facWEEKLY January 9
We hope you've had a good week, FAC Family! Here are just some of the great things happening in the coming weeks.
Check out "What's Happening" for a full list of events taking place this quarter.
Worship This Sunday
Five Prayers | Week 1: The Prayer of Jabez | 1 Chronicles 4:9–10
Maybe you remember a craze in the early 2000s where Christian publishing was all in on the prayer of Jabez. From coffee mugs to neckties, this prayer was reprinted over and over again. I’m not sure the message of the passage survived the marketing. What is the heart of this prayer, and what can we learn from this short prayer in the Old Testament?
Join us this Sunday as we begin our look at Five Prayers we can be praying in our lives.
Financial Peace University
Dates: Sundays, January 11–March 8
Time: 4–6pm
Place: in room B106
Cost: $99.99
Do you ever feel like you just can't get control of your money? You are not alone. You'd be surprised how many people are struggling with finances just like you. Our culture is designed to weigh you down with credit cards, car loans, and student loans. It can be overwhelming…but it DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. All you need is a little bit of knowledge, a little bit of direction, and a whole lot of encouragement from people who are on the same journey toward financial freedom. Financial Peace University is the perfect place to find all of this!
Join the Financial Peace University class starting on Sunday, January 11 at 4:00 PM in room B106. Break free from financial pressures, get out of debt, and learn life changing money principles. To register, click the button below. Interested participants should contact Dan Barnett at dbarnett@facerie.org if cost is prohibitive.
Bible Reading Plans
Reading the Bible on a regular and consistent basis has several benefits. First, the Bible shows us God’s character and provides God’s revelation of Himself to His people. In each section of the Bible, we see God’s holy, unchanging, faithful, gracious, and loving character.
Second, in 2 Timothy 3:16–17, it says that the Bible is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” The next verse goes on to say that this leads to the completeness and equipping “for every good work.”
Third, regularly reading God’s word reorients our thinking so that we can grow in maturity. Have you ever met a mature Christian who did not regularly read the Bible? We want to help you, so we have provided two different plans: 1) Read through the whole Bible in three years and 2) Read through the New Testament in one year. Both plans give you the weekend off in case you miss a day.
Take the challenge! There are a limited number of copies at The Hub, or you can click on the button below.
GriefShare - Loss of a Spouse Seminar
Date: Wednesday, January 14
Time: 1–4pm
Place: In room B106
Cost: $10.00 (Includes participant guide)
Grieving the death of your spouse? You have come to the right place...welcome to GriefShare's Loss of a Spouse seminar. Your life has changed forever. The daily emotions and challenges can seem too hard to bear. God has a plan for your journey of grief, and we have loving and caring people to help you during this time.
Blood Drive
Date: Monday, January 19
Time: 9am–1pm
Place: in the FAC Gym
FAC is hosting a blood drive with the Community Blood Bank on Monday, January 19, from 9am–1pm in the gym. One donation can save 3 lives! Community Blood Bank is the sole supplier to our local hospitals. This means your donation can help a neighbor, friend, or loved one in need. Please consider taking a moment of your time to help those in need. All donors get a 60th anniversary sweatshirt! You can sign up by clicking the button below. If you need help signing up, stop by The Hub on Sunday. We hope to see you on the 19th!
Sr. Adults Movie & Pizza Night
Date: Friday, January 23
Time: 6–9pm
Place: in the Youth Center
Cost: $5 per person
Come for a fun evening of food, fellowship, and entertainment. Pizza and beverages will be served for dinner followed by a movie. And of course, there will be popcorn!
We will be watching "Amazing Grace." This movie portrays the life and work of the British politician and abolitionist Wilbur Wilberforce to abolish the trade in enslaved Africans.
Sign up at the Senior’s table in the lobby or by clicking the button below. Deadline to sign up is Tuesday, January 20.
GriefShare – Grief Support Group
Dates: Wednesdays, January 28–April 22
Time: 1–3pm
Place: in room B106
Cost: $20 (Includes workbook)
Thanks for being a part of a growing number of people that are open to the grieving process and want the support that GriefShare provides. We know it hurts and we want to help turn your mourning to joy.
There is a fee collected at the first session so that you may receive your very own workbook, even for the returning participants with this updated version.
We look forward to meeting you and walking side by side with you during this very difficult time. For more information and to register, click the button below.
Men’s Retreat at Miracle Mountain Ranch
Dates: Friday, January 30–Sunday, February 1 (Saturday night optional)
Place: Miracle Mountain Ranch, Spring Creek, PA
Cost: $155 (includes all housing, meals, and activities)
In a culture in which God’s Word and biblical manhood are often under attack, it has never become more necessary than now for men to strengthen and encourage one another towards spiritual growth. “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17). In response to this need, FAC Men's Ministry is excited to join with Miracle Mountain Ranch for our annual Men’s Retreat.
For more information and to register, click the button below and mention “First Alliance Church” as the Group Name.
If cost is preventing you from attending, please contact Wes Palmer (wbpalmer8@gmail.com) for more information.
Could you use help with your heating bill?
LIHEAP is a program to help lower-income individuals or families with their heating bills. You might be surprised to find out you qualify! For instance, a 1-person household can make almost $23,500 annually, and a family of 4 can have a household income of over $48,000! Click on the link for more details about applying and to see if you qualify.
Prayer for International Workers, Chris & Liz in North Africa
Chris and Liz are international workers supported by FAC. They serve in N. Africa. Pray for favor for us with officials, business contacts and society in general. Pray that we would be well-established here for the long term, that all our families could be settled here in our city, and that our Heavenly Father would establish the work of our hands.
You can learn more about Chris and Liz by picking up a copy of our “Prayer Guide for World Missions” at the Missions Table near the entrance of the Worship Center. You can partner with Chris and Liz in ministry by giving to the FAC Missions Fund.
Do You Have a Prayer Request or Praise?
"Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere" (Ephesians 6:18, NLT).
The staff and elders at FAC would love to pray for you. Send your request or praise to Pastor Scott through the form below.
Finance Information
Father, as we lay before you our financial offering, we give you all that we are and everything that you have entrusted to us. Bless these gifts for the sake of your kingdom and glory.
General Fund
Last Week
Actual: $40,162
Budgeted: $22,881
Prior Year Comparison: $12,082
Year To Date
Actual: $420,870
Budgeted: $411,854
Prior Year Comparison: $401,748