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Quick Update

Hey Clovis Volunteers, just want to let you know that you are reeking with awesomeness today! Here are some details for the events that Andrew and Michelle mentioned in the above video: 

KIC

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

• Thursday, June 23rd
• For graduating 3rd graders through 6th grade
• Price $105
• Packets available at Guest Services 

2SM

Lake Day

• Thursday, June 23rd
• Bass Lake
• High School only
• Price $30
• BBQ, Tubing, Fun!
• Waver forms are located at the 2SM Table
• Space is limited!!!

Firework Stand

• Open from June 28th- July 4th at 12pm
• Located across the street from our new Fresno location, in-between the Costco gas station and Pep Boys
• Sign-up to volunteer starting this weekend and help us raise money for 2SM and KIC!!!

And, for the moment you've all been waiting for- our Volunteer of the Week is.... Shannon Nelson!!! Shannon has been faithfully serving in KIC week in and week out and we so appreciate every bit of help that you've contributed. Thank you for helping to advance the kingdom of God with us =)

Once again, thank you Clovis Volunteers, let's get ready for an amazing weekend!!!

 

Clovis + Volunteers= Awesome

    HELLO CLOVIS VOLUNTEERS!!!!

Ok, real fast before we begin, I want you to picture yourself in a huge stadium, filled with thousands upon thousands of people. The sound coming from the people is deafening as thunderous applause emanates from all corners of the building. But what's this?  In the middle of the stage you are there; the shimmer of the spotlights radiating off your big, wide smile as they cheer and clap their hands for you because you have done such an amazing job serving at church week in and week out.

That is what our Clovis staff would like to do for you if it was possible, but for now we'll just let your imagination do the work =) We really do appreciate all of your efforts and better yet we know that you are doing it not for the appraisal of man but for God, and that is awesome!

Well now that you feel warm and fuzzy inside, lets talk business! Here are some important, current affairs that we want to fill you in on (isn't it cool to be in the know?!) :

Events and Outreaches 

• Canned food drive
• Distributing food to more than 170 nonprofit organizations the food bank reaches 90,000 individuals weekly and strives to see that not one of its neighbors goes to sleep hungry.
• Help us partner with the Fresno Community Food Bank to provide food for hungry people in our valley by bringing a ton of canned food!!!
• Memorial Day 
• This Memorial Day we want to extend the invitation for you to honor our veterans that honorably served this country at Fresno Memorial Gardens.
• For more information please see the Events and Outreach table in the lobby this weekend.

Get Connected

• Discipleship Class (D1) 
• Wednesday, June 1 we will be starting our 6 week D1 class for all of those that wish to get a better understanding of what we believe here at Celebration.
• We will be discussing some of the foundational Christian beliefs such as; Baptism, Holy Spirit, praying and reading the Bible, salvation, and more. 
• If  you or someone you know is interested please see the volunteer table to sign-up. 
• Men's Meeting 
• On Friday, June 3rd, Damon will be bringing the heat for ONLY the guys, sorry ladies...
• Invite a guy! There is someone in your sphere of influence that you can get to come and see his life changed.
• There will be a BBQ vendor so make sure you've got some cash handy.

This week the Clovis team would like to honor Greg and Ruby Banuelos as Volunteers of the Week!

What an awesome couple who go above and beyond the call of duty every week. We love you and thank you for helping advance the kingdom of God with us =)

And don't forget to join us for Lance and Gi's wedding this Friday!!!! They wanted to make sure that each of you knew that you and your families are invited. It will be at the Clovis Campus starting promptly at 5pm. See ya there!

With lots and lots of love,

    Your Clovis Staff

Leadership Tips

Let's Get Pumped!!

What's up Clovis Leaders!?

I hope everyone is having an awesome week.  If you didn't make it out to the pool party on Wednesday night you totally missed out on a powerful night, we baptized 66 people in water!  It's always amazing to celebrate with those that are making that outward confession of what God is doing in their lives and drowning old things at the bottom of the pool! You know leaders, thats what it's all about! That's why we do what we do every weekend...that's why we serve, that's why we give, that's why we rally behind the vision of this ministry and campus...to be a part of impacting a city and seeing people experience the reality of God's love.

I want to encourage you today, as we enter into this weekend to keep that perspective.  Don't ever allow your service (volunteering) to become a mechanical duty. It's an absolute honor to serve God's house and the whole reason we do is so that others can have their lives forever impacted by God!  Think about it, if it weren't for you, who would greet them with a smile? Who would serve them that cup of coffee that woke them up to hear God's Word? Who would minister to their children so that they're not distracted in service? Who would find them a good seat? Who would keep the environment safe? Who would lead them in worship? Who would just love them and be available to pray with them? I could go on and on... The point is, everything we do on these weekends plays a vital role in reaching and saving the lost whether you realize it or not! So first of all, thank you for making it possible, and secondly, make sure we stir ourselves up this weekend and know that we get to help play a role in the salvation of others! There are people right now as I type that are on their way to spending eternity in hell BUT this weekend they will attend service and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior!! That's AWESOME!!!

