Chalice News
 
Round Rock Christian Church

Embracing o ur neighbors
with Christ-like love 
March 12, 2019
In This Issue
This Sunday at RRCC
From the Pastor
Elders Meeting
Stephen Ministry
Hopewell Gift Cards Delivered
Disciple Oaks A/C
Pantry Focus for March
Box Tops for Education
Monthly Fellowship Lunch Host Groups
Serving With You This Week
Find a Place to Serve
Upcoming Birthdays
Prayer Needs
Sunday School Classes
Upcoming Events
Elder's Prayer Corner
This Sunday at RRCC 
March 17, 2019
THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT

"The Undaunted Traveler "

The message will be based on
Luke 13:31-35

From the Pastor

Today is day 6 of the 40 days of Lent.  I pray that your Lenten journey is off to a good start. 

I'm  thankful for all who helped out with our Ash Wednesday activities last week. Our "Drive-Thru Ashes" ministry in front of the church that morning was a first for us at Round Rock Christian Church. It was such a blessing to have people we'd never met before drive up to the church for prayer and the imposition of ashes. Some were on their way to work, while others were headed for our neighborhood schools. One was on her way to the hospital to spend time with a loved one. Every encounter was a mutual blessing.

Pope Francis has offered some thoughts on alternative fasting disciplines for the Lenten season. I find this list both inspirational and challenging.

DO YOU WANT TO FAST THIS LENT?
In the words of Pope Francis

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
Fast from sadness and be filed with gratitude.
Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
Fast from worries and have trust in God.
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy.
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
Fast from words and be silent so you can listen. 

Peace in Christ,
Pastor Mitch

 
Mildred Adair, Rev. Maxted, Jean Bell, and Linda Glover welcomed early morning Ash Wednesday commuters in front of the church.
Elders Meeting

     There will be an Elders meeting this Sunday, 
March 17 at 12:15 p.m., 
after the worship service.
     Chapter Six in  The Prodigal God , "Redefining Hope" will be the focus of our study. It begins on page 101.

Stephen Ministry

Sometimes It's Hard to Ask for Help

We're brought up to be strong, self-sufficient, independent people. We tend to think that if we ask for help, it is a sign of weakness. So we try to keep our struggles hidden, stuffed deep inside. However, that's not God's plan. Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." God wants us to care for others-and allow others to care for us in our time of need.

If you're sad or struggling inside, don't suffer alone. Ask for help. We have a team of Stephen Ministers who are ready to listen, care, encourage, pray, and help you through a tough time. (It's confidential, too!) 

Find out more about Stephen Ministry by talking with Pastor Mitch or Jackie Switzer, Stephen Leader.   Our Stephen Ministers are here to care!


Pictured above are, left to right, Rev. Maxted, Jackie Switzer, Gayle Boles, Ilene Kiser, Darlia Hunt, and Jean Bell.
Hopewell Gift Cards Delivery

Special thanks to everyone who contributed toward the Hopewell Middle School "Student Incentive Gift Cards"! We delivered 50 gift cards last week to the Hopewell Principal, Lynda Garinger.  That is a value of $250 that the counselors can use to award students who complete improvement plans in behavior as well as academic areas.  It is truly a helpful resource for instructional staff, counselors and administrators, as well as the middle school students.  

Thanks for showing our Christ-like love 
o our neighborhood school!"
 
Pictured below, left to right, are Tara Pollock, Tricia Mouser, 
Principal Lynda Garinger and Barbara Barnett.


Disciple Oaks A/C


Pantry Focus for March: Sugar
  

"...love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39))
      
This is "SUGAR Month" at RRCC. Let's load our food pantry tub in the Welcome Center to overflowing each Sunday! Your donations of Sugar (or cash or check designated for the Round Rock Area Serving Center) will help stock empty shelves and feed hungry neighbors in our community.
 
Mark your grocery list every week for the Round Rock Area Serving Center.

Box Tops for Education
 

Giving is a blessing! Giving when it does not even cost you anything is a double blessing! The difficult part is remembering to look for the symbol on your purchases, cut it off, and take it to church. Put your Box Tops in the marked box where the Serving Center goods reside to benefit our community's children at Union Hill Elementary School.  Don't forget they expire, so you want to get them in ASAP.

