Jack Gill

Luke 9: 18-26

Since it launched in December, we have now used Community Builder (CB) to invite and register women for the January retreat, which also conveniently included paying for registrations by credit card online. It was used to sign up people for the March for Life. Our LIFE group leaders are using it to communicate with their groups and to manage their rosters. Our deacons are scheduling worship service security teams. The Belize summer missions team is tracking their preparations to go this summer. Many thanks to those of you who are building the community and finding new uses for it. This is a “continuing education” project so watch for future demonstrations, or you can always contact me with questions or instructional needs.

One especially handy tool for everyone is the online giving. We offered that in the past through our previous software, but this one is even easier to set up and manage. It’s convenient, consistent, secure and deliberate, allowing you to give “cheerfully” rather than sitting in the worship service and realizing you forgot your checkbook…ooops again. So if you have not considered giving this way before, take a moment and check it out. Login, click on “give” and follow the prompts. Or you can go to your profile and click on “give” or “financial.” If you have any questions, just contact me any time.

Another use for CB is matching up people with special interests…or matching those who have a freezer to give away with those who are looking for one…or matching those who need some work done around their house with skilled people in our church family. We have started a group called “Bulletin Board for Needs” which you can request to join and then communicate with others in that group. We have also created “Workforce Ministries Lunch Group.” This is the ministry which holds monthly lunches for business people who want to integrate their faith with their workplace. You can request to join that group and William Kirkwood will send you updates and invitations. If you have a special interest and want to know if there are others in our church family with the same interest, contact me and we can set up a group for you. To see the current groups available, go to Groups > discover a new group > search, and the entire group list pops up.

Check out Blue Ridge Community Builder today!

Luke 9:10b-17

Jack Gill

Our faithful graphics designers for the newsletter, Chris and Amy George, will continue to prepare an abbreviated version for distribution on our display walls in both foyers, as well as inserted in our Welcome folders, as an option for those who prefer “holding” the newsletter in your hand.

Find the archive of newsletters here.

Luke 9:1-11

January 15th, 2012

January 8th, 2012

Jack Gill

The books Jack recommended during the sermon:

30 Days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders (also a good family devotional tool)

The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life by A.W. Tozer

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine by Wayne Grudem

Lectures in Systematic Theology by Henry C. Thiessen

Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson

Major Bible Themes by Lewis Sperry Chafer

On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision by William Lane Craig

Church History in Plain Language, 3rd Edition by Bruce Shelly

Story of Christianity: Volume 1, The: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation by Justo L. Gonzalez

Also Jack recommended biographies on Christians including:

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

And don’t forget that the church has a small library. You can view the book available online here: Blue Ridge Library

John 1 :1, 14-18