So my closing thoughts to you are...
1)  Who do you need to invite this weekend?
2)  When they get there, let's ALL help create the friendliest, energetic, most irresistible environment that they have ever encountered!!

We love you guys so much and it's an honor to be a part of a family, a team that is building God's Kingdom and making an eternal impact in this community! Praying for God's best in your lives this week.

Let's be in expectation for a packed house this weekend...see you at church! :)



Lance and Clovis Staff

Oh Happy Day it's May!

For all of the right brained, organizational nuts out there we have provided you with a detailed calendar highlighing the different events and services going on in the month of May. And for all of the not-so-organized people just stay close to those that are and you'll be ok, I promise =)

(Click to enlarge)

Well gentlemen ready or not it's Mother's Day this weekend, so get to Walgreens and pickup your teddy bear and roses cuz here we go!!! If you are a mother we want to say a big thank you to you for our existence and for all the love you've shown us. Make sure to be there for our special Mother's day services all weekend where we will be having photos and flowers for mom in the lobby and a hilarious, on point message delivered by a special group of ladies. But don't just bring yourself to enjoy all the fun, invite someone else!

I have a secret. I have a secret that isn't for everyone but since you are privy to this blogspot I figured that I could probably share it with you. Here it is: EASTER SUNDAY ISN'T THE ONLY DAY WE CAN TELL PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS!!! Profound isn't it. In all serious let's remember to keep inviting people to church so that they can hear the good news about who Jesus is. Remember that you work where you work, you eat where you eat, and talk to who you talk to for a reason. Lets see our building filled to capacity, overflowing with people that need to hear the Good News. Our weekend services are the biggest outreach we do every week; throwing out the net to catch fish. We, on the other hand, are already caught, so the weekend services really aren't about us. Where we get fed, nourished, and built up is on Wednesday nights, where Pastor serves us some steak and potatoes! If we continue to see these two services with the right perspective, hold on because Celebration is gunna take off like a rocket ship! So just like our Easter Services let's make every service hot, exciting, fun, and irresistible, in other words, let's make Disneyland look boring! And don't forget,  Water Baptisms, this Wednesday night which is another great service to invite people to. They'll get a chance to see people make a public declaration of their faith which is always a powerful thing to witness and be apart of.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to each one of you for all of your continued efforts week in and week out. It's so difficult to express how thankful this team is for all of you, not just for your hard work but for being outstanding people of God who are willing to lay down their lives for the bigger cause. Keep up the good work, you are awesome!!!


~ Clovis Staff

Let's Go Fishing!!!

Have you ever read something and every word shoots through you like a rush of adrenaline? Well just below this paragraph we have posted a blog by Steven Furtick that does just that. It lines up perfectly with what we have been learning in the last few months and more importantly it's some fuel for reaching our city. Enjoy!

Fishers of men, not keepers of the aquarium

Monday February 7th, 2011 – Permalink | Leadership, Ministry Perspective

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People ask me all the time how we’ve been able to see so many people come to Christ in five years.

Outside of the favor of God, I could give you a lot of specifics. Tell you a lot of things that we’ve done. But none of it will help you until you make a decision we made in the early days of our church.

And that was the decision to be more focused on the people we’re trying to reach than on the people we’re trying to keep. As others have said, to befishers of men, not just keepers of the aquarium.

We’re not going to cater to the personal preferences of the few in our pursuit of the salvation of the many.

And that includes if the few is ten people when we’re pursuing one hundred.
Or 5,000 when we’re pursuing 10,000.
Or 10,000 when we’re pursuing 20,000.

Most people and churches aren’t willing to do that. They’re keepers of the aquarium. They say they want to reach people, but in reality they’re more focused on preservation than expansion. On keeping people rather than reaching them.

They let saved people dictate style. Saved people dictate focus. Saved people dictate vision.

The result is a room full of saved people. Not people getting saved. Why? Because the people you’re trying to reach aren’t interested in the church that has been created by the people you’re trying to keep. If they were, they’d be coming. But they’re not.

For some reason, right here is where people usually play the discipleship card. They’re trying to disciple the people they’re trying to keep. They accuse you of pitting evangelism against discipleship.

But that isn’t the case. I just believe true disciples should care more about making disciples than freeze framing the church the way it was when they became one. Or wanting twenty-six programs customized to their liking. If the mark of Christian maturity is a bunch of people who want to create a museum glorifying and preserving their personal preferences and then sanctify it by calling it a church, count me out.

Some people say why can’t we have both? You can. Focus on the people you want to reach and you’ll keep the people you want to keep. Let the rest walk. They’ll find a church elsewhere to graze.

The way I see it is they’re just occupying the space of a person who needs to hear the gospel. You’ll fill their seat.
And it will be with the person who needs it the most.