GOOD THINGS HAPPENING! New blog author!

Well... this past week was Easter. What a whirlwind! Things went great and people's lives were changed forever. Here's what I'm talking about:

-We had 201 people on the Toccoa Campus of Foothills Community Church!
-3 people crossed over the line of faith and accepted Jesus for the FIRST TIME!
-7 people said that they have known God, but needed to recommit their lives!
-6 people want to get baptized!
-There were 3,177 people on both campuses of FCC!
-1 out of every 23 people in Oconee County, SC was at FCC for Easter!!!
-46 salvations in all!
-136 recommitments in all!
-AND THAT'S JUST PEOPLE WHO TURNED IN INFORMATION CARDS AFTER THEIR DECISIONS!!!! WHAT???

So now that Easter is done, what's next?

April 26th
6p
Seneca Campus
BOTH CAMPUSES JOINED TOGETHER
People from all three worship teams
All 3 Worship Leaders
Baptisms
Communion
Worship
DO - NOT - MISS - THIS - NIGHT!!


Also, remember to visit the new Foothills.cc website. It's packed full of information, and has a dedicated Toccoa section. Go look and let us know what you think! Also, remember to visit jonathanbryant.info for my personal blog. And stay tuned to this blog for multiple updates a week!

I hope you're having a great week and want you to know that Shannon and I pray for you all like CRAZY! We love ya and we're glad you're a part of the team!

-JB

Christmas Decorating

We are going to be decorating the Toccoa Campus for Christmas this Saturday morning and we need YOUR HELP!  If you have extra Christmas decorations and/or a flair for Christmas decorating please come help.  We want the lobby and auditorium to be as festive as possible.  I have 2 green Christmas trees and 2 white Christmas trees, lots of lights and 2 wreaths.  If you can come help......it would be very helpful.  Plan on being at the gym at 10:00am.  By then, the setup crew should be pretty much done with setting things up and we can proceed with decorating!

Because People Matter Conference - BPM08

If you haven't signed up to go to BPM08 on Saturday, Nov 8 at the Seneca Campus......you need to do it!!! This is going to be an awesome day that you do not want to miss! If you are a volunteer or thinking of becoming a volunteer at Foothills....this conference is just for you. The will be food, fun, giveaways, and an incredible speaker Mark Waltz, from Granger Community Church.
I would love to have a whole crowd of hootin and hollerin, Jesus lovin, Toccoa volunteers show up that Saturday! It is going to be an amazing day........don't miss it! You can sign up this Sunday at the Welcome Desk or you can RSVP with the church office at 864-888-8008 or 706-886-0996.

For more info visit www.FCCconference.blogspot.com

Going to one service

Hey everyone!  I wanted to remind you that starting November 9, we will be going to one service.  The service time will be 11:00am.  A lot of people have asked me if I am okay with this or am I disappointed or whatever.  My answer is "Of course I am okay with it...and no I am not disappointed!"  Two services was the right thing to do for the launch and going to one service is the right thing to do for now.  Before we launched the Toccoa Campus, I had a few opportunities to really lay out the vision for what we are doing in Toccoa and that vision is alive and well.  That vision is to provide an excellent Sunday morning experience where people who are far from God can come, feel welcomed, cared about, and comfortable so they can hear the truth and become fully devoted followers of Christ.  Going to one service is totally in line with that vision.  I think that one "big" service is more inviting to a first time guest than one of two smaller services....they don't feel like they stick out as much.  I also think that the "critical mass" that will be brought to the one service will allow us to build momentum faster......it is really going to be exciting to have everyone in one service....we are going to blow the lid off that gym!

So......I'm not disappointed.  I am excited!  As Pastor of the Toccoa Campus, I am going to do whatever needs to be done to reach that person that doesn't go to church......and so should you.  Reach out.  Invite your friends, family, and workmate who don't have a church home.  You have a divine appointment with someone this week who is searching......invite them, offer to pick them up, get them here....God will take care of the rest.

