Are You Getting in SHAPE?

We’re turning the corner on our SHAPE series. Only 3 weeks to go as we head down the backstretch.  So far, Steve has helped us better understand our spiritual gifts, our heart, and our abilities. This week he’ll help us discover our God-given personalities and how God uses that in our lives.


The SHAPE concept is like a chemistry project.  When you combine your Spiritual gifts, your passions and desires (Heart), your natural talents and Abilities, your Personality, and your Experiences, then mix them up together, you can see how God has made you and how he can use you to be an influence for Christ in the world.  It is a really cool thing.  Personally, I did this study years ago and it changed the way I think about myself and my calling.  I hope this series of messages is a blessing to you too.

And just a reminder about our ONE DAY offering. We’re asking all TNC’ers to give not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice as everyone gives at least one day’s pay to help resource TNC-Columbia County.  We will receive this special offering on October 14.  This is a first for TNC.  We’ve never done anything like this before and we are excited to see what God has in store for us!  I hope you are as excited about TNC-CC as I am.  I really believe that we will hear even more stories of life change from the other side of the river as we remain steadfast in doing what God has called us to do.

Enjoy the journey of experiencing Jesus!  Following him is the greatest joy you could ever hope for or imagine.

Gene Jennings

Associate Pastor

2007
10/03
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General
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Volunteer Workshop

Greetings TNC Volunteers,

Let me start by saying that if you’re not a TrueNorth volunteer and reading, you are welcome to attend, as well. On Saturday, October 6, we are hosting a unique training opportunity at Cedar Creek Church in Aiken, SC

Whether you’re a Greeter, S.O.U.L. Team Member, Hospitality Volunteer, Welcome Center Volunteer, First Time Visitor Host, J-Team Leader, Merge, Element, Kidz Stuff or Journey Land Volunteer, you’ll leave this free workshop with practical tools to help raise our welcome to new standards of excellence and warmth, understand what our guests are expecting every time and be able to anticipate their needs and interests in advance of their visit. Each guest needs to know Christ or know him better and TrueNorth Church is a great place for that to happen. Initially connecting with our guest thru a warm welcome encourages them to stick around and connect further with Christ through the different opportunities we offer. You’ll walk away equipped to make a first impression last for eternity.

This workshop is free to TNC members and attenders with lunch being provided on site at no additional cost. The event is scheduled to run from 9am – 4pm.

In His Service,

Mike Fiedler
Director of Connections

Mark Waltz
Mark Waltz

Presenter: Mark Waltz, Pastor of Connections
As Pastor of Connections, Mark Waltz is a unifying force at Granger. His First Impressions teams of more than 450 volunteers create an inviting experience for both newcomers and core leaders. And the “Wow”-making initiatives that have sprung from his teams include the Granger Connection Café, free shuttle service in the parking lot, greeting services and easily accessible information – all designed to help people connect with the church and each other. Mark’s book,

First Impressions: Creating Wow Experiences In Your Church
First Impressions: Creating Wow Experiences In Your Church

First Impressions: Creating Wow Experiences in Your Church, addresses the issues of guest attendance growth and volunteer development, offering strategies for making high-impact first impressions. Mark’s ministry expertise is complemented by his marketplace experience, which includes retail management, employment and recruitment. He and his wife, Laura, have a daughter, Olivia.

2007
09/26
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CATEGORY
General
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S.H.A.P.E.- THE JOURNEY CONTINUES!

Shape Series Artwork
Shape Series Artwork

I hope you’ve taken the first step to get in SHAPE! What’s your spiritual gift?  I hope and pray that you’ve had the opportunity this week to discover the special abilities that God has given you. If you have lost your assessment (Spiritual Gift handout given out last Sunday) or want to continue to discover more about your spiritual gifts there is a wonderful assessment online here.  At TNC we need everyone to know their spiritual gifts for us to make a maximum impact in the kingdom!

I can’t wait for Sunday as we consider the impact of our heart! This is probably the most important message in this SHAPE series. Your heart plays a pivotal role in your God given SHAPE. Be sure to be there on time Sunday! We are having some fun in the way we present the message Sunday. I will be sharing it in two parts! Come a little early so you can be ready as God speaks to us and challenges us to follow His heart for our lives and for TrueNorth Church!

Let’s Keep Fishing! This series is an excellent series to invite a friend to “come and see”!

CU Sunday!
Steve Davis
Lead Pastor

2007
09/21
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CATEGORY
Steve's Thoughts
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What a Weekend!

I’m still buzzing in my spirit from FACEDOWN last night at TNC! I’m not usually one to toss around spiritual phrases that often, but I have to say that I truly sensed God’s spirit, presence and life in our communion service last night. Thank you Kevin, Jay Knotts (TNC-CC Campus Pastor), band and the Facedown Creative team for creating a simple, beautiful, powerful and focused message on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.   Many hearts were touched, encouraged, healed and freed by what we experienced. Jesus you are so good! We love you! Help us to be your living sacrifice (Rom.12:1) this week!

