This Sunday is jam packed-so prepare to read fast.

This week we will be continuing the “-ish” series with another story of the prophet Elisha, and one word that can bring healing and life-change, or disaster and destruction depending on what we do with it.  This is not a story you want to miss…or a word you want to “-ish”.

This Sunday also marks the kick-off of our efforts at this years York Relay for Life.  (June 22-23)   If you have never been part of serving those with cancer at Relay, believe me when I say it is an experience that will change you…and one that you will want to repeat!  Kenna will be giving us an overview of what’s happening…and how we can be involved.  Mark the dates on your calendars…and get ready for the most fun you can have while making a difference in our community!

T-shirts!                      T-shirts!                             T-shirts!                           T-shirts!

Our 2012 line of actionchurch t-shirts also go on Sale Sunday.  There are 4 designs including two uni-sex designs, a beautiful ladies design and an actionkidz shirt this year.   They will be $12 for Adult shirts  and $10 for the kids.   EVERY DOLLAR raised from the sale goes to help cover the cost of our Relay for Life events!  This is a great opportunity to do good…and look good while doing…it by purchasing an actionchurch shirt.

If that wasn’t enough, we have a brand new artist,  Katy Glorioso, on stage Sunday.  actionkidz is cranked up and ready to provide an amazing hour of learning about the Bible and fun for your kids as well!

It all starts at 10:30 am (NOT 10:30-ish) at Frank Theaters Queensgate (Directions).   So come earlier to enjoy  Coffee, Maple Donuts, bagels, and Muffins with the friendly folks of actionchurch.

Mother’s Day was this past Sunday, so in honor of all mothers, we decided to interview what some would call the Mother of actionchurch. She does many things including coordinating actionkidz, but most notably, she puts up with being the wife of Pastor Don. I am pleased to introduce the multi-talented Michele Record!

• I help with actionkidz and the check-in for that. I have a few odds and ends roles. (Reagan, her daughter, who was present for this interview, eagerly shouted: “She talks to people,” clearly a very important role to the life of actionchurch.)

What was the hardest thing about starting a church?

• Starting it. Fear keeps people from doing their hopes and dreams. You just got to go for it and do it.

What is it like to be a pastor’s wife?

• Interesting. Never dull.

What do you do outside of actionchurch?

• Homeschool Reagan and run lots of errands.

Do you have any hobbies or something quirky about you?

• I have more quirkiness than space for you to write. I love to read.

Tell us about Hello Kitty, the Pillsbury Dough Boy, and Smurf Village, and why they are important to you.

• Hello Kitty: I loved as a little girl. I like fun things and I’m not a serious person.
• Pillsbury Dough Boy: There is a picture of me when I was 6 holding a Pillsbury dough boy. I was born with an odd love of the Pillsbury Dough Boy and there are thousands of blue eyes around my house because of him. It sort of freaks people out sometimes.
• Smurf Village: My village is how I kind of relax. It’s working for an intended purpose. It’s frivalous and stupid but something I can go to in order to take relax my mind. But, it backfires because I will get really serious about the village.

The ladies of actionchurch want to know how you can be such an incredible baker and keep such a fabulous figure.

• The secret is that I work my butt off. I exercise an hour and forty minutes a day.

Josiah Katz asks, what is your secret for keeping your carpets so soft?

• I never let anyone in my home. *laughing* I use to love the TV show Trading Places before church and Reagan were a part of my life. They recommended that you vacuum your carpet twice a week. So, I’ve been doing that for sixteen years. It’s the same carpet. I like to try things to see if they work, like a myth buster to see if something is right or not. This definitely worked.

How many years have you and Don really been married, since he is so vague about it?

• 22 years!

Can you tell us a story that will humble Don?

• He is humbled every week. I’ll let him do that himself. I plead the fifth.

Do you have a favorite scripture or some words of wisdom that you would like to share with the people of actionchurch?

