FOR JAN. 23-29, 2006

This 5th Sunday is our first VICTORY SUNDAY of 2006!

Every month that has a "5th" Sunday in it, is dedicated to the building Fund. Our "building program" has carried a couple of "titles" since we started. We began with, "Building for The Future on the Foundations of the Past". We moved into phase two of the Master Plan and began to call the effort, "Building the Vision". Now, as we move into paying off the debt and building a Victorious Ministry in this new facility that God has given us, we are moving into a new title, "Completing the Vision", emphasizing the need to reduce the debt and move on in overall victory!

Now listen! It is too often said that churches only want your money and that's all they talk about.

I WILL NEVER CONDUCT MY MINISTRY THAT WAY!

That's why we set aside the four 5th Sundays of the year to talk realistically about the debt we've incurred on this new building. That's only 4 times a year. Not enough to burn people out about it, but enough to keep reminding us that it is a serious matter to pray about and attend to! SO, if the devil tries to upset you about this Sunday, just rebuke him in Jesus' Name! Giving and taking care of our debts is a NOBLE and NEEDFUL and GODLY thing to discuss from time to time. We PROMISE to always do it tastefully, carefully and Biblically!

Having said that.......

No body wants to talk about paying a note off. How exciting is that?!?! But getting the debt reduced is an overall part of the whole VISION for this reason:

WE ARE NOT THROUGH!

We are running 115-130 kids in Awana every Wednesday night. That means we need a new Awana building some day! We need a full sized gym for the largest game square possible. We need separate Awana rooms for the teaching and listening. We need this asap. BUT, we cannot even begin to think about it until we get our current debt handled.

I don't share this to weight you down or discourage you. On the contrary, I share this to ENCOURAGE YOU!!! How wonderful is what God's doing with us! How great it is that He's growing our church! And, how many are the kids and their families that need to hear about Jesus and be saved!! If you could only sit and listen to the sad and needy stories that your staff hears each week from those wonderful children and their families that live in our community. There are so many people who need Jesus that are simply not being reached by anyone!!!! It's up to us to get them the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

So, let's take our 5th Sunday VICTORY SUNDAYs very seriously!!

Sunday Lunch is Served!

There will be a lunch served after the morning services. This is by donation only. So, you may make a contribution during the offering time in the morning services or make a contribution as a donation for lunch. OR, just stay and eat with us as our guest!!!!

THIS MINISTRY WILL NEVER MAKE MONEY AN ISSUE FOR WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN ANYTHING!!!!

In fact, ONLY GIVE after you PRAY for God's direction about what to give. I'd have it no other way. If you cannot give this Sunday to the building fund, simply pray about it and participate whenever God gives you the freedom to do so! AMEN? AMEN!

DAVE RAMSEY VISITS

Dave Ramsey, the wonderful Christian financial advisor that is heard each day on the talk radio circuit and who we had in our church via video this summer, will be with us again Sunday night....via video again, of course! Don't miss it. If you don't know what the Bible has to say about giving, this is the message you don't want to miss. He will share in an awesomely entertaining way, what we Christians should believe about giving. This is for the 6PM Service Sunday night.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR....

February is of course, the "Love Month" because of Valentine's Day. In honor of that, I will begin a special SERIES of Messages for the month called, "LOVE AMERICAN STYLE". Some of the messages will be titled, "Desperate Housewives and Husbands", "America's Idols", and "Agape for a New Day". Special message series really bring in new people and visitors, IF we tell them about it. So help us spread the word to our neighbors, co-workers, co-students, family and friends. Help us get the word out that LOVE IS IN THE AIR at Friendship Church!

I love you dearly and thank God for the privilege of being your pastor. Please pray for one another and pray for me and Miss Pat.

Don't forget that you can email me your announcements and prayer requests at

www.busterwilson@netscape.com or, you can POST a COMMENT here and we will receive it at the church office.

God Bless you!! I look forward to seeing you THIS SUNDAY in God's House!

Brother Buster Wilson