First Assembly of God Newsletter                                                                                                         January 2010

Inside of every human being is a miracle waiting to be discovered and released. I am convinced that every Christian has the innate desire to do something great for God and all the needed motivation already exist within them.

As a pastor, I believe in people, and one of my primary concerns is helping people discover the special measure of grace God has placed in them. We live in a society where children are often told they can't do anything right, that they're no good, and that they are not really wanted. However , it's important to understand that each person has a special gift and calling.

When people find their gift and calling, it's like striking oil. The searching process is sometimes
long and hard, but the returns are overwhelming. One of the best ways to discern the calling of God is to discover the special measure of grace which is your gift from God. Many individuals labor to fulfill some occupation or calling that is not their true love. Their area of ministry becomes a burden as a result of trying to be what others expect of them.

However, when people operate in their gifting, they feel a sense of power, grace, and fulfillment. When I pastored in northern Virginia, the church had an old Dodge van that we would bring people to church in. When I would start it up on a cold, wintery morning it would cough and sputter. I would start out on my van route running on about four cylinders. Even with the accelerator pushed to the floor, the van would barely do 35 mph. But, when that old engine warmed up and all eight cylinders kicked in, I could feel a surge of power.

That's the way it feels when you serve in an area that uses the gifts that God has given you. You feel the grace of God 'kick-in'. When you find yourself serving with the gifts and in the calling God has given you, the power of His grace becomes a reality. Grace is not just forgiveness and unmerited favor. Grace is God's strength and power enabling you to do more and be more than you could ever be in your own strength. Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Remember, God wants to do something fantastic with what you already have! My prayer is that this year will be the best year.

— Pastor Jeff

The last regular 2009 offering will be received on Wednesday, December 30th. All tithes and offerings that you wish to have credited to your 2009 giving must be delivered to the church no later than the close of business December 31st, or they must be mailed and postmarked by that date.

We will be preparing your 2009 contribution statements in early January 2010, and hope to have them distributed to you by the middle of the month. If you made individual contributions of $250 or more during the year 2009, I would encourage you not to file your income taxes before you receive your contribution statement. The IRS requires that you have documentation from us to substantiate any individual contribution of $250 or more. Please review your contribution statement when you receive it and let us know if you think it is in error. We will work with you to resolve any concerns.

Many of you have already picked up your tithing envelopes for 2010. I urge all of you to obtain a box of the envelopes and use them regularly. It is much easier on the counters, and on the Church Treasurer, if you use the envelopes and fill them out completely. It also is the best way to ensure that you will receive proper credit for your contributions. We thank you in advance for your cooperation on this matter.

Thank you for your continued generous support to your church and its ministries. At this writing it appears that our 2009 income will be a modest increase over 2008. We praise God that we are able to maintain our ongoing ministries, pay our bills on time, and hopefully generate a surplus at the end of the year. I will give you a full report at our annual business meeting to be held January 27, 2010. Please make plans to attend this important meeting. While everyone is welcome, we particularly need our official church members to
participate. This is your opportunity to hear the “State of the Church”, receive the Pastor’s vision for the future, elect next year’s officers, and provide input to the church leadership.

May God richly bless all of you in the upcoming year.

— Steve Parsons