LoveFirst Coast Update

This Sunday is the Super Bowl.  It’s pretty much an unofficial holiday around here.  If you have the chance, connect with neighbors.  You go no where by  accident!

Put These Dates on Your Calendar

  • Sunday Feb 16 – Worship gathering – 6-8pm – Place TBD
  • Fri-Sunday Feb 21-23 – LFC Retreat  – What does it mean to live sacramentally?
  • Sunday March 8 – Worship Gathering – 6-8pm – Place TBD
  • Saturday March 14 – Unity Day Party at Davis Pond Park
  • Weds March 18 – LFC Annual Meeting
  • Sunday March 22 – Dinner and Worship at the Comernisky’s w/ Young Life Leaders

What’s been happening?

January has been so full!

Hollman and Carellia Mendoza met with us on January 11.  It was wonderful to share a meal with them at Kent and Kris’s house sit and talk, ask questions, and learn what God is doing in Central America, and how the ministry of Vida Joven has been growing an expanding – even through challenging times.  Some of you know that Young Life (Vida Joven) was started when Jim Hornsby left Jacksonville to work in Nicaragua in the 1980’s.  How cool is it that they return here to bless and encourage us!  Personally, I came away encouraged to keep focusing on building relationships, loving our neighbors, and investing in anyone open to discipleship and life on mission. Thank you, Hollman and Carellia.  (And thank you, Ken Remsen for the photo, and thank you Kent and Kris for hosting us that evening!)

hollman and jesse

Sunday Brunch and Worship.  We held a Sunday morning at the Wehmeiers on January 26.  Kent and Kris have been reaching out to their neighbors, building relationships, and looking for opportunities to serve.  We can learn a lot about connecting with neighbors from their work.  They found doors were opening.  (Keep praying!)  Sunday morning was a big step.  Thanks to all who adjusted their usual Sunday morning plans to join in with  food and encouragement.  Your presence really and love for people, even people you don’t know, really helps!  Wherever LoveFirst Coast shows up, it seems like a party!  And some neighbors came, too!  Let’s do it again!

Sacramental Living Retreat at the ECO Lodge in Fargo, GA: What does it mean to live sacramentally?  In certain acts, the grace of God always seem to be present.  We tend to call those acts sacraments.   Traditionally, baptism and communion are protestant sacraments.  Roman Catholics have five more – confirmation, confession, anointing of the sick, marriage, and baptism.   Many people, through those experiences, will describe experiencing something holy.  In sacramental moments, there often seems to be an intersection of heaven and earth.  But the experience of sacraments invites us to a holy way of life.  When we say we are called to represent Jesus, when we agree with scriptures that we are “a royal priesthood”, we are being invited to live sacramentally.  What does that look like?  How do we live it out?  We’ll explore that in our time together.  (The retreat begins about 4:00pm on Friday and is over Sunday morning.  Cost of the retreat is $0.  We just ask that you help out with food.)

Unity Day Party at JCP follows on March 14 from 11am-3pm.  This is a party: good food, good music, and good company.   But its more.  It’s a party with a purpose.  We will be loving one another across the lines that divide.  We’ll be proclaiming Christ in word and song.  We’ll be inviting people to place their trust in him!  Please be in prayer for the people of Jullington Creek Plantation and for Unity Day!

Posted in community, Contact Work, Missional Community, missional living, Worship Gathering | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Love Your Neighbor

