Southland Vine The

July 24, 2013

1630 W. Republic Road * Springfield, MO 65807

417.881.7405 * gosouthland.org

Upcoming Leadership Meetings:

ALL Ministry Leaders: July 25 @ 6 PM Elders: August 15 @

6PM

Southland Christian Church ...

equipping you to LIVE OUT your faith

as you ENCOUNTER God, CONNECT with others,

GROW DEEP and BUILD UP one another.

The next edition of The Vine – August 21.

What’s Inside …

2-4 General Reminders & Info

5 "WE DO!"

6 What MATTers to Me

7-8 Les’ Latest ... (Children/Youth)

9-10 southlandwomen

11-12 Encounter

13 Connect 14 Grow Deep

15-16 Build Up

17 JULY Serving Schedule

18-19 Live Out

20 The Catalogue

New Members:

*Shawn & Amelia Latimer (Lauren & Cate)

AUGUST 25, 2013 ... a special evening together for our

church family. We will take the time to celebrate where

God has brought us and look forward to where He is

leading us!

See page 2 for more information.

VVaaccaattiioonn BBiibbllee SScchhooooll JJuullyy 2299tthh –– AAuugguusstt 11sstt

((AAggee 44 tthhrroouugghh 55tthh ggrraaddee))

6:00 - 8:30 PM each day

For more info, see page 7!

Congratulations to Erica Shaw who was immersed July 24!

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GGeenneerraall RReemmiinnddeerrss aanndd IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn ......

FLOURISH 2013 is coming soon … Sunday evening, August 25 at 6 PM.

We will be sending out actual mailings about this significant

event in the life of our church family. It will have all the

details and important information you need. You can RSVP

beginning Sunday, July 28. We will have a special place (it will

be obvious) where you can sign-up to attend. This is a

night for all the Southland family: members, others who

attend regularly, even our newer guests. Please make it a

priority to be here.

NOTE: If you don’t receive something in the mail by the end of July, please notify the church office

so we can get you the materials. This will also give us an opportunity to verify that we have

the right contact info for you as we will be sending out more details leading up to the event.

Our theme for FLOURISH 2013 is “My NEXT Step.” The evening will be an opportunity where

we can encourage each other to “press

on” in our participation at Southland as

we follow Jesus together (see Paul’s

language in Philippians 3:12-14 for this

idea of progress).

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FINANCIAL UPDATE ... June 2013 (the most recently completed month)

We want to provide this basic info to keep you aware of what's happening. Keep in mind, this is a snapshot of one month. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have through the office staff.

INCOME ...

Regular tithe - $43,453

Love Offerings - $650 (includes $145 to IMAGINE Fund for the building)

Average weekly tithe - $8,690.60

Weekly budgeted goal - $8,650.00 (This is based on an estimated annual budget of $450,000 ... NOTE: This is our target; we adjust as necessary along the way.)

ATTENTION ALL GRILL MASTERS (and masters of the smokers too) ...

This year, we are looking to have more people involved in the competition - we would like 8 total. Meat

will be provided by Southland. Competitors can choose the type(s) of meat they cook (ribs, pulled pork,

etc.). In Jon's words, "It's for fun, not anything super-serious."

Even if you are willing to help cook, but don't want to compete, we could use help in that way as well.

There will be a sign-up sheet at the Welcome Center.

We are excited to be utilizing the YouVersion “app” for tablets, smart phones, and other electronic devices during our Sunday services. Among other things, it's a great way to follow along with the sermon and even take electronic notes. You can even send your own notes to your e-mail account from right there within the app!

See the posters around the building for specific instructions on how to find our LIVE event using this app each week: “SCC – Sunday ENCOUNTER.”

It's coming... the 5th annual SCC

BBQ Cook-off. A great evening of

food, fun and fellowship.

Mark the date of Sunday evening, September 22 on

your calendar and make plans to be here! We will

begin at 5:30 PM. The next Vine will have all the

information about what we need people to bring.

Make sure you check out the "LIVE OUT" pages for opportunities to

participate with some of our local ministry partners. All kinds of events from

service projects to a 5K walk/run to even a golf outing. Who knew? Even as

we support Kingdom work, living out our faith and supporting these SCC

ministry partners can be great fun!

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"THANK YOU" Notes ...

From time to time, people send cards to the church. Since there is not a great place to display these cards, we will share them with you here in The VINE.

- Barbara and Leroy Morse

- Pregnancy Care Center

- The CICM (Central India Christian Mission) Team

- Jay, Amanda and Finley Butler

- Karen and Truman Haynes

A New Southland Directory is in the works!

Be on the lookout for the most recent edition. If you are newer to Southland, please check with the office to make sure we have your info.

PRAYER …

To share requests with the Southland church family, please

submit them via e-mail to prayer@gosouthland.org

or call the church office.

Got Questions?

While we work hard to communicate all the right information, we know there may be additional questions you have about Southland ... especially if you are new around here! If you have questions, please contact the office and someone on staff will help you out. To e-mail questions, send them to the following address: gotquestions@gosouthland.org.

We encourage you to take advantage of Southland's online presence ... check out our website

to listen to sermons, register for VBS, check out upcoming events, etc. Don't forget: you can also

get information by "liking" our "Southland Christian Church" Facebook page.

