Women's Ministry

Girlfriends' Fall Bible Study, Revelation, by video teacher, Jen Wilkin

Starting Tuesday, September 17, 9:30 am

(Coffee and fellowship at 9 am in the café)

OR Wednesday, September 18, 6:45 pm, Room 107

Join us for our 10-week Fall Bible Study on Tuesday mornings or Wednesday evenings!

Perhaps no other book of the Bible feels as inaccessible and as intimidating to us as the very last one. The book of Revelation overflows with images and ideas that confound our modern ears. But if all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable, we should assume Revelation is as accessible and helpful as any other book of the Bible. Why don’t we see it that way?

Two thousand years ago, John’s Revelation was circulated and read aloud among seven churches in Asia Minor. Those who heard the letter understood it and drew encouragement from its message. The same can be true for you today. Over 10 sessions of verse-by-verse Bible study, Jen Wilkin helps you discover how the last book of the Bible—the culmination of God's great story—speaks both a steadying word of assurance and a strong call to endure to the church in every age.

If you have questions please contact Melissa Matos at: mmatos@fccyuma.org or call the church office at 928.726.5616.

GriefShare (Bereavement Support Group)

Meets every Saturday for 13 weeks.

Begins September 7 at 10 am, in Room 107. For more

information, contact Bob Hejkal at hejkalr@aol.com.

Global Outreach

The next short-term trips are to Niños de Baja, from October 12-14, and Arizona Reservation Ministries (ARM), from November 8-11.

Applications for each of these trips will be available on September 15 and 29, respectively. Being a member of one of these teams is a requirement for participating in the summer trips to Chile and Sierra Leone.

For those of you who are not familiar with Niños de Baja, the following is an introduction from their website:

“Niños de Baja is located in the tiny town of Ejido El Porvenir in the Guadalupe Valley (Valle de Guadalupe). Most people in El Porvenir work at the vineyards, wineries, orchards, and farms surrounding the town.

El Porvenir is near the border (50 miles), making travel from the U.S. relatively fast and inexpensive. Leaving from San Diego, people can quickly drive to Niños, stay for a few hours, and drive back the same day.

Our mission is to share Christ’s love by serving children in Baja California, Mexico. But, we find that as we serve, we are also blessed. Many people come to Niños throughout the year to help. Church mission teams, interns, family groups, retirees, couples, singles, all kinds of people come for a few days, weeks, or months. Many of these folks develop an ongoing relationship with us and return year after year. Over and over, they tell us that being here has changed their lives.”

FCC has sent a monthly support check to the Niños Children’s Home since its founding 40 years ago when it was called Rancho de los Niños.

FCC’s history with Dale and Diana Lawrence and their four children goes back to 1991 when Dale became the director of the American Indian Christian Mission in Show Low, Arizona, which ministers to the Navajo and Hopi people.

In 1999, the entire staff of AICM began praying daily for God to lead in His goals for AICM. The answers to their prayers were unexpected. A new director was found for AICM, and the Lawrences felt they were being called to work down the mountain in Globe on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. A school bus painted the Globe High School colors was donated and became the vehicle for a mobile bus ministry. That ministry continues today as the “church bus” rolls into various communities on the Res several afternoons a week. The bus is equipped with games inside, bikes, and even a basketball hoop outside on the back. Here, the children of the Reservation find a safe place where they are loved and they learn about Jesus. 

The focus of the ministry of ARM is not to start new churches but to partner with Apache Christians who are already serving on the reservation. The name is taken from Exodus 17:8-16. By providing leadership training, children’s programs (including the mobile youth ministry), benevolence work, and emotional/physical support for Native pastors, ARM can give practical and much-needed aid.

In 2007, God opened another tremendous door of opportunity for ARM. Because there are too few homes for so many people, families were (and are) living under tarps, in sheds, and even abandoned cars. To meet the urgent needs of these families, an ARM staff member designed a simple 12’ x 28’ structure and has been providing homes to families in need ever since.

How does building homes lead to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ? Those working on these homes are earning the right to be heard. Moments occur when the Holy Spirit prompts those who have fallen away to restore fellowship with Christian Apache churches. Other team members may have the opportunity to share their own walk with the Lord.

Helping with the construction of these simple (but much-needed) homes is the work of most of FCC’s teams.

Grace and peace,

Chad Courtney, Global Outreach Pastor

Studies and Small Groups

Sundays:

• The Epistles: 9 & 11 am, Room 117 (The HUB, north hallway)
• Worldviews: Engaging the Universe Next Door: 10:30 am, Room 107
• College Age (18-25) Ministry: 6:30 pm, 5883 E. 44th Pl.

