We’re kicking off our Summer of Fun this weekend with Connection Sunday.
You really don’t want to miss it as we’ll be talking about how to Connect to…Church, Groups & Serving!
Intro will happen from 11:15-11:45 (after service on Sunday) and we’re having our first every Serving Fair…you’ll be able to check out all the ways you can serve and the teams you can serve on! And we’ll have group sign-ups too!!!!!!!
WOW! What a great Sunday it’s going to be!
Our Summer semester of Metro Groups kicked off this week!
I am so fired up about all the groups we have this summer…Check out all the types of groups we have: Discussion, Runners, Gamers, Moms, Ultimate Frisbee, Prayer, and Taryn & I are leading one for parents called Growing Kids Gods Way.
For more information our our groups (including times and locations), check it out at www.dcmetrochurch.org/groups.
Firetrucks make for a Fun Birthday!
Today we had a great lil’ birthday for our son Isaac…
He turned two today and we celebrated with his favorite thing, Firetrucks!
We invited the Alexandria City Fire Department to make a stop by our home today and they graciously did (thanks again you guys!), and Isaac benefited greatly from the visit of one of their firetrucks as well as one of their ambulances…
PRESENTS?
With the help of some grandparents, Isaac also got a new swingset!
Needless to say, he was pretty pumped… Just look at that pre-slide diving jump (what form!)
Thanks to all who made Isaac’s b-day one to remember…
David & Taryn
You ever wonder when something is a good opportunity or a GOD opportuntiy?
These things can be puzzling in life unless God really puts His stamp on it…
I don’t know about you, but I would much rather Him make it easy on me by clearly identifying Himself in our decisions…
The Church had one of those just recently as we were trying to plan a good outreach opportunity in the community for the month of June when God really threw a curve ball into the mix to get us back on track…
Here is the short version: We were in the process of planning an outreach into the community that I could not get excited about at all… It seemed like we were trying to make something happen instead of just allowing God to guide our steps. It came time to make some committments and i just could not move forward - so I and the staff prayed - and God answered… (I don’t know why I get surprised when He does - b/c He always does…)
The ANSWER - We got a call from a woman who is organizing the (Already Successful) DelRay Music Festival… She asked if we were the church that did such a great job with the games for the kiddos at the Town of Potomac Centinial Parade Celebration (our last outreach - just three weeks ago!) We of course said that we were, and she proceeded to ask us to do the same thing on an even bigger level at the Music Festival… Go God, as it is estimated that there will be 1000s of families at this event on June 28th!!! (The same day that we were planning the outreach that I pulled the plug on…)
He always provides the right direction if we are open, check this out:
“If you want better insight and discernment… learn the importance of reverence for the Lord and of trusting Him. He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time.” Pr. 2:5,9 (LB)
Needless to say - Get Ready for a GREAT Outreach come June 28th (Summer of Fun - Outreach that is…)
Thank God for making a good opportunity a GOoD Opportunity!
Go God!
This past weekend we all took a step in the right direction as we purposed to once again position our hearts on God for Spiritual Growth for this Season of Growth…
After church on Sunday, I had some much needed & anticipated time with “my boys.” They are always such a great parallel for me as I navigate through life on this walk of faith with my heavenly father. Well no-one has to explain to you that a 4 month old and a 2 year old (24 months this weekend!) are both in a time growth… Their growth has some similarities of our spiritual growth in God that I started to pick up on this week…
1. First, their growth is agressive.
Yes, you guessed it, they grow fast - It seems like just the other day I was coming home with lil Isaac and to this this weekend he will be a whopping 730 days old! They don’t think about it, it just happens as they naturally focus on LIFE. We grow fast to - if we are focused on LIFE (like my boys are), it comes naturally as we focus on the source of LIFE that is, Jesus… LIFE naturally has a way of growing things…
2. Second, Their growth is improved by their diet.
These boys can eat, especially my youngest, Josiah (aka - Siah or JD). This boy is four months old, but BIG. He is in the 95 Percentile of babies and is currently moving into 9 month old clothing… (Pray for me) But there is a reason that he is so big… His appetite is HUGE! The boy eats and eats and eats some more… We are like that as well - when we consume more of God’s: Word, Prayer, Worship, Steps of Faith, Faithfulness, and all spiritual disciplines we GROW.
