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First Christian Church
of Valdosta
Valdosta, GA
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WELCOME
We would like to invite you to join us and experience the fellowship of praise and worship for our Lord and Savior. Our worship services are bible based lessons meant to encourage and help you form a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God. At First Christian Church of Valdosta we strive to create an uplifting and meaningful service that is centered around communion and the bible. We invite everyone to participate in our communion service, for it is not our table, it is the Lord's. We hope you will join us and see for yourself the love and joy the people of this church have for the Lord and each other.
Special Services
Sunday Worship
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE
John G. Chick, Senior Minister
11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
in the Church Sanctuary
We also have seating available in the Fellowship Hall where the service is broadcast to a large screen. All elements of the church service are available in the Fellowship Hall including Communion.
Click below for more information.
Wednesday Evening
Season of Lent
Lent is marked by the forty weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Lent is meant to be a time of repentance and reflection. The forty day period represents Christ's time of temptation in the wilderness. Lent is a time marking an intentional season of focus on Christ's life, ministry, sacrifice and resurrection.
At FCCV we mark the Lent Season in a number of special ways. We begin Lent with an Ash Wednesday service. We offer breakfast and a Lent Bible study for the six Sundays of Lent. We celebrate Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Then we enter into the Holy Week. During Holy Week, we recognize Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. Details for each event are listed below.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent in the Christian Church. At FCC, we celebrate Ash Wednesday with a special Wednesday night service. We ask you to write down the thing that holds you back from sharing a deeper relationship with God. Don't worry this is for your eyes only! Next, these papers are placed in an urn and are burned. It is a power reminder that when you turn something over to the Lord, it is his, you no longer need to carry it with you. The Lord will handle that obstacle.
We have communion at the service and then the cross of ashes is applied to the forehead. We welcome everyone to participate in our service. You do not need to be a member of our church to receive ashes or communion.
February 14th, 2024
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During the season of Lent, FCC offers a special breakfast and a special Lent study. Most of our Adult Sunday School classes take a short break from their regular lessons to join the Lent Bible study held in our Fellowship Hall. We begin the morning with a wonderful breakfast prepared by Cody's Catering. We always have plenty!!! The coffee is flowing and the conversation during this time is wonderful. At our normal Sunday School time, our Senior Minister, John Chick begins our lesson. You are able to continue to enjoy your breakfast and coffee while growing in your relationship with Christ through study. Details for our study and breakfast are listed below.
February 14th-March 28th, 2024
Lent breakfast is each Sunday beginning February 18th, 2024 at 9:00 am in the Fellowship Hall. The last Lent breakfast will be served on Palm Sunday, March 24th, 2024
Holy Week/Easter
Holy Week is the most important week for all Christians for it is the week of events over 2000 years ago that provide our salvation and hope. We believe in Christ's arrest, crucifixion, burial and his resurrection. It is through his death and resurrection that our sins are forgiven and we are able to look forward to an abundant and everlasting life with our Lord. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, and includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and then concludes with Easter Sunday. For descriptions and service times, please see detail below.
Palm Sunday is the sixth Sunday in Lent. This day observes the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilling prophecy with characteristic humility. As he entered the city for Passover, crowds waved palm branches, calling out "Hosanna in the highest heaven!" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
At FCC, we celebrate Palm Sunday by waving Palms. The waving of the Palms reminds us of our own welcoming of Jesus into our hearts and of our willingness to follow him.
March 24th, 2024
Palms will be available at the entrances to the sanctuary. After the Sunday service the palms can be placed back in the buckets and will be burned to provide ashes for next years Ash Wednesday.
Maundy Thursday is the day we commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus. This day is a very solemn day for Christians as it was on this day that Jesus had his last supper with his disciples, instructed us to have communion in remembrance of him, prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, and was betrayed by Judas. This was also the night that Jesus gave us a new commandment: John 13:34-35.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, you also ought to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
Our normal Wednesday night meal, activities and service are moved to Thursday night to remember this special day.
March 28th, 2024
Maundy Thursday Services
Meal 5:30 pm-6:30 pm
Classes & Activities 6:15 pm
Service 7:00 pm
No Wednesday Services on the 27th.
Good Friday commemorates Jesus' arrest, his trial, crucifixion and suffering, death and burial. While this is a day of mourning for the suffering and death of Jesus, it is also a day of joy for without his death, our debt would not be paid and the resurrection could not happen.
In celebration of Easter, members and guests of FCCV are invited to place Easter Lilies in the sanctuary in memory or honor of loved ones. We print your dedications in the Sunday bulletin on Easter Sunday. After Easter Sunday Services you can collect your lily and take it home with you. Please see below for drop off dates for the lilies and the deadline for submitting dedications for publication in the bulletin.
Lilies can be dropped off at the church office beginning Sunday, March 27th, 2024 and ending at noon on Thursday, March 29th, 2024.
Dedications for the bulleting must be submitted by noon, on Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
Today we celebrate! For the tomb is empty.
Our Lord and Savior is Risen.
