April 2024


Women’s Ministry

Theme Verse

2023-2024



“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”


John 4:24

In This Edition:


  • I Want To Go, Lord! Send me!
  • Prayer Life
  • Photos from Axe Throwing
  • Spring & Summer Bible Studies
  • April Birthdays
  • Upcoming Events
  • A Note from Director of Women’s Ministry
 

I Want To Go, Lord! Send me!

by Amy Davis


Have you heard the old expression, “the third time is the charm”? I’m not an advocate for good luck or superstitions, but I am a firm believer in God’s sovereign hand.


During my college years, the Lord stirred something in me for those who had never heard of Him. Never read His Word. Never been discipled. Not been transformed from the inside out by Him, like I had.


I learned that God’s plan for missions “is to use His redeemed people to call the nations to faith in Christ and to disciple all who respond.” (Tabletalk Magazine, What is World Missions, Craig Sheppard, April 2022) A passion was birthed for both discipleship and missions and I wanted in.


But now what? Should I send or should I go?


Together, Rob and I pursued full time Christian ministry roles upon graduating from college. After seeking wisdom from others and much prayer, we discerned that he was calling us to something else. Rob to education and me to support by working in and from our home. Along the way we answered the call to discipleship in our local church, but the passion to “go” continued to burn inside both of us.


As our family grew and we parented daughters with legitimate medical needs, the likelihood of going far away as missionaries began to fade. Close friends of ours made decisions to go to the mission field: to France, China, Kenya, Guatemala, etc. We supported by praying, giving financially, sharing their needs with others, and visiting them in the field.


We became senders. And I was not happy about it. I wanted to go.


Sounds kind of bratty, doesn’t it? I was basically upset with the Lord that He had not arranged our circumstances so that MY dreams about global mission happening MY way could be realized. I had never even been on a short-term mission trip! I had lost sight of the Lord’s call on my life and had failed to trust Him with the importance of stewarding the here and now. The importance of my role as someone who could send others well and model that to those around me, even if I never got to go.


But that all changed in October 2012. A team of ten women from FPC Rome had the opportunity to visit EPC missionaries in Albania. We received overwhelming support from our church family, learned about human-trafficking and poverty in the one country where all religion was previously outlawed, and we got to go love and support Albanian brothers and sisters who were sharing Christ with their people. It was a humbling experience to step into a place far away where the Lord was at work, using believers and non-believers alike to accomplish His purpose in calling others to Himself. He is the Rescuer, after all.


Upon our return, I was excited about the next opportunity to go.


In 2014, FPC planned a youth mission trip to Kenya. Yippee! Some of our very own FPC family members, David and Tammy Preston, had recently moved to Kenya to begin work with an organization called BlueSky Global and I couldn't wait to go, see, and serve. The plan was created, the support was raised... and the trip was cancelled. Disappointed did not begin to describe my emotions at the time.


Another opportunity to go presented itself in 2019. How about another women’s mission trip? This time to Kenya. Hmmm, sound familiar? We would be visiting Nate and Shanna Mast and Travis and Stephanie Hill—more of our FPC family! We could not wait to go. We planned, we prepared, we raised support and packed a whole lot of stuff to take! We were thrilled about the opportunity to host a women’s retreat, lead a VBS, and support our friends who were living there and doing ministry every day.


The week before the trip, I was having some health issues and decided to see my doctor. We discovered through a series of tests that I had a pancreatic tumor. What?! “Lord, not good news AND I’m not going to Kenya... again.” (Actually, the Lord and I shared many other words about the matter—mine honest and emotional. His words patient, loving, and full of truth. You can ask me another day about the rest of that story.) Rob and I went with the team to the airport and sent them off to Kenya.


Now, you may be thinking, “Amy, come on. Get a clue! Maybe you aren’t supposed to go to Kenya.” Well, I have certainly had that thought myself. Except, the Lord knows my heart’s desires. And my hope is in Him and His ability to perfect that which concerns me... in His way. Perhaps, all this sending is truly accomplishing His work in the world and in my own little life.


By the way, there is a women’s mission trip to Kenya being planned for this fall. Guess who is planning to go?


Whether I end up going or staying back and sending, He is with me and for me. And He will do what is best for me and for His world by His sovereign hand. 


Maybe the third time IS the charm. Maybe it’s not.

 

Support the Kenya Mission Trip


Even if you aren’t able to go on the women’s mission trip this fall, you can send by supporting the team through prayer and purchasing a church cookbook! 


Contact Stephanie Hill at 706-728-8757.

Prayer Life

by Jennifer Talley


George Muller said “Only a life of prayer and meditation will render a vessel ready for the Master’s use”. In an article written by Elizabeth Bloechl, Three Principles For How

To Pray in the Modern Reformation, Lisa mentions this quote from George Muller as she writes about prayer life. She says “we understand the importance of prayer…yet we feel incompetent, ill equipped, and even unable to pray”. She offers these three principles so we can pray more confidently and joyfully.


Principle #1: We pray acknowledging our neediness.

Principle #2: We pray with focus on God’s character.

Principle #3: We pray with and from scripture.


{Elizabeth Bloechl is a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church} 


In the Presbyterian Outlook it states “living faith” starts with prayer”. RC Sproul says “prayer is active”. Isn’t living being active? Yes and how glorious!


