It's so easy! After you watched the weekly message, use your smart phone to send a text message to the church phone # 352-683-2600. Text the word "CHECK" and send along, instantly you will be sent a link and if you follow that link you can check in yourself and any others in your household as having viewed the weekly message. This helps us stay connected to you and know that you are actively participating in the life of the church. Go ahead and save the number as a contact in your phone as there will be additional features available as well.

Pastor Greg will be continuing the series "Church on Fire" with this week's topic "Resurrection Faith". Scripture is from Acts 26 if you care to read ahead.

You can also access previous services to watch using our link "Worship Online" below.

Moms - you don't need to be a member of LIFT to come - this luncheon is for you. So please join us for a “Mother’s Day Luncheon in honor of our Mothers, Past and Present” this coming Monday, May 6th at Noon in bldg B. As of this printing (5/3) there are still 7 spots left so you can make reserve to join us. Use the link below.

A suggested donation of $8 will be collected at the door. Our guest speaker will be from A New Generation. If you would like to 'gift' them with a special donation (at the luncheon), a list of baby items they currently need is available on the back of the luncheon flier and in the office. 

If you enjoyed the music from the 70's, you will want to be here on May 11th to hear "China Grove" perform favorites from the Doobie Brothers, with special guest appearance by "Random Guy." Concert will be in our front parking lot, along with food truck vendors. Invite your friends, and bring your own chairs! Parking will be in the back parking lot.

KIDS CHURCH VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

We are just asking for help and support for our leaders of each group...

1. Assist small group leader for grades K – 1^st on a rotation basis. This may include helping children read or write, complete a lesson activity, or a craft that supports the lesson.
2. Assist small group leader for grades 2^nd – 3^rd on a rotation basis. This may include helping children read or write, complete a lesson activity, or a craft that supports the lesson.
3. Assist small group leader for grades 4^th – 5^th on a rotation basis. This may include helping children complete a lesson activity, engage in discussion of the lesson, and helping ensure all the children are participating.
4. If games are your gift, there is a rotation schedule to help with organized games from 10:00 – 10:25.
5. Volunteers are welcome and encouraged. If interested, we will find a place for you.

A class for our 3-year-old children is in the works. If you feel called to fill this opportunity as the lead person OR are interested in assisting a lead person in this class, we are excited to hear from you.

Please contact Lynn Logue if you are interested in volunteering in the children’s ministry in any of these capacities.

VOLUNTEER Requirements for Children's Ministry:

·        Complete Background Check

·        Training / Orientation

3 Sunday Adult Classes meet at 9 am, in the Sanctuary building:

Rock for All Ages in S# 2 all are welcome.

Christianity Today in S#4...all are welcome. .

New Life in S#3. Everyone is welcome to come.

Lamplighters Bible Study Tuesdays @ 11 am, building D, room #3. All are welcome to come study with us.

Men's Apologetic's Bible study Tuesdays, @ 8:30 am, bldg D, Library. Last meeting for the season is May 14th.

Men's Bible study Thursdays, @ 8:30 am, meeting in bldg D, classroom #3. Last meeting for the season is May 16th.

Mary Martha Bible study The May 14th meeting is off campus. The group resumes in the fall.

Pastor Greg finished up early with the study on Hebrews. His next Bible study is scheduled for the fall.

KIDS’ CHURCH—

Our doors open at 10 am on Sunday. This allows time for parents to check their kids in and get to church on time. Kids have time to play together. Kids church worship begins at 10:30 am and is interactive. We give our offering to Jesus and thank Him for all the things He does for us. We open with prayer, discussion of our key point, participate in music time, listen to the Bible Story, and break into small groups for further exploration and study of the lesson. Kids 4 years of age through 5^th grade are welcome. We have a few sixth graders who enjoy helping and participating also.

Pick up time for your kids is immediately following the service.

Our curriculum is Bible based. We recently started studying the books of the Bible and are beginning with Genesis.