Easter Sunrise Service
7:00 am
Memorial Garden in front of the church
Easter Sunrise Pancake Breakfast
7:45 am
Fellowship Hall
Easter Sunday Services
March 31st, 2024
11:00 am Sunday Services
World Communion
World Communion Sunday commemorates the one act that all Christians share-Communion. Every church and denomination handles communion differently. One this day, we celebrate the fact that no matter how we practice taking communion, we are all Christians sharing in the remembrance of our Christ who died for us on the cross. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ.
At FCCV, we celebrate this day with a special communion service. Our worship committee prepares a number of loaves that Christians in other countries may be having that day for communion. The significance of the varied loaves is to once again remind us that we are all Christians, no matter our country, no matter our circumstance. It also reminds us to be thankful for the gift of communion and what it represents. While we are able to take communion without persecution, there are those that if caught participating in communion could be imprisoned or even put to death.
World Communion Sunday
October 2024
During Sunday Service
All Saints Sunday
All Saints Sunday
On All Saints Sunday we take time to remember those individuals who have left our midst and reside with our Lord in Heaven. We take time to remember their love and faith and the way it shaped our lives. They are gone, but they are not forgotten. At FCCV, we read aloud the names of those individuals who have been submitted. After the names are read, we welcome individuals to stand and call out a name that you would like to be remembered.
" He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelations 21:4
All Saints Sunday
November 2024
Season of Advent
Advent is a season of expectation, anticipation, preparation and celebration for the coming Christ's birth. But Advent also celebrates the new life when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior. For some, Advent is a time of preparation for the return or coming of Jesus.
Advent is marked by the four Sundays before Christmas. Each Sunday has a specific theme that is meant to be reflected upon to realize the true meaning of Christmas. Many homes and churches prepare the heart and mind for Advent by lighting the candles of the Advent wreath. At FCC our worship service on Sunday is guided by the themes of Advent: Hope, Love, Joy, Peace and Christ. We are blessed by members of our congregation who are willing to come forward and light the candle and speak on the focus of the week. We celebrate the birth of our Lord during a candle light service on Christmas Eve.
An Advent wreath is usually made of various evergreens, signifying continuous life. The circle shape of the wreath represents no beginning and no end, symbolizing the eternity of God and the everlasting life we find in Christ.
Week 1 is Hope. A purple candle represents Hope. This weeks focus is on the hope and expectation of the coming of Christ. This candle is sometimes called the "prophecy candle" because it assures us we can have hope that God will fulfill the prophecies declared in the Old Testament about Jesus.
Week 2 is Love. A purple candle represents Love. This weeks focus is on Love. This candle is also known as the "angel candle". Jesus focused on preaching love throughout his ministry. Two of his greatest commands involved love: Love God, love your neighbor.
Week 3 is Joy. A pink or rose colored candle represents Joy. This candle is also known as the "shepherd candle". This candle reflects the joy that comes through Jesus' arrival and the salvation he has gifted us.
Week 4 is Peace. A purple candle represents Peace. When the angels appear to the shepherds they proclaim "Peace on earth" in Luke 2:14. Jesus brought peace in a number of ways. He gives us inner peace because we have a chance to receive salvation. We have peace knowing God will heal this broken world and will come again. We have peace with others because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. The peace of God allows us to guide the world to see God is here. Peace allows us to trust God's promises.
The white candle in the center of the wreath is the "Christ Candle" and represents the life of Christ. This candle is typically lit on Christmas Eve.
Advent Wreath Description
We begin the season of Advent by decorating our church for Advent. Volunteers are needed for this important event. If you are able to help, your help is appreciated. Pizza is provided for lunch for those who remain after Sunday service and help decorate.
DECORATING DAY
November 24th, 2024
Immediately following Sunday services
At FCC, we invite our congregation and visitors to decorate the sanctuary with poinsettias. It is beautiful seeing the Poinsettias surrounding the Christmas trees. Any individual can purchase a Poinsettia and place it in the sanctuary in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one. There is no limit to the number of Poinsettias or dedications you can submit. Dedications are printed in the bulletin for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Sunday service. On the Sunday that we take down the decorations, individuals that purchased a Poinsettia are able to take their Poinsettia home and enjoy it for the rest of the season.
Poinsettias can be dropped off at the church office beginning
Sunday, December 22nd, 2024.
Dedications must be submitted to the church office no later than
noon on December 19th, 2024 for publication in the bulletin.
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Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
December 24th, 2024
Time 6:30 pm
Volunteers are needed to take down the Christmas decorations and store them in the Tillman Center. Pizza will be provided for lunch for those who stay to help. Your help is greatly appreciated.
TAKE DOWN DAY
Sunday, January 5th, 2025
immediately following Sunday services
The Church Office will be closed December 23rd-December 27th.
The Church will be closed for the following Holidays.
Dates and times are subject to change.
Memorial Day
4th of July
Labor Day
Thanksgiving
Christmas
New Year's Day
Monday, May 27th, 2024
Thursday, July 4th -Friday, July 5th, 2024
Monday, September 2nd, 2024
Wednesday, November 27th-Friday, November 29th, 2024
Monday, December 23rd - Friday, December 27th, 2024
Monday, January 1st, 2025
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