The E-pistle

October 8, 2007

 

 

The church has a new phone number – 404.929.1400

 

New Picture Gallery - http://www.newcovenantatlanta.com/94-church/pictures16.htm

 

 

 

Special Services October 20-21

 

With Pastor Jasmine Jones from San Diego, CA

 

And Ruth and Barry Cooper from www.AboveAllNames.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reunited and it Feels so Good

 

Tonight, home groups will all be meeting here at the church at 7:30 pm for a time of food, fun, and fellowship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Sunday At New Covenant Church of Atlanta

 

Sunday Morning at 11 AM

 

·         Dynamic Praise and Worship from Our Awesome, Amazing Levites (The New Covenant Church of Atlanta Worship Team)

 

·         Apostle Randy Morgan will be continuing the series on the Book of Acts

 

 

Sunday Night at 6 PM

 

 

 

 

 

The Youth Home Group has begun.  They are meeting in the church sanctuary Tuesdays at 7:30 PM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Article from the Joshua Ministry (New Covenant’s Intercessory Prayer Ministry)

 

By:  Ron Rock

 

When I was child, the only time I ever went to church was with my Gramma Rock. I loved spending the weekend with her because unless her "stories" were on I had her undivided attention. She allowed be to be the little boy that I was which by many peoples standards, was more like a little girl. We baked cakes, pies and cookies. We played Canasta and Scrabble, we looked at old photos and toured her jewelry box. She let me play with my dolls. On Sunday mornings, we dressed up and walked down Paulina Street in Chicago to Ebineezer Church. It was, to my little stature, as big as a castle and even had a castle in a recess in the wall behind the alter. Many in my family including my parents were married there and it was there that I was baptized a Lutheran.

 

I remember most the gothic nature of the sanctuary and that back lit mini castle, the preacher was high up in the right hand corner giving the message, Svea would give me a piece of hard candy if I asked for it, and in the beautifully polished wooden pews I had to sit still. I had to sit very still or I would get a very different look from my gramma than the ones she gave me back at the second floor apartment I was so fond of visiting. I did not have a good singing voice, was terrified of being heard and embarrassed and I never knew the songs or where we were supposed to be in the liturgy. What started out as a fun and thrilling outing became awkward, embarrassing, intimidating and sometimes a little spookie. After she moved away from Chicago, I went with her to other churches and even visited a few on my own. The buildings changed, the faces changed and Svea was no where to be found, but unfortunately, the awkward, embarrassing, intimidating, and sometimes spookie nature of church did not change much. In fact, as I got older and realized I was gay, I felt less and less comfortable in church. No one was ever rude or mean to me, in fact, being with my gramma made me a very welcome visitor. I was always afraid though,  to be away from her and wondered what would happen if they knew the truth about me. If they knew I was clueless about Bible stories the other kids knew, that I seldom went to church if I was not with her, I was baffled by the liturgy, and if they knew that I was a budding young gay boy, would I still have been so welcome?

 

What does all this have to do with intercessory prayer and the Joshua Ministry? Well, frankly, I am not sure exactly! But following the lead of Holy Spirit I let the memory come forth. Rereading it though, I see how God had a plan for me that was very specific to who I was and was to become. I have not one bad thing to say about Lutherans except that I am not one of them. I thank God for His patience, mercy, foresight, and guidance that brought me to New Covenant Church of Atlanta. Now when I go to church, even though my Gramma Rock and Svea are not there, neither is the awkward, embarrassing, intimidating, and sometimes spookie nature of church. Because New Covenant of Atlanta believes the Spirit of God is being poured out on ALL people, I have been able to start growing in my spiritual calling that God has planned for my life. My calling and your calling, whether you are a member of NCCA or reading this in another city, state or country, includes a personal prayer life and an intercessory prayer life. I am here because God has heard my prayers- even those I called out from the depths of the mirey clay- and because of the prayers of the poeple that interceded on my behalf. People like my Gramma Rock, like Svea and others that i knew and did not know. There is power in prayer. Prayer is the embodiment of our relationship with God. He is faithful and His mercies endure forever! Have you gone to Him in prayer lately and thanked Him for loving you? Have you thanked God in heaven for giving us New Covenant Church of Atlanta to be our spiritual home? If not, He is waiting, patiently, mercifully and with foresight for your life and guidance to get you through it with grace, dignity and abundance.

