His Presence

In this holiday season “so merry and bright”, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with the desire for stuff. I want this from Santa and that in my stocking and I want that in the driveway and that in my online cart. And what happens when you get it? “Yay! Now…what’s next? I want more!” Right?

For those of you that have worshipped with Christ Fellowship in our temporary building at the R2BA gun auction in Chico, you may be feeling the same way. God, in teaching our church that being His church has nothing to do with the building, has shown up in a powerful way since we have moved this last time. And it has left me with a desire for more.

I want His presence. I need it. I have felt it and His presence has satisfied like presents never could. But I still want more. The good news is God wants to give us more! He is generous with presents but He wants to lavish us with His presence. Psalm 16:11 says, “in Your presence there is fullness of joy.” Acts 2:28 says, “You will make me full of joy in Your presence.”

I can’t wait to see you this Sunday morning but I really can’t wait to be in the presence of the Great I Am, the Creator and Redeemer, the Sustainer and Deliverer, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and my Friend. I’m praying right now that God will bring you to church this weekend prayed up and ready to worship! I can’t wait! I love you all! — Todd

Lil help here…

Hello, my dear Christ Fellowship family! I know it’s a busy time of the year but I hope you don’t overdo it this year like so many of us have in the past. Please know when to say “no” and when to just spend some time with your family. That being said, your church family is going to need a little bit of help Saturday night and Sunday morning as we move everything of ours back into the auction building. The gun auction is going to be Saturday starting at 10, but as soon as the auction is over, we will start moving our stuff back and making it into a place where we can worship again. If you would like to help, please text me and let me know. Then when the auction is about to be over, I will send out a text to let you know when to show up to help. Or you can just come a little early Sunday morning. Your help will be greatly appreciated! I love this church and I can’t wait to see you Sunday morning! — Todd

This Sunday at Christ Fellowship

Oh my, we have a lot for which to be thankful, don’t we? I don’t know about you, but I had a great day yesterday with my family eating and laughing and taking pictures. I’m very grateful for the family God has given me. And I am just as thankful for the church family God has given me as well. I can’t imagine having to go through life without y’all. And I can’t wait to see you all this Sunday at Christ Fellowship! It will be a special day as we will have a celebration meal after the service to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and our church’s twelfth anniversary all rolled into one. So, bring your favorite potluck dish with enough to share and we will enjoy the fellowship like always. Or don’t bring anything. It’ll be okay. There’s always plenty. Just stay and eat with us even if you can’t bring something. No problem. There will be no evening service so spend that extra time with your family if possible. I love you all! — Todd

What’s happening

Last Sunday I heard a couple different people say they wish that we could meet for worship every day. I sure know what they mean. It has been so much fun and with such powerful times of worship. I sure hope you can be at Christ Fellowship this Sunday as well.

And this Sunday night at 6, we are going to meet at First Baptist Chico at 404 S. Weatherford, just south of the square. First Baptist Crafton will also be there to join in a time of fellowship, worship and food. The meal will be sandwiches and we have been asked to provide a veggie tray. I know, I know, that’s not how we have meals but that’s how they do it. So, if you want to bring some finger foods or something light, that would be good.

Also, Sandra Ford has a full-size turkey in her freezer that she would generously like to donate to somebody that needs it. Give her a call.

Lastly, I have a real problem. My neighbor went to jail and left behind four dogs in his house. They have no food, water or electricity. I called animal control but they can’t / won’t do anything. Then I got them some food and water but he may be in there for a while and I don’t know what to do with them. Anybody help?

Community get-together

Sunday after next, the 24th, Christ Fellowship will meet with First Baptist Crafton at First Baptist Chico for a community fellowship and meal. We will start at 6 pm at FB Chico at 404 S. Weatherford St a few blocks south of the square. The meal will be sandwiches and finger foods and we have been asked to bring things like a veggie tray or cheese tray, lettuce, tomatoes, stuff like that. I’m really looking forward to this and I think it will be a great time of worship and fellowship. I hope you can make it. I wonder how they feel about dogs in their service. I better not push it, huh?

