Are you ready for some good news? How about some great news?!!

 Hello {FIRST_NAME}! 

I am pumped!! I mean PUMPED!! To date we have 27 people that will be baptized at Worship at Ovoca Lake on Sunday, September 13th! Now, if that's not something to get excited about I don't know what is!

Worship at the Lake is going to be awesome! I mean even the weather is supposed to be awesome with temperatures in the mid 70's! Please be sure to register now if you plan to attend, and don't forget to bring a side dish to go with the BBQ! For more information or to register CLICK HERE. 

THIS SUNDAY WE BEGIN A BRAND NEW SERIES TITLED, "CONNECT FOR". This Sunday morning @ 10:00, Pastor Noah and I will be sharing the stage to share a message titled, "Connect for Community". This series will launch us into something new and awesome at LCCT called COMMUNITY GROUPS!

What are Community Groups? Glad you asked!

As LCCT continues to grow, we want to build community beyond what Sunday mornings can provide. That’s where Community Groups come in. Community Groups are a place for you to meet new friends, strengthen existing relationships, and grow in your relationship with Christ. We want to be a Church who worships together and who knows how to break bread together. 

Registration for Community Groups is open NOW! And let me give you a little hint... You may want to be registered for a Community Group before you come to Worship at Ovoca Lake. That's all I'll say about that for now. :)  For more information and to register for one of our eleven groups CLICK HERE.

Last but not least, it goes without saying that 2020 has been a year that many of us would like to forget. I mean, let's go ahead and put up the Christmas tree and get this year over with right? As difficult of a year that it has been, God always has a purpose and a plan. I want to encourage you to do something with these last four months of 2020.... JUMP IN WITH BOTH FEET! That's right! Let's all recommit ourselves to God, and gathering as His Church, and let's go out of 2020 puttin our praise on! I mean it! I truly believe it is time for the church to rise from the ashes and crush the head of the enemy! I also believe that if we will do that, all of "the things" we are worried about, stressed about, tired of, and fed up with will no longer be our focus. Our focus needs to be on Christ! We can't control what tomorrow brings but He can! 

It's time to get back to church! It's time to get back to gathering! It's time to get back to JESUS!

EXCITED FOR THE DAYS AHEAD!!

Pastor Christian Watts

LCCT Important Update 8.26.2020 - ALL WEDNESDAY EVENING ACTIVITIES CANCELLED

 Hello Life Change Tullahoma Friends and Family,

2020 started out as an excellent year for Life Change Church Tullahoma. On Sunday, January 5th, LCCT had over 200 people in attendance for the very first time. And by the beginning of March, LCCT was averaging almost 300 people in attendance and it looked as if adding a second worship service would be an absolute necessity.

Then Covid-19 hit.

Being a church that will not turn three years old until October 25th of this year, Covid-19 could have been a fatal blow to a new church. But praise be to God, God held His church called Life Change Tullahoma up in the midst of the storm. And God continues to do so as His Church (you and I) continue to put our faith and trust in Him.

The nine weeks that LCCT did not meet corporately were agonizing for me, the staff, and for many of you. However we made the decision that it was best not to meet knowing that it was in the best interest of those who attend LCCT. We also knew that the same God that had been faithful in the past, would be faithful as we moved forward.

This morning we learned that one of our attendees tested positive for Covid-19. As a result, all activities for this evening (Wednesday, August 26) have been cancelled.

We as a staff feel it is better to be proactive rather than reactive. With this in mind, we want to take the time and the necessary steps to make sure we are providing the safest environment possible. Our proactive steps include...

1. Making sure this was an isolated case.
2. Making sure that anyone who may have come in contact with this person is monitoring their health.
3. Encouraging anyone who is having any symptoms of Covid-19 to be tested.
4. Making sure the building is cleaned and sanitized before we gather again.

We are working to contact anyone that may have come in contact with this person to let them know of the possible exposure. This person was not in an active volunteer role on Sunday.

As was stated when LCCT reopened, if you have come in contact with someone with Covid-19, or feel that you may be having Covid-19 symptoms, it is best to stay home and isolate yourself until you get tested and know the results of your test.

Know that the staff at LCCT love you, and are praying for you. Truthfully, it's a real bummer when we have to cancel a service or activities. None-the-less, know that we will always strive to do what is best for you and our entire church family.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at lifechangetullahoma@gmail.com.

