Messages Current

Christmas Mistakes

Christmas is the season to be jolly.  But there are minefields all around and mistakes waiting to happen.  Financial freak-outs.  Community Kranks.  Spirituals slip and slides.  Baby blunders.  Grinch grinds.  Celebrate this Christmas with Sycamore Creek and Potterville and save yourself from making many of those mistakes.

Dec. 4/5 –
Dec. 11/12 –
Dec. 18/19 –

Christmas

Ruth: From Ordinary to Extraordinary

Ordinary kindness of imperfect people points us to the extraordinary kindness of God.  This is the story of Ruth, an ordinary “Moabite”, a people ancient Israel loved to hate.  But Ruth becomes the great-ancestor of Jesus, God’s most extraordinary act of kindness.  Join us for this four-week series reading through the ancient but profound book of Ruth.  Along the way we’ll explore ordinary and extraordinary redemption, welcome, reconciliation, and identity.

Nov 6 – Extraordinary Redemption
Nov 13 – Extraordinary Welcome (Speaker: Erin Wasinger)
Nov 20 – Extraordinary Reconciliation
Nov 27 – Extraordinary Identity (Speaker: Erin Wasinger)

Simplify

Exhausted. Overwhelmed. Overscheduled. Sound familiar? Today’s velocity of life can consume and control us, until our breakneck pace begins to feel normal and expected. When we spend our lives doing things that keep us busy but don’t really matter, we sacrifice the things that do. What if your life could be different? Simplified living requires more than just cleaning out your closets or reorganizing your desk drawer. By eradicating the stuff that leaves your spirit drained, you can stop doing what doesn’t matter and start doing what does.

Oct 2 – From Exhausted to Energized (Energy)
Oct 9 – From Overscheduled to Organized
Oct 16 – From Drifting to Focused (Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)
Oct 23 – From Overwhelmed to in Control
Oct 30 – From Isolation to Connected (Speaker: Gretchen Williams)

Stuff My Church Does

Why do we do…?

Committing to faith was never meant to be reduced mindlessly following another set of duties and responsibilities. The last thing any of us need is to add meaningless stuff into our already-full lives. So why DO the stuff we do? you ask.  Join Sycamore Creek and Potterville United Methodist Church as we spend four weeks with Stuff My Church Does.

Sep 4 – Disciple (Speakers: Mark Aupperlee and Gretchen Williams)
Sep 11 –  Music
Sep 18 – Prayer
Sep 25 – Bring

The Essentials

What’s essential to faith and what’s not?

You can’t play baseball without a field.  You can’t travel without a solid suitcase.   You can’t cook without a good pan.  Some things are just essential.  Other things, not so much.  You can play ball without uniforms.  You can travel without four pairs of shoes.  You can cook without ten knives.  When it comes to Christian beliefs, some are just essential.  Others, not so much.  Join Sycamore Creek as we spend five weeks on The Essentials: Christ, Grace, Faith, Scripture, and God’s Glory.

July 31 – Christ
Aug 7 – Grace (Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)
Aug 14 – Faith (Speaker: Erin Wasinger)
Aug 21 – Scripture
Aug 28 – Glory (Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)

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Church In a Pub PREVIEW
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Just what it sounds like.  Church. In. A. Pub.

Join us this summer as we preview Sycamore Creek Church’s latest venue, Church in a Pub at Buddies in Holt. We’ll launch this weekly church service in October. To get ready for our weekly launch we’re holding three preview services.  It’s everything it sounds like. Church. In A Pub!

FREE BURGER & FRIES for first and second time guests!

July 18
Aug 22
Sep 19

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Half Truths

They are simple phrases. They sound Christian – like something you might even find in the Bible: Everything happens for a reason, God helps those who help themselves, God won’t give you more than you can handle, God said it, I believe it, that settles it, and love the sinner, hate the sin. We’ve all heard these words. Maybe we’ve said them. They capture some element of truth–yet they also miss the point in very important ways. Join us as we search for the whole truth.

