As some of you may have heard, the Katy Independent School District has closed all of its facilities through the weekend.  That means that just like last weekend we are unable to worship at Taylor high school this coming Sunday.  The good news, however, is that because the Katy area is on its way to recovering from Hurricane Ike, we were able to make other arrangements for worship.  Cornerstone EPC has graciously offered to allow us to use their gym building for worship Sunday morning.  While this is not our usual setup for worship, it does place us in a better position than the other Katy churches that use KISD facilities on a regular basis.

We will have to make several changes to our ordinary Sunday morning program as a result.  The most significant and immediate change is that our morning worship service will begin at 10 AM on Sunday.  This will allow us to be prepared for worship, and allow us to station some people at Taylor in case visitors show up.  There are a few other changes that you should be aware of:

• There will be no Sunday school. Teachers should not bring their materials, and everyone should be aware that there will only be a worship service.

• We will be permitted to stay and have some fellowship, but because Global Mission Church has an early afternoon service and in order to reduce the logistics around setup, there will be no “snack time.” The service will end before 11:30 AM, so families can plan accordingly.

• Parking at Cornerstone is limited. Because our service and Cornerstone’s service will be at roughly the same time, we need to make sure that we leave sufficient parking for Cornerstone. I would ask that if possible: (1) families drive over in one car, and (2) families park either on the street (Park York) or over by the gym. Please do not park close to our office or the front building.

• We will not be using hymnals, nor will the ensemble be playing. Copies of the hymns have been included in the bulletin. As always, you can get a copy of the bulletin from our website.

• There will be a Sunday evening service. It will be at 6 PM as usual. We are canceling, however, the supper that was planned. Because we were not able to have worship last Sunday, I will be continuing my series on “Sins That Entangle” with a sermon on “Misplaced Love - Worldliness.”

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the office and speak to either John or myself.

Dear members and friends of Christ Church,

The session has decided to cancel all activities of the church during this coming weekend with the approaching of Hurricane Ike.  This includes:

1.       The Men’s Breakfast scheduled for Saturday morning at the Davisons’  is cancelled and will not be rescheduled.  The men’s breakfast will meet again on October 11 at the home of the Dodds.

2.       Sunday morning worship and Christian Education classes at Taylor High School will not meet.

3.       Sunday evening worship at Cornerstone Church will not meet.

There are a number of factors which the session took into consideration.  Katy ISD will close all facilities beginning Friday and continuing through the weekend, thus, we could not meet at Taylor on Sunday.  We do not want to risk endangering any of our congregation as they try to make it to the previously scheduled activities.  There was a need to make a decision well in advance of the storm as it may be difficult or impossible to communicate if we lose power as a result of the hurricane.  Gas will be at a premium if power is lost.  For all these reasons we have cancelled these events on our calendar.  Any additional information we have will be posted on the website.  There will also be information on the office phone this weekend.

Depending on the weather you may want to worship with another nearby congregation this Sunday.  For example, Cornerstone Evangelical Presbyterian Church (1351 S. Mason Rd. Katy 77450) plans to have services on Sunday morning at 10:30 AM.  If Sunday school teachers wish to get information to their students (such as memory verses, etc.) you can email Fred or me and we will distribute it.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Fred or me or one of the elders.  May the Lord graciously watch over us all through the weekend ahead.

With this storm headed our way, I trust everyone has or will be making preparations to sustain your families for at least 5 days. Things you should think about:

• We will likely loose electrical power for several days - for those who have generators - READ your safety section of the manual - know what you can and cannot plug into that generator based on it KV size. For the rest of us, batteries for flashlight, radio’s, etc…
• For those living around overhead electric lines - falling trees will likely knock these lines down. Please do not go out riding or walking to see damage, as you could put yourself in danger from fallen trees and power lines - A wooden limb can conduct electricity, so in no way use a stick broom handle, etc.. to try and move a downed power line. Leave it to the professionals!
• Use your ice chest or any big containers (bathtubs) to store water. Used to flush toilets, if you have camping stoves, used for cooking if needed.
• Charcoal & lighter fluid for BBQ grills if you should need to cook meats that maybe in your freezers. (NOTE: if you limit opening freezers doors, they will maintain coolness for several days)
• Those who have homes should store large tarps, 1×4 boards and nails to patch any holes in roofs that could be damaged. (Please do not climb on your roof while it is still storming - wait till it passes and do this only if you have experience and are able)
• If you were able to purchase plywood for doors and windows, know how your home is oriented (North, S, E, W) to put protected where needed the most. EX: My front door faces East. At the current path of Ike, the east and north sides will likely be the hardest hit, so cover those areas where you could see the potential for most damage.
• Likely most will struggle to get a cell phone call through. What most people don’t realize is that a cell text message will sit in cue and whenever a signal opens it will drop the text to your cell phone designation. During Katrina, I worked on the BP Emergency Team and this is how I communicated and found all BP employees who had not checked in before the storm hit. So if you need to reach someone and can’t get a call thru, text them over your cell phone.

NOW - Once this storm passes, I will be available to help anyone in need. I have tools and some supplies if you need a roof patched, window covered, etc… You can call me on my cell or text me and I’ll get back to you. If there are those who make it through the storm OK and are able to assist me, then please let me know.

Daryl Brister

As Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas Gulf Coast,  we have a golden opportunity to apply Pastor Greco’s sermon from last Sunday: “Can God Take Care of Me? Anxiety” based on Matthew 6.25-34.  Our prayer is that you will be kept safe in His providential care and grow strong in faith as you trust Him.  There is an appropriate level of concern and we should prepare wisely for what appears to be a severe storm but may that concern not turn into sinful, debilitating worry that fails to remain peaceful in the midst of trials.

The session of Christ Church is seeking to make contact with our member families.  Ruling elder Daryl Brister has offered to spearhead efforts to assist those who may need help making immediate repairs, clearing debris, etc.  Please call the church office and we will seek to see that you get help (281-392-0002).

Further information may also be found by logging onto the Harris County Office of Emergency Management site by going to

http://www.hcoem.org/

Katy ISD has suspended all activities in their facilities for the entire weekend, so we will not have worship services on Sunday or any other activities through the weekend. Please also note that the church office will be closed Friday and the Men’s Breakfast scheduled for Saturday morning has been cancelled.

An excellent site to track the hurricane on is Stormpulse, and you can see the projected winds on this website.

Mission to North America (an agency of the Presbyterian Church in America) has resources available for those affected by hurricanes and other storms. If you would like to know more about how their work, please go to:

http://www.pca-mna.org/

Please be praying for God’s protection.

Have you heard of Financial Peace University? Maybe you have questions about it.   Here is my handy-dandy guide to some of the frequently asked questions about Financial Peace University (FPU):

Q: What is Financial Peace University? It sounds like a contradiction of terms.

A:   FPU is a  humorous but motivational and informative 13 week video course taught by Dave Ramsey, bestselling author of The Total Money Makeover and syndicated national radio talk show host. After becoming a millionaire in his mid-twenties, Dave and his wife, Sharon,  lost everything almost overnight. This course is built around the lessons he learned as a young Christian rebuilding his financial life on biblical principles.

Q: How old do you have to be to attend?

A:  The course is aimed at adults but mature teens can profit from it as well.  Several Jr. Highers in Christ Church went through the course last Spring and enjoyed it.

Q:  When and where does it meet?

A:  Classes meet in the fellowship hall of Cornerstone Church in Katy and will begin on Tuesday, September 9 at 7:00 PM and continue weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM ending about mid December.

Q: How much does the course cost?

A: The cost is $100 per couple/family  or single which includes all materials, CD’s, etc.

Q: Why is the course so expensive?

A: You pay only for materials you actually receive.  The FPU member kit includes at least $100 in merchandise (books, CD’s etc). Your $100 investment will be amply rewarded.  The average person/couple attending FPU pays off $5300 in debt and saves $2700 during the 91 days of the class. Besides that, once you join Financial Peace University you are a member for life and can re-take classes whenever you wish.

Q: I’m still not sure.  Can I attend a session without paying before committing to it?

A: Yes, you may attend one session free and then decide if this is for you.

Q: I’ve heard there are small groups.  Is there pressure to reveal personal financial information?

A: There are small group discussions each week which help students digest and apply the information presented but, no,  you will never be pressured to reveal personal information.  For me, one of the best features of FPU is the small group which gives opportunity to ask questions, relate personal experiences and gain support and encouragement.

I hope you will join us for this great course.  You will not be disappointed.

To learn more go to http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/ or reply to this blog.