Harvest News
Sunday Worship 10 am
Dear Harvest Fellowship Family,
After much prayer and wisdom sought, Harvest Fellowship has decided not to continue hosting AWANA. We believe AWANA is a wonderful program, but it is not the best fit for the Cell Church model. We are convinced that the Cell Church model is the most effective way to disciple the church and reach the lost, therefore anything, even a very good program, that does not fit this model will not be helpful in the long run. AWANA is a great program for a traditional church, but it hinders what we are trying to do.
With the Cell Church model we encourage everyone to take part in two meetings a week, the Sunday morning service and a Life Group, the two winged approach of Acts 2:42-47, 5:42, 20:20. Whenever a third weekly activity is added to this it competes with our purpose. We want to keep discipleship simple; when our people are too busy they will not be able to fully commit to the mission of Harvest Fellowship. We discovered that many involved in AWANA were not able to participate in a Life Group due to time constraints. We have also had difficulty in finding volunteers to help in our Children’s Church, partly because many of those potential volunteers were already committed to AWANA. Because Children’s Church fits the Cell Church (Sunday service for our children), we want to do this with excellence. We could do several programs and do them all with mediocrity and burn out our volunteers, or we can do a few things with excellence. We don’t want to commit to the good and hinder what we think is the best. Once again, we want to state that AWANA is a great program for the traditional church, but it is not the best idea for our church.
We are putting together a once a month family night to minister to our families with kids. This ministry will not be every week and therefore acts as a supplement to our discipleship program rather than a substitute. At this monthly get together we will do some of the same things as done at AWANA, and we will also provide our families with material for family devotions during the rest of the month. We believe that the primary responsibility for discipling our children rests on the parents, so we want to equip them to be successful. More information on the family night will be coming shortly. We have an excellent overview of the Cell Church model on our church website at: www.harvestmn.com. We also recommend The Second Reformation by William A. Beckham and The Simple Church by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger for more information on the Cell Church model and keeping church simple.
Please let us know if there is any way we can help you get connected at Harvest Fellowship. We are having a Life Group Fair during the Harvest Meal, after 2nd service, on September 12. I hope you can all make it, and sign up for a life group if you aren’t already involved with one.
Sincerely,
Pastor Larry Siekawitch
R.E.A.L. Activity for September: Our R.E.A.L. activity for September is bring cookies, baked goods, small gift, etc. to a small shelter, small business, or city building (police department, fire department, etc.) to thank them for serving our community. Give them the Harvest Evangelism card to let them know they have been recipients of a kind act of Harvest Fellowship!
Kindness Quote: A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. ~Charles H. Spurgeon
Life Group Fair Sunday, September 12th Click Here for Life Groups Ministry Fair Info!
All Church Family Fishing Day! Saturday, September 18th. Meet at church at 8 AM and caravan to the lake (TBD). Hot Dog lunch on shore at noon. Sign up at volunteer table at church if you can bring a boat. Questions? Contact Don Conrad (251-2398)
Day-Old Panera Bread is available from 11-12:00 on Thursday at Harvest. Come pick some up!
The Harvest Fellowship website has a new section!“Ask Pastor Larry” This page is for you to ask Bible Questions. Fill out the form for a personal response or fill out the reply to blog (everyone can see). Check it out at: http://harvestmn.com/discipleship/ask-pastor-larry/
Mark Your Calendars!