May God bless and keep you! Know that we will send out another update on Saturday.

In His Service,

Pastor Christian Watts

LCCT Update 8.5.2020 - A note from Pastor Christian - Steps of Faith - Welcome our newest Staff Members - It's time to get back in the habit

Hello Life Change Tullahoma Friends and Family!

I wanted to take a few minutes of your time to share some information and updates with you regarding Life Change Church Tullahoma.

First and foremost, I want you to know that I am here for you. Really, I mean that! However, I readily admit that I do not always know when you might need me, or how I might be able to serve or help you. So, here is what I ask... Please call me, email me, text me, or come by the church office and let me know how I can help you or serve you. You have 110% permission to do so! I want to be here for you as a pastor as much as I possibly can be. So again, I give you full permission to bug me, remind me, or let me know how I can help or serve you. Please find my contact information at the bottom of this letter. Thank you!

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ² This is what the ancients were commended for.”

Throughout Life Change Tullahoma’s short history, we have taken huge steps of faith. And each step of faith has been bathed in prayer and God ordained. And although this year has been a difficult one, we continue to step out in faith as God directs us. 

Here are some of the steps of faith we have taken in 2020....

·      In January of 2020 we acquired office space and additional meeting space at 410 Wilson Avenue. We also began a new budget year with a weekly budget need that was twice the amount of our weekly budget needs in 2019.

·      In February of 2020 we hired Jermaine Johnson to be our Youth Pastor. Little did we know at the time, but two weeks after he was hired, we would spend the next two months having no public gatherings. Over the last several weeks we have resumed Wednesday evening youth group with an average of 50+ students that attend weekly.

·      Before the Covid-19 pandemic, our weekly broadcast was sketchy at best. Therefore, we knew that if we were going to be effective, we would have to make some major upgrades to our video equipment. Again, we stepped out in faith and made some major purchases in order to improve the quality of our broadcast. And although it is still a work in progress, the difference between our broadcast pre-Covid-19 and now are night and day. God supplied our every need!

·      In July of 2020, we added two paid part-time Children’s Ministry leaders to our staff. Those leaders are Tonya Reffner and Alisha Johnson. Tonya is the Director of our Preschool Ministry which includes babies through Kindergarten. Alisha is our grades 1-5 Children’s Ministry Director. We are excited to have both ladies officially on our staff leadership team!

·      One area of need that we felt we needed to address sooner rather than later was hiring an Administrative Assistant. Someone that would be in the office daily, and someone that had the ability to meet several areas of need as LCCT moves forward. I am excited to share with you that we have hired Katelyn Lawson as our administrative assistant! Katelyn will be overseeing our church database (Planning Center), and she will also be overseeing and making sure we are keeping accurate records of both our incoming and outgoing finances via Planning Center and QuickBooks. Katelyn will also be answering phones, creating and implementing our multi-media, assisting us as we move towards fellowship groups this fall, helping us with our social media and text-in-church ministries (including response times), and assisting our pastoral staff as needed. Katelyn will officially join the LCCT Staff on Thursday, August 20^th.   

It is my prayer that our new staff hires will allow Life Change Tullahoma to function with excellence! Why? Because God expects our best! I also believe that the addition of an Administrative Assistant will allow Noah and I to be all the more available to you, and to do the ministry both at LCCT and within our community that God has called us to.

Over the past year and a half, Elizabeth Duke has done an excellent job creating and implementing our multi-media. Elizabeth isn’t leaving LCCT, but she will be stepping down from her multi-media role as she continues to work on her nursing degree. We want to thank Elizabeth for her commitment and efforts over the past year and a half.

I want to encourage you to stay tuned to our website, the LCCT App, and our Social Media outlets as we are ramping up for some exciting things in the days and weeks ahead. 

Finally, I know that many folks have not been able to gather at LCCT for corporate worship due to Covid-19 concerns. I also realize that the pandemic has led to many people simply falling out of the habit of attending Life Change Tullahoma. Let me encourage you to get back in the habit! Watching on YouTube or Facebook is just not the same as gathering corporately to worship. Know that we have missed those of you that have not been with us, and we hope to see you soon!

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I hope it encourages you and excites you for what God has in store for LCCT in the days ahead!

