- Pages

Home

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:52:47 GMT

WELCOME!

Thanks for visiting our website. We invite you to fully explore the many things that make us who we are by following the links to the left. With spring upon us, and the rebirth and growth of nature around us, we are excited about the rebirth and growth of God's nature that He is causing to happen within us, and we invite you to be a part of it all. Whether for men, women, teens, or children, we have a lot going on!

For a quicker overview of what's coming up, check out our calendar page. If there is any way that we can assist you, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We hope to see you Sunday!

Who We Are

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:04:21 GMT

Agapé Chapel began in July of 1998 when a group of people from two separate churches got together to form a new church. These people had a vision for a church that would have a firm foundation in their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and, grounded in Him, would devote themselves to proclaiming the authority of God's Word without apology, lifting high the name of Jesus in worship, beleiving firmly in the power of prayer, and sharing Jesus with boldness. These four things have become known as our Four Pillars.

Agapé Chapel Statement of Faith

Agapé Chapel has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and to be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only their over-emphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the body of Christ. We believe that the only true basis of fellowship is God’s agapé love, which is greater than any differences we possess and without which we have no right to claim ourselves Christians.

In order to identify Agapé Chapel as conservative in theology as well as evangelical, we set for the following general statement regarding our fundamental beliefs:

1. We believe the Bible to be the only inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God.

2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His atoning death through His shed blood, and His personal return in power and glory.

4. We believe that the lost and sinful man must be saved, and that man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

5. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the unsaved; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are unsaved to the resurrection of damnation.

6. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

We hold to:

1. The inerrancy of Scripture

2. The present continuance of a diversity of spiritual gifts

3. Simplicity in church government, rather than a complex bureaucracy.

4. A dependence upon the Holy Spirit to lead rather than a fleshly promotion.

5. The pre-millennial, pre-tribulation return of Christ for His waiting church.

6. The teaching of the Word of God in such a way that it can be applied to life as a beneficial move towards spiritual maturity.

From time to time, certain issues become controversial in the church. Therefore, we feel it is necessary to take a stand in the following areas:

We reject:

1. The teaching of “positive confession”

2. The belief that true Christians can be demon possessed.

3. Any extreme doctrinal view which causes divisions.

4. Prophecy that supersedes Biblical scripture.

5. The over-emphasis on spiritual gifts, experiential signs and wonders, etc.

6. Any “church growth” method other than what is laid out in the Word of God, specifically in Acts 2:42, among other passages.

7. The “Emergent Church”

In our services, we focus on a personal relationship with the Lord through worship, prayer, and the teaching of the Word of God. While we teach both expositional and topical studies, we are committed to studying the Bible book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse.

We believe worship of God should be spiritual. Therefore, we remain flexible and yielding to the Holy Spirit to direct our worship.

We believe worship of God should be inspirational. Therefore, we give great place to music in our worship.

We believe worship of God should be intelligent. Therefore, our services emphasize the teaching of the Word of God, that He might transform us by the renewing of our minds.

We believe worship of God should be fruitful. Therefore, we look for His love in our lives as the supreme evidence that we have truly been worshipping Him.

Chapel Leadership

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:07:49 GMT

Here at the Chapel, we are blessed to have both paid and volunteer staff who all play integral roles in the life of our church. We're pleased to introduce each of them to you.

Pastor

Donn Fisher has been our senior pastor since January of 2001 after serving as youth pastor, then associate pastor here at the Chapel. Previously, Donn served as pastor at Frist Baptist in Whitman following his college education at Eastern Nazarene College and Calvary Chapel Bible College.

Donn and his wife Alisa have been married for fifteen years and are the proud parents of four children. They are residents of Raynham.

Agapé- Refuge Worship Center Pastor

Our RWC pastor is Mike Thomas. Mike has been led by the Lord through a three year process of learing and discipling that have brought him to his ordination. While his main focus is evangelism and outreach, Mike is truly a multi-talented, multi-gifted man of God. Pastor Mike oversees our location in downtown Taunton called the Refuge, where his responsabilities include Sunday services and pastoral counseling.