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One of the great privileges and joys of following Jesus is being joined together with other believers as His

church. Here at Southland, we express that vital connection in part through our “Membership Covenant.” It

provides the basic parameters for belonging to the church family here – the commitments we have made to

Christ and one another as His people. Now, these are not just our own ideas. Rather, they are our attempt to

communicate the teaching of God’s Word when it comes to His Church – just what does it require of us to

belong to His Body? In this section of the Vine, we will be reviewing these commitments – 1 from each of the

4 sections of the covenant in each edition. It’s a way for us to keep fresh in our hearts and minds just what it

means to be connected to one another as His church here at Southland.

GENERAL LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT (for both elders and staff) … We covenant to provide pastoral care,

including praying for the congregation and making ourselves available especially in times of spiritual need

(NOTE: this is a shared responsibility). One of the key roles assigned to church leaders is to care for God’s

people. The imagery Scripture frequently uses to picture this responsibility is that of shepherds. This metaphor

captures the way God (Psalm 23) and Jesus (John 10) care for us. In both the OT (see Ezekiel 34) and with

the NT church (see Acts 20:28 & 1 Peter 5:2-4), it likewise portrays the relationship of spiritual leaders with

God’s people. Like real-life shepherds care for the physical well-being of their sheep, church leaders as

shepherds care for the spiritual well-being of members of their flock. In God’s Word, this is never the

responsibility of one pastor alone … in fact, it is more consistent with the NT’s teaching to connect the title of

“pastors” to elders rather than to church staff. In our context, both elders and staff serve collectively to

shepherd God’s flock, sharing the responsibility of caring for the needs of His church.

ELDERS’ COMMITMENT … We covenant to embrace the unique and sacred responsibilities entrusted to us by

God. The New Testament teaches the vital role of elders (always a plurality) in the church. It’s a carry-over

from God’s design for His Jewish people: men of character, wisdom and life experience who lead His covenant

people. In the church, elders receive this unique and sacred trust from Christ Himself (1 Peter 5:2; see also

Acts 20:28 where it is the Holy Spirit who appoints elders). As a result, God has assigned these leaders with

the primary responsibility and accountability for the well-being of a local church. That’s why God’s Word

instructs elders as shepherds to “watch over” the flock as those “who must give an account (Hebrews 13:17).

STAFF COMMITMENT … We covenant to be “workers worth our keep” (see Matthew 10:10) so that through

our faithful, diligent service we earn the financial compensation we receive. Scripture supports the paying of

those who invest themselves in full-time Kingdom work. And yet, it is entirely appropriate for those who

receive such pay to be expected to demonstrate a commitment that justifies such financial compensation.

MEMBERS’ COMMITMENT … We covenant to accept the leadership God has established at Southland, including

their responsibility to lovingly discipline when it is appropriate (this is based on the procedure outlined in God’s

Word which we have laid out with the membership covenant). In Hebrews 13:17, the same text that teaches

the high-level responsibility and accountability that leaders have also emphasizes the appropriate response from

people towards those same leaders – to respectfully embrace their leadership in all the ways it is expressed.

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What MATTers to me … TRUST ISSUES. Every once in a while, you hear of someone having them. Maybe they’re the result of trauma in childhood. Maybe they’re the result of a relationship turned sour by betrayal. Whatever past experiences may cause the problem, the end result is a struggle to live with real confidence in someone else. As the phrase suggests, a person with “trust issues” struggles to trust others.

In a sense, when it comes to our relationship with God, we all have TRUST ISSUES. They’re not the by-product of any way that God has let us down so much as they stem from our relationships with other people. Somehow, the failure of other people to be faithful to their word can cause us to question the reliability of even God’s promises.

His Word promises His peace and presence in the midst of the rough waters of adversity … His strength in the midst of our weakness … His comfort in the midst of our sadness … His power in the midst of our struggle … His mercy in the midst of our failures … even His provision in the midst of our need.

All of these fall under the heading of what 2 Peter 1:4 labels as His “great and precious promises.” They’re the kind of divine promises that we cling to as we go through life. In the midst of it all, our TRUST ISSUES with God boil down to this: can we trust on Him to deliver? Can we truly count on Him to follow through on the great expectations He established Himself through His Word?

Of course, faith isn’t just our confidence in God’s ability to deliver on such good promises; it’s also choosing to trust even when following Jesus requires something hard from us. We sit back and wait for the above things to come to fruition. On many other occasions, faith is not passively waiting for God to come through, but actively pursuing a difficult path simply because it’s what He has told us to do. For example …

His Word promises His forgiveness (which is great), but only when we turn back to Him in repentance and confession. But do we trust Him enough to turn back to Him with vulnerability and honesty?

His Word promises that He will make our paths straight when we trust in Him – that when we accept His wisdom and submit to His direction, it leads to what is good and healthy for us, even if it’s not easy and even if it doesn’t produce immediate results. But, when the wisdom of the world around us says one thing and our hearts may even be pulling us in that direction, will we choose His way instead?

