Celebrate & Recovery

Hi Friends,

Man, this season certainly has been one of ups and downs, and I am not just talking about the weather!  Is it just me or does there seems to be some wide fluctuation of emotions, worries, fears and opinions on a variety of subjects in our country, local community, families, etc.? But even in the turbulence of this world, I sense a peace arising - a wave of recovery coming over our broken land, fractured relationships and hurting lives. I don’t want to celebrate prematurely, but when you begin to see the evidence of cosmic shifts like this it is simply awesome! Recently at Rock Church Amesbury, we’ve witnessed the response of love quieting the storm of hurting hearts and allowing forgiveness to reign. We’ve seen desperate souls find inspiration and hope again. We’ve grieved together through life's losses and found the power of God’s healing in the listening, encouragement and hugs of our brothers & sisters. What I am in awe of is this “Unity in Diversity” that God has created at Rock Church!

How can it be that, although we come from many different walks of life, ethnicities and generations, we can still gather together and be of 1 heart & mind, loving one another beyond our means and connecting together through God’s Holy Spirit.  I hope you've been able to see and be a part of this, but if you haven't, it's not too late. Join us any Sunday morning (Breakfast and LifeGroup at 9am - Worship at 10:10) and celebrate good times - come on!

Old wiring where every break and splice creates degradation and possible disconnects in the functioning of the system.  

Speaking of celebrating, the best place to be on a Tuesday nights is Celebrate Recovery at Rock Church Amesbury where we are together exploring our past hurts, recognizing our part in them and allowing God’s love and forgiveness to mend and replace our bad habits, poor choices, and unhealthy relations with something far better. Visit www.FreedomIsPossible.org to review relevant lessons and resources. Recovery is not just something those who deal with substance abuse issues can do, it is for each and every one of us.  We may think everything is fine and that we are well enough, but unless your name is Jesus there's always more work to do,  Walking out our faith is a lifetime process, but when we intentionally invest in it the rewards can be heavenly (literally and figuratively).  

In case you missed it Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning so supposedly we will have 6 more weeks of winter weather to go.  If that's true, hopefully it'll be mild until spring dawns on us and life awakens anew! 

Peace & Joy,

Pastor Jon

Work party: we are going to having a work party this Saturday February 3rd! We will be working on some small projects at the church. We will be painting, cleaning and some carpentry work. Message Jared LeVasseur with any questions. comment below if you can make it! God bless!!

Super Bowl: It's time for our annual Rock Superbowl Party where we have a huge 200 inch display where (we have been blessed to witness our Patriots comeback twice in the last 3 years), we enjoy the greatest show on Earth, feast & celebrate together! Feel free to bring your favorite app, dish or dessert to share. Water and coffee is provided.  To sign up to bring a dish please click this link www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0E4FA5A82FA3FD0-242018.  Are you ready for some football!!!

Membership & Baptism:  It's never too late until because there's always next time.  But you still have time to participate in our membership class and/or take Baptism on Easter morning.  Please let Deb Haggstrom know if you are interested in either or both by emailing here at deb@rock-church.org.  we will be scheduling the membership session and Baptism 101 classes shortly so be on the look out.

Blue & Best Christmas

On Tuesday evening we held our first annual Blue Christmas Celebration.  It was a service of remembrance & healing of loved ones, circumstances and relationships lost.  It may seem odd to bring up such things at Christmas but by actually bringing these losses into the light we remove them from lurking in the dark edges of our minds, where they cause shame, sadness and hurt.  We wrote the names of lost loved ones, relations and situations on silver ball ornaments to bring them into the light every Christmas.  We should not desire to be visited by Ghosts at Christmas as Scrooge did.  So we lit a candle to bring light in the darkness and talked about how we should deal with the ghosts of loss & change.  Of course I came up with a fun way to remember these tools - in our famous CR fashion as an acronym: GHOSTS

Grieve it - don’t run away!  Instead take time with God, a good friend or with pen & paper and share your feelings, memories and what-ifs.  The best therapy is to cry it out.  Schedule time to honor those who have passed on before you, or those from a past job or home that we've lost touch with and see the good influences they had on your life.  Once your meeting is over schedule your next appointment to grieve.  In the meantime, live without dwelling. The living need your love & attention and you need theirs.  You will find your thoughts turning to your loss, that's normal.  Stop at that moment write down the thought, memory, or insight as an agenda item to share/explore at your next appointment.  
 
Help others - loving on others & focusing on others needs allows God to love us and fill our needs in a supernatural way that makes no sense.   Don’t believe me?... just go feed the hungry or spend time with the lonely and see what God does!   

Open your heart & mind to God and expect Him to fill the void.  Are you ready to allow new relationships God brings your way?  If the answer is no, this perceptive will only harm you further as you miss out on the blessings God has.  In business, there is a rule known as the war of attrition, meaning as a business your sales reps, marketing dept or new product engineers have to continually get new clients and/or products to keep the business thriving while there are losses from clients going out of business, going to competitors or no longer needing your products (obsolesce).  The way to overcome this in business and life is to continually allow new relationships and perspectives to grow us.  Otherwise we continually shrink into our self.

Self-care is essential not selfish.  To help anyone or be able to have healthy relationships & perspectives we need to be physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually well.  This requires activity, intake of healthy food, drink, entertainment habits etc, good friends who listen and share wise advice and constant connection with God.   Just like the tell you on the plane put your mask on before you can put someone else’s on because if you pass-out you no good for yourself or anyone else.   

Trust God and others with the same Love God loves us with.  Unconditional, unmerited, unlimited, uniting love of Christ.  No expectations, no requirements, no bounds and no restrictions.   

Start new traditions - I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people try to hold on to the old traditions, then when others don’t see the value they become annoyed and frustration is created amongst the family.  Instead create new traditions that may incorporate some of the old but allow the young/new people of the family to speak into, feel joy from & ownership in.  Then the new traditions are meaningful and honored by all.

Some times we fantacize of Christmases past but each year brings opportunity for another best Christmas ever.  So here's a few tips for having another BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!

KISS keep it simple & serene-so that in every event, interaction and moment you can do it with excellence.  

Remember the reason-it’s Jesus’ birthday not ours.  All He wants for Christmas is that we focus on the miracle and magnitude of Emmanuel -God coming to Earth to be with and for us!

Don’t be obsessed by giving material gifts to a few but give the greatest gifts to all -kindness, encouragement and joy-filled happy greetings! 

Giving is an opportunity not an obligation.  Give in love, that’s the thought that counts.

