Throughout the Bible the concept and commandments regarding “first fruits” speak of priorities. That which is brought to God as first fruit is considered holy unto Him. It is right to remember Him first. Christ, Himself, is spoken of as the first fruits of those that slept. He is the first of the resurrection, making a way for you and I to do the same. First is important and often essential.

End of the year giving is important. Most ministries place the emphasis there. I was considering an end of the year offering at PCF for this year when I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Bring the offering at the beginning of 2022 in the first gathering.” We are having a First Fruits Offering that will help us stay in step with Him as we begin this new year.

We do not know how the Lord will lead in the coming year but we want to be ready. God knows the opportunities and the open doors. He knows the challenges and the changes that can occur. I am not looking for the problems but for the promise. We do not need a "rainy day" fund, but we should have a latter rain storehouse. We want to be ready, not worried. Giving and sowing will help us be prepared.

The offering will be set aside to obey the Holy Spirit in three areas.

Storehouse Funds

Malachi tells us to bring the tithes and offerings so that the storehouse may be full. There is a great promise attached to this commandment. It is here that God promises to open the windows of Heaven and pour out blessing so great that it cannot be contained.

In recent years we have found that our storehouse is often sparse if not empty. I am confident that the Lord wants that changed. The First Fruits offering is a beginning to that change. As we do this, I am also confident we will see great blessings, provision, and miracles flow through the open windows of Heaven as He promised.

Project Forward

We want to be further prepared to move forward on our Vestal Rd. property as God makes a way. We will give and pray by faith, knowing He wants us to progress.

Koinonia Missions

With whom does God want us partnering this year? He has faithful servants in many places that we can come alongside to assist. What missionary will be able to feel the load lift some as we sow into the field of souls where they labor? Is there a church we can help build for saints somewhere in the world? Will people around the world read A Voice in the Wilderness for the first time? Can we send a blessing to local ministries, hurting widows, and forgotten retired pastors? We have ongoing giving to Haiti and Cuba. There are many American pastors and ministries we bless throughout the year. That will continue as well.

Come ready to give your offering this Sunday, January 2, 2022. If you cannot give Sunday then come ready to make a pledge that you can honor early in the year. It is important that we take this faith step together.

The goal is $20,000. We are well on our way in gifts and commitments.

This is an open door. Let’s go through together bringing the first fruits representing all that He has done and promises to do in the days ahead.

House Church with Pastor Jerry – 8 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84006095450?pwd=bFRRQ1lUUUFyOUFEMWhZK1lXMXZYUT09

or call in by dialing 312-626-6799

Meeting ID: 840 0609 5450

Passcode: 885403

Hello Church Family,

At least one in our congregation (who was in attendance last week) has tested positive for COVID. Out of an abundance of caution and care for those in the church that are immunocompromised at this time, we have decided to take our gathering online this Sunday, July 25th. Thank you for understanding (sorry for the late notice) and please help us get the word out to anyone you may have invited to join you tomorrow.

Thank you,

Taylor

Topic: PCF Sunday Gathering

Time: Jul 25, 2021 10:00 AM EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83764517025?pwd=SDlwRjBSa0dnQTJNbjVFWkVmREpIdz09

or dial 312-626-6799

Meeting ID: 837 6451 7025

Passcode: 936670

Dear PCF Family,

I am choosing to write you a personal note instead of waiting until Sunday because not everyone is able to gather each week.

Some of you know I spent some time in the ER this week because of symptoms that had intensified and were troubling. A CT scan was done and the ER doctor and a GI specialist consulted because of an area of concern that they saw. They fast tracked a colonoscopy today and the results revealed that I have a large cancerous tumor on the colon. It has probably been present for some time hiding behind the symptoms of my gallbladder removal. I have a consult with a surgeon this Monday and they have committed to expedite an MRI and a meeting with an oncologist soon. We will know more in the days to come. 

What we know now is that God is good and can be trusted as we have been reviewing from His Word in recent weeks. We trust when we do not know. That is what I am desiring and determined to do and I pray you will as well. 

I am also believing for a miracle as I would with you. It will be for God’s glory. Thank you for praying and believing with me. 

May I ask you to keep this within our family for now? Thanks.

In other news, we have a signed settlement agreement with our neighbors. This means we will not have to go through another hearing. As we shared Wednesday evening, the Lord has answered prayer and is working wonders. We will keep praying for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done in ways we cannot imagine. 

See you Sunday as we gather to praise God, wait upon Him, and respond to that which He will speak in our midst. 

Please continue to pray for Betty. She needs a healing touch from the Lord, wisdom in all things, and the strength and comfort which only He can provide. 

Shalom.

Pastor Jerry and Susan

Dear Congregation,

As we reviewed this past Sunday, our Savior passed through much trial and tribulation to get to the Kingdom. I believe He is telling us that not only can we do the same but that He will be with us as we pass through the deep waters.