Of course, His Word promises salvation and eternal life even beyond here and now (truly a great promise!). But can we really live as though this life is only a small part (the “green-tape” part) of a life that continues for all eternity? Can we hold on when giving up would be easier? Can we choose standing firm in Christ when backing away from Him seems so appealing from an earthly perspective? Can we follow Him through the valley even when we cannot see, trusting that what awaits on the other side is as good as advertised?

Our spiritual TRUST ISSUES don’t just impact our ability to wait patiently for His “great and precious promises” to become reality; they also impact our ability to trust Him enough to choose His way especially when it’s tough.

As we have been going through our summer series through some of these Old Testament stories, I have been struck again by this reality about faith: ordinary people truly LIVE OUT heroic faith only as the result of their confidence in our extraordinary God. Certainly their courage, their resolve, their endurance, their obedience mattered, but all of that was dependent on their faith in who God is and what He could do! In fact, I think that’s the consistent emphasis of Hebrews 11, the chapter we call the “Hall of Faith.” These people did what they did – amazing things! – only “by faith.” In other words, they were enabled to do what they did only because of their trust in God. Likewise for us, our ability to LIVE OUT the faith to which He has called us depends directly on the confidence we have in Him!

That means the antidote to spiritual TRUST ISSUES is this: a clearer picture of God! Most importantly, recognize the goodness of His heart. The same God who gave up His one and only Son for us is the same God who desires to keep pouring out His love for us throughout our lives both on earth and in eternity. And so, we LIVE OUT faith, trusting in Him regardless of what it takes believing the words of Hebrews 10:23 that “the One who promised is faithful.” As the NLT puts it, “God can be trusted to keep His promises.” May we believe that! Even more may we LIVE OUT such faith!

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VVaaccaattiioonn BBiibbllee SScchhooooll JJuullyy 2299 –– AAuugguusstt 11!!

((AAggee 44 tthhrroouugghh 55tthh ggrraaddee))

6:00 PM - 8:30 PM each day

Decorating Day: Saturday, July 27th 10:00am

Missions: Central India Christian Mission

Register: display in the foyer or register online: gosouthland.org

Donate: Any flavor juice boxes/pouches

LLeess'' LLaatteesstt UUppddaatteess ffrroomm tthhee CChhiillddrreenn’’ss && YYoouutthh MMiinniissttrriieess

UPCOMING YOUTH EVENTS:

A Splashing Good Time at White Water!

Friday, August 2, 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm Pre-pay $20.00 (Super Discount!) Bring: Modest swim wear, a towel, and $ for dinner @ water park. This is a Rain or Shine event! Sign-up at the Youth Display, or contact Les @ 773.1650

AVANT Ministries & Vanessa Vannoy

As the fall semester approaches, our youth and children's offerings will support a church planting ministry. Our contact is Vanessa Vannoy, who has spent the last five years in Paris, France working with a support team.

Evangelical churches are almost non-existent in Western Europe. Avant Ministries works ardently to pursue people to become followers of Jesus. This requires members of Avant to learn the French language, understand the current culture, and invest in the lives of people hungry for real truth.

Vanessa Vannoy will be here at Southland on Sunday, August 11th to present the ministry of Avant to our children and youth. A display will be located in the new addition foyer with on-going information about the outreach of Avant.

IINN TTHHEE SSPPOOTTLLIIGGHHTT

Congratulations to Kayla Gray for winning first place in the Golden City talent competition. Kayla was also a cast member in Joseph & the Technicolor Dream Coat featured at Landers Theater.

Rachel Graves participated in the Branson Firecracker 10 kilometer run and placed first in her age division. Way to go Rachel!

Jessica Worthy and Kaylea Ray traveled to Nashville, Tennessee for the National F.C.C.L.A. competition and received silver medals for publicity and promotion.

Kayla Bryant attended the UCA volleyball camp, and she was nominated to the all-cheer team!

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Maranatha Bible Camp: Dirty Socks and Camp Memories

Unpacking the camp suitcase isn't glamorous, but it's honestly rewarding. My containers of sunscreen and insect repellent ooze throughout the moisture drenched clothing. Everything smells like a campfire and the washing machine receives quite a workout. When I pull out the mud dried socks, I tell myself… "Yes, I'd do this again".

Hopefully your children have shared conversations about praise songs, memorized scripture or sound bites of great messages. Our theme this year at Maranatha Bible Camp was simply "Chosen". Building from the words of the Apostle Paul, "for He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Ephesians 1:8). I'm telling you, it's rewarding to see young people with open Bibles, underlining passages of scripture and making decisions to live out truth from God's Word. This summer our campers were encouraged to see that we are all "adopted" by our Heavenly Father, we have been made alive by the Son and we are united by the Spirit.

Going to camp is an investment. Humidity and mosquitoes can't diminish the reward of witnessing growing relationships with Jesus. Yes, they'll remember splashing in the pool with their friends, and riding the zip line. Ultimately, they'll remember spending days at camp learning about their Savior!

My thanks to the following adults for unpacking their bags and seeing the rewards of camp: Marsha Foster, Jacque Graham, Ben Jennings, Donna Lillard, Kristie Martin, Matt Martin, Amber Neil, Emily Sampson, Adam Shaw, Amanda Sims & Malia Turney.

