Secondly, you may not be aware of the numbers that lead to Financial Freedom and peace.

Do you know?
	How much money you should have in your savings account?
	How much money you should save each month?
	Which retirement plan you should consider?
	What are the best long term investments?
	How much money you need to retire?
	What your tithe is based on your gross income?

We’re excited to participate in the Know Your Numbers campaign. During the month of August, you’ll experience a lot of new information (in the Rev. Dr. Classy & Deacon Jay Preston Family Wellness Center) designed to build health awareness and financial freedom within our congregation. We hope you’ll find it useful and it will contribute to positive changes in your life.

May God bless you with abundance!

You have the freedom to choose the role you will play in the life of the church and to serve freely. Here are a few ministry opportunities for your consideration.

  Ushers are needed for all worship services
Trained technicians for multimedia
Choir members
Greeters
Sunday School teachers for children and youth classes (training and materials are provided)
PowerHouse leaders (training provided & fun guaranteed)
Sermon Based Study Group leaders
Community Outreach & Evangelism
Dedicated Prayer warriors/intercessors

May you find freedom in Christ who has set us free, therefore, we are no longer slaves to sin.

Peace unto you!
Pastor Classy

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.  And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.                                                 Genesis 2:2-3 (NIV)

Greetings Disciples of Jesus Christ,

God did not intend for his people to live in perpetual state of busyness.  When we look at the example God gave us in the book of Genesis it is clear that God wants us to discover the blessing of rest for our bodied and souls. 

The model of God's resting on the seventh day (Gen. 2:2) conditioned the Sabbath as a day of rest (Lev. 16:31), the Sabbatical Year (Lev. 25:3-6) as a year of rest for land under cultivation, and the Jubilee Year as a periodic social restoration of wealth and property (Lev. 25:8-17).  The reality of needed daily rest was recognized for animals (Ezek. 34:14) as well as for humans (2 Sam. 4:5), the latter requiring peace of mind for best effect (Ps. 116:7).

The bible declares "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven".  Summer is quickly approaching and all of us will be visiting with family and friends to reflect on the challenges, joys and rewards of life.

Hopefully, all of us will take the time to rest, refocus on our dreams, priorities and rejuvenate our souls.  A good question to ask for deeper reflection, is my soul responsive to the rehabilitating power of God in my life?  Do I take time to hear the voice of God, or am I constantly on the move, responding to the demands of life.

Our western culture is accelerating at a frightening pace, and technology has changed our life styles in so many ways.  I am inviting you to take the time to enjoy the beauty and majesty of God's creation.  Recently, I had an opportunity to smell the gardenias in our back yard, and it was wonderful to take a moment to be aware of nature and the many miracles we see each season.

May you find joy in your moments of rest,

Pastor Classy

Greetings Disciples of Jesus Christ,

The Psalmist said, Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. We give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love in that he hears the prayers of those in need and saves them.

Our focus this month is being “Financially FFFIT 4 An Abundant Life”. It is important that we understand God’s definition of giving to be certain that we do not disappointment our heavenly father. Our vision is that everyone in our family will be a tither, or be on the road to tithing. This commitment and process take time and we must encourage each other.

On May 16^th at 5:00 p.m. Deacon Don Dixon will lead us in a discussion on the biblical principles of giving. He will not beat us up if we are not on track but focus on positive steps we can take to align our resources according to God’s divine plan for our lives. The discussion will be a time of review, reflection, assessment and planning.

The Holy Scriptures teach us that God has offered his grace in the form of His Son to pay the price for our debts (Heb.7:20-22) ²⁰And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, ²¹but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' "^{[b] 22}Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.  Out of gratitude, we should show that love to others through our giving and generosity as recorded in (Luke 7:36-50).

Secondly, we should worship God through our giving while acknowledging God owns everything. Paul said to the church at Corinth,   ⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

In one verse (John 3:16) of 25 words, Jesus explained the essence of his mission.  ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

May God inspire your heart! 

I am prayerful that God will do something new in your life, and you will experience a new awakening in your relationship with our Lord & Savior. During the month of April our church will focus on spiritual, physical, emotional and financial well being. The apostle Paul admonished the church at Rome in Romans 12:1.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

This is a perfect season to take inventory of your life and ask: Am I eating properly? Am I focused on daily prayer and meditation with God? Am I getting enough rest? Am I aware of the stress factors in my life? Am I aware of emotional strain that is weighing me down? Am I taking the initiative to be financially responsible? All of these questions are personal and only you will be able to answer and know the truth.

Our Health & Wellness Team has done a phenomenonal job in establishing the Reverend Dr. Classy  & Deacon Jay Preston Family Wellness Center. We are now receiving applications for membership and center hours of operation have been established. The next step is up to you, this month I would like to strongly recommend that you pick at least one area of your life you’d like to change and get started on your plan.

Always, my prayers, words of encouragement and love are with you!

Pastor Classy

Intimacy with God leads to wholeness. In this Lenten Season explore if you need more time for reflection and repentance? These are all personal questions which can only be answered by each of us, and they are important ones which will ultimately influence our relationship with the Lord and each other.

Some feel that Lent is similar to a desert experience, but I believe it is really a wilderness experience filled with richness and promise, a season of healing and transformation. Lent is a season for spiritual empowerment. It is a perfect time to reflect on our spiritual journey, transform your mind, change behavior and choose to rededicate our lives to serve and worship Jesus Christ in Spirit and in Truth! It is a perfect time to choose eternal life and live empowered by the Holy Spirit. Choose Jesus Today!

Rev. Dr. Classy M. Preston
Pleasant Grove Church
Cary, NC