Be in the present not about the presents.  Enjoy each and every now moment so there will be no regrets of missing the magic.

Expect nothing or no things and everything & every thing you get will be amazing. 

Breath, pray & tell God all of your worries.  He brings peace, comfort & joy to our worn & rushed hearts.

Being content in all things satisfies hope for all things.  

Honor the past, live, love & laugh in the right now and be ready to respond to God’s best in the future.

Have a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! 

All are invited to Christmas Eve Candlelight service.  Visit www.ChristmasJoy.org for times and locations.

Peace & Joy,

Pastor Jon
jon@rock-church.org
603 234-4721

Loss & Promise

      Tomorrow will mark 19 years since my father passed on from this Earth into Eternity and it’s always a day of remembrance & grieving the loss of my mentor, friend & father. Every Dec 8th I wonder how would things have been different in the life of my family, and what he would have thought of our choices, circumstances and accomplishments if he were still with us. Would he have been proud or annoyed, involved or apathetic, supportive or critical through these formative years of his grandchildren and their parents? Only Julia & Lily were alive when he died (I know he waited until they entered his hospital room before he let go) ...and it’s hard when I think that he never met or saw the birth of Bella or Elijah (who looks a lot like my Dad).

    Of course, I also struggle how my kids never knew him, his sense of humor and his fatherly love that my brother & I got to experience. The only way they get to know him is through our telling of stories, teachings and experiences. I’ve tried to honor the blessing of a great upbringing by he and my Mom by passing on the best to our children. In doing so, I also found that I have a Father that will never leave me. This revelation came to me in dealing with loss of my Dad. See, in my search of the meaning & results of his death, I discovered the one true God, through His son Jesus Christ, as He taught the sermon on the mount in the Book of Matthew chapter 5.   That was a great unexpected gift!

     One of my favorite Christmas memories was going out with my Dad and collecting greens and holly then making a wreath to put on our humble home.  it took up a quarter of the front side of the house as we had a really small house but always the biggest wreath in the neighborhood!  He poured much thought into how that wreath would look and I believe it was his way of honoring our Father in heaven and the gift of His Son Jesus Christ for all of mankind.  It brought joy and cheer to all who saw that giant reminder of the crown of thorns our Lord wore when he freed us from captivity and declared that God's promise was completed with Jesus' last human spoken words "it is finished"!

~

     As we learned last week, God made a promise through the prophets which He made good on the day we remember as the first Christmas - 12/25/0000 (not that we know the exact date..but it's powerful to write out and think about!).  Jesus was not just the fulfillment of an ancient promise to the Jews, but his birth was the introduction of a greater promise to the world. A new way of life, a freedom from the bondage of sin with the security of eternal life for all people and nations.  My hope is in the promise of being united with my Dad again sharing stories, teachings, experiences and of course introducing my children to him in the presence of our Heavenly Father, our Messiah Jesus and in the fullness of the Holy Spirit for all eternity, AMEN!

Peace & Joy,

PJ (Pastor Jon)

PS. Join us in spreading Joy & Cheer together in any or all these events:

This Saturday: We have 10 poinsettias that need to be delivered to 10 elderly seniors in the Plaistow area. We’ll be meeting 8 AM on Saturday Dec 9 at the Rock in Plaistow having some breakfast and hot cocoa before taking the van and heading out to bring Christmas carols and cheer for all to hear. Please let me know if you can make it so we know how much pastries and bagels to pick up. Thank you and God bless us  everyone!

Blue Christmas ~ A celebration and remembrance of love & life
Dec 19th Rock Church Amesbury - Holiday Feast 5:30 PM  Gathering 6:30 PM
As Elvis sang: "I'll have a Blue Christmas without you I'll be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me" 
Many of us identify with the loss of relationships, loved ones or circumstances and how they affect us in the holiday season especially if it's the first time experiencing it without a friend, family member or dearly beloved.  Join us at a special CR evening focused on remembering, celebrating and healing in a time of year that has been and will again be filled with Peace, Hope, Love & Joy.  

Christmas Eve Sunday Morning Breakfast, Lifegroup & Worship:
All Sunday morning activities will meet at the normal times on Dec 24, 2017.  Breakfast & Lifegroup 9 AM Worship 10:10 AM
Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Rock Church Amesbury/Newburyport  
Join us @ Rock Church Amesbury 146 Main Street Amesbury 4 PM  Visit ChristmasInAmesbury.org for more info.
 

Thankful & Grateful

Hi Friends,

Wow a lot has happened this year that my family and I are grateful for (Rachel & I have got to travel for ministry and our relationship, Lily returned home safely after 9 months on the Mission field, Julia & Mitch got married, our Amesbury Church family has grown and been a force For Our Community, etc etc).  With Thanksgiving a week away, my heart is reminded about the blessings and joys we have experienced this year and what is still yet to come.  So why does this time of year seem to be a time where people (including me) are more anxious and rushed rather than at peace and relaxed.   Holidays, family, end of the year deadlines, health concerns, the list goes on!   One of my favorite statements Paul shares in his letter to the Philippians 4:6-7 ”6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Easier said than done but when done things are much easier! 

I left the house this morning with a lot on my mind but I was forced to slow down for a moment as the ATM was being serviced and saw so many peeps taking to Facebook to share the things they are thankful & grateful for.  I have preached on the first Thanksgiving, how to live gratefully and why we all need to be thankful for what God has provided, so it was refreshing to be “preached” to by my friends who are celebrating why and what they are giving thanks for.  Amazing the peace and joy that invades our hearts & minds when we recognize how good God is and fathom what He’ll do next in our lives to blow us away, even in the small ways.

So please join me in taking a moment every day in prayer and petition to be reminded in your heart, renewed in your mind and refreshed in your soul by how much you are loved.   

Peace & Joy,

PJ (Pastor Jon)

PS. Here are some opportunities to experience His love together:

Hospitality Training in Amesbury this Sunday November 19th starting @ 12:30 p.m.   Please join us as we prepare and explore how we can be inviting and welcoming to our community as we enter the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.  Lunch will be provided so please email deb@rock-church.org to let her know you’re coming. 

Community Thanksgiving Dinner   On Thanksgiving Day we will be doing a brand new outreach, providing a full Thanksgiving dinner for anyone who would like to join us.  We need help and donations to prepare the meal.  We are also providing transportation where needed, so we will need drivers.    Contact Laurie Duff care@stmattumc.org for more info.