The True Liberty Bell - 2013 MOVE Conference In the height of the slave trade in America, it is believed that slave ships brought yellow fever to the early states. This devastating epidemic affected the southern plantations all the way to high society New York City. It's hard to believe, but in the haste of burying the dead before the illness spread, some people were actually buried alive. Someone came up with a bright idea to discern between those who had the fatal symptoms from those just too weak to move. Strings with small bells attached were tied to the limbs of ill-stricken people. If the individual showed signs of life the bells rang. Spiritually speaking, many of us live paralyzed with sin, perhaps presumed dead. When revival comes along we awaken to the life Christ calls us to. We realized we are alive in Christ and bells ring. This summer at the MOVE conference, students and sponsors were challenged to "RISE UP". The week focused on the life of Joseph (Genesis 37, 39 - 45), particularly on his faith in God. No matter the situation, no matter how long the suffering, no matter how difficult the temptation, Joseph maintained to rise up and be faithful to God. During the worship services, a large 200 pound bell was unveiled on the stage. When teens were encouraged to "rise up" they made their way to the stage and rang the bell. Some decided to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. Ding! Others needed to reaffirm their life in Christ. Ding! A few more accepted the call to serve the Lord in vocational ministry. Ding! Tears would flow down cheeks, throats would tighten as that bell rang nearly 300 times. Special thanks to the following adult sponsors for assisting this incredible week: Gabrielle Carroll, Kelly Loftis, Elizabeth Nowicki, Amanda Presko, Austin Presko, Amy Ritz and Emily Sampson.

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The leadership teams of southlandwomen have been very busy this summer planning for this next year. Through all

the discussions and meetings, the one thing that has stood out to me is how very much the women on those leadership teams care about the ministries in which they are involved. Whether it is a discussion about Moms Set Apart or planning for the next year of Box Top Girls, there is passion for women and girls, specifically a passion for helping them grow in Christ. It is that passion that makes me so excited for this next year.

I thought this would be a good opportunity to give you an overview of what each of the ministries under southlandwomen have planned. If you are new to Southland or have never taken the time to participate in one of

these ministries, I encourage you to join us. Each ministry is designed to help women CONNECT to other women and GROW DEEP as we build relationships through the study of the Word.

Here is an overview of these ministries and what is coming up this year…

MOMS SET APART is a ministry for moms of children of any age from infant through high school. Being

a mom can be a daunting task – especially when you have to deal with things like “mommy wars” and the images all around us of the “supermom.” It can be hard to wake up each day anticipating defeat even before your feet hit the floor. There are so many voices, so many opinions, so many expectations for mothers that it can be hard to sort through all the noise. Moms Set Apart is designed to help moms focus on what God expects from us as mothers. It is designed to equip moms to center their homes around a godly model even as we deal with the very real frustrations of raising children in today’s world. Moms Set Apart is a place where mothers can come to find support and encouragement – both from other women and from God’s Word. It is a place where women can be honest and discuss the real problems they contend with.

There are two sessions of Moms Set Apart:

MSA Mornings meets the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. This year we will be looking at how, in the midst of the stresses of daily life, we can keep our emotions under control and even make them work for us rather than against us. The contact for MSA mornings is Amber Neil (msamornings@gosouthland.org).

MSA Nights meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Our topic this year is about exhibiting peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control in the midst of our overly busy lives. The contact for MSA evenings is Kristie Martin (msanights@gosouthland.org).

Moms Set Apart is not just for the women of Southland. In fact, we encourage you to bring a friend… all moms can use encouragement and strengthening in Christ! Registrations available at the nursery counter or you can register at our website.

southlandwomen

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Box Top Girls

What woman cannot remember back to the awkward, self-conscious days of middle school and junior high when a bad hair day was the end of the world or a snotty remark from a classmate caused you to retreat to your room in tears. What woman cannot readily recall the awkwardness of the transition from “little girl” to “young lady?” What woman does not cringe at the memories of social guffaws committed in the struggle to just fit in? Or how about the self-esteem issues that naturally come with the physical changes that occur in an already difficult season of life?

Those are just a few of the topics that drove us to start Box Top Girls a few years ago. (If you want to know the

significance behind the name, you have to come to a meeting.) Our young ladies need guidance and support. If we do not help them through what is one of the most trying times of their lives, they will go to the world for answers. This is somewhat of a unique ministry because it is for both the girls and their moms. They attend the meetings together so the moms can take home and reinforce what we talk about here.

Box Top Girls is open to any girl age 10 through high school. We meet the first Friday evening of every month

from September through May at 6:30 here at the church. We are kicking off the fall semester with a service activity on August 3 at the Salvation Army.

If you would like to know more about Box Top Girls, see Amy Ritz – BTG Coordinator.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY

The first fall session of WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY will be Tuesday, September 10 at 9:30. We will also continue an

evening session into the Fall beginging on Thursday, September 12 at 7:00. (Childcare will be provided for both

sessions.) The study for this fall will be “HAVE THE FUNERAL” by James McDonald.

In his book “Mere Christianity,” C.S. Lewis wrote:

“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive

… and then, to mention the subject at all is to be greeted with howls of anger.

