Monday, June 23, 2008

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism...

One Prayer
What would you pray if God would answer One Prayer for the Church at large?
This weekend June 28/29, Bay Area Fellowship is partnering with thousands of churches globally to do a service simultaneously called One Prayer. The premise of the series is, "If God would answer 'one prayer' for the church at large, what would you pray?" To explore the impact of One Prayer and see a list of the over 1500 Churches and 850,000 people involved, visit www.oneprayer.com .

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Summer Escape!

Hey JANES!

We are so excited to offer a summer refresher that will be loads of fun. Join us for some rest and relaxation while we hang out in the BAF Atrium with some old friends and meet some new ones.

Jessica Cornelius will be sharing an inspiring message with us and the JANES ministry has some very exciting upcoming events to share with you!

If you are ready for a Girls' Night Out, please join us for a gathering open to all women, sure to be filled with fun, laughter, food and opportunities to connect with other Bay Area women. Bring a friend and introduce them to an exciting night with JANES. We'll have some refreshments waiting for you when you arrive!

Childcare will be available, but registration is required. Please email Virginia at mrsvdjames@yahoo.com and let her know how many children you will be bringing and what ages they are.

Looking forward to our time together!

deedee

Save the Date!

Wednesday, July 23rd
Bay Area Fellowship Atrium
6:30 PM

For more info, email Robin or DeeDee.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Upcoming Community Events

Save the Date! There are some great events coming up in the next few months:

July 17-19 "When Women Worship" Conference
Corpus Christi Christian Fellowship
For more info, visit www.cccfellowship.com
Conference is free

August 22-23 Beth Moore's "Living Proof Live"
San Antonio Alamodome
For more info, visit Lifeway
Cost: $55

September 19-20 "It's About Time"
Women's Regional Conference
Yorktown Baptist Church
For more info,visit www.sbtexas.com
Cost: $25

October 3-4 "Living the Life" Women's Conference
Selena Auditorium
For more info, visit www.livingthelifecc.com
Cost: $25-$35

*BAF will not be selling tickets for these events. All registration must be done on the individual websites. For more info, contact DeeDee.

Fans for Friends

Hey JANES!

Bay Area Fellowship is participating in Fans for Friends this year and we need your help. BAF is collecting donations of fans for those who don't have air conditioning. As you all know, the summers are hot around here and we want to contribute to those who need the help.

Fans can be dropped off during the weekend services in the BAF Atrium. The deadline for this project is July 10th at 4:00 PM, so hurry in!

The fans will need to be loaded and delivered on Friday, July 11th. If you have some free time to help transport fans, email Lisa Smith and let her know that you're available!

Thanks for all you do to bless our community!

deedee

Monday, June 9, 2008

Note from DeeDee

Hello JANES!

Summer has arrived and I hope that you all have plans to find some time for rest and relaxation. It has been such a busy season and I think we're all ready for a vacation! Bible Studies will resume in the fall, but I encourage you to stay in the Word over the next several weeks. Check out the Web Bible Babes link and follow along with an on-line study or look into some of the studies offered at Lifeway. It's also fun and challenging to pick a book of the Bible and study on your own. Some great study helps can be found at www.blueletterbible.com and www.biblegateway.com .

Expo 2008 is just around the corner! If you are feeling the nudge to get out of your comfort zone and lead a group, now is the time! I am praying that God will show you how uniquely you are gifted and then give you the courage to step out and lead a group of your own this fall. If you are interested in leading a bevy or hometeam, contact April at april.atkinson@yahoo.com. If you are leaning more towards a mission-focused group, contact Marta at martp26@yahoo.com. April and Marta can answer any of your questions about starting a group and stepping into an exciting leadership role!

You are an amazing group of women, called to be history-makers in this generation. No doubt, it thrills the heart of God to see you live out your calling. Keep at it, for you will reap a great reward if you don't give up!

Blessed to be your servant,

deedee

Friday, June 6, 2008

Dear JANES,

We have just "graduated" the first group of One on One with God and I wanted to share with you how remarkable this study is. It is unique in the fact that it stays small, only 5-6 participants, in each session. Even more unique and exciting is that each group equips leaders to teach their own group in the next 12-week session and as you can see, it naturally multiplies. It is a practical tool that teaches us how to incorporate Bible reading, studying, meditating, memorizing and prayer into our daily walk with the Lord, but in a way that teaches and trains leaders at the same time. Scripture mandates that we "go and make disciples" and this is an extraordinory tool to help you do just that. So if you've been thinking about what Bible study you'd like to do in the fall, or if you're feeling led to share with others, please consider One on One. It's a 12-week commitment, but it is well worth it! Daphne will keep you posted on the D-Team page as we get closer to the next "launch" date, so be watching for more details.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Jeannie De La Garza




Dear JANES,

It is with great sadness that I inform you that one of our JANES, Jeannie De La Garza, passed away yesterday. Please keep this family in your prayers. Jeannie has been a blessing to many women through her words of encouragement in the Granola Bar Devotional . We've posted one of her devotionals so that you can be blessed by the precious words she left behind. I would also like to invite you to leave a comment below for Jeannie's family to let them know how much we love them. Feel free to share a memory of how Jeannie has blessed your life.

Love,
DeeDee


Funeral Arrangements

Thursday, June 5th
Seaside Memorial Funeral Home
12:00 PM



Devotional written by Jeannie De La Garza.



One Step at a Time



My grandson Richard is a vivacious child who brings so much joy into our lives. I think back to a few years ago when he was about three years old and spending the night at my house. I was finishing my evening by straightening the house, and the last thing on my list was to take the trash out. I told Richard he could stand inside the doorway of our den and wait for me while I took out the trash. I explained that I would be right back. I will never forget the horrified look on his little face; he looked like he was about to cry. I asked him to come with me, but he wouldn’t. It had just gotten dark outside, and I had some little stepping stones that led a trail to the trash barrel. I knew I had to get Richard to trust me; so I told him that once I stepped on a stone, I would then tell him when to take his step. We finally started out down the path, and he put his hand into mine. I told him I would never let anything happen to him. Instantly, his little hand relaxed; and although he was still worried, he wasn't terrified. We took one stone at a time until we got to our destination. I tossed the bag into the trash can, swung Richard into my arms and headed back to the safety of house. I was so humbled by his trust in me. Sometime later, I found out in a conversation with Richard that the reason he was so worried was because he was afraid that a "ninja" was going to get me. He had been watching his Uncle's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. Richard’s trust in me reminds me of how Jesus wants us to trust Him – like little children. Jesus has never failed me. I want to always trust Him in every area of my life. He alone is worthy of my ultimate faith, whether I can see my next step or not. There have been seasons in my life when I couldn't see the next stepping-stone on my path; but as long as I hold Jesus’ hand, I know I am safe. The longer I know Him, the more assured I am that I can trust Him every step of the way.

Memory Verse:
"We live by faith, not by sight."
- 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
"Father, I thank You that You are always with me. Please always remind me that I can trust You in every season of my life. Right now tell me what I need to hand over to You in complete faith, including . . . "

Contributor:
Jeannie De La Garza