Dear friends,
Lately I have been thinking about the word empty. Mostly it seems like it is connected to negative images. My gas tank is empty, my glass is empty, my closet is empty, my fridge is empty, the cupboards are empty, or the trash is full and needs to be emptied. On a more serious note, our lives can be very empty for a variety of reasons. We tend to fill them with all kinds of busyness and things, but deep down we can feel so empty.
As we approach Easter, empty takes on a whole new meaning however. The foundation of our Christian faith is due to the fact that the tomb was EMPTY! Jesus was no longer there, he had conquered death and risen from the grave! Empty is a good thing! Empty is a positive thing!
We are called to empty our lives, so Jesus can fill us with His life and love. We must decrease and He must increase. Only then will we have fulfilled lives. This Easter, let's celebrate the empty tomb and remind ourselves that empty is a good thing!
Hope to worship and celebrate with you this week.
Jennifer
CALENDAR
Thursday April 2 - Maundy Thursday Soup Supper and Service with Communion
- Supper - serving starts at 5:45 PM in the church basement.
- Service with Communion - 7PM - Sanctuary
Friday April 3 - Good Friday - We are invited to attend a community service in Rockford. Pastor Gary will be one seven speakers. Each speaker will address one of the last seven words of Christ from the cross. Gary has the 5th word - "I thirst". Come for all or part of the afternoon. New Fellowship Baptist Church is located at 804 Second Ave. The time is 12 noon -3 PM.
Sunday April 5 - Easter Worship Service - 10:30 am - Celebrate the empty tomb!
Thursday April 9 - Church Board Meeting - 7 PM - Church Fellowship Room
Friday April 10 - Music Recital - 7 PM - Angela Green invites us to a children's music recital in the sanctuary.
Sunday April 12 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - Church Basement , Contact Janet Fraker if you are interested. - Worship Service with Communion - 10:30 am - Hill family providing music.
- Garage sale donations can now be brought to the church basement.
- Hiking after fellowship. Last month we had 19 people and 3 dogs!
Thursday April 16 - Community Dinner at Poplar Grove Church - Our church is the host for this night. Please come to eat and/or serve. Get to meet and know other people from our area.
Sunday April 19 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - Church Basement
- Worship Service - 10:30 am
- Youth Group - 5-7 PM - Church Basement - 6th - 12th graders are invited.
Saturday April 25 - All Church Cleaning Day - 8am -12 noon - Please come for our annual church clean up day!
Sunday April 26 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - Church Basement
- Worship Service - 1030 am
STUDY/GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
Sundays - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - Church Basement - Talk to Janet Fraker if interested.
- Youth Group - 5-7 PM - Church Basement - meets April 19 and every other week after that.
Open to all 6th-12th graders. Talk to Steve Barrick if you have questions.
Wednesdays - Potluck and Bible Study - 6 PM - Barrick's Home - Studying Love Does by Bob Goff
Saturdays - Men's Breakfast and Study - 8:30 am - Dandy Donuts - Just starting the book We Make the Road by Walking.
Talk to Cam Staman if interested.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Church Clean up Day - Saturday April 25 - The more the merrier and the faster the work will go!
Greeters and Refreshments - Lots of openings. Please sign up in the fellowship room.
Blue Barrel - Always looking for food or paper goods to donate to the food pantry.
Pregnancy Care Center - Baby items are appreciated. Place in the clothes basket in fellowship room.
Garage sale - We need you and your items! Sign up sheets to work are in the fellowship room. Details below
OTHER NEWS
New Directory - We have a new church directory. Pick one up in the fellowship room. Thanks to Cam and Tiffany Staman for putting it together.
New Songbook - Did you know we are about to get a new songbook? So many people have put in lots of hours to make it
possible. Special thanks to Angela Green, Terry Walker, Joyce Loewecke, Gary and Jennifer Schwerin.
All Church Garage Sale - Friday May 15 and Saturday May 16 - This is a fundraiser for another well. All proceeds will go towards that. We want to sell garage sale items, perennial plants and baked good. Start collecting items that you want to donate. We ask that you price your items, unless they are clothes. We would like clothes on hangers if possible. You can start bringing items to the
to the church basement on April 12. We need every one to pitch in and help in some way.
The sale will be held at Jacob and Kylie Loeweckes on Beloit Rd. Please bring plants and baked goods right before the sale.
