I just put the finishing touches on this Sunday's message, part 2 of "Voices." I'm extremely excited about this message, mainly because I've been so challenged this week by the topic.
We said last week that "the voices you listen to will influence what you do." So very true. And there are lots of voices out there that lead us astray.
So what voices should we listen to? We'll talk about one of those this Sunday, 10am at Gold's Gym. It isn't too late to invite someone to come with you!
I loved yesterday's service at Tapestry Church! It was one of those days where I felt the Holy Spirit moving in my heart even more than usual. It was great to see others become lost in the worship of an incredible God. Josh Bayne was fantastic at leading us into communion with the Father. Thanks so much to all who were there and to all who served in so many ways to make it happen! You are heroes!
Speaking of heroes, wasn't it great to see Rob Lannom home on leave from Afghanistan?? That and the fact that yesterday was Rob and Andi's first wedding anniversary made the day even more special. Rob, we're praying for you every day!
So as we start a new week, here's the question for you from Sunday: Are you a true worshiper? If you are, then you find yourself worshiping from the heart, not just going through the motions, but overwhelmed with gratitude and praise for what God has done and for who he is. It isn't a question about the right "style" of worship, it's about your heart.
A true worshiper also worships with his/her life. Are you doing that? When you serve God by serving others, God is worshiped. When you obey God, God is worshiped. Is your lifestyle such that people around you notice a difference? Are you worshiping God with your life?
Are you a true worshiper?
It was exciting to be at Gold's Gym last night, as James Hall and his crew from JDH Electric began running all the electricity that we'll need in the worship room. Thanks James, for all your hard work and sacrifice to make this happen! James and the guys will continue their work of running electricity, running cable, and mounting lights this Friday. It's all coming together!
We'll gather to set up the building this Saturday night, and we need your help. Some of us are meeting at 6:30 pm, some at 7:30 pm, so pick the time that's best for you and join us as we set up the sound system, run pipe & drape, get children's rooms ready, and much more. Our first preview service at Gold's is this Sunday, 10/4 at 10am. I can't wait!
"How may I serve you?" We love when someone asks us that question. It communicates that we are important to the person asking, that we matter to them.
At Tapestry Church, we'll be asking that question every Sunday to people who are checking us out. They may be searching for a new church. They may be searching for God. They may be giving God and the church one last chance. Whatever the reason for their attendance, they matter to God, so they matter to us. How awesome will it be, then, for them to hear someone from Tapestry ask the question, "How may I serve you?"
Beginning this Sunday, October 4 at 10am, Tapestry will begin meeting at Gold's Gym in what could best be described as "preview services" through the month of October. Everything won't be in place this Sunday. We'll be learning our way around the building, what works, what doesn't, etc.
But one thing we need in place on October 4th is YOU!
We need you serving on the Environment Team, setting up and taking down our equipment each week. Eventually, our set-up will be done on Sunday mornings, but right now, as we learn our way around, we'll be doing it on Saturdays, beginning October 3rd. We need your help.
We need you to serve on the Host Team. Each Sunday we need people in the parking lot, in the entrance lobby, at the Information/Resource desk, in the hallways directing traffic, children's registration, receiving the offering, and more. Host Team members are the first impression that guests have of Tapestry. We want their first impression to be "Wow!"
We need your help in our children's areas, ministering to kids while parents are experiencing worship.This is not a baby-sitting service; this is changing lives!
Please don't ask yourself whether you want to serve. Instead, ask God to show you where all you should serve. Then visit here and let us know about it. We'll be in contact. Others will be helped. You will be blessed. And Tapestry will make a difference!
This Sunday is on it's way! Our first Sunday at Gold's Gym is only 5 days away. All of our current equipment has been moved, and as you can see in this picture, our new screens and projectors have been installed. It's all starting to come together!
Thanks to Jeremy Moyers for installing the video equipment, with some special help from Joshua Putman, Jeff Jones and Josh Watson.
I can hardly wait for 10am on October 4th!
Kim and I want to thank the people listed above for the HUGE help in moving Tapestry's equipment and supplies this weekend! We could not have done it without you! Starting with the preparation work on Friday night and continuing through the flood on Saturday, you gave it your all. Again, THANK YOU!!
Some estimates show that nearly 5000 people in the Atlanta area have lost all of their possessions because of the recent flooding. Most of Bartow County escaped any problems, but our neighbors around us were not so fortunate.
It's time for the church to be the church and stand up and show we care. Please visit www.HopeATL.com and show the love of Christ to those who are hurting.
There are a number of ways you can help:
Visit www.HopeATL.com for more information about how you can make a difference in someone's life.
Many of you have asked how you can help Tapestry Church with the big move. Basically, what we need most is YOU!
Here are the dates and times of all the events taking place this week as we make our way to Gold's Gym:
Thanks for all of your help with our BIG MOVE to Gold's Gym!
This Sunday, September 20, we'll close out the series Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith with the message "Pivotal Circumstances."
Every one of us has faced circumstances, both good experiences and bad, that have effected our faith. When we face one of these times, we get to decide whether our faith grows stronger or gets weaker.
In the great times, the times of celebration and joy, our faith grows when we decide to praise and thank our Heavenly Father and acknowledge that he is the source of our celebration. Our faith weakens when we pat ourselves on the back and give all the credit to our abilities, our wisdom, ourselves.
In the difficult times, our faith can grow weak very quickly. We begin to doubt that God loves us and that he could do anything to help us even if he wanted to. Or, our faith can grow huge, as we cling the One who created all things and who loves us more than we can comprehend and who is in absolute charge of our circumstances, whether or not we understand it.
God wants to grow your faith. Sometimes he chooses to do that through difficult circumstances. It's up to us how we respond.
Everyone you know is either going through a tough time or is heading toward one. Do everything you can to get them to Tapestry to hear this message. It's that important, and they'll thank you after the service.
I'll see you this Sunday at 6pm for our final worship service at New Covenant Church and to take a closer look at "Pivotal Circumstances."
This Sunday at Tapestry we're back in business with worship at New Covenant at 6pm. This will be our next to last meeting at New Covenant, and we'll continue with part 5 of the 6-part series Five Things God Uses To Grow Your Faith. (Just a reminder, moving weekend is September 26-27, and then we get to celebrate God's faithfulness on October 4 at Gold's Gym.)
Speaking of faith, many of you began praying in faith way back in January, or even earlier, that God would provide Tapestry with a Sunday morning meeting place. When nothing seemed to happen for so many months, many of us had our faith tested. What we couldn't see was that God was working behind the scenes on our behalf. But that's why it felt like a test, we couldn't see that God was working. And, of course, that's why it's called faith.
In the meantime, we worked, and we worked hard. We looked far and wide for facilities, we talked to people, we crunched numbers, we were told "no" too many times to count. But we were working, because, after all, meeting places don't just drop into your lap, right?
Until God dropped this one in our lap.
I was actually at the beach when I received a call from Danny Wannall, owner of Gold's Gym. Danny said the he had heard we were looking for a place to meet on Sunday mornings and wanted to verify that, because he was looking for a church that might could use his facilities on Sunday mornings. This is one of those phone calls you never forget.
Between January and August 2009, how many of us lost faith that God would ever provide us with a Sunday morning foyer environment? How many of us are struggling in our faith right now because we can't see God at work in our lives? How many of us would like God to grow our faith BIG?
This Sunday we'll look at yet another way that God grows our faith. Don't miss it!