Membership Inquiry Class   If you are not currently a member of the church, we will be holding a membership inquiry class Sunday November 26th at 2:00 p.m. at our Plaistow campus.  Please contact Lynette lynette@stmattumc.org if you would like to attend.

To Serve & Be Served

Hi Rock Church Family,

September is off with a bang for my family and for our Rock Church Family.  As you may know, Julia my eldest daughter was married to Mitch Grew on September 3rd.  Though it rained that day, God’s grace and mercy was shining down on us beyond our comprehension for our best. Then, on Sept 10th we launched our NextGen kid’s ministry in our redesigned NextGen spaces in all 3 campuses.  Over 75 kids enjoy themselves in our Sunday Morning (NextGen) and Tuesday Evening (The Landing) youth experiences. This past weekend saw even more families and kids join in the fun.  Wow! A big “THANK YOU!” from Rock Leadership for all the hard work to everyone who helped plan, prayed over, built-out, decorate & welcome families and lead the kids on a new adventure at the Rock Block Party!  To learn more please visit www.cometotheparty.org

The party didn’t stop there, as later that day we had our Annual BBQ and Baptism service at Camp Tasker in Newton, NH where 15 were baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!  A special surprise element was added this year as the pastors washed the feet of our leadership and then our leadership washed the feet of their ministry leaders.  In John 13:1-16, Jesus taught us humility in service by washing his disciple’s feet, so we continued for all those who wished to serve or be served for the good of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.  Let us be open to all the passions and means God places on us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength by serving & loving others.

I also want to share with you some other opportunities to serve or be served this upcoming weeks ahead:

FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY-What if you could be debt-free with an emergency fund of 3–6 months of expenses saved, all while investing for retirement and planning for your family’s future? Sound impossible? It’s not! With Dave Ramsey’s class Financial Peace University, you CAN take control of your money. If you’re interested in learning more about the class, contact marie.torris@newbalance.com. We’re offering this great program this fall at Rock Church Plaistow every Thursday 6:30PM just for you starting Sept 28th. for more info visit www.fpu.com/1047889  - Child Care will be provided.

ALIVE! - Women don’t forget to sign up for the Alive Women’s Retreat coming up September 29 and 30. We’re excited to have Kelley Latta coming to minister to us and I’ll be leading a small group about JESUS (what else?).   To register online or for more information please click this link.  You can find more information about Kelley’s ministry at her website and you can find more information from me about Jesus on Sunday in Amesbury.  :) 

ROCK RUN RAISER is approaching fast!  This 2 mile extreme obstacle course race will be at our Plaistow campus on Oct 21st.  We need some Amesbury teams to participate in the race so WHO’S IN? If you’re not up for racing, we also need over 50 volunteers! For those interested in helping please join us for a meeting at Rock Plaistow coming up on Thursday, September 28th at 7pm. More information and registration is available at this link.

May God bless you with a great week!

Pastor Jon (PJ)

jon@rock-church.org

Hero Central

Hi Rock Church family,

Greetings from Hero Central! I wanted to share some of the highlights from our first three days of our week-long day camp program "Hero Central." This week, over 80 kids and 30 volunteers are coming together to discover our strength in God through recreation, activities, music, science, arts & crafts and stories and teachings. So far, it has been super awesome!

Our volunteers are such an amazing team of leaders who have helped to make this camp so organized, relevant and fun, that parents and their junior heroes go out of their way to tell us how
much they love it! We are seeing our heroes experience amazing growth, bringing the lessons they're learning into action, and going beyond what you'd think kids their age could understand & do! 

Thank you to all who have helped for being 100% "all in" by sacrificing your time, allowing God to use your gifts for his glory and blessing our community while impacting families for eternity. And I do believe the impact will have everlasting results we will may never get to see this side of heaven. So thank you, thank you, thank you for trusting and saying "Yes!" to your calling to demonstrate God's heart, courage, wisdom, hope and power. You are God's heroes! 
 

I wish everyone could experience the wonder, excitement and joy the kids radiate as as we travel this too short week together. And in way you can! We have a cookout on Friday afternoon beginning at 4 pm that is open to family and friends of the heroes and volunteers. So if you want to catch some of the glow from this week, join us for our closing celebration and cookout. Now go "Do Good, seek Peace and go after it!" Psalm 34:14b
 
Peace,
 
Pastor Jon

603 234-4721 jon@rock-church.org

Thanks & Pray!

Good day Rock Church family, 

It's great to be back in the states, but boy did we have some powerful experiences in Honduras the last couple of weeks! In three areas of Honduras we had planned to provide for needs physically, spiritually and relationally. Thanks to your faithfulness back home, our Mission team was able to do that and more! All I can say is thanks be to God that His Spirit bound us together in unity and connected us with many partners & communities that will continue to bless our church and the Honduras mission for years to come. 

As you may know, our youth went up to Soulfest yesterday and family campers will be joining them tomorrow to enjoy a great time in community & worship. Please pray that they all have an amazing experience and that the Holy Spirit does a work in transforming hearts and minds to bring people to know Jesus and grow deeper in relationship with each other and with God. 

Talking about worship, have you heard that our Rock Church Amesbury praise team will be leading a worship concert at Salisbury Beach on August 9th?  Come on out to sing praises to God at the beach while supporting the church and the worship team – what could be better?! Concert starts at 7pm, but we’ll be there early to set up tables and get ready.  We’d love your help if you’re up for it!

HERO CENTRAL DAY CAMP: Day camp is right around the corner!  The week of August 14th – 18th we’ll be working to bless the families of our community by hosting a full day camp at a very low cost (currently only $39 for registration!) at Rock Church Plaistow.  If you have a child going into k-8th grade, or know someone who may be interested in attending, we’d love to have them!  We’re also looking for volunteers to help out before, during and after the week so if you have some time and a desire to bless our community while pouring into the next generation, we’d love to have you!  Registrations for campers or volunteers are available online at http://2017.cokesburyvbs.com/rockchurch. We’re looking forward to another great week!

CHURCH PICNIC & BAPTISM: This year we will hold our Rock Church picnic and baptism service at Camp Tasker in Newton, NH on September 10th.  I know this may seem like a world away right now, but will be here before you know it. If you are interested in being baptized in the lake this year, please connect with Lynette Archibald (lynette@stmattumc.org) or you can always just let us know on your connection card on Sunday.

Thanks & Pray!

