Vol. 24| Iss. 9| September 2020
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LOVE FIRST CHRISTIAN CENTER OFFERS LIFE UNIVERSITY CLASSES Staff Report
Hooked On Books
16 Left Behind
18 Fruit of the Spirit
Columns: Grace Notes: Hooked On Books: Crafts For Kids: Faith & Footprints:
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Love First Christian Center is starting four new series of virtual classes this month, with topics ranging from parenting to biblical foundation. GriefShare, a 13-week program, will take place from Tuesday, September 8 to Tuesday, December 1. GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. “It may be hard for you to feel optimistic about the future right now. If you’ve lost a spouse, child, family member or friend, you’ve probably found there are not many people who understand the deep hurt you feel,” said Love First’s Phaaedra Parker McKesson. “This can be a confusing time when you feel isolated and have many questions about things you’ve never faced before.” A recent attendee said, “Going to GriefShare feels like having warm arms wrapped around you when you’re shivering.”
GriefShare and parenting are two of the class topics available through Love First Christian Center starting in September.
Art of Parenting Small-Group Series, an eight-week virtual class, will take place from Monday, September 14 to Monday, November 2. The Art of Parenting class guides parents on their journey to make their faith a core aspect to their parenting. Attendees will learn intentional, biblical instruction and Christ-centered plans that “Aim children’s hearts toward God.” Parents will gain fresh insights on parenting children of different ages and plan unique ways to enhance each child’s personality and gifting. A class titled Single & Parenting will take place for 13 weeks, starting on
Monday, September 14. This group addresses how to deal with the deep-down worries and day-to-day struggles of single parents. The Biblical Foundations Discipleship class will take place virtually from Tuesday, September 15 to Tuesday, November 17. “There are certain teachings of the Bible that every Christian must know,” said McKesson. “Knowing the basic teachings of the Bible is important because what we believe affects how we live. Whether you’re a relatively new believer in Jesus or a mature Christian looking for a better understanding of the basics of the faith, Christian Beliefs is for you. You will learn about the Bible, the characteristics of God, what it means that we are created in the image of God, what God has done for us in Christ, the purpose of the church and much more.” To register for any of these classes, visit lfcc.tv/register.
GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH LAUNCHES VIRTUAL CHOIR PROGRAM
By Laura Tamayo
With all the chaos that seems to never stop in the world right now, community projects that boost morale are more welcomed than ever before. Tracie Ashley, a Lithia resident and pastor at Grace Community United Methodist Church (GCUMC), has taken on an event that is a perfect example. She recently came up with the idea for a virtual choir, held by her church, that will take place in late August or early September. This bright notion was inspired by similar proceedings being undergone by other churches and organizations around the country due to the quarantine. “During COVID, many kinds of virtual choirs have popped up. Once I saw them, I couldn’t help but think it would be good for our community too,” said Ashley. The online ensemble is open to all musicians of all ages that miss playing their instrument or miss utilizing their singing voice and want to join in. Ashley hopes that this will help bring a wider demographic together for a little escape from the outside reality. The only criteria to be a part of the choir is residing in the general Lithia area, simply to
The event-runner, Tracie Ashley, invites all musicians to join this virtual ensemble; the more, the merrier!
avoid stretching GCUMC too thin. According to Ashley, the songs that are going to be played are to be determined but she stresses that they will have an uplifting tone in order to maximize rise in community spirit. “Music has a beautiful way of reminding us all that we need each other and that we belong to one another. Songs will be chosen to lift up that message of hope and unity,” she explained. Currently, the chorus is in the planning session and in August, GCUMC will send out links for people to sign up to participate. From there, they will be given instructions on how to record themselves and return that recording to be put together into the choir format. Although this may sound complicated, Ashley stated that it is much easier than it sounds and any participant can even complete their recording from their phone, if necessary. If you’re interested in this simple way to alleviate stress, whether it be COVID-19-related or not, you can find more information on Ashley’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/tsashley/ or email her at tracie@mygraceumc.com.