facWEEKLY August 23
We hope you've had a good week, FAC Family! Here are just some of the great things happening in the coming weeks.
Worship This Sunday
Living the Good Life | Week 9 | Matthew 7:7–12 (NASB1995)
Do I really get everything I ask for when I pray? Are there conditions? Let's discover what Jesus meant when He said, "everyone who asks receives".
Join us this week as we continue in our series, Living the Good Life, and we’ll take a look at Matthew 7:7-12 together. Hope to see you there!
125th Anniversary Celebration
Date: Sunday, September 1
Time: 10–11:30am
Place: in the Worship Center
First Alliance Church is celebrating 125 years of ministry to the Erie region! Join us on Sunday, September 1, at 10am as we reflect on our history and thank God for His goodness. Please note that we will be joining together for one service only from 10-11:30am. No classes, including children's ministry and nursery, will meet, so we can come together as one body for this special occasion.
Men's Basketball Open Gym
Date: Tuesdays , starting September 3
Time: 6-8pm
Place: in the Gym
Guys, lace up your sneakers and join us as we hit the "hardwood" for basketball action! We will have open gym Tuesday nights for guys interested in playing pick-up games. Contact Wes Palmer for additional information at wbpalmer8@gmail.com.
GriefShare – Grief Support Group
Date: Wednesdays, September 4–December 4
Time: 6–8:30pm
Place: in room B106
Cost: $20 (Includes workbook)
Thanks for being a part of a growing number of people that are open to the grieving process and want the support that GriefShare provides. We know it hurts and we want to help turn your mourning to joy.
There is a fee collected at the first session so that you may receive your very own workbook, even for the returning participants with this updated version.
We look forward to meeting you and walking side by side with you during this very difficult time. For more information and to register, click the button below.
DivorceCare
Date: Thursdays, September 5–December 12
Time: 6:30–8pm
Place: in room E215
Cost: $15 (Includes workbook)
DivorceCare is a safe place where caring people come alongside you as you find healing from the pain of separation or divorce. During this 13-week, video-based support group program, you will find helpful counsel to manage the emotional turmoil and practical tools for decision-making. You can register at https://www.divorcecare.org/groups/241494. Entry is open-ended, meaning you can join at any time. The cost for the workbook is $15. For more information contact Chuck & Mary Beth Master at 814-520-1947 or email info@facerie.org.
DivorceCare for Kids (DC4K)
Date: Thursdays, September 5–December 12
Time: 6:15–8:15pm
Place: in room B106
DivorceCare for Kids is a 13-week, faith-based student support system for children ages 5–12. DC4K offers a safe, caring, fun environment where children can explore healthy life skills to maneuver through the rough places of family fracturing and divorce. Register your kids today by clicking on the button below. There is no registration cost, and entry is open-ended, meaning you can join at any time. For more information, visit the table in the lobby or contact Dennis & Dolores Smith at 814-454-2929 or email info@facerie.org.
Intro to FAC and Membership Classes
Date: Sundays, September 8–October 6
Time: 11am
Place: in room B106
Are you new or newer to First Alliance Church? Or you may have been attending for years and have decided you'd like to become a member. Either way, this class is for you! Intro to FAC is a five-week course on all things FAC. Learn about who we are, what we believe, how to get involved, and the importance of becoming a member of the local church. This is also a great opportunity to meet others and build relationships! There is no cost to attend. If you'd like to be a part of Intro to FAC, use the link below to register. The deadline for registration is Friday, September 6. For questions, contact Kim Palmer in the church office at kpalmer@facerie.org or 814-833-9862.
21 Days of Prayer
This coming fall, our church family will participate in a guided season of prayer for the third time. This current prayer guide has been written by members of our Young Adults (YA) ministry. We are inviting all of our church family to participate as much as you can, hopefully for all of the 21 days. You can find this prayer guide by clicking on the button below or pick up a printed copy at The Hub. The launch date will be Monday, September 2.
facYOUTH Welcome Breakfast 2024–25
Date: Sunday, September 8
Time: 9:30am
Place: in the Youth Center
Hey, Parents and Students! Join us for the facYOUTH Welcome Breakfast on September 8, 2024, at 9:30am in the Youth Center! This is a fantastic opportunity for your students to meet their leaders for the year, hear about all the amazing activities we have planned, and enjoy a delicious breakfast together!
If your student is in grades 6–12, this is the perfect way to kick off the new year with facYOUTH.
Don't miss out on the fun and the chance to connect with our incredible youth community! Click on the button below to register. See you there!
Seven Pillars of Freedom
Date: Mondays, September 9–May 15
Time: 7–8:30pm
Place: in room F203
Cost: $80 (includes Seven Pillars Workbook, Journal, and the Pure Desire book)
Many men who struggle with sexual brokenness try to go it alone. They believe the lie that sexual brokenness is about sex; when really, it’s about medicating the pain in their lives. Despite their losses—marriage, ministry, relationships, and more—they continue to return to unwanted sexual behaviors. But the truth is, we cannot fix a problem if we don’t know what’s causing it. Through the Seven Pillars of Freedom you’ll start to understand your whole story and identify what contributes to your sexual brokenness. You will begin your recovery from unwanted sexual behavior with a trusted group of men on the same journey. Through Seven Pillar’s guided lessons and a trusted community, you will develop the tools necessary to break free, heal your relationship, and take back your life.