Pastor Jon (PJ)

603 234-4721  jon@rock-church.org

Meaningful & Life-changing

Tuesday Morning 12 of us have got up and out way before sunrise (or in some cases, never even went to bed) and started on our way to Honduras to serve on the mission field for 10 days.  For some of us, this is a familiar adventure back to people and a place that we have grown to know and love. For others, it is an entirely new and perhaps a little scary adventure into the complete unknown. Either way, I have full confidence that God is leading us into something incredibly meaningful and, for some, perhaps even life-changing.  

The first time we assembled a team to go to Honduras, we had no idea what we were in for. No, really, absolutely NO idea.  We did not understood how it felt to instantly love a place and people that we had never even met before.  We didn’t know that the faces of true poverty and true prosperity could be seen in the same beautiful children playing in the dirt streets of the slums.  We were able to experience these things in a remote orphanage and on the streets of a big city with beautiful kids we couldn’t even talk to, who often kept themselves occupied playing with what we here in the States would consider trash.  And it was life-changing! 

 

One thing we did know was that we were in the perfect center of God’s will.  We did know that God wanted us to go.  And we had prayerfully struggled over where to go and what God wanted us to do there, and we were doing it.  Although we’ve seen so many more things since then, met so many more people and experienced things we never thought (and perchance never hoped) we’d experience, I feel no differently about this mission today.  God has ordered our steps, and is in full control.  For that reason, we go with boldness and with confidence - like warriors with a quiver full of arrows, and we know that we do not labor in vain (Psalm 127). 

We thank you all for your unwavering support for this mission and we would like to offer the opportunity for you to go with us in some small way.  We plan to post regular team updates during our time on mission and hope that you will “Like” our team page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/trustwithoutbordersmissions/ or follow us on Instagram @trustwithoutborders_twb so you don’t miss out on any of what God is doing in and through us in this amazing place. 

Although our hearts and minds will be turned toward the mission before us for the next 10 days, there are a couple of things coming up that I don’t want to neglect to mention:

A few weeks ago Rock Church was the host church at the new Wednesday night Summer Outreach Concert series at Salisbury Beach.  Coming up on August 9th, we will once again be hosting, but the concert that night will feature Rock Church Amesbury’s own worship team!  The concert starts at 7pm, but generally there are folks gathering there by 6pm to get seats, enjoy the beach and some good company.  We’ve been working pretty hard to make this outreach event impactful for all who attend so I hope you’ll put this on your calendar and come out to support our team and have a great night of outreach and worship!

Summer Day Camp is coming up fast!  The week of August 14-18th we will be running a full day summer day camp from 9-4 at our Plaistow location.  Last year was such a great time of connection with the kids and families, but it is a lot of work so we need your help!  Our theme this year is HERO CENTRAL, and you can be a hero too by volunteering any time during the week or ahead of time or afterwards in the evenings with set-up or other administrative tasks.  We’d love to have you!  There will be a volunteer meeting coming up on July 31st at 7pm at our Plaistow campus so I hope you’ll put that on your calendar and let me (jon@rock-church.org) know that you want to be a hero too!  

 

God bless,

Pastor Jon Howard

Jon@rock-church.org

603 234-4721

Slower & Easier

I love the summer! It’s just a time when everything seems a little slower and a little easier.  It can be a time to relax, unwind and just enjoy the beautiful weather God is bringing to us.  But even though I love to kick back during the summer, opportunities for outreach and blessings don’t need to take a break. As you’ve probably noticed recently, summer is in fact one of our busiest outreach times. 

In fact, we had one of our best attended men’s events ever on Monday night, and it was great!  Right around 200 guys gathered together to eat lots of meat, enjoy great company and hear former Red Sox player Rico Petrocelli talk about his Christian walk. The sheer volume of meet really was spectacular and we need to give a big shout out to all the guys working the grill – it was awesome!

Most importantly though, we were able to share that time with many men who had never attended a Rock Church event (and maybe never even ANY church event) before. Let us join together in prayer that these men encountered God in a way they never had before and will make the decision to start on a faith journey that will forever impact their lives and the lives of their families.  Hallelujah!

Another great opportunity to gather is coming up on Saturday evening at the One Response event in Plaistow.  This is a night for believers from all different churches to come together and respond to the amazing things God has done for us.  It is a great opportunity for the whole family to come out together and worship.  Doors open at 6pm and the program will begin at 6:30pm.  For more information, visit www.1onelove.org or email Pastor Dan Elliott at DanE@rock-church.org.

Lastly, I want to ask you to lift up our Honduras mission team who will leave for the 5th trip to serve at My Little Lambs Orphanage and a few other ministries in Honduras on Tuesday, July 18th.  Please keep the entire team and their families staying behind in prayer. 

I look forward to worshiping together on Sunday as we continue our Biblical Life Hacks sermon series studying the Book of Proverbs.  Until then, have a blessed rest of the week!

Peace,

Pastor Jon

jon@rock-church.org
603 234-4721

Response & Dedication

Hope you and yours had a wonderful Fourth of July! Many started the celebration of our nation's Independence Day with the 50th annual Amesbury Pancakes in the Pines. This year was a banner year as people from all Rock Church campuses came together and served over 630 people! Since the merger of Rock Church with First UMC Amesbury, this event has always included a combination of volunteers from all of our Rock Church campuses.  We were so blessed to have record attendance and volunteers, making it possible for some of our people to be available to share time with those that came out on a perfect morning and to show that Rock Church is FOR OUR COMMUNITIES!  

My best guesstimate is that we as a ministry have reached a few thousand people so far in our summer outreach opportunities.  That's pretty amazing considering that this is only the 13th day of summer! I could not be more proud of the response & dedication by our church family in donations, prayers and service so far this year. So on behalf of all of our leadership, THANK YOU! Because of you, we are reaching people who need Jesus, we are growing deeper together and people are using their gifts in service to our great God! 

So what's next?  Well, tonight we do have the first of the Salisbury Beach Outreach Concert Series that is happening for eight consecutive Wednesdays this summer put on by a collaboration of churches and worship teams. We are blessed to host this first event with DRM Band, who we know well as many of their members have often pitched in at our Men's First Mondays and Amesbury campus when we've had need. That's what's amazing about the ("big C") Church and how we are responsive & dedicated to one another in the mission of outreach and discipleship Jesus calls us to. 

Also coming up this month at Rock Church Plaistow is the annual Men's BBQ on July 10 starting at 5:30pm. This is a great opportunity for men to get together with other brothers-in-Christ and guests. So please invite your friends, family and neighbors to join us for this "Meat-A-Palooza" that includes steak tips, burgers and more meat (and I've even heard you can get a side of meat as well to round off the meal). Of course we'll have Hodgies ice cream and a great message in the line-up for dessert as well so don't forget to put that on your calendar!