Sunday night was icing on the cake of a special weekend. Sunday morning we began the S.H.A.P.E. series by Unwrapping Our Spiritual Gifts!  The first step as a Christ follower to getting in SHAPE is to discover and develop these special abilities that God has given you.  If you didn’t pick up a Spiritual Gift assessment at the end of the service or you were unable to attend please stop by the office or see your J Team leaders they have the assessment available.  I pray that God will bless your week as your examine and evaluate the special abilities He has given you.  I’m so excited about SHAPE, if you haven’t been able to attend the first two weeks it’s not to late to join us in the journey. Come this Sunday as we discover what it means to follow our HEART!

Saturday morning we had another awesome Class 101. We had about 35 folks in attendance!  One of the young people in attendance prayed to receive Christ in Class 101!! It was Awesome! She will be baptized in our next Dunk’d service, Sunday, November 4th! God is leading more and more people of all ages to commit their lives to Lift Up, Love In and Live Out at TNC!

What a weekend! God use us this week to let your light shine through us wherever we find ourselves! I challenge you TNCer BE A LIGHT!

Steve Davis
Lead Pastor

2007
09/17
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CATEGORY
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It’s Time to Get in S.H.A.P.E.!

Shape Series Artwork
Shape Series Artwork

Our new SHAPE series got off to a great start in our services last Sunday! Our special guest Tierney Rollins from Tire City Potter (tierney@rollinsceramics.com) was a hit on the potter’s wheel, as she shaped and sculpted a lump of clay into a beautiful bowl in about 10 minutes, you can check it out at www.truenorthchurch.com! I was impressed, she knows how to “throw” some clay! I believe God is going to touch and change many TNCers lives as they discover their SHAPE.

I want to challenge you to be at TNC each Sunday the next 6 weeks to discover the SHAPE God has given you! This is great stuff and nothing should keep you from hearing how God has shaped U, not even college football! Rearrange your weekend plans to make sure you can be in attendance at one of our two morning services. God wants to SHAPE you! Will you give Him the time to teach you?

This Sunday we begin the journey of discovery as we Unwrap the Spiritual Gifts that God gives to Christ followers. You don’t want to miss it!

Steve Davis
Lead Pastor

2007
09/13
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One Church, Two Locations

Augusta Prep Outside
Augusta Prep Lobby
Augusta Prep Outside

Sunday’s Open House at TNC’s Columbia County Campus was truly an exciting experience.  We had over 50 folks join us for lunch under the tree’s in front of the Hull Fine Art’s Center at Augusta Prep and many others came just to tour the complex.  It felt great to actually see TNC’s people on the campus and to have everyone get a glimpse of the vision to come as we prepare to engage God and the community at this site.  It was really cool to see everyone’s first reaction as they entered the fine art’s center where our worship will take place.  The beauty of this arena and the complex will add tremendously to the environments that we will create to help spiritual seekers become transformed into passionate followers of Christ.

Please continue to pray for this vision as we continue our DRIVE, the expansion of TNC to Columbia County and beyond.  The opportunity to engage the culture with the life changing power of Christ is a tremendous priviledge, one that we can all pour ourselves into, and one day look back from eternity and be incredibly glad that we did.

Jay Knotts
Campus Pastor, TNC-CC


2007
09/12
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2nd Saturday a Huge Success

This past Saturday over 100 volunteers from TrueNorth were out in force serving our community!  This month we partnered with the Southside Tubman Family Y, Community Ministry of North Augusta and the North Augusta Middle School. Our volunteers helped with painting a break area and also repairing a portable classroom at North Augusta Middle School , landscaping, painting a classroom and constructing a playground at Southside Tubman Family Y in South Augusta, and landscaping, donation sorting and general cleaning at Community Ministry of North Augusta This was part of TrueNorth’s “Second Saturday” a once a month outreach to our community designed to provide meaningful engagement between the people of TrueNorth Church and the community on the second Saturday of every month.

Below are some pictures from our team at the North Augusta Middle School.  (Pictures courtesy of Mike Adams)

Mike Fiedler
Director of Connections

DSC_6261
DSC_6261


2007
09/10
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CATEGORY
Missions
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Another Big Weekend at TNC

As I was preparing to write this update, I received an email from a mother whose teenager attended Element Student ministry Wednesday night as they kicked off the new school year (over 150 students were in attendance)! The teenager had such an awesome time that it caused her mother to check out our website (www.truenorthchurch.com) and she is now pumped up about coming to TNC this Sunday with her daughter! KUDOS to our Student Minister, Walt Tanner, his fearless interns, Wesley Fulghum & Brandon Strawbridge and the student ministry team! Isn’t it awesome when kids bring their parents to church!! WOW!

I’m so glad to be a part of TrueNorth Church, let alone be the pastor. Every week God is doing great things in the lives of people.

