June officially kicks off Summer! We are glad to be able to bring back our Sonshine Scramble Golf Tournament. You can be a part of this great fundraiser for our teens at the very beginning of this month in several ways. Corey and Jessica Kershner are here on furlough with their kids, Adeline and Aiden. We were able to be a blessing to them in May, but take time to get to know them, and you will be blessed right back. I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who worked on the missions apartment, getting it ready for the Kershners to live in while they are here. Summer is always a busy time so be sure to note the happenings for June and be watching each week’s bulletin for more details. We are excited for what God is going to do through Sonshine this summer!

– Pastor Dale Hardy

Welcome Blake!
We are so pleased to welcome back Blake Via, this time as our Youth Pastor! Blake has been associated with Sonshine for many years, in many different capacities. He and his family attended for several years, and as a college student, Blake interned for us as well. We will have a time to meet and get to know him more, so be watching your bulletins for that event. Until then, when you see him around, let him know how glad you are that he is with us!

Homeless Coalition – Monday, June 28th
We are able to help serve food again! We need 6 people to serve, please let Pastor Dale know if you are able to help. Volunteers need to meet at the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition that day at 4:30pm.

Dear Sonshine, Good News Club and JYC Family.

This week I would like to share with you a couple of verses:

Mat 5:16 – Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Eph 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

During these crazy days, we are living through it is vital that we as followers of Christ display kindness, love, and patience to all of those around us. We are to reflect the love of Jesus and minister to those whose paths we cross. Give them a smile, thank those at the store, pray for all the first responders, and medical personal along with those who work at Walmart, Publix, and Winn Dixie. Allow the Holy Spirit to bear fruit through you.

Gal 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 – Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

At Sonshine we are very concerned with ministering to everyone as best we can. Here are a few ways you can join us in worship:

1. Drive-in church.
We are meeting for a regular church service in our parking lot Sunday mornings at 9:00am. You just pull in and we have church together.

2. Facebook live.
Just go to Sonshine’s Facebook page and you can watch the service. https://www.facebook.com/sonshinebaptist/

We are currently working on ways to minister to children and a midweek Bible study for adults. I also encourage you to do family Bible studies. Below is a guide for home study:

Simple Meeting Format – 90 minutes

1. LOOK BACK (1/3 of your time – 30 minutes)

Share a meal, a refreshment, a story from this week, or an answer to prayer. How has everyone’s personal relationship with God been this week? If anyone is struggling, pray for him/her, and stay after to care for that person.

Check-up (never skip)
How have you obeyed what you have learned? Who have you trained in what you have learned? With
whom have you shared your story or God’s story? (Review the commitments from last week’s meeting)

Vision (never skip)
Share a story from the Bible, a personal story, an inspiring slogan or song to encourage one another to share Jesus with others, to start new groups, and to help others do the same. You can use one of the following Bible passages to get started: Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 10:1-11, Acts 1:8, Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 13:1-23.

2. LOOK UP (1/3 of your time – 30 minutes)

Read and discuss. Ask God to teach you this passage. Read this week’s passage. Then ask:
1. What did you like about this passage?
2. What did you find difficult about this passage?

Read this week’s passage again. Then ask:
3. What does this passage teach about people?
4. What does this passage teach about God?

3. LOOK FORWARD (1/3 of your time – 30 minutes)

Obey. Train. Share. (never skip)
Have everyone in the group pray for the Spirit to show them how to answer the following questions, then make commitments. Write the commitments down and keep for next week’s meeting. Ask:
5. How will you obey this passage?
6. Who will you train with this passage?
7. With whom will you share your story or God’s story?

Practice (never skip)
In groups of two or three, practice what you have committed to do in question 5, 6 or 7. For example, role- play a difficult conversation or facing a temptation; practice teaching today’s passage, or practice sharing the Gospel (God’s story).