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Pastor Christian Watts

lifechangetullahoma@gmail.com

931-563-5544 (office)

931-321-0900 (after hours)

931-488-8200 (text-in-church)

Sunday June 27 @ 10:00 at Life Change Tullahoma

LCCT Friends and Family,

It is my prayer each and every Sunday, that God uses the message He has led me to share to touch the hearts and lives of those who hear it. This Sunday, June 28th @ 10:00 is no exception. However...

I feel God has led me to tell you that this Sunday's message will not only touch the hearts and lives of those who hear it, it is a powerful, God-led, Holy Spirit driven message that will CHANGE THE LIVES OF MANY THAT HEAR IT!

So I am asking you to please "tune in". Whether you are physically present with us at 414 Wilson Avenue or join us via our FB Live or YouTube broadcast, DON'T MISS TOMORROWS MESSAGE! 

And do me one more BIG favor... Invite others to tune in. Whether it be in person or via our broadcast, don't miss this opportunity to see others lives changed.

Know that I am praying for you, and would greatly appreciate your prayers as I share this important message tomorrow morning at LCCT.

Looking forward to our time together!

Pastor Christian Watts

How the CARES Act Benefits Charitable Giving for 2020

How the CARES Act Impacts
Charitable Giving for 2020

High Level Information

New Deduction Available: Up to $300 per taxpayer ($600 for a married couple) in annual charitable contributions. This is available only to people who take the standard deduction (for taxpayers who do not itemize their deductions). It is an “above the line” adjustment to income that will reduce a donor’s adjusted gross income (AGI), and thereby reduce taxable income. A donation to a donor advised fund (DAF) does not qualify for this new deduction. 

New Charitable Deduction Limits: As part of the bill, individuals and corporations that itemize can deduct much greater amounts of their contributions. Individuals can elect to deduct donations up to 100% of their 2020 AGI (up from 60% previously). Corporations may deduct up to 25% of taxable income, up from the previous limit of 10%.

Required Min. Distributions Waived in 2020 for Most Donors: Required minimum distributions (RMD) that would have had to start in 2020 do not have to start until 2021, including distributions from defined benefit pension plans and 457 plans. This change will dampen somewhat the incentive for a donor to make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from their IRA in 2020. Even so, making a QCD this year will still allow itemizers and non-itemizers alike to direct up to $100,000 from their IRA to charities in a tax efficient manner.

Details About CARES Act

The inclusion of an expanded charitable giving incentive is a critical acknowledgement by Congress that the work of nonprofits like Life Change Church Tullahoma are deemed essential services. It is the first time Congress has passed this type of giving incentive in response to disaster or national emergency. 

Here’s How it Works

New Deduction Available: The bill makes a new deduction available for up to $300 per taxpayer ($600 for a married couple) in annual charitable contributions. This is particularly beneficial to people who take the standard deduction when filing their taxes (in other words for taxpayers who do not itemize their deductions). It is calculated by subtracting the amount of the donation from your gross income. It is an “above the line” adjustment to income that will reduce your AGI, and thereby reduce taxable income.

To qualify, you would have to give a donation to a qualified charity. If you have already made your donation since Jan. 1, that contribution counts toward the $300 cap.

New Charitable Deduction Limits: Also part of the bill, individuals and corporations that itemize can deduct much greater amounts of their contributions.

Individuals can elect to deduct cash contributions, up to 100% of their 2020 adjusted gross income, on itemized 2020 tax returns. This is up from the previous limit of 60%. 

Corporations may deduct up to 25% of taxable income, up from the previous limit of 10%.

The new deduction is only for cash gifts that go to a 501c3 organization. If you give cash to, say, your private foundation, the old deduction rules apply. And while the organizations that manage DAF’s are public charities, you do not get the higher deduction for donating cash to your DAF. These new limits do not apply to gifts of appreciated stock.

If your assets are substantial enough that you can give more than your income this year, you won’t lose the deduction for the excess amount. You can use it next year, as has always been the case.

Required minimum distributions waived in 2020 for most donors: RMD for individuals over age 70 ½ are suspended until 2021. This includes distributions from defined benefit pension plans and 457 plans. The RMD is an attractive way for donors to make a significant charitable gift directly from their IRA to a charity through a qualified charitable contribution (QCD) while avoiding taxable income. The suspension of the RMD may dampen somewhat the incentive for a donor who makes a gift from their IRA to count toward that minimum. However, the tax benefit of the QCD remains. 

