A Special Day

It was a special day at church yesterday. The Spirit of the Lord was certainly present from the beginning.

The youth and children had a special program, and they did a superb job. I'm so proud of them all!

Also, we planned a little surprise. It was Bill's birthday, so we presented him with a gift--a small token of our love and appreciation for him--and had sandwiches and cake after church.

The church also presented me with a Christmas gift--new suit, shirt, and tie. I feel so honored to be serving with such generous and thoughtful people.

Christmas Banquet

We had a super Christmas Banquet last night! It’s times like this that makes a Pastor very proud. I would surely miss someone if I tried to name everyone who contributed to the tremendous success of this special event, but I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t give special recognition to two people who went above and beyond the call of duty: Kim and Lola. Kim outlined the program for the evening, decorated the tables, participated in a comedy act, directed “Rejoice with Exceeding Great Joy”, a youth and children’s presentation, and helped serve our guests.

Lola was responsible for the menu and personally oversaw all the food preparation. She has worked as a caterer in the past, and her experience was evident. Lola spent a great deal of time gathering supplies, soliciting and directing helpers, as well as preparing several items on the menu herself. In addition to all that, she hosted a lunch at her home yesterday afternoon, before the banquet, for those helping her.

I am so proud of Kim and Lola and thankful to the Lord that He has placed them at New Beginnings!

Of course two people couldn’t do it all by themselves. There were a number of people helping them, and no one’s contribution is inconsequential. For fear of missing someone, let me just say a great big THANK YOU to everyone who helped to make this such a wonderful success!

We had more than 85 people in attendance!

Preparing for Christmas…

We Pentecostals have often been loathe to celebrate the Christian seasons of Advent and Lent. I have discovered several reasons for this; however, none really seem to be sound. One person has said that “[Celebrating these seasons] ...is mainly tradition, and we are not traditionalists.” (I thought that one was funny). Another said, “We need to just stick to preaching the cross.”

Sometimes it seems to me that in our quest to throw off traditionalism we have divested ourselves of some of the most important aspects of the Christian faith. Our celebrations have become so mundane it is sometimes difficult to identify the real reason we celebrate.

Advent is Latin for 'a coming or arrival'. The idea behind it is that God came to earthly life and lived among us. That is something to celebrate, because just by being in this world, God was giving the supreme blessing to His creation.

Advent is a season of preparation. In Advent, we thank God for Christ's first coming, prepare for his final coming at the end of time, and celebrate Christ's presence among us today through the Spirit. God loved us and wanted to share that love.

Tomorrow is the first of four weeks of Advent leading up to Christmas day. It is the time to get ready by rejoicing that our God is not far away and unfamiliar with the struggles of human life, that Christ is here right now among His followers, that God has already begun to bring in the Kingdom, and that Christ will come again to make it clear who really runs the place.

Remember the words of Jesus: "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

May the Lord bless you and your family during this season!

Thanksgiving

The Meadows Family had a wonderful day of Thanksgiving yesterday. It was so nice to have all of our family together for dinner and fellowship. Mother always makes it very special. Everyone seemed to have a great time together. After dinner, each of us read a Scripture and shared something for which we are thankful. It was good to have my uncle Ken and cousin Denae and her husband Tim with us, too!

Family is very important, and I thank God for mine! I trust each of you had a joyous Thanksgiving with your family and friends, too.

Election Day

Today is the day we will elect a new President for these United States. If you didn't have the opportunity to vote early, please don't forget to vote today. Make your voice heard.

Bread of Life Rescue Mission

Once again, New Beginnings joined in the ministry of Bread of Life Rescue Mission on Saturday (10/18) by preparing a meal for the residents and having a worship service with them. This is a regular monthly event for New Beginnings, and we always look forward to it.

I am thankful to Lola Rudolph who coordinates our meal preparation, and to all those who so faithfully participate in preparing food and assist in serving and clean-up.

The worship services are a particular joy for me. Every time I have ministered there, I have received a very warm welcome by both the staff and the residents, and I have had great liberty in the Spirit to minister. God is doing something wonderful at Bread of Life, and we are pleased to be able to join Him, in some small way, in what He is doing!