July 3/5 – Everything Happens For A Reason (Speaker: Bill Chu)
July 10/12 – God Helps Those Who Help Themselves (Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)
July 17/19 – God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle
July 24/26 – Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin (Speaker: Erin Wasinger)
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The Art of Neighboring
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What if we loved our ACTUAL neighbors…

When Jesus was asked to sum up all his teaching into one command, he said to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbors as ourselves. What if Jesus meant that we should love our actual neighbors? Who are our neighbors — literally: the people who live next door or across the street? How can we love them or get to know them when we’re not even sure we’d have much in common? What could we gain if we tried? What if we could build stronger neighborhoods by simply getting to know the people who live closest to us? We’ll explore these questions during the series that kicks off May 29 and ends at Valhalla Park June 26 with a joint baptism service with SC’s neighbor, Mt. Hope UMC.

May 29/30 – Prequel (Speaker: Gretchen Williams)
June 5/6 – Commandment to Love Your Neighbor (Speaker: Rob Cook, Mt. Hope UMC)
June 12/13 – Challenge of Fear (Speaker: Eric Mulanda, Mt. Hope UMC)
June 19/20 – The Barrier of Time
June 26/27 – From Neighbor to Family (Speakers: Tom Arthur, Rob Cook)
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W*RK: It’s Not Just a Four-Letter Word

In the beginning was work…

God worked.  Adam and Eve worked.  Everybody worked.  But something went wrong.  And it keeps going wrong today.  For five weeks beginning April 24^th, we’ll deepen our understand of the work we do as something God created us to do.  We’ll explore God’s plan for work and rest and all the problems that pop up along the way.

Apr 24/25 – God’s Plan for Work
May 1/2 – Good News for You (Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)
May 8/9 – Our Problems with Work
May 15/16 – God’s Plan for Rest (Speaker: Matt Kreh)
May 22/23 – God’s Plan for the Church (Speakers: Tom Arthur, Justin Kring)

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Christian Atheist

Christian. Why does that word put a bad taste in some people’s mouths? Maybe it’s because too many Christians don’t know how to follow Christ. Religion is one thing—but a relationship is something else entirely. This Easter, discover the difference in Christian Atheist.

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Mar 27/28 – I Believe In God but I Don’t Know God
Apr 3/4 – I Believe In God but I don’t Fear Him (Pastor Tom Arthur and Speaker: Justin Kring)
Apr 10/11 – I Believe in God but Don’t Want To Go Overboard (Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)
Apr 17/18 – I Believe in God but Don’t Trust Him Fully

Gospel of the Nobodies

Most of us have at some point felt like a nobody – insignificant, invisible, worthless. The Gospel of Luke is a first century portrait of Jesus with a particular focus on his compassion for those who were considered nobodies. This Lent, join us as we read through the Gospel of Luke together. Each week, we’ll turn our attention to specific stories that illustrate Jesus’ concern for those on the margins of society, and as we do, we’ll hear his word for our lives today.

Feb 14/15 – The Night Shift Workers (Speaker: Erin Wasinger)
Feb 21/22 – The Disabled and Sick (Speaker: Gretchen Williams)
Feb 28/29 – The Demon Possessed
Mar 6/7 – The Prostitutes and Prodigals (Speaker: Matt Kreh)
Mar 13/14 – The Homeless Beggars (Speaker: Erin Wasinger)
Mar 20/21 – The Discouraged and Disbelieving

I Want to Believe

Ghosts.  Paranormal.  Mysteries.  It’s all out there.  Or is it?  I want to believe.  Join us for a fun X-Files style exploration of the most mysterious paranormal story in the Bible.  Jesus’ friends think they see a ghost.  Or did they?  The truth is still out there.  In the waves and on the water.  This series will explore the story of Jesus walking on water fro three perspectives.  Matthew, Mark and John all recount the same story, but the details have a differences.  A conspiracy?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Jan 24/25 – Storms
Jan 31/Feb 1 – Skeptics (Speaker: Bill Chu)
Feb 7/8 – Spooks (Speaker: Sarah Arthur)

The Christian Wallet

“Life is not found in the abundance of possessions.”  Jesus said it, we claim to believer it – but do we truly trust it?  How much time, energy and resources do we expend attempting to buy, earn or find something that ultimately can’t be bought, earned, or found?  Join us in January as we kick off a message series sure to challenge AND set us free as we discover how to spend, live and give like Jesus.

