SUPERBOWL

Rachel & Wes Chapman have volunteered their home to host our ABS Superbowl party on Sunday, Feb 6th. Kickoff will be at 5:25, so come anytime after 4:30. We figured we would grill burgers & hotdogs. Please don't feel obligated, but If you can, please sign up by Saturday with the item you can bring. Please make a comment under this post to sign up. It would probably be best if we had two people sign up for some of the items. Feel free to sign up for something even if it is not on the list. I sometimes don't think of everything! :) If you have problems, please email me and I will update the blog with what you will be bringing.

Buns
Chips
Salsa
Rotel & Cheese
Tomato (1 couple)
Lettuce (1 couple)
Cheese (1 couple)
Mayo (1 couple)
Ketchup (1 couple)
Mustard (1 couple)
Desserts
Drinks
Paper Products

If more than two people sign up for an item, please contact each other to discuss how much you will each bring.

Jenn

ABS newsletter

Please take time and read this in its entirety, some GOOD STUFF in this. Hope everyone is having a great week, see ya Sunday

Chris

A Trader – one who is willing to trade something that s/he loves for something that s/he loves more! We are asking God to raise up a faith-family who gladly and willingly trade our plans for God’s plans; who trade our infinitesimal dreams for God’s abounding plan; who trade our small investments for a life poured out for the sake of His Kingdom. How beautiful will it be for a body of Christ to trade our lives for His? To trade our fame for His? To trade our likes for one great love? There was a man who was walking along and found a treasure in a field. He gladly went and sold all that he had to purchase that field. He had discovered a first love…. an overwhelming love. He became a trader – trading things that he loved for something (or someOne) who he loved far more. (Matthew 13.44) Our ABS structure is built around the vision and passion of raising up a group of traders who become disciples living in authentic community whose lives are given for a Kingdom mission. Glory to God!

Things You Should Know….

- Awakening!

o Invitation Cards are now available in the Gathering Area (Mall)

§ These cards are business cards and they are intended to be used as a VERY easy tool for inviting purposes

o Posters are available in the Mall. We are hoping to place posters in businesses around T-Town that will allow it.

o 18 Days Launches Sunday

§ 18 Days is a united season of prayer for The Awakening

§ 18 Days involves a prayer card (available in the Gathering Area this Sunday)

· On the Prayer Card is a daily reading from the Word that we are praying for our personal lives as well as for the life of our church

§ 18 Days involves a daily devotional on our website (www.valleyviewtuscaloosa.com) and click on the ‘Blog’ link

§ During the 18 Day Journey, you will be invited to join in with some pretty amazing things (like missional projects; prayer moments; etc) via our web blog

o Awakening Dates

§ Sunday, Feb 13 – Wed, Feb 16

· Sunday Morning will be awesome services @ 9 & 10:30 with our worship team, our choir, and our pastor bringing both barrels

· Sunday evening @ 6 PM & Mon – Wed @ 6:30 PM, Kari Jobe will be lead-worshipper and Scott Dawson will be opening the Word

- Super Bowl Sunday is February 6. It’s the Steelers vs. Packers. Steel Curtain vs. Cheese-heads. It is JUST a football game… or, is it? We are encouraging our ABS groups to enjoy a community building party around the most-watched event in America. Can we make it far more than a game? How about an opportunity for others to experience group–life? A half-time moment where we share the highest value in our lives – Christ? Lots of food?? We will not have a typical service on Sunday NIGHT, Feb 6. Our students will have an on-campus party (6^th – 12^th Grades). Our children and families will gather as an ABS community. Plan a home party for your ABS. Honestly, I don’t care whether you watch the game. See this as a GREAT opportunity to build community among your ABS! Go Steelers? Go Pack? Go Jesus!!

- Experiencing God: 7 Truths….. Wednesday Nights @ Valley View continue to be amazing nights. Over the last few decades, God has used the truths of Experiencing God to awaken people’s hearts. As a result, millions have come to know God intimately, to recognize His voice, and to understand His will. God is inviting us to experience Him. Wednesday Nights @ 6 PM will continue to be life-changing and fun-filled as we wrestle with how to know and do the will of God! Experiencing God will be a remarkable study to lead us into and out of a series of services entitled ‘The Awakening’. We are praying for a church that experiences God at all times and who willingly adjust our ways to His ways. Books available for $2 in the Gathering Area on Sunday/ Wed Nights.

Training Dates:

- February 13^th – Disciple Leaders (we WILL release by 5:40 in order to be in the room for The Awakening!)