Pray for the Election

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Without a doubt, our nation is in desperate need of help and direction from the Lord. In just a few days the people of the United States will go to the voting polls to select a new President and Vice President for our country. Speaking of this upcoming election, the National Day of Prayer Chairman, Shirley Dobson, said:

“In light of the approaching elections, it is crucial that we remain in fervent prayer for our beloved land. The presidential race is especially important. The individual installed in the Oval Office in January, 2009 will play a pivotal role in determining the future course of our country. It is, therefore, imperative that people go to the polls and elect a candidate whose leadership will reflect a moral, principled perspective. We’re living in serious times. Our country is at a crossroads. The decisions of our elected officials will determine America’s moral climate and national security for generations. We desperately need leaders with courage and integrity to guide us.”

It is my prayer that each of you will join me in prayer that the will of God be accomplished in this election, and that you will exercise your right to vote on November 4.

A Few Pictures from Thailand

It was a joy to have Brother Boonyong Bureenok in my home for the past few days. Boone and I have been friends for about 23 years. He is doing a great work in Thailand and in Cambodia and Myanmar, as well. Please join me in praying for him and his family, and for the orphanages he oversees as well as the missionary efforts.

The first photo is Boone and his son, Phil. The second is Boone's wife, Jintana, and Phil with a child. The third is a group of children from the orphanage in Korat, Thailand.

Boone is Here!!

Yesterday was a long day, but a most enjoyable one. I set out yesterday morning to Tupelo, MS to pick up my good friend, Boone Bureenok. I was going to be driving by myself and it is almost a six hour drive each way, so I decided to find a good audio book to listen to on the way--I purchased "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby. This is a powerful book on the importance of an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. It made the drive so much easier.

Well, I now have Boone here with me and he is doing well. He will be sharing some of the things going on in Thailand at New Beginnings on Sunday morning. It has been a joy to hear updates on some of my friends in Thailand...Akrapol, Prayong, Mai, and many others. God is so good!!

Boonyong Bureenok

I am pleased to announce that Boonyong Bureenok will be with us at New Beginnings next Sunday (9/28). Brother Boone is a missionary in Thailand and operates an orphanage there. We are excited that he will be visiting with us!

Week-end update

On Saturday we had the annual Ball / Meadows Family Reunion at the Cumberland Mountain State Park. It was so good to see family I hadn’t seen since last year. In fact, there were some there whom I hadn’t seen in many years. We had a great time!

Saturday evening, New Beginnings prepared a meal for the Bread of Life Rescue Mission. I am so thankful for the dedication of our people to this ministry. Following the meal, we had a service with those living at the mission. Jerry and Sherry Brewer were also with us, and they led in the singing. It was a fun and uplifting time. There was such freedom as I began to preach. In fact, the Spirit of the Lord was very powerful. When I gave the altar call, several people responded and we prayed for a few people who were in need of healing, as well. It was an awesome service!

On Sunday morning, New Beginnings met at the Cumberland Mountain State Park (second day for me) for an End of Summer Church Picnic. Although we were to begin at 11 a.m., people kept streaming in up to about 1 p.m. In total we had approximately 78 people to attend this special event, many of whom have no church home.

Sunday afternoon at about 2 p.m., a few of us went back to Bread of Life where I baptized 5 people in water who had recently came to the Lord or re-dedicated their lives to God. This has been an awesome week-end! To God be the glory!

End of Summer Church Picnic

On Sunday, September 21, 2008, New Beginnings will host an End of Summer Picnic at Cumberland Mountain State Park. We will be at the top of the hill pavilion at 11 a.m. (no service at 495 4th Street)

We will be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs and there will be plenty of games for the whole family. Everyone is invited to attend and its all FREE!!!!

Prayer Request

I just learned earlier today that the Tito Rivera, the son of the Presiding Bishop of Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico passed away suddenly and unexpectedly over the week-end. I believe Tito was 29 years old and the only son of Bishop and Sister Rivera. Please join me in prayer for the family during this very difficult time.

Petros Church

I was honored to minister at the Petros church last night at a joint service of the Petros and Oliver Springs churches. The meeting was well attended by people from both churches. Pastor Stewart Sloan (Petros) and Pastor Roy Massengale (Oliver Springs) are to be commended for their efforts in kindling fellowship between their churches.

I was happy to have three people from New Beginnings join me. It was certainly a powerful service in which the Spirit of the Lord ministered to His people! I am thankful to Pastor Sloan for inviting me!

FREE Concert

The Cumberland County Ministerial Association presents a free concert by gifted musician, composer and recording artist Tony Melendez who plays the guitar with his feet having been born without arms.