 

 

 

 

 

Pastors’ Corner with Pastor Angela and Pastor Joan

 

 

From Pastor Angela

Trust

Where do you put your faith and trust? We trust that our cars will start when we get in them to head to work or wherever we may be headed. We trust that our employers will pay us as agreed. We trust that our family and friends will be there for us in thick and thin. Putting all other things aside, there is a trust that we have that should never falter nor shake. And that is our trust in God our Father.  As time passes, we will get new cars, different jobs, our family and friend structure may change, but god will remain the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Rely on the things of this world, but trust your Father, because he will take care of you.

 

Nahum 1:7  

The LORD is good,
       a refuge in times of trouble.
       He cares for those who trust in him,

1 Pet 5:7 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

 

If you’d like to receive Pastor Angela’s Daily Word, e-mail her at – pastorangela@newcovenantatlanta.com  

 

 

 

From Pastor Joan

Confession of Faith

 

Father, I rejoice in Your love and faithfulness to me.  May your name be glorified in all the earth.  For I am of God and have overcome Satan.  For greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.  I am the body of Christ and Satan has no power over me.  For I overcome evil with good.  I am delivered from the evils of this present world for it is the will of God.

 

I am a doer of the Word of God and am blessed in my deeds.  I am happy in those things which I do because I am a doer of the Word of God.  I take the shield of faith and I quench every fiery dart that the wicked one brings against me.  I am an overcomer and I overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony.  I am submitted to God and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the name of Jesus.  The Word of God is forever settled in heaven.  Therefore, I establish His Word upon this earth.

 

If you’d like to receive Pastor Joan’s Daily Devotional, e-mail her at – pastorjoan@newcovenantatlanta.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spiritually Exhausted?  Here’s What to Do…

By:  Apostle Randy Morgan

Do you ever feel spiritually overwhelmed and exhausted? Like everyone you know is a potential enemy waiting to betray you, and every thing that you do for God regarding church and the ministry feels more like a very heavy obligation instead of a powerful act of love and obedience? Does it just feel like you are having a tough time keeping your head above water, spiritually?

How can we survive spiritually dry times? How can we get past them into the new season? What do we do when those seasons go on for months or even years?

David said in Psalm 63:1, "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." This prayer is a cry out to God during a dry season of David's life. David's dry seasons were years at a time.

Think of Joseph. He had an awesome dream, a vision of leadership and empowerment. Then one day, his brothers turned against him and POW, he spent years in servititude, spiritually overwhelmed. However, he maintained his integrity and did what he knew to do anyway, regardless of the dryness of his situation (Genesis 39).

In order for us to get through spiritually overwhelming and exhausting times, we must:

  • Repent of any sins. Acts 3:19 says, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."
  • Ask the Father for refreshing. Simply ask. Right now, let's ask together: "Father, I need a refreshing. I ask for you to refresh my spirit in Jesus' Name. Right now, I believe I receive exactly that. I open my heart, and I'm refreshed. Amen." That's it. You've asked and received by faith. The Word of God promises an answer (John 14:13).
  • Do what you know to do. Attend church, pay tithes, go to Home Groups, go to fellowships, go to prayer or choir practice, keep ushering, don't resign from responsibilities just cause you might be a little tired - keep doing what you already know you're supposed to do.
  • Rejoice by faith. Dance when you don't feel like it. Sing when you don't feel like it. Faith means you "activate what the Word says, whether you feel like it or not." The Word of God tells us to dance before the Lord; well, then, dance before the Lord right now. Pick one foot up and then the other. Sing a song of praise; whether you feel like it or not. Faith it.
  • Remind yourself that the Rivers of Living Water abide in you, and that you are a heartbeat away from being refreshed and invigorated with Holy Spirit power.

Today, know that you can get through spiritual exhaustion and a feeling of being overwhelmed - YOU ARE MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN A CONQUEROR, AND YOU WILL OVERCOME!!! Say the Name of Jesus, Keep His Name and His Word on your lips, and let praises continue to go up, avoid grumbling and complaining and you'll find that the dry season will end with an overwhelming shower of HOly Spirit Power!!!

If you need someone to pray with you to help encourage you through a spiritual dry season, call and ask for prayer. Pastor Johnny and I will pray for the windows of heaven to open up on you and saturate you with power and refreshing.

