I'm coming baaaaaaacccckkkkkk!

Photo above gives you an idea what I've been doing while away from you...

When you read this, I probably won't be back to Tampa unless you are reading it late on Saturday night. But on Sunday, I will!!

I am so excited to see you. I've missed you. We have been having fun on the family "childhood tour"! I heard that Pastor George and everyone who led the service yesterday did a FANTASTIC JOB! I had no doubt they would. But I'm going to be glad to get back to you. There's nothing like home! Saturday night we worshipped at National Community Church in Washington, DC. It was an experience we wanted the kids to have. And, it was an awesome one! But like I said, there's nothing like home.

So, what's happening in worship this week?

Worship songs:
We Declare Your Glory in This Place
Come on and Give the Lord the Highest Praise
Lift Up the Name of Jesus
Give Us Clean Hands
Let Your Glory Fall in this Room

Choir Song: "We Lift You Up" (Bonnie directing)

Colors: Black and Pink

Don't forget this Sunday is CHOIR LUNCH AND REHEARSAL! Yaaaayyyyy!!!!!!!! Somebody shout NOW! So excited. We haven't had a practice in a while, so I can't wait. If you have not already connected with Candy about what you are going to bring, PLEASE DO SO. Her email address is: candy33615@hotmail.com

I can't wait to see you and experience a great time in the Lord together this weekend. Love you!!

Sunday, July 12

This coming week, it's imperative that everyone be at rehearsal, ON TIME and ready to maximize every moment. Things will be different as Pastor George (pictured at right with his wife Irene at our recent beach day) will be leading you this week and it will be his first time working with you for a whole set. I encourage choir members to be there earlier than normal so that you are prepared for all that will take place. Please help Pastor George in making this day AWESOME as far as it depends on you!!!

Worship Set:
Lord, You Are Good
Glorify Your Name (Tu Presencia...)
My Savior's Love (Chris Tomlin version)
God of this City

Bonnie Stewart will be directing the choir this week, with the song being, "Rain Down On Us." Thanks for cooperating with Bonnie to make the choir song powerful this week!! Be sure to let her know if for any reason you are going to be absent this week, and ASAP.

You will need time to rehearse the set with Pastor George, AND the choir song with Bonnie. There will also be a human video presented on Sunday AM which might require a run through as well. All that to say...maximize the moments and be on time.

Colors for Sunday morning are your choice, just stay within dress code and remember, no b's, b's, b's, or b's! :-)

I am counting on all of you to come prayed up and ready for God to do something great! I miss you already, but I can't wait to hear what takes place. Please pray for my family and I for safe travel and a blessed time. This is our first time away with all of us together in over two years so I am really cherishing this time. :-)

I love and appreciate all of you.

p.s. Don't forget our next choir luncheon/practice is Sunday afternoon, July 19th. Candy will be contacting all of you about food. Mark this on your calendars!!! We have a lot to do!!!

July 5, 2009

This is truly going to be a blockbuster weekend as we celebrate FREEDOM!!!!

Worship songs:
Freedom (I wanna clap a little louder than before...)
I Am Free
Amazing Grace My Chains Are Gone
Freedom Reigns

Choir song: How Precious is the Blood

Colors: Red, White and Blue

As far as reminding you about the modesty code, let's remember the four b's: NO boobs, butts, bellies, or backs on the platform. That's an easy way to remember what we do NOT want to see! "Modern but modest" is our motto. :)

I am also going to re-print the passage of scripture here that I shared in this past week's rehearsal that God laid on my heart to share with you. It seems it resonated with so many of you and what you are going through:

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." Matthew 6:30-34 (The Message)

I love you and look forward to all that God is going to do in our midst this week. I will be preaching the message, "Independence Day". Pray while I am preparing this week that God will anoint me in a special way for our time together and also prepare the hearts of the congregation for the message. Pray that we would have a great response to the preaching of God's Word and that many would be touched and set free!

Sunday, June 28th

Love this photo of James and his daughter on the beach last week at our picnic/baptism...

Worship Line Up This Week:
We Declare Your Glory in This Place
Lift Up the Name of Jesus
Hear us From Heaven
You Said

Choir Song: "In all the Earth"

Colors this week: Your choice!!! (In honor of Bonnie coming back from vacation this week!) :) Just make sure your outfit lines up with the modesty guidelines for the worship ministries.