Forgiveness, like a funeral, is not easy. The hurt is real and palpable. But we must let it go. This study will help us

attain the freedom that God has for us when we dare to forgive.

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Weekly ENCOUNTER ... a time to gather in God's presence together.

Plan NOW to go! See Debbie Nelson for more details.

Two Reasons you don’t feel close to God. By Jon The believers Check list: “I’m a Christian. Check. I go to Church. Check. I feel close to God… ummm.” These are the thoughts that travel through every believer’s mind. Not just once, but several times in a lifetime. Some things in the Christian life are very tangible, but closeness to God is extremely difficult to understand or measure. Why do you think this is? Well, I have two possibilities as to why some of you may not feel close to God.

1) We associate closeness to God with what we experience at Church.

Have you ever left one of our Sunday Encounter services disappointed? Let’s see if you’ve heard this statement before: “Sundays are a time where the Church can come together to be reenergized so we can make it through the rest of the week in a world that wears us out both physically and spiritually.” I’ve lived almost all of my life believing that statement, but the more I get to know what it means to be a follower of Jesus, the more I begin to realize that the statement should be deemed as untrue, even though it has become the truth over the centuries.

When you read about the first century Church in Acts, you’ll have a very difficult time finding anything about a single particular day of the week where they’d all get together to be “recharged” and “reenergized,“ then going about their daily lives the rest of week just to be recharged again the following designated day. The whole concept of having a recharge station located in a building called a church that was only open on Sundays was simply unheard of. So why do we view church like this? Maybe this is why we often leave the Church on Sunday afternoons disappointed. Maybe this is why we leave the church not feeling any closer to God. We show up with our charge meters reading “empty” and expect the community, music and preaching in the local Church to recharge our batteries, to bring us closer to God. When any of the three fail to do so, we point fingers. The information you receive within sermons, the community you experience with other believers, or the emotions you may or may not feel during musical worship are not the means by which you measure how close you are to God.

This brings me to my next possibility.

2) We associate closeness to God with our feelings and emotions.

I’ll keep this short and simple. Closeness to God is not measured by a feeling. Rich Mullins frames this idea better than I ever could. He said this in a concert back in mid 90’s. “Many people come to me and ask, ‘How do you feel close to God?’ and I kind of always want to say I don’t know, but when I read the lives of most of the saints, I see they didn’t necessarily always feel close to God. When I read the Psalms, I feel like David and all the other psalmists felt quite far away from God for most of the time. You see, closeness to God is not about feelings. Closeness to God is about obedience. It’s just as simple as that. Jesus said, ‘My bread is to do the will of the Father.'" Rich is right on. Closeness to God is about obedience,

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UPCOMING PREACHING CALENDAR Normally, we package our preaching in series - several sermons centered around a common theme/topic/book of the Bible. It helps build cohesiveness as we reflect on what it means to LIVE OUT our faith as followers of Jesus. During the next several weeks, we will be experiencing a "potpourri of preaching." To give you an idea of what lies ahead, here is a snapshot of the next several weeks.

July 28: "Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego (Daniel 3) ... Trusting God's SOVEREIGNTY."

This is the final sermon in our summer series called "Digging up Faith - Ordinary People Trusting an Extraordinary God" (looking at various OT stories).

August 4: "Standing Firm" ... looking at the same theme our kids will be learning about during the week of VBS.

August 11: Jon will be preaching.

August 18: Our process and priorities here at SCC - how God's Word directs us when it comes to who we are and what we do as His church.

August 25: "Pressing On" from Philippians 3:12-14 as we prepare for FLOURISH 2013 (more info on the theme and evening on page 2 of the Vine).

If you miss a sermon, you can catch it online! Go to the

"Sermons & Media" tab on the home page of our website. Once there, click "Launch

Sermon Player" to find the one you want to hear.

not feeling. We can read the Bible as much as we want. We can come to Church and sing, listen to and take notes on everything the preacher says. But we’ll NEVER truly be close to God unless we put God’s words into practice.

1 John 3:16-20 reads, “This is how we know what Love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sister. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”

There’s no need for feelings when you KNOW you are close to God. And we can KNOW by doing the will of the Father. And the will of the Father is to show sacrificial and unconditional love to everyone we come in contact with in our lives. Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of these you’ve done unto me (Matt 25:40).” If you want to be closer to God, love people with the love of God. So maybe your check list should look more like this:

“I am a Christian. Check.” “I go to Church. Check. ” “I am obedient to Christ and love as he loved…”

It’s up to you to check the last one.

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CONNECT Ministries ... a place to discover Christian community.

We have designed our CONNECT Ministries to help people discover Christian community. They provide the right kind of place to build relationships with other believers, pray with and for one another as we strive to follow Jesus faithfully and consider how God’s Word applies to our lives. Please see the "CONNECT Counter" in the foyer for information about where these groups meet weekly (mainly 9 and 10:30 on Sunday mornings), and for more details about any upcoming events (also listed below).

GET CONNECTED!

EMPTY NESTERS - “Ice Cream Social” on Friday, August 16 at 7 PM at the church!

