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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
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Weekly Newsletter:
March 4, 2021
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Sunday, March 7: 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)
Third Sunday in Lent
Message: "Your Story" Part 3, Personal Faith Story by Lindy Wetherell and brief message by Pastor Bruce, "Faith to Follow", Part 1
Separate sessions for Imagine Youth and Imagine Kids (kids and youth depart chapel after opening of worship)
A/V - Tim Imrick; Safety & Security - Chris Jones and Russ Partin
11:45 a.m. Staff Meeting, Room 127, GCTS
Monday, March 8:
6:30 p.m. Missions Team Meeting, Conference Room located at First Properties of the Carolinas, 1 Executive Court, Lake Wylie
All interested persons are invited to attend
Sunday, March 14:
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)
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Message: "Your Story" Part 4, Personal Faith Story by Dawn Welshans and brief message by Pastor Bruce, "Faith to Follow", Part 2
Separate sessions for Imagine Youth and Imagine Kids (kids and youth depart chapel after opening of worship)
A/V - Paula Davis; Safety & Security - Steve Phillips and Scott Tadlock
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Imagine Church Devotional |
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"In Life and in Death, I Belong to My Savior"
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Death does not come often to the Imagine Church family; we're a younger church, age-wise, than most. We can recall with the clarity of memory the funerals we have had: Bill Morgan, Ruth and Joe Ogrinc, JP Russell, Tom Bower, Randy Edwards, William Lockey, Bob Wujciak. Zach Preston's passing into the life immortal last week hit us all hard because he was so young, having just turned fifty in December.
When I conduct the funeral for someone who was so close to me, people will often ask, "How do you do it?" Certainly it is an emotional time, but it is also a humble privilege to perform the final service for someone who has lived near to God during the years of this mortal life -- the kind of people we call saints. Those who have fought the good fight and kept the faith and finished the course. There is no greater gift I can give someone who has served Christ so faithfully than to commend one to God with the triumphant alleluias of the church on earth.
The apostle Paul told his flock not to grieve "as those who are without hope." Our grief is real, but so is the comfort in Christ. Jesus' grief was real when a friend died, just as Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem for the last time. The shortest verse in the Bible tells us that when he was told that Lazarus was dead, "Jesus wept." But the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead is a symbol of the power of Jesus over death and all its sorrow.
There is no easy answer to the great tragedies we human beings often experience in this earthly life. But at a funeral, the conviction must shine through that the God who knows in his Son the agony of the cross is able to lift us to a place where sorrow is transcended and life renewed. My belief in the eternal dimension gives assurance that within God's love nothing is ever lost, nothing is ever wasted. I believe there will be fulfillment in another sphere for all whose time here seems to have been tragically cut short. That leads me to one final thought.
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As we get older, the thought is bound to cross our minds that "someday I'll be the one for whom a service like this will be conducted." You may have thought this, too, on the occasion of a funeral. We should not be obsessed with it, but there's nothing morbid about an occasional reminder of our own mortality. It's the strongest test of all we really believe.
I pray that in the end our own hope will be in the mercy of God and the promises of the gospel. I like to remember the first question and answer of an historical document of the faith called the Heidelberg Catechism. "What is your only comfort in life and in death?" "That I belong -- body and soul, in life and in death -- not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ."
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
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We have all been deeply blessed by the rich and personal accounts of faith by the participants in our "Your Story" series. Hearing someone else recount his or her faith journey often gives us the strength and courage to be able to share our own. As we move through the season of Lent, we're hearing individual stories of faith from men and women of the Imagine Church family. It continues at 10:15 a.m. this week, the Third Sunday of Lent, March 7, in both our in-person worship in the GCTS chapel and also online on the Imagine Church Facebook page. We hope you will join us this week!