3. Third, Their growth is developing by faith
These little guys try something new everyday… Whether it is: Sitting-Up, Rolling Over, Crawling, Running, Jumping, etc. they are always trying something new and it always first merits much trial and error. Trial, because they are stepping out trying if for the first time without even knowing how to do it. Error, because it usually results in error at first, but always ends in success because they never let up… Always believing that the next step is going to be the right step… No analogy required for us…
These two little guys have shown me spiritual growth (or at least three aspects of my own).
I hope they are GOoD examples for you too…
Have a great Week,
GROW GOD!
David
We started a series last weekend that has really got me thinking about my own Spritual Growth in Christ. We have called it Essentials: Of Life and it is all about just that, getting back to the essentials of growing spiritually in Christ which leads to renewed passion in our daily walk with Jesus…
My Dilemma
On one hand I want to grow (I desperately do) in order to get closer to God, but on the other hand I don’t want to grow because of the comfort that, as a human, I so desire (Or at least the mirage of it...) When posed with this dilemma I am often reminded to think to the past in my relationship with Jesus. As I ponder to the most memorable, rewarding, and outright - exciting times that I have had as a Christ follower - I notice a common denominator - GROWTH.
In fact, those times are full of extreme Spiritual Growth - not comfort - but rather a time of: Challenge, Change, Conviction, Committment, and Community… These are the things that led to growth, or rather, led me to a newfound level of passion for the things of God and the priority of my relationship with Him…
We all have memories of our first experiences with a Supernatural - Living God. In those experiences we may find little comfort, but much GROWTH in HIM…
Old memories are great, but I think you can hear in my voice that growth lies ahead for me, and you too…
Looking forward to a season of growth at DC Metro
Lets Grow Together!
Pastor D.
This Sunday starts our next series…to kick off the summer…Essentials: Of Life!
I am believing God for some big growth in all of our lives this Summer as we get back to the basics (Essentials) of growing in Christ!
Also, looking forward to a wonderful time celebrating all of our DC Metro Mothers on Mothers Day (Don’t forget to call mom!)
See You Sunday,
Pastor D.
We just finished a great series called iWork! In this series, Pastor David shared a plethora of practical wisdom about “how we can win at work”. Throughout the series, we learned helpful principles for all different areas of our work life, such as how to deal with the cranky coworkers (do you have any of those?) and how to get renewed and inspired again when you are feeling burnout. Pastor David used the trials and triumphs of the Old Testament characters Elijah and Joshua to illustrate godly principles for success at work. DC Metro also had the treat of hearing Pastor Taryn preach about what it means to live and work with God-confidence.
During this series, Pastor David focused on the God-first principle found in Colossians 3:23, which reminds us that whatever work we are called to do, we can do it for the glory of God! In the Christian classic Practicing His Presence, Brother Lawrence, a monk who lived in the 1700s wrote about how he learned to wash dishes all day long for the glory of God. Even the most mundane and monotonous tasks can become a noble calling if they are done to honor God! Whether you are a high powered office executive, a loving stay-at-home mom, or a diligent student, your work is extremely significant and an act of worship to the Lord if you are working for His glory. Get pumped for our next series called “Essentials”, which begins May 11th. If you would like to know the three critical essentials that can take your life to the next level, this series is for you!
Did you know the Del Ray area was formerly called “the town of Potomac” before it was annexed to the city of Alexandria? This Saturday, May 3 is the Centennial Parade and celebration of the town of Potomac, and we have the great honor of organizing all the children’s events and games. A group of the servant-hearted DC Metro men got together last Saturday to build a number of fun games for the children. For those of you that have always dreamed of being on The Price is Right, we have the game Plinko! We were so excited when we were asked to be a part of this event because it is a great opportunity for DC Metro to love on the community of Del Ray. DC Metro feels called to be a church without walls that is actively involved in reaching out to the community. If you are interested in volunteering, we would love to have you join us. Please contact Julie Lee at julee@dcmetrochurch.org or call 703-888-1178.
Spring Metro Groups were a great success. Metro Groups have become the life blood of DC Metro because they provide a place where people can connect in meaningful relationships and grow deeper in their walk with God through having thought provoking discussion about the Sunday morning message. At DC Metro, we believe transformation happens best in the context of authentic relationships. It has been encouraging to hear the numerous testimonies about how God has used Metro Groups to bring transformation and renewal.