Jan 3/4 – The Christian Wallet (Speaker: Erin Wasinger)
Jan 10/11 – Rightsizing our Lifestyle (Speaker: Bill Chu)
Jan 17/18 – Why Give?

Incarnation

What are your titles?  Mom.  Dad.  Boss.  Student.  Each title represents some role you incarnate (“in the flesh”).  This Christmas Sycamore Creek will spend five weeks exploring the titles of Jesus.  King.  Lord.  Messiah.  Savior.  Emmanuel.  Light of the World.  God Incarnate.  These titles “incarnate” who Jesus is in our lives.  Each week we’ll ask, who is Jesus and who is he for me?

Dec 6/7 – The Royal Titles: Messiah and Lord
Dec 13/13 – The Incarnate Title: Emmanuel
Dec 20 – The Deliverers Title: Savior
Dec 21 (Church in a Diner) – The Light of the World
Dec 22 (Church in a Cafe) – The Light of the World
Dec 23 (Church in a Pub) – The Light of the World
Dec 24 (Church in a Church) – The Light of the World
Dec 27/28 – The Word Became Flesh

The Line Between Good & Evil

“If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”

Nov 29/30 – Evil’s Ultimate Defeat (Guest Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)
Nov 22/23 – Making Sense of the Devil
Nov 15/16 – Struggle Between Good & Evil

What On Earth Am I Here For?

The most basic question everyone faces in life is Why am I here? What is my purpose? Self-help books suggest that people should look within, at their own desires and dreams, but Rick Warren says the starting place must be with God and his eternal purposes for each life. Real meaning and significance comes from understanding and fulfilling God’s purposes for putting us on earth. This book helps readers understand God’s incredible plan for their lives. Warren enables them to see the big picture of what life is all about and begin to live the life God created them to live.  Throughout the fall our church will focus on this basic question through worship services, through small groups, and through a church-wide mission. Join a small group for 8 sessions this fall as we explore this book and this basic question together.

Sep 27/28 – The Wise Way to Live
Oct 4/5 – The Call is For You
Oct 11/12 – Called to Be Loved
Oct 18/19 – Called to Belong
Oct 25/26 – Called to Become
Nov 1/2 – Called to Bless
Nov 8/9 – Called to Be Sent (Guest Speaker: Erin Wasinger)

Esther – Let’s Party

If you think following Jesus has nothing to do with partying, you’d be wrong. Come join us for three weeks in September as we explore the book of Esther, a book that ends with a party…a party that continues today.

Sep 6/7 – Let’s Party (Guest Speaker: Erin Wasinger)
Sep 13/14 – Invite Your Friends
Sep 20/21 – Risk It All on Social Justice (Guest Speaker: Bill Chu)

God on Film

Summer movies cover the landscape of our lives.  Love.  Heartache.  Courage.  Adventure.  Conflict.  Dreams.  Relationships.  Family.  Friends.  This summer we’ll look at the stories told on film and seek practical wisdom from God on these topics.

Sycamore Creek Church meets on Sundays at our NEW S Penn Venue (1919 S Penn Ave; Penn & Mt. Hope) @ 9:30 & 11:00AM or Mondays at Jackie’s Diner (3812 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd) @ 7:00PM.  A professionally staffed nursery (ages 0-3) is available at both services on Sunday and Play Camp for Kids (pre-K to 5th grade) is offered during the 11:00AM service.  The Connection Café on Sundays provides free drinks and munchies (excuse our dust while we remodel the café).  Monday night all kids are welcome in our Kids Corner, and first and second time guests get a FREE burger and fries!

At Sycamore Creek Church you’ll hear great music and practical, understandable teaching all in an informal setting where you can come dressed in whatever makes you comfortable.

Every week a different movie.  Every week a different topic.  This summer get your God on film at Sycamore Creek Church.

July 5/6 – Inside Out (What Controls You) (Guest Speaker – Gretchen Williams)
July 12/13 – Terminator: Genisys – Endings & Beginnings (Baptism Sunday)
July 19/20 – Ant Man
July 26/27 – Pixels
Aug 2/3 – Masterminds
Aug 9/10 – Fantastic Four – Find Your Forte
Aug 16/17 – Ricki and the Flash (Guest Speaker – Gretchen Williams)
Aug 23/24 –  Southpaw (Guest Speaker – Mark Aupperlee)
Aug 30 – MAXimum Loyalty – Live on Location at City Limits!