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"Your Story" Speaker This Week, Lindy Wetherell |
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We are delighted to present our "Your Story" speaker for this Sunday, March 7: Lindy Wetherell. Lindy moved to South Carolina when she was 19 and never left. She met Fred on a blind date, he proposed six months later, and the rest is history! She is proud of their three boys and is grateful for their three granddaughters and one grandson. Lindy was raised in her mother's Catholic faith, while she and Fred were Presbyterians for twenty-five years. She says they are thrilled to now be at Imagine Church. We are excited about hearing the faith story of Lindy Wetherell this Sunday! |
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Missions Team Gathering - and You're Invited! |
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Imagine Church focuses on five primary ministry environments: worship, Imagine Kids, Imagine Nation Youth, life groups, and missions. It's time now for us to take the next step and advance the missions component of our overall ministry. On Monday evening, March 8, at 6:30 p.m., if you feel led to be part of the Missions Team of Imagine Church, join us for an introductory meeting in the conference room of First Properties of the Carolinas, 1 Executive Court, Lake Wylie, led by Fred Wetherell, Julie Van Slambrook, and Kari DiDonato. If you have a heart for missions, this could be a powerful way for you to serve. Join us Monday night at 6:30!
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Dear Imagine Church,
Thank you so much for your generous donation of items to Palmetto Women's Center. Our clients will make good use of them! Thank you for giving us the means to share God's love in a tangible way with those whom we serve.
Yours in Christ,
Karen Kearney with Palmetto Women's Center
Thank you Bruce...l love this church and l know how excited Zach was about helping...l know he is at Peace and with his sister Vonni...My faith has brought me thru these loses and l have the assurance of being with him and Vonni someday...my love to you and all the church members!
(Posted on the Imagine Church Facebook page by Susan Bidinger, mother of Zach Preston)
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And, if you're choosing to attend in person worships on Sundays at 10:15 a.m. at Gordon-Conwell, then you know that elementary aged Imagine Kids (grades K-5) are dismissed from the chapel early in worship for their session with Gregory. We invite you to spread the love and share the fun by bringing a friend with you to Imagine Kids, too!
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Memory Verse:
Parents, here is the memory verse for you to practice with your child(ren):
"You planned to harm me. But God planned it for good. He planned to do what is now being done. He wanted to save many lives." (Genesis 50:20)
Parents, if the entire verse is too long for your preschooler, have them learn just this first part:
"You planned to harm me. But God planned it for good."
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March's Youth Sermon Series: Funny Stories from the Bible
This week's story will be about the prophet Elisha -- you won't want to miss it!
Middle schoolers and high schoolers are invited to join Imagine Youth every Sunday morning -- but if you can't make it or are choosing to stay home, you can join us from home and tune in LIVE on Sunday mornings (around 10:45 a.m.) using this link:
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Follow these steps to get set-up to receive Tim's weekly devotional messages and other important information for Imagine Youth via Remind:
Get push notifications on your smartphone by going to the following link(s): rmd.at/imagineyg
Sign-up to receive text notifications by texting @imagineyg to the number 81010.
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There's a New Ministry to Engage College Students and High School Seniors!
Imagine Life is a new Imagine Youth ministry that is focused on engaging our college students and high school seniors. This new ministry will be headed up by Chris Jones and will be an opportunity to stay in touch with our college students while giving great direction for our high school seniors. Imagine Life will meet once a month on the 3rd Sunday of each month beginning on 3/21. Be on the look out for future announcements.
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Have you ever listened to a song the first time and didn’t like it? But then maybe it kept being played on the radio or a friend really liked it, and so you listened to it over and over again. There are truths in God’s word that can be overlooked if we just read them once quickly. However, if we dig beneath the surface, we can often find a life-changing truth. So today, take some time to get into God’s word. Pick a scripture and take a fresh look at it. Really think about what it is saying to you and how it can apply to your life. Faith comes as you hear God’s word over and over again! |
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Have a blessed week knowing God is with you! We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, and we encourage you to bring a friend, too!
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The Ladies' Life Group, led by Debra Tadlock, met in person at Gordon-Conwell this past Tuesday night to talk, laugh, eat, and enjoy being together as well as to chart their course of events for the coming weeks and months.
This coming Tuesday, March 9, at 7:00 p.m., the group will meet again at GCTS in Room 127 to begin a 5-week Bible study on the book of James. This book, written by the brother of Jesus, is a powerful book providing explicit direction on how we are expected to live our lives as Christians. The Bible study will read the chapters, have discussions, and delve deeper into His Word. The study will meet for 60-90 minutes each session, and you are asked to please register using this link:
Precautions will be taken to ensure a safe setting. The invitation to participate is open to ALL women -- and you are even invited to bring a friend!
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Home-Based Life Groups
The Greater Community Life Group is meeting again in 2021 every two weeks on Wednesday evenings. The ladies are reading Max Lucado's You Are Never Alone with facilitation provided by Michelle Transou. For more information about the group's next series, contact Michelle at 704-299-6235.
