Easter Email to the Grace Family
Here's an email I am trying to send to our church family. Apparently, we are having some problems with our large email list. I thought I would post it.
Also, if you live here on the Central Coast of California, consider this your invitation. We would love to have you join us for Good Friday or Easter Sunday Services. Details below. . . .
Beloved Grace Family,
It's Holy Week and I hope we are moving toward Good Friday and Easter together. I know some of our Grace family will be heading out of town for the weekend. Have a great trip, be safe, and know that you will be missed. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
Others of us have friends and family coming to the Central Coast for the holiday weekend. For those of us who are staying around, I wanted to drop you a line and encourage you to be prayerfully inviting friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to come and worship with us at our Good Friday and Easter Sunday services. My experience is that the Central Coast continues to be a relatively spiritually open community. Let's take advantage of that fact, as we seek to faithfully BE the church, sharing and showing the Good News of Jesus to our broader community. Remember, too, that people are most likely to respond to a personal invitation from a friend, not a newspaper, TV or radio ad. Ask them to come and tell them you will save them a seat! Be warm and bold!
Here's a preview of what will be happening this weekend, so you can effectively invite a friend. . .
Good Friday Service, 7:00 PM: Childcare will be provided through 2 years old. This is the darkest, most contemplative service of the year for obvious reasons. As is our tradition, the service will feature readings based on the "Seven Last Words of Christ." I will give a short meditation based on Psalm 22. I want to encourage you and your family to read and discuss Psalm 22 ahead of time. This service will be approximately one hour long.
Easter Sunday Services, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 AM: Sunday School will be held through kindergarten. It's Resurrection Sunday! We celebrate in big style with a full orchestra and choir performing selections from Handel's Messiah. The title of my message will be, "Is there really life beyond the grave?" This will be the first in a four part Heaven series that will be preached by nearly 40 other churches throughout the Central Coast. This first message will tackle the question from Biblical, intellectual and emotional angles. I will show what the Bible says, what the resurrection evidence says, and what the human heart and history say about the question of life after death. I will work hard to speak to the mind and heart of the believer and non-believer alike, but my primary focus will be on engaging the unchurched and unconvinced. I hope you will feel both safe and bold to invite non-believers in your sphere of influence. My goal is not too necessarily to make them feel comfortable (the Gospel is anything but comfortable!), but very warmly welcomed. These services will be right around one hour long as well. Remember the change in service times. . . 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00!
Last Sunday, we included Easter Sunday invite cards in your worship folder. Use them and if you need more just come by the church office. I have also attached an electronic version of the card below, so that you might invite folks via email. Just cut and paste the graphics into your own email invite and forward to your friend. Also, look for our Easter ad in the Tribune this week!
I will be praying for you as you step out in bold and winsome faith. Please be praying Ephesians 6:19 for me, as I prepare.
With great expectation and anticipation,
Pastor Tim
Also, if you live here on the Central Coast of California, consider this your invitation. We would love to have you join us for Good Friday or Easter Sunday Services. Details below. . . .
Beloved Grace Family,
It's Holy Week and I hope we are moving toward Good Friday and Easter together. I know some of our Grace family will be heading out of town for the weekend. Have a great trip, be safe, and know that you will be missed. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
Others of us have friends and family coming to the Central Coast for the holiday weekend. For those of us who are staying around, I wanted to drop you a line and encourage you to be prayerfully inviting friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to come and worship with us at our Good Friday and Easter Sunday services. My experience is that the Central Coast continues to be a relatively spiritually open community. Let's take advantage of that fact, as we seek to faithfully BE the church, sharing and showing the Good News of Jesus to our broader community. Remember, too, that people are most likely to respond to a personal invitation from a friend, not a newspaper, TV or radio ad. Ask them to come and tell them you will save them a seat! Be warm and bold!
Here's a preview of what will be happening this weekend, so you can effectively invite a friend. . .
Good Friday Service, 7:00 PM: Childcare will be provided through 2 years old. This is the darkest, most contemplative service of the year for obvious reasons. As is our tradition, the service will feature readings based on the "Seven Last Words of Christ." I will give a short meditation based on Psalm 22. I want to encourage you and your family to read and discuss Psalm 22 ahead of time. This service will be approximately one hour long.
Easter Sunday Services, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 AM: Sunday School will be held through kindergarten. It's Resurrection Sunday! We celebrate in big style with a full orchestra and choir performing selections from Handel's Messiah. The title of my message will be, "Is there really life beyond the grave?" This will be the first in a four part Heaven series that will be preached by nearly 40 other churches throughout the Central Coast. This first message will tackle the question from Biblical, intellectual and emotional angles. I will show what the Bible says, what the resurrection evidence says, and what the human heart and history say about the question of life after death. I will work hard to speak to the mind and heart of the believer and non-believer alike, but my primary focus will be on engaging the unchurched and unconvinced. I hope you will feel both safe and bold to invite non-believers in your sphere of influence. My goal is not too necessarily to make them feel comfortable (the Gospel is anything but comfortable!), but very warmly welcomed. These services will be right around one hour long as well. Remember the change in service times. . . 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00!
Last Sunday, we included Easter Sunday invite cards in your worship folder. Use them and if you need more just come by the church office. I have also attached an electronic version of the card below, so that you might invite folks via email. Just cut and paste the graphics into your own email invite and forward to your friend. Also, look for our Easter ad in the Tribune this week!
I will be praying for you as you step out in bold and winsome faith. Please be praying Ephesians 6:19 for me, as I prepare.
With great expectation and anticipation,
Pastor Tim
1 comment:
Pastor Tim,
Unfortunately, I will not be in town to hear your sermon on "Is there really life beyond the grave?" Being a college student, I have gone home for Easter Break. I guess I'll have to listen to the sermon online.
Thanks for all you do!
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