It was on a Thursday evening that He gathered with his beloved one last time. He washed their feet, He prayed for them, gave them promises that remain to be fulfilled. “May they all be one” is among, if not the greatest of prayers and promises that came forth in that session. We still hold onto the promise knowing sanctification and oneness will bring revival. The world will believe once this promise is fulfilled.

Please remember to pray for the Greens throughout the day. His situation continues to remain critical. Betty and her daughters will need wisdom from above this week.

Sam will undergo a heart ablation today. Please pray and believe God with them for success and protection.

We will need to set up in the chapel this Saturday @ 7:30 p.m. Any and all help will be appreciated.

There are some special things happening in April. Please review the calendar Taylor has provided to help you anticipate some of the changes for the month.

The fence that was erected on our property in violation of a court order will be removed tomorrow and placed upon the property to the south. I would like to ask that you pray for the peace of God to rule in that space. The process became somewhat contentious this week. Graham, as always, did a great job in representing the facts. [Edit: We have since learned that the fence activities may be off for Thursday. - Taylor]

We will need God’s Kingdom to be among us this Sunday as we celebrate the resurrected life and power of Yeshua. God will grant us the Kingdom as we keep our hearts from anything that grieves His Holy Spirit and as we yield to His guidance in all ways. Pastor Taylor will be bringing the message. Molly and our team will lead us in praise and celebration.  This is a great opportunity to invite guests. Some will be invited that are called or that God desires to reclaim and reestablish. Prayer will make a difference.

Thank you.

Pastor Jerry

Click here for a printable calendar that will help you keep track of important dates and events in the next few weeks. 

I was able to pray over Harry this morning. God made a way to do so. It was a Kingdom appointment in the Spirit.

His condition continues to worsen. Please pray for Betty, Karen, and Angie as they are at his bedside today. 

Also, please pray as our attorney is submitting another attempt today to come to a peaceful resolution with our neighbors with regard to the consequences of their choices in the past year. Prayer will make a difference.

Thank you. 

Pastor Jerry

I wanted to let you know that Harry suffered a stroke or similar incident yesterday morning. He was taken to the VA and later to Methodist Hospital and admitted to their ICU. He is being monitored but his condition seems to be worsening. 

Please pray. Karen is taking Betty there soon. I will be trying to join them there. 

Thank you.

JK

Dear PCF Family,

Thank you for praying. We will be headed to court later in February. The mediation process was unsuccessful but not surprisingly so. We made several good faith offers which were rejected and only received unreasonable responses. It is right that we tried.

God is underneath and will continue to help as we pray and obey. He is working this for our good according to His purposes.

We are more than overcomers.

Pastor Jerry

Review

The word the Lord is giving us as we begin this year is from Romans 8:37.

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. (NASB)

These “things” in spite of which we are overcomers are serious things. They include “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword”. To be an overcomer does not mean to merely survive. We are expected to endure but we are called to overcome. It means to prevail, to subdue, to conquer and to be victorious.

This is the way the Holy Spirit wants us to think and live in 2021. You were not defeated just because of a political defeat. You are more than a conqueror. You are not a loser because someone rejected you. You are a conqueror and overwhelmingly so. You are not finished because of sickness, mighty conqueror. You may have suffered a painful loss but you are overcoming. This is the mind of Christ because He told us “these things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Plainfield Christ Fellowship, our neighbors may come against us and the town may oppose us but we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. We shall prevail in all these things. Stop whining. Start praising.

Prayer

It is a privilege to pray for one another. Are you bothered when someone asks you to pray for them personally? Nearly all believers I know consider it a blessing and privilege to be asked. You are not a bother; you are a blessing when you need and ask prayer.

Keep those who are suffering on your faith list. Pray for Harry and Betty, Craig, Sam and Linda, and Elizabeth Jackson (Jo LaRoche’s daughter). God will hear and answer as we keep asking. That is His Word.

Waiting Upon God

Pastors Thomas Young, Joe Nance and me are beginning a time of waiting upon God on Saturday evenings beginning this Saturday @ 6:30 p.m. These gatherings will be held on Zoom. You are invited and encouraged to participate as much as you feel led to do so. Waiting upon God involves sanctifying (setting apart) the time for which He has led. It means to come prepared and submitted without plans or agenda. It is a time of listening and responding. When we wait, we are in holy anticipation of that which He will do. It is a time of cleansing, growth, and edification. He desires to do more than we can think or imagine.

Pray for us as we step out in faith to do that which we believe the Lord is assigning us to do in these days.

Pastor Jerry

Good Afternoon, Church!

I am happy to announce that we will be gathering in person this Sunday (1/10) at the chapel. As we come back together, let’s adhere to the following guidelines until further notice:

• Please join online if...
• (1) You are experiencing COVID-like symptoms or have tested positive.
• (2) You awaiting COVID test results.
• (3) You have been in close contact (closer than 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with someone whom has tested positive for COVID in the ten days prior to a gathering.
• Please wear masks as you move about the chapel and social distance with your respective family units as much as is possible in our space. 
• Special Note: For the time being, please give Pastors freedom to not engage in private prayer or counseling on Sunday mornings. Please feel free to reach out by phone during the week.