Summer Life Hack-Cupcake wrapper to catch Popsicle drips...who knew?!

Lastly, I want to lift up Sunday morning and evening worship experiences.  Although summer is often a time when we kick back and relax a little more, let's not forget that there are those around us every day who are desperately in need of Jesus' healing touch. After all, Jesus created the church to be the vehicle for transformation and reconciliation to God. As we continue through our sermon series of Biblical Life Hacks and discover in the Book of Proverbs, let's share this great wisdom & truth with others during this great season of warmth, rest and fun!

Peace,

Pastor Jon
603 234-4721

Enjoy & Relax!

Can you believe that June is coming to a close already and July arrives Saturday? Even so, I'm already hearing ads about back to school shopping and I'm sure Christmas decor & trees will be showing up in stores in no time. But I think we should all just take a little time to enjoy our summer here in New England. Frankly, that's why so many come to our area to vacation this time of year. Summertime in New England is spectacular - seacoast, lakes, mountains - it's really the full package! So let's not become distracted from this great season of Sabbath that we can have with our families and friends.

Last Sunday we started a new sermon series called Biblical Life Hacks where we began to look at truths from the Book of Proverbs. The Book of Proverbs is known for the great wisdom of God that may be found there, but in 1 Corinthians 3:19 Paul writes that, "The world's wisdom is foolishness to God."  Well that certainly seems true when we see a culture often pressuring us into thinking that in order to be good parents or neighbors we need to be rushing and getting ready for things that are months away still! In fact, Jesus tells us not to even worry about tomorrow, "for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) Planning is good and necessary, but let's not let it become an idol and miss today's opportunities.  So let's agree to enjoy this summer and trust God's plan for our future. 

Here are some great summer events that are going on where Rock Church Plaistow has an opportunity to show we are FOR OUR COMMUNITY: 

July 4th Pancakes in the Pines - Next week we celebrate Independence Day. That day was when the colonists won the right to be free from the rule of a king of this world to live in the peace, liberty & joy promised by the King of Heaven. We'd love to invite you to start that day of celebration by having some 'Pancakes in the Pines'. For decades, our church in Amesbury has blessed the community with a pancake breakfast at the Amesbury Town Park. Last year we served over 500 people, and as you can imagine, that takes A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS!  Historically we have had people from all three campuses come out to volunteer and enjoy the morning in good conversations, connections and food. For more information please see last week's newsletter and contact Tom Hodge at tomronda@verizon.net

July 15th One Response Concert Join us at Rock Church Plaistow with Right Hand Shade for an amazing Night of Worship! Admission is free and we'll be doing some well-known worship tunes as well as some originals. Come join us as we lift up our Creator in unity! Rock @ 6 Pastor Dan Elliott will be sharing an encouraging message and guest worship leaders will join us for the event. Doors Open at 6:00pm Program begins at 6:30pm

Soulfest 2017 The week of August 1st  through 5th  we will be taking a group of approximately 120 youth and adults from Rock Church to New England biggest and best Christian music festival, Soulfest.  We camp on site together as a group, share all of our meals together, worship together each morning and experience live Christian music from some of the greatest bands around.  This year's line-up includes: Jars of Clay, Tenth Avenue North, For King and Country, Rend Collective, Matthews West, Crowder, Sidewalk Prophets, Toby Mac and much, much more.  Click here to register before our space is full. 

Camp Rock at Rock Church Plaistow August 14-18 This year we are only having one week of VBS/daycamp and it is going to be an amazing week at our Plaistow campus. Please visit RockDayCamp.org for more information

So remember to plan well, but enjoy the beauty and blessings of this summer before us!

Enjoy & relax!

PJ (Pastor Jon)  jon@rock-church.org

Connect & Bless

Happy first day of summer! What a beautiful day today and what a great weekend to be able to be with you all in Plaistow last Sunday. As we talked about in this week's message, Abram (soon to be Abraham) did not know where God was going to lead him but he followed anyway. God is leading all of us into new pastures and amazing adventures. Here's the thing, we must be able to say Yes I'll go, send me. So please join me in being able to say yes to be FOR Our Community and let's find places and people to connect & bless in our neighborhoods, workplaces, social circles and towns. Be intentionally bold in being friendly and do random acts of kindness as God leads you. 

On Saturday, we had many volunteers come out and serve in the great opportunity to kick off our movement at Plaistow old home day. It was spectacular! We connected & blessed a few hundred families at our booth with water, coffee freeze pops, punch balloons and even Henna tattoos. Also, Nicole Murray drove the Barrel train full of children (& Kurt) in the parade and won third prize! The best though was that some of the families we met were in service with us on Sunday... God is good!

The next opportunity is tomorrow Thursday, June 22nd, at the Block Party in front of our Amesbury Campus. This is a perfect chance for us to again reach out to our community, give away water, coffee and freeze pops etc and entertain the kids with a bouncy house as well.  We’ve heard from many of you that you’ll be there to get the word out with us, but there’s always room for more.  So come on down from 5-8pm and get in on the party!

 

Then Saturday, June 24th is our 2nd Annual Rock Church Missions Golf Tournament.  Our 5th Honduras mission trip is less than a month away and this is our biggest missions fundraiser of the year.  We are still looking for golfers, hole sponsors and volunteers so there is something for everyone!  The Honduras Mission Team will have a table set up and we’ll be selling some authentic Honduran goods and our new mission team shirts.  We’d love to see you there!

Lunch, Fun and Raising?   Yes!

Lastly on Sunday, June 25th, the Honduras Mission Team is hosting a fundraiser at Panera Bread in Plaistow.  Come after service anytime from 12-3pm, eat lunch, bring this flier (also available at any Rock Church campus) and a portion of the proceeds will be donated directly to our Honduras mission.  It’s just that simple! The last time we held this fundraiser at Panera, I met Julie and Chis Palladino and we discussed doing a golf tournament to raise money for missions.  Wow, look, with God’s (and others) help, Julie & Chris are leading us into our 2nd tournament!  Did I say “God is good”?  Well let me add “All the Time”!!!

Peace,

Pastor Jon
jon@rock-church.org (m) 603 234-4721

Firsts & Lasts

3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 14  no these numbers are not the code to the computer in the TV show "Lost" or the winning lottery numbers.  These numbers are the days we have until some special events where we can show that Rock Church is FOR OUR COMMUNITY. Speaking of For Our Community, if you missed the launch of this movement in service this Sunday, Click here to watch the rebroadcast or go to forourcommunity.org to read all about it. So the countdown is on for some amazing opportunities for you, your family & friends!