Pope John Paul II commissioned Tony to be a GIFT OF HOPE for the world after hearing and seeing him play. Tony has performed throughout the U.S. and over forty Countries. This free concert will be at Stone Memorial High School, 2800 Cook Road in Crossville, TN on Saturday September 20. Doors open at 5:30 P.M. Performance at 6:30 P.M.

Cumberland County Ministerial Association
President Beverly Talbott C.L.P. 456-8312
Sec. Treas. Dewey Peterson 484-7729

Spiritual Growth

For the past few weeks I have been preaching on Spiritual Growth. We have discussed the need for Spiritual Growth, the goal of Spiritual Growth, and the attitudes and habits necessary to achieve Spiritual Growth. Spiritual growth is discipleship in action!

Jesus Himself described what is required of those who would be His disciple: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

These words are the strongest and clearest from Jesus that teaches the requirements necessary in those who will follow him. Someone has described them as an outline of the Terms of Authentic Discipleship.

1. DESIRE—“if any man will come after me.” Desire drives people and it is at the heart of discipleship!

2. DENIAL—“let him deny himself.” SELF is the enemy of authentic discipleship. Consider the variety of words prefixed by SELF that illustrate how SELF can dominate us: Self righteousness; self centeredness; self interest; self confidence; self consciousness; self defense; self importance; self indulgence; self opinion; self reliance; self satisfaction; self seeking; self sufficient.

3. DEATH—“and take up his cross.” Authentic discipleship is a sacrificial lifestyle. It’s a life not lived solely for ones own interests or ends. The cross symbolized the ‘cause’ Jesus both lived for and died for. We are called to die ‘daily’ to that which gets in the way of us knowing him, loving him, serving him, following him.

4. DETERMINATION—“follow me.”
• Authentic discipleship is a lifelong commitment. Jesus asks for the greatest and most determined commitment of your life.

• Authentic discipleship will ask questions of you ‘daily’. You can measure how authentic your discipleship is by how your desire to follow him challenges your lifestyle and attitudes, guides your choices and determines your principles.

• Authentic discipleship requires genuine courage. “Jesus promised his disciples three things – that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy and in constant trouble”

Funeral Arrangements

We received the sad news yesterday that R. B. Daniels passed away on Saturday night at Cumberland Medical Center. R. B., better known as "Doc" to those who knew him, recently attended one of our services at New Beginnings. I visited both yesterday and today with some of his family and friends, and having heard some of their stories made me wish I had the opportunity to know him before.

The arrangements for "Doc" are as follows:

The family will receive friends Tuesday night at Bilbrey Funeral Home from 6-8 PM.

The funeral service will be on Wednesday at 3 PM at Bilbrey Funeral Home, with a graveside service and military honors.

Doc had 2 sons and 2 daughters. Please join me in prayer for them and all his friends who are mourning his death.

Arkansas Trip

What a trip! Mother and I returned home last night at about 9 PM from our trip to Little Rock, Arkansas. We left Crossville on Monday and met up with Jason, Jennifer, Josiah and Isaiah in Gallatin where we had dinner and spent the night. On Tuesday morning we all headed out to Little Rock, Arkansas where Jason, Jennifer and the boys will be working and living.

It was a very good trip until we got about 90 miles outside of Little Rock. Jason, Josiah and I were riding in the big Budget truck towing a car while mother, Jennifer and Isaiah were in the van. David and Kathy Williams were driving along, as well. The other two vehicles were a little bit ahead of us when the truck we were in lost all power. We were right in front of a rest area, but it was closed.

Long story short, Jason stayed with the budget truck until a tow truck arrived. David came back to get Josiah and me and I drove mother, Jennifer and the boys on to Little Rock. David and Kathy went back to Nashville. We arrived in Little Rock sometime after 5 PM, and Jason arrived an hour or so later. It was rough, but we made it safe and sound and we give the Lord praise!

Jason and Jennifer are going to be house parents in the Forence Crittenton Home, an emergency shelter for teens sponsored by the Freewill Missionary Baptist Family Ministries. I was very impressed with the ministries provided, and I am very proud of my brother and his family for their interest in this area of ministry.

Mother spent the night at Crittenton House with Jason, Jennifer and the boys, and I went to a hotel. On Wednesday I went back to Crittenton House where I had a devotion with them encouraging them in their decision, and we prayed over them.