Martin Luther has much to say about prayer. He was the 16th century reformer who was quoted to say “as a shoemaker makes shoes, and a tailor makes a coat, so ought a

Christian to pray. Prayer is the daily business of a Christian”. Martin Luther wrote the book A Simple Way To Pray, first published in 1535, when asked by his barber and good friend Peter Beskendorf for guidance on this. A modern translation has brought us Luther’s practical instruction. In a nutshell, he said to use the ITCP method: Instruction, Thanksgiving, confession, prayer. He recommended that we pray a “braided” or “garland” prayer which means to wrap a prayer or scripture with what is relevant to you. The Lord’s Prayer is a great prayer to use this method.


In RC Sproul’s book Does Prayer Change Things? He speaks a lot of the Lord’s Prayer. He writes, “I have always been amazed that the disciples didn’t ask Jesus how to walk on water…or any of his other miracles. They did, however, ask Jesus to teach them about prayer”. Luke 11:1 says “Lord teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples”. Jesus goes into the Lord’s Prayer that most of us know by memorization. Sproul tells us that the Lord’s Prayer was given to the church in response to the disciples’ request. He

suggests the acrostic A.C.T.S as a useful pattern for prayer.


A - Adoration. He tells us we should adore Him because “it is our duty as human beings to do so. We have been called to fill the earth with the glory of God”.


C - Confession. Our hearts must be contrite before God. We know through scripture that God is too holy even to look at sin. Sproul says “the principal reason why confession must be on a daily basis is because our sins…are committed on a daily basis”.


T - Thanksgiving. We can only truly acknowledge God and His benefits through thanksgiving; Psalms 103:2. He says “to slight Him by withholding appropriate gratitude is to exalt ourselves and debase him”. What really stood out to me was what Sproul says about us Christians in thanksgiving; “Forgetting the benefits of God is also the mark of the immature Christian, one who lives by his feelings”.


S - Supplication. We can come to our Father with any and all requests as long as we know it does not go against the expressed will of God. James 1:5 says “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it shall be given him”.


There is so much more to be learned about this little thing called prayer…it’s not so little. Let us all be encouraged to pray daily and by any means we are led to do so. God is with us and through our intercessor, Jesus Christ, He’s listening.


Heavenly Father, full of grace and mercy, we come before you seeking your forgiveness. Your wisdom and power are beyond our comprehension. We praise you for your unfathomable blessings in our lives. Teach us to pray with confidence and truth while having compassion and love in our hearts to glorify you whenever and wherever knowing you are always with us. Until we are fully sanctified with you in eternity, may we be your vessel to share with others. In His name, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen


 




A Note From the Director of Women’s Ministry


Ministry Together! 


Come join me for service and fellowship on Thursday, April 11th from 9am - 12pm at the Community Kitchen! Let’s work shoulder-to-shoulder in ministry to this worthwhile community ministry. Please RSVP at the email below if you plan to show up! And as always, stop by my office to chat anytime.


Office Hours: Mon - Fri, 9 - 3 in CLC 207, or email mandyw@fpcrome.org

 
 

Spring Bible Studies

Revelation

Led by Mary Holcomb

2nd Monday of the Month

in Fellowship Hall

6:30 pm

 

Romans

Led by Amanda Davidson

Tuesdays thru Apr 30

8:00 am in Van Dyke Room

1:30 pm in Hardy Classroom

Women’s Community Groups

Led by Amy Davis, Robin Sorrow, & Joan Brock

Wednesdays after FPC Family Dinner 

6:15 - 7:15 pm

Nursery provided

 

Summer Bible Studies

Mark your calendars! More details coming soon!

Hosea

Led by Virginia Saunders & Katey Temple

Tuesdays, June 4 - 25

Location TBD

10:00 am

Everyday Gospel Conversations

A 3-week workshop helping women overcome barriers of sharing the gospel & being a witness in everyday relationships

Led by Brittni Hall

Thursdays, May 30 - June 27

Location TBD 

9:30 - 11:00 am

 

Upcoming Events


Women’s Pickleball Fellowship

April 21 at 2:00 - 4:00 PM

Downtown Racquet Center


Cost: $5/person


Bring your own water and a paddle!

(We will have some extra paddles available)


RSVP to Amy Fulton

at 706-266-3584


 

April Birthdays

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT


1


Pam McAbee


Gracie Duggan


Natalie Babington


Alison Davis

2


Kelly Gates

3


Stephanie Stevens

4

5


Donna Chadwick

6


Emily King


Alice Johnston


Julie Grigsby

7


Alyssa Okubo

8



9


Abby Doss


Cindy Davidson

10


Katey Temple

11


Susan Fincher


Jenny Long

12


Larra Schwartz

13


Natalie Stegall

14


Wendy Shaw

15


LeeAnne Darville

16


Terra Jones


Tammy Gaines

17


18


Strom Mull


Julie Fine



19


Grayson Taylor

20


Emily Katherine Johnson


Nancy Bess Johnston

21


Robin Sorrow

22


23




24



25



26


Kit Stockton

27


Amanda Fricks

28


Sheri Hillesheim

29



30







 

Westminster Shorter Catechism


Q #13: Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?


A: Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God.

 
Women's Ministry @ FPC
 
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