Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

I hope your Monday has begun with some peace and God's presence! That might be asking for a lot but God promises if we come to Him - He will give us a "peace that passes all understanding". Take some time to be in His presence and to worship Him today. 

What a great day of worship we had yesterday with our choir, our summer hymn sing and the spirit of those who worshipped with us. God is doing some great things in this church, and I am excited to see it happen and to follow where God is taking us. Please pray for the whole church family as we seek His face together.

I hope this summer you will try something different and join in on one of our Bible studies either before church and after or on a Tuesday morning or Wednesday night. Please pray about changing up your routine and giving one of them a try. You might just be surprised at how God will move in your life. Give it a shot!

Tamika Greenwood has been ministering with us at the front desk for almost 6 years and this Thursday will be her last day. She will be taking another job in the community. Tamika has been gracious, kind, loving and amazing to work alongside. She will be missed! Please pray for her as she makes this new transition in her life. We will miss you, Tamika!

I hope you all have an amazing week. If you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. 

In His Grip,
Chris 

Sermon Recap

The sermon title was “A Porcupine's Dilemma" and the scripture was John 4:1-19 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. Loving others is can be very difficult as we navigate our own hurts and what others have done to us. How do we love others when our lives have been hurt by others. How do we learn to trust and be His hands and feet while we either attack or run and hide? We allow Jesus Christ to guard our hearts and spend time with Him each day so that His love will flow through us - giving us the living water He promised. Not easy but through Him we can do it.

Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

I began last week's email with an expectation that VBS would be amazing and it didn't disappoint. We had 92 children and 50 teenagers and adults who attended and volunteered. The theme of the week was "Stellar" and it was an out of this world stellar week. Thank you to Marie and all of her team for making this week life-changing for all who came through our doors. Sunday morning was a great celebration of a memorable week of VBS with new families visiting and the children singing from VBS. Our worship service was full with God's presence...we honored all the men in our worship service with a compass key chain that said, "We walk by faith, not by sight", we also baptized Piper Greenwood, a tweenager, and announced the birth of Emerson Jude Wadsworth on June 15th - she is blessed to have the parents Rhett and Erica. Let's be praying for God's love and power to continue to move in our church and community.

I hope you all have an amazing week I look forward to seeing you all in worship. If you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. 

In His Grip,
Chris 


Sermon Recap

The sermon title was “Footprints" and the scripture was John 15:9-15. Our lives leave footprints behind on our journey of life. Where will your footprints take your children and those you love? Will these loved ones be brought closer to Jesus Christ or brought closer to things that do not last if they walked in your footprints? Are you living your life close to the Creator or aimlessly walking in the dark?  

Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

I hope your Monday has started off excellent. We began VBS this morning with Eden Hall full of kids and volunteers! It is amazing to see all these people here serving and loving on the kids of our church and community with the love of Jesus and by His strength! Please pray for this week as children hear the love of Jesus through many different exciting activities and Bible studies. It is going to be an amazing week! 

As summer is in full force, I hope everyone of us will make time to listen for His voice and look for ways to serve in His Name! Take some time to ask God...What do you want from me? I believe what you will hear is...just your heart! So, give it to Him.

I hope you all have an amazing week I look forward to seeing you all in worship. If you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. Don't forget Father's Day is this Sunday.

In His Grip,
Chris 

Sermon Recap

The sermon title was “The Real Life" and the scripture was I Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19. Is the real life about things or accomplishments or is it investing in things that will last into eternity! Investing your time, talent, and your finances in growing in Jesus Christ and helping others grow Jesus Christ. I posed 4 questions to attain "The Real Life". Question 1 - Who is in Charge? Question 2 - Where is my Home? Question 3 - What is my job? Question 4 - What is success? Let's pursue the real life together!

Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

What an amazing morning of worship we had on Sunday. It was Youth, Graduate and Teacher Recognition Sunday where our teenagers and kids lead us in worship, ushering, and greeting! They did an outstanding job! It is so wonderful to see kids who were so young a few years ago now leading us in worship! We had 3 high school graduates - Foster Fowler (FLHS and is going to University of Miami), Witt Hudson (Pine Crest and is going to SMU), and Mackenzie Zalman (Chaminade Madonna and is going to UCF). Congrats to our high school graduates. We love ya! We also had 3 college graduates Samantha Adair (FSU), Kyle Engle (UF), and Jessica Soderman (FSU). What an accomplishment. We look forward to seeing where God takes you all. Worship was also so powerful because Pastor Marie preached her first sermon that day and what a message God gave her to give to us. Thank you all who helped coordinate and who made this day of worship so memorable! 

