april 2014 LIFE How to Grow at The Orchard in 2014 At The Orchard, we talk often about ROOTS, LIFE, and FRUIT, but what do those words really mean? Why are they so important? Does being involved in ROOTS, LIFE, and FRUIT ministry really help us to grow? In February, our campus pastors helped us understand how to grow through digging deep ROOTS into God’s Word. In our second installment in the series, How to Grow at The Orchard in 2014, we’ll take a closer look at how being involved in LIFE helps us to grow. We find life in Jesus Christ and share that life together, primarily through LIFE Groups. Leader is Shepherd Each LIFE Group is led by a mature, faithful believe who is responsible for shepherding the group. Leaders pray for their group members, ensure the study of God’s Word is accurate, serve as a conduit for information between the church and the group, and make sure those in the group are being cared for. As you read below, you’ll see the significant role that LIFE Group leaders play in the lives of their group members. Intercession Kathy Ruda, Arlington Heights Campus Our LIFE group regularly prayed for a man in our group who had lost his job and needed to find a new job. He knew this would be a challenging job search. Over many months, he shared and we prayed about what was happening with networking, interviews, rejections, and the impact of all of these on his attitude, his wife, and his relationship to the Lord. We saw God working as the Lord opened up opportunities for him to share his faith through his networking groups, giving him discernment on specific jobs, giving him a loving, supportive, and patient wife, and ultimately providing him a job in a field that was completely outside of his previous work experience. Though this man greatly appreciated our interceding for him, we were all blessed by his transparency, his perseverance, and his trust in the Lord to provide all he needs. Fellowship Around the Word Greg Domsten, Barrington Campus My Men’s LIFE Group is easily one of the highlights of my week. Meeting together as men seeking to be more Christ-like provides us with ongoing encouragement, motivation, conviction, and accountability. Furthermore, being in prayer for each of the guys in our group, as well as knowing they are praying for me, strengthens not only our relationships with each other, but also draws me closer to the Lord. One example of this was after I shared a challenge I was facing; the following week one of the men shared with me that he had been thinking of and praying for me often throughout that week. This brought great encouragement to my family and me. One of the blessings of our group is the different perspective each man brings to our discussions because of our varied backgrounds and faith journeys. As a result, my eyes may be opened to something new in a passage of Scripture I have read many times before because of something that struck one of the other guys in the passage. This “give and take” is one of the great benefits of being in a LIFE Group where each member is striving to be more like Christ. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” I am further sharpened each time we meet together, and I thank the Lord for the blessing of my men’s group and each man in it. Encouragement and Care Cheryl Schumann, Marengo Campus I was involved in a small group at another church. When my leader started attending The Orchard’s Marengo Campus, I spent much time in prayer and knew that God was leading me to attend The Orchard, too. My husband, who had not attended my previous church, came with me to The Orchard every Sunday starting in October 2013. The small group I had been involved in came under the leadership of Pastor Jared and became a LIFE Group. On December 20, 2013, my husband died of a massive heart attack after shoveling the snow from our front walk in preparation for my LIFE Group Christmas party at our house that evening. My LIFE Group, along with so many from The Orchard, supported me and my family tremendously during this difficult time. They prayed, brought food, and gave us the encouragement and support we needed at that very difficult time. Pastor Jared was an amazing example of what a shepherd looks like and had great wisdom in advising me and my family about decisions that we needed to make. God knew I was going to need the love, prayers, and support from my new church family. If you aren’t in a LIFE Group, try one. This is one way God takes care of our needs, keeps us accountable, helps us grow in His Word, and allows us to have fun and make new friends with other believers. “Why Should I be in a LIFE Group?” Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” When my husband and I joined The Orchard, one of the things we wanted was to belong to a LIFE Group. Being in a LIFE Group is what the author of Hebrews stated in the preceding verses…and much more! We learned so much from being in a LIFE Group, especially when we study the books in the Bible that Pastor Colin preaches from. We have good fellowship with our friends from church that we couldn’t have enough of just by being in church every Sunday. We pray for each other and support each other, and love abounds in our LIFE Group. (And good and abundant food is a plus!) Oh, and we have fun nights too, which is awesome! – Yolanda P. Jain, Arlington Heights Campus Being in a LIFE group gives me the opportunity to be heard, prayed for, encouraged and challenged in my faith. It also gives me the opportunity to listen to others, pray for them, encourage them, and challenge them in their walk with God. Collectively, we also pray for the church and our missionaries. This year we have had some great discussions about how we can share the Gospel with others and have challenged each other in this. Just like a family, we may never get it right because of our humanness, but we can work towards loving and forgiving and spending time with God together. Isn’t it great to have something to look forward to like LIFE group? – Karen Metcalf, Barrington Campus For me, the LIFE Group is an essential connection to the church, especially one as big as The Orchard. In our LIFE Group, I have personally grown as a believer as we study the Word of God and have amazing fellowship with fellow believers where