Hello Everyone,
Last Sunday we continued our Comeback King series and looked at how Elijah had become completely drained emotionally, physically, and spiritually. In our humanity, there are limits to what we can all handle. When we have hit those limits it can start to affect almost every area of our lives. God understands His creation and He knows the best way to care for our three-part beings. There’s no reason for us to keep going with low batteries. God wants to see us recharged and through the story of Elijah’s burnout we can see three steps we can take:
- REPLENISH – Simply to rest and recover ourselves physically and mentally. Make sure we are getting sleep and eating well.
- RELEASE – Talk about what’s happening. Talk to God and talk to others. Unload what’s going on in your mind to God, and unload what you are going through to others.
- REFOCUS – Stop for a moment and take a look at your life and goals. Are they aligned with what you have felt God has for your life? Is it significant? Does what you’re doing have purpose? Get into scripture and take time to be quiet before God. Quiet is the key because God revealed Himself to Elijah as “the sound of a gentle whisper.”
If you missed any part of this series, you can listen to the messages online HERE, or on our SVC podcast HERE.
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THIS SUNDAY: Don’t Give Up!
You may have heard the expression, “Life is a marathon, not a sprint,” or some variation of that applied to an encouragement to pace yourself and not give up. It’s always easier to start something than it is to finish it. It’s easier to fill your schedule, than it is to fulfill your schedule. It’s easier to get into debt, than it is to get out of debt. It’s easy to make a commitment, it’s harder to keep a commitment.
In the marathon of life it’s not unusual to see the runners thin out as the race goes on. At the start of a race it’s always crowded, but at the race progresses you start to see fewer and fewer people, with wider spaces between the runners. The reason for this is because in life’s marathon, we have setbacks. Life just isn’t easy – which is why we need each other, need to use Godly wisdom, and need our Comeback King.
Discouragement is part of life. It doesn’t just happen once, it happens all throughout our lives. This Sunday we will look at a story of Nehemiah that illustrates both the causes and the cures for discouragement, and teaches us what to do when you feel like giving up.
Praise and Worship will begin at 10:30. Why not come at 10:15 to meet and greet a little before the service starts? We also have Morning Prayer and Oasis starting at 9:00, and all are welcome.
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Life Group REBOOT – ALMOST HERE!
Life groups for the fall are already forming and you will start to see all the information here in the E-Bulletin shortly. Meeting times, places, and contact information will all be right here – so keep checking. It’s not too late to start your own group either. If you are starting a new Life Group please let Pastor Chris or Shadi know. Thank you!!
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Sharing in the joys and challenges of life with other people who care for us leads to a rich experience in our journey with God. We get to practice what God is teaching us with others who will listen, challenge, and nurture us. We get to practice new skills, use our talents and gifts, and serve people in our community with others who we know and trust. Life groups are great ways to connect with others in the church as well as a way to create a comfortable environment for you to invite friends who may not be comfortable yet with showing up on a Sunday morning. Great relationships make life better and richer! Check out one of our Life Groups for yourself and experience the difference relationships make.
We are now looking for Life Groups to kick off with new subjects! This is a great time to start a new group and dig into something you may have been wanting to study for some time.
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THRIVE NEEDS YOU!
Thrive is a group for junior and senior high students. An atmosphere where literally anybody and everybody can come and feel included, loved, and heard. The focus is on helping young people learn how to connect with Jesus in a deeper and more personal way. They regularly tackle some very tough topics that are current in our world today.
JJ would like to have the help of at least one adult every week so that all the needs of the group can be met. It’s easy to help – you just need to show up and be willing to interact with the youth. Please consider this important need and contact JJ if you can step up! Thank you!
THRIVE meets every Wednesday at the Parish Center located in Village Walk, in Guilford. 6:30 – 8:30. For more information contact JJ Secki at 203.645.4054.
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Oasis – Every Sunday Morning 9:00-9:45
Oasis is a time of sitting at the feet of Jesus. It is a Harp and Bowl style of worship featuring musical prayer. The name is derived from Revelation 5:8, describing heavenly creatures which each had harps and held golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints.) Harp and bowl, soaking Praise and Prayer in an intimate setting, finding rest for your soul. Oasis meets in the Leete room down the hall from where we have our Sunday morning service. For more information see Marc Potocsky.