After worship, we had our End of the School Year Children's and Families pool party! We had pizza, watermelon, a huge waterslide, and a snow cone machine. We had about 90 people there and it was a zoo in the most wonderful way possible! A huge thank you to Natalie and Don Hannon and Judy and Ted Jagusztyn for all their work to help this party go off so well. 

I hope you all have an amazing week I look forward to seeing you all in worship. If you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. 

In His Grip,
Chris 

Sermon Recap

The sermon title was “A Do Better Letter" and the scripture was James 2:14-26. The message was challenging each of us to know Jesus so deeply that He flows out of us in the way we talk, the way we act, and the way we interact with the world. From the greatest commandment to the second liken to it, we are reminded that a relationship with Jesus comes first, and our actions follow. Ask yourself: Is my life centered around Jesus? Who is a Godly person I can turn to for wisdom and guidance? As the church, when people see me, do they get a glimpse of Jesus?

Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

It is Tuesday morning as I type this, and we have so much to be thankful and grateful for. God is moving in us and around us. It is exciting times here at Church By The Sea but it is also difficult times. Shootings are everywhere - like last night at Hollywood Beach. It feels so hollow to say "let's pray" because injury and loss of life keep happening in such senseless and violent ways. We live in an angry time - Lets all pray for peace and "let it begin in me." Help us Lord to be so close to You that others see You in us.

This past Sunday we had a wonderful worship service and a Memorial Day luncheon. Thank you to Bruce Barclay organizing the Men's Club to put a wonderful cookout for us. There were people involved so THANK YOU!! A special thank you to Neal Isaac for playing a melody of our service anthems on the trumpet. Another thanks to Ted Drum for giving a moving testimony during the luncheon that caused all of us to get choked up. It was a great day to be thankful and grateful.

Summer is here and we have some wonderful ministries for our youth and children and also, for us a church family. Look for communication from Pastor Brian and Pastor Marie for upcoming opportunities. 

I hope you all have an amazing week I look forward to seeing you all in worship. If you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. 

In His Grip,
Chris 

Sermon Recap

The sermon title was “Giving Away The Store" and the scripture was Acts 2:1-18 and Acts 1:8. Pentecost is the birthday of Church - the day we celebrate God giving us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has many functions. I shared just 3 - The Holy Spirit gives us God's presence. The Holy Spirit gives a purpose, and the Holy Spirit also gives us the power to live out what He is calling us to be and to do. 

Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

I hope your Monday has begun with a real sense of God's presence. We live in some very stressful and confusing times. There is dissension, strife, and angst sometimes all around us. Where do you turn for help - the news stations, internet, social media? I feel the wave of uncertainty and I wonder if you do too! Let me reassure you on this - God is not dead! God is not silent! God is not distant! God is just as much alive and active as He was when creation began. Today, look for Him in small ways. Look for Him in the big and mighty things - Just look for Him. I might be on a soapbox at the moment, but I want to really impress on you that Jesus is love in spite of all that is around us. In Hebrews 13:8 it says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." As we, a church family, move forward let's do it holding hands and serving Christ - TOGETHER. 

I hope you all have an amazing week I look forward to seeing you all in worship. If you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. 

In His Grip,
Chris 

Sermon Recap

The sermon title was "“Where Are You Getting The Rocks For Your Altar? and the scripture was Genesis 12:1-9. Following in the footsteps of Abram, Moses, Joshua and other Old Testament greats, we considered the value in figuratively building an alter to God – in order to remember what He’s done, worship Him for doing it, and teach others of His many blessings. Where we get “the stones” to build our altar is also important. We don’t want to build a monument to our own accomplishments, but instead we want to remember what He has done for us. Our conversion, our growth, and our mission to tell others are excellent building blocks! Remember when God drew you into a relationship with Him and covered you with his mercy and grace. Dedicate time and energy to grow in your relationship, reading your Bible on your own and studying with others. Share your faith with those who need the Gospel for their eternal life depends on it! 

Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

What a powerful Sunday of worship and experiencing the heart of Jesus we had yesterday. Thank you to our choir who has been escorting into God's presence every Sunday and they did it again. We also had a special time in worship with our children. Thank you to Pam Godfrey for suggesting and having the kids sing "You are My Sunshine" at the end of worship. It was a wonderful addition to celebrating our moms and all the women who love and support us. 

There was also a special announcement from Debbie Von Behren, who is our Clerk of Session and is on Personnel. The announcement was sent in a separate email. Thank you, Personnel and Session, for your prayers and hard work. 

I am excited about where God is taking this church. I am excited about the leadership team that God continues to build here at Church By The Sea. Let's all keep praying, serving Him and all God's people, and let us love each other because LOVE comes from God. 

I would like to thank Micah Remington for his service to our youth and children this past year. I wish you well as you seek God with a passion as you did here! God bless you, Micah.

I hope you all have an amazing week I look forward to seeing you all in worship. If you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. 

In His Grip,
Chris 

Sermon Recap

The sermon title was "The Theology of the Sandbox" and the scripture was Mark 10:13-16. Robert Fulghum's book "All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" was incorporated in the message today. Jesus loved - we all know that, but He had a special love for children and called us to live child-like lives and to have a child-like faith. Complete trust in Him. 
 

Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

What another amazing morning of worship. We had 15 men from Little Abaco who were working over in Fort Myers to help out there and it just happened to be the morning where we had a big announcement about our mission trip to Little Abaco from Rosanna Durruthy. Our mission trip is July 30th-Aug5th. Our worship also included communion, which is always amazing and finally, we had a guest bringing the message to us, Cheri Evans-Schmidt. She portrayed the woman who believed she could be healed if only she could "touch His cloak" and she did and she was healed! Thank you, Cheri, for stirring our hearts and helping this passage come alive. I encourage you all to go to our YouTube channel and watch the service. 

Sunday was also a great day because our youth and children honored the moms of the church by washing their cars during and after worship. Micah and the kids washed 25 cars. WELL DONE! 

I hope you all have an amazing week I look forward to seeing you all in worship - MOTHER'S DAY! If you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. 

In His Grip,
Chris 

Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

I hope you all are having a great start to your week. It was an amazing weekend here. It began with many of our church members volunteering for Sheridan House's Goliath Gauntlet fundraiser. We were spread out all over the property helping the race participants with different obstacles and giving encouragement from 6:30am until 12:00pm. Then a few of us ran it. It was a wonderful day of service. Thank you all to all those who volunteered and a huge thank you to Kathy Tergerson for championing the day and this ministry. Our city also had the annual Air Show featuring the Blue Angels on Saturday and Sunday. It was a spectacular day.

Worship on Sunday was wonderful, and I am so grateful for our choir, our traditional worship experience, and YOU ALL. Let's all continue to have the "mindset of Christ" and serve others in humility and love. 

I hope you all have an amazing week and please be a blessing in Jesus' Name! Don't forget if you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. 

In His Grip,
Chris 

Sermon Recap

The sermon title was “Drum Major Instinct" and the scripture was Philippians 2:1-11. Pride is in everyone of us. Jesus calls us to love and serve. The Apostle Paul gave us this passage to challenge us to see others as more important - to serve and to love from His perspective. Let's all pray for the strength to lead and love like that.

Pastor's Weekly Email

Dear Friends,

I hope your past week and weekend was peaceful and the beginning of this new week has begun with excitement. It has been a very difficult few weeks for our community with all the flooding and damage caused by all the torrential rain we had. It has been energizing to see our community helping where they can and our nation coming to support us. That is so encouraging but there is still so much to do. If you need any help please feel free to call us here at church and we will do our best to help but Samaritan's Purse is here as well to help and you may contact them at https://www.spvolunteer.org/project-response/671. There is a lot to do and if you are able to help please reach out or if you need help please contact us at Church or Samaritan's Purse.

I hope you all have an amazing week and please be a blessing in Jesus' Name! Don't forget if you miss worship, you can watch it on our livestream on our YouTube Channel (The Church By The Sea) anytime. 

In His Grip,
Chris 

Sermon Recap

The sermon title was “From Mourning to Comfort" and the scripture was Luke 7:11-17 and Matthew 5:4. We all go through hard times - we all lose things and people that are important to us but Jesus promises to comfort those who mourn. One of the reasons Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit is to live in us so we can be comforted forever. He promises to comfort us and we are called to comfort others. Let's be about drawing close to Him and comforting others as best we can.