:: Life Journey :: Immanuel Church of the Nazarene ::

GO! Journey for the Future has been a one year giving project from 11/01/07 ~ 10/31/08. As of September 30, 2008, we have received a total of $236,609 toward our commitments of $271,000 with 1 month remaining. We still need a balance of $34,391 to match our pledges for GO! An update on the GO Project:

Check out what our teens have been up to... This past August, several of our teens had a life changing experience as they provided their gifts and talents of service on a missions trip to Haiti. Thank you teens for making a difference in our world!

Upward is fast approaching and we'd love to have your help ! We'd love to have you register your children by October 23rd so they don't miss this awesome opportunity! We would love you to volunteer as a Upward basketball or cheerleading coach, or a referee! There are also other countless ways you can help out this season - just contact Pastor Stretch.

Also remember to keep these important dates free:

Evaluations are on October 27, 28, & 30th between 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Practices begin the week of Monday, December 8, 2008
First Game is on Saturday, January 10, 2009

Only a month later, and Vacation Bible School is still hot on our minds. This year, Power Lab was a big hit! We had 200 children join us for the week of Vacation Bible School. It was a busy time with a lot of energy and fun by all! Through bible stories and atomic adventures, kids got to experience how Jesus gives us the power to be thankful and brave, help others, tell others about God and live forever (Aha!)! The VBS Sunday Celebration was another huge success packed with singing, inflatables, and great food.

The children raised $1,276 for our VBS mission project, SchoolPal Packs! Hildegard and Bertha (part of our very own Missions team) hosted the Priceis Right game, demonstrating how costly supplies for oversea students can be. It was an atomic mess Friday night when the girls, who raised the mostmoney, slimed Pastor Mark!

Be sure to attend next Sunday, August 10th at 9:30 AM to see Bill & Karen Itzel in concert! Bill has appeared in the Gaither Homecoming videos, been nominated for 2 Grammy and 2 Dove awards, and has headlined concerts for over 40,000 people, but still feels led to minister in local church settings. They have performed in over 2,600 concerts, written and recorded over 170 songs, and travel with their three children, Jessica, Ryan, and Shannon Bailey, ministering in 140 churches and concert events a year. Their concerts have a strong family emphasis with a style reminiscent of “Casting Crowns.” Bill and Karen Itzel are singers/songwriters who are committed to Christ, committed to truth, and committed to excellence.

Vacation Bible School begins next week. Are you ready? VBS is running from July 21 through 25 every night from 6:15 to 8:15 pm. We have many opportunities for EVERYONE to participate by bringing snacks and or skit supplies. It’s real easy - just visit our VBS table in the Lobby today and sign up for the snacks/skit supplies that you can donate for our little VBS “Lab Workers”!

Also be sure to come Sunday, July 27th at 9:30am for VBS Celebration Sunday. The Chidren will present the songs they’ve learned during VBS and Pastor Mark will be sharing. At 11:15 the fun begins! There will be inflatable games, VBS music and of course great food. Sign up in ABF class or at LansCentral to bring a salad topping or dessert

Many helpers are still needed during the week of VBS & also for Celebration Sunday! Sign-up at the Power Lab table in the lobby or contact Candy Nixon.

For more information or to check out our happening VBS 'newspaper' please visit our VBS site!

June 23 , 2008

Following the Worship Service on Sunday July 6, everyone is invited to join us for a “Cookout” on the grounds of ICN! Sign-up at LansCentral or in your Adult Small Group Class to bring a salad or dessert. You don't want to miss the great food and fellowship.

June 12 , 2008

The Teen Quizzers are hosting a car wash this Saturday, June 14th, and we can use all the help we can get. So if you've got some time available between 9 am and 2pm, please come by and join us at ICN. Please encourage everyone you know that it would be a great Father's day gift to have the car washed!

June 3 , 2008

If you don't already know, one of our Easterm Nazarene College students, Phil Nase, is spending the summer ministering in India. Now, you can follow along on Phil's adventures by visiting his blog. Feel free to comment, offering encouragement, insight or even just a "hello!"

May 29 , 2008

Take a look at some of our cuties!!

...Was this year's theme as we celebrated Baby Day on May 18th. A big “thank you” to Amy Walker, who served as our Nursery Coordinator for many years! We have been truly blessed by her love and dedication in ministering to our babies! Also, thank you to Linda Leisner, our curriculum coordinator and the many volunteers that assist in the nursery each week!

As our nursery continues to grow so does our need for volunteers! If you have a passion for little ones and a heart to serve as a “Nursery Coordinator” or “Nursery Helper” please contact Candy Nixon.

“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.” Psalm 79:4 NIV

May 22 , 2008

Okay so we know some of you have been wondering where the most recent sermons have been hiding... Yes they were hiding; we were doing our best to wrangle them quickly! Well with success, you can now listen to the latest sermons, and better yet listen to them in your browser on the sermon web page! Just use our new fan dangled media player to select whatever sermon you wish, wait for it to load, and just sit back, relax and let your ears drink in the audio. Adjust the volume, move to any point of the sermon at the click of a button, or skip to the next sermon. Talk about convenient! (Hopefully this makes up for the months delay!)