From This Day Forward

Tired of watching marriages crumble? Fed up with couples giving up? Would you like to guarantee that your marriage will last? Join the fight against destruction and make five commitments to fail proof your marriage, From This Day Forward.

May 31/Jun 1 – Seek God
Jun 7/8 – Stay Pure (Guest Speaker – Mark Aupperlee)
June 14/15 – Have Fun
June 21/22 – Fight Fair (Guest Speaker – Jackie Himelright)
June 28/29 – Never Give Up

Raising Home Run Kids

All parents want the best for their kids.  No one wants their kid to be a foul ball.

Even if you’re not a parent, you want the kids around you to be home runs. But what’s a home run kid?

In this four-week series you’ll learn how to coach your kids or the kids in our community (because kids need more coaches than just their parents!). We’ll run the bases together learning God’s wisdom for how to raise our kids to become all that God wants them to become.

May 3/4 – Step Up to Home Plate
May 10/11 – (Guest Speaker:  Erin Wasinger)
May 17/18 – Second Base: Think Season, Not Game
May 24/25 – We’re All Amateurs Here (Guest Speaker:  Mark Aupperlee)

The Counselor

What questions does Jesus ask?

If you could ask God one thing, what would it be? Our questions reveal more about our faith than most things we say we believe. When Jesus asks the questions, He sheds light on who we really are and what we truly believe. Find out how His questions reveal our hearts in The Counselor.

Join us for this four-week series that begins on Easter (For more info about our five Easter services click here).  We meet on Sundays at our NEW S Penn Venue (1919 S Penn Ave; Penn & Mt. Hope) @ 9:30 & 11:00AM or Mondays at Jackie’s Diner (3812 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd) @ 7:00PM.  Kids Creek (pre-K to 5th grade) and nursery (ages 0-3) are both available at both services on Sunday.  StuREV (6^th to 12^th grade) meets during the second service.  The Connection Café on Sundays provides free drinks and munchies.  Monday night all kids are welcome in our Kids Corner, and first and second time guests get a FREE burger and fries!

At SycamoreCreekChurch you’ll hear great music and practical, understandable teaching all in an informal setting where you can come dressed in whatever makes you comfortable.  Come and meet The Counselor!

Apr 3/5/6, 2015 – Why Do You Doubt?*
Apr 12/13, 2015 – Why Are You So Afraid? (Guest Speaker:  Gretchen Williams)
Apr 19/20, 2015 – Do You Believe I Can Do this?
Apr 26/27, 2015 – Do You Want To Get Well? (Guest Speaker:  Bill Chu)

*This sermon is based on a sermon first preached by Craig Groeschel

Come & See

Do you know the feeling?

The feeling when you attempt to convince people they have to try something you’ve experienced?  An experience like you’ve never had before?  And the more you try to explain, the more you realize some things are simply beyond explanation.

What are we talking about?

Well, you’ll just have to …come and see.

Mar 1/2, 2015 – Experience Required*
Mar 8/9, 2015 – Show & Tell (Guest Speaker:  Mark Aupperlee)
Mar 15/16, 2015 – Capital Campaign Vision Day
Mar 22/23, 2015 – The Cue to Who
Mar 29/30, 2015 – A Part, not Apart

#struggles

As you scroll through your day, does it feel like everyone else has it all together?

Someone always has the best job, cutest kid, or happiest relationship. We’re pressured to

measure up to other people’s status updates and left with more #struggles.

Hello, My Name is Sycamore Creek Church

SCC may have a new building, but we’re still the same SCC.  Stained glass on the outside and party on the inside!  So who is SCC?  Beginning in 2015 we’ll start introducing ourselves to a new community.  Hello: Sycamore Creek Church is Curious, Creative and Compassionate.  What exactly does that mean?  Come find out.