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Men’s Breakfast – Saturday, September 21st
Our next men’s breakfast is Saturday, September 21st at Denny’s in Westbrook. This is a great time to just casually get together with the other men in the church and catch up and enjoy a great meal. No RSVP necessary, just show up at 8:00! For more information about any of our men’s ministries or events, please contact Don at 203-980-1716.
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Tithes and Offerings
At SVC we don’t have a special time in the service set aside for collecting tithes and offerings. At a table located at the entrance door, you will find a small box with a cross cutout on the top. Please place your tithes and offerings in this box. There are envelopes that will be alongside the box that will allow you to designate how you may like your gift applied, or for you to receive a giving statement for cash donations. Please feel free to add your name to your gift, or to designate it toward Tithes and offerings, Missions, or our new Building Fund.
Alternatively, if you prefer to make your contribution online, you can find a link to our PayPal on the website. There you can choose to make a one-time gift, or if it is more convenient you can set up a recurring gift. You can get to that page directly by clicking here.
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Prayer
Do you have a prayer request? We have added an online form to the website that will speed your request to the Prayer Warriors of our church! You can fill it out here.
Also, don’t miss pre-service prayer every Sunday morning happening just across from where you enter the morning service. Join us in covering the service in prayer, or if you need prayer for something in your own life.
If you have questions or are interested in serving in the prayer ministry, please see Pastor Chris for more information!
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Check out our Facebook page!
Did you know SVC is on Facebook? Take a quick look at our page and be sure to hit that “Follow” button so you get the latest updates on your feed automatically. Maybe while you’re there you can show a little love and click the “Like” button too! You’ll find the page HERE.
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Hospitality Time Help Needed
Many of us enjoy a cup of coffee as we meet and greet with our church family. Maybe you even need a cup just to stay awake during the message! Whatever the reason, right now we are down to one or two people that come in a little bit early so that it can be ready for service. We could use some help! If you can get to church 15 minutes early and help with making the coffee, would you please see Catherine Rampone? Thank you!
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God at Work
If you have something the Lord has done for you, we would love to share it with the church. Please let Pastor Chris know.
I will praise you to all my brothers; I will stand up before the congregation and testify of the wonderful things you have done. – Psalm 22:22 TLB
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Do we have your contact information?
We need to be able to stay in touch with everyone. If you are already getting this email, you have the first step completed. We also need your cell phone so that we can contact you with important or last minute information. Signing up is EASY! Just go to your cell phone and text the word SHORELINE to 84576. You will receive a confirmation back saying that you are all signed up.
You can also sign up or update your contact information online. Just go to this link and enter your information. If we already have your information it will give you the opportunity to add or change your existing info.
Correct contact information is very important. Thank you for taking a few minutes to update yours!
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Got another minute?
Today, more and more people start the search for a new church family online, and the first stop is usually Google. People want to get a taste of the church from the privacy of their home before they venture out to see what it is like in person. That is part of the reason we have spent so much time making our website attractive, relevant, and up to date.
However, in addition to seeing what our website is like, people also want to hear from other people what their experience has been. They way they do this is through reviews. Shoreline Vineyard Church is on Google as well as Google Maps. If you can spare a minute, maybe you would feel comfortable sharing something about our fellowship that would help someone else who is looking for a new home church? If you click HERE you will be taken to our Google Maps page. There you can see what others have said and share your story as well. Just scroll down to where you see “WRITE A REVIEW.”
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You can catch up on all the SVC messages any time
Did you miss a message? There are a few ways you can catch up. Check out our website HERE where you can find all the messages as well as the handouts that go along with them. You can listen right in your browser.
If you listen to podcasts, the messages are also on Apple Podcasts and Google Play Podcasts. Just search for Shoreline Vineyard Church and hit subscribe. New messages will automatically be updated into your favorite podcast player! Great for in the car or on the go.
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Real God. Real Life.
Shoreline Vineyard Church
P.O. Box 383
Guilford, CT 06437
Parish Center
770 Boston Post Road
Unit 510
Village Walk Plaza
Guilford, CT 06437
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Sunday Service
10:30 am
Guilford Community Center
32 Church Street
Guilford, CT 06437
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