The children are inquisitive and enjoy engaging in conversations about the Bible, the lesson, and sometimes challenge us with some of their thought-provoking questions requiring us to dig a little deeper or even research the answers.  

FIRST TIME GUESTS:

Check your child into building A. You will be greeted when you arrive. We will collect your contact information as well as your child’s information to determine which grade he/she will be attending. Your child will be introduced to other children, and you will be on your way to participate in Worship. After the service, you return to pick-up your child.

We ask that you notify us of any allergies and/or other pertinent information we may need to know about your child.

Youth Ministry - We're having a Car Wash! June 1st...and could use any old towels and large absorbent rags you no longer need. Bring them to the office during the week. Thank you.

The Youth Group meets each Sunday evening from 5 pm - 6:30 pm in building A inviting all teens to join us for an hour filled with Bible teachings, food, games and Jesus. Each week we begin with a fun time, usually a game of modified volleyball. Then we come together for a lesson and time for discussion. We conclude the evening with a little more fun. We would like to encourage all of the youth from sixth grade to twelfth grade to come and join us for an evening of fun and growing in our faith, understanding, and knowledge of our Lord.

We are committed to building stronger generations of faith, hope and love through Jesus Christ. From Biblical teaching and group discussion to wild games and fun, SpringLife is the place for youth to be.

About 50 Prayer Partners receive updates on all prayer requests via email, to pray over and intercede for requests each week. You may wish to be included as a prayer partner so call Lorenda in the office to add your email to the group. Submit prayer requests through our website or call the church office. We celebrate Praises and answers to prayer also. Prayer requests, updates and praises are shared each week as the Prayer list is updated and sent to all in the Ministry weekly either via email and on the printed copy found in the Sanctuary lobby each Sunday.

This month you will see the familiar baby bottles as you exit the church after service. The ministry, A New Generation (ANG) provides optimal health education and services from a Christ centered perspective in the areas of prevention, early pregnancy decisions, sexual health, parenting and relationships. These services are offered in a respectful and compassionate environment.

Every day in this community, women are facing the decision between life and death for their unborn baby. Many are feeling pressured by their partner, parents and friends regarding their difficult situation. ANG equips her to make a LIFE affirming decision by turning her fear of the unknown into a confident hope for the future. ANG offers her physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual support. Regardless of the decision a woman makes, ANG is committed to seeing, hearing and valuing her.

ANG is strengthening our community by educating women, men and youth to be confident in who they are. ANG is often the bridge from brokenness to a future filled with hope, dreams and success. ANG is uniquely equipped to support clients during difficult life situations. Because of the generous support of donors, all services are offered FREE of charge and full of HOPE!

 You can make a monetary donation to this ministry through the link below. 

Some of the most beautiful passages of the Bible can be found in Psalms, and in Jesus' spoken words in the N.T. God's Word is as close as your phone or computer. Many in your church family graciously recorded scriptures, chapters and even entire books of the Bible for reference, or just for your pleasure. All the New Testament books are available here, along with a good number of favorite OT books. Accessing them is easy. Click the link below and choose where you wish to begin, starting and stopping at any point.

We would love volunteers willing to help us finish recording the Old Testament books (filled with unusual names). Call the office and we'll work with you on this challenge so we can complete the Bible.

Ladies… You are invited to a special afternoon “Mother’s Day Luncheon in honor of our Mothers, Past and Present” on May 6th at Noon in the Fellowship Hall, bldg B, hosted by the L.I.F.T. Board. There are less than a dozen seats left. If you are planning to come, you will need to sign up before the reservations fill up. Call the office or sign up on the web at springlife.church/lift-ladies-luncheon-for-mothers-day

Our guest speaker will be Cheryl Bennett, Director of A New Generation. ANG is also our M.O.M. for May. A list of items they currently need is attached to the fliers in the Sanctuary lobby and also in the office. ANG will collect any of these donation items you choose to bring with you to the luncheon - and thank you so very much.