We continue to have wonderful, powerful times of worship in our new, temporary building at the R2BA Gun Auction. If you haven’t joined us yet, you are missing out. You need the church and the church needs you! I love you all! — Todd

Friday email – rare Saturday edition

I don’t know about you but I need some more of what we had last Sunday! We had great music and worship. We had fun and fellowship and food. We had a good crowd and even two new members. But it was just the presence of God in our midst that made the day – morning and evening – so powerful. Please be praying right now that God would continue to make His presence known in our services and I can’t urge you strong enough to consider how you can be part of the Sunday night and Wednesday night Bible studies if you aren’t already. You are really missing out by not being there.

Also, I know it’s last minute but there is a men’s rally at FBC Sunset at noon today. There will be brisket for lunch, knife and axe throwing and community worship. I plan to go. Let me know if you are interested.

I can’t wait to see you tomorrow in the new building! I love you all! — Todd

This is it!

Good morning, my Christ Fellowship family! Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful rain! As I type this, my dogs are both looking at me wondering why I don’t make it stop raining so we can go for our morning walk. And I have tried to explain that it is not me that makes that decision but sovereign God. But I don’t think they understand that whole “sovereign” thing. Then I tried to explain that it’s okay if they don’t understand. All they have to do is be obedient. All they have to do is be obedient😊

Well, this Sunday is finally it! This will be our first Sunday in the new place and the more time there I spend, the more excited I get. Morris has spent hours and hours getting our sound and video needs taken care of and Ben is ready to lead us all into a powerful time of worship. It’s going to be a great day and I so hope that you will be there with us! You need the church and the church needs you so don’t miss this Sunday.

Plus…we will find out what the Apostle Paul, Christian writer Corrie Ten Boom and the rock band .38 Special all have in common and how it affects us as a church. I love you all and can’t wait to see you! — Todd

Good stuff

Psalm 25 says, “Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
    and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.”

King David is asking for mercy and love, not based on who he was or what he had done but based on the fact that God is loving and good. But note that he says they were sins of his youth. Almost all of us did stupid, rebellious things as young people; some of us more than others. Aren’t you glad God forgives and chooses to forget that stuff? Are you growing out of those youthful sins or do you still struggle with the same old things you have always struggled with? Are you forgiving of people when they do youthful, rebellious stuff? Or do you struggle to forgive? Both are red flags that could mean your relationship with the Lord is not where it should be. Ask God about that in your own life this morning.

Then this Sunday will be a great day at Christ Fellowship! It will be our last day to worship at the smelly building across from the port o potties and the next Sunday, November 3rd, will be our first day at the little white building owned by R2BA Auctions at 710 S. 101 here in Chico just north of the railroad tracks.

Most everything has already been moved except for what we need for our Sunday morning and evening services but there will still be a lot of work that needs to be done this next week. I’ll keep you posted as to what and when starting next week.

I wouldn’t want to meet with any other church this week other than y’all! I love you all! — Todd

Busy weekend

Well, it’s that time of year again. Chico Fest is tomorrow on the square from 9 till we get tired. (Usually about 1-2) Christ Fellowship has a spot as usual and as usual we need your help setting up and taking down, handing out all kinds of awesome free stuff and telling folks about our cool church. Bring some cookies or brownies or some other kind of treat to hand out if you can. If you can help or just come by for any length of time, that would be great. You don’t have to stay all day. We would appreciate your help.

We got some more stuff moved this week and put into storage. Some of us plan to move some more on Monday. If you would like to help with that, my back would sure appreciate it.

I’m really looking forward to this coming Sunday. We will be taking the Lord’s Supper and will be studying why the Apostle Paul called some people dead. I can’t wait to see you! I love you all! — Todd

Moving along

Hello my dear family! Sunday is coming and I can’t wait! It’s gonna be fun and I sure hope you can be at Christ Fellowship for worship. We plan to have a dinner after the morning worship time. It will be potluck so bring your favorite to eat or drink or just show up. We always have plenty! After we eat, if you want to start helping to pack stuff to move, that might be a good time. We have two small storage units at 4J’s Storage here in Chico at the blinking light. I got the last two available and some things are already moved into it. So, we will also have time to pack up and load stuff Sunday after lunch and Wednesday night as well.

Next Saturday, the 19th, is Chico Fest on the square. We will do our usual setup and giveaways and meet n greet and all the fun stuff. Please be a part of as much of that as you can.

I continue to be excited and not worried about where our church will be in the coming months. We have a few options and continue looking for and praying about where God wants us to be but I’m looking forward to it. And I wouldn’t want to do it with any other body of believers! Y’all are great and I love you all! I’ll see you Sunday at 10.

— Todd