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T H E G U L F C O A S T W E E K LY VOLUME 34 APRIL 14, 2019 NUMBER 15

JUST BETWEEN US

Randy Simmons

Next Sunday is Easter. There is not another week all year in which your friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members are more open to an invitation to church than this week. My message will be "He Lives!" INVITE! ................................................................ This Wednesday night I will continue the teaching series, "Living and Loving: The Book of Colossians." Our focus will be on Colossians 1:11-14 if you would like to read ahead. Our meal this Wednesday will be the ever popular Chick-Fil-A sandwich (and a few wraps), chips, salad, dessert and drinks- meal

at 5:30, Bible classes at 6:30.

.............................................................. My Favorite Quotes... “THE THREE HARDEST TASKS IN THE WORLD ARE NEITHER PHYSICAL FEATS NOR INTELLECTUAL ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT MORAL ACTS: TO RETURN LOVE FOR HATE, TO INCLUDE THE EXCLUDED AND TO SAY ‘I WAS WRONG.’” - Sydney J. Harris .................................................................. We live in a "me-me-me-I-I-I" world where it is easy to convince our brains that everything we experience in our lives somehow involves us. That Facebook post that didn't name you was really about YOU. The cable TV news show

(Continued next page)

Just Between Us....continued

you watched ticked YOU off. The car in traffic cut YOU off. Here's a newsflash-it's almost never about you. Even when people criticize you or reject you, it has much more to do with them-their priorities, their values, their circumstances-than it does with you. The truth is, other people simply don't think about you that much (after all, they are way too busy believing everything is about them). The first words of the biggest-selling book of all time reads: "IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU." Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life begins this way to challenge the reader that choosing to follow God is about His kingdom and serving others, not being centered in self. The more you move your mind away from YOU to God and others, the happier you will be. .....................................................................

Prayer Requests Sharon Emmons had a gastrointestinal scan on Monday and was diagnosed with multiple ulcers. She will be treated with medication and dietary changes, although complete healing may take up to nine months. She is home now.

Margie Maletich underwent another gastric scan Tuesday which confirmed a partial recurrence of her bleeding ulcer. Treatment was administered and she is home growing stronger until she can return to church. Richard Slater was released from HP and moved to Health Park Care and Rehab Center, recovering from irregular heartbeat.

Jerry Tallman will undergo a PET scan Apr.17.

Lindsay Hutchings is home recovering from her last scheduled chemotherapy. She had a PET scan Thursday to evaluate her progress.

Richard Smith’s recovery from back surgery has not progressed as well as hoped. He will see his back surgeon again Apr.15.

Jamie Scott finished his brain cancer treatments and will begin oral medication this week.

Betty McManis is home with an upper respiratory infection.

Naomi Paeth asks for prayer for former member Leota Weston. She is hospitalized with a broken arm, cannot undergo surgery, is in great pain, and ready to be with the Lord. Cards may be sent to: 11 Copperhead Ln., Rt.1; Clayton, GA 30525 Joy Johnson asks for prayers for: --Dylan Johnson, for wisdom and direction. --the Josh Woodward family, for healing and strength. --John Fowler, who had extensive surgery Apr.11 and at least a three week hospital stay. Melody Broy requests prayer for Tony Greenburg in IL, who lost his wife of 50 years to cancer.

Loyce Lockett has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and elevated levels of inflammation protein. She needs to see a rheumatologist. Cards may be sent to: 741 Leisure Lane, N. Ft. Myers, FL 33917

Longer Term Prayer Requests:

Georgianna Brown is home but continues to recover from heart surgery.

Lowell Gregory continues to recover from back surgery in Nashville.

Regina Jacobson continues to recover at home from treatment for Hodgkin‘s Lymphoma. Cards may be sent to: 12762 Fairington Way; Ft. Myers, FL 33913

B(ulle�n)log

This week I was introduced to the story of a British man named Daniel Tammet, a prodigious savant. That means he has displayed exceptional mental abilities since a very young age. As a child, he had epilepsy, and it is believed that something in the seizures he experienced ignited something in his brain that otherwise might not have been activated. He gives a lecture on “The Different Ways of Knowing,” in which he explains how, when he sees numbers, his mind also sees shape and color, as opposed to simply text. He has a different relationship with numbers than most people, a more intimate way of “knowing” than you and I have the ability to understand. Paul says, in Philippians 3, that he counts everything as rubbish aside from the surpassing value of knowing Christ. Paul desires an even greater way of knowing than he does already, desiring to know him in suffering and power and death and resurrection. It is his life’s goal to know Christ in as great a way as he can. I don’t have the ability to look at numbers and process them in color and shape and emotion in the way Daniel Tammet does. He’s uniquely gifted to experience that way of “knowing.” But the degree to which I know Christ is largely dependent, not on some unique ability, but on my will, my heart, and my faith. We can know a great deal about God without much knowledge of him. We can know a great deal about Godliness without much knowledge of him, as well. But knowing God in such a way that the unpleasantness we have had, or the pleasantness we have not had, does not matter, because of how well we know or have known him...well, that is a different way of knowing, entirely.

gcyg ministries

Sunday Night Live TONIGHT! Sunday Night Live is TONIGHT from 5:30-8pm. I hope you will come out and join us as we spend time eating together and enjoying various games and activities. We’ll be both outside and inside. See you tonight at 5:30! Please bring $3 for the meal.