Jan 4/5, 2015 – Curious
Jan 11/12, 2015 – Creative
Jan 18/19, 2015 – Compassionate   |  MP3

The First Carols of Christmas

We love the carols of Christmas.  There’s something about singing the story of the birth of the Savior that speaks to our heats and souls.  The scriptures tell us that from the beginning Christmas was filled with music.  From Mary’s first hymn of praise, “My soul glorifies the Lord,” to the chorus of Angels that sang, “Glory to God in the highest,” Christmas carols have celebrated the birth of Christ.  During the holiday season, we invite you to sing the familiar words and experience the message of Christmas through the carols.

Dec 7/8 – Ave Maria
Dec 14/15 – Magnificat   
Dec 21 – Benedictus
Dec 22/23/24 – The Angels’ Song

Christmas Eve When It Works for You!
December 22, 23 & 24 

Put Me In Coach

Nobody wants to be a bench-warmer.

We all want to get in the game.  This November spend four weeks training about the game, learning who your team is, finding your position, and discovering your coach.

At Sycamore Creek Church we’re Curious (bring all your questions with you), Creative (we imagine, experiment, and get things done), and Compassionate (no matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done we’ll welcome you with God’s compassion). You’ll hear great music and practical and understandable teaching all in an informal setting where you can come dressed in whatever makes you comfortable.

Nov 2/3 – What’s the Game?
Nov 9/10 – What’s A Team?
Nov 16/17 – What’s My Position?
Nov 23/24 – Who’s the Coach?

Nov 30/Dec 1 – (Guest Speaker:  Mark Aupperlee)

Audio Downloads

I Am Jesus

To the lost, Jesus is the good shepherd.  To the dead man, Jesus was life.  To the prostitute, He was a second chance.  To the searching, He was the long-waited answer.  Who is Jesus to you?  Discover what it means when He says, “I Am Jesus.”   Build friendships this fall at Sycamore Creek Church.

Friending – The Foundation of Friendship

Friends love you at your worst and can help you be your best, but many of us don’t realize the importance of whom we choose to surround ourselves with.  The friends you have help determine the quality and direction of your life.  Where are your friendships leading you?  Come learn what the Bible says about Friending.

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Sept 7/8 – Foundation of Friendship

Sept 14/15 – One Friend Away

Sept 21/22 – One Community Away

Sept 28/29 – Unfriending (Guest Speaker:  Mark Aupperlee)

Audio Downloads.

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Why Did Jesus Die?

You know it’s a really important belief. You know it’s part of the Bible. But do you really know the answer? Maybe you think you know, but the answer may be deeper than you believe. In this four week series beginning August 10th we’re going to explore many different ways to answer the question: Why did Jesus die? Some of your deepest doubts, uncertainties, and reservations about Christianity will be answered.

August 10/11 – Why Did Jesus Die: The Rescue
August 17/18 – Substitutionary Atonement (Guest Speaker:  Mark Aupperlee)
August 24/25 – Healing/Theosis (Guest Speaker:   Sarah Arthur)
Aug 31/Sep 1 – Atonement Theory “Cage Match” Q&A – Tom Arthur, Mark Aupperlee, Sarah Arthur

Audio Downloads

God on Film

You love the summer blockbusters! What’s better than a good movie and lots of popcorn? What about exploring the deeper meanings stirred up by this summer’s biggest movies? That’s exactly what Sycamore Creek Church is doing in our summer series, God on Film. Beginning June 1 we’ll journey for eight weeks through this summers biggest hits from Maleficient to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, from Million Dollar Arm to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. We’ll investigate issues from evil to evolution and from true wealth to surviving adolescence. We’ll even take a field trip one week (Sunday and Monday!) to worship live on location at Celebration Cinema. Bring a friend any week of this series and they’ll get a free movie pass to Celebration Cinema!