 

God Bless,

Apostle Randy Morgan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some Announcements

  • Leah and Amy have launched their online art gallery – www.Grannysjunk.com.  They are also diligently working on New Covenant’s marriage counseling ministry.  That ministry can be found by visiting:

www.CovenantCouple.com

 

  • Audio Sermon Updates Available

http://www.newcovenantatlanta.com/94-church/media.htm

 

There are brand new updates to the audio sermon files, be sure to check them out

 

 

  • Get to church early on Sunday to fellowship, get a good parking spot, and participate in awesome worship…  See you Sunday…

 

 

 

 

What is The 150???

 

Scriptural basis for GROWING:

So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9:38)

Great multitudes followed Jesus (Matthew 4:25).

Great multitudes gathered together unto Him (Jesus) (Matthew 13:2).

Great multitudes came unto him having with Him those who were lame, blind, dumb, and maimed and many others and cast them at Jesus’ feet and He healed them … and the multitudes were amazed (Matthew 15:30).

The multitudes resorted to Him (Jesus) and He taught them (Mark 2:13).

And the believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both men and women (Acts 5:14)

The Word increased and the number of disciples increased (Acts 6:7)

The Hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord (Acts 11:21)

 

We are always setting goals here at New Covenant for higher, greater, more excellent, and more powerful service to God.  Without a vision people perish and cast off all restraint, so goals are vital for any group to thrive and grow, especially in the Kingdom.  God has given us a vision and a message that will reach the nations, help revolutionize lives, and lead souls into a relationship with our God and King.  With that in mind, in order to fulfill the vision that God has given New Covenant Church of Atlanta, we must grow even beyond the awesome growth we’ve seen through the years – we need many more people.  Not just to sit in pews, but laborers, ready to get to work for the demonstration of God’s plans and purposes.  So, a goal has been set - 150 people as our base attendance and beyond.  

 

Will you set your faith in agreement?  Will you call friends, family, loved ones, those who haven’t been to church in a while?  Will you send cards, e-mails, etc.?  Will you call it forth in prayer?  If so, thank you.  God is going to do amazing things here in this Body of Believers.  We need the exponential power of unity and growth to continue here at New Covenant – to breakthrough the 100 or so mark in attendance, to increase in order to sow out into the world.  Let’s reach higher than we’ve ever reached before

 

A corporate confession based on the Scriptures above, say this out loud:

 

Where Jesus was, multitudes followed Him, gathered together with Him, were healed by Him, and taught by Him.  Father, your Word makes it plain that where Jesus is, people come – we call them in through prayer first.  You add to the church and I thank you now that the church is being added to in number.  The Word will increase, so I thank you that as the people grow in their understanding and hearing of the Word that you will increase.  Your Word increases and the people grow in their understanding of the Word; therefore, people will be added to the church. In the Name of Jesus.

 

 

 

 

Fall Quarterly Events

 

 

The Great Halloween Event

 

Everyone is Invited

Event Start Time: October 27th, 3:00PM

 

Details

* Date: October 27th

* Dinner will be provided

* Photo Hunt throughout Atlanta –3:00 PM

- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place winners will receive a gifts

* Pumpkin Carving Contest – Bring in a pumpkin you have carved and there will be a

* 80’s Dance – 6:00 PM

* Costume Contest -1 winner in each of these categories: Favorite Costume, Funniest Costume, Best 80’s Costume.

 

Photo Hunt

- Come dressed in your Halloween costume.

- Get a group together of 3-4 people for each car. One person in the group will need to drive.

- You will need one digital camera or camera phone per group.

- The Photo Hunt will take a little less than 2 hours.

- Awards for first and second place winners.

 

80’s Dance – Starts at 6PM

*Dinner and beverages provided by the Church

 

 

Thanksgiving

 

- Currently seeking a host home for those who do not have plans.

 

 

Christmas Party

 

Date: December 22

* This will be a “White Elephant”

* Pot Luck Dinner – Church will provide drinks

** More details to follow

 

 

 

 

 

 

For God's Glory,

Pastors Randy and Johnny

New Covenant Church of Atlanta

www.SavedAndGay.com

www.NewCovenantAtlanta.com

404.929.1400