Registration is $80 and includes the Seven Pillars Workbook, Journal, and the Pure Desire book. If you have any questions, or want to learn more, reach out to Chenny Langness at cnlangness@gmail.com.
Sexual Integrity 101
Date: Thursdays, September 9–October 31
Time: 7–8:30pm
Place: in room F203
Cost: Registration is free, but the optional workbook is $20
We all desire sexual integrity, whether it’s for ourselves or for others. But we struggle with knowing where to start. Sexual Integrity 101 is a great way to get started, whether you struggle with sexual integrity or know someone who does. This 8-part series is designed for men, women, parents, and more. It is for anyone who wants to find freedom from the effects of unwanted sexual behavior and/or betrayal, or anyone who wants to better understand the struggles that others may be going through. This course will show how shame and grace affect the healing process, give an understanding of addiction and betrayal trauma, and get you started on the path to sexual health.
Registration is open-ended (meaning you can join at any time) and free, but the companion workbook is $20. If you have any questions or want to learn more, reach out to Chenny Langness at cnlangness@gmail.com.
The Grace House Collection
Collection times: August 9–26
As believers in Jesus, we are to love those around us who are overlooked by our society. Women are one of the fastest-growing segments of the homeless population today. The Grace House (a part of the Erie City Mission) provides a secure and safe location for women who are suffering from domestic violence, addiction, and homelessness. We would like to partner with The Grace House as they reach out in love to these women. You can help contribute to building this relationship through a donation to The Grace House, where the women are housed during their recovery time.
Their current, immediate needs are: tampons, 13-gallon trash bags, Dawn dish soap, and multi-purpose cleaner.
Please drop your donation in the designated box at The Hub. Thank you for your loving donation, which will go a long way in representing the love of Christ to these women.
MomCo
Dates: 2nd and 4th Thursdays, September 2024–May 2025
Time: 9:30am
Place: in room E215
Cost: $37 MomCo membership fee and $50 FAC fee
READY TO STOP MOMMING ALONE? You’re invited! We’re convinced that moms are some of the most powerful creatures on the planet. What is the word people use to define powerful things? It is ‘the mother’... the mother of all storms, the mother of all traffic, the mother lode. To be a mother is to be a force of nature, but that doesn’t mean it should be done alone. We saved you a seat.
Childcare is provided.
Please register by using both links below. For the MomCo membership fee use FAC group code: S54X
Women 2 Women Bible Study
Date: Tuesdays, beginning September 10
Time: 9:30–11:30am
Place: in room B106
Cost: $10 for study guide
We will begin our fall study for Women 2 Women on September 10. We look forward to our new study, “Saints and Scoundrels in the Story of Jesus” by Nancy Guthrie. The story of Jesus in the gospels includes people who claimed to be saints but proved to be scoundrels, as well as scoundrels who were transformed into saints. This study not only offers fresh insights into familiar Bible characters, but challenges us to apply these lessons to our own lives.
Sign up at the table in the lobby or click on the button below to register.
facWOMEN’s Evening Bible Study
Date: Mondays, beginning September 16
Time: 6–8pm
Place: in room E215
Cost: $10 for study guide
This fall we are offering an evening women’s Bible Study led by Elaine Ransil. This is open to women of all walks of life in all stages of their faith. We are excited for this new opportunity to connect and gather in community! We will be walking through a Bible study together titled “The Story of Reality” by Greg Koukl. “If you are already a Christian, do you know and understand the biblical story? And for those still seeking answers to the questions of life, this is an invitation to hear a story that explains the world in a way nothing else will. This story can change your life forever.”
Sign up at the table in the lobby or click on the button below to register.
Prayer for International Workers
Bob and Cheryl Fugate are international workers supported by FAC, serving in Guadalajara, Mexico. Pray for them as they continue to adjust to life and ministry back in Mexico. Pray for the new couples who are joining the ministry team there, that the Lord will encourage them and help them be flexible.
You can learn more about them by picking up a copy of our “Prayer Guide for World Missions” near The Hub and you can partner with Bob and Cheryl in ministry by giving to the Great Commission Fund.
Do You Have a Prayer Request or Praise?
"Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere" (Ephesians 6:18, NLT).
The staff and elders at FAC would love to pray for you. Send your request or praise to Pastor Scott through the form below.
Finance Information
Father, as we lay before you our financial offering, we give you all that we are and everything that you have entrusted to us. Bless these gifts for the sake of your kingdom and glory.
General Fund
Last Week
Actual: $15,159
Budgeted: $21,940
Prior Year Comparison: $22,021
Year To Date*
Actual: $1,065,790
Budgeted: $1,241,412
Prior Year Comparison: $1,129,260