Director of Youth Ministry

Joshua Attardo has been the Director of Youth Ministry since June of 2002. He works for Stop and Shop supermarkets. Josh also serves as our main worship leader.

Josh and his wife Melanie have been married for four years, and are Raynham residents. They welcomed their first child, Gianna Marie, on February 17, 2010.

Elders

In addition to Pastor Donn, Pastor Mike, and Josh, the chapel is also blessed to have one other elders. Our elders are the spiritual leadership of the church, and are responsible for ths spiritual oversight of the flock.

Mark Schuttauf, who works in the jewelry manufacturing industry, and his wife Sharon, a nurse, have been coming to the chapel for several years, along with their 5 kids. The Schuttauf family live in Raynham.

Deacons

We are also blessed to have several deacons currently serving in specific areas of ministry. Our deacons, in addition to serving in their specific areas, also collectively handle financial and building decisions for the church.

Jean Austin is our Deacon of Finance, as well as one of our musicians. She is a long time Raynham resident.

Sharon Gray is our Deacon of Children's Ministries. She, her husband Chad, and daughter Julia, live in Middleboro.

Sandi Peters is our Deacon of Women's Ministries. Sandi also sings on the worship team.

Sunny Winthrop is our Deacon of Missions. Sunny's passion for the lost, as well as her passion for the missionaries themselves are welcome additions to the ministries of the Chapel.

Refuge Worship Center

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:21:09 GMT

Follow the link below for all you need to know about the Refuge Worship Center.

www.refuge.agapechapel.org

Upcoming Events

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:10:44 GMT

May 2- 10:30am-We begin a short three week series in Romans, covering Romans 9-11. The series is calledUnderstanding in the Power.

May 3-7pm-Prayer Vine, our small group dedicated to praying for the needs of the church families, meets for their regular monthly meeting. As always, transportation is provided by contacting the one of the elders.

May 7-8- Inductive Bible Study Seminar with Dan Finfrock-This seminar will run on Friday from 7:00-9:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The cost is $25. For more on the IBS seminar, please visit:www.icmbibleorg. This seminar is hosted by CC in the City.

May 9- 10:30am-Please join us for our Mother's Day service, as we take the time, as part of the service, to honor the women among us.

March 9- 6pm-We are blessed to be welcoming Nashville Christian recording artist Todd MacDonald. You can read Todd's story and listen to some of his music by visitingwww.toddmacdoanldmusic.com.

May 15- 9am- The Mill Senior Outreach Day- Our men's small group will be available on this day to do light projects around the homes of our seniors. Sign up is necessary so that we can match the men to the right job.

May 16- 10:30am- Be sure to join us on this day for worship as we have our first outdoor service of the spring! Be sure to bring your Bibles (as always), but also remember to bring your lawn chairs.

May 23-10:30am- Our outdoor service on this date will include communion and a special offering to send out the Hutchins short term missions team!

May 30- 10:30am- This Memorial Day weekend, we invite you to join us for our outdoor service as we honor the vets among us. Our annnual Memorial weekend cookout will immediately follow the service.

Times

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:11:54 GMT

Our main weekly worship time is Sunday mornings at 10:30. This service of worship through music, prayer, and the study of God's Word, along with weekly special events, is always both challenging and encouraging. We've just finished a 6 month series in Romans. Beginning July 18, we will start a new series out of the book of Galatians called Grace. On July 4, we welcome our Director of Student Ministries, Josh Attardo, to the pulpit. On July 11, Tim Beachell, Massachusetts director of Child Evangelism Fellowship, will be speaking.

Our Sunday night study is at 6pm, and consists of an intimate time of prayer and study, with pleny of lively discussion. We are currently studying the book of Deuteronomy, beginning March.

