Jesus’ power to walk on water or calm the storm (because they had already seen his unlimited power). But, as it was, their hearts were hard and they missed the meaning of the great visual lesson of the day.

What do I do with a story like this? The obvious application is this: If I grasp and remember the “significance of the loaves”, then my faith will not turn to fright during the storm and I will see it as the divinely-planned, faith-exercising event that it is. After all, I am trusting in the King of kings and the Lord of lords, for whom nothing is too difficult. If Jesus can feed a huge crowd with a few morsels and calm a fierce storm then why do I often assume that he can do nothing  about the trials that I face (or that he will do nothing)? I do that because my heart is often hardened with unbelief. And the answer is to remember the loaves. That is my encouragement to you.

Remember the loaves today! Go read Mark 6.30-52 again and let God, through his Word, strengthen your heart with faith.

Saturday night, May 8th at 6:30, GMC is having an “Outreach Cookout” with guest speaker, South African-born pilot extraordinaire Ivan Leibbrandt.

It will be a great night of fellowship, food and a challenging message from Ivan.
This is an outreach ministry of GMC and you are encouraged to bring a friend, neighbor, relative who does not know the Lord or is not plugged into a group of believing men. As disciples of Christ we are called to share the gospel and this cookout is a fantastic way to bring a man to see what Christian men are all about. Weather permitting we will gather at the pavilion.

We need to have a head-count no later than 12:00 Noon, Wednesday May 5th so that we can have enough food. Please notify Carol in the office 407-349-5411 (or by email).

Raymond

I hope to see you there!

Bring nothing except yourself, Bible, and pen and a 3 ring binder (if you have one).  Learn to study the Word of God for yourself!  This study has 5 days of homework each week, which could take you 5 minutes to 1 hour (depending on how much time and effort you want to spend each day).   I can’t wait to see you there. We are a passionate people and I want nothing more than to be passionate about our Savior!  Come and let Him set us on fire with His passion!

See you there!

Laura Coniglio

What: Ladies Bible Study; A Precepts for Life study written by Kay Arthur entitled, “Ephesians.  The Mystery of God’s Church – Our Identity, Our Walk, Our Warfare.”

When: Every Tuesday @ 8:00PM

Where: Fellowship Hall