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Current missions and ministry news and up-dates. Up-dates may also be found on the Forum. For information on Washington community services and resources visit The S.A.F.E. Coalition of Washington County Circles of Support This ministry supports Beyond Welfare's program Circles of Support. Circles of Support builds stronger communities by making friends on purpose and builds supportive, reciprocal relationships. Some of Circles of Supports Guiding Principals are everyone is welcome and everyone is accepted. Circles of Support provides any disciple of Christ an opportunity to show God's love toward others and share the good news. Local meetings in Washington take place on the 4th Monday evening of the month at the United Methodist church Fellowship Hall at 5:30pm. There is a free dinner provided and anyone is welcome. Free child care is also provided. More information on Beyond Welfare and it's program Circles of Support can be found on its website http://www.beyondwelfare.org/ Recommended Readings "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan. God put His Spirit in us so we could be known for our power. Sadly, most believers and churches are known for talent and intellect rather than supernatural power. What’s worse is that we’re okay with it. In Forgotten God, breakthrough author Francis Chan returns us to the Holy Spirit as the Bible describes Him and invites us to understand, embrace and follow the Holy Spirit’s direction in our lives.http://www.forgottengod.com/ "The Hole In Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. "We are the carriers of the gospel-the good news that was meant to change the world. Belief is not enough. Worship is not enough. Personal morality is not enough. And Christian community is not enough. God has always demanded more. When we committed ourselves to following Christ, we also committed to living our lives in such a way that a watching world would catch a glimpse of God's character-His love, justice, and mercy-through our words, actions, and behavior. God chose us to be His representatives. He called us to go out, to proclaim the "good news"-to be the "good news"-and to change the world." http://www.theholeinourgospel.com/ Check out an article found on the Christian Post website (http://www.christianpost.com/) entitled, "Missional Church Movement-The Next Big Thing?". One way this movement is defined in the article states, "To think and to live missionally means seeing all life as a way to be engaged with the mission of God in the world." The mission of the FOC is similar to this movement. You can find the article on the Christian Post website under the Church tab, then click on General and scroll to find the article dated 3/12/09. July-August 2010 In response to two Iowa teen deaths in June from unsupervised access to firearms the Family of Christ Brandon Bunnell Gun Safety Ministry contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office to form a partnership in the free distribution of gun locks. The Sheriff's Office was openly receptive toward this partnership and with their assistance 500 gun locks have been acquired through the Child Safe program. The Sheriff's Office as well as the Washington County Safety Center are now distributing the free gun locks as well as the Brandon Bunnell Gun Safety brochure. In addition, the ministry has given free gun locks and safety brochures to the Washington County Conservation Education Center for their hunter safety course in July and will be giving free gun locks to the 4H Family Shoot Day in August. The Family of Christ Home Repair Ministry received a referral from HACAP to replace a disabled persons front steps and porch. This request was sent out and the local Faith Baptist church responded by taking this project on as one of their mission projects for their Faith in Action mission project in Washington. May 2010 The Family of Christ Brandon Bunnell Gun Safety ministry partnered with Ace Hardware in Washington to provide free gun locks at Ace Harware. A total of 25 locks, all that the ministry could budget for, were distributed within the first two weeks of May. Those who acquired the free gun locks were very appreciative. On May 28th the FOC coordinated with the Washington Public Safety Center at Kids Fest to pass out free gun locks and to inform the public of free gun locks at the Safety Center. The Washington Public Safety Center provides free gun locks when available through the Kids Safe program. April 16, 2010 Response to Westboro Baptist Church The mission of the Family of Christ (FOC) is to unite disciples in showing God's love and in building God's kingdom on earth. As such, there comes a time when the Family of Christ or body of Christ, needs to speak out when there is injustice and the misrepresentation of God's message and mission in the world, injustice and misrepresentation of God's love and His kingdom. Such an injustice and misrepresentation has been demonstrated by Fred Phelps followers of the Westboro Baptist Church in Toppeka, Kansas. A church that has no affiliation with traditional Baptist conventions and has been classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. As reported in the Des Moines Sunday Register for April 11, 2010, the followers of Fred Phelps were in Des Moines to picket Drake University for hosting a symposium on same-sex marriage. Phelps followers were carrying sings that read, “God hates fags” Fred Phelps followers equate God to a murderer, have God denying Himself, and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit (1 John 3:15).
God doesn't like some of our behavior, but the FOC believes God's message and mission in the world is to love people, not hate them, and for His people, citizens of His kingdom, to do the same (John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-8, Galatians 5:13, Romans 13:8, 2 John 1:6, John 15:12, 1 Peter 4:8, Ephesians 5:2). In addition, rather then condemn we are called to comfort one another (2 Corinthians 1:4). Instead of being mean and hurtful we are called to be kind (Colossians 3:12). And, living in harmony rather then instigating discord is characteristic of God's people (Romans 12:16).Of course, God's people are not to be like the people of this world or lay down in the face of injustice and unrighteousness, but we are to follow Christ's example of confronting injustice and unrighteousness. Nowhere in scripture do we see Christ being hateful. Christ related in a kind and loving manner to sinners. Rather then condemning and being hateful, Christ showed his living light in a loving way to a sinful world. Christ's followers are to do the same.
Most important to living a godly life is to know Christ, ( 2 Peter 1:3) rather then being harassed and mistreated by others who think they are right and want to grab attention. Plus, it is through God's Holy Spirit, available to followers of Christ, that gives us a new birth and new life to live a godly life (Titus 3:5). Followers of Christ share God's love in the world around them so people of the world can know Christ. By knowing Christ a person is reborn through the Holy Spirit. Knowing Christ and being born again through the Holy Spirit leads a person to godly living, characterized by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Godly living is characteristic of God's kingdom and the more who live a godly life the more God's kingdom grows. What fuels this growth is God's love, not God's hate. April 2010 The Family of Christ ministry is sponsoring an ecumenical bible study beginning April 15th at the Washington YMCA. The study is being lead by Charles Logan and meets every Thursday evening at 7:00pm. The study is on building stronger, loving relationships in our families, churches, and community. This is an open group and new members are always welcome. Currently, this group is on hold. If interested, please contact the administrator through the Contact tab on the website menu.
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