The Loop / January 17, 2023
Catch Up with the Current Series:
Weekly Announcements:
BECOME // DISCIPLESHIP, WEEK 2: LISTENING
In the first week of our series on Discipleship, we talked about stillness: can we be more intentional about creating space in our lives where we refuse to let busy-ness or fear keep us from paying attention to God? Then, this past week, we talked about listening: when we experience those moments of silence, can we anticipate hearing God’s voice and feeling God’s presence with openness and expectation in our hearts?
We want to encourage you to give this a try this week! As you sit still, ask yourself: am I open to whatever God wants me to hear? Do I expect Him to care enough about me to want me to grow and change… to speak to me? To be sure, this isn’t “easy” work! But the Bible teaches us consistently that if we try, God is eager to meet us where we are. Why? Simply because He loves us.
BECOME // PACKING MEALS ON FEB. 5
On February 5, our friends at Revive Life will be helping us pack meals for the Annapolis Light House Shelter to feed individuals and families in need. This is a small, and also essential, way for us to love our neighbors! We’ll be packing the meals immediately after service, so plan ahead to stay for an extra 20 minutes or so as we work together to share hope with our neighbors!
BELONG // THE “FISH BOWL” IS BACK!
Here at Revolution, we believe that real Christian life struggles to be fully lived outside of community… but how do we help communities form and thrive? The secret is building real friendships. To help foster that process, from time to time, we encourage everyone at Revolution to take a chance: we set a bowl and slips of paper out on Sunday mornings, and we invite everyone who would like to make a new connection to write down their name and phone number. Then, we match folks up with each other and give them a homework assignment: share a meal together in the next two weeks. It can be at a restaurant, in someone’s home, or a picnic at a local park… but the goal is just to help folks connect! It’s a great way to learn new names and faces, hear a bit about someone else’s story, and form a foundation for something much better than a church focused only on weekly gatherings. The “Bowl” is out for the next few weeks in January, and you are invited to take a step! Make sure to stop by and fill out a slip this weekend!
BELONG // WINTER GROUP MEETINGS
If you’re looking to get connected, there are still several groups meeting right now that you can visit and make new friends!
This Tuesday, Jon Connelly will be meeting folks at the AMC theater at the mall for the evening screening of A Man Called Otto; if you’d like to join, send Jon an email at jonivy82804@hotmail.com.
On Wednesday, Maggie Young will be putting a trivia team together to play at Ram’s Head Roadhouse, and you’re welcome to drop in! Let her know you’re coming: youngmaggie14@gmail.com.
Looking to study the Bible with friends? Dante Griffin leads an Online Bible Study on Monday nights! Get the login info from him: dangriff67@gmail.com.
Our next major group launch will be in February, and we’re excited about the offerings that will be on the way, including new Local Groups, as well as some more fun options for making new friends. What matters most to us is that everyone finds a way to connect beyond Sunday mornings: a healthy church isn’t about polished worship services, it’s about messy relationships, where folks can share their stories and find real love and support. Revolution is committed to building just that sort of community! We’re excited for you to join us!
BECOME // YOUTH GROUP
Revolution’s Youth Group meets on Sunday mornings! If you have a middle- or high school-aged teen (or if you are one yourself!), you’re invited to meet up with our youth leaders, Maggie Young and Robbert Olson in the lobby before service. Youth typically head across the street to Starbucks for a breakfast treat on us, to go along with a lesson and conversation. The goal is for teens at Revolution to make new friends, build honest relationships, and learn more about how to build a deep faith of their own. You can learn more with Maggie and Robbert on Sunday, or by emailing our Children’s Pastor, Shawn Livingston, anytime at shawn@revolutionannapolis.com.
BELONG // WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT REVOLUTION?
Kenny would love to share a meal or a coffee with you and answer your questions! You can reach him any time by email (kenny@revolutionannapolis.com) or text (803.727.8500).
BELIEVE // COFFEE, ANYONE?
Do you have questions? Doubts? Would you just like to talk through things with someone? Kenny is also always up for that, too! Just send him an email (kenny@revolutionannapolis.com) or text (803.727.8500).
BECOME // SUPPORTING REVOLUTION CHURCH
At Revolution, we believe that our church needs to be a witness to God’s bottomless love and an example of what it means to wrestle and grow with our faith together. Following Jesus isn’t easy! But even in our doubts, if we take the things we are struggling to believe and put them into practice together, we learn to ask better questions and live in ways that are more beneficial for others.
If you want to join us in this mission, you can be a part in a few different ways:
First, you can commit to presence: it is our sincere hope as a church that you find real purpose and meaning in being a part of our services and groups at Revolution. They exist for you! But have you ever thought about what you have to offer those gatherings in return? Your unique perspective, hopes, experiences, and struggles are part of the bigger story of our church. You have an important part to play here, and that part begins by making faithful presence a priority!
Second, you can commit to generosity: we want to imitate God’s generosity by looking for ways we can share what we have been given with others to bring hope, justice, and safety to our neighbors. One way you can practice that generosity is by supporting our ministry here at Revolution financially: we are a non-profit organization committed to maintaining a Christian ministry in Annapolis, forgiving the debts of our neighbors, and financially supporting both church plants and existing churches in our area. Your gifts help keep this commitment going! But we also want to make sure you know that giving is important no matter where you do it: find a non-profit, charity, or aid organization whose cause you support and make a plan to be faithful and generous towards them! God can do more with our resources than we can… and giving is one of the practical ways we put our trust in what He can do.
Third, you can commit to service: here at Revolution, we are in need of all sorts of volunteers to keep our ministry going. This is particularly true as we continue to “emerge” from the pandemic! If you are available to help out on any of our Sunday morning teams, or with any of our groups or other outreach ministries during the week, we need you! This is a great way to contribute to the church… and to make new friends. But the city of Annapolis needs help, too! If you are able, make time in your week to participate in a routine act of service for our community. There are multiple food pantries we support, all of whom need help, as well as opportunities to work with kids in need of tutoring, care for unhoused residents in our city who need assistance, and serve as an advocate for a variety of justice-seeking non-profits working to make Annapolis a more equitable place to live. For help a place to serve, just talk with Kenny (kenny@revolutionannapolis.com) or our Community Engagement Lay Leader, Liz Wheeler (liziwheeler@gmail.com).
BELONG // STAY IN THE LOOP ALL WEEK LONG!
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