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Lenten Offerings -- Rejoice in the Abundance of God's Gifts |
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Throughout the Lenten season, we strive to live with generous hearts during this special time of personal reflection and faith as we prepare our hearts and minds for Good Friday and Easter. We give our Lenten offerings in gratitude and rejoice in the abundance of God's gifts to us.
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. Anyone, however, can make a safe and secure online offering from our NEW Church Center giving platform:
Of course, cash or check can always be mailed directly to our church office at:
Imagine Church
13000 S. Tryon Street, Suite F-114
Charlotte, NC 28278
Thank you, Imagine Church family, for so generously donating and trusting that He will provide for our needs while blessing and using our offerings for His purposes here in this community and around the world.
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Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus |
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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
ONE YEAR RECAP
March 2020 - February 2021
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One year ago, in March of 2020, we created this segment of the newsletter to highlight opportunities that exist for members of our church family to serve others here in our local communities. We'd like to take this opportunity to whole-heartedly thank each and every family and individual who gave of their time and/or monetary or goods donations to these non-profit entities. Here's a summary of the charitable organizations that we've highlighted over the past 12 months. There are still opportunities to serve and give back to these local organizations, and certainly your continued service and giving would be cherished and appreciated by these organizations. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus right here in our local communities and also around the world! |
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Anuvia Prevention & Recovery Center
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Box of Love for Kids (via Simplicity Organizers)
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Children's Attention Home
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Clover Area Assistance Center (CAAC)
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Clover School District (CSD)
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God's Kitchen at New Beginnings Baptist Church
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Habitat for Humanity of York County
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Philippine Hope Ministries
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RideAbility Therapeutic Riding Center
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York County Council on Aging
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Weekly Inspiration and Encouragement |
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Inspirational Song:
By: Selah
This much I know is true...
That God blessed the broken road
And led me straight to you.
Submitted by: Jennifer Tankersley,
Minister of Worship and the Arts
Bible Verse of Encouragement:
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” ~Psalm 34:18 (NLT)
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Zach Preston claimed his victory over cancer and death on the morning of February 25, as he entered the Life Immortal. We continue to pray for his wife, Rhonda, who has been so faithful and constant in her care for Zach across the months of his illness. We anticipate having a celebration of Zach's life outdoors on Saturday, March 20, if weather conditions have allowed the property to dry out sufficiently (please look for more details in next week's newsletter).
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Lydia Smith's father, Jerry Brownlee, of Winston-Salem, NC, has returned home after being hospitalized with atrial fibrillation and other heart-related issues. Lydia has been spending time with him and asks for our prayers.
Tamra Roberts' mother, Tina Farrow, in Wisconsin has entered her last days before God heals her of cancer, and Tamra has flown this week to be by her side; please pray for both Tamra and her mother.
Meredith Martone continues to improve and strengthen from injuries suffered as a passenger in a vehicle accident.
Our prayers are for the family of Steven Vaughn who departed this life due to complications from Covid-19 leaving behind wife Caroline, son Allen and daughter AnnaLee. The Vaughns are dear friends to Nancy Church and Melanie Todd of our Imagine Church family.
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We send heartfelt and happy birthday greetings to these Imagine Church family members who have birthdays throughout the next two weeks: |
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Mar 4.......Alana Jones
Mar 5.......Kevin Dulin
Mar 6.......Donovan Szot
Mar 7.......Colleen Case
Mar 7.......Sam Wilder
Mar 9.......Garen Griffin
Mar 9.......Lydia Smith
Mar 9.......Natalie Ward
Mar 11.....Elena Magnie
Mar 12.....Paula Davis
Mar 12.....Linda McCall
Mar 12.....Ann Rother
Mar 13.....Lilly Carpenter
Mar 13.....Brendan Clark
Mar 13.....Taylor Nichols
Mar 14.....Michael Hurst
Mar 16.....Miriam Hunter
Mar 18.....Roberta Herold
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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!
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Imagine Church is a faith community that is rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ which tears down walls and builds up life -- a church where the gospel connects to the real world and helps people with their Monday to Saturday living, where beliefs aren't rigid boxes to check, but springboards into imagination and meaningful action. That's Imagine Church.
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Imagine and discover life with Christ
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