Fw: Transformed... ABS News

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From: Mark Seagle <mseagle@valleyviewtuscaloosa.com>
To: 'A Appiah-Opoku' <auggyab@yahoo.com>, 'A Ezell' <aezell01@bellsouth.net>, 'B Freeman' <freemansheetbob@bellsouth.net>, 'C Allen' <carlamallen@comcast.net>, 'C Gillespie' <carla.gillespie@tuscaloosanews.com>, 'C Singley' <csingley4936@charter.net>, 'C Wilson' <cindyhwilson@charter.net>, 'C Wilson' <aubrey.w.wilson@nucor.com>, 'D Mims' <wdmims@comcast.net>, 'D Nix' <dnix@sheltonstate.edu>, 'G Gray' <gaygray48@aol.com>, 'J Herndon' <jayhunts@yahoo.com>, 'J Mosley' <jmosley@sheltonstate.edu>, 'K Estes' <krestes1@hotmail.com>, 'K Kamplain' <kristikamplain@bankoftuscaloosa.com>, 'K Morrow' <shawnkristi@bellsouth.net>, 'Karen Ramos' <coosa@att.net>, 'L Brasher' <abrasher@bama.ua.edu>, 'L McGahey' <lmcgahey@bellsouth.net>, 'M Howard' <jhwd@novonordisk.com>, 'R & S McCluckey' <rockyandsharon@msn.com>, 'R Holmes' <rholmes@dchsystem.com>, 'R Layson' <renate.layson@graphicpkg.com>, 'R Morgan' <r_morgan@comcast.net>, 'S Eiland' <sneiland@gmail.com>, 'S Kirkwood' <kirkwood3@charter.net>, 'S Ray' <sandcray1@aol.com>, 'T Freeman' <bfreeman10414@charter.net>, 'T Nix' <bamatiff@gmail.com>, 'A Guillory' <guilloryfish@yahoo.com>, 'C Bell' <cathy_bell@att.net>, 'C Colburn' <cherric@charter.net>, 'C Hill' <chill@ingramsaccounting.com>, 'C Morgan' <cmaxfligo@comcast.net>, 'C Ramey' <carol.dawkins@va.gov>, 'C Ramey2' <carolramey@mound.net>, 'D Guy' <dguy913@comcast.net>, 'D Kyzer' <donkyzer@bellsouth.net>, 'D Mills' <dmills@tcss.net>, 'H Strickland' <mhstrick@bellsouth.net>, 'J & T Bridges' <livetogive7@gmail.com>, 'J Hajek' <hajekh@bellsouth.net>, 'J Hajek2' <jhajek@tusc.k12.al.us>, 'J McCluskey' <jasenmccluskey@yahoo.com>, 'J Naramore' <naramore2402@comcast.net>, 'J Snead' <john_snead@comcast.net>, 'L Evers' <lalaevers@yahoo.com>, 'L Hardwick' <linda.hardwick@alcc.alabama.gov>, 'L Smith' <jimandleesa@aol.com>, 'L Snead' <lsnead@dchsystem.com>, 'M Hartley' <mlhartley@crimson.ua.edu>, 'M Tubbs' <mtubbs4@comcast.net>, 'R Mccluskey' <nayandbub@yahoo.com>, 'R Pierce' <rdp78@aol.com>, 'S Glover' <sbglover@crimson.ua.edu>, 'S Young' <syoung@hannasteel.com>, 'W & L Beall' <mrbigwayne@charter.net>, 'W Chapman' <havagreatday@gmail.com>
Sent: Thu, Jun 16, 2011 19:22:08 GMT+00:00
Subject: Transformed... ABS News

It is so good and so fresh to spend time in the Word.    Last week, as we looked at the life of Hezekiah, I prayed that our fellowship would have such a God-filled and God-trusting challenge.     A single verse has captured my heart as I am faced with life’s issues and choices.   Hezekiah was surrounded on every side.  Enemies from within and without abounded.     There are a multitude of ways that He could have responded and there is ONE right way.   2 Kings 19.14 is becoming a life-application verse.   Hezekiah heard of internal murmuring and external enemies and when all of the reports were in his hands, he made straight the path to the presence of God and he ‘spread the letters’ out before God.   He did not attempt to move in His own wisdom.  He did not seek to solve the problem.  He did not forge a better way.   He did not worry or fall apart.  What he did… well,  he chased the presence of God.    May we be a church of people who share in the common desire to spread our ‘letters’ and our hopes and challenges and our hurts and our highest moments and our pain and our regrets and our victories and ALL that we are before our God and trust Him with our lives.      It is so good to be a people of the Word.  It is good to be among a people who long for the presence of God!

 

3 Vital Things You Should Know…

-         Father’s Day is this Sunday!    We have normal services/ ABS in the AM and NO activities in the PM.

-         Our fellowship has been to 3 camps (kid’s/ MS/ HS); enjoyed VBS; sent a team of collegiates to Jamaica; and we are currently wrapping up Royal Family Kids Tuscaloosa version.   Transformation is happening this Summer!

-         Summer is a vital time to keep up with folks who are traveling and doing the beach and all of the things that happen in the summer.     Most of our folks will take some time to R & R (the Seagle family will be doing just that in a week), but we also EXPECT to see God move in Spirit and in Power through the Summer months.    So, keep contacting… keep up with your group… keep ministry flowing… plan a party… do a mission project… have AMAZING Biblical encounters every week.    Let’s keep the bar of expectancy and unity high through these months.

 

As You pray…

-         Ask God to bring a profound conclusion to Royal Family Camp tomorrow (Friday) and to revitalize all of those who have volunteered countless hours to this camp.

-         Ask God to provide great wisdom as we move forward with the design of future space.   Through the summer, teams are working toward final design and a guaranteed cost for the Phase 1 project.  Pray for much wisdom.

-         In the month of July, pray for your staff as we ‘spread out our letters’ before God and we plan, prepare, and purpose for 2011 – 2012.   July will be a wonderful month of asking MUCH from our God in the upcoming year.    Our planning and preparation in July/ August will guide all ministry initiatives for the upcoming year.   Pray for much of God’s wisdom and God’s glory!

-         Pray for a generous church.   As we discussed in our Phase 1 presentation, there is no reason for us to wait to eliminate the current debt.    Encourage the folks in your class to give above their tithe to reduce our debt as we prepare to move into Phase 1.   We will be having a more formal campaign through the Fall, but we are absolutely great with an outpouring of generosity this Summer!

-         Our Honduras team is weeks away from a life-changing and world-changing trip.   Pray for a God-sized venture!

 

 

I hope that you wrestle with grace this week.   Grace is what defines us as followers of Christ.  Grace is beautiful.  Grace attracts.    The ‘Yahweh’ writers says that, ‘grace is a hard reality for those who have grown up in its presence.’     We are broken people.  All of us.  We are desperate for grace.    Have you ever spent time with Christians who are not grace filled?  It is so ironic to be with a group of Christians filled with pride, for pride is the antithesis of grace.     It is painful to be around ‘un-grace’.  In fact, it’s a disgrace to GRACE!    Grace, discovered in the Person of Jesus Christ, is the hope for your ABS, this Church, the City of Tuscaloosa, and the Nations.   Grace is our only hope.    May we be a people who think very little of ourselves and very much of Christ and may the grace of Christ compel us.    Grace Amazing!

 

 

By Grace… For Glory,

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

mark seagle

pastor, spiritual formation

valley view bc

tuscaloosa, al

205.752.0977