3 - In three days, on June 17, is Plaistow Old Home Days.  Of course Rock Church will be present with our booth so that a family we can connect, invite and bless our neighbors and their families and let them know that Rock Church is FOR them.  Nicole will be driving the barrel train in the parade, which is super exciting, so come on down to be part of the action!

4 - This Sunday we share the second half of the For Our Community movement message and initiatives.  It is also Father's Day!  So invite your father or father figure to one of our worship services where they can be blessed with great worship, great people and a special gift! 

7 - In 7 days will be the first day of summer and the last day of school in the TImberlane Regional School District. Please keep our children & families in prayer for a safe and wonderful summer break! 

8 - Marks the kick off of Amesbury days where Rock Church Ministries will have four events over 2 weeks that are great opportunities for community and outreach.  This takes a LOT of volunteers so please visit Pastor Rachel's LOVE. GROW. SERVE. blog from 6/14/17 for more all of the details on how you can help. 

10 - Rock Church Missions 2nd annual golf Tournament June 24, 2017 Shotgun start at 1:00 pm $100 registration fee includes: 18 holes, golf cart, prizes and BBQ! There are still openings for golfers, hole sponsors, volunteers and donors! All proceeds to benefit Rock Church Missions. Registration forms available at all campuses or Register online at rock-church.org/rockgolf!!

14 - ATTENTION MS & HS Students and Youth Leaders! Mark your calendars for a fun event booked for Wednesday, June 28th at Launch in Methuen. The cost is $20 for 1 hour of jumping, 2 slices of pizza, unlimited soda, and special socks needed in the arena. We have reserved 20 spots available on a first come first serve basis.  No registration necessary please email our Sandown youth leader Heidi Mongeau if you are interested and go to our website by clicking here to print & fill out the waiver.

God bless,

Pastor Jon Howard c: 603 234-4721 e: jon@rock-church.org

Baptized & Membered

What an amazing weekend we just had,  with just shy of 50 people becoming members of Rock Church Ministries at each of our 5 services, 25 of those new members at our Plaistow campus alone! It was a great way to celebrate the end of our sermon series talking about what it truly means to be of one heart and mind, as the family of God.  We have heard that there are still some folks who want to take membership, but were not able to be with us last week and so we want to offer that opportunity again in the next few weeks. If you weren't able to do so last weekend, but are interested in taking the important step of church membership, please reach out to Lynette at lynette@rock-church.org or write it on your connection card this Sunday so that we can connect with you and the necessary arrangements.   

On top of that this past Sunday we had our first in-service full immersion baptisms at our Rock Church Amesbury campus.  There 6 of our brothers and sisters who have been amazingly transformed by Christ followed His lead and received baptism in front of their friends and family. God is good...all the time! We plan to offer in-service immersion baptism at each of our sites in the future, but the next opportunity will be on August 20th after services at our annual church barbecue at Camp Tasker in Newton, NH.  If you are interested in being baptized in August, it isn't too early to let us know now! Email Lynette to let her know or feel free to write it on your connection card and drop it in the offering on Sunday.

PLAISTOW OLD HOME DAY - I know it hasn't seemed like it recently, but summer is almost officially here and Plaistow Old Home Day is a great way to kick it off!  Old Home Day is quickly coming up on Saturday, June 17th (that's only nine days away!) and we are once again looking to reach out in our community and be a light to those around us. As we have for many years past, we will have a booth where will be give away water and other goodies and just talk with and bless our neighbors. We need help getting ready on Friday night before, as well as at the booth on Saturday from 9am to 3pm, in shifts of a couple of hours each.  We would really appreciate your sacrifice and willingness to be for our community. Feel free to email me and let me know if you're able to help Friday night with preparation or Saturday at the booth during Old Home Day. 

I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I will tell you that we have a special two week sermon series starting this Sunday that you won't want to miss.  It is about being for our community and sharing with our neighbors what we are FOR, rather than what we are against as the body of Christ. This is going to be a powerful movement throughout the summer & beyond and I hope you can join us this Sunday to be part of it.  

We hope to see you then!

Peace,

Pastor Jon (m) 603-234-4721 (e) jon@rock-church.org

Play & Serve

Hi Friends!

June is here and with it comes some nice summer weather, yay! I can't wait to play & serve in our first night of volleyball this evening on the sand court at Rock Church Plaistow. We will be meeting there 6 PM every Monday and Thursday weather permitting throughout the summer. 

Also today we are blowing up the hot tub and testing it out in anticipation of the baptisms in Amesbury this Sunday. Also, this Sunday is Pentecost and we will be taking in new members at all our campuses. Pastor Steve has two more membership classes set up for this Saturday, 10 AM in Sandown and 1PM in Plaistow… so it's not too late if you’d like to find out more about membership. Just email Lynette ASAP if you plan to attend.

We want to lift up some service opportunities coming up this summer.   We will need many volunteers to continue the mission God has called us to as a church - to reach & disciple people for Christ. First, we have Plaistow Old Home Day coming up on June 17 where we have had a booth for over a decade now.  This event is where Rachel and I first met Pastor Steve and others people from The Rock back in 2007.  I remember being impressed with the passion and love of the folks at the booth. It was a non-threatening place to “get a taste” of the Rock before we started attending in 2008.  Please consider helping us in connecting and blessing our neighbors at this wonderful community event. 

It’s funny, I remember mentioning golf that day at the 2007 Plaistow OHD and some of the guys engaged with me about playing.   Now we have our 2nd annual Rock Missions Golf Tournament on June 24th.  We still need folks to play & serve at this great opportunity for connection, fundraising (last year we raised $2500 for our mission fund) and fun.  We are looking for golfers, volunteers, hole sponsors and silent auction donations. Please visit www.rock-church.org/rockgolf for more info.

Also, we have Amesbury days (June 22nd- July 4th). We typically participate in four different events ending with our awesome pancake breakfast in the Pines on July 4.  Here’s the schedule for the events we participate in at Amesbury Days:

June 22nd  5-8 PM Block Party right out in front of Rock Church Amesbury – Activities and booth

June 29th 10AM -2PM Kids Day in the Park Activities and booth

July 3rd Amesbury Fireworks 6-9 PM - Booth

July 4th Pancakes in the Pines 6-11AM (Rock Church event!)

In August we will have our 2nd Camp Rock summer day camp/VBS program at Rock Church Plaistow 8AM-4PM 8/14th - 18th . We will need counselors (16+), counselors in training (freshman and sophomores), station leaders, assistants and general helpers. For more info please visit www.rock-church.org/camprock

If you're interested in helping us with any of these events please contact me.  Have a great day and may God bless you and yours!

Peace & Prosperity,

Pastor Jon (PJ)

(m) 603 234-4721 (e) jon@rock-church.org

Blessings & Kids

Wow, let the good times roll!  We had some awesome events this weekend in Haverhill, Sandown and Plaistow to connect, bless (literally) and have fun among our friends, families & neighbors. First off, on Saturday Morning in Sandown we had our 3rd annual blessing of the bikes.  It was amazing to be able to pray over the motorcycles of the great folks who have a passion to ride and have community on the open road.  Many of the biker groups that came, serve God and the least in ways that others can’t or don’t want to.  Only together the body of Christ is complete and so we bless our Bikers in this next season of riding and ministry of 2017. 

In Haverhill, our Celebrate Recovery folks were walking & talking to fight addiction and the issues & pain it brings.  The Jericho walk was super well attended and our CR leadership & attendees met and invited many to our Tuesday evening program that has already seen many transformations.  Talking about CR, our friend Anthony Greve came last Tuesday evening & shared a great message and many received God’s healing on their lives and bodies through faith in the power of Jesus. 

On Sunday, was Kid’s Day and man did we party!  There was great food, fun and friendships being had by all.  The kids enjoyed an egg hunt, played games, got barrel train rides and bounced around in either the giant soccer ball or the bouncy house.   Thank you to all the volunteers, teachers and families that made this year spectacular.   Some other things on the horizon for Rock Church are:

OUR HOT TUB HAS ARRIVED!  If you haven’t heard, we ordered an inflatable hot tub for our first in-service immersion Rock Church baptism service in Amesbury on Pentecost Sunday on June 4th. We have several people who have already come forward wanting to make this public profession of faith, but I want to make sure to get to word out so that all interested in being a part of this service have the opportunity to do so.  There is something sacred and holy about taking this step in front of your church family and friends, to be immersed below the water and emerge knowing that God has done this work for your good and that your sins are washed away.  Hallelujah!  If you are interested in being baptized and you haven’t yet spoken to us or written it on your connection card, please contact me so we can talk further about this important and powerful step in our journey of faith together. 

PENTECOST SUNDAY June 4th: we will also have the honor of welcoming in new members to our church.  This is also always a moving demonstration of commitment and love within our church family and we are actually going to be talking further about membership as we start to wrap up our 1❤️&Mind series this week. Again, if you are interested in church membership and you haven’t yet spoken to us or written it on your connection card, please contact me.  I always hope to see you all there on Sunday morning, but this week especially I hope to see you so we can explore together what it means to be a member at Rock Church Ministries. 

LILY HOWARD: Our daughter, Lily, is preparing to head home after 9 LONG months in the mission field.  She will be flying back to the States on Friday and then will be in Atlanta until she flies home on Saturday, June 3rd.  We humbly ask for your prayers for safety for her squad during her remaining days in the Philippines and for safe travels as they return stateside. She is scheduled to fly into Boston around 3pm on June 3rd and we will be organizing a welcoming party to meet her at the airport.  If you are interested in joining us, let me know and we’ll save a seat for you in the van! 

Blessings on the rest of your week as we look forward to continuing on this journey together in 1❤️&Mind as the family of God.

Peace & Prosperity,

Pastor Jon (PJ)

(m) 603 234-4721 (e) jon@rock-church.org

Love & Forgiveness

Good Day Friends!

90 degrees sneaks up quick on us here in New England but I am not complaining, that’s for sure!   I love warm weather (but can do without the humidity) and the flavors and smells of summer are right around the corner.  So why am I going to talk about wool and snow today?  Not because I am crazy or love winter (frankly I hate anytime I can’t wear shorts, I know riiiight!) but because Tuesday we talked about God’s love and forgiveness that is soooo amazing. 

At Celebrate Recovery I shared how often in our lives we say to God “Show me the money!”.  Maybe we don't use the exact words of Cuba Gooding JR. in the movie Jerry McGuire but certainly we want God to prove his power and might in our life and circumstances.  Interestingly enough, God’s answer is much like the “sage agent” Jerry McGuire as he himself exasperates “help me help you!”  See… God wants to help us in the business of love & forgiveness but often we are the roadblock to His best.   You may feel that the guilt and shame of your past is just too much to forgive.

This is what God wants you to do with the darkness of your past (enjoy the frankness): “Come, let’s talk this over! Says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen now. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool 19 If you will only let me help you, if you will only obey, then I will make you rich!” (Isaiah 1:18-19, TLB).  Wow our God is good..all the time… Literally He is waiting for us help Him help us. 

This week we have a special guest speaker that has been a blessing to our ministry and that we, as a church, have been a blessing to him.   Anthony Greve is a testimony & witness to the power of God (see his story at www.anthonygreveministries.com) and has been called to evangelize and bring God’s healing to minds, bodies and souls.  Join us at Rock Church Amesbury, 146 Main Street, next Tuesday May 23rd at 5:30 for dinner and 6:30 for this special experience.  Visit www.freedomispossible.org for more information. 

There are many other great events coming up this week as well.  We have the Blessing of the Bikes on Saturday (see facebook event here), the Rock Church Membership Class Sunday May 21st @ 2pm at Rock Church Plaistow (click here to email Lynette to save a seat) and the start of the Coed Beach Volleyball season Monday May 22nd @ Rock Church Plaistow’s sand court.  There are 2 opportunities to play every week, Mondays & Thursdays (weather permitting) at 6 PM.  Hope you all can find a place to plug in and connect with these or other lifegroups & events this summer.  God bless you and keep you cool!

Peace & Prosperity,

(PJ) Pastor Jon (m) 603-234-4721 (e) jon@rock-church.org

Renew & Grow

Hi Rock Church Fam!

As the trees buds are springing into leaves, flowers are blooming and grass is greening, we can see renewal and growth all around us. We are excited at the way God is growing in us and the ways we can invite and share the love of God with others. Check out a few ways He has, is and will continue to work through and in us by His leading, presence and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

CONCERT: this weekend we had our spring concert with our amazing worship choir of our brothers and sisters from all of our campuses and beyond. WOW! Both evenings were perfectly full of guests and the Holy Spirit. This powerful event reached and touched the hearts of many and God is using this opportunity to help people know, renew and grow in His grace & truth. We celebrate your faithfulness in inviting, supporting and attending. Thanks be to God for you, our Choir, our leadership and our guests!

MOTHER’S DAY: What a great day to celebrate and thank our Moms for their sacrifice and love in the ways they have protected, comforted and raised us up.  Invite them to  join you and your family in worship this Sunday.  If you would, please take a selfie in the lobby/sanctuary with mom, or take a family picture later in the day or one of your family favs from the past and post it out on social media using #momsrock.  I’d like to collect them to create a collage and special message for our Moms. 

BLESSING OF THE BIKES: Last year we had over 80 bikes and 100s of Bikers and their family came out for breakfast and blessings at our Rock Church Plaistow campus. This year we are expecting even more and are hosting the blessing at our Rock Church Sandown campus at St Matthews. Join us Saturday May 20 @ 9am for a continental breakfast followed by the blessing of the Bikes from our Rock Church Pastors. Then the bikers will roll out for a two hour ride returning to St Matts and "fueling back up" enjoying conversation, community and cookout. If you would like to help or supply a salad or dessert please contact Jen Johnston at keith.johnson1@comcast.net. For more info please contact Pastor Frank at frank@stmattsumc.org

MEMBERSHIP:  There will be a gather for those who are interested in learning about what it means to take the step to become a member of our church body on May 21st at Rock Church Plaistow at 2:00pm.  If you are interested in attending this gathering, please make a note on your connection card or contact Lynette Archibald (lynette@stmattumc.org).  If you are interested, but are unable to attend on May 21st, please contact me, P.Jon, (jon@rock-church.org) or Pastor Steve (steve@rock-church.org) or make a note on your connection card, and we’ll be happy to talk further about this important step in the life of the church body.  All new members will be welcomed in at Sunday morning service on Pentecost Sunday, June 4th. 

BAPTISM: Speaking about important steps of faith, also on June 4th we will be offering the first “in-church” immersion baptism service for Rock Church Ministries at Rock Church Amesbury during service.  We are excited about sharing this opportunity with anyone who is feeling led by the spirit to be baptized.  If you are interested in baptism, please connect with Debra Haggstrom (deb@rock-church.org) or you can always just write “YES, I want to be Baptized!” on your connection card on Sunday.

Peace and Prosperity,

Pastor Jon (PJ)

 

Mission & Vision

Good morning friends,

Today is our National Day of Prayer here in the United States of America and I would encourage each one of us to take time today to pray for our families, church, communities, state and country. Please pray for our leaders, for our children, for our seniors, for our neighbors and for God's love to be welcomed in to all hearts and minds. Talking about hearts and minds I hope you're enjoying, as much as I am, our new series 1❤️&Mind, and how this week we discussed the mission and vision placed upon us by God for Rock Church Ministries.

As Pastor Steve shared on Sunday that our mission is "To reach and disciple people for Christ." That the great commission of evangelism is the most important task Jesus gave us.   A decision for Christ as Lord is the only thing on this earth that has eternal consequences. Discipleship is equally as important as we need to help water the seed so God can grow it into a plant that can bear fruit. I remember last year when the community garden in Plaistow (and much of the rest of the town) ran out of water.  There was a call we put out for people to bring water to our community garden to help our plants continue to grow and they responded and their kindness produced much fruit & vegetables for people that had need. Otherwise the garden would've shriveled and died. Let's also make sure that we are pouring in and  encouraging one another. Life groups is a great place to be able to do this. (Click here for our current lifegroup listing)

This weekend our Pastors shared that our vision is that 1. we need to put priority on the things that are going to take our resources to sow seeds and help people to grow. 2. We need to be Praying that seeds are sown and watered. and 3. we should put our faith into practice by inviting neighbors in person or through social media, by mentoring and being part of a lifegroup, and then serving together through and with our gifts & talents. We are on a spiritual journey together of 1❤️&Mind, and all in to the mission & vision of our Rock Church Family. 

We are asking all our church family to invite others to our Rock Church Spring Concert coming up this weekend through personal invitation & social media and we have events out there to be shared. You can click here to go to our Rock Church Ministries facebook page event and invite friends or share it with friends, family, neighbors and coworkers.  I can't wait to celebrate this weekend and sow & water in this great spring season of ministry together!

Peace,

Pastor Jon (PJ)

 

1 Heart & Mind

Hi friends, What a another great weekend! On Saturday we had two events in our building and one outside our walls. We hosted 20 or so local pastors including some of our own for our continued Local Pastor Course of Study Program where we learn and discuss foundations of our faith and how best to reach and disciple people. At the same time, one of our Rock Church children's leader Chrissy Rupp led us through the amazing teachings and truth of the Empowered Parenting workshop. We believe this will be an amazing foundation for families in our communities to flip them upside right and begin healing them. We learned how to assess our children and our parenting styles to understand how best to connect with our children and lead our families well. Our Youth Director, Sheri Williams organized a group of volunteers to join Plaistow citizens for an Earth day clean our town initiative organized by the Plaistow Recreation Commission. Thank you all for the many blessing this weekend! 

On Sunday, we began our new sermon series, 1❤️&Mind, talking about what it means to live as the family of God.  If you were able to be with us or would like to enjoy the worship and/or review Pastor Steve's message again please go to our Teaching sermons by clicking http://www.rock-church.org/sermon-series/

As you may know, many of our friends and neighbors (including most of my family, Rachel, Julia, Bella & Elijah) and our Timberlane Regional High School Marching Band, Choir & Orchestra performed @ Disney World to kick off NH April vacation week.  My Daughter Bella and the TRHS Orchestra played on Sunday afternoon @ Disney Springs. on Monday Morning Elijah carried his bass drum as the TRHS marching band came right down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom.   Plaistow and our other Timberlane towns were made proud by their school's teachers, parents and students working together to share & bless other vacationers with many great performances.

Lastly, I want to lift up the upcoming Spring Concerts on May 6th and 7th at our Plaistow campus featuring the Rock Church Ministries’ Worship Leading Choir.   If you haven’t been to one of our choir concerts before, they are always uplifting and powerful events that you don’t want to miss.  These concerts are also great events to invite a friend to, so grab some invitation cards this Sunday and pass them out to friends or leave them in a local coffee shop or eatery. You never know what impact an invitation may have on someone’s life!

Also we will need a few hands to help set up the platform for the concert right after the 11:11 service.  So if you can help out please stick around, as many hands make light work.  Thank you!

Peace,

Pastor Jon (PJ)