Worshiping Sundays In-Person and as an
Online Faith Community

Be sure to 'Like' us on Facebook
to view our online sermons

10:15 a.m.: In-Person Worship Service and
Online Facebook Worship
    
Church Office: 980-999-3500

Weekly Newsletter: October 29, 2020
Weekly Newsletter:
January 14, 2021
Upcoming Events
Sunday, January 17: THIS SUNDAY!
9:45 a.m. Online message to Imagine Kids by Gregory Roberts (Imagine Church Facebook Page)
10:15 a.m. Indoor worship inside Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Chapel,
14542 Choate Circle, Charlotte (and online worship on Imagine Church Facebook Page)
Second Sunday after Epiphany
Message: "What Difference Does God Make?" Part 3, by Pastor Bruce
A/V - Jim; Safety & Security - Andy B.
6:30 p.m. Personnel Team Meeting at the home of Jimmy and Becky Ferguson,
9106 Blue Dasher Drive, Lake Wylie

Monday, January 18:
7:00 p.m. MLK Day of Service and 2nd Annual MLK Prayer Event (see article below for details)

Sunday, January 24:
9:45 a.m. Online message to Imagine Kids by Gregory Roberts (Imagine Church Facebook Page)
10:15 a.m. Indoor worship inside Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Chapel,
14542 Choate Circle, Charlotte (and online worship on Imagine Church Facebook Page)
Message: "What Difference Does God Make?" Part 4, by Pastor Bruce
A/V - Jim; Safety & Security - Nick J. & Scott T.
11:30 a.m. Personnel Team (individual sessions with church staff at GCTS)

Monday, January 25:
6:30 p.m. Personnel Team (individual sessions with church staff at home of Jimmy and Becky Ferguson, 9106 Blue Dasher Drive, Lake Wylie)
Imagine Church Devotional
"God Never Gives Up Hope"
A couple of years ago, there was a young woman in the news by the name of Jennifer Wilbanks. You may have heard her story. She was a 32-year-old medical assistant from Duluth, Georgia, who told her fiance that she was going out jogging. She never returned. Not knowing where she was, her fiance and her family were frantic. The sheriff's department was called, and soon, search and rescue crews and several army helicopters joined the search. To them, it was a life and death situation.

Days later she was finally located -- safe -- in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She had gotten "cold feet" four days before her wedding, cut her hair, bought a bus ticket, and left town. I'm not going to comment on any of that, but I remember a quote from her mother. Can you only imagine the anguish and heartache this mother experienced during the days her daughter was missing? Jennifer Wilbanks' mother said, "I never gave up hope that she would be found."
Did you know that Jesus says the same thing about us? Just think about the tears of joy and celebration that took place when Jennifer's family learned that she was safe. It reminds me of the time Jesus said in Luke, chapter 15, "In the same way," he said, "there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents."

It may be that the only thing in the created order stronger than a mother's love for her child is God's love for His lost children. As determined as was Jennifer Wilbanks' mother, God is even more determined that His lost children will return home. God's dream and intent for the future is that what is lost will be found. God will not rest until His lost and wandering children are reclaimed. And when that happens, all heaven rejoices.

In the name of the One who can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
Bruce Jones, Pastor and Co-Creator,
Imagine Church of the Carolinas
Worship This Week
"What Difference Does God Make?" is the series with which we have started the new year at Imagine Church as we explore the angles and answers to how God works and what God does in our world and in our lives. At 10:15 a.m. this Sunday, January 17, we will hear part 3 when Imagine Church gathers for worship both in person (at the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary chapel) and online (on the Imagine Church Facebook page). We'll look at another primary way in which God speaks to us and seeks to direct our lives. We invite you to join us Sunday morning either in person or online!
MLK Day of Service and 2nd Annual MLK Prayer Event

This Monday, January 18, the United Men's Club of Clover will be hosting their 2nd Annual MLK Prayer Event. This year's event will be virtual, and you are invited to participate online by viewing it as it is streamed live at 7:00 p.m.