there is a sense of Christian community, a sense of belonging, and a love for each other. More importantly, we learn about the Lord by studying the Scriptures and get to hear how God has worked in the lives of the LIFE Group members through testimonies. Plus, our LIFE Group always has so much fun when we meet, and the food is always delicious and abundant! –Sylvia S. Buyco, Arlington Heights Campus Being in a LIFE group is a great way to get to know people better at church. Sharing ideas from a sermon or doing a study together strengthens the body, creates accountability and builds strong relationships. – Carol Oehlerking, Itasca Campus In a LIFE Group, we experience small group fellowship, worship, Bible study and prayer. The group leaders act as shepherds and nurture the flock. We learn to love one another in a “family” context and to practice care ministries in times of sickness, sorrow and joy (even celebrating baby showers). We especially praise God for the opportunity to see new leaders mentored and raised up to lead other LIFE Groups. – Diane Garces, Arlington Heights Campus My LIFE Group is like a little family. We learn about the Bible together, support each other through our ups and downs and have sweet fellowship together. – Pam Meyers, Arlington Heights Campus LIFE Groups are a great opportunity to grow closer to Christ while also growing closer to other women in weekly fellowship and Bible study. I have made some of my best friends at The Orchard by starting in the LIFE group I’ve been a part of for the past year. And though the group’s members have evolved in that time, the Lord has never failed to help me build connections with each new face. Furthermore, I’ve had the chance to get involved in so many different ways at The Orchard in large part through the encouragement of the other women in my group. LIFE Groups are a great way to meet people and get connected in other ways at The Orchard. Besides—LIFE Groups are fun! – Grace Nielsen, Barrington Campus April 2014 Preaching Schedule April 12 & 13 Arlington Heights – Colin Smith Barrington – Tom Olson Itasca – Greg Norwine Marengo – Jared Hendricks April 19 & 20 Arlington Heights – Colin Smith Barrington – Tom Olson Itasca – Greg Norwine Marengo – Jared Hendricks April 26 & 27 Arlington Heights – Scott Lothery Barrington – Colin Smith Itasca – Colin Smith (Video) Marengo – Colin Smith (Video) Join us for Good Friday Services Arlington Heights, 5:30 & 7:30 p.m. Barrington, 5 & 7 p.m. Itasca, 7 p.m. Marengo, 7 p.m. Easter Services Arlington Heights, Saturday: 5:30 p.m.; Sunday: 8, 9:30 & 11 a.m. Barrington, Saturday: 5:30 p.m.; Sunday: 9 & 10:45 a.m. Itasca, Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Marengo, Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Missionary Update Rob & Becky Thompson Amy Ravenscroft Carrie Bergmann RMI/Haiti TEAM/Japan Rob and Becky serve with Reciprocal Ministries International in Haiti. Rob is the Field Director and guides visiting church groups from the States who are in Haiti working with their sister church. Rob’s position also puts a strong emphasis on national staff development. Some of the major programs with RMI include Hope for Kidz child sponsorship, Food for Health Program and Water for Health Program. Every ministry that Rob and Becky are involved in have a connection to a local Haitian church. Amy has served in Japan since 1980. Her main focus is to help plant reproducing churches and to do evangelism and to build up the body of Christ in Japan. Amy helps with the “preaching” by reading translated messages from Pastor Colin that have been edited for the local church. She teaches English conversation classes and includes some Bible in each class. Amy connects with her neighbors by hosting cooking classes. She also posts a newsletter that is distributed to 210 households and does this several times a year. El Camino Academy/Bogota Carrie teaches 3rd grade in a school that is a Godcentered, multicultural community that prepares students to impact their world through relationships with God and others. The curriculum at the school provides a quality U.S. education with English as the primary language and Spanish as a strong emphasis. The school has the opportunity to train future Colombian leaders and encourage them to grow in their Christian walk and therefore bring the Gospel to their own country. PrAISE for “the Lord sustaining us through a very busy time these past two months.” Pray for “our family to have some time with no teams to get some things in order, spiritually, emotionally, physically and relationally.” Pray for “new churches in the US to join us in what we are doing here in Haiti.” Praise for several joint worship services being planned for three existing church plants. Praise for another neighbor joining Amy’s weekly Bible study in her home. Pray for “housing needed for a coworker (Marcy) who will be joining me in August.” Pray for Carrie as she has made the commitment to return to her assignment of teaching at the academy for the next school year. Pray for the anticipation of having a student teacher in her 3rd grade class next fall. Military Focus James Day (Leslie) (Jonathan/6 yrs.; Ryan/4 yrs.; William/1 yr.) – Air Force – Qatar, Western Asia Requests: James is a pilot and will be stationed in Qatar leaving in late Spring for an entire year. His family will not be able to accompany him. Currently, they are trying to make arrangements for housing near Luke AFB in Arizona for Leslie and the boys. Pray things will fall into place quickly in this regard. Pray for James’ safety and protection overseas and for Leslie and their three sons during this long separation. (son-in-law of Gary & Linda Hrivnak) Benjamin Thompson – Air Force – Croughton Royal Air Force Base, England Requests: Ben transitioned from his last assignment in Italy to England in September. Pray as he continues to adjust and also manage the demands of his job. Pray for his family concerning the long separations with infrequent visits. Pray he can find a church there for worship and to serve. (son of Brian & Rita Thompson) www.theorchardefc.org Arlington Heights Campus · 1330 N Douglas Avenue · Barrington Campus · 1301 S Grove Avenue · Itasca Campus · 716 E George Street · Marengo Campus · 20911 Ratfield Road