Last Park Days Gathering of the Summer

Park Days is meeting one last time for the summer this Wednesday, August 22 at 11am  at Farquar Park in Apple Valley. Pack a lunch and bring the kids for a fun time together at the park! Questions? Contact Katie Rodgers at katierodgers20@gmail.com or 952-997-3686. Bring your friends and neighbors!

Women's Tuesday Morning Bible Study

The women's Tuesday morning Bible Study will begin Tuesday, September 11! Please join us for an inspiring study of the iconic woman of the Bible, Esther. All materials cost only $5 and are written and taught by Sandy Dahlen from SSEFC. Together we will dive into the Word to discover how the obstacles Esther faced relate to the daily challenges we contend with today. Does God have something to reveal to you for such a time as this through this brave woman of the Bible?

Session 1 of the Tuesday Morning Bible Study will run Septebmer 11 through December 4, 2012. The study for Session 2 is TBD and will run January 2013 through April. We meet in the Journey Room at SSEFC from 9:30 to 11 AM. Childcare is available for Birth through K at no cost. You can register online or look for a sign up table at SSEFC on Sunday, September 9. Questions? Call Stephanie Buckland at 952-240-4465 or stephaniej.buckland@gmail.com.

Women’s Monday Evening Bible Study

Women’s Evening Bible Study begins Monday, September 17! Please join us as we meet the 1st & 3rd Monday evenings at 6:30 to 8:15 PM in Room 255 at SSEFC. Our Bible Study will cover the Book of James in the guide, Growing in Wisdom & Faith by Elizabeth George (see book overview below). Registration is available online or you can register at our first Refreshments Social, Friday, September 7, 3 to 6  PM at Mary Dahlen's home (call 952-432-0742 for directions). Also, there will be a table set up on Sunday, September 9 between services for women to register and pick up their books. The cost of the book is $10.  Please call Mary Dahlen 952-432-0742 or Bernie Finne 651-688-8561 with any questions. Hope to see you at Bible Study this Fall! All are welcome!

Book Overview: How can you develop a faith that will remain strong when everyday circumstances get you down? Where can you get the wisdom that will help you to make the right choices in life's many decisions? This book of James gives reassuring answers to these questions and many others. In fact, James provides very practical guidance on the most pressing life issues that affect Christian women daily.

Please Note: Information regarding the weekly ladies' Tuesday morning Bible study to come soon!

A Big Change for Jubilee

Below is the latest update from the Jubilee Planning Committee. Jubilee is changing direction. The one-day event will not be happening this September 22, 2012. Please read and pray for God's direction and the opportunity to minister to those need throughout the year at the Dream Center.

To:Jubilee Planning Committee, Churches, and Volunteers

As many of you know, our Jubilee planning team has been praying for the direction of God's heart for Jubilee 2012. Since the first event in the fall of 2003, Jubilee has seen the hand of God show its outpouring of His love annually through the one-day event, allowing believers from surrounding churches to come and demonstrate the gospel to people throughout our community. Thousands of believers have joined in over the years to be the hands and feet of Christ. The mission has always been a message of hope to each attendee, that through a simple act of generosity, people’s hearts would be open to the gospel, and the seed of commitment in Christ would be planted. Our mission will continue to press in on that same principle, but it will take a different shape this year in 2012.

Over the past 6-9 months, the Jubilee team members and myself have had a sense that God was taking Jubilee to a new beginning to build a stronger bridge to the community to reach the needs of the people and share the gospel with those that are consumed by life's everyday challenges on an everyday basis. All of our team members have sensed the spirit of God moving in us to make this bold change and give up what we have always done so we can produce more fruit in a different venue for the Kingdom of God. Tonight a unanimous decision was made to shift away from the traditional path of a one-day event for Jubilee and move 100% of our focus and effort towards an ongoing ministry for serving people with a 365-day-a-year vision, which we have called the "Dream Center". So to make it clear, we will NOT be moving forward to have a Jubilee one-day event at the Water Park on September 22, 2012. We are going to recast our nets and begin planning to create a new vision around the Dream Center concept in two weeks at "Reach With Me" location listed above. The meeting will begin at 6:30 pm. I will be asking that each team member communicate this message to your churches appropriately. We will also be changing the website for Jubilee to communicate this message as soon as possible. We will communicate that Jubilee is not going away, but we are moving forward with a new vision called the "Dream Center" that will enable us to begin ministering to the needs of the people everyday versus one day a year. The high-level objectives and core mission that are foundational to Jubilee will not change as we recast our vision.

Our leadership team is hoping to gain a broader support of the church community and volunteers as we press forward toward this new vision for Jubilee and the "Dream Center". Please plan on attending the next meeting on August 21st at 6:30 pm at "Reach with Me" as we build the Kingdom together.

In Christ,
Rick Ronchak

NEXT MEETING:  AUGUST 21, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. at

Reach With Me Community Center

15322 Galaxie Avenue, Suite #112

Apple Valley, MN 55124

952-435-6266

VBS is Underway!

What a great first night of VBS! We had around 108 children for the first night! Many of these kids are not from SSEFC so that is awesome. God is so good to bring us these precious opportunities to teach, serve and love on His kids. Please be praying for all the children and the adult and youth helpers as they serve and minister. Thank you so much for all the wonderful willing hands and feet we have this week. Remember, that additional children are ALWAYS welcome...even if they can only come 1 or 2 nights. Don't hesitate to contact jeff@ssefc.org or stephaniej.buckland@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns. See you tonight for Day 2 where kids will learn that God meets all our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus!

Park Days THIS Wed. Aug. 8 @ 11am

Park Days is meeting this Wednesday, August 8 at 11am for a fun time together at Farquar Park in Apple Valley. Pack a lunch and bring the kids! Questions? Contact Katie Rodgers at katierodgers20@gmail.com or 952-997-3686. Hope to see you and the kids at the park. Please bring your friends and neighbors! There will be one more gathering for the summer on Wednesday, August 22. So please mark your calendar.

VBS is Here!

A BIG thank you to everyone who came out to decorate for VBS! Everything looks great and we can't wait for the kids to come and enjoy a wonderful week at SonRise National Park. It really is never too late to sign up and bring kids (ages 3 to entering 6th grade) to VBS. Even if the kids can only come one or two nights. Please bring them! They will have a great time learning, playing, snacking, crafting and singing about the One who gives us everything we need...Jesus! Please contact jeff@ssefc.org if you have questions. Hope to see you at SonRise VBS starting tomorrow, Sunday Aug. 5 through Thursday, Aug. 9, 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Next Book Club: Thurs. Sept. 13 @ 7pm

The next Book Club will meet Thursday, September 13 at 7 pm at Deb Hoekstra’s home (964 Cortland Drive S., Apple Valley). We will discuss the novel, Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate. Copies are available in our church library. Our evening will include a phone chat with the author! So please come ready with some questions. Our group has chatted with Lisa before and she is really funny and easy to talk to.

We have outgrown Ring Mountain Café, so please check the bulletin or this blog for future meeting locations. We will look into the possibility of meeting consistently at SSEFC. Please let Sharon Moore know at bookclub@ssefc.org if you have any questions or suggestions for a meeting location.

Enjoy the novel and we hope to see you and a friend at Book Club September 13. Before me meet, you may enjoy listening to author, Lisa Wingate, and a book club talk about Dandelion Summer. Watch it here (12:37).


Upcoming Meeting Dates and Books:
October 18 - True Valor by Dee Henderson
November 29 - No Greater Love by Kathi Macias
January 3 - Baby It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren