TAC Times – October 2015 Most gracious God, by whose knowledge the depths are broken up and the clouds drop down the dew: We yield you hearty thanks and praise for the return of seedtime and harvest, for the increase of the ground and the gathering of its fruits, and for all the other blessings of your merciful providence bestowed upon this nation and people. And, we beseech you, give us a just sense of these great mercies, such as may appear in our lives by a humble, holy, and obedient walking before you all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit be all glory and honor, world without end. Amen. First Sunday Worship/Celebration On Sunday, October 4th, our worship service will be enriched by the preaching of Fr. Erick Arowo. He is an ordained priest in the Province of Kenya, and is studying Old Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary. He serves at Christ Church, and he and his precious family joined us for our Groundbreaking Service last spring. Please welcome Fr. Erick, his wife Caroline, and their son Mich as they join us for worship, as well as the resumption of our 1st Sunday Celebrations. We will gather to break bread in the HCA Cafeteria immediately following the worship service. Please bring food, friends, and hearts ready for fellowship as we gather together after our summer break. During this time, we will also be participating in a Spiritual Gifts Survey. A spiritual gift is “an expression of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers which empowers them to serve the body of Christ, the Church”. Some of us have never taken such a survey, and for many of us it has been a long time. We know our mighty God is continually pouring out His blessings upon us, and it is quite probable that our gifts have been added to through the years. As we prepare for a new church building and growth in our membership, and as we look at the world around us, it is a perfect time to explore the gifts of the Spirit with which we have been bestowed. Building Team Update We are happy to announce that the required architectural drawings have been completed for the new building, and our permits are in process. We also now have our official address. In fact, we have two! Our postal address is 6093 S. State Highway 205, Rockwall, TX 75032; our geographical address is 6093 S. State Highway 205, McLendon Chisholm, TX 75032. Adult Bible Class Our 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning Bible class resumed on September 13th in the sanctuary. All of the Sundays in October are being led by Mary Frank. The series, "Jesus and the Church Triumphant around the World”, is looking at the church in various countries which are hostile to her to see what can we learn about our LORD and what we can do to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering. The format is guided discussion, along with video presentations and "hands on" activities. Nursery and supervision of elementary children is available so adults may attend this incredible class. Shawl Ministry We are very excited to announce a new ministry for Transformation – the Shawl Ministry. This ministry combines care for others with a love of crafting to reach out to those in need of comfort and solace. Shawls have been made across many cultures for centuries to wrap, enfold, cover, comfort, shelter, and beautify. Prayers and blessings are knitted into each shawl, with intentions specific to each recipient. When completed, each shawl is offered up in a special ceremony, and sent on its way. This ministry is open to all men and women who like to create. Patterns are available at all levels of ability, and much of the work may be done at home with only monthly meetings for prayer and support. The recipients may include those undergoing medical procedures, those who have suffered loss, those having weddings or babies, those in the midst of an illness, etc. To find out more and to express interest in participating, please contact Ginny Ryan at 214-914-5611 or [email protected]. The ministry website is www.shawlministry.com. Randy Wills & the Light Crust Doughboys at the State Fair Our very own Randy Wills will be performing with the Light Crust Doughboys, the longest- running band in the history of recorded music, at the Texas State Fair this year! They can be found on the Dr. Pepper Stage (on Nimitz Circle beside the Creative Arts Building), October 11th - 18th, doing 30 minute sets at 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30, and 6:30 p.m. In addition, the Doughboys are featured in the Dallas Historical Society’s annual exhibit for 2015 - “Big Texas Music” - honoring well-known Texas artists through memorabilia, audiovisual displays and social interactives, as well as daily live music performances. The exhibit features both artists who were born in Texas and those who have lived here and consider themselves natives. Spanning numerous decades, “Big Texas Music” showcases famous Texas musicians from every genre, celebrating the diverse range of talent hailing from the Lone Star State. Check out “Big Texas Music” daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Hall of State. Entrance to this exhibit is FREE with State Fair admission. Contribution Forms Third quarter contribution statements will be mailed out in early October. We will be providing details to each contributor on General Fund and Building Fund activity year- to-date. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Anne in the church office. Thank you for your faithfulness! The OSL Corner by Sharon Parker The Order of St. Luke the Physician is an inter-denominational, international ministry for healing of body, mind and spirit. Philippines 3:16 ‘Let us live up to what we have already attained.’ What does this Scripture say to you? To me it means to put into practice the truth we have already comprehended. We are responsible for the truth we currently possess. How do we get the truth? By reading the Word of God and letting His Holy Spirit teach us, by praying and listening to what He is saying to us, and also listening to others who have more wisdom than we do, through teachings and/or DVDs. And what we do with that truth is very important, also. We believe that the Lord would have us keep studying so that we will be able to impart His Word to others and to learn to believe that our God can not only do what He says He can do, but will do what He says He will do. In the Order of St. Luke, we are learning to believe God and take him at his Word for healing of those we come in contact with, whether at church, home, or out in the community. As we pray and lay hands on individuals, we can understand that Our Lord is touching them through us. After all, He has told us to pray for the sick and hurting and we are trying to be obedient servants. And in the OSL chapter we can gather to learn from, and encourage, each other in our journey, and share testimonies. Don’t forget that you can go to the prayer room after communion for individual needs. Just go out the door to the right of the altar and down the hall, and someone, usually Judy Croll, will let you into the room at the appropriate time for you to be ministered to. Our meetings are always open to the members and friends of Transformation who are interested in learning more about the Order of St. Luke; you do not have to be a current member of the Order or planning to join. On Saturday morning, Oct 17, 2015, God willing, we will be coming together once again at 10:00 to fellowship with a pot-luck brunch, to listen to the Lord as he teaches us through His Word and lessons, and to pray for one another. At the September meeting, we had powerful soaking prayer. You are invited to join with us on any of the 3rd Saturdays of a month. Austin Street Center Ministry by Sharon Parker “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” Proverbs 14:31 Reminder: If you receive this newsletter before the end of September, we are going to Austin Street Center on September 30. Your assistance is always welcomed. I was trying to think how long I have been involved in the ASC ministry, not only at Transformation, but at Resurrection also. I really can’t remember, however, I do know it was before 2000. When I became interested in working the ministry, we were only serving ham and turkey sandwiches, fruit and cookies. Oh, how many cookies did we bake! Then came the milk, the potato chips, cupcakes, and also the different kinds of sandwiches. Now we have tuna salad, ham salad, peanut butter and jelly in addition to the ham and turkey. They love it when we come. We are also serving boiled eggs to the clients who will occasionally save those for breakfast. This ministry has really grown over the past years, and we love it. Many thanks go out to all of you who volunteer your time to bake cupcakes, boil eggs, and come to help assemble the sandwiches and bag the eggs.