Most of us want to spend time with our spouse, but when we do get time together, a lot of us experience the classic, “What do you want to do? I don’t know. What do you want to do?”

For this reason, we are offering guided date opportunities on the 2nd Friday of each month, starting…well, right now. Couples can download their “date guide” by clicking on the link below or can pick a guide up when dropping their kids off at the church for FREE CHILDCARE tonight, Feb. 10 from 6:30-9pm. And be sure to check the “date guide” for info on how to win a FREE DATE next month.

Great Date Handout

Cypress Meadows will hold only one service during the New Year’s weekend. That will take place on Sunday Jan. 1st at 11am. The Saturday and early Sunday service will not take place for this weekend only.

The weekend of Jan. 7/8, Cypress will return to our normal service schedule.

Happy New Year

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” – Seth Godin

Join us starting January 7th or 8th as we Kickstart 2012 with a series that explores the five words that can improve our current relationships and help restore a damaged or broken one.

To all of you who booked tickets and attended Christmas at Cypress this past weekend, Thank You. It was truly a wonderful time and it was great seeing everyone. There were some pretty funny moments and pretty hard and reflective moments during the program, but above all else, God’s grace was evident.

Please join us again on Christmas Eve at 5pm and 6:30pm for a traditional reflective candle-light service. The services do tend to fill up quickly, so please try to arrive a little early.

See you then.
Tim

Dear Cypress Family and Friends,

So did you hear the news…our neighbors directly to the south in St. Pete have been given the dubious title as being the saddest city in America. St. Pete…really? Sadder than Detroit? Bluer than Cleveland? More long-faced than Fargo? Sulkier than Seattle? Wow, who would have guessed that sipping margaritas on the beach in the sunshine could make one so downcast? Nevertheless according to the recent edition of Men’s Health magazine after reviewing suicide rates, jobless indexes, anti-depressant prescriptions and people just generally feeling the blues…don’t relocate to St. Pete if you need some cheering up.

Well, not to make light of it all…really…but it sounds like people in our county could use a little Christmas joy. So why don’t you do what I’m doing and invite everyone you know to join you at the Cypress Christmas production this year. After reviewing the elements of this variety-type production I feel really certain that a couple of things will happen. First, people will certainly enjoy an entertaining laugh or two. Second they will find themselves ambushed by the grace that once proclaimed “joy to the world the Lord has come” at the birth of Jesus. So invite. Invite with the boldest love you have in your bones. You can send an e-invite complete with video teaser at www.cypressmeadows.org/christmas and don’t forget to reserve your own tickets there as well. (December 16-18)

One more thing, this weekend our own Molly Bail will join me in all the services for an update on Springs of Hope Kenya. And cheer up you could be living in…you know where.

Blessings,
Douglas

Somehow, looking back, it seems so simple.  Just some buckets and filters.. and viola – clean water.

Marq sent some photos to me last night of our students (the very same students many of you sponsor for education) drinking clean water.  What a great site – what a great feeling.  Just a couple months ago this project felt stuck.  Today the future for these kids seems 100% brighter and it starts with what flows out of those buckets.

There is more systems and programs to come.. Early in December units move into the homes. Yesterday we are stuck – today feels like it can’t move fast enough.

Somehow, looking back, we learned a lot, had a few bumps, but after viewing the photos – it all seems so worth it!!!

Well done Pete and Marq – and thanks to all of Cypress for their generosity and patience./ Tim Walters

Earlier today a Marq Caughell and Pete Ward,from our church, traveled to Haiti to put the finishing touches to an idea that started many years ago.

It has long been a calling of Cypress to not only partner with our sister school/church (Shiloh) in Saint Louis du Nord, Haiti, but to help them develop in areas we take for granted. Clean Water. Last year when I traveled to the school, Pastor Dutson’s response to his greatest need was the request for clean water.

Disease from the water not only has ill health effects (not to mention even deadly) but also keeps kids out of school, keeps families from working their jobs, and makes the families spend money on medicines to cure the results of drinking contaminated water.

So today it stops! Today is the day where we can start to turn the page, turn the tide against the ills and pains of bad water – and give some of these people a chance. The chance to go to school without any stomach issues, a chance to go to work feeling good, a chance for the young children to live past the age of 5… a chance in life. Read More »

Cypress has now started an initiative that will help sponsoring families connect with their students in Saint Louis du Nord.  Small teams will be traveling throughout the year to Haiti, and when they do, we will announce it so families can write a letter or send photos to the kids.

Our first opportunity to start this is upcoming and letters need to be turned in to the church office by Tuesday November 15th.  If you are interested in sending a letter – please follow the guidelines below:

( Students recieving a letter should have time to write a short note in response and that will be brought back with the team)

Letters need to be typed in English and a copy that is translated to Haitian Creole.  To translate, simple go to Google Translator (http://translate.google.com/), and paste in your letter and select “Haitian Creole” in the “translate to” selection.

Copy the translated message, and paste back on the initial letter -

The students do not read English, but the english version will allow a back up in case there are some discrepancies in the translation.  Some teachers do understand and read English

Put your letter in a sealed envelope with the students full name and grade on the outside of the envelope.  Include photos in the envelope if you wish.  Turn into the church office by Tuesday November 15th @ 3:00PM.

Sometimes we have to trust God even when His way doesn’t seem logical. This three part series explores God’s caring concern for our lives and how we can let go and let Him do things His way despite what it may appear to cost us.  Join us (November 12th – 27th) as Pastor Douglas Poole walks us through those times in our lives when it really just does not make sense.

Dear Cypress Family and Friends,

Check out this picture:For the same reason guardrails are important on    the roads…they are important in life. Starting the first weekend in  October we launch a six week series on life guardrails. Extra prayers, extra efforts and extra creativity have gone into this series…in the belief that God is up to a little something extra at Cypress during the series. So please make an extra effort to not miss a single weekend and also please make an extra effort to bring others with you…extra effort. Really, you might just be extra glad you did. (Invite cards are available in the Cypress lobby.)

Okay, this weekend I’m following a crazy little idea to give sanity checks to Meadowers. So if you ever wonder if you are loopy for following and serving Jesus…show up this weekend.

 Blessings,

 Douglas

PS  A group of Meadowers are putting a roof on a home in Safety Harbor this Saturday morning.  Love to have you join in.  Meet at  1^st Baptist Church located at 525 14^th Ave., at 7:30 am.