Wednesdays:

• Men’s Ministry, Morning Sermon-based Bible Study, 7 am, Room 208
• Ancient Christianity, 7 pm, in the HUB, mixed group

Southwestern Christian School

Our first full week of school this 2024-2025 school year blessed our campus with many new and returning families. We are off to a great start!

August marks a focus on the importance of the Great Commission and mission work. SWCS supplies annual support for two aids orphans who are part of the Tumaini organization. We plan to have a fundraiser in the near future to provide another year of support for our adopted students. Should we be blessed with any additional funds, it will go toward funding birthday/Christmas gifts, livestock, equipment, or any other additional needs for our adopted students. Additional questions regarding this endeavor may be directed to the First Christian Church office.

The Bible commands us to teach our children about God and the works of His mighty hand. In our first all-school chapel this week, we began memorizing the two greatest commandments according to Matthew 28:37-39: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest and commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

SWCS, along with our parents and FCC ministry staff, are committed to bringing our children into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our students were so excited and surprised the first day of school as we greeted them with a red carpet walk and teacher/staff cheer squad. What an encouraging statement of faith and Christ-like attitudes to watch and share high-fives, smiles and laughter with the future leaders of this lost world. God is so good!

Please continue to lift us up in prayer as we take on this ministry to support the education and discipline of God’s children. God has given us the great responsibility to help train them up in the way they should go so they, in turn, will be equipped to minister to a hurting world.

May our God bless, guide, and direct our paths as we all work together for His good purpose and strive to follow Him!

If you would like information on SWCS, please go to www.swcslions.org or check us out on Facebook at Southwestern Christian School Yuma.

In His Steps,

Deb Guerrero, SWCS Principal

On The Same Page

FCC Readers’ Group for adults will meet at 10 am in The HUB on September 7. The book for September will be Blessed Child by Ted Dekker. For more information, email Dana at dbtrueheart@gmail.com.

FCC Youth

Are you tired? I’m tired. The start of the school year, the new routine, and the thick swampy air are all contributing to my noticeable lack of energy. Perhaps, for you, it’s something else – health issues, family dynamics, loss, stressful circumstances, etc. Fortunately, God knows what we need and provides it.

“All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:27-30)

As followers of Jesus, we’re not granted exemption from the difficulties and chaos of life on this planet. However, we have a choice about how we react to those things. Our natural tendency might be to panic, frantically fix whatever we can, or try to save ourselves in some way. However, Jesus teaches us that our best option is to trust Him; to lean into the arms of our Lord regularly through prayer, His Word, and the release of our burdens.

If you’ve escaped being overwhelmed this season, rather than waiting for an emergency, get in the practice of resting in Jesus now. Dwell on His Word, pray constantly, trust Him.

Dustin Womer, Youth Pastor

Youth Services

Sundays:

• Middle and High Sunday School, 9:00 am
• Upper Room Worship, 11:00 am
• Jr High Surge, Sundays, Upper Room, 5:30-6:30 pm
• High School Unite, Sundays, Subway—Big Curve, 7-8 pm

Mondays: 6 pm, FREE MUSIC LESSONS for students

Wednesdays: Combined Worship, Upper Room, 7—8:00 pm

Follow us on: Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube

PowerPack Yuma

We are up and running in the new school year. We are requesting Chef Boyardee cups and Mac & Cheese cups. Thank you so much for your continued support over the summer break!

Kidz Min!

Summer vacation has come to an end and the new school year has officially started. We hope everyone had a great summer and is getting settled back into the swing of things with school, sports, and other extracurricular activities. May God bless you and your family in this school year!

It can be fun and exciting getting into the school year. However, it can also be met with a lot of stress and anxiety for our children. Kidz Ministry is here to team up with parents and guardians in the lives of our students to help point them to Christ. Let us remind our children to cast their cares on God. We read in Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Are you interested in helping in Kidz Min?

We are currently in need of some help in various areas of Children’s Ministry. Please contact Jake Gompert, AKA, “Mr. Jake” (Children's Pastor) at 928.726.5616 or Jgompert@fccyuma.org with any questions.

We still have a few more Wild Wednesday Nights left!!

During the summer months, our Wednesday night programs look a little different. We do fun-filled evenings that build relationships while we learn our lessons. We have already had game night, rocket night, and skate night.

Wild Wednesdays are for preschool through 5th grade, and, as always, nursery is available for our littles.