Building Blocks of Community

When you read through the scriptures, what does it say the church should be like? Funny thing is everybody knows what the church should look like, even if they wouldn’t say they were a christian.

There are two greek words- ekklesia & koinonia, that are very important to our understanding of “the church”. “Ekklesia” explains that the church is not so much the building as it is the people. It’s the group, the assembly of individuals that make a church a church. “Koinonia” is the common bond, or “fellowship” produced among the group. It is simply- “something shared.”

Koinonia is not the goal itself- It is the fruit, produced thru ekklesia as exemplified in Hebrews chapter 10. Ekklesia & Koinonia working together produce and are a product of each other- read this:

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Hebrews 10:23-25

Anchor Mission Celebrates 2 Years!

Anchor Mission began as a friendship ~ partnership between The Anchor Fellowship in Nashville and Sacred Heart in Chattanooga. We quickly realized, through a desire to help our friends launch churches and outreaches where they are-with what they have, that we were beginning a church planting organization. In Just 2 years we have friends in Chicago, Lansing, New Orleans, Fort Worth, Portland, Baltimore, Mt Airy, Harrisburg, Tampa, Joplin, Grand Rapids, as well as E. Nashville, Murfreesboro, Cleveland, & Chattanooga TN. We also have partners in missions & church planting outside the US in Poland, Haiti & Peru. More at www.anchormissionusa.com.

Celebrating 2 Years!

This Sunday we celebrate our second birthday as a faith community. Our first “prayer meeting” was held at Triple 7 tattoo studio on a cold January 3rd in 2010, since then we’ve met at the old St. Elmo firehouse and at Pasha Coffee, where we now meet.

We believe that God has a passion for each of us, and that He also has a purpose. As Ephesians says “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

We are a church that teaches, disciples & values each other. As Paul told Timothy “Fan into flames the gift God gave you… For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” -even so we encourage and lift each other up in the work we’re called to, and in the journey as well!

The Christ Mass- join us 12-24

Carols & Communion together

We’ll celebrate together Christmas Eve from 6:00-7:15pm  with a special service at the Chattanooga House of Prayer. This is open to the public and bringing friends and family is encouraged, friends from several churches will be there!

Basically, we’ll sing carols together, share the Christmas story, have communion together & keep our focus on the season. If you have little ones then you can get them to bed on time, also- you’ll have plenty of time afterwards to enjoy the evening however you chose. Christmas Eve will be our main service in Chattanooga this weekend, hope you can make it!

Take hwy 27 to the Main St. exit, the address to the Chattanooga House of Prayer is 1604 Reggie White BLVD. by Findley Stadium at the corner on main, on the 3rd floor.

A love offering will be taken for the Interfaith Homeless Program.

Sacred Heart- Meeting at Pasha Coffee

On December 4th, 2011 we’ll move to Pasha Coffee Shop for our 10am gatherings. There’s just something about the vibe, the business, the festiveness of coffee brewing, food and friendships surrounded by music, worship, the word & communion together. Church in a coffee shop is a unique experience- It warms the heart as well as the cup! See you there! 3914 Saint Elmo Ave. Next to The Incline Railway.

The Season to Help

As we near the holidays and the end of 2011 Sacred Heart is joining efforts with friends at The Salvation Army to assist Chattanoogans at the end of a very busy and challenging year. The tornadoes in April and the continued economic climate has placed a high demand on the food bank at the Salvation Army, so we’re helping out by hosting a food drive for the next few weeks. We’ll also help raise support by ringing the bell for the sally on December 10th. Join us!

Passion & Purpose

We believe that God has a purpose and passion for everyone. Because of this belief, Sacred Heart has a burning devotion to what God is doing in people’s lives. Our goal therefore is to be a people and a place where we can discover our purpose individually, and collectively as the church, through worship, scriptural teaching, creativity, art, community, discipleship, equipping, and serving. In this way we can all fulfill what God has made us to do, being the hands and feet of Jesus to our world.

In the words of St. Francis, “We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.