Church guide

First sermon in new message series is online! https://www.atlantachristianfamily.org/sermons.html

Mother's Day sermon now online! https://www.atlantachristianfamily.org/sermons.html

New sermon series begins this Sunday! People don’t set out to build their faith on myths, but somehow falsehoods keep showing up in the way many Christians think about life and God. These beliefs are assumed by millions to be rock-solid truth straight from God… that is until life and the Bible prove otherwise. The sad result of such a realization is often a spiritual disaster! There are feelings of confusion, betrayal and a distrust of Scripture, and at worst a loss of faith and anger toward both God and His church. Let’s use the Bible to debunk these myths and enrich our Christian walk!

ACC Youth and Family Ministry! https://youtu.be/f0fTbXhqYcc

Jeremy from Heritage Welding doing an awesome job installing the first section of our new hand railings outside of The Gate at the Atlanta Christian Church!

Read yesterday (Mother's Day) at the close of the worship service at the Atlanta Christian Church... To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is. To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst To those who are single and long to be married and mothering your own children – we mourn that life has not turned out the way you longed for it to be To those who step-parent – we walk with you on these complex paths To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren -yet that dream is not to be, we grieve with you To those who have invited your kids to join you for church every year with no results, we understand To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you To those who placed children up for adoption — we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you.

This coming Sunday (Mother's Day) our Teaching Pastor Doug Maris is going to unpack the book of Ruth for us. Prior to Sunday, I would encourage each of you to familiarize yourselves with the main themes in and history behind this amazing little 4-chapter Old Testament book... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h1eoBeR4Jk

Tomorrow at ACC!

Atlanta Christian Church May 2019 e-newsletter was JUST sent out and its FULL of all kinds of good info. To read this month's issue or subscribe to receive future issues, please visit... https://us19.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=8d565bc0706a9af4bfa9a1f70&id=d25cd0f791

Attention Parents: A Change to Children’s Church The Question: Where should the children be...should they be in “big church” or “children’s church”? The Current Situation: Currently ACC offers a middle-of-the-road solution...midway through big church, children are dismissed to children’s church. Proposal: ACC leadership is proposing “multigenerational church”. Not big church or children’s church...just church - where multiple generations are worshiping and participating together. The Research: After decades of church designed specifically for children, national research now shows that young adults are leaving the church faster than ever. One surprisingly obvious explanation: these young adults have never been in church. Research from a Fuller Youth Institute project called “Sticky Faith” seems to support this conclusion. According to the data, being in church with their parents is the single best indicator that children will stick with faith into adulthood. It has long been known that parents have the most formative influence on their children’s faith lives. If we want children to learn the language of faith, they need to see their parents worshiping, praying, singing, and communing. This model has worked for centuries. A Change: What this means is that ACC would take a hiatus on children’s church beginning in May and give multigenerational church a chance; then revisit the issue in August. This is what it would look like: Nursery will continue to be available during church service for children up to four years old. Sunday School hour (9 a.m.) will continue unchanged. No special children time during the service, just a normal service. Engage kids by encouraging participation alongside adults during the service (greeters, communion/offering, worship team, choir, reading scripture, children’s specials, worship tech, etc) Kids activity sheets and supplies will be made available Provide “parent cues” to assist parents in connecting about life and faith at home. During this period we also be educating the congregation that disruptions from children in church are a sign of life in the church. Parent meeting in August to determine best path forward following trial phase. Your Part: We just ask that you work with us during this trial period and give us your honest feedback in August. For questions or concerns contact Warren Smith, Director of Youth and Family Ministries... 217-202-9365

Life Group Leader & Apprentice – Training Breakfast Saturday, May 4th at 7am Our next training breakfast for Life Group leaders and apprentices is schedule for Saturday (May 4th) at 7am in the Gate. Please bring a breakfast item to share. We will reflect on our groups, share plans for summer, and continue our focus on what is necessary to launch new groups. In addition to our current leaders/apprentices, anyone in the church family who would like to consider helping to lead a small group is welcome to attend as well!

We're having a cook out THIS Sunday, April 28th, at ACC following the 10 a.m. worship service. Everyone is invited! We're grillin' up hamburgers & hotdogs and serving potato salad, baked beans, and chips for sides with Texas sheet cake and cookies for dessert! ALL for a goodwill offering! Proceeds will help us take our youth group kids to Kentucky in June to experience the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter.

Warren Smith would like to have a quick 5 minute meeting in the sanctuary with all K-5th grade parents immediately following church this coming Sunday, April 28th. After the meeting you will be dismissed to the missions fundraiser meal in the Gate!

For those of you who missed our Teaching Pastor Doug Maris' Resurrection Sunday sermon, I'd encourage you to check out our sermon page and give it a listen. Doug unpacks 4 messages from God found in Matthew 28... https://www.atlantachristianfamily.org/sermons.html

Atlanta Community Good Friday "Tenebrae" Service THIS Friday, April 19th, 7 p.m. Atlanta Christian Church, 300 NE Third St, Atlanta Nursery care through 3 years old available. Refreshments in "The Gate" after the service.

Misfit Toys

New summer sermon series, "PARABLES," begins THIS Sunday, June 3rd! #HowJesusTaught

Congratulations Bella Prather! Baptized April 15, 2018.

Looking for a church home? ACC is a growing, multi-generational family of believers united in purpose while impacting our community for Christ! Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. for celebratory worship and engaging biblical teaching for every generation within a loving, informal environment.

Join us this Sunday, January 7th at 10 a.m. as we begin our new extended sermon series in the book of James. James reminds the church that putting our faith into action is what matters most. We encourage everyone to be reading the book of James. ACC Life Groups and Bible Studies are encouraged to spend some time in the book as well...

Christmas flash mob at The Country Aire courtesy of the ACC worship choir!

Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Everywhere the gospel is preached and people are drawn to faith in Christ, they are to be baptized. Last night we had three baptisms during our evening youth group. If you would be interested in baptism please talk to Doug, Nathan or Warren.