Our Wednesday night study is at 6:30pm, and this time of music and message often coincides with our Sunday morning study. Having just finished the the book of 1 Corinthians, we will spend one week (July 7) studying the book of Obadiah before we start a new study in 2 Corinthians on July 28.

Small Groups

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:00:34 GMT

Small Groups

We have several small groups that meet either on a weekly or monthly basis. All groups are open to everyone, although some are gender and age based.

Sundays at 6pm-Our Sunday night small group meets for prayer, Bible study, and discussion at the Chapel. Our newest study begins March 7 and is on the book of Deuteronomy.

Monday at 7pm-The Prayer Vine small group meets the first Sunday of every month at the home of the Couto's in Lakeville. The group, as you can probably tell, is focused solely on prayer. Beginning March 1, this group will begin to concentrate even more on the Chapel's p2p4 campaign to reach the lost.

Tuesdays at 9:30am-The first of our two women's small groups meets at the home of Cindy Campbell in Raynham for a time of study, prayer, and light refreshments. Using both dvd and workbook studies, this time is enjoyed by women from several local churches.

Wednesdays at 6:30pm- This night hosts events for two of our small groups, both at the Chapel. A time of worship and study of God's Word is provided for all adults, while a time of worship and study is also held simultaneously for the teens.

Thursdays at 6:30pm-The second of our women's small groups meets at the home of Zenta Sheehan in Taunton. This lively group relies on God's Word and life experience to be an encouragement to one another.

Saturdays at 8am-The Millis our monthly (second Saturday) men's small group. Our theme for 2009-2010 has beenBeing a Godly Leader. Every fourth month, we participate in a service project.

Childrens Ministry

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:21:32 GMT

Children's Ministry

Here at Agapé Chapel, our desire is to lay a strong Biblical and Christ-centered foundation in the lives of our children. We want to see each child climbing higher and growing deeper in their relationship with Christ, becoming life-long followers of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday mornings, children birth through kindergarten spend the time during the service with a dedicated staff of workers, where they enjoy songs, snacks, and play time.

Through our Sunday morning Higher Ground children’s ministry, for kids in first through sixth grade, children have the opportunity to make friends, have fun and most importantly learn about Jesus Christ! These kids begin the service with their parents for a time of worship in the sanctuary.

In addition to our nursery and Higher Ground programs, our children often participate with other local churches in activities such as sports camps, and Vacation Bible Schools.

Children's Ministry Upcoming Events

While this ministry is on hiatus for the summer, weekly classes inHigher Ground continue, other than the following dates: May 23, May 30, June 20, and July 4.

Youth Ministry

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:14:53 GMT

EXPERIENCE YOUTH MINISTRY

At Agapé Chapel, we want the same thing for our youth that we want for adults: that they worship, walk with and work for Christ. Parents desire a safe place where their kids can feel welcomed and loved. Our hope is that Agapé will be that place for them, as loving leaders meet them where they are at. Relevant teaching topics, engaging worship and challenging service opportunities are all part of the reason children and students love attending the Chapel.

Experience Youth Ministry's weekly meetings are on Friday nights from 7-10pm for a time of games, snacks, worship, and a time in God's Word. This night is open to all youth in grades 7-12. In addition, there is a Wednesday night small group Bible study from 6:30-8pm. Director of Student ministries Josh Attardo oversees our youth ministry.

