Weekend Coming ... New Chapter!

New Years weekend is coming up quick.  The eve will be a night to remember everything from 2010.  The way our lives have traveled to this moment.  How God is a great God to us!  He makes all things work together for good for those love Him!  The first of the year bring forth a FRESH START in many ways.  New day, new year, new resolutions, new diet plans, new reading plans, etc...

There is also a new beginning, a new chapter that's about to be written in the history of First Church of God in Elmont, NY.  A new worship service that is multi-faceted, multi-ethnic, and multi-generational will launch this Sunday!  Personally speaking, this responsibility is great but its exciting and challenging.  There's a great team in place in areas they are "called' and gifted to serve.  (I just got a note from a young person on the team initiating a 24-hour chain prayer!)  People are already excited and sharing ideas how we can serve our community.  2011 will be a new year and a new beginning to a great story!  Be a part of it! 

Enjoy the Ride,

Cecil

Weekend Past ...

Christmas away from home was definitely different! But we were with family in Virginia so that was great! It was a great time to spend with everyone there and to just relax for a few days. No appointments, no meetings, just family time at home.

Played some football (even little Abi played) - proud Daddy here!  Went to the local mall.  Drove by Liberty University.  Ate a whole lot of good food!  And even built a bonfire in the huge backyard in the middle of snowfall... which usually can't do here!

Then the drive back was fun!  An 8 hour trip took almost 30 hours and a hotel stay due to this blizzard!  But it was a safe, great, and memorable experience for all!  I think we know the Nativity Story DVD by heart thanks to Abi wanting to watch it! 

Enjoyed The Ride (definitely),

Cecil

p.s. A new weekend is coming!

Planting New Service - Updates

For those that have been asking and keeping up online, here are a few updates for the launching of new services ...

1. Starting a new series:  FRESH START - STRONG FAITH!  With the new year lets have a fresh start in walk with Christ and ensure our faith is strong to lasts thru the tests of life.  Without the grace of God and the power of God we might be in for a rude awakening.

2. We have the privilege of having Rev. Andrew Binda, NY Church of God Administrative Bishop, come to minister from the Word on Sunday, January 9th, 2011.  He will also be dedicating the new worship service to God for the Great Commission and Commandment to be lived out thru the lives of the people.

3. January is "Bring your Friend to Church Month".  Better yet, all of 2011 is "Bring your Friend to Church Year".  =)  Everyone that attends is encouraged to come accompanied with a friend, relative, neighbor, co-worker, classmate, stranger, etc...

4.  Launching in January and quickly the church is going to serve the community in February.  The annual Winter VBS will be during the school recess for elementary and high school kids.  If you want to have children registerd or want to volunteer, please contact us.  37 little kids and whole lot of "big kids" were impacted for life last year and expecting great things yet again! 

Enjoying The Ride,

Cecil

One Year @ QCC

The doors were open to voluntarily minister at QCC - a children's hospital in Queens about over a year ago.  Every month a dedicated team goes to the hospital to spend about an hour with the kids and staff there by sharing stories, singing songs, acting out short skits, etc...

The following is what one of the team leaders shared:

"This has been an amazing year with QCC! In the very beginning of this endeavor, last year (can't believe its been over a year), we had some restrictions in how much we can say about our faith, limitations in using the Bible, and saying the name of Jesus BUT by HIS grace things have really changed!!! Over some months, children started to view our program as "church time" and we have had full reign to speak from the BIBLE, quote scripture, sing praise and worship songs, pray with them, and say the name of JESUS! It's been an amazing journey! We even distributed Bibles two months ago, with the Director's permission, to all the children that came. A day we never thought would come! It really is the most amazing feeling to look into their young faces and say, "JESUS loves YOU!" =) Not only have the children been blessed but the staff and even the security guards have really enjoyed the services. All glory to GOD!"

This past Monday - 12/13, there was a celebration at QCC.  Gift packages that contained board games, books, etc... were given to each unit at the hospital.  And a great drama team - Restored - came out and amazed the crowd with a portrayal of God's love. 

Redeemed & Restored ministers @ Queens Childrens Center...
Merry Christmas to all!

Keep the children and staff at QCC in prayer! 

Enjoy The Ride,

Cecil

Free Christmas Concert

BRING YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS OUT TO THIS FREE CONCERT!

Great time to relax with some music and refreshments.  There will be a short play for the enjoyment of the entire family.  Invite a friend and come out tomorrow night!

Enjoy The Ride,

Cecil

The Battle Belongs To The Lord

If we worship God in the visible areas of our life, God will work for us in the invisible areas.  Walk into your battles leading with worship and you will be amazed how God will work for you to be victorious.  Remember that the battles of our life belongs to the Lord God. 