You can view it via Facebook Live using this link:

or via YouTube using this link:

The annual event honors Dr. King’s legacy and is an opportunity for Americans to renew their own personal vows of citizenship through service to others. The MLK Day of Service calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. We encourage you, our Imagine Church family, to each pledge one hour of service to our community in honor of this event and Dr. King's legacy.
Worship Series and Corresponding Bible Study
Beginning Sunday, January 31, and continuing through Sunday, February 14, Bruce and Gregory will team up to bring both a series of messages and a Bible study on the story of Joseph from the Old Testament. On Sunday mornings, Bruce's sermons will be called "Plot Twist: The Story of Joseph", and then Gregory will lead a Zoom Bible study on either Sunday or Wednesday evening, depending on your preference. To sign up for the Joseph Bible Study, please contact Gregory by email at GRoberts@gordonconwell.edu or by text at 704-502-3107.  
Leadership Team on Sunday, January 31
We plan to have an in-person Leadership Team meeting on Sunday, January 31, at 11:45 a.m. just following in-person worship at GCTS in room 122-A. There will be a way for team members to join us by Zoom if they do not wish to attend in person. Watch for more information prior to the date of our meeting!
Remind App for Church Family and Youth
Here at Imagine Church, we use the Remind app as a means of sending notifications to our church family regarding such things as changes to worship location, reminders of or cancelations of upcoming events, and messages pertaining to service opportunities. Additionally, Tim Gunn, our Minister to Imagine Nation Youth, uses Remind to communicate important messages and devotions to our youth. So, if you and/or your youth still haven't signed-up for Remind, simply follow these instructions to start receiving messages:
 
If you have a smartphone, get push notifications by opening your web browser and going to the following link(s):
Imagine Church - rmd.at/imaginechu
Imagine Nation Youth - rmd.at/imagineyg
Follow the instructions to sign up for Remind, and if you don't already have the Remind app, you'll be prompted to download the mobile app. 
 
If you don't have a smartphone, you can still receive text notifications.
For Imagine Church messages, text @imaginechu to the number 81010.
For Imagine Nation Youth messages, text @imagineyg to the number 81010.
If you're having trouble with 81010, try texting to (424) 295-0868 instead. 
 
Don't have a mobile phone? Sign up for email notifications on your computer by going to the following web addresses:
Imagine Church - rmd.at/imaginechu
Imagine Nation Youth - rmd.at/imagineyg
Let Us Spell Out Our Thanks for You
Week after week, you demonstrate how God is at work in the life of this church family by helping to keep Imagine Church's ministry alive and vital through your generous giving. THANK YOU for making our ministry possible here in this community and around the world!

If you are led to make an offering and will be worshiping with us in person this Sunday, we invite you to place your offering in one of the collection baskets at the GCTS chapel. However, if you will be worshiping with us as part of our online faith community, we encourage you to make a safe and secure online offering from our church website (https://imaginechurchnow.org/giving/) or to mail your cash or check directly to our church office at:

Imagine Church
13000 S. Tryon Street, Suite F-114
Charlotte, NC 28278
Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus
There are so many opportunities that exist for our church family to be the hands and feet of Jesus and to help others through various means of service right here in our community. If you are aware of an opportunity that you would like to see highlighted in the newsletter, please email Kari DiDonato at her Imagine Church email: imaginechurch2014@gmail.com  
 

JANUARY'S OUTREACH OPPORTUNITY:
~ Habitat for Humanity of York County ~

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Habitat for Humanity of York County works toward their vision by building strength, stability, and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through faith, innovation, and passion, and thanks to the support of countless community partners, volunteers, donors, and advocates, Habitat for Humanity of York County has made a significant impact in York County since its founding in 1988.
In 2020, volunteers gave more than 13,000 hours of volunteer service through Habitat's construction activities and ReStore operations - including Habitat homebuyers who volunteer constructing other families' homes before they begin building their own home.

Habitat volunteer construction team leaders gave more than 2,000 hours helping to guide and supervise other volunteers on new construction and home repair sites.
Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, races and beliefs, professions and skills. One thing that all Habitat of York County volunteers have in common: they are critically important to furthering the organization’s mission in our community. Through construction, retail, repair, and more, volunteers help Habitat of York County impact hundreds of families each year.