• When I need to be conscious and think about myself and what I’m doing,
  “¹⁰ So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [morally] to all people [not only being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God’s family with you, the believers].” (Galatians 6:10 AMP)
• When I am frazzled and am looking for peace,

  ^“3 You will keep in perfect peace
      all who trust in you,
      all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3 NLT)

If you have any interview question suggestions for future actionchurch crew member interviews, comment below, on Facebook, or tweet @actionchurch!

This Saturday (May 19th), our Mountain Biking actiongroup is going for their first ride!  Meet Johnny at Rocky Ridge at 8:00AM in the first parking lot on the left. Bring your skillz, helmet, and something with two wheels!

If you have questions about the ride this Saturday, or just questions about actiongroups in general, email groups@actionchurch.com! Check out all of the other awesome actiongroups here!

I snapped this picture with my iPhone this Sunday morning before load-in at the theaters.  I wanted a visual reminder of how blessed we’ve been in the past eighteen months as a church.

I was feeling blessed because I was sure that our newly painted and logo’d truck was carefully loaded with everything we needed for Sundays Services at our amazing venue at  Frank Theaters.  I was also sure that a swarm of extremely skilled and hardworking actionchurch crew would be there soon to make short work of unloading the truck and turning three theaters and a party room into actionchurch in 90 minutes.  We are incredibly blessed.

Just eighteen months ago,  I pulled up to Frank Theaters in a borrowed truck, waiting for a borrowed sound system, praying that the odds and ends we had salvaged from our stay at Club 19  could be used at our new theater venue.  I was carrying a long list of items that we would need (and could not presently afford to purchase), and expecting for that list to grow as we scrambled to set up in our new home.  I was praying enough volunteers would show up…and since this was our first time setting up at the theaters…praying that somehow time would slow down enough that we could get everything set up before our guests showed up.  (and…full disclosure…I was also hoping that when everything was set up…someone would show up…since we had only had one week to spread the word about our new location)

I think it’s so important to be grateful to God for all the blessings we’ve received in the last 4 years as a church, and specifically how we have been blessed since moving to our newest location.  I hope we NEVER become smug, secure, and take God’s blessing for granted.  I also don’t want to ever overlook where blessings “come from”.

Blessings come from people who chose to get up early on Sunday mornings instead of sleeping in.

Blessings come from the people who chose to “be the church” instead of just attending a church.

Blessings come from the people who have chosen to share their money with others.  ( If you are wondering if your donations matter…a VERY SMALL percentage of the blessings of the past eighteen months have come from outside contributions…the vast majority has come from actionchurch folks being generous and faithful each week with their money in very difficult financial times.)

Blessings come from people who chose to give up their sunday service to make sure that our kids hear about Jesus in the most captivating way possible.

Blessings come from people who open up their homes to host an actiongroup, pick up a friend on Sunday morning, or simply invite someone to join them on Sunday.

Blessings come from people who work during the week to repair equipment, restore and maintain the truck, return emails, or create art so that the message on Sunday Morning is clear and captivating.

Blessings come from people who use their contacts, influence, and talents in countless ways to make actionchurch possible each week.

Blessings come from people.

Yes.  Blessings come from people.

And as people…we are blessed that God gives us the ability, resources, and opportunity to be a blessing to others.

Just wanted to remind you this morning that YOU are “where blessings come from”.  Thank you.

This Sunday is Mothers Day, and a very special edition of actionchurch.   We’ll be continueing our look at the life of the prophet Elisha in the “-ish” series.   This week we’ll tell the story of an amazing Mom who plays an incredible role in Elisha’s  life and travels…and ends up teaching a lesson that ALL of would do well to learn.  We’ll be talking about words that moms “-ish”, and one word that great mothers NEVER do…

Our friends Farewell Flight will be providing the rock, and your kids will spend an hour learning great truths from the Bible  (and maybe making a gift for mom…shhhh.)  We also have a great gift we’d like to give to every woman who attends actionchurch Sunday.

Bring your mom…and a friend as well.  It all starts at 10:30 am (NOT 10:30-ish) at Frank Theaters Queensgate (Directions).   So come earlier to enjoy  Coffee, Maple Donuts, bagels, and Muffins with the friendly folks of actionchurch.