If you can bring home-made ice cream, that would be great! Sign up in the foyer,

email, or call us and indicate whether you will bring ice cream or a dessert.

Shirley 773-8094 * Dorothy 883-4209 * Sue 883-8536

Make sure you check periodically at the CONNECT Counter in the foyer for more details about upcoming events!!

Showing God’s love by serving our community!

Saturday, September 7 @ 8am Service Project @ Mark Twain Elementary

Sponsored by:

The Branch & 242 Connect Groups

Childcare provided!

Anyone 15 or older is welcome!

Must RSVP before August 25

th via sign-up sheet in the foyer, or email Jon@gosouthland.org

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G ROW DEEP Ministries ... an opportunity to plant deep roots in Jesus and God's Word.

At Southland, a significant way we help people grow is through our Deeper Life Groups (a.k.a. "D-Groups"). While we occasionally offer other teaching opportunities, this is our primary way of helping people plant DEEP roots into Christ and God's Word (see Colossians 2:6-7).

To be a part of a Deeper Life Group, please fill out one of the GREEN CARDS found at the Welcome Center.

(NOTE: If you have already signed-up to be a part of a D-Group, we will be forming new groups soon!)

CHILDCARE IS AVAILABLE FOR D-GROUPS MEETING ON WEDNESDAY EVENINGS BEGINNING AT 6 PM.

From time-to-time, it's good to offer a reminder about our Deeper Life Groups and what they are all about. This is one of those times as we get ready to launch more groups in September. Here are the building blocks of these groups:

BUILDING BLOCK #1 = the context of RELATIONSHIPS.

These groups are small groups made even smaller – 4-6 people of the same gender for better openness and accountability to one another. This context provides a safe environment where we can share our joys and struggles as followers of Jesus. It’s also where others can encourage one another to greater faithfulness as we study God’s Word together. Just as redwood trees grow strong and mighty in groves where individual trees’ roots are intertwined, so Deeper Life Groups establish a place where we can mature by GROWING DEEP together.

BUILDING BLOCK #2 = the content is GOD’S WORD.

We have produced a curriculum designed to help us plant roots deeply into God’s Word. This material helps us consider not only the story of salvation, but also how we can be transformed to be more like Christ and how we can participate in God’s work in our world. Group members do their own individual study and then come together to sharpen one another as we strive to live out God’s Word.

BUILDING BLOCK #3 = the desired goal is TRANSFORMATION.

Through Deeper Life Groups, we want followers of Jesus to be in the best environment (the context of relationships) where they can receive the right nutrients (the content of God’s Word). We believe that is where the Holy Spirit best does His work of shaping and molding us to become like Christ. His grace does not only save us from our sins, it should also make us new!

BUILDING BLOCK #4 = an emphasis on MULTIPLICATION.

From the beginning of a Deeper Life Group, we want members to be growing in their own individual journeys. However, we also want them to begin preparing themselves to further the discipleship process by leading others once this time together is complete. In fact, we already have several people who have been through one cycle of the Deeper Life Group ready to help new people experience this journey as well.

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This section of the Vine provides a central place for you to be informed about how to become active in service at Southland. One of our major priorities is to be a place where God's people BUILD UP one another. In fact, according to Ephesians 4:16, the overall health of the church (the Body) depends upon each part doing its "own special work." Through our acts of service, God uses us to help others grow. At the same time, here’s what is beautiful about God's design: what we do for the benefit of others even has benefits for our own growth as followers of Jesus. That's why we share this section with you. While we cannot include every potential opportunity to serve, we want to (1) highlight some specific areas where we have a need for help, (2) make you aware of special opportunities to serve and (3) provide a place to thank some of our volunteers.

Opportunities to BUILD UP ... a way to serve others and even help ourselves grow.

To volunteer to serve in any area of ministry, please fill out one of the BLUE "Build Up" response cards at the Welcome Center. We will pass your name along to the appropriate leader.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE:

THERE ARE SEVERAL PROJECTS AROUND THE BUILDING:

1. CARPET CLEANING. WE HAVE THE CARPET EXTRACTOR AND THE SUPPLIES.

2. PULLING GRASS/WEEDS AROUND THE PLAYGROUND AND AIR CONDITIONING UNITS.

3. ASSEMBLING A TABLE CART (THIS TAKES 2 PEOPLE).

WHICH PROJECT WILL YOU CHOOSE TO COMPLETE? JUST CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE AND LET US

KNOW. THANKS!

ATTENTION LADIES! WE ARE IN NEED OF TWO OR THREE WOMEN WHO ARE WILLING TO SPEND TWO

MORNINGS A MONTH PLAYING WITH BABIES WHILE THE MOMS ATTEND “MOMS SET APART”. WE MEET

THE FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAYS OF THE MONTH. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO HELP WITH THIS MINISTRY,

PLEASE CONTACT JILL SIMS OR DEBBIE NELSON.

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One thing almost all women’s events or meetings have in common is

childcare. For a mom, the availability of childcare can make the difference in

her decision to attend or not attend Bible Study or other events. Normally,

arranging childcare involves making sure there are competent, caring

workers who can dry tears, change diapers, play games, and pass out snacks.

It is no small task to manage a roomful of kids of various ages and attention

spans. Our teenagers do this very well.

