TIMES OF REFRESHING

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THE CYBERLETTER / NEWSLETTER OF RIVER CREST CHURCH - Volume 1, Number 2 - 12/15/98

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MAXIMUS CHRISTMAS 

and May God richly bless your New year !

vol1-2.jpg - 7152 Bytes

this amazing and rare unretouched picture of a young Santa Claus and his closest elf buddy were recently smuggled from the archives of the North Pole. I have heard it said that they look strikingly like our 5 year old son, John David and our 1 year old son, Marc. We dunno. The resemblence is uncanny.

AWAY IN A MANGER What would the manger mean if the Word were not made flesh? What would the life of Jesus amount to if He and His Father were not one? What would the cross mean if He were not the Messiah meant to take away the sins of us all? Would there have been an empty tomb if He were not God and man? O, but He is the Word made flesh, One with the Father, Messiah come to save, God and man. Remember as you celebrate; the One who came as a babe in a stall will return as the Eternal King. Praise God!

ALIVE AND SWELL ! Greetings River Crest Church enthusiasts (or those Divinely chosen to be on our email or snail mail list!). Jesus isn’t the only thing to celebrate the birth of in December of 1998. That’s right!!!! It’s a bouncing baby church. Yes, we’re poppin’ buttons over here about it. Whew! what a delivery: 28 people (32 including children, more if you count their pets, unlimited numbers if you’re counting angels). That is quite a litter. We had a good time in God and are now moving forward with implementing the ministries of the church.

SPIN CITY A great joy apparently available only to preachers and politicians is the right to exaggerate to an extreme. What is called in politics "spin" is termed "evangelistically speaking" in Christian circles. Truly, religious "spin" is really in a class far above politics however, because even those engaged in it have actually convinced themselves that they are telling the truth. However, now that I wear the mantle of a SENIOR Pastor, and am diggin’ the gig, it is only right to indulge this most sacred of religious perks. I have taken the liberty of including subtitles for my Quasi-true remarks, so that the unlearned may actually discern what is really being said... [THIS SPIN SESSION IS BASED UPON OUR FIRST SERVICE OF 12/6/98]

SPIN: "WE HAD OUR LARGEST ATTENDANCE EVER TODAY." TRUTH: IT WAS OUR FIRST SUNDAY SERVICE AT RCC. 

SPIN: "IT WAS THE LARGEST OFFERING WE’VE EVER RECEIVED." TRUTH: IT OUR FIRST OFFERING AT RCC.

SPIN: "IT WAS THE BEST SERMON I’D EVER PREACHED AT THE CHURCH." TRUTH: YOU GUESSED IT,MY FIRST RCC SERMON.

SPIN: "EVERYBODY LOVED THE SPECIAL ANOINTING ON THE SERVICE." TRUTH: WE ENDED BEFORE NOON.

SPIN: "WE WORSHIPPED IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH AS THE EARLY CHURCH DID." TRUTH: WE HAD NO MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPIN: "THE BUILDING WAS PACKED!" TRUTH: WE HAVE 40 CHAIRS.

JUMPSTART Who wouldn’t like to cheat a little if they could know it was the right thing to do? Well, GOD HAS GIVEN US PERMISSION TO CHEAT. YES, CHEAT!!! through JumpStart. Every Monday morning 6AM to 7AM, the working folks at RCC can come to the church for coffee, juice, donuts, devotions, and prayer. It has been fun, encouraging and profitable for us all. So where does the cheating come in? We cheat the devil out of making our Monday miserable. Why? What were you thinking?

HOME GROUPS We meet in a home for discussion and fellowship on Wednesday night at 7PM. What is so exciting about meeting in a home for worship, the Word, and warm welcomes (say that whole thing 3 times real fast, I dare you!)? Anyway, what is so hot about house church? If you go to the Bible to answer that question, you might be surprised to find out just what God has done for His people at home:

  • Abraham was visited by God at home
  • Passover was a home event
  • David was anointed king at home.
  • Jesus had his last Passover, our Communion, NOT IN CHURCH BUILDING, but in a home.
  • Pentecost happened in the upper room of a home.
  • Peter came to a gentile home to minister the Word and the Holy Spirit fell on them all.

    • CELEBRATE GOD TIMES, COME’ON Here is when we gather at the river... (hmmm... gather at the river?)

  • Sunday Celebration - 10AM
  • JumpStart - Mondays @ 6AM
  • Wednesday Home Group - 7PM (call for location)

    • Office/Sanctuary Location: 1301 Beville Road, Daytona Beach, FL Office Phone: 904/ 322-0848

    Mailing Location: 1170 South Palmetto Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32114

    RiverLine Personal Devotions: [local in Daytona area] 904/ 258-9156 (GET INTO THE FLOW !!!)

    0:-) [smile w/ halo]

    P.S. Please make sure we have your email address and we’ll send you these newsletters on the Internet.