She helps set-up and tear down behind-the-scenes at actionchurch and is super excited to give birth this summer. In honor of Mother’s Day coming up on Sunday, I want to introduce to you a soon-to- be mom, Mercedes Noldon!

• I do the merchandise table and help with the signs. I also host the Book Club. I use to help load the truck, but can’t anymore because of the baby.

How did you first get involved?

• I heard about it from a friend and brought Tyler here when we were dating. [They have now been married a year and a half.]

What is your favorite thing about actionchurch?

• I like that people can come and grow spiritually without being judged.

What do you do outside of actionchurch?

• I am a home health nurse.

What are your hobbies?

• Reading and learning to be handy and do other domestic things.

Is there anything quirky about you?

• My choices of music are often considered strange. One day I might be listening to the 80s, Madonna or Cyndi Lauper. Then completely change to Billie Holiday or B-52s. Never know!

What has been the neatest design you’ve seen of an actionchurch series?

• The retro 50s one that Tyler did.

What is the most memorable moment you have of Pastor Don?

• Don married Tyler and I. There was also a month where he brought up prostitutes and pies every week.

How has actionchurch changed you?

• It’s allowed me to look more in myself and be more accountable with things I do. I think about how I look in God’s eyes and look outside of myself to help the community.

Other than Jesus Christ, which biblical figure would you want to have dinner with?

• Since it’s Mother’s Day, Mary, Jesus’ mother. She had a difficult and important role in the Bible.

Do you have a favorite scripture or some words of wisdom that you would like to share with the people of actionchurch?

• “⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)

If you have any interview question suggestions for future actionchurch crew member interviews, comment below, on Facebook, or tweet @actionchurch!

SPOILER ALERT: Mother’s Day is this Sunday, so we will feature someone who many would call the mother of actionchurch, Michele Record!

It’s a subject that comes up quite often whenever we  purchase or give away things: The question people often ask me is:  Why don’t we ask local businesses and corporations to “sponsor” our efforts?  We are a church after all.    Why don’t we ask businesses who provide goods or services to give us some sort of “church discount”? Why do we in fact tell folks who ask NOT to ask local businesses for donations or discounts for actionchurch?   Wouldn’t it be good stewardship to try to get lower prices and donations for the ministry?

As a church, actionchurch of course accepts donations.  It’s the only way we exist.  If people did not chose to generously share their money, we would not be able to meet each week at Frank Theaters.   We also except gifts of equipment, goods etc.  Much of our sound equipment was donated to us.   Like anyone, we are also quite happy to accept a really good deal on something.  The guys at Maaco York painted the actionchurch truck for a fraction of what it should have cost.  We REALLY appreciate that!  They offered.  We accepted…and thanked them thoroughly!!!

However, one of our core values at actionchurch is generosity.  We want all actionchurch people to be generous people.  The best way to teach generosity is to model it in the way we do business.   When we give things away as a church…from the donuts on Sunday morning…to 500 coats for York City students…to all our efforts and expense at Relay for Life in the upcoming weeks, we do so with no strings attached. We want the gift to be from “us”.   We don’t expect for others in the community to pay for it, discount it, or donate it.  Like any good gift…we expect the things we give away to cost us something.  Generosity is not generosity if you are using someone else’s money.

Does it “cost” something to do business in a generous manner as a church?  Definitely.  (It took us over a year to gather and save the funds to paint and logo our truck.)   Is it worth it?  Definitely.   Whenever our church…or our church people…come into a business situation, I want others to EXPECT that they will be treated fairly, paid generously and promptly, and generally be pleased to do business with “Church”  people.  That’s priceless…and too rare.   It is, I believe, generosity in action.

Choose a good reputation over great riches;
    being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.  

-Proverbs 22:1

There are so many opportunities to be part of an actiongroup this summer.  (and even more groups are in the works.)  Drop by the actiongroups table or click the actiongroups tab for more information.