Our church staff is here to help each of us live as a disciple of Jesus Christ who transforms the world. Feel free to contact them.
PHONE 217.793.9760 WWW.SPRINGFIELDFIRST.ORG
PASTORAL STAFF Dr. Roger Ross | Lead Pastor Rev. Mike Whitaker | Pastor Rev. Nicole Cox | Pastor
MINISTRY STAFF Brennan Pappas | Director of Technical Arts Carli Burton | Director of Adult Education & Senior Ministries Chantel Corrie | Director of Connections Chase Carlisle | Director of Contemporary Music Ministries Elyssa Carlisle | Director of Children's & Youth Choirs Lana Salomonson | Executive Director Matt Cleveland | Director of StudentLife Dr. See Tsai Chan | Director of New Life Choir & Handbells Ministries Stacy Kuhlmann | Interim Director of KidLife Ministry
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Aaron Havard | Information Technology Dennie Canny | Facilities Manager Jenny Hutcherson | Admin. Assistant Molly Bettis | Accountant Sharon Sweeney | Executive Assistant
custodial STAFF Renaldo Gayton | Lead Custodian
STAFF emails: First initial and Last name@springfieldfirst.org
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t’s one of my all-time favorite movies. In the original, Billy Crystal plays the part of Mitch Robbins, a husband, father, and radio advertiser who has lost his smile. For his 39th birthday, his two best friends take him on a 600-mile cattle drive for “city slickers.” On the drive, Mitch gets paired up with the Trail Boss. Curly is one of the last of the true cowboys—a surly old guy who doesn't like city folk much. While rounding up the herd, Curly turns to Mitch and says, “Do you know what the secret of life is?"
"No, what?" says Mitch. "THIS," says Curly, holding up a leather-gloved finger. "Your finger?" says Mitch. "One thing. Just one thing," says Curly. "You stick to that and everything else don't mean nothing." "That's great," says Mitch, "but what is the one thing?" Curly says, "That's what you've got to figure out."
Curly knew what all people who have the greatest impact and the most joy discover: the secret to life is focus. What is your “one thing”? Jesus was crystal clear on his. He talked about it all the time. In fact, he really only had one sermon and shared it over and over. Jesus’ one thing was the Kingdom of God. He started his ministry by saying, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17). Just hours before Jesus died, the thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his Kingdom. Following that first Easter, Luke writes in the book of Acts, After his suffering Jesus presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). It was Jesus’ favorite topic. He even taught his disciples to pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. In words and with actions, Jesus did everything he could to paint a picture of what the Kingdom of God looks like. We want to follow his lead in our new series, What on Earth? Our goal is to find practical ways to make Jesus’ one thing our one thing. Once we’ve got that, nothing else matters. By Grace,
P.S. Join in our “One Thing Weekend” on May 6-7 as we find ways to bring God’s Kingdom on earth through humbly serving others. 2 G o o d T i d i n g s / MAY 2017