June 1/2 – Evil
June 8/9 – Edge of Tomorrow:  Learning From Past Mistakes
June 15/16 – How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Guest Speaker:  Mark Aupperlee)
June 22/23 –
June 29 – Transformers – True Transformation   –  Baptism @ the Beach: One service at 10:30 with outdoor worship at Valhalla Park followed by baptisms and BBQ (bring a dish to pass). Rain location: Lansing Christian School.
June 30 – Transformers – True Transformation  –  Monday night meets at 7PM as usual
July 6/7 – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Science & Faith (Guest Speakers:  Mark Aupperlee and Deb Haarsma)
July 13/14 – Earth to Echo – Aliens Away From Home
July 20 (Sunday) – Planes: Fire and Rescue – Resisting the Fires of Temptation
Worship @ Celebration Cinema: One service at 10:30 followed by the movie How to Train Your Dragon 2. Cost TBA (First and second-time guests are free!)
July 21 (Monday) – Gathering @ Celebration Cinema at 7PM to watch Echo. Cost TBA (First and second-time guests are free!)
July 27/28, 2014 – Hercules: How To Be Strong
August 3/4, 2014 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – What Masks Do You Wear?  (Guest Speaker:  Bill Chu)

Audio Downloads

Getting Past Your Past

Your future is caged up in your past. What are you running from? Instead of being dragged down and immobilized by the weight of guilt, pain, or a lingering sense of failure, what freedom could you find in laying those burdens down?

April 20 & 21 (Easter) – Breaking the Labels the Bind *
Easter in a School (Lansing Christian School) Sunday  –  9:30 and 11:15 a.m.
Easter in an Alley (Spare Time Entertainment Center) Sunday  –  6:00 p.m.
Easter in a Diner (Jackie’s Diner on MLK) Monday  – 7:00 pm.
April 27 & 28 – Forgiving Those Who Hurt You *
May 4 & 5
May 11 & 12 – Apologizing to Those You’ve Hurt
May 18 & 19 – Money Mistakes
May 25 & 26

*  This series and sermon are based on a sermon series first preached by Craig Groeschel.

Committed to Christ

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?  What does the Lord expect of me? What “holy habits” should I cultivate in my life?  For seven weeks beginning in March and preparing us for Easter we will be entering a season of decision and commitment toward the goal of becoming fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ.   How ready are you to commit to Christ?  .                                                          .                                                                                               .                                                .                                                                                                                        .
March 2 & 3 – Intro
March 9 & 10 – Prayer (Guest Speaker:  Bill Chu)
March 16 & 17 – Bible
March 23 & 24 – Worship
March 30 & 31 – Financial
April 6 & 7 – Witness  (Guest Speaker:  Mark Aupperlee)
April 13 & 14 (Palm Sunday) – Serve ONE Sunday service at 10:30 AM; Monday at 7PM as usual

Audio Downloads

Bod4God

Join a bunch of losers at Sycamore Creek Church!

Bod4God is a multifaceted opportunity at Sycamore Creek Church to help our community lose weight and get healthy.

Beginning on Super Bowl Sunday, February 2, Travis Jackson, #63 offensive center of the Rose Bowl Champions MSU football team will help us “kick off” our four-week teaching series. Travis is known for his “Yes! Yes! Yes!” touch-down dance. Travis will be sharing his story about coming to follow Jesus and some thoughts on what it means for his body to be a temple of God (a bigger temple than most!). Invite your MSU sports fan friends.

February 2nd will also kick-off a twelve week Biggest-Loser-like weight loss competition and health campaign run by Dr. Amanda Shoemaker. Come to the 9:30 service at Lansing Christian School, drop your kids off at Bod4God4Kids, and then stay for the Bod4God event at 11AM (your kids can join Kids Creek). This twelve-week campaign will include weigh-ins, video inspiration from health experts, and small group support. Those who participate will receive a special discount rate at the YMCA and at the Original Okinawan Karate in Holt.

From February to April all our small groups will be reading and discussing Bod4God. You can find mid-week support at one of a dozen or so small groups. You’ll find small groups meeting for men, women, couples, and young adults on most days and at many different times (before work, lunch time, and evenings). Check out the list.

February 2/3, 2014 – Dedication
February 9/10, 2014 – Inspiration
February 16/17, 2014 – Eat & Exercise (Guest Speaker: )
February 23/24, 2014 – Team

Audio Downloads

Samson 

Think you’re strong? Even our best intentions can falter when we face temptation and distraction. During January, join us for Samson, a four-week series on one of the strongest men ever to live, as we learn how to stand strong against forces of darkness that want to take us out.