If you are interested in volunteering, please email volunteer@yorkcountyhabitat.org or contact Volunteer Services at 803-328-1728, ext. 4.
Thank you in advance, Imagine Church family, for generously supporting this month's outreach opportunity. You can learn more about Habitat for Humanity of York County by checking out their website or by following them on Facebook:

Weekly Inspiration and Encouragement
Inspirational Song:
 
By: Selah

We wanna see Your glory
Every knee falls down before Thee
Every tongue offers You praise with every hand raised
Singing glory to You and unto You only
We'll sing glory to Your name

Submitted by: Jennifer Tankersley,
Minister of Worship and the Arts 
 
  
Bible Verse of Encouragement:
 
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.” (Psalm 108:5)
Prayers and Praises
Please keep in your prayers Oma Hildegard, mother of Bernd Herold. Bernd and daughter Lena are traveling to be with Oma in Germany for her birthday on January 31.

We pray for Zach and Rhonda Preston following the passing of Zach's sister, Vonni Preston Anderson, in Landrum, SC, on January 2, and for Mary Jane Gammon at the death of her brother, Richard A. Leighton, Jr., on January 3.

We continue to remember Vaughn Dunn in our prayers as he deals with the effects of Parkinson's and his wife, Chere, as she cares for him each day.
Imagine Kids
If you are choosing to worship indoors at Gordon-Conwell, elementary aged Imagine Kids (grades K-5) will be dismissed from the chapel early in worship on Sundays for their session with our Minister to Children and Families, Gregory Roberts. Additionally, as a way of reaching our online faith community, you can also catch Gregory's weekly message online via Facebook Live on the Imagine Church Facebook page on Sundays at 9:45 a.m. This week's message will be from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15.
Memory Verse:
Parents, here is the memory verse for you to practice with your child(ren):

"'Why were you looking for me?' he (Jesus) asked. 'Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?'"
(Luke 2:49)
 



Gregory Roberts | 704-502-3107 | ImagineKids@ImagineChurchNow.org
Imagine Nation Youth
This Sunday, January 17, Tim will meet separately with Imagine Nation Youth during the 10:15 a.m. in-person worship service, and youth are invited to meet in Room 122-A immediately upon arrival to GCTS. Tim will continue with week 2 of a 4-week series, "My Feelings", and this week's message will discuss anxiety. Tim supplements his Sunday messages with devotions that he sends out via the Remind app. If you and/or your youth are not already signed up for Remind, please follow the steps outlined earlier in this newsletter. It is Tim's hope that this series and the accompanying devotions will get your sons and daughters connected to what God can do in the lives of all the young people at Imagine Church.
You'll find peace in peaceless situations:
We can't avoid our feelings, but we can inform them. As followers of Christ, we are not meant to do this entire life thing on our own. So God gave us His word, prayer to connect with His spirit, and His people. Whatever you're feeling today, remember this scripture in the middle of it all. God's Word is central to who we are, so we can find comfort in it when all of our feelings are going crazy.
Grab a Bible or Bible app and read 2 Timothy 2:2-4. Every day, you're constantly being fed conflicting philosophies and ways of thinking and going about life. One of the most common phrases in our culture is: "Do what makes you happy." But just because and idea or action makes you happy, that doesn't make it true. Timothy reminds us that we need to listen to the voices that speak truth, not just the voices that tell us what we want to hear!


We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, and we encourage you to bring a friend, too!

Tim Gunn | 803-322-1113 | Youth@ImagineChurchNow.org
Happy Birthday!
We send heartfelt and happy birthday greetings to these Imagine Church family members who have birthdays throughout the next two weeks:
Jan 14......Emma Imrick
Jan 14......Cameron James
Jan 15......Anna Litzenberger
Jan 15......Tim Schilling
Jan 16......Mieke VanDeNobelen
Jan 17......Kendall Davis
Jan 22......Mark Lanier
Jan 22......Cory Jackson
Jan 24......Randy Turner
Jan 24......Chere Dunn
Jan 25......Owen Vanourny
Jan 25......Maitland Vanourny
Jan 27......Melissa Misplay
Jan 28......Emily Bowling
If you are wanting your name added to our birthday list, simply send us a quick email at Info@ImagineChurchNow.org. We want to celebrate with you!
Why Imagine Church?
Jesus lived and loved with passion, and so should we. We try to make sure that everything we do is done with passion and joy. No apathy is allowed at Imagine Church! (See all four of the gospels and the entire story of Jesus' life. See also 2 Samuel 6:12-15, Psalm 100, and Romans 12:9-13).  That's Imagine Church.

"So let us do all we can do to live in peace. And let us work hard to build each other up." (Romans 14:19, NIrV)