Senior Honors Lineup and Deadlines

Our Senior Honors program this year will be on Sunday, May 19th, and will honor the following seven seniors:

Davarseah Barnes Kaitlyn Jacobson

Zane Collins Mackenzie Robbins

Kelly Duval Logan Tutterrow

Chase Goodwin

Seniors, your pictures and Senior Info Sheet are due next week..

Please see me if you have questions about any of this.

April 27th: Cookout at Johnson’s The cookout at Jack and Ann Johnson’s house has been moved to Saturday, April 27th. We will head out there from 5:30-8pm and enjoy a cookout and bonfire, as well as games.

Please RSVP to the email you received about it, or if you didn’t receive one, please contact me so I can add you to our list!

"THREE CANDLES"

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. 14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:13-16 NLT

1. UNLIT CANDLES 2“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands: Revelation 2:1 NLT 4 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. Revelation 2:4-5 NLT 2. PARTLY CONSUMED CANDLES 10 Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. 2 Timothy 4:10 NLT

15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! Revelation 3:15-16 NLT 3. CANDLES BURNED NEARLY TO THE SOCKET 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. Philippians 2:14-16 NLT

WORSHIP PROGRAM FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2019 This Little Light of Mine Love Feast Remain Standing: We Bow Down (577)...........................................................................................Tim Jacobson Here I Am To Worship Seated: In Need Season of Prayer Thank You Lord (781) Communion (during cup, Father (789).…………………………….......Matthew Caldwell (during offering, Let The Beauty of Jesus (722) Reading of John 1:1-5 NLT……………………………………………................Bill Moore Jesus Is Lord (180) Message: “Three Candles”...........................................................................Randy Simmons Invitation Send The Light (650) Arise Prayer.......................................................................................................................Ron Copass

The GULF COAST CHURCH OF CHRIST is a family of loving believers striving to “seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). Six men serve as shepherds of the Gulf Coast family:

FRED ATKINS RON BATTLE

RANDALL CARTER TODD DRAFFEN

BILL LOVE DANNY OSBORNE

Each member of Gulf Coast is called to ministry by Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Gulf Coast has currently designated thirty-eight deacons or servants. In addition, the following are serving full-time or part-time to minister to specific areas:

RANDY SIMMONS, Evangelist STEPHEN CALDWELL, Associate Minister

SEAN McAFEE, Minister of Families TIM JACOBSON, Associate Minister of Music

RUSS BONE, Minister of Connections MARIETTA CRIMMINS, Secretary

CARRIE GREEN, Secretary The Gulf Coast Church is a family of Christians, diverse in age, talent, and background, yet united in spirit, brotherly love, and common goals in prayerful expectation of the joy and peace to be found in

FAMILY HAPPENINGS... April 14 Sunday School, 9:30 am 14 Worship Service, 10:30 am 14 Sunday Night Live, 5:30-8:00 pm 15 Men’s Bible study, 7:00 pm, conference room 17 Fellowship Meal, 5:30 pm 17 Bible Study, 6:30 pm 18 Hand & Foot Huddle, 2:00 pm, Room 183 18 Greeting Card Huddle, 6:00 pm, Room 183 19 Monthly Luncheon, noon, Mel’s Diner

CHILDREN’S WORKERS TODAY 10:30 A.M: Nursery: (ages 0-18 months) Room 173 Today: Heather Tharpe April 21: Leslie Feiock, Deanna Rogers, Zoe Fountain Toddler Worship (Ages 18-36 mos.) Room 168 Today: Joy Johnson, Natalie Hendry April 21: TBA Age 3 & 4 year olds Room 140 Today: Jill Rhone, Hudson Budreau April 21: Jill Rhone, Valerie Dyer Children’s Worship (age 5-7 years) Room 137 Today: Braxton Rhone April 21: Clark & Carrie Green

FOR THE RECORD

Sunday Bible Study .................................................... .324 Worship Assembly .......................................................626 Contribution............................................................$17,770 Contribution Goal ................................................ .$16,500

GULF COAST CHURCH OF CHRIST 9550 Ben C. Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway

Fort Myers, FL 33966 (239) 936-4554 FAX (239) 936-6099 Website: www.gulfcoastchurch.com SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

Sunday: 9:30 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Worship Assembly 10:30 AM Spanish Assembly Wednesday: 6:30 PM Bible Study

CONNECTION QUESTIONS FOR APRIL 14 MESSAGE,

“THREE CANDLES”

1. Imagine living in a world without electricity as people did until a century ago, and as we have experienced following hurricanes. What is it like to be without lights?