January 5/6, 2014 – When Strong Men are Weak (Guest Speaker: Craig Groeschel)
January 12/13, 2014 – Emotional Strength
January 19/20, 2014 – Small Steps Toward Big Destruction
January 26/27, 2014 – Failing Forward

Audio Downloads

Christmas is NOT Your Birthday

Every year, we say we’re going to cut back, simplify, and have a family Christmas that focuses on the real reason for the season – Jesus. But every year, advertisements beckon, the children plead, and it seems easier just to indulge our wants and whims. Overspending, overeating, materialism, and busyness rob us of our peace and joy and rob Jesus of his rightful role as the center of our celebration. It’s not your birthday. It’s Jesus’ birthday!

December 8/9, 2013 – Expect a Miracle
December 15/16, 2013 – Giving Up On Perfect
December 22/23, 2013 – Scandalous Love*
December 24, 2013 – Christmas Eve † Jesus’ Wish List
December 29/30, 2013 – (Guest Speaker: Gretchen Williams)

† We’ll celebrate Christmas Eve at Lansing Christian School at 5PM and at Jackie’s Diner at 7PM with a $10 Christmas Eve dinner. Bring your whole family!

Make a BIG difference this Christmas by giving generously to the Christmas Eve offering. Take the challenge to give away as much as you spend celebrating Christmas or spend half as much and give half away. Get your entire family in on the challenge! 100% of this offering will be used to support our medical missions in Nicaragua, one of the poorest nations in the Americas.

Strapped

Too many of us are living in a prison of financial debt and stress.  The good news is we can learn how to get out of financial bondage.  Let’s get smart with our money and learn practical and biblical principles to free ourselves from being Strapped.

November 10/11 – The Buck Starts Here
November 17/18 – Act Your Wage
November 24/25 –  Put God First (Guest Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)
December 1/2 – Financial Q&A (Guest Speaker: Craig Groeschel)

Audio Downloads

Dancing with God 

When it comes to God, do you feel like you’ve got two left feet?  Always stumbling and never quite looking like a spiritual Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers?  That’s all about to change.  Get your groove on with Sycamore Creek Church and explore the parallels between dancing and following Jesus.  Each Sunday you’ll enjoy awesome demonstration dancers from the community, and you’ll learn a new step for how to grow in your spiritual dance life.  On Sunday, October 13 we’ll host a free community swing dance with a live band.  The Hot Club of Lansing, and the MSU Swing Club will be here to help you learn some new swing dance moves.  Dance with God this October!

October 6/7 – Only One Lead
October 13/14 – Come to the Dance *
October 20/21 – Dance with Abandon
October 27/28 – Daily Practice  (Guest Speaker:  Dotty Wilinski)

*Followed by a FREE community swing dance featuring the gypsy jazz band The Hot Club of Lansing.  Lessons 12:15 – 1:00.  Dance 1-3 pm.

Timothy – Letters to a Young Man

Weird

These days, it’s normal to deal with financial debt, high divorce rates, and bad relationships. Maybe it’s time to shake things up. Join us as we explore life beyond normal in our next series, WEiRD. Because normal isn’t working.  This series is inspired by the book Weird by Craig Groeschel. Pick up a copy and go deeper into being weird!

August 11/12 – Weird in a God Way
August 18/19 – Weird Sex  (Guest Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)
August 25 (Sunday) – SCC Goes Bowling at City Limits in Mason – Weird Time
August 26 (Monday – Church in a Diner as usual) – Weird Time
September 1/2 – Weird Desires

Audio Downloads

Search

What is a Christian? Ask ten Christians and you’ll get eleven answers.  Join us as we search for the answer to this question.

June 30 (Sunday) – Baptism Sunday (One Service @ 10:30AM at Valhalla Park)
July 1 (Monday) – What is a Christian?
July 7/8 – How Does a Christian Pray? (Guest Speaker:  Dotty Wilinski)
July 14/15 – Why be a Christian?
July 21/22 – Gracie Met Truthy? (Video podcast:  Andy Stanley)
July 28/29 – Insiders vs. Outsiders? (Guest Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)
August 4/5 – Loopholes  (Video podcast:  Andy Stanley)

Audio Downloads

The Next Christians

Ever feel embarrassed to call yourself a Christian?  The culture has changed.  The church has changed.  The next Christian has changed.  The next Christians “see themselves on a mission, partnering with God to breathe justice and mercy and peace and compassion and generosity into the world.”  Is that you?  Explore with us how God is doing a new work of beauty, grace, justice, and love in the world through the next generation of Christians and find out what that means for you.