- February 20 – Community Leaders

- February 27 – Mission Leaders

Key Dates:

- Next Steps (New Members Class) – THIS SUNDAY @ 4:45 PM

- Baptism – Sunday, February 27 – Assure that all in your class have been baptized as a believer; partner with those who have not; celebrate as a class by being present and sharing in the party as one in your class in baptized into the glorious Kingdom of God.

In our hearts, Lord, in this nation
Awakening
Holy Spirit, we desire
Awakening

For You and You alone
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done, let Your will be done in me

In Your presence, in Your power
Awakening
For this moment, for this hour
Awakening

Like the rising sun that shines
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
From the darkness comes a light
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing

Awakening!

Awakening – Tomlin

Awaken us, O Lord. Awaken us to your power and presence. Awaken us to your value and your good. Awaken us to your beauty and wonder. Awaken us to our privilege to live You out before men. Awaken us to be the church that moves as one on mission for the sake of Your glory! I thank my God for you and I am so deeply grateful to be your partner in the gospel. Pray. Expect. Awaken. Live.

By Grace…. For Glory,

Mark

West Alabama Food Bank

FYI......All activities for Thursday morning with the food bank have been cancelled. We will be putting something together soon at the Food Bank. They are still in the process of moving in and setting everything up, I know the next thing we do will be to paint and possibly build the cooler unit. Keep an eye out for info, hope you all have a great week.

Thanks, Chris

Prayer Request/Praise

Hello everyone,

I have a prayer request: Olen Kizziah is having a procedure done tomorrow where they are going to look inside his lungs to see what is going on. He went in for a routine check up several weeks ago and they detected a spot that at first they thought was cancer but later came back and said that they don't know exactly what it is. It could be a bad infection etc... He is 75 years old and is still active but continues to smoke. I work with his grandson Jeremy Cole and he and I have developed a good friendship.
Praise: Last week while I was driving to work a friend who I went to high school with was on my mind. I know the Lord put him on my mind so I could pray for him. I sent him a text message letting him know that I was praying for him on my way to work. He thanked me for that and said that he could feel my prayers! Our God is so good and longs for us to call on His name. To God be the glory forever!

Garage Sale

Hey Everyone! I wanted to recap on the events discussed this morning in class. We have a mission opportunity this weekend. We will be having a garage sale and all the proceeds will be going to a family in need. Chris and Robin have volunteered their home to host the garage sale. Please look around your house and if you have anything you would like to donate, please have it at Chris and Robin's house by Friday evening. If you need help moving something, let Brian or Brad know and they will come and pick it up.
Mark Seagle has asked all the classes to come up with a gift basket for the new youth staff, TJ & Melissa and Stephen & Ashley. Rachel Chapman and Allison McMichael will be putting the basket together for our class. If you can give $5 please email Rachel at rachgail@gmail.com or Allison at akmcmichael@comcast.net and let them know if you will be giving them $5 next Sunday. So they will know how much to spend.
Hope everyone is safe during this weather and enjoy the snow!
Jenn

ABS newsletter

Latest email from Mark

Sunday afternoon @ 4:45 in WC146: A Gathering of ABS Leaders (All = Disciple, Community, & Mission) Be there. Bring a pen. Bring a ready mind & heart. Expect!

Vision…. Hope… Strategy will be shared and we will initiate 2011 with much expectancy and a desire for ongoing unity. As we pray, we are asking God to be Himself among us in ways that lends great glory to His name and that this area, city, and the nations will be glad because we meet. We are praying that the Word of God ‘study us’ as we study His Word. It is an ongoing prayer that we lift up the name of Jesus and that, as we lift His name, He will draw men, women, and children to Himself. This is going to be a remarkable year!

We are planning a ‘Welcome’ party for our NEW student pastors on Sunday evening, January 16^th. We want them to know that we are glad that they are joining in with the vision that God is orchestrating at Valley View. We want them to know that they are well loved. Ultimately, we want them to know that they will be prayed for and encouraged and strengthened in their ministry from their first moments in our fellowship. So, after the PM Service on the 16^th, we will have a meet and greet in the foyer. Also, I am asking our ABS groups to pour out some love in a very practical manner.

After getting great and wise feedback from those who read my e mail last week, I am making a slight adjustment in my instructions. It appears that EVERYONE likes the theme idea and my pounding idea = not so much. So, here is my guiding wisdom….

- 9 AM groups, please provide a ‘themed’ basket for the T.J. Joy family.

- 10:30 AM groups, please provide a ‘themed’ basket for the Steven Platt family

(Pate/Wright & Jim Smith Groups – will you please provide for the T.J. Joy family in order to assure an even number of baskets for each?)