Susan Elliot shared about how Metro Groups have impacted her family’s life, “We have been blown away by how swiftly God brought a strong sense of community into our lives through our Metro Group. We walked into a group of amazing people who were authentically sharing themselves with each other. My sons Isaiah and Ian have already found a sense of community and belonging through the junior and senior high ministries run by David Goochee. Our whole family has been overwhelmed by how we have been embraced by Metro Groups and our new DC Metro family.” Don’t miss the opportunity for community, growth, and fun. Our new summer Metro Groups will be launching the last week in May. Signs up will begin in a couple of weeks.
We are pleased to announce that one of our very own, Bill McCulley (aka “Wild Bill”), is going to India for two and a half months as a missionary. He is going to train in the area of microfinancing, which is a way to help the poor manage their money and start their own businesses so that they will not get sold into slavery or prostitution. He feels this is a way that as a Christian he can meet their “felt need” of escaping poverty so that he can have the opportunity to meet their truest need, which is to know Jesus. After the church prayed for him in service last week, Bill asked for us to continue to for him and the adventure the Lord is calling them on. The preferred portal for all your Bill McCulley news is his blog, which will be launched next week at bmcculley.wordpress.com.
It is such a privilege to worship and serve our incredible God with you. Since Easter, we have been in an exciting time of growth in our ministry together. I have renewed excitement and vision about where the Lord is leading us as a church after attending the ARC conference recently in Birmingham, Alabama. ARC is a church planting organization that helped launch DC Metro and that has been a tremendous support and encouragement to our church.
We have partnered with ARC to launch many other life-giving churches all around the country this year. It is wonderful to be a part of such a well led organization that has the same vision for impacting culture and advancing God’s kingdom through the local church that is real, relevant, and enjoyable. God is moving in incredible ways all over our country, and we are blessed to be a part of His plan. I am so thankful to be called with you to influence our nation’s capital because I truly believe that the spiritual climate of DC impacts the rest of our nation. May our God continue to lead us in His vision of building a God-first culture all around the DC Metro area that will reach far beyond our capital.
We love you guys!
Pastors David & Taryn Stine
Lead Pastors of DC Metro Church
May 3rd - City of Potomac Parade Outreach
May 4th - INTRO directly following the 10 am service
May 11th - The Essentials: Of Life - An Exciting New Series, Coming Soon!
I just wanted to take a second and again talk about the huge success that The Town of Potomac Centinial Parade Kids Outreach was. I was so encouraged to see that our “Metro Groups” Mobilized over 45 DC Metroers to the outreach… Way to go Team!
The planners of the event estimated that over 500 kids attended the event. DC Metro was responsible for creating a fun environment for the kids so we played all of the “classic” games that many of us may recall from our childhood. Some of the games included: “Corn Hole Toss” (aka “bean bag toss”), “Duck Pond” (Bluuuurble bluuuuurble), “Balloon Darts” (Terrifying), and my personal favorite “PLINKO” (Bob Barker - We miss you!)
The kids and families seemed to an incredible time as the candy kept going, and the sun kept shining… Thank God!
Below are some select photos of the event: (You can click on the images to zoom in…)
Hope you are having a great week,
Get ready for a Great Service on Mothers Day!!! (Buy Her Something!!!)
Pastor D…
Special Weekend!
This weekend – I have a Special Message that I feel is directly for DC Metro… I am going to be talking about Possessing Our Future and how to deal with the problems / trials / difficulties / etc. in our lives…
God has a purpose in all of it and I can’t wait to get into it this weekend!
Also – We have a Special Musical Guest – my dear friend Derrik Scott is going to be performing a special song with us this weekend.
Also - We will have Intro This weekend After Service in Theater 1! If you are new to DC Metro this is a quick introduction to the Vision of DC Metro Church, and a quick introduction to some of the Key Leaders on The DC Metro Dream Team…
Get Ready For Something Special…
Go God!
Pastor D.
PS - The Outreach Went Great… Photos coming soon…
For Men Only (Jeff & Shanti Feldhahn)
For Women Only (Jeff & Shanti Feldhahn)
Now, Discover Your Strengths
This is the book we use for Premarital Counseling at DCMC
StrengthsFinder 2.0