“Moms Set Apart – Mornings” is a ministry that asks much more of our childcare providers. For the toddlers on up through the home-schooled children, we use the meeting time as an opportunity to teach Bible lessons and concepts. Rather than just playing, the childcare providers become teachers. While moms are learning about being godly women, wives, and mothers, the kids are learning about God. That is where Jill Sims comes in. Jill is the “Kids with Heart” coordinator for MSA Mornings - not an easy position to fill! As the “Kids with Heart” coordinator, the first (and undoubtedly the most challenging) task Jill has to tackle is finding 8-10 women and college students who are willing to work with kids 5 ½ hours a month. Fulfilling this task means drawing on a variety of resources and making countless phone calls. She has to be able to absorb rejection with a smile and not take it personally. She often pieces together different schedules so that two workers can fill one position. Even after she has found all the workers we need, Jill still has to review curriculums for the year, organize teaching aids to go with lessons and gather activity supplies. And all that happens between June and August! Every MSA morning Jill arrives an hour or so before the meeting starts to set up the kids check in table and make sure all the supplies for the day are set out. If any teacher or helper is ill, she must scramble at the last minute to cover their spot. There have been mornings when Jill missed part of a meeting because she was helping out with the kids so the other moms could participate in the morning’s discussion. Jill’s efforts for Kids with Heart are part of the reason Moms Set Apart can minister to women. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that without her efforts, Moms Set Apart simply could not happen. This last year Jill also took on the task of finding childcare for Tuesday morning Bible study. Her help with this has been such a blessing. Other areas Jill faithfully serves in are the nursery and teaching in Lil’ Cruisers. (Are you getting the idea here that this is a lady dedicated to our kids and helping other women grow in Christ?) Women’s Ministry cannot function through the efforts of only one person. It takes a large, dedicated team to coordinate all the ministries that fall under the umbrella of Women’s Ministry. We are blessed to have Jill in one of the key positions in this ministry. Thanks Jill for using your talents so that the lives of women and children can be impacted for Christ.

SHOWCASING A SERVANT: JILL SIMS

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SERVING SCHEDULE - August 2013

Communion Prep: Karen and Truman Haynes

GREETERS WELCOME CENTER 8/4/13 - 1ST SVC 8/4/13 - 2ND SVC

10:30 Free At Last Connect Group 9:30 Branch Connect Group

Shawn and Amelia Latimer Sue Malina/Shirley Bloss

8/11/13 - 1ST SVC 8/11/13 - 2ND SVC

Empty Nester Connect Group 242 Connect Group

Jay and Kim Tyler Dorothy Marti/Edith Moody

8/18/13 - 1ST SVC 8/18/13 - 2ND SVC

Junior High Class 9:30 Free At Last Connect Group

Dustin and Lacey Shumaker Dennis and Kay McCann

8/25/13 - 1ST SVC 8/25/13 - 2ND SVC

Empty Nester Connect Group Refuge Connect Group

Michael Seal and Adam Shaw Ernie Emmerton/ Ken Nelson

/ /13 - 1ST SVC / /13 - 2ND SVC

SERVERS 1ST SERVICE 2ND SERVICE 8/4/13

Various People Austin Presko Team

8/11/13

Various People Doug Graves Team

8/18/13

Various People Ben Jennings Team

8/25/13 Various People Les Londeen & Youth Ministry

/ /13

NURSERY CHECK-IN 1ST SERVICE 2ND SERVICE

8/4/13 Dorothy Marti Amanda Miller

8/11/13 Marian Smith Debbie Gray

8/18/13 Pam Sewell Susan Graves

8/25/13 Kim Tyler Terra Gegg

NURSERY 1ST SERVICE 2ND SERVICE 8/4/13 Joy Shearin/Erica Shaw Stewarts/Millers

8/11/13 Tammy Worthy/Mara Ray Debbie & Kayla Gray

8/18/13 Mike & Laura Lippert The Graves Family

8/25/13 Melissa Mittag/Stacy Gambill AJ & Terra Gegg

/ /13

Wee Cruisers 10:30am - 11:45am

Li'l Cruisers 10:30 - 11:45am

Cruiser's LEADER

8/4/13 Kristin Londeen Alexis Simpson

Sara Emmerton Victoria Kubitschek

Les Londeen

8/11/13 Debbie Jennings Allison Ritz

Marsha Foster Anna Martin

The Preskos

8/18/13 Gabrielle Carroll Shelby Ritz

Emily Sampson Kayla Bryant

The Worthys

8/25/13 Danielle Keeton Brit Shearin

Sara Emmerton Elizabeth Kubitschek

Les Londeen

/ /13

COMPUTER 1ST SERVICE 2ND SERVICE 8/4/13 Jordan Marsh Emily Courtney

8/11/13 Dan Gray Dan Gray

8/18/13 Katy Carmichael Jay Butler

8/25/13 Carl Simpson Sonya Simpson

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LIVE OUT Ministries

... a path for putting faith into action.