Lately I have been thinking about the word empty. Mostly it seems like it is connected to negative images. My gas tank is empty, my glass is empty, my closet is empty, my fridge is empty, the cupboards are empty, or the trash is full and needs to be emptied. On a more serious note, our lives can be very empty for a variety of reasons. We tend to fill them with all kinds of busyness and things, but deep down we can feel so empty.
As we approach Easter, empty takes on a whole new meaning however. The foundation of our Christian faith is due to the fact that the tomb was EMPTY! Jesus was no longer there, he had conquered death and risen from the grave! Empty is a good thing! Empty is a positive thing!
We are called to empty our lives, so Jesus can fill us with His life and love. We must decrease and He must increase. Only then will we have fulfilled lives. This Easter, let's celebrate the empty tomb and remind ourselves that empty is a good thing!
Hope to worship and celebrate with you this week.
Jennifer
CALENDAR
Thursday April 2 - Maundy Thursday Soup Supper and Service with Communion
- Supper - serving starts at 5:45 PM in the church basement.
- Service with Communion - 7PM - Sanctuary
Friday April 3 - Good Friday - We are invited to attend a community service in Rockford. Pastor Gary will be one seven speakers. Each speaker will address one of the last seven words of Christ from the cross. Gary has the 5th word - "I thirst". Come for all or part of the afternoon. New Fellowship Baptist Church is located at 804 Second Ave. The time is 12 noon -3 PM.
Sunday April 5 - Easter Worship Service - 10:30 am - Celebrate the empty tomb!
Thursday April 9 - Church Board Meeting - 7 PM - Church Fellowship Room
Friday April 10 - Music Recital - 7 PM - Angela Green invites us to a children's music recital in the sanctuary.
Sunday April 12 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - Church Basement , Contact Janet Fraker if you are interested. - Worship Service with Communion - 10:30 am - Hill family providing music.
- Garage sale donations can now be brought to the church basement.
- Hiking after fellowship. Last month we had 19 people and 3 dogs!
Thursday April 16 - Community Dinner at Poplar Grove Church - Our church is the host for this night. Please come to eat and/or serve. Get to meet and know other people from our area.
Sunday April 19 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - Church Basement
- Worship Service - 10:30 am
- Youth Group - 5-7 PM - Church Basement - 6th - 12th graders are invited.
Saturday April 25 - All Church Cleaning Day - 8am -12 noon - Please come for our annual church clean up day!
Sunday April 26 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - Church Basement
- Worship Service - 1030 am
STUDY/GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
Sundays - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - Church Basement - Talk to Janet Fraker if interested.
- Youth Group - 5-7 PM - Church Basement - meets April 19 and every other week after that.
Open to all 6th-12th graders. Talk to Steve Barrick if you have questions.
Wednesdays - Potluck and Bible Study - 6 PM - Barrick's Home - Studying Love Does by Bob Goff
Saturdays - Men's Breakfast and Study - 8:30 am - Dandy Donuts - Just starting the book We Make the Road by Walking.
Talk to Cam Staman if interested.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Church Clean up Day - Saturday April 25 - The more the merrier and the faster the work will go!
Greeters and Refreshments - Lots of openings. Please sign up in the fellowship room.
Blue Barrel - Always looking for food or paper goods to donate to the food pantry.
Pregnancy Care Center - Baby items are appreciated. Place in the clothes basket in fellowship room.
Garage sale - We need you and your items! Sign up sheets to work are in the fellowship room. Details below
OTHER NEWS
New Directory - We have a new church directory. Pick one up in the fellowship room. Thanks to Cam and Tiffany Staman for putting it together.
New Songbook - Did you know we are about to get a new songbook? So many people have put in lots of hours to make it
possible. Special thanks to Angela Green, Terry Walker, Joyce Loewecke, Gary and Jennifer Schwerin.
All Church Garage Sale - Friday May 15 and Saturday May 16 - This is a fundraiser for another well. All proceeds will go towards that. We want to sell garage sale items, perennial plants and baked good. Start collecting items that you want to donate. We ask that you price your items, unless they are clothes. We would like clothes on hangers if possible. You can start bringing items to the
to the church basement on April 12. We need every one to pitch in and help in some way.
The sale will be held at Jacob and Kylie Loeweckes on Beloit Rd. Please bring plants and baked goods right before the sale.
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