Big Idea: God gives us all we need and we should learn to be satisfied with that.

Big Idea: Our money is God’s, our business is to manage it wisely.

 This week we kicked off a new 4 week series on finances by talking about stewardship and the truth that all we have has been given to us by God. 

Multi-sensory elements:  Started off the message with a video that illustrated the bondage many of us are in financially because of debt.  The clip included some sobering statistics such as:

-70% of households live paycheck to paycheck

-Less than 30% of households live on a budget

-95% of couples argue about finances regularly

-The average American spends $1.22 for every dollar they earn.

Big Idea: Our forgiveness was never free-there was a price that had to be paid.

Multi-Sensory elements: Communion after the message, video of presidential prayers of thanksgiving during offering.

Big Idea:  There is a celebration in heaven wheneve someone who was lost is found.

Image/Multi-sensory elements:  Sunday was a day to look back and celebrate what we have seen God do in the past year.  The service included a slide show with picures from some events in the past year and we had a number of the images/metaphors from sermons in the past year on the platform. 

Response:  During the closing song the ushers passed around a couple of offering plates filled with coins from Israel.  We encouraged everyone to take one as a reminder of the parable of the lost coin that we looked at during the message.

Big Idea:  We are the workers that Christ asked us to pray for.

Big Idea:  Some people only look up when the hit rock bottom.

Big Idea:  Live to Leave a Legacy.

Big Idea:  The Message of Jesus can never be contained by traditionalism, the good news must be celebrated.

Response:  Fasting Challenge-challenged people to fast 1-2 meals between now and Celebration Sunday, June 1.  Gave people an opportunity to sign up for a meal during the closing song.  Read details of the fasting challenge and sign up to participate here.

Big Idea: Invite-We need to be people who invite others to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Image/Metaphor:  Last week with the table, placecard metaphor symbolizing the table that God has invited us to come to and that now we invite others to.

Response:  Closed by singing “Make a Joyful Noise/I will Not Be Silent” and reminded everyone that we must not be silent when it comes to telling others about who God is and what He has done in our lives.

Big Idea:  Invest yourself-your time, love, energy, compassion and resources- in builing relationship with those in your oikos who need to know Christ.

Image/Metaphor:  We are using the table and placecards metaphor through this little three week series.

Response:  Find ways this week to invest your life in those God is calling you to invite.  

Big Idea:  Invest and Invite

Image/Metaphor:  We had a table set up on the platform with a placesetting for one (nice china, silverware, etc.), a placecard and a candle.  The image was that God has used others to invite us into a relationship with Him (He has invited us to His table-Ps. 23), now it is our turn to invite others to come to the table and enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Multisensory Elements:  We ended the service by observing the Lord’s Table (taking communion).

Response:  At the front of the auditorium we had a number of blank placecards and we encouraged people to pick one up after the service and write the name of one person that they felt God was calling them to “invest and invite” on the card as a reminder to do that this week.