I do however,  have one Bible reading plan that I have followed for 58 years.  When I was ten years old my Grandmother gave me a Bible and encouraged me to read at least one chapter a day.  I have done that pretty consistently all my life.  Did you know that if you read one chapter per day you can read the entire Bible in two and a half years?  That may sound like a snail’s pace to you, but look at it this way:  If you follow that plan for ten years you will have read through the Bible four times. How many Christians have read every book of the Bible four times?  Not very  many.

Over the years I came up with my own Bible reading plan.  I flip-flop back and forth between the Old and New Testaments, so I don’t get bogged down.  Here is the order I follow:  Genesis, Exodus, Matthew, Leviticus, Acts, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Romans, Joshua, Judges, Mark, Ruth, I & II Samuel, I & II Corinthians, I & II Kings, Luke, I & II Chronicles, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, I & II Thessalonians, Job, I & II Timothy, Titus, Psalms, John, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Philemon, Hebrews, Isaiah, Jeremiah, James, Lamentations, Ezekiel, I & II Peter, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, I, II & III John, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Jude, Revelation, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.

The church provides Sunday school classes and small group studies to help you learn God’s Word.  These, however, were never intended to replace your own personal time with the Bible.  If you don’t regularly read the Scriptures, now would be a good time to start.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      -Brian Giese,  Education Chairman

1. Why are you here?
2. Are you all in?
3. Have you made this faith your own?

Next week we’re going to see that the invitation to follow Jesus is open to everyone, no exceptions. Most rabbis in Jesus’ day had a very stringent criteria that students had to pass before they could become one of their disciples, but not Jesus.  He accepted anyone, and He still does today.  That means that no matter what your past was, you can still be one of His followers.  Please invite someone you care about to join you as we continue this study

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      -Joe

This Sunday we will begin a new series called Not a Fan. During this series, we will be challenged to take our relationship with Jesus to the next level. The first session will challenge us with three questions: Why are you here? Are you all in?  Have you made it your own?  We need to examine our reasons for going to church. Do we go because someone is forcing us, or because we simply like something about it that keeps drawing us back; or do we go because we love Jesus? And what about our commitment–will we do whatever it takes to follow Jesus? Finally, we’re challenged to make our faith our own. Maybe our parents have always made us go to church, but we never really believed.

Along with the sermon series, we will continue the study in small groups. Time is running out to get signed up for one of these small groups; two of them are already full. Please call the office if you would like to get in one of the remaining groups.

not a fan..

The students at Campus Students for Christ (Western IL University) are taking donations of new or used Christian reading material (books, novels, Bible study books, Bibles, etc.) to distribute on their spring break to those who cannot afford these “luxuries.”  Look for the bookcase in the Main Foyer for your donations from now until the first part of March.

Men’s Event!  The van will be heading to Chicago for the Chicago Auto Show on February 11.  Men from our congregation are encouraged to go and to invite a friend who does not attend our church.  Cost is $11.00, or $7.00 for seniors.  Questions?  Contact Bill Mitchell (540-8761).

2012 Chicago Auto Show – The Nation’s Largest.

Food Fair – Erica Dynes, a senior student in the GO Student Ministries at FCC, is having a Food Fair here at the church on Saturday, January 28, 2:00-4:00 p.m., as a part of her effort to earn the Golden Award for Girl Scouts.  You may have seen the nice article and picture in the Star Courier recently about her quest.  Everyone is invited to this event to help support Erica, and to learn more about healthy cooking and eating.  There may even be samples to try!  If any ladies would like to help on this day, please contact Lisa Yarger (853-8305) to volunteer.

The Girl Scout Gold Award

This project is Gold: Annawan Scout plans a food fair

Life Line Screening – Friday, January 27, Fellowship Hall

Life Line Screening uses painless, accurate sonogram technology to “see” plaque build-up in your arteries.  This program is a tool to help prevent strokes by early detection.  The cost is minimal compared to hospital tests.

Pre-registration is required.  Call 1-800-324-1851 to make an appointment.

Health Screening | Life Line Screening.

First Christian Church of Kewanee Offers Personal Financial Management Class

First Christian Church is offering a class to teach people how to manage personal finances.  The class is Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University and will be offered for thirteen weeks starting January 16 at the First Christian Church.  This class is being offered to the community.

The class will consist of lessons on how to save, how to budget, how to dump debt, how to resist marketing, how to buy and sell a home, how to relate with family and loved ones about money, how to buy big, big bargains, how to save for the college and the future, how to live in the world of insurance, ways to spend money that give you fulfillment and how to work in your strengths.

Dave Ramsey says, “The economy is recovering very slowly and people in America are losing hope.  Hope does not come from the government or Hollywood; it comes from the ability to take control of your own financial destiny”.  The Financial Peace University classes do just that.

The classes will be offered at The First Christian Church on Mondays from January 16 through April 9.  The class times are 7 PM to 9 PM.  There is a free preview class on December 12 at 7 PM.  Both the preview and the class will be at 105 Dwight Street, Kewanee

Class tuition is only $93 for 13 sessions. Membership packet includes Workbook, Forms, CD’s and class materials.

If you have any questions please contact Daniel Marshall at (309) 852-5074 or the church office at (309) 853-4298.