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Galatians 6:10

OPPORTUNITIES TO “LIVE OUT” YOUR FAITH

One of the key purposes of the G6:10 Ministry is to offer opportunities for us to LIVE OUT faith (see Galatians 6:10!). That is

not so much about creating new events, but helping keep the SCC family aware of events that are already happening,

especially with our local ministry partners. The goal is not for everyone to participate in every single event. Rather, we want

to lay these opportunities before you so you can decide how/where/when to participate. Maybe it's with your own family.

Maybe it's with others in your D-Group. Maybe it's with a Connect Group. Maybe it's by yourself. However it is, here are some

very specific ways you can participate in Kingdom work as you LIVE OUT your faith!

Here are 4 of our local ministry partners with specific opportunities during the upcoming weeks and months.

As the school year approaches, the Salvation Army's "Back-to-School" efforts are up and

running. Southland will have groups specifically participating in filling up backpacks with

school supplies on Saturday, August 3 from 1-4 PM (a "BTG Group" and another SCC group

will be going to help with this, both will be meeting at the Salvation Army Thrift Store

located at 1737 S. Campbell).

Then, on Monday, August 5 from 12-4 PM, another group will be meeting at the Salvation Army Center located at Kansas

Expressway and Chestnut (the actual address is 1707 W. Chestnut Expressway). Those going on Monday will serve as

helpers as kids come pick-out items for school.

To participate in either of these events, sign-up at the Welcome Center. For additional information about either of these

events, contact Chuck Weaver, our G6:10 liaison for the Salvation Army.

There are 2 upcoming events for Christian Campus House at MSU ...

1. Every year, as they strive to welcome new students to campus and their ministry, they do

so with COOKIES! If you are so inclined, bake a batch of cookies, bag them with 4-5 cookies

in each bag and then, drop them off at church on Sunday, August 18. We will then get them

delivered to CCH so they can help welcome new students. Nothing says "welcome" like

homemade cookies!

2. The 17th annual CCH Golf Tournament is Saturday, September 21 at Bill and Payne Stewart

Golf Course in Springfield (start time is 8 AM). Contact Matt if interested. Sign-up by 9/8.

www.cchonthe.net

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The Show-Me Christian Youth Home exists to provide "a loving, stable Christian

home for children with backgrounds of abuse, neglect, abandonment and

unfortunate circumstances." They are holding their annual open house on

Saturday, September 7 in LaMonte, Missouri (located about 15 miles west of

Sedalia). The home receives no government funds, so it receives its support

primarily through churches and individuals. We will be collecting items on August

18 and 25 to deliver in September.

The following items are needed:

White and brown sugar Vegetable Oil Canned Goods

Zip Lock Bags (all sizes) New Pillows Bleach

Liquid laundry detergent Spaghetti Sauce Peanut Butter

Common Spices Cleaning Supplies Batteries

13 & 55 gallon trash bags Cake Mixes Twin Bedding

Dish Washer Detergent Mac and Cheese Flour

Drink Mixes, tea, juice Fabric Softener Kids Cereal

Paper Products Frosting Dish Soap

OUR GOAL IS TO COLLECT ENOUGH ITEMS THAT WE WILL NEED TO TAKE THE TRAILER TO DELIVER THEM.

If you would like to join the group going to La Monte on September 7, there will be a sign-up in the foyer after VBS.

For additional details, see Danny Houser, our G6:10 liaison for the Show-Me Christian Youth Home.

You can register at their website or by calling the PCC at 417-877-0800. It's a

great way to help support their ministry efforts!

As part of our effort to keep you informed about Southland's missions partners, we have listed the organizations and their websites (where applicable) below. These are the ones we financially support.

Central India Christian Mission ... www.indiamission.org

Ozark Christian College ... www.occ.edu

Maranatha Bible Camp ... www.maranathabiblecamp.org

Christian Campus House at MSU ... www.cchonthe.net

Pregnancy Care Center ... www.pccchoices.org

Salvation Army ... www.usc.salvationarmy.org/springfield-mo

Make sure you stop by the alcove (north end of the auditorium). It's where we publish newsletters and others

updates that we receive from our foreign partners.

www.show-mehome.com

www.pccchoices.org

Saturday, October 5, 2013

at Jordan Valley Park

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Catalogue The A "For Sale" Listing Service For Members of Southland

The Catalogue ads:

Ads are accepted from SCC Members only. They must be submitted 7 days prior to the day The Vine is published. You must submit your ad to deb@gosouthland.org & to paula@gosouthland.org . Ad will not be published unless it has been approved. Ads offering items free to church members are welcome. Whenever possible, for best quality - digital images in .jpeg format are preferred over printed photos. All ads will be screened for appropriateness, and refused if deemed inappropriate. Editor's discretion will be used when preparing ads - this includes, but is not limited to, graphic size, type, spelling, phrasing. Ad runs ONCE, unless an additional run is requested by the above submission time. It is seller's responsibility to contact us to renew an ad.

Rattan and glass dining set with Pier1 cushions…$300. Contact Debbie Little 417-350-5934

Tan microfiber, double reclining couch and love seat in good condition, no stains or tears and good working mechanisms. Asking $ 500 for set, OBO.

Heavy metal desk with slide outs and keyboard tray. Asking $85, OBO.

Contact Ceci Drake 417-631-7767