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Until recently our intention for multi-site services
included live worship at all services and a rotation of live and video sermon
delivery. The usage of video was a temporary solution to ensure that all
services received the same content each week. During the past several
months we have enjoyed hearing from others in the body with the gift of
preaching. After more careful consideration we have determined that we
have the capacity and gifts within the body to provide live preaching at all
services and at all sites.
This approach does not totally preclude the use of video (as
with the next two weeks – we want to ensure complete consistency in content
across both sites as we start our new sermon series), it won’t be often.
We are excited about the exposure to multiple preaching styles, the ability to
allow others to develop their gift of preaching, and keeping taped sermons to a
minimum. We will not advertise who will preach at each location, but do
look forward to being inspired and taught through the same message.
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More than 160 people participated in last weekend's quarterly Training
and Equipping. We welcomed more than 20 new shepherds in House Church
Leader 1 and equipped 67 seasoned shepherds in House Church Leader 2.
Others learned more about Kingdom living and the Bible in our Chasing
After God, Peacemaker and Old Testament tracks. Mark your calendars
now for the next Training and Equipping - November 2-3. Everyone is
welcome to attend and registration will be available at www.cground.org
in October.   
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 Flagstaff, AZ—a college town, a hippy town, a cowboy town, an
economically challenged town, a liberal town, a border town (bordering
the Navajo and Hopi Reservations), an eclectic town, the feel and
functioning of a small town, but with the diversity of a large town. I
wish I could say Flagstaff was “ripe for harvest,” but it’s not. In
fact I would say that the soil is very hard and not ready to receive
the seed of the gospel. So our task at the moment is to help soften
the soil, which we believe comes through humble, compassionate service
and kindness.
So, our little church community, The Refuge, is
busy making relational connections…cultivating friendships, and
figuring out how to live out the reality of God’s Kingdom having come.
For us, this includes volunteering with an organization that sends
clothes to Mongolia, participating in a community clean up, and passing
out water to participants in a cancer walk. We do many of these things
with other churches in town because we’re working to build The Church
in Flagstaff, not simply The Refuge. Part of living out the Kingdom is
allowing people to see unity and cooperation between congregations.
 Please pray with us:
- That God would be honored/glorified through our efforts.
- That the Spirit would make hearts/minds soft and receptive to the gospel proclaimed and demonstrated in Flagstaff.
- That we will continue to listen carefully to God’s leading/guiding of us as His ambassadors here.
You can read updates from our Flagstaff church plant on our website and connect with them at www.therefugeflagstaff.org
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 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the
Lord, not for men, since … it is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
The Communion Team assembles the elements
(bread and juice) and distributes them for each Sunday service. In
doing so, they serve the body as we come together as one entity on a
Sunday to remember Jesus and the extent of his love for all mankind.
This team is a great entry level of service in our congregation, and
provides a very practical function as we gather.
Jon Thomas, one
of the coordinators of the team, sees a direct correlation to being
Christ-like as he serves on the team. As Jon puts it, “Jesus served
His disciples during the last supper in Matthew 26 demonstrating the
communion elements as we know them today. Christ served his disciples
out of love for them. Communion is a time of remembrance of the
ultimate sacrifice Christ made for all mankind. Christ demonstrated
this remembrance time in service to His friends, His brothers. What
better way to serve the body than to demonstrate what Christ did by
serving your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, individuals you
call your friends?”
Being part of the communion team requires
you to fill juice trays with cups and grape juice and saucer trays with
broken matzos. Members serve 1-2 times per month at a designated
service time. Training for the team involves new members shadowing and
assisting a seasoned fellow team member.
For more information
about the team or how to join, please contact Jon and Laneia Thomas at
communion@cground.org. When emailing please indicate your preferred
service site (CGCC-West or Midtown) and time (9 am, 11 am or 7 pm) if
you attend Midtown.
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On August 11, Jireh Sports and Shepherd Community held the ninth annual
Back to School Blast providing Indianapolis children with more than
3000 backpacks filled with school supplies. Common Ground attenders
sponsored and filled 150 of those bags and volunteered their time at
the Blast.
In addition to the backpacks, children participated
in a number of other outreach activities including games, crafts,
haircuts and a healthy lunch. Even though this event is not
advertised, hundreds of families line up each year well before the 8 am
start time. This year, the event grew to two locations and gained
sponsorship by Clarian Health.
 
Check out the 150 bags sponsored and filled by CGCC and the truck that picked them up.
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Baby Dedication
Don't forget - the next Baby Dedication on Sunday, September 2. The registration deadline is August 24 and space is limited. To register, contact Shawn at shawn@cground.org. For more information on dedication, download the information page.
Capital Campaign Reminder
Pledge cards are located near the offering basket at both our Midtown and West locations. Please fill out your card and drop it in the offering basket. Collection of one-time gifts will occur on Sunday, September 30 and Sunday, December 9. Click here for full details on the capital campaign.
Membership Class
The next Membership Class is Monday, September 24 at 6:30 pm at our Midtown location. Childcare and pizza will be provided. RSVP to Marissa at marissa@cground.org or 251.1494 by September 21. What exactly is membership? Check out the details on our website.
Your Thoughts
So, what do you think of the E-news so far? Your feedback is vital as we continue to grow and improve our communications. Do you feel more informed, more in the loop? Please complete the short survey to let us know what you like and what we can do better. Don't be shy - help us keep you informed!
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