Happy Mother’s Day...To ALL the MOTHERS out there whether you are a Past, Present, or Soon To Be Mom. May your day be filled with love, joy and laughter.

You are a visible, vital link in maintaining L.I.F.T.'s identity as a strong, thriving ministry. We encourage you to sign up for our special events, and we could always use a few extra helping hands with the preparations of these events. The LIFT board members are carrying this alone and would welcome your assistance. Many hands make light work, so please become an active member, not just a guest.

Foodie Tour's

If you enjoy eating out, making new friends, socializing and having a fun time, the SpringLife Foodie Tour is for you. The second Thursday of each month we pick a different restaurant for lunch. We’re going to the Spring Hill Red Lobster on May 9th and hope you can join us. Sign up on the web and meet us for lunch at 11:30 am. It’s a great way to make new friends, enjoy the company of ones you know in a casual setting.

Foodie Dinner Tour…will meet at 6 pm on Thursday, May 16th at Guido's Pizza Shop on Forest Oaks Blvd. Same rules apply for registering and covering your meals as with the lunch. 

Kairos Prison Ministry "Kairos Inside" was at Lowell Correctional Institution for our spring weekend recently. Thirty six incarcerated women were ministered to and many gave their lives to Jesus Christ! We saw God move in the lives of many of these women. And we felt God's power overcome the efforts of Satan throughout the weekend. Please pray for the ladies as we continue to keep in contact with them and help them grow in their Christian faith. Thank you for your prayers! ~Sincerely, Chaplain Rhonda Overman

Youth Group:

Youth Group meets each Sunday evening from 5-pm - 6:30 pm. Mike Conway is our Youth Minister. Each week we begin with a fun time, usually a game of modified volleyball. Then we come together for a lesson and time for discussion. If time permits, we conclude the evening with a little more fun. We would like to encourage all of the youth from sixth grade to twelfth grade to come and join us for an evening of fun and growing in our faith, understanding, and knowledge of our Lord.

NEW WALK WOMEN’S MINISTRY

Ladies, are you interested in connecting with other ladies of the church and community? We have a great time when we get together at the New Walk Women's Ministry.

We meet on the third Friday of the month at 7 PM. Next scheduled time is May 17th. All ladies are invited to join in for the fellowship for a fun time with friends! We are going to get 'crafty' and make some "Mushroom Vases".

 ~ Lynn Logue Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. ~ Psalm 119: 105

LIBRARY MINISTRY—

Do you love to read and be around books, lots of them? If you are looking for a place to volunteer, but are limited in time, maybe the library is the place for you. You could serve on a rotation schedule. We will train you on the check in / check out process and feel certain you will enjoy your time serving. You can also visit with patrons as they stop in to look for specific items or just to say hello.

Volunteer Opportunities:

·       Tuesday mornings from 10 – noon, on a rotation schedule.

·       Sunday mornings 10:00 – 10:30 and 10:30 – 11:45 on a rotation schedule.

·       We can discuss additional opportunities if it better suits your schedule.

~Please contact Lynn Logue or the church office if you are interested.

Library circulation remains active. We appreciate donations and we evaluate each one for cataloging into the library, to offer them on the “free shelf” or to donate to other entities depending on condition, topic, and if the item is currently available in the library. We have a vast collection of books cataloged on the web for you to check out.

The library is open whenever the church is open. If the librarian, or volunteer, are not available, you can check out books by writing your name and the complete date on the card and leaving the card on the desk. You will find the card in the back of the book, CD, or DVD.

Thank you for your continued interest and support in the SpringLife Church Library.   Lynn Logue, Library Ministry Leader

KIDS CHURCH VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

·       Assist small group leader for grades K – 1^st on a rotation basis. This may include helping children read or write, complete a lesson activity, or a craft that supports the lesson.

·       Assist small group leader for grades 2^nd – 3^rd on a rotation basis. This may include helping children read or write, complete a lesson activity, or a craft that supports the lesson.

