Just a quick heads up about some changes taking place in da’ Atik (our upstairs youth sanctuary) on Wednesday nights.  Starting last Wednesday, there will be three classes offered upstairs in which our young folks will participate.  Brett Fincher and I will be teaching the guys (9-12 and 13-18) and Jamie Fincher and my wife, Debra, will be teaching the young ladies of the Lord (9-12 and 13-18).  Student Ministries Coordinator, Barbara Snyder, will continue teaching the younger children’s class.  And our Tech expert, Joel Tiller, and his wife, Brandy (our administrative guru), are helping coordinate numerous ministry ventures.

We’re excited about the upcoming months, with many of our kids preparing for Youth Camp, which is right around the corner!  Also, there are some cool things on the way (e.g. the guyz are getting ready to go camping; the ladies will have a girlz’ night out [with a bash at the 'Tiller Plaza']; and there is a jam-up lock-in on the horizon [details soon to come]…).  So, call a neighbor, text a friend, let your family know about the tremendous developments underway in da’ Atik!

Peace

PS:  All those who would love to help out with the youth ministry (in any way), please contact our Student Ministries Coordinator, Barbara Snyder.

On Sunday night, March 8th at 6:00pm, we had our monthly Atik service. We started the service with a few comments about our desire to raise up youth and children that are leaders in the Kingdom. Brett Fincher played keyboards for us and sang with the ACOG children and youth as they led the church in praise and worship. After praise and worship, Arlon Fincher blessed us with his song, The Light of That City. The Angels of Mercy drama team did an awesome job praising God to the song Shackles. I believe that everyone in the church was moved by their enthusiastic worship.

Jeremy Atchley, a local evangelist, preached a sermon entitled “Don’t Look Back”. He did a tremendous job of sharing God’s word with us. It is obvious that Jeremy is passionate about God and will be a force in preparing young people for ministry in the Kingdom. I was impressed with his knowledge of the Word and his ability to relate to our youth and children in such a tender hearted manner. He closed out the message with a very moving altar service. We would definitely love to have him join us again sometime.

I am proud of our young people and thrilled with their desire to actively participate in ministry. The more active they are in church, the less likely they are to be pulled away from God by worldly temptations. We want to keep them moving onward and upward as they grow in the their relationships with God. Thanks to our church family for your continued support.

With Love,
Barbara

On Sunday night, March 8th at 6:00pm, we will be having our monthly ATIK service in the sanctuary at ACOG. We are real excited about the way God has been moving in these services. Brett Fincher and our kids praise team will lead in praise and worship. We are hopeful that our drama team, Angels of Mercy, will be ready to share their version of SHACKLES with all of us – YEAH!!

Jeremy Atchley, a local youth minister, will be singing and preaching for us during this special evening.

Please make plans to join us!

With Love,
Barbara

(This post has been edited as to the date due to the cancellation of March 1st service because of snow.  I will update any other info as I receive it.  Thanks, Sonny)

Christian Greetings guys and gals!

I hope everyone is a having a blessed week thus far.  Just a heads up about a Wednesday night series that will begin next week… We’re starting a series on “The Clash of Two Kingdoms” and will begin to explore what the Bible says about Spiritual warfare.

For a while now, we have studied the importance of understanding God as a relational God.  We have explored quite a bit what the Bible says about who the Holy Spirit is, how He empowers us to follow Jesus, how that salvation is a Spirit-filled journey, how the Spirit brings us into the family of God, amongst other tremendous truths.

Since we have concluded that salvation is a relationship with God through Christ, I think it’s important to explore further the resistance that we all face in walking with God and living out His will.  So, I’m excited about the upcoming study and invite all 13-18 yr old Gospel gangsters to the ATIK sanctuary on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m.  Bring your Bibles, some blazing faith, a good attitude and an extra pair of socks!  (Here lately, God’s been blessings our socks off at ACoG!)

Peace

The Atik Service this past Sunday night was great! Brett Fincher, along with the ACOG kid’s, led praise and worship. They were followed by the Angels of Mercy Drama Team as they worshiped to the song, Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone). A young man from Addison Church of God named Ory Hampton delivered the sermon. He posed the question, “Jesus gave His all for us, what are we willing to give for Him?”

We are so proud of our children and their desire to be actively involved in ministry. Thanks so much to our church family for supporting the Atik Services. Our next one will be on Sunday night, March 1st at 6:00 pm in the sanctuary. We hope you will come and join us!

Love,

Barb

We would like to invite all young folk (ages 8-18) to our ATIK service this Sunday night at 6 pm.  I.D. is required for entrance at the door.  Otherwise, our bouncer (Joel) will give you the boot … just kidding (LOL)! No I.D. necessary. :

We know that God is calling this generation to a radical faith in Jesus Christ.  A faith that refuses just to go through religious motions; a faith that cries out to love Jesus with all that we are; a faith that moves us to action in showing love to those around us.

And in order to answer such a call, we have to grow in our relationship with God and one another.  So, we offer the ATIK as a strategic time of meeting together for tremendous worship, prayer, teaching and fellowship (key ingredients in growing closer to God and representing his Kingdom).

See ya there!

On Saturday Dec 6th The ATIK ministries Students and leaders and parents loaded up and participated in the Alabaster Christmas Parade. It was cold but we were excited about this because the new Drama team, Angels of Mercy, were going to perform for the first time today at the parade. We started out at the Pizza Hut and I think that we walked about 3 miles. We also had a truck with our little ones that were singing and throwing candy. During the trek to the judge’s platform we rotated from singing Christmas Carols and performing the Drama while we walked.

I am proud to say that our students represented the Alabaster Church of God wonderfully. As we approached the Judges I could tell that they were nervous but they did a great job, they received a standing ovation from the judging platform. I feel blessed to be a part of this ministry.
 
This could not have been done without Patrick and Carrie Sullivan, Jamie Fincher and of course Barbara Snyder.

Thank You

Wonder what’s going on in the youth and children’s department?  Well . . . This is an exciting time of the year for us, as we are working on our Christmas play.  We have been practicing every Wednesday evening (and will be practicing this Sunday night in lieu of The Attik).  If you do not have a part in the Christmas play, please come anyway, as there will be a class held for you.

 

We will be performing the play on Sunday morning, December 21.  Please come and see all of our youth and children perform – they have worked very hard.  Today (Saturday, December 6) our kids actually performed their play during the Alabaster Christmas Parade.  While it was a little cold, they had a wonderful time.

 

We are so thankful for all our kids and their enthusiasm.  Thanks also to the parents who are always so willing to help with the kids.

 

Dee