Thank you for abiding by these rules in this difficult time. If your own doctor’s guidelines are more strenuous than these, please abide by those.

As we move into another year in the life of Plainfield Christ Fellowship, please consider how you can function in our body. There are two areas of need I will bring to your attention. First, we need one more couple or two more individuals to help in the Kids Ministry. As you know, those who serve in this role go out during the message one time every 6 or 7 weeks. The second area is janitorial/sanitation. There is another business that operates in the chapel during the week and they rarely leave the chapel clean at the end of the week. This requires us to clean and sanitize the bathrooms, take out the trash, and vacuum the common areas. This is in addition to the general work of resetting and tidying up the chapel as well as wiping down door knobs etc. These tasks are obviously vital for us to meet in the chapel and we need to fill these roles very soon. If neither of these areas are a good fit, just let me know that you’d like to plug in somehow and I’ll talk to you about other areas of the PCF ministry where we need help!

Finally, I’ll leave you with the information to join House Church tonight on Zoom from 8 - 9.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87437986110?pwd=c3pHVnRpUzBRemlXVnZaNkZpNE11QT09

Or Dial 312-626-6799

Meeting ID: 874 3798 6110

Passcode: 909217

Thank you for your time and I can’t wait to be with you on Sunday!

Taylor

Good Evening, Church,

Tomorrow, we will be taking a virtual trip to Florida to join with the church at the Barn in Sarasota. We will have no in-person meeting. (Side note: we are hoping to be back in person next Sunday, 1/3/21). The congregation in Sarasota, pastored by Steve Coder, is a like-minded body of believers who you will love getting to know. There are important connections to be made in the Kingdom. We know it can be challenging to connect over Zoom, so thank you for your flexibility. Here is the information you will need:

12/27/2020 10:10 a.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9413222027?pwd=SXFjbHA4dWsxWnc5NFNZSm82djhnUT09

Or Dial 929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 941 322 2027

Passcode: 887263

Thanks,

Taylor

Dear PCF Family,

There have been enough additional people who are experiencing sickness in our spiritual community that we believe it is best to gather online this Sunday instead of in person. Taylor will send out a link closer to the time.

I want to ask you to pray for my sister, Becki, who lives in Stuart, FL. She was taken to the hospital late last night. They are doing tests today to determine the cause of her severe symptoms. The COVID virus makes all medical issues more complicated. Thank you for praying.

Pastor Joe Nance made a statement recently that I believe is relevant. He said, “social distancing does not have to result in spiritual distancing”. May it be so.

See you online until we can meet in person.

Blessings.

Jerry

PCF Family,

We will resume gathering in person tomorrow at the Chapel. Thank you for coming with both faith and caution. Please join us online if you have been exposed to someone with COVID.

Pray for one another. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and for His anointing upon all that we do and for the preaching of His Word. He is able to do exceedingly more than we can think or imagine.

See you in the morning!

Pastor Jerry

Online Sunday!

Out of an abundance of caution, we believe it is best to gather online this Sunday, November 29. We do not know of anyone in the PCF family who has tested positive in recent weeks but we also know that many will be with loved ones this week who are beyond your typical contacts. Please be careful as you enjoy spending time with family and friends. The online gathering will begin at 10 a.m. Taylor will being sending out a link later in the week.

House Church

We will gather for House Church this Wednesday evening @ 8. Please reserve the time as we will be concluding our week of prayer and proclamation. I will be taking communion during House Church and invite each of you to be prepared to join me. 

Special Zoom Waiting

You are invited to join Pastors Thomas, Joe, and me this Saturday (November 28) at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom for a time of waiting. We will join with the congregation at Travelers Rest along with many others who were looking forward to the time in Newnan. You will be receiving a link for this as well.

Men's Ministry

The men of PCF are invited to a two/three hour work session on the property, Saturday, December 19 unless the weather prohibits. We will be attempting to burn the brush piles and do some other general clean up. Because of the fire and equipment that will be part of the project, we ask that no children be present. Work begins at 10 a.m. 

Special Challenge

Don’t let the fire go out! Fire is very much a Kingdom image and reality. Fire requires maintenance. Fire must be attended. It requires close contact with others who are burning. The fire will go out if the embers are scattered. 

We must have the momentum that comes with gathering our hearts together in faithfulness. Do not give into the trend that is occurring throughout the nation. Churches everywhere have seen a marked decrease since the COVID virus appeared. I have seen throughout my 40 years of ministry that the more people miss church the easier it becomes. Remain close. Help one another burn with the power of His Spirit.

We must care deeply about maintaining the fire among us. Your presence helps bring the fire. When you are not there . . .   

Even when we cannot meet in person we can remain connected through prayer and personal contact. Someone needs the warmth of your touch in the Spirit.

Thank you for being part of the prayer strategy that God is using to bring a miraculous victory with our property. Let’s finish strong.

Shalom!

Jerry