June 2/3 – The Next Generation (Graduation Sunday – Guest speakers:  Kiel Oates and Reanna Cantrall)
June 9/10 – The Next Christians
June 16/17 – The Next Church
June 23/24 – The Next Lansing (Conversation with an atheist)

This series is influenced by Gabe Lyons’ book, The Next Christians: Seven Ways You Can Live the Gospel and Restore the World.  Pick up a copy and read along with us throughout this series.

One Fish, Two Fish, How Do I Do This?

Jesus told his followers that he would make them fish for people. But how do we fish for people? Sometimes that seems scary, even overwhelming. Learn the why, how, who, what, and when of sharing your faith with those around you.  Come learn how to fish!

April 28/29 – Why share the faith?
May 5/6 – How to share the faith?  (Guest Speaker:  Michael Sawicki)
May 12/13 – Who to share the faith with? (Guest Speaker: Gary Step)
May 19/20 – What to do with objections?
May 26/27 – When do you share the faith? (Guest Speaker: Mark Aupperlee)

Audio Downloads

Why?

The call we never expect…the diagnosis that knocks us off our feet…the regrets that keep us up at night. How could God let it happen? Why didn’t God answer that prayer? What does it mean when God feels distant? God welcomes our questions. Join us as we explore the questions about God and life that keep us up at night.

March 31/April 1 (Easter/Easter Monday) – Why do bad things happen to good people?
April 7/8 – Why would God use me? (Guest Speaker:  Mark Aupperlee)
April 14/15 – Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?
April 21/22 – Why don’t I always feel God?

Audio Downloads

In the Wilderness

wil·der·ness – noun \?wil-d?r-n?s\

1 : wild or uncultivated state
2 : a bewildering situation
3 : the Hebrew name for the book of Numbers

Ever find yourself in the wilderness?  We all do.  Join us as we explore how a wild and bewildering situation brought a rag tag group of people together to become God’s people.  We meet on Sundays at Lansing Christian School (3405 Belle Chase Way) @ 9:30 & 11:15AM and Mondays at Grumpy’s Diner (5600 S Pennsylvania) @ 7:00PM.  It all happens in the wilderness.

March 10/11 – Birth in the Wilderness
March 17/18 – Testing in the Wilderness
March 24/25 – End of Wilderness

Audio Downloads

Baggage Claim

Got any baggage weighing you down?  Guilt?  Loneliness?  Feeling worthless? Painful memories?  You can’t change your past, but Christ can change your future.  Every saint has a past.  Every sinner has a future.  In the family of God, there are no carry-ons.   Join us as we claim the baggage then give it to God.

February 10/11 – Family Baggage (And “Drive-in” Movie)
February 17/18 – Divorce Baggage Part I
February 24/25 – Divorce Baggage Part II (Guest Speaker:  Beth Byerley)
March 3/4 – Sexual Baggage

Audio Downloads

Walking with Bilbo

Has life become dull? Need an adventure? Join us in January with best-selling author, Sarah Arthur and her husband, pastor Tom, as we explore spiritual themes in The Hobbit, the classic tale by J.R.R. Tolkien. We’ll walk with Bilbo, the unassuming hobbit who becomes an unexpected hero.

We meet on Sundays at Lansing Christian School (3405 Belle Chase Way) @ 9:30 & 11:15 AM and Mondays at Grumpy’s Diner (5600 S Pennsylvania) @ 7:00 PM. All who attend will receive a free copy of the award-winning Walking with Bilbo (while supplies last).

January 6/7 – An Invitation to Adventure
January 13/14 – The Purpose of Adventure
January 20/21 – The Cost of Adventure
January 27/28 –  Hope Un-looked For (Guest Preacher:  Sarah Arthur)
February 3/4 – Serve Sunday 2013 (Guest Speaker: Chris Norman, MSU Linebacker)

Audio Downloads

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