Cardboard Testimonies

Last Sunday we watched cardboard testimonies from the Seneca Campus during our Sunday morning services. It was incredible seeing the "before and after" testimonies of so many people...it was incredibly moving.

Here in Toccoa we have many many before and after testimonies as well! I would love to hear yours. I think it would be very cool for people to post their "cardboard testimony" as a comment to this blog.....just hit the "comments" link below and leave yours in this format....I'll start


Before - Divorced, unable to love

After - Married to incredible Christian woman who teaches me what love is everyday.

Last Week of Intervention

The "Intervention" series has been awesome so far! But this Sunday is going to be the best of all four weeks...guaranteed. We need to seriously get the word out this week and invite everyone we possibly can! This Sunday has the potential of absolutely changing peoples lives and we don't want to miss this opportunity.

Please think of people that you can invite that need an intervention in their life...that need to know Jesus! Everyone needs to bring at least one person with them this week. Lets pack the place out and see what God does! There are people all over Toccoa and Westminster that need a safe place like Foothills Toccoa to hear about a God who loves them no matter where they are...

Our vision is to reach those who are far from God.....but we can't wait for them just to show up. We have got to INVITE them. 95% of people who are not attending church will come if someone personally invites them.

September 28 - Toccoa Campus Launches!!!!!

Foothills Toccoa has it's first services this Sunday!  Service times are 9:30 and 11:00.  I am convinced that God is going to do incredible things at this campus and I can't wait to have a front row seat to see God's redeeming, healing power become real in this community.

For the core team - You guys are awesome!  I love everyone of you.  I love your dedication to this campus and most of all your dedication to God and his movement in your lives.  Let's all bring our "A" game this week!  Everyone is a greeter!  Everyone is looking to make this Sunday morning experience that our guests have ever experienced!

Saturday we are setting up the auditorium starting at 8:00am....if you can help please be there.

Sunday we will begin about 7:30.  At the very latest, volunteers need to be in place by 9:00....but lets get there as early as we can......if you are like me you probably won't sleep Saturday night anyway!!!!

Play Hard

Stay Focused

Honor God

Dedication Recap

Last Saturday we had an incredible time at the Osborne Gym.  We were led in worship by David Odom and Dan Westmoreland.  It was great...worshiping together as a group for the first time was something I will remember for a very long time.  It was very special.  Then I shared some about what we have been called to do in Toccoa and how we have an incredible opportunity to reach the people of Stephens County.  Then we wrote names of people that we hope to come to the Gym and begin a relationship with Jesus.  It was so cool.....a great night.  

What is going to happen on Sunday 14th?

Sunday the 14th has been scheduled to be our first preview...but what is that going to look like?  It turns out that it is going to be more of logistical practice than anything.  We are going to start setting up at 8:00am.  We need EVERYONE to be there for this....whether you are part of the setup/breakdown crews or not.  I think it is important for everyone to understand what goes into setting up the different areas....whether it is the auditorium or the kidz areas or the lobby.  Once we are setup, about 11:00, the teams will breakup into their areas and work through a typical Sunday, noting things that may have been missed, brainstorming on how best to solve unseen problems, and verify that their areas are technically functional.

We won't have a band this week and we probably won't have an actual message video....but we will verify that equipment is functioning correctly.  Children's areas will go through their lesson for the week to figure out if there is anything they need to do differently, etc.

There are going to be lots of questions, it may feel chaotic at times, but we have to go through this process to flush out the details.  Direct your questions to your team leaders....team leaders can address questions to me that they don't know the answers to.

Hang tough this week....the work will be worth it, trust me!

Workday this Saturday!

Hey everyone!  We are having a workday at the Gym at Osbornes this coming Saturday.  We will be getting started about 8:00am.  What will we be doing?  We will be building platforms for the tech booths, projector pedestals, hanging projector and screens for planet kidz, working on soundproofing for discovery kidz, assembling projection equipment, etc.  There is ALOT  to be done!  If you can make it....please come.  It is going to be a great time of fun, fellowship, and good old fashion sweat!