Talk With God
In groups of two or three, pray for every member individually. Ask God to prepare the hearts of the people who will be hearing about Jesus this week. Ask Him to give you the strength to be obedient to your commitments.

Ask if anyone has questions or comments.

We are here for you! You can call the office at (941) 457-6120 or email office@sonshinebaptist.com, or jdalehardy@sonshinebaptist.com.

We are excited to welcome our summer intern! His fiance, Sarah, will also get to come visit for a few weeks. Bradley will jump right in with meeting people at the Golf Tournament and he will also be helping us at youth camp and on the mission trip to the Seminole Reservation this month. Bradley grew up in a home where his father was Christian and his mother was Buddhist. It was in high school that he realized his deep need and accepted Christ. After a while, he found a community of CHristian friends and felt led to attend Liberty University. Pastor Dale met Bradley on a mission trip to the Bahamas in the Spring of this year. Bradley is very interested in learning if serving the Lord in full time ministry is what God would have for his life.

It’s summertime! That means we kick into high gear with camps, mission trip, and outreaches. This summer we are combining our services so the whole church family can meet and worship together. I am so excited to see what God is going to do in our hearts and lives this June. We have an awesome young man coming to work with us and even his fiance will come and help for a while. I want to encourage you to sign up to take them to lunch or dinner at some point. I know you will be blessed in getting to know them. I am so proud of the people of SOnshine! You love the Lord and are not afraid to show His love to each other, the community, and the world. You bless my heart and glorify Jesus. Thank you!

-Pastor Dale Hardy

Begins Wednesday, March 6th – 3pm – 5pm

This is a 13-week course that helps people through the various situations which are most difficult in this life. If you are currently going through a hard situation or you have the life experience to help others during tough times, then this group is for you. There are signup sheets in the church so we can provide the correct amount of materials. We are glad to be able to offer this group and help in ways we haven’t before ministered.

It’s Missions Month! Every year in March we have a special emphasis on Missions. It is one of the most exciting times of the year here at Sonshine! This year we started a little early by having missionaries, Ricky Salmon (Thailand) and the Sherill family (Japan) visit near the end of February. We look forward to continue hearing about different ministries and taking advantage of opportunities all throughout March. The missionaries we will have this month will be Tom Wallace, Jr. (Muslims), Pablo Ramirez (Okinawa), and Greg Mann (Guyana). We will also be able to take part in an outreach in our own community the last Saturday of this month. On Sunday the 31st, we will have our Commitment Service and Missions Banquet. I encourage you to PRAY all month and ask God to show you what to GIVE and where to GO this year as we reach the world through building relationships. Be sure to keep the schedule for the month, listed below, so you don’t miss a single thing!

– Pastor Dale Hardy

Every year, throughout the whole month of December, we take up a special Christmas Offering for different specific projects. This year, the monies will go towards off-setting the cost of all the repairs and needed upgrades that have taken place on campus all year. Please be praying about what God would have you give this month towards this offering. Write “Christmas Offering” on your giving envelopes for any gift you want specifically set aside for this special offering. Thank you in advance!

Merry Christmas!

Can you believe another year is ending? We have had an amazing 2018 here at Sonshine! We have been able to give the gospel to literally thousands of people in our community this year. Thank you so much for all of your hard work, your giving, and most important, your prayers. As the holidays approach and the stress of the season increases, don’t forget to take a breath and remember the true reason for celebration. Keep your hearts focused on Jesus and His love, and continue sharing that love with family, friends, and others. Below are some ways that you can be a part of helping those less fortunate this season and also an opportunity to help Sonshine continue being the light in the community as we move forward into 2019. Have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year!

-Pastor Dale Hardy

We are so excited to help out with the Port Charlotte High Concession Stand again this year! By Sonshine running it, the parents are able to see their students play instead of miss the game and halftime show. If you’d like to join our Concession Crew, let Pastor Dale or Miss Gretchen know and they’ll give you all the details.

First Concession Scheduled for August 31st.