This is a short clip from a message on the battle King Jehoshaphat encountered based on 2 Chronicles chapter 20.  I hope and pray that this blesses you.




Enjoy The Ride,
 
Cecil

Launch of New Service Updates

It was a packed weekend but looking back we wouldn't want it any other way.  We wanted to let you know of updates for the launch of new weekly community focused worship services.  The approach to this new service will be to KEEP IT SIMPLE. 

1. Launch date is for Sunday, January 2, 2011

2. Service will start by 9:30 am and end before 10:45 am.  That's a total of 75 minutes.

3. In those 75 minutes, you will experience praise & worship, ministry of the Word, and time to connect with others.

4.  The target group is unchurched people from multiple nationalities and generations.  Each one brings one.  A friend just invites a friend. 

5.  There are 3 areas that will serve as the approach to ministry: OUTREACH, WORSHIP, FOLLOW-UP!  Serve the community with love, invite them and our friends to church, and connect them to small groups. 

6. A few teams for Sunday services (WORSHIP) were identified with team leads.  If you are interested in joining one of these teams, please let us know.
- Prayer Team
- Greeters & Ushers Team
- Worship Team
- Audio & Visual Team

7.  A team for OUTREACH - local, national, and international missions - is being formed.  A team for FOLLOW-UP - discipleship - is being formed. 

8. Vision Statement:

We see a Bible-based, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled, and multi-ethnic church that lives the Great Commission & Great Commandment!

9: Mission Statement:

REAP THE HARVEST

Restore lives for a Christ-centered purpose

Empower minds with knowledge of God

Align and develop leaders for service

Proclaim Jesus Christ in Biblical worship & lifestyle

10.  Most importantly we are going to spend time in fasting & prayer the last week of December and in future weeks to pray to become strong in Spirit, filled with heavenly wisdom, covered and led by grace of God.

If you would like to learn more or have any questions, please respond with a comment or email me at youthpastor@firstcog.com.  Keep this in prayer! 

Enjoying The Ride,

Cecil

Interesting Weekend Ahead

This weekend is going to be saturated with action, excitement, and the unkown. 
Friday - spend some time in prayer and fasting. 
Saturday - go to Bible class and take 2 exams ... yikes!  Learning some great lessons! 
Sunday AM - worship celebration
Sunday PM - planning meeting for launch of new community worship service
Sunday night - rest relax with friends and family

New Service Plans
- presentation (CHECK)
- notes (CHECK)
- anxious & nervous (CHECK)
- confident that this is God's plan (CHECK)
- confident that we are in God's plan (CHECK)
- hopeful that a great team will step up and commit to THE CALL (CHECK)
- full of faith that God will provide direction,  people, resources, and opportunities to make a difference (CHECK)

Trying to prepare for everything is a task in itself but He's helping us through.  Excited for every part of the weekend.  Trusting in Him and going to have fun along the way! 

Enjoying the Ride,

Cecil

God Is Touching All

These are excerpts from an "e-testimony" after a recent prayer time at a home in Elmont ... Hope this encourages you!

Dear ones in Christ Jesus,

I was really amazed to hear the wonderful testimony about what God has done in Danny's life at the prayer meeting in Sujith and Grace's home. Dear ones let's be more serious in our ministries and especially the prayer meetings. God is trying to do something through us...Please find time to sit in His presence.
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Hey everyone,

We had the chance to talk to some of you about what Danny told us after the prayer at Sujith and Grace's place. But for those who have not yet heard...

After the prayer that day Danny said he had "felt God". When we asked him what he meant he explained that he had experienced warmth inside. We asked him how he knew it was God and he said, very seriously, that he felt "all his worries were gone and he felt all happy inside". Now Danny, many of you may not know, worries A LOT! For example, he will have difficulty sleeping the night before the 1st day of school, he worries about his friends, he gets very upset if someone he knows is sick, most recently, he couldn't sleep until daddy came home after the Midnight Run, worrying if his Dada was ok. So for Danny to say all his worries were gone, it had to be GOD!!!

We were excited to know that Danny had an encounter with GOD! An encounter that was personal and one he will never forget. Praying that GOD will be REAL to all of our children, that they may and taste and see that the LORD is good for themselves (not just once but continuously)!
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Amen that's awesome!!

I, personally had a great time when we prayed for all our children, even for the ones in the womb and the ones to come.. (how awesome it is that we can pray in faith for the generations that will come forth of us even when we don't see it YET) I had definitely felt an encounter myself and how awesome to hear that one of our little ones felt the same!! God was definitely there and moving full on!! Let us continue to pray for our children that there would be a thirst inside of them that will not be quenched with anything less than Christ Himself. When we pray in faith, we shall receive....

Be blessed!!
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Enjoy The Ride,

Cecil