PURSUED I A JOURNEY FOR 2022 I Part 2: Fallen
The beginning of a new year comes with great anticipation. We seek out new goals, new habits, new rhythms. We want to be new - we want to be different. As a church, we believe that different happens when we pursue the God who pursues us. Every part of Scripture reveals a loving God’s pursuit, and how it leads us into a new, different way of living. In this series, we’re going to explore the four major parts of God’s Story: a good creation, the pain of sin, the glory of redemption, and the hope of eternity. Join us Sunday as we journey back to the God who pursues His people.
WEEKLY GIVING STATISTICS
(Fiscal Year Began June 1, 2021)
Last Week Weekly Need YTD
$3,603 $3,558 ($5,285)
JOIN US FOR WORSHIP
IN PERSON OR ONLINE:
2149 84th Street SW Byron Center MI 49315
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6 AT 10:00AM
VISIT centergr.com/live OR centergr.online.church.
INFO, UPDATES & OPPORTUNITIES:
ZERO COLLECTIVE ‘IF: 2022 Gathering Women’s Event’
Friday, March 4, 5:30–9:30pm & Saturday, March 5, 9am-4pm
LOCATION:
Frontline Community Church
4411 Plainfield Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Details:
IF:2022 is a two-day event where women all over the world gather together, get equipped, and discover the next step in their calling to go and make disciples. The last IF:Gathering reached 144 countries, 6500 different locations, with thousands of participating together in living rooms, dorm room, and churches of all sizes all over the planet! Don't miss this year's event, it will be spectacular!
Interested? Want to find out more?
Check out zerocollective.org/retreats!
ZERO COLLECTIVE ‘Men’s Retreat 2022’
Friday, March 18 & Saturday, March 19
LOCATION:
Camp Harvest
6829 E 72nd St, Newaygo, MI 49337
Details:
This year's Men's Retreat will take place at Camp Harvest in Newaygo, MI! You can expect a great weekend with other men designed to challenge, equip, and inspire you to be the man that God created you to be. There will be plenty of great food, physical and mental challenges, sports, prizes, and a surprise guest. It's definitely a retreat you won't want to miss, so sign up now to reserve your spot!
Interested? Head over to zerocollective.org/retreats!
‘WOMEN’S FITNESS CLASS AT THE CENTER’
Ladies, have you been thinking about trying a fitness class? Look no further-
Lori’s got you covered!
Join us Saturdays for
8:15am WERQ and/or 9:00am Weights, Cardio & Abs
at the church.
Questions? Contact office@centergr.com
Looking forward to see you!
‘CENTER GROUNDS- Coffee & Community’
Made you look? Join us for coffee and a chat at the church!
When: Thursday mornings 8:30am-10am
Where: The Center Church foyer
Please check for updates on The Center Church’s Online Calendar.
Ready to serve on a team?
No matter what your passions or gifts are, or where you are on your faith journey, we have plenty of
opportunities to connect you with others through our serving teams.
Check out centergr.com/serve for more info.
Small Groups:
Looking to get connected?
Additional groups have been forming!
Please check out our online resources and visit centergr.com/discipleship for updates.
Looking for resources to ‘dig deeper’?
Interested in leading a Bible study but not sure where to start, what to study?
We can help! Just contact office@centergr.com and we can introduce and connect you to RightNow Media.
Check it out- it’s well worth your time.
MINISTRIES:
CENTER STUDENTS MINISTRY
Join us for YOUTH GROUP on Wednesday evenings, 7-8:30pm!
Contact jon-michael@centergr.com for more details.
Interested in serving in our Center Students ministry?
Jon-Michael would love to hear from you!
CENTER KIDS MINISTRY
CENTER MOMS is meeting on the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8:00pm at
the church focusing on BUILDING COMMUNITY WITH LOCAL MOMS.
Next meet-up: Tuesday, February 8
-Kids Care Provided-
Look for other important updates in your inbox, Dani loves to keep everyone up to date on what’s happening in our Center Kids Ministry :)
Questions for Dani? Ready to serve? She’d love to connect with you at dani@centergr.com .
JOHN GORVEATTE II LEAD PASTOR
Key Passages:
1 Kings 11:1-10 NIV
Solomon’s Wives
11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.
7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.
9 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.
Leviticus 26:1 NIV
Reward for Obedience
26 “‘Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.
Exodus 20:3-6 NIV
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Galatians 5:19-21 NIV
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.