|
|
Participating in the Life of God When we are baptized God accepts us into his life. We are to live for him and like him. We have been "created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." [Ephesians 4:24b] Ephesians 5:1,2 — Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 1 John 2:6 — Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. As participants in the life of God there is a constant need for us to learn about him and from him. We participate in the life of God in various ways. Worship The most important way we participate in the life of God is through worship. God's intention is that his people gather on the Lord's Day (Sunday) to worship him. See "What to Expect When You Visit" for a brief explanation of our weekly assembly. Learning the Word For children's education and activities please click here [hyperlink to Children & Teens page] As baptized believers, one of the key ways in which we participate in the life of God is through the learning of God's word. A significant portion of our Sunday morning worship assembly will focus on biblical teaching. Verses from the Bible will be read a various times during the assembly, and the sermon will be focused on a biblical text. Anyone may focus on the preaching text all week before it is preached; the text is shared in the bulletin and by email a week in advance. Ideas and input about the text are welcomed during a Wednesday evening class, Listening For God. On Sunday evenings Life Groups (see fuller description below) meet in various homes around the county to discuss the lessons presented in the morning sermon. These discuss help link the lesson's applications to real life situations that will occur all week long. On Sunday morning and Wednesday evening we offer several adult classes. We have at least 2 classes each Sunday morning beginning at 9.30 and at least 2 classes on Wednesday evening beginning at 7 p.m. These classes change each quarter. Sunday Mornings -- Love Languages led by Marc and Martha Fields -- How to Read the Bible led by Allen Burris -- The Gospel of Luke led by Wayne Gaither Wednesday Evenings -- Listening for God led by Allen Burris -- Miracles led by Wayne Gaither -- Down to the River to Pray led by Anthony Edwards In addition to Sunday and Wednesday classes, there are a couple of men's Bible studies that move from home to home during the school year. The women also have Monday night studies in various homes. For more information contact the church office at info@mitchellchurch.org. We emphasize the use of Scripture in all aspects of our adult education. For Children and Teens Children's Education We offer four classes for children on Sunday mornings. Each class is taught by a volunteer. The curriculum teaches the major bible themes from the Old and New Testament. The class offered are: Nursery (birth-3) Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten 1st-3rd grades 4th-6th grades Any questions can be directed to Matt or Jean Sowders sowdersmt@hotmail.com. BAT & Nursery During our Sunday morning worship we offer assistance to parents with young children. We have an attended nursery for newborns through 3 years. You may drop your child off at the beginning of the assembly and then pick him or her up after it is finished. Children 4 years through kindergarten are invited each week to go to Bible Activity Time (called BAT for short) where they will learn age-appropriate Bible lessons. BAT takes place during the second part of our assembly and begins right before the sermon. TeamKID TeamKID is a high-energy, Bible-centered club for our children from Preschool through sixth grade. We meet every Wednesday night from 7-8 p.m. in the Family Life Center. We are studying major Bible stories in chronological order. Each week we apply the story to the children's lives through unconventional story-telling, Scripture memory work, music and games. The kids love it! This year our theme is Step Out: The Courage to do What's Right. Everyone is welcome, and we can always use adult volunteers! Faith Quest Relational Youth Ministry FaithQuest strives to be a youth ministry focused on relationships: God with people and people with people. The goal is for all activities and lessons to lead to a closer relationship with God and with the others involved. Our goal is also to be an intergenerational ministry that brings in the wisdom of Christians of all ages and experiences. The goals of FaithQuest youth ministry can be stated in three areas of focus. To offer exposure to and interaction with God's word and God's will as revealed through scripture and through the voices of other Christians in our lives. To offer opportunities to interact with Christians of various ages and generations. To offer organized opportunities to serve the less fortunate and needy in our community and beyond and also to encourage our teens to live individual lives of daily service and love. These goals are accomplished through the investment of time and through intentional interactions with the teens through times of Bible study, spiritual formation in discussion groups, and service projects. Ongoing Activities We offer the following regularly scheduled classes and activities. Sunday Morning Teen Class @ 9:30 focused on textual studies and making our faith come to life Upper Room worship time and small groups on Sunday evenings @ 5:00 p.m. FM is an open time for homework, friends and space to talk on Mondays after school from 3:15 – 5:00 College Group/Upper Classman Group focused on discussion and spiritual formation on Tuesday nights @ 8:30 FaithSeekers class on Wednesday Nights @ 7:00 p.m. focused on being a friendly yet challenging entry point of our youth ministry Bread of Life Food Pantry support through opportunities to help transport bulk food purchases Support to our Education Ministry through teens having opportunities to cadet teach in classes for younger children Events The following are annual events. Winterfest; a youth conference in Gatlinburg, TN each February Spring Girls' Retreat Spring Boys' Retreat Impact @ Lipscomb; a youth conference in Nashville, TN each June SMBC Weeks of Camp; bible camp weeks for all ages each summer Summer Day Trips for fun and service Back-to-School Pool Party each August Fall Retreat @ SMBC each October Counseling We offer counseling for teens and college aged people. We believe this is important as we try to share God's wisdom and guidance. Life Groups Life Groups meet in various places around the county each Sunday evening. Periodically the groups take a break when there is an evening assembly at the church building or other location. Life Groups usually discuss the Sunday morning sermon, seeking to apply in real and specific ways the truth of God's Word. Life Groups provide a wonderful way to connect with other believers and those are seeking a relationship with God. Most of the groups meet in homes and provide an environment where authentic relationships and friendships can form. These relationship provide the support, encouragement, and the challenge that each Christian needs to grow spiritually. Life Group Leaders for 2010 are: Allen Burris/Brent Fields Wayne Gaither Steve Gilstrap/Mike Johnson Terry Taflinger Duane Embree/Troy Young Marc Fields Matthew Canada Ralph Warren/Tom Sowders Anthony Edwards Fred True leads a group that meets at church building each Sunday evening at 6 p.m. For more information about Life Groups please contact Anthony Edwards at aedwards59@comcast.net or 275-7924. "Big things happen in small groups!" In addition to worship and learning God's word, a key part of participating in the life of God is connecting to other people who are baptized believers. There are several ways to do this. Here are some of them. WEM Every Wednesday evening during the school year, with the exception of holidays, there is a good meal offered at a low cost. The meals are prepared and served by the "Help for Honduras" mission team. All the profits from the meal go towards helping folks in Honduras. The meals are served from 6 to 6.30. Those eating the meals usually sign-up in advance by calling the church office or signing a sheet of paper. Mommies Group Mothers with children preschool-age or younger are invited to participate in our Mommies Group. We meet regularly for playtime and encouragement. We also plan regular opportunities for service projects and other structured activities. In the warmer months, gatherings are often held at local parks. Mommies Group typically meets on weekdays during the morning hours. The group is made up of families from the Mitchell Church of Christ and from the community; all mothers with small children are welcome to attend. Contact Kortni Canada klcanada@hotmail.com or Michelle Spear michelle@mitchellchurch.org if you would like more information. Gold Club The Gold Club is mainly comprised of church members who are around 55 or older. The purpose of the group is primarily for fellowship. The Gold Club meets on the 2nd and the 4th Fridays of the each month for lunch and a short trip to a place of interest. The Gold Club serves by folding the church bulletins each week, and from time to time the do other projects when asked. |