The school can use the money for computers, books, and playground equipment - anything it needs. They get to decide.  The school's total earnings for this year are $240.40. RRCC has contributed 560 box tops which translates to $56.00 for the school, a little more than 25% of their total. Of those, 436 ($43.60) were contributed by a church visitor who recognized a good opportunity. Can we do better? Please look for the labels on all items you buy and don't forget to bring them to church and place in the collection box each week before they expire. Thank you!! 

Sign up at  www.boxtops4education.com  for special offers, coupons, and to track the progress of the school.  Please look for the labels on all items you buy and don't forget to bring them to church and place in the collection box each week.  Thank you!! 

2019 Monthly Fellowship Lunch Host Groups

Date:
Group:
Entree:
Theme:
Jan. 19, 2019 DWM Fried Chicken Snowmen
Feb. 10, 2019 Admin Team Chili Dogs Valentine's Day
Mar. 10, 2019 Book Club King Ranch Casserole Texas
Apr. 14, 2019 Hand Crafters TBD
TBD
May 19, 2019 Christian Ed/ Sunday School Pulled Pork Graduation
Jun. 9, 2019 All Church Pot Luck Summer/Beach
Jul. 14, 2019
All Church
Pot Luck
Patriotic
Aug. 11, 2019
All Church
Pot Luck
Back to School
Sept. 8, 2019 GB/ Worship Committee
Fried Chicken
Fall
Oct. 13, 2019 Chancel Choir
TBD
Church Birthday
Nov. 10, 2019
DMM
Chili? Patriotic?
Dec. 8, 2019 Tricia Lasagna Christmas
      
     Special thanks to all of the church "small groups" that have volunteered to host a Fellowship Lunch in 2019! This is the most current "draft schedule" of the monthly lunches, with a few menus and details to be determined as the dates get closer. DWM "kicked-off" the lunches this year, with donations of over $400 received for the January luncheon. Revenues from the lunches (moving forward) will be put in a reserve fund for use with property needs, as they arise. These lunches have become a regular source of wonderful fellowship with each other...a time to sit back and enjoy visiting with friends over a meal. Our neighborhood firefighters also enjoy any residual foods!
      What a blessing to "Grow" in community and fellowship!
Serving With You This Sunday, March 17
Worship Leader:

Lisa Breeding
Greeters:

Diane Breeding
Sunday Treats:

Jackie Switzer
Elders:
Mildred Adair (Offering) and Steve Osteen (Communion)
Deacons:

Ilene Kiser, Debbie Roberts, Amy Tucker, and Gary Tucker
Find a Place to Serve here at RRCC

Here are the ways you can contribute to Sunday Morning Worship:
 


Upcoming Birthdays
null 
March 15
- Bob Jenkins
March 17
- Kent Toomey
March 18
- Shirley Marshall
March 23
- Steve Osteen
March 23
- Randy Preston
March 25
- Abbie Hardt
March 27
- Jim Kessler
March 30
- Bobby Jenkins

Prayer Needs

OUR CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP
1.  Rev. Mitch Maxted
2.  Guiding Board, Admin Team, Ministries Council, Elders, Deacons, Ministries and Committees (including Ad Hoc Restructuring Team)
3. Personnel and Admin Team as they work to fill needed book keeping and youth leadership positions
4. Volunteers who are helping through this transition time
5. Shut-In Servers & Caring Hearts Prayer Group
6. Jackie Switzer and RRCC's reviving Stephen Ministries program; Our newly trained Care Givers -- Jean Bell, Gayle Boles, Darlia Hunt, and Ilene Kiser
7. Our music ministries and their leaders: Randy Preston, Rod Walker, Jimmy Horowitz
8. Enable us to develop a passion for praying and increase our tithes and offerings
9. Our partnership with Shalom Seventh Day Adventist & Manantial de Vida congregations (and their pastors Edy Rosa Paez and Maria Rosario)
10. Our Vision Advisory Committee and our efforts as a congregation to embrace our neighbors with Christ-like love. Strengthening our strategies:
WORSHIP  
SERVE   GROW

MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
1. Acree, Mary (shingles)
2. Baker, Rev. David (recovery from back surgery)
3. Cratin, Roger (bronchitis)
4. Davis, Marilyn
5. Dimock, Vicki (shoulder surgery tomorrow -- Tara P.'s mother)
6. Graham, Marty (cancer treatments)
7. Guilbeau, Rick & Cynthia; Hubbard, Harold
8. Habtemariam, Solomon and Meaza
9. Johnston, Exey (dementia challenges)
10.  Maxted, Mana (awaiting EEG test results)
11. Maxted, Mitch (awaiting test results)
12. Maybaum, Liz - continued monitoring and doctor consultations
13. Mehlow, Carolyn & Leroy
14.  Plough, Margaret
15. Pollock, Paula
16. Reisen, Beth and newborn daughter Emerson Noelle Reisen (Liz and Paul Maybaum are the proud grandparents. Mom and baby are doing well.)
17. Sanford, Collin
18. Scarborough, Rilda (continued strengthening and increased mobility)
19. Snider, Ed
20. Toomey, Kent (cancer treatments)
21. Whitley, Bea (knee replacement surgery last week; recovering at home)
 
OTHER
1. Persecuted Christians throughout the world
2. Development of an immigration policy for the U.S. that is fair, just, and responsible 
3. The empowerment of national political leaders who will work to bring people together, not divide and erect barriers  
4. For all efforts toward universal, affordable access to health care here in the U.S.
5. All who don't know Jesus
6. Our military personnel and families
7. Reaching out to our neighborhood families through the schools: 1. Hopewell gift cards 2. Adopt-a-Child ministry at Union Hill and Hopewell (blessing to all the children and youth who received gifts, and their families)  3. Literacy Partners at Union Hill  4. Breakfast for teachers at Union Hill and Hopewell
8. Our next neighborhood welcoming event will be "Hop into Easter" on April 13. 
Sunday School Classes

Please, join us!
 
Early Childhood Class (ages 4-7) - Taught by Lisa Walker

Intermediate Class (3rd - 5th grade) - Taught by Jennifer Kienzle 
 
Chi Rho Class (6th - 8th grade) - studying the book, "Middle School TalkSheets" for ages 11-14.  "These TalkSheets present every aspect of Jesus' life in a way that young teens can connect with as they learn to apply the lessons to their own lives." 
 
CYF Class (9th - 12th grade)  
 
Open Circle (primarily adult women) - Studying An Altar in the World.
 
Explorers (mixed adults) - Facilitator is Mildred Adair; studying the gospel of Mark by John MacArthur.
Upcoming Events

Tuesday, March 12, 2019
              6:30 p.m. - Texas Heat Volleyball
7:00 p.m.
- Ad Hoc Restructuring Meeting
7:00 p.m.
- Shalom Congregation

Wednesday, March 13, 2019
1:00 p.m.
- Caring Hearts Prayer Group
5:30 p.m.
- Texas Heat Volleyball
7:00 p.m.
- Chancel Choir Rehearsal

Thursday, March 14, 2019
1:00 p.m.
- Pastoral Relations Committee Meeting
1:30 p.m.
- Book Group
6:00 p.m.
- Texas Heat Volleyball
6:30 p.m.
- Disciple Fast Track Bible Study
7:00 p.m.
- Book Group

Friday, March 15, 2019
1:00 p.m.
- Oil Painting Class

Saturday, March 16, 2019
8:00 a.m.
- Disciple Oaks Work Day
8:00 a.m.
- Shalo m Congregation

Sunday, March 17, 2019
9:30 a.m. - Sunday School
10:30 a.m.
- Fellowship
11:00 a.m.
- Worship
12:15 p.m.
- Lunch Bunch at Rosa's Cafe and Tortilla Factory in RR
12:15 p.m.
- Elders Meeting
4:00 p.m.
- Ministerio Internacional Manantial de Vida

Monday, March 18, 2019
5:30 p.m.
- Texas Heat Volleyball
7:00 p.m.
- Guiding Board Meeting
Events can be viewed on the  RRCC Calendar. 
Elder's Prayer Corner/Closing Message

What is Church?
 
The word "church" as rendered in the New Testament comes from the Greek term ekklesia, which is formed from two Greek words meaning "an assembly" and "to call out" or "called out ones." This means the New Testament church is a body of believers who have been called out from the world by God to live as his people under the authority of Jesus Christ:

God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.
And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. (Ephesians 1:22-23, NLT)

This group  of believers or  "the body of Christ"  began in  Acts  2 on the  Day of Pentecost  through the work of the  Holy Spirit  and will  continue  to be formed until the day of the  rapture  of the church.