·       Assist small group leader for grades 4^th – 5^th on a rotation basis. This may include helping children complete a lesson activity, engage in discussion of the lesson, and helping ensure all the children are participating.

·       If games are your gift, there is a rotation schedule to help with organized games from 10:00 – 10:25.

·       Volunteers are welcome and encouraged. If interested, we will find a place for you.

 A class for our 3-year-old children is in the works. If you feel called to fill this opportunity as the lead person OR are interested in assisting a lead person in this class, we are excited to hear from you.

 Please contact Lynn Logue if you are interested in volunteering in the children’s ministry in any of these capacities.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

We usually meet the third Wednesday of each month at 10:30 am in building D, classroom #1. If you like to knit or crochet and have some free time, we would love for you to join us at our meetings. Please note: There is no April meeting and the meeting for May has been moved up to May 8th, the 2nd Tuesday.

If you would like to make a shawl, we have found these sizes to be best… For Baby Prayer Blankets: approximate size 29” by 29”. NO fringe please, and also solid soft colors are preferred. For Adult Prayer Shawls - please keep them to this size: 26” by 60” (no fringe), or 26” x 55” (with fringe). This adult size is very important—if they are too short, they don’t wrap around an adult comfortably. If they are too long and have extra fringe, they can get caught in the wheels of a wheelchair, or create a safety hazard. Please bring completed Baby Blankets and Shawls to the office and Pastor Greg will bless them. ~Jackie Stout

GriefShare Ministry - will hold the next 13-week session in the fall with date and time TBD. We will be using their "new" workbook (as the last updates were ten years ago), which covers topics not previously discussed.

Congregational Care Report- Monthly Report

“Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Care Companions

We currently have 7 active Care Companions.

We have seen some recent changes in need and could benefit from a couple of NEW Care Companions who could call on our members. 

Tuesday night dinners. You will need to register on-line for this dinner each week. We offer dine in and take out. Our Purpose: We serve in Jesus’ Name to share and fellowship all He has set before us, providing food for the body and spiritual support for the soul. We are averaging over 70 meals each week, and encourage dine-ins over drive through. We could always use a few more volunteers. ~Sincerely, Jan Griffioen 

Food Pantry

The Food Pantry hosts Cup of Faith. Our time of coffee, brunch and fellowship the third Sunday of each month.

The drive-thru Pantry is open every Wednesday from 9 am to 2 pm in the back parking lot.

For our Wednesday pantry news:Thank you for your monetary donations . With your help, we are able to purchase items in quantity and at a lower cost than what is displayed on grocery shelves and fliers. Your generous contributions are quickly turned into food for our clients. The products received from Farm Share have decreased due to their funding which in turn has caused our expenses to increase. God Bless , ~Larry & Rose Milks

4/23/24

What a great Easter season we had! From our Eggstravaganza, Good Friday, and Easter morning services, it was a way to share God's love and message with our community.

We're finalizing our VBS plans and narrowing our search for the next Children's Ministry Leader. Summer is fast approaching and there's plenty of ways you can participate!

Finance Update thru Mar:

Operating Expenses: $224,562

Operating Income: $216,065

Mortgage Expenses: $17,625

Mortgage giving: 19,463

3/6/24

We had a good time at the Church Chat a couple weeks ago and had a chance to have some "Nurture & Care" ministry leaders share updates.

It was a joy to host the FL Vocal Association's District 5 MPA for Middle and Senior High Choirs last weekend.

There will be plenty going on in this Easter season, so find a place to serve with our spring outreach event, Easter Egg-Stravaganza on March 16!

2/14/24

OK, we're finalizing our info from last year and there's so much that happened! We'll have our year in review video to show very soon and have a lot to share at our first Church Chat of 2024 on Feb. 25 at 2pm.

Finance Update thru Dec:

Operating Expenses: $740,972

Operating Income: $735,891

Mortgage Expenses: $86,410

Mortgage giving: $65,052