This weekend starts off with 2nd SATURDAY! 2nd Saturday is a once a month outreach to our community designed to provide meaningful engagement between the people of TrueNorth Church and the community.  Please meet at the church offices (419 W. Martintown Rd., 29841) at 8:30 am for a light breakfast. Please wear clothes that you can work in.  The strategic partners of this 2nd Saturday are North Augusta Middle School, the Southside Tubman Family Y and CMONA. Your job is to show up and serve—it’s that simple.  Bring the whole family (there will be kid-friendly opportunities too). We promise you will be done by noon.  Join TNC as we seek to make a difference in our community this Saturday.

Sunday we begin our new fall series S.H.A.P.E.! It’s a series that will have a huge impact in all of our lives! Your shape determines what kind of friends you should have. Your shape determines the type of person you should marry. Your shape determines your best career choice. Your SHAPE is the way God uniquely designed you to REALLY LIVE, to experience the thrill and joy of making a difference in His church, world and Kingdom. I really believe this series is going to turn some folk’s lives upside down!

All Journey Teams will launch this week with the SHAPE series. We’ll journey through it for the next 7 weeks! It’s time for all of us to get in SHAPE, there is no excuse! Don’t miss a Sunday or a J Team meeting!

TNC – Columbia County will be hosting an open house this Sunday 2:00 – 4:00 pm at Augusta Prep (285 Flowing Wells Road, 30907).  Come check out the facilities and meet our Campus Pastor Jay Knotts. I promise that you will get excited about what God is preparing to do as we reach out to this area with the great news of Jesus, TNC style.

If you are a resident of Georgia, there will be a free lunch served at 1:00 pm for families who would consider being part of the launch team (we still need more folks). Following lunch you will meet the TNC-CC Leadership Team. The facilities will be open to tour and there will be a time of fellowship, vision and information. If you have already committed to or are considering becoming a part of TrueNorth Church in Columbia County, we would love to see you Sunday. Please bring the entire family and lawn chairs.

WOW! It’s going to be a busy and blessed weekend! I look forward to seeing you at one or all of these opportunities!

I Love TNC!

Steve Davis

Lead Pastor

2007
09/06
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The Journey Begins…

FaceDown
FaceDown

Facedown will be here in less than two weeks.  I cannot tell you how excited I am about this edition.  I know I say that every time, but this one is different.  We haven’t had a Facedown like this before. This one is very focused and very simple.

I feel in my spirit that God is stirring a fresh wind of His Spirit in our church.  There are so many exciting things going on at TrueNorth, particularly with TNC-CC (Columbia County) launching in January.  But I also sense in the people I talk with regularly a longing for a new revival within themselves.  God is saying to all of us that “you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

And that’s what we’re going to do the evening of September 16…seek Him with all of our hearts.  You will not want to miss it.

Facedown
September 16, 2007
6:00PM
North Augusta High School
Make sure you check out my blog the next two weeks as I post thoughts that will help us prepare our hearts and our minds to meet with God on September 16.

Kevin Bradford
Worship Pastor

2007
09/04
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General
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Another Great Day at TNC!

We enjoyed another inspiring day at TNC Sunday! The past two weeks have been the largest back to back attendances in the history of our church! (YEAH GOD!)  It’s exciting to see so many people coming to explore and experience the life of God in the gymnasium, at Kidz Stuff and in JourneyLand. God continues to transform lives as we create authentic and relevant environments at TNC!

T-Life Triangles
T-Life Triangles

This Sunday, we will conclude our three week series Transform.  This series has been an exciting journey of reflection and discovery as we’ve shared how people can experience God’s transformation from the inside out. We’ve tried to keep it simple yet strategic by inviting people to Lift Up, Love In and Live Out.  We call it the “T-LIFE” at TNC! The transformed life occurs as people commit their lives to the three stages of the transformation triangle.   The first side Lift Up, begins through the birth of a loving, growing and interactive relationship with Jesus Christ.  There is no transformation without Jesus! The second side, Love In, heightens transformation as we commit to loving others through authentic relationships with other Christ followers. A small group is the “cocoon” for us to grow as a disciple of Christ through loving, caring, praying and doing life together. At TNC, we call them Journey Teams.  The third side of the transformation triangle is Live Out.  This stage of the “T-Life” is vital as people utilize their vocations, gifts and ministry for Glocal (Global & Local) impact in the Kingdom. After God does something in you, He wants to do something through you. As you get down and dirty in serving and losing your life to him, His transformation continues within you!

Of course there is a secret agent involved in every stage of the “T-Life”.  Actually without it Lift Up, Love In and Live Out, is just a cool phrase lacking any power to transform lives.  We are going to talk about this secret agent, the Holy Spirit, in the final message of this series Sunday. You don’t want to miss it! A lot of people are scared, confused and just messed up when they think about who and what the Holy Spirit is. Come Sunday and find out how God have given us this secret agent to do things that even 007, James Bond couldn’t touch!

I pray that you’re having a good week and letting Him transform you. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person…Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Lift Up, Love In, Live Out,

Steve Davis
Lead Pastor

2007
08/29
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Steve's Thoughts
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