The takeaway - donors directing a QCD to charity this year (up to $100,000 per individual) will still reduce their taxable IRA balance. This allows all taxpayers, itemizers and non-itemizers alike, to direct gifts from their IRA to charities in a tax efficient manner.

This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results.

Re-Opening Life Change Church Tullahoma!

Hello Life Change Tullahoma Friends and Family!


We are so excited to be re-opening Life Change Tullahoma! Pastor Christian Watts and his wife Kelleye have prepared a special video message for you! To view the video CLICK HERE.

It is very important that you know what to expect as we begin re-opening LCCT. We strongly encourage you to visit our Campus Re-Opening web page by clicking HERE. 

We are working very hard to prepare our campus to be a safe and clean environment. As a part of this effort, we are asking everyone (adults and children) that are planning to attend worship at 414 Wilson Avenue this Sunday, May 24th @ 10:00 to pre-register. To pre-register please click HERE.

If you do not plan to join us physically at 414 Wilson Avenue, but do plan to watch online, you can pre-register by clicking HERE.

Youth Group for those in grades 6-12 began meeting again last Wednesday evening. Please note that Youth Group is ON FOR TONIGHT and will continue meeting on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 unless otherwise posted. 

Last but not least, this Friday at 7:30 @ Life Change Tullahoma is movie night! We will be showing the movie "Courageous". This is a B.Y.O.S. (Bring Your Own Snacks) event. LCCT will supply drinks. ALL ATTENDEES MUST REGISTER TO ATTEND THIS EVENT! Register now by clicking HERE.

Have a super evening! Can't wait to see many of you again soon!!

Your LCCT Staff

A message and links from Pastor Christian regarding Sunday Morning worship at 10:00 @ LCCT!

Hello LCCT Family and Friends!

Tomorrow mornings worship service at Life Change Tullahoma will be a very special one. I pray you will tune in via our YouTube or Facebook page at 10:00 as I share a message on Forgiveness and we partake of Communion together. If you were unable to pick up communion elements this week, no worries! Just use any crackers, bread, juice, water, etc. that you have at home. Remember, that partaking of Communion (The Lord's Supper) is more about the heart of a person than it is the elements. The elements are symbolic of the body and the blood of Christ. The most important thing is that we take the time to remember Christ sacrifice, and that we utilize this time to examine our hearts and minds. 

Communion should always be about:  1. Remembering Christ sacrifice. 2. Examining our hearts and minds and confessing any sin in our lives to God. 3. Accepting Christ grace and forgiveness. 4. As we are reflect on what Christ has done for us, we should be encouraged to live our lives in a way that honors and glorifies Him.

I look forward to sharing in worship with you tomorrow morning. Remember that YOU are the church! And no matter whether we are physically gathered or if we gather spiritually through video, God is glorified when His Church makes time to worship and focus on Him!

Incase you missed it, or are not on Facebook, I've included what I wrote last Sunday regarding tomorrow's worship service. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers daily. I love and miss you all!

If there is one thing we are learning through these days it's that nothing on earth is guaranteed. On Sunday, April 5th @ 10:00, Pastor Christian Watts will share a message titled, "Freedom through Forgiveness". In this message we will talk about forgiving others, forgiving yourself, and accepting the grace, forgiveness, and freedom that comes through Christ. We will also be observing communion (The Lord's Supper). Communion elements will be available for you to pick up as an "all-in-one package" at Life Change Church Tullahoma Monday through Thursday of this week. Or, you can simply use bread, crackers, and juice you have at home. Our worship service will once again be live-stream only via our Facebook and YouTube channels. And although we will be unable to gather corporately, we can remember Christ sacrifice through communion in our safe places. I look forward to sharing in this time with you! PCW

To join us via FACEBOOK LIVE click this link: https://www.facebook.com/pg/LifeChangeTullahoma/videos/?ref=page_internal. 

To join us via YOUTUBE LIVE click this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOnnWSiOY4Qn46Z6dWtZqaA. 

Be sure to say hello and comment during our time together! Be blessed and be a blessing!

Pastor Christian Watts

Life Change Church Tullahoma
414 Wilson Ave. Suite 121
www.lifechangetullahoma.org
Church Office: (931) 563-5544
Text us 24/7 at: (931) 488-8200
FB/IG: @LifeChangeChurchTullahoma