May 1 , 2008

On March 21st, the teens gathered together for a Good Friday breakfast and also to lend a helping hand in stuffing Easter eggs for the Children’s egg hunt. What a time of excitement and fun for all ages! We had about 120 children and their families attend this year. Lots of smiles, excited faces and an opportunity to share the Easter story with them. Sam Sandler mesmerized us all with his illusion acts and parent and child participation! Many thanks to all who donated candy and eggs for the hunt, to all the teens for stuffing the endless pile of eggs and for all the hands that made the actual day run so smoothly!

April 27 , 2008

That ICN hosts Little League Challenger Challenger Division?

Challenger Division offers boys and girls with physical and mental challenges an opportunity to learn basic baseball skills while participating in an organized program at a Tee Ball or Coach-Pitch level. Each player is paired with a “Buddy” who is supportive and encouraging while helping him/her play the game. Buddies are there
to provide assistance as players learn to bat, run bases, and field the ball.

Players wear the same tee shirts, shoulder patches and safety equipment as other Little Leaguers. Challenger League meets on Sundays from 3-4:30pm, rain or shine. This year our season runs from May 4th - June 29th. When the weather is poor, we practice skills inside. New team players are welcome! Call us at 215-855-4446 to register players or to sign up as a Buddy. Come visit … we love to have people cheer for our players!

April 10 , 2008

There are two upcoming events happening after the worship service the next two Sundays that you won't want to miss:

1. Following the worship service next Sunday, April 20th, Pastor Mark will host an “All Church Chat” for adults in the Worship Center during the regularly scheduled ABF/SS hour. During this time, Pastor Mark will share highlights and praises from the past several months and the future vision for our church. There will be a Q/A time as well. You will not want to miss this informative meeting!

2. On Sunday, April 27th, immediately following the Worship Service Pastor Mark and Holly will host a Welcome Reception in Room 109. Light refreshments will be served. The purpose of the Reception is to meet with those who are new attenders to Immanuel Church in the last few months. If you are able to join them, please write “WR” by your name in the Friendship Folder or call the Church Office at 215-855-4446 by April 20th.

April 4 , 2008

It's true....Vacation Bible School is just around the corner, and this year's theme is Power Lab! If you haven't already, please take the time to fill out a registration form for each child attending VBS. You can either fill out an electronic form or print out a hard copy of the registration form and hand it in personally to the church. Also, if you're able to help out in any way, just fill out a volunteer form - we'd love to have your help!

April 1 , 2008

As our Teens have been learning how to love the lord their God with all their Heart, Soul, Mind & Strength…God has been refocusing their eyes to see and minister to the needs all around them, as they begin to love others as they love themselves. Recently, the Church of the Nazarene has teamed up with World Vision to walk alongside those struggling to pull themselves out of poverty in Mutendere, a rural community in northern Malawi — one of the world’s poorest nations. Through this partnership, Church of the Nazarene congregations are adopting World Vision’s youth-focused 30 Hour Famine as their own. Funds raised through the Nazarene 30 Hour Famine will support World Vision’s ongoing work in Mutendere. On April 11th & 12th, our Teens will partner up with teens from the Fairview Village Church of the Nazarene, and take 30 hours to experience hunger. Each teen will be raising money, 100% of which will go to seek sustainable solutions to Malawi’s deep hunger & economic needs.

A child dies EVERY 6 SECONDS because of hunger, disease, & poverty. World hunger is 100% preventable. Please support our teens as we attempt to bring healing & repair to our broken world.

March 1, 2008

...has been tremendous! With over 475 players involved, Game Days have been jam-packed full of fun & excitement. Our players are learning the fundamentals of the game, while acquiring a new-found respect for authority figures (Coaches & Referees) and their teammates. The cheerleaders have been encouraging them to reach their full potential!

Throughout the Upward Season, we’ve been learning that “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37) and finding out that “God loved the world SO MUCH, that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life!” (John 3:16) Thank you to ALL of you who took an Upward Prayer Card, at the beginning of the Season, in praying daily for EACH of our Players!

February 2, 2008

Have you checked out Pastor Mark's blog yet? In it, he shares what God’s been teaching him about living out everyday faith as well as observations from his Bible reading. Feel free to share your own insights and comments!

Yes finally after months (even years) of planning and hard work, ICN's revamped website is finally up and running! Along with a new look, we have tons more content for you plus many new features!

For children we have games and a fun interactive website children can play on. For teens we have polls, photos, and more! Adults can find information on ICN'S various ministries and ABF and small group classes. We also have a great Upward site for children and parents to check out the latest news, videos and photos for basketball and cheerleading events. We have a Missions web site filled with great information on opportunities to reach out locally, regionally and globally. There is a website dedicated to local ministries we're affiliated with called "Partner Ministries." Evelyn's Ministries even has its own website at evelynskids.org. The main website is inviting and easy to navigate for newcomers and members alike where you can watch and download free online sermons and other media clips.

But there's more... Did you know that Pastor Mark now has his very own blog? Did you know anyone can now donate to Immanuel Church online using Paypal? We also have a special connection point to meet many spiritual needs for our church family called ICN E-ZPass. The list of new features and information is endless and we hope you benefit from everything we have to offer.