Weekly Newsletter

We had a great
turnout for Game
Night which included
the chili cook-off.
There were tables of
games ready to go at
6:00pm along with
nine great chilis to
sample and vote on!
What a wonderful way
to kick-off fall! A
special thanks to Trish
Barrett for her work in
planning this!
unique and
e cook-off was
th
at
ili
ch
of
one winner!
Every kind
could be only
e
er
th
t
bu
y,
tast

Mike Piasecki ca
nt believe how ea
sy
it is to beat Pasto
r Jason at Chess.

The chili cook off winner? Penny Thompsons

White Bean Chicken Chili followed by Sheryl Crulls
Thick Classic Chili. If you are looking for a great recipe
for the coming cool fall days ask one of these ladies!

BRING DIAPERS
THIS WEEKEND!
Join a great cause that anyone who can walk, pray and is
passionate about life can be a part of. 40 Days for Life is a
powerful peaceful sidewalk prayer ministry that seeks Gods
intervention to save unborn lives.
Dates:

Wednesday September 28th Sunday, November 6th

Our Service Times: Wednesday 1:00-2:00pm (Starting Oct 5th)


Friday
5:00-6:00pm (Starting Oct 7th)
Location: 302 E Stoughton St, Champaign, IL 61820
Parking:
Park in the County Market parking lot - NOT in the






Planned Parenthood lot.
We will meet on the
sidewalk to walk and
pray together for the
hour - Its just that easy.

ECT 40
L
L
O
C
E
W
CAN
RS AND
E
P
A
I
D
F
O
BOXES
0 DAYS?
4
N
I
S
E
P
I
W
!
LETS DO IT

Monday

9/26 Martial Arts 6:00pm - Free

Mens
6:45pm First Baptist Church, Savoy

Tuesday

9/27 Womens

9:10am First Christian Church, Champaign

Ladies Bible Study (1 Peter) 9:30am

Wednesday

At Community Evangelical Free Church

Mixed Bible Study 3:00pm

Carriage Crossing, Champaign

Community Groups:

The Piasecki Group 6:30pm

1610 West Hickory Drive, Mahomet

The Henrikson Group 7:00pm

Meeting at the Church

Bridle Brook, Mahomet

Youth Group 6:00-8:00pm

Unleashed Bible Study 7:00pm
Lois Reeds Home

Thursday

9/29 Worship Practice 7:15pm

Saturday

Sunday

Unleashed Bible Study 7:00pm

Lois Reeds Home

10/1 Mens Coffee 7:00am

10/2 Christian Education 9:30am

Adult Gospel Project with Jim Sackett

Standard Lesson with Bruce Henrikson
A Womans Heart Gods Dwelling Place

Current
Sermon
Series

Childrens Sunday School 9:30am

Kids Church 10:45am

Worship Gathering 10:45am

The cost is: Free (but youth will

be collecting canned goods to
take with them) See Tom
McGowan or Pastor Jake Barrett
if you are interested!
Join One
Today

9/28 Mixed Bible Study 9:30am

Interested in being apart of the

Student Missions Trip to the
Springfield Inner City Mission,
November 4th through the 6th?

Pastor Jason 1 Peter 3:8-17

Christs Hope: The Church

AWANA Clubs 6:00pm

Every Tuesday Night:

The Piasecki Group 6:30pm
1610 West Hickory Drive, Mahomet

The Henrikson Group 7:00pm

Meeting at the Church

Mens Coffee
This Saturday,
Sept 24th - 7:00 to 8:30am
Join us as we gather together and
discuss the Book of James.

No matter how deeply bound we are to any

given stronghold, through Jesus Christ were
able to overcome it. Christ is mightier than the
most stubborn heart and the greatest lie of
Satan. On the cross Jesus showed us that He
is mighty enough to redirect our sin-rich hearts
heavenward so that we can get back on the
track of spiritual growth.
Join the ladies on one of two nights to learn
how we tear down strongholds and strengthen
ourselves in Christs promises.
Where? Lois Reeds in home Bible study will
be Unleashed by Eric Mason, starting on
Sept 28th and 29th at 7:00pm. The cost is $17
(scholarships are available if cost in an issue)
Sign up sheet will be available at church over
the next 2 Sundays. You can also email Lois
directly at: lreedtj@aol.com

Isaiah 64:1-2 Oh that you would rend the

heavens and come down...
If we look back into the rearview mirror of
history we would find that the church has gone
through many difficult seasons. In the 1940s
and into the mid 1950s the church was in a
real rut and attendance in local congregations
were steady, but growth, and spiritual growth
amongst believers was waning. This gave way
to the 1960s, as our country began pulling
itself apart over an undefined war, rampant
racial and political tensions and the kind of
uncertainty regarding the future that had many
asking, What is happening?
Yet, during this time God rose up, changed the
subject back to Him, and gave birth to the
Jesus Movement or Jesus Revolution (we can
argue the merits of the Jesus Movement in
another place). The real point is that suddenly
people, and young people particular began to
run to God.
Mass baptisms on a California beach.

Recently I saw a wonderful film called

Woodlawn. The movie opens with fights and
near-riots outside Woodlawn High School that
are so bad the superintendent threatens to shut
down the school. The team, too, is full of racial
hatred, with violence between white and black
players regularly occurring at practice and in
the locker room. Actual games aren't any more
civil, as parents in the stands trade insults
under the watchful eyes of police who are on
standby in case anything happens.
It is against this backdrop that sports chaplain
Hank Erwin shows up uninvited at the school
and asks head coach Tandy Gerelds for time to
speak with the team. Gerelds gives Hank
fifteen minutes to share, but his talk lasts an
hour, ending with an invitation where all but
three of the players accept Jesus Christ as

their Lord and Savior. As Gerelds walks into

gym he sees his players praying to accept
says: "What just happened?" His words expose
his surprise that God was at work.
Have you ever said, What just happened? like
Gerelds? Have you spent time recently
watching the events in our nation and asked,
What is happening?
Isaiah prays: Oh that you would rend the
heavens and come down This is a prayer
deeply rooted in the desire, Oh that the
heavens would open and the Lord would come
and do things that we are not looking for, that
would surprise us yet again!
The New Testament tells us in Ephesians
3:20-21, Now to him who is able to do far
more abundantly than all that we ask or
think, according to the power at work within
us, to him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus throughout all generations,
forever and ever. Amen. Notice that the Bible
isnt fuzzy on what is happening. God is able
and His ability is abundant. Such is the power
of this statement about God that the only thing
the Apostle Paul can do afterwards is say,
Amen. Not, What just happened?, but
Amen.
In Christian circles we say Amen a lot, and in
a lot of different places. In many ways if we
examine our use of Amen I think we may find
that we often say it more for earthly affirmation
rather than divine adoration.
Amen means a sure and binding truth has just
been spoken of or from God. Do you pray in
such a way that you have declared a sure and
binding truth? Do you stretch your vision of
God, and your prayers to God, out to the full
extent of what the Bible itself says of God? You
cant if you dont read The Word of God.
Friends, stop limiting your prayers by what you
believe God can and will do and start standing
in awe of His ability and abundance as told in
His Word. Let your prayers direct your disbelief
from What just happened?, to a sure Amen!,
by the center of your prayers being God
Himself.