Rehearsal this week at 8 am for band and frontline; 8:30 for choir members.

Don't forget this Sunday night is the youth fine arts dinner and "Night at the Improv". This is a fundraiser for our youth to be able to go to national fine arts. I'm encouraging all of the worship ministries to support this important event.

Be sure to keep the services in special prayer this week, that the Lord would do a great thing among us.

Love and appreciate all of you.

Sunday, June 21 ~ updated!

One of our most fun choir members, at our church beach day this past Sunday. Wasn't it a blast? And we baptized 16 people! Go God!!!

Wow, what a service Sunday! Powerful. The spirit of God is doing great things in our midst. Let's stay in prayer and in tune with Him!

Worship Songs:

God is Moving
Sing to the King
Be Glorified
Let the Veil Down

Choir Song: In That Name (from Obvious)

Colors: Black and Grey or Silver (or solid black if you don't have grey or silver)

This week is Father's Day. We have rehearsal at 8 am for band and frontline, and 8:30 for choir. This Sunday afternoon there is no rehearsal or evening event due to Father's Day. Spend the day with Dad and be blessed.

I love and appreciate you all.

Sunday, June 14

Photo I took of a flower in my backyard this week...
just wanted to share it with you.

Wow, what a great service Sunday and what a great choir practice!!! You are an amazing group of people. I love you all so much and thank God for you DAILY!

Here's the 4-1-1 on what's happening this week. First of all, remember it's the week of the church picnic and beach day at Ft. Desoto. We are dressing down on Sunday however as we talked about on Sunday at rehearsal, modesty guidelines are in place as usual!!! This means (to be specific!) no cleavage, no bare backs, no strapless or thin straps, no see through material, yada yada. You know the guidelines. If you are out of code, your section leader will let you know and you'll have to make a change before service time, so please come dressed within modesty guidelines the first time. Jeans and t-shirts, etc. are encouraged and acceptable for this Sunday morning. Shorts are not. I do realize most all of us are going to change into shorts to go over to Ft. Desoto, and many in the congregation will have them on, but we don't want them on the platform. Thanks for adhering to this. If you have any question about what you want to wear Sunday and it's appropriateness for the platform, give me a holler this week and let me know your plan and I'll let you know if it's alright. There is no color coordination this Sunday, it's just your choice.

Songs for this week are:
Trading My Sorrows
God is Great
Your Name
God of this City

Choir Song: How Precious is the Blood

Last call for background check forms for the prison is this Wednesday night! Thank you!

Prayer requests from this week:

Susan: Stomach issues, family problems
Juleen - back problems
Becky: Russell's job

Bonnie: On vacation this week to see her children in IL. Please pray for safe travel as she drives.
Margaret - wisdom in selecting new school for JT
Jim and Janice - comfort and peace for family after death of her mother; Jim's back
Pastor Deanna - health issues
Healthy and safe summer for all of our children

Love you all!!!

Sunday, June 7

Maddie Shrodes is growing, as you can see...and she is also growing more fond of the Northside choir and worship team daily...our biggest fan. (This is just for you, Joel, if no one else!!! lol)

Hello team! Here we go officially into the summer months and what great ones they are going to be! Get ready, get ready, get ready!!!

Here's what on the agenda for worship and choir Sunday morning:

Worship Set:

We Have Overcome
My Redeemer Lives
Amazing Love ~ You Are My King
Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone

Choir Song: "I Just Want Jesus"

Colors: Black and Green (if you don't have green just do solid black or black and white)

This week is choir lunch and rehearsal. Candy will be contacting you if she has not already about something to bring. Remember to bring your food item and a 2-liter beverage.

Also -- this is the last call -- I'm getting ready to mail in the forms for the prison ministry so this Sunday is the last date. If I don't have it, you will not be able to go at least the first time we go, until you are cleared.

Please be in fervent prayer for our service this Sunday. God is up to big things...so much is going on in the spiritual realm right now -- God has such big plans for us -- and we need your prayer cover for breakthroughs!!!

You are all loved and appreciated.