Love your neighbor!  But how?  The Wehmeiers are stepping opening their home this Sunday in an effort to learn more about that
Three things!
1) The prayer request: This coming Sunday morning, Kent and Kris Wehmeier are opening up their home and hoping to invite some neighbors in.  When Heather and I did that last Easter, it was a challenge for us.  Please pray for open doors for Kent and Kris, for easy conversations, and for the Lord to encourage them by moving neighbors to say yes and show up, and for discernment about how the Lord is leading them further into loving their neighbors!
2) Information about Sunday.  Gather at 10:00am at 258 Conquistador Rd, 32259.  We’ll be doing this “Good Friday Style”, patterned after our Good Friday sunrise gatherings.  So bring breakfasty/brunchy food to share. Come ready to spend time with friends while welcoming and meeting people you may not know.  We’ll sing a few worship songs and I’ll share a short message.  (No food thread this time.)
3) Your Part: Come join us if you can and Pray.  You may have to skip your regular worship service, but adjust your schedule to come to the Wehmeier’s if you can! Your being there will encourage Kent and Kris and their neighbors.
Posted in Discipleship | Leave a comment

Worship Gathering Moved to Saturday

Late notice, but we have an opportunity this Saturday evening to spend time with our friends Hollman and Carellia Mendoza.  To take advantage of the opportunity, we’re going to move our gathering to Saturday night we’ll meet at the Wehmeier’s (258 Conquistator, 32259).  We’ll enjoy a meal, fellowship, and learning more about what the Lord is doing through Vida Joven in Nicaragua.
I anticipate gathering to begin around 6:00pm, but details are still being firmed up.  Let us know If you plan to join us, and we’ll add you to the food thread and fill you in on the time.
Posted in Discipleship | Leave a comment

Worship Gathering Sunday Night

This Sunday night, let’s gather for worship at 6pm at the Alexander house, 320 S. Buck Board Dr, 32259.  Let us know if you are coming and we’ll include you in the food thread!
###
Happy New Year, Everybody!  God is good!

In my news feed this week, I came across stories about the religious lives of young people.  One was about bright, well read, well connected students in elite schools who lack basic knowledge of the Christian faith.  I read another about a widespread, growing interest in astrology among millenials.  Still another story was about the aging and decline of the church. And finally, one was about science verses religion.  Mixed in it all is widespread anxiety over climate change, war, and politics. Oh, and they aren’t seeking solace by attending the church.
Jesus looked at the crowds and told the disciples.  “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send workers into the field.”  So how do we share the good news of the gospel and make disciples in this culture?  But I’ve learned that the hard supernatural part is up to  God.  And, not to suggest it’s easy, but our part is about as natural as going to work with friends.
This Sunday night, we’ll talk about it.  I hope you can be with us.

God is good.
Posted in Discipleship, evangelism, Worship Gathering | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Prayer and Fasting Monday

(Next Community Meal and Worship Gathering – 1/12/20 – 6pm.  Place TBD)

Some of us are fasting this Monday.  Here is some guidance if you’d like to join in…

1) Choose a focus for prayer.  For Monday, I have asked people to focus the day on asking God to direct our next steps and to reveal how, where, and to whom he is calling us. This could be for personal guidance or for LoveFirst Coast.  However, you can customize the focus for your prayer for whatever is on your heart.

2) Have a plan.  It helps!  I plan to fast from food from after dinner on Sunday night to before dinner on Monday night.  That’s usually about 24 hours.  There are other ways to fast.  Feel free to be creative and practical.  Find something that works for you.  Refrain from some form of appetite, for example news, movies, talk radio, social media,  going out for lunch, buying sodas, etc.  One time, I cut out dairy and sugar – I really missed them!  Every time I went for coffee or craved a cookie, I prayed instead.   (A side note: drawing from what Jesus taught, I think it’s important that our fasting doesn’t create work or present a challenge for those around us.)

3) Do it in community.  Fasting alone is fine, but whenever I have fasted at a time I know others are fasting, it has helped me stay on track.  The times I’ve been able to be in touch with others through the day were even better.  If you’d like to be a part of a fasting text group, just let me know, and I’ll include you.  We can encourage each other through the day that way.

Let me know!  I look forward to knowing God a little better as a result.

Also, 40 Days of Prayer starts January 12 using Draw the Circle.  We have several folks who are already planning to be involved.  Let me know if you’d like to be one of us!  You can order a book or pick one up from me.

Posted in Discipleship | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment