The monthly news and happenings at Everett Family Church.

1. !
E F C F O C U S O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4
This Old Watering Can
by Pastor Mike
I have a gray watering can that I used to water the
plants. It sits next to the faucet ready to be filled and
poured out on the dirt mounds promising to produce
seedlings and mature veggie-bearing produce. This
year I hand-watered every plant each day. Does that
sound like too much work? Well last year I set up a
sprinkler on a timer so I could easily water the entire
garden. The problem with the method was two-fold:
The water bill was big and the weeds took over. By
mid-July last summer I was in a losing battle with
weeds. I learned that the soil that produces
cucumbers and tomatoes produces obnoxious weeds.
At the start of planting season I found an old
watering can that I filled at the spigot so I could
carefully pour the needed water at the base of each
plant. It would require multiple trips back to the
faucet to re-fill, six to seven times during the hot
season. My son, John would help and the two of us
witnessed the growth and development of the plants.
It was satisfying for
us both even as the
trips to the faucet
were tiresome. Our
water bill dropped
and the weeds were
a mild nuisance this
year. We had a
b ump e r c r o p o f
veggies.
The watering can is a picture of my life in the hands
of the Master gardener, Jesus Christ. He fills me with
His Holy Spirit and I am the conduit by which His
refreshing love touches the lives of my children, wife,
friends, and people I meet. But I am a watering can -
I’m not a hose. Jesus’ love and hope and peace are
limitless. I’m just a plastic jug, a leaky can. I have to
be refilled - often multiple times in the hot seasons.
The spiritual and relational health of my family is
determined by what I fill myself. Empty watering cans
are useless. We gotta fill ourselves up.
Hey, are we looking with envy on one other’s
gardens? Are our relationships and family wilted and
desperate for Jesus’ refreshing love? That is where us
dads (and moms) have to start watering our gardens.
Let’s take the empty, leaky jug that God has given us,
fill up on Jesus and begin to pour it out on our
spouse, children and those in our life.
FAMILY FALL FESTIVAL
F r i d a y , O c t o b e r 2 4 , 6 - 8 p m
Join us in being Jesus with skin with the precious children
and families who live at the Family Tree Apartments! We
are looking for individuals and families to sponsor an
activity booth and join us in serving the children and
families at the Family Tree Apartments. Run the booth
and/or donate prizes if you can!
Wear a costume and join in creating a
free fun, safe event for the children
in our community. Contact Pastor
Mike to serve. Prize (candy, toy)
donations are needed.
EFC FAMILY GATHERING
S A T U R D A Y S @ 5 P M
Our Family Gathering is a
worship concert built upon the
truth of God’s Word empowered
by the Holy Spir it. Music
typically opens our time with an
interactive time of worship and a
creative presentation of God’s
Word. There is an age-graded
breakout for elementary and youth while adults are
challenged in a sermon based on the day’s Biblical
text. The evening concludes with a simple dinner.
We have begun a study of the Bible book of Exodus
and the life of Moses and Israel as they Egypt for
the Promised Land. We are discover why God has
saved us and for what purpose we were rescued in
this engaging study!
s a v e t h e d a t e
online - everettfamilychurch.org | mail - 15317 73rd AVE SE #2, Snohomish, WA, 98296 | phone - 425 387-1975

2. s
SEPTEMBER REWIND
Men’s Retreat at Lake Retreat: Nine men took the first
weekend of the month to step away from home
and work responsibilities to prepare ourselves to
our tasks in this year ahead. We pressed into a
study of God’s Crazy Love for us and were
c hal lenged to
consider if our
own response to
G o d w a s
l u kewarm. The
men who attended
are passionate
about being men
of God filled with
the Holy Spirit and
living a life of
p a s s i o n a n d
power! Thank you
to the wives and
f ami l i e s w h o
p r o v i d e d t h e
space for their
husbands to go!
We r e t u r n e d
challenged and
changed for God’s
glory.
Bunco Night: What to do when most of the men of
EFC are away? Invite your friends and gather the
church family for a night of relationship building.
Rather than the regular church service the woman
organized a bunco game night and dinner.
New EFC Community Groups: The new EFC Community
Groups launched this month. Paul and Amanda,
Steve and Janine, Dan and Jenn, and Mike and
Pascale serve as the Community Pastors with the
responsibility of creating an environment where
we will discover Jesus’ place in our lives. The
groups met the final weekend of the month.
T a c o T u e s d a y : A
wonderful evening of
dinner and fellowship
with the special folks
at the Family Tree
Apar tments. Thank
you to the many who
contributed to the
meal and participated.
Visit EFC online (everettfamilychurch.org) for a
current calendar of all events, times, and locations.
BLIZZARD STAFF NEEDED:
We are looking for youth and adults who are willing to
serve at Blizzard Camp in January. The youth training is
Friday, December 19 and the staff meetings are Saturday,
January 3 and 17th. Talk to Jenn Bell to join the team.
COMMUNIT Y GROUPS
On the fourth weekend of the month we will not meet at
the Hope Church building but in homes.
What are Community Groups? This a
monthly time for families to connect in
homes and share their growth in their
relationship with Jesus Christ. Every week
the Community Pastors pray and care for
those in their group. The Community Pastors meet together
throughout the month so that the community of EFC might
be built up and look more and more like Jesus Christ. We
walk alongside the precious people, support them through
the hardships and encourage them to seek God’s best in all
circumstances.
Family Dinner @ Family Tree
Tu e s d a y, Oc t o b e r 14t h
All are invited to help us prep and serve a meal to
the folks who live at the Family Tree Apartments. We
will meet at Hope Church at 5pm to prepare the meal
and serve the meal at the Family Tree Apartments at
6pm. We will clean-up and
head home around 7pm.
MENU:
Taco bar
(sign-up online to bring food or help)
!E F C B I R T H D A Y S October 13 .....................Isaac
E F C Man a geme n t Te am
Dan Bell, Janine Ripley, & Mike Wright
We believe that God provides the resources we need to do
the ministry He has directed us to do. Therefore, we do not
worry or press folks to donate. Rather, we invite you to
continue to honor God in proportion to His provision. He
doesn’t need us but boy it is a joy to partake in His work!
Total Joy Box gifts in September ...............$7,180
Total EFC spending in September .............$3,198
! Community Ministry & M!issions Abroad ...$407 Everett Family Church is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization.
Tax Identification # 71-1025722
online - everettfamilychurch.org | mail - 15317 73rd AVE SE #2, Snohomish, WA, 98296 | phone - 425 387-1975