DATES AHEAD:

July

4 Independence Day

Party hosted by the Reardons

8 2nd Saturday Servants

13 Missions Committee Meeting

August

10 Missions Committee Meeting

11 &12 Church wide garage sale

September

4 Labor Day

9 2nd Saturday Servants

14 Missions Committee Meeting

July

4 Mike Joyce

12 Shirley Belanger

14 Will Reardon

15 Louise Isbell

16 Debbie Sosey

19 Jerome Guy

20 Kate Guy

23 Doug Prowell

August

2 Chandler Reardon

7 Colton Leet

10 Velma Greer

17 Brenda Conway

31 Jason Lovell

September

7 Mary Zimmerman

15 Emma Lovell

17 Rebekah Englen

19 Annamarie Dean

19 Gwen Bernard

23 Cameron Leet

24 Norm Behm

30 Susan Beckham

NEWSBREAK

The Church: A People and a Place

Has anyone, whether a co-worker or your child, ever asked you what the Church is? Have you been

able to give a concise yet biblical reply? The definition has gotten muddled in our thinking. We so frequently

speak of “going to church” that we end up confusing it as merely a place. Though there is a place where the

saints gather, where there’s a local expression of the Body of Christ, let’s remember that God is not impressed

with buildings. Just because a building has a steeple on the roof, that in and of itself does not constitute a

Church, in the biblical expression.

There are two different but interrelated aspects to clarify what the Church is. We speak of the

organization that meets at a particular location; this visible (local) church is an assembly of baptized

believers, a collection of worshippers who unite together in membership to teach the Word, are active in

discipleship, prayer, and the practice of the ordinances and manifest the reality of the Spirit in transformed

lives. These local expressions of the Body of Christ are what are emphasized throughout the NT. Of the 115

references in the NT to “church,” 95 are clearly referring to local assemblies. True believers commit to and are

identified with a local church, even though there are unbelievers in our midst.

The second important aspect in which we understand the Church is that it is a spiritual organism

which is the invisible (universal) church. This speaks of those who are spiritually united to Christ by faith,

manifesting His life in theirs, worshipping in spirit and truth, growing in His likeness, and submitting to His

Lordship. The local church is based on an assumed spiritual unity, in which some in the church are not

regenerate and indwelt by the Holy Spirit—which many times is manifest in the unconverted leaving (I Jn

2:19) or being excommunicated due to a life pattern of disobedience (Matt 18:17). However, the universal

Church consists of true spiritual unity, speaking only of those who have authentically been born again. This is

the Church for which Christ died (Acts 20:21; Eph 5:25-27), the Church He is building (Matt 16:18), the

Church over which He is Head (Eph 1:20-21), and the Church He is sanctifying, protecting, and sustaining

(Eph 5:26).

In other words, He does not obligate Himself to any local expression of His body, but only to His true

Bride. The extent to which each local expression is faithful to His written revelation of His person and plan is

the extent to which it is healthy and faithfully mirrors Him to a watching world.

So while we “go to church” faithfully each Lord’s Day, let’s be faithful to carry out our spiritual

identity as the building, body, and bride of Christ. In other words, let’s also be the Church as we exalt Him,

equip the saints for grateful service, and scatter to evangelize.

*Join us in our new adult SS series on the Church…

Applegate Community Church

18960 N. Applegate Rd

Grants Pass, OR 97527

July Anniversaries

8 Kendon & Jessie Leet

8 Parker & Cindy Reardon

14 Jason & Kellie Lovell

14 OB & Susie Beckham

20 Gary & Chris Richard-

son

August Anniversaries

6 Bob & Beth Piete

September Anniversaries

Vol. XXXIII No. 309 July/August/September 2017

Congrats Grads! Will Reardon and Rowdy Garoutte both

completed high school this year. We look forward to seeing where the Lord takes them.

Directories!

The new

directories are out!

Be sure to pick

yours up in the

foyer. They are a

great tool to use for

remembering

people and prayer

requests!

New Website Our church’s website has been

updated! Take a peek at applegatechurch.org . It’s a great

resource with information on events, sermons, and more!

Women’s Ministries Women’s Outreach: We meet on the first Thursday of every month, September through June. All ladies are invited to be a part of this busy group. As we regroup in September this year we look forward to Cindy Reardon as our new ‘Fearless Leader!’ with the help of her ‘team’. Ladies Bible Study: Tuesdays 10:00-11:30 am. We completed our challenging study of Philippians and began the study of “Remarkable Women of the Bible.” Our summer break begins in July. We will regather in September. All women are cordially invited to join us.

I know many of our newer church family did not get to know Charlotte Butcher, but this sweet

lady was a large part of our church for over four decades and served our Lord and our church in many

ways. As most of you know, the Lord recently took her home to give her rest and the joy of being in His

presence.

She served for years in Sunday School and in our VBS programs. In her later years she stayed

active in Women's Outreach and Bible study ministries, and even when her Parkinson disease took away

the use of her legs she continued to have her son George drive her to church so she could help bake cookies

every Friday morning. About a year ago, or so, she finally was no longer able to come to church.

Charlotte was a wonderful witness to us and led in her daily example of how she lived her life as a

child of the Lord. She arrived in the Applegate Valley in 1945 and graduated from high school in 1949 and

then attended Briercrest Bible College and Multnomah Bible College. She then married her husband Max

in 1957 and worked as food services manager at North Middle School until she retired.

Charlotte made many quilts for our annual harvest dinner raffle and as a fund raiser for the wom-

an's outreach ministry. We have many wonderful memories of Charlotte. Several years ago we were study-

ing the Old Testament timeline history in our SS class and she told me, “ I have something that will help.”

The next week she brought in a 3ft wide by 20 ft long brown paper scroll of the complete OT history with

each event identified and dated. She made this in the early 1950's when she was at Multnomah.

Thank you God for our friendship with Charlotte

-Mike Joyce

SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL

Summer Sunday School is now in session at

9am Sunday mornings!

Please see Cari Dietrick to obtain a copy of the

Cathechism and Seeds songs the kids will be

learning from. Talk to her at church or call her

541-218-1756

2nd Saturday Servants

Who: To everyone who attends ACC. (Please consider putting this

on your calendar each month)

What: The majority of property maintenance, repairs, construction,

and cleaning takes place during this single day each month

When: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. every second Saturday of the month

Where: Any place on church property. A master to-do list is in the

Fireside Room during the workday

Why: Bundling together as many tasks as possible into a single day

results in greater efficiency for those who serve

How: We work together as teams or individually depending on the

job. The workday offers an excellent time to work alongside one an-

other and develop deeper friendships

The Deacons

4th of July Gathering

Join us for a 4th of July gathering

at the Reardon’s home! Meat,

buns, and drinks will be provided.

Games start at 3, dinner is at 5.

See you there!

All Church Garage Sale

August 11 & 12

A great opportunity to unload some

extra ‘stuff’. Please bring new or

like-new items and consider

volunteering to help. We will need

lots of volunteers! The proceeds

will benefit the church.

Charlotte Butcher