Upcoming Experience Youth Ministry Events

Every Week:Wednesday-Mid-week worship and word (6:30pm)

Every Week: Friday- Games, worship, and devo (7pm)

Contact/Directions

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:43:14 GMT

Contact Info:

Mailing address: 1010 Broadway Raynham, MA 02767

Phone Number(s): church office- 508-822-4576 emergency cell- 508-298-2318

Email:agapefisher@gmail.com

Directions:

From the north:

Rt. 24 area- Rt. 24 south to Rt. 495 north to exit 8. Turn left off the exit and the church will be less than 1/4 mile on your right

Rt. 495 area- Rt. 495 south to exit 8. Turn right off the ramp and the church will be less than a 1/4 mile on your right

From the south:

Rt. 24 area- north to Rt. 495 north to exit 8. Turn left off the exit and the church will be less than 1/4 mile on your right

Rt. 495 area- Rt. 495 north to exit 8. Turn right off the ramp and the church will be less than a 1/4 mile on your right

From Taunton:

Follow Rt. 138 from the Taunton Green toward Raynham. Pass the Milk Bottle Restaurant, and the church will be less than 1/2 mile on the left.

From the Bridgewaters:

Follow Rt. 106 to Rt. 138. Turn left, and follow roughly five miles to Rt. 495 overpass.

The church will be on your right.

Follow Rt. 104 west to Elm Street East (sign marked "To Rt. 138"). Follow to Rt. 138. Turn left at the lights, and the church will be on your right about 1/4 mile up the road.

Adult Ministries

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:41:56 GMT

MEN'S MINISTRY

Scripture tells us God “has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). As men, our responsibility is to, “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). Through God’s divine power and our willingness to learn what He wants us to be, we seek to become God’s Man of Honor.

Our Men's Ministry is much more than an event. We provide men with an encouraging process that teaches them how to live lives of authentic manhood as modeled by Jesus Christ and directed by the Word of God and the power of prayer. We accomplish this by hosting events here at our own church, but also by plugging in to many other local and regional events.

Our men's ministry is calledThe Mill. A mill is a place where you grind and reshape something, always ending with a better defined, more pure product than when you started. That's what we want God's word to do in the lives of men. We want the Lord to define us, to purify us, and we want the Lord to put us to action. We’ll worship. We’ll learn. We’ll pray. We’ll live it out.

Men, join us the second Saturday of each month from 8-9am for The Mill, right here at the Chapel. Then be sure to join us every fourth month for a service project the second Saturday. We went and served the Dorchester Salvation Army as bell ringers in December!

The Mill, along with regular special events, gives the men of the church exciting opportunities to both learn and live out what we learn as we grow in our relationships with the Lord.

Upcoming Men's Ministry Events

June 12- 5pm- Men and Teen Boys Pawsox Outing- Guys, join us as we hang out down at the PawSox. Ticket cost is only $7. Money is due June 6.

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

Looking for answers to help you through life? Searching for a group of friends where you belong? Let’s tackle the ups and downs of life together . . . spurring one another on to worship, walk, and work for our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Our Women's Ministry, headed up by one of our deacons, Sandi Peters, offers both regularly scheduled events as well as many special opportunities for women to grow in their faith.

Upcoming Women's Ministry Events

Tuesdays (9:30am) Bible study is currently studying the book Fighting the Good Fight of Faith, a book by Pastor Brian Broderson of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa on spiritual warfare.

Thursdays (6:30pm) Bible study is currently studying the book of Hebrews using a book by Max Lucado.0

WORSHIP MINISTRY

Our worship ministry plans out and provides worship for our weekend service. We want to maximize our passion for God’s greatness in our own hearts and in the world that we live in. Our church gathers to worship God on Sunday and scatters the rest of the week to worship Him wherever He has placed us. We want to equip our people to live lives of worship where Jesus Christ is put first in hearts, minds, and actions.

The Worship Ministry meets twice a month for rehearsals. Rehearsals are open to anyone with the gift of music who seeks to use that gift for the glory of God alone.

Upcoming Worship Ministry Events

June 19- 7pm-OneWorship Event- This periodic event hosted by The Fellowship in Easton is a night of worsip opened to all. Find out more on their website at oneworshipne.com.

June 27- 6pm- Meeeting House Concerts Event- This monthly night of southern gospel music is hosted by Victory Assembly of God in Sharon. This month's feauted group is The Tribute Quartet.