2. Read Matthew 5:13-16. How

does Jesus mean that we are “the light of the world?”

3. Randy used two quotes in

discussing unlit candles: “For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’”- Whittier “Awards are not given for potential.”- Vince Lombardi What do these quotes mean to you personally and how do they apply spiritually? 4. Why do people become

“partly-consumed” candles? 5. How do we burn for Christ,

but not burn out?

April 17..............................Raymond Rodrigues

18.........................................Deidra Belton Trae Guttery

Moses Rivers

19..........................................Olivia Atkins Ohmar Harris

Dan Parker

20......................................Ta’maria Harris

23..........................................Richard Paris

24.............................................Caleb Betts Jon Budreau

Ella Middlecoff Stephen Scholle

GREETERS Main & Children’s Ministry Entrances

April 14: Main: Jon & Anita Hassey Children’s: Bob & Lee Herren

April 21: Main: Mike & Sherry Gilbert Children’s: Fran Bone & Loyce Lockett

April 28: Main: Phyllis Catron & Polly Head Children’s: Ann Johnson

May 5: Main: Ronald & Jeanora Dehaney Children’s: Mara Brown

In order to stand up for the truth, you must know your Bible.

Sign up for free Bible lessons at

www.bibletruth.worldbibleschool.org

NEW MEMORY VERSE FOR 4TH & 5TH GRADES

Ms. Sylvia’s & Ms. Cynthia’s Class

Ephesians 4:4-6 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

MONTHLY LUNCHEON

All are invited to Mel’s Diner, 4820 S.

Cleveland Avenue, on Friday, April 19th,

noon, for our monthly luncheon. We will

play cards at the building a� er.

Please RSVP to the office at 936-4554.

CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: h� p://facebook.com/gulfcoastchurch

Thank you.. I want to thank you for your prayers, well wishes, and gifts. I truly believe I am here today because of your prayers. Sometimes we feel insignificant but we are part of a great family, people in churches across the country were praying, and it was a huge comfort to me. The majority of you had never met me but were continually praying for me. What a humbling experience. Please continue to pray for my recovery. With Love, Randy Bone Doug and I would like to thank everyone who helped with our baby shower. Thank you so much Dianne, Delina, and the April Women’s Committee for making our shower a dream come true. The food was delicious, the decorations were amazing, and thank you Beth Hendry for the incredible cake. We also would love to thank everyone who came out and took time to come to our shower. Thank you for showing our little girl love with all your gifts. We are blessed to be part of such an amazing church and to raise our little girl here. Thank you all so much for your love, support, and prayers through the years of our journey to get pregnant. We love you and can’t wait for Davina to meet you all! Love, The Meyer family Thank you for your prayers, cards and words of encouragement. It is a great comfort to Martha and I to know so many people are there to help. We are not out of the woods yet, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. With God’s help and your prayers we know all will be well. Love you all, Chuck Shaffer

Firearms Safety Class There will be a Firearms Safety Class for all women interested in learning how to handle a firearm. It will be in the Women’s Ministry Room on Saturday, April 27 at 1:00 p.m. We will plan to go to Shoot Straight on Monday, April 29, for practice. The time will be confirmed on April 27.

Ladies Committee for April *Marietta Crimmins…………………..810-0712 Linda Hanson………………………..994-3801 Ronna Lepper………………………..633-0563 Mona White……………………….....877-0733 Sylvia Battle………………………....242-2291 Jeanora Dehaney …………………... 244-7348 Dianne Simmons………………...…..745-5728 Delina Caldwell...................................275-1069

SMALL GROUPS MEET

Wendell & Be� y Brown small group will be mee�ng TODAY at 5:00pm at the home of : Sherman Gee 11224 Lithgow Lane Fort Myers , FL 33913

The new session of Secret Sisters is beginning and new names were picked at the dinner last Tuesday evening. If you were unable to be there, but are still interested in participating, please contact Brenda Charles by phone or text at 826-4036.

Help Needed On Sunday, May 5th, we will be taking

�me to honor the dedicated men and

women who teach our students about

God’s Word. As a part of this, we will

supply a hospitality room before class

that day. If you are interested in

helping with this event, please contact

Amy Draffen.