If you have graduated from any FPU in the past, you are entitled to take the course (entire or any part) as many times as you like.  Just a word here about older kits.  You can still use the same kit, but it may be a bit confusing because there are some things that are different.  If you would like to update the kit to the current version, the cost is $50; a full new kit is $90 (deeply discounted through the church) per family.

Robert and Judi George will facilitate the program, which is video driven with Dave Ramsey doing the actual teaching, and will lead the adult discussion group.  Ron and Kathi Hood will lead the teen discussion group which will focus on finances from college to career.  We’ve had rave reviews from teens who took the course the last time it was offered.  So, teens, talk to your parents and get them to sponsor you – this may be just the thing you need to get you started on the right foot when you enter college.  If you can begin your college/career with healthy financial habits, you’ll be light years ahead of your peers – AND you won’t have to break any bad habits!

But the good news is – it’s not too late for anyone to get started on the road to freedom from debt.  So let’s start the New Year with a resolution to get fiscally fit as well as physically fit!  For more information, please leave your comment or question below.

BUT this course is not only for people who feel hopeless and helpless because of debt; those who have their lives seemingly in financial order also can benefit from his sage advice and be an encouragement to others.  Dave offers a lot very practical knowledge – most of it learned from the “college of hard knocks” –  and delivers it with a sense of humor; his plan is the basically the same method my own parents used throughout their lives. This is not a get-rich-quick scheme; as Dave says:  It’s not easy, but it’s simple!

There are a few people in our church body who have graduated from FPU; remember – once you’ve graduated, you can return to take the entire class (or any part) again for free.  Some of the testimonies we’ve heard as a result of leading FPU include people having an emergency fund – and savings – for the first time in their lives, paying off mounds of debt and being able to plan for the future, and having the funds to pay for unexpected expenses without using a credit card.  One family at the last session was taking the course for the second time – including a first time for their teenage daughter – and shared that they had been able to pay off more than $100,000 in debt because of what they had learned in FPU – that’s pretty powerful.

And this brings up another point.  We urge teens (juniors in HS and older) to take this class.  Granted, there may be topics that won’t grab your interest just yet, but it will in the future.  You’ll be able to form good habits early without having the baggage of bad habits which need to be broken first.  Ron and Kathi Hood again have graciously agreed to lead the teens in a separate breakout session; here, you’ll learn how much it really takes to own and operate a car, how to set up a budget for college and beyond, and lots of practical applications of Dave’s principles.  Let your friends know about this class and invite them to join you.

You can find more information by visiting www.daveramsey.com; you can register to receive weekly e-letters from Dave.  You can do this even if you decide not to take the class, and there are a lot of budgeting tools available on the website.  I urge you to check it out.

Fellowship is one reason to enroll in this course; you’re going to be meeting with friends from church and meet new faces from the community who are all here for the same reason.  Another reason to meet weekly is to establish accountability.  And, of course, the main reason for joining in is to get your financial future moving in the right direction.

Come to a brief orientation session on Saturday, December 5, 2009, at 1:00 p.m.; we’ll meet in the adult Sunday school room.  There is no obligation – we’ll answer any questions you have at that time.  So feel free to invite your neighbors, friends and relatives.

Blessings,

Robert and Judi George

There will be no morning worship service.

If you are planning to join us, even if its your first visit, we will be having a potluck Thanksgiving Fiesta. Bring a Mexican/TexMex dish to pass. This is an annual tradition that is always a great way to end the Thanksgiving weekend festivities.

So take a break from the turkey leftovers and join us.

Just a reminder that daylight savings time ends this Sunday morning at 2 AM and you will need to set your clock back one hour.

Wouldn’t want anyone to be late on Sunday, wait no actually you’d be early, and early is just fine by us.

Including Jon-Mark McMullen, the team consisted of David DiDonato, Jason Everman, Tim Brown, Dan Jeffers and Cody Schmidt.

I want to take this opportunity to invite you to come and see all of the great things that God is doing at Church of the Springs. If you are looking for a place to enrich your walk with Christ and to build lasting relationships with some fantastic people, then we may be exactly what you are looking for. Each week, we have a great time worshiping the Lord together, in a relaxed, contemporary setting, as well as being challenged with a relevant, life-changing message from God’s word. Our youth and children’s ministries are awesome, and our kids love church! We really value church being family friendly. So come and check us out. I would love to meet you!

Blessings,
Brent Batson