Announcements from January 10, 2016

Help Struggling Students
Stephens Middle School’s administration is starting a Saturday morning intervention for struggling students, and has reached out to FOL for help. We are looking for volunteers to assist with computer-driven academic support and practice. The sessions are between 2-4 hours on selected Saturdays between January & June. Training is included. Email Keva@folcov.org to sign up or for more information.

Winter Life Groups: January 11, 2016
Join us for a new season of Life Groups beginning this week. These are wonderful times of growing in the Word, fellowship, and food. If you want to join a Life Group, please visit the Information Table after the service for the details on each group.

Winter Members Meeting: February 7
FOL members, join us for our quarterly FOL Members’ meeting before the service on February 7th. (Please note that the meeting date was changed from January 17th).

Family Center Tutoring: February 1st
We’re starting a semester and are in need of tutors! This is a great way to connect with the West LB community. We offer tutoring Mon – Thurs from 3-5:45 for Kinder – 5th Grades, Mon – Wed from 5:45 – 6:45 for 6th – 12th Grades, and Art Class Friday from 3 – 5:30. Email Emily for more info at: emily@folcov.org.

Grow in the Word in 2016
Do you want to grow in the Word in 2016? Please stop by the Info Table after the service to look at some of the resources that we have available to help you take the next steps in your growth as a Psalm 1 disciple.

Weekly Events
We meet for prayer on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. in the Nursery.
Youth Group: Both JH and HS Youth will be on hiatus until mid-January so that students can enjoy time with their families during their break.

Notes from the Pulpit

Photo by Luis Argerich

Photo by Luis Argerich

 

“I am the bright morning star.” Rev. 22:16

It only takes a quick scan of the news to see that violence, racism, and injustice dominate our world. Horrible stories fill us with sadness and fear, only to be eclipsed by something worse in the next news cycle. Our daily lives are often filled with disappointments and challenges. If you’re like me, it’s difficult to keep my eyes focused on Jesus, but even so, he beckons to us in the midst of the darkness.

In Revelation 22:16, Jesus reveals the last of his many titles in the book of Revelation: “the bright morning star.” Why does he choose to give himself this title when he has already been called the Lamb, Alpha and Omega, Root of David, Faithful and True, King of Kings, and many other names throughout Revelation?

Bob Goudzwaard offers this explanation: “The morning star often appears between two and three o’clock at night, when the darkness is complete and the faintest sign of morning is not yet visible. So small that it threatens to vanish, the star seems  unable to vanquish the overpowering darkness. Yet when you see the morning star, you know that the night has been defeated.”

The Apostle John, an 80-year-old political prisoner on the island of Patmos—who has no hope of escape or rescue—receives this vision from God. In the midst of loneliness, pain, and darkness, Jesus reveals a name that is infused with hope, a name that proves to us that he will conquer sin, death, pain, sadness, loneliness, and all of the maladies of the human condition.

Whatever you are going through at this moment, I pray that Jesus will reveal himself to you as the Bright Morning Star. May you see his glory, even though the darkness around you seems insurmountable.

This Sunday, December 13, is our annual Christmas outreach. Kids from the FOL Family Center and CrossWalk will sing a few songs and we’ll wrap up our series on Revelation. Please invite your friends to celebrate with us and to see a glimpse of Jesus, the Bright Morning Star, who reveals himself when all seems lost.

In Jesus,

Pastor John

Family Camp Update

IMG_2493There is nothing like Family Camp to help us refocus on Jesus and to appreciate His steadfast love. From the weather to the quantity of meat at the dinner table, God provided for us abundantly!

Family Camp was our largest one to date with more than 210 people, including 84 kids. We’re grateful for Mrs. Carolyn Green (Keva’s mom) and the teams from UC Riverside and Long Beach State who assisted her with the K-5 ministry and served our families.

Here’s a snapshot of God’s amazing work:

  • Judy Peterson’s offered timely and encouraging preaching during four sessions. She exhorted us to be family to each other, love others as God loves us, and live out our call to be bright and shining lamps in this generation.
  • Marcos Flores ministered to FOL with words from the Lord, exhortations, and encouragements. His “prophetic office hours” allowed many people to meet with him and receive prayer.
  • The FOL Youth had an amazing game of capture the flag with a large group of kids from 5th grade to high school.
  • We celebrated the first anniversary of 5000 Pies and we were truly amazed to reflect on God’s goodness and provision over the last year.

I am so grateful for what the Lord Jesus has done in our midst. May the Lord help us to remember and celebrate all that He has done.

In Jesus,

Pastor John

SAVE THE DATE: FOL Family Camp, September 23-25, 2016. We have an amazing speaker that you will not want to miss.