Feel free to be as creative as you would like with your theme ideas. Here are a few examples of themes. Please don’t be limited by my examples!

- Game Night (board – games, etc); Night on the Town; Ball-Game Night; Woods & Water (kill something and eat it theme!); Cooking Thrills; Baking Basket; Laundry Basket; Pampered Basket; etc.

Example: When we first moved here, we received the neatest gift. It was delivered in a ‘Roll Tide’ bucket and filled with soda’s and snacks and Alabama cups and Alabama plates and napkins and odds and ends that I can’t remember. Putting a gift card to Wings U or Dreamland with a basket like this would be a nirvana themed basket! It was SO special to receive this love and we felt so blessed. We simply want to pour out the love on these couples and welcome them to ministry at Valley View.

- We will have tables set up in the foyer in the afternoon on the 16^th. Please deliver your baskets by 5:45 PM that evening. The table will be labeled “T.J. & Malyssa Joy” or “Steven & Ashley Platt” – PLEASE place your basket on the proper table.

- Also, it would be great to take some time this Sunday or next to write a note from your group and place that note in the basket. Encourage them with words and let them know that you will be praying for them as they minister!

- Disciple Leaders (Teachers), you may not be the best ‘themed’ people. I guarantee that you have people in your class who would LOVE to do this. Collect some resources (money) via your class and cut people who are good at this loose to provide the themed gift.

If you have questions about this fun-fest, please feel free to ask me on Sunday night at our equipping meeting OR drop me an e mail.

Huge Stuff that you need to know….

- Our Students will have a Disciple Now weekend on January 21 – 23. This will be a life-changing event! Our kids will leave their homes and park their lives in host-homes in this city for a weekend. They will be challenged to ‘Become’….. to become all that God intends for them…. To become students who shape the culture for the glory of God… to become leaders in the church today AND in the future. This weekend will include intense discipleship and amazing concerts and powerful speakers and TONS of laughter and fun! If you teach a class that holds parents of 6 – 12^thgrade students, please let them know that we will have a sign up table in the Gathering Area (Mall) THIS Sunday. This is a ‘can’t miss’ event for our students!

- The Awakening! February 13 – 16… Kari Jobe will lead us in worship. Scott Dawson will open the Word. We will invite multitudes and we expect that our God will spring salvation from the ground. Prepare your hearts! Prepare the heart of your group!! Today, begin to challenge your group to identify a family that they would love to invite to The Awakening. We are expecting a God-sized move!

o You will hear MUCH more details over the next 2 – 3 weeks about The Awakening… things like 18 Days and 3/20 and 1….. Pray and Expect!

- February 6 is the Super Bowl. We are planning to do several things on Super Bowl night. We will have church, just not at church! We plan to use the MOST WATCHED EVENT in the nation for the good of the gospel. Here are suggestions…

o Plan an ABS party site for your group! (If you group is super-sized, plan a couple of party sites)

o Use this party to reach out to couples who you have identified and been praying for as people that you want to invite. What a ‘safe’ and fun night to get them into the heart of your group

o I will provide a Power to Win half-time DVD IF REQUESTED. This DVD can be used to present the gospel in an unthreatening way. For more info, look atwww.sportsspectrum.com

The Super Bowl can be a great football game, but it can be SO much more. It can be an event that welcomes people into your group and, even more gloriously, that welcomes people into the Kingdom. (We will not have a typical service on campus that night in order to encourage our groups to enjoy parties with purpose)

Our students (6 – 12^th) will have an on-campus Fest during the Super Bowl game. They will have a highly intentional outreach at half-time. Our new guys have just arrived, but they are hoping to secure a UA athlete and to have them share in tandem with the Sports Spectrum Video. UA athlete is TBD.

There is so much going on at Valley View. God is opening doors and hearts and lives to His work in ways that overwhelm me. Our college students just returned from a completely life-altering event. Our MS/ HS students are opening their eyes and hearts to God’s ‘next’ in our fellowship. Our kid’s ministry is striving to grow amazing kids in the grace and knowledge of Christ. A new intern (Quanah) will be asking God to open doors across this city in order that Valley View has EXTREME mission impact. I could keep listing all that God is doing and still miss SO much. God is alive and at work among us. Pray and expect as never before. Let’s ask God for an amazing 2011! I am so grateful to be a partner in the gospel. I am so humbled to be able to serve and to share in what God is doing here. I love you all and I cannot wait to venture through this year with you! 3/20!!

By Grace… For Glory,

Mark