Mother and I left Little Rock at about 2 PM (much later than we expected) for the long trip home. We arrived back last night at about 9 PM. Thank the Lord for His protection along the way!

Old Friends

I went to Nashville on Friday for the International Assembly. Of course, it was good to be there for the services and Brother Varlack's class, but it was especially good to see some friends I haven't seen in years: the Williams from California, the Lee's from Wyoming, Scott Creasey from Florida, Dennis Wilson from Texas, Donald Markham (I forget where he is now), and so many others.

Seeing so many people I got acquainted with so many years ago brings back a host of memories. I've been blessed through the years to have met so many wonderful people across this land and into other nations of the world. My life has been enriched as a result of knowing all of them, and I am thankful!

A Powerful Word

I was just listening to Kay Horner on the assembly webcast. She had a powerful word: "Victory begins with the name of Jesus on our lips, but will not be consumated until the nature of Jesus is in our hearts."

International Assembly

The International Assembly of the Church of God of Prophecy began yesterday at the Sommet Center in Nashville, TN. For those who may be interested, you can watch the International Assembly Webcast. Also, the DayStar network will air the Thursday and Friday evening sessions, beginning at 7:30 EST (subject to change). Thursday evening session will be the Global Outreach emphasis evening with a sermon from Bishop Sherman Allen, General Presbyter of Africa. Friday’s evening session will be a celebration of Pentecostal Awakening, featuring a sermon by Special Guest Dr. Jerry Macklin. Current plans are that the programming will begin with portions of the opening concert of the Bahamas Brass Band and will include the services in their entirety through the altar responses that will be given by the speakers.

One World One Dream

One World One Dream is the theme selected by China, the host nation of the XXIX Olympics. As I watched the opening ceremonies last night, I was awestruck by the sheer magnitude of the celebration. The Chinese spared no effort, and seemingly no cost, in welcoming the world to Beijing.

At one point, 2,008 drummers were pounding the fou, an ancient Chinese percussion instrument, and as they were doing so, they chanted, “Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” a phrase from the works of Confucius (551BC-479BC). Shortly after this, hundreds of men in boxes bobbed up and down creating various designs and waves. Several times during this performance they also formed the Chinese character “he,” which means both harmony and peace.

As I watched the “parade of nations” I was thinking about the theme of the Summer Olympics. About two hundred-four nations were represented, none led by the “head of state” or other politicians, but rather by athletes from their respective countries.

We live in a world that is divided in so many ways. The cry for harmony and peace can be heard from so many areas of the world, yet, the very thing that divides—the very thing that hinders harmony and peace—is the only thing that can possibly bring harmony and peace. Jesus commanded that His church “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

So many people around the world are in need of the peace that comes only through Jesus Christ. Let’s join together in praying for the nations of the world and for those Christians who are working so hard to share the love of our Savior—the Prince of Peace!

Update from Thailand

I spoke with Brother Boonyong Bureenok (right in photo) on the phone last night. He is preparing to take a trip to Myanmar (Burma) in the next couple days, and at the end of this month Gary Glover and a group with Co-Mission will be visiting Thailand. They will continue on to Burma, Cambodia, and Viet Nam.

We thank the Lord for Brother Boon and his work in Thailand. Even though this is a difficult time, he continues to have a heart for the ministry to which God called him. Please join me in prayer for Brother Boon, his family, and the work in Thailand. Also, if you would like to make a donation to the ministry there, you may send it to the address on Co-Mission's website, or you may send a check to New Beginnings. We will forward all offerings we receive for Thailand to Brother Boon.

2 More Nights

We had 2 wonderful nights of revival services with Pastor Tony Cathey who shared a powerful Word from the Lord each night. We are looking forward to 2 more nights with Pastor Terry Barnwell beginning tonight.

If you haven't joined us yet, why not drop in and let's worship the Lord together. I know He has something special for us!

Ok, this is too funny

Youth Pastor gone wild???


http://view.break.com/545222 - Watch more free videos

Just a Reminder...

Our revival begins tomorrow night at 7 PM. We are excited about what the Lord has been doing at New Beginnings, but we are expecting greater things from Him in our upcoming revival! We have been in prayer and fasting for a fresh encounter with Him, and I believe He has heard our prayer.

Pastor Tony Cathey will be with us to minister tomorrow and Thursday, and Pastor Terry Barnwell will minister on Friday and Saturday nights. I have great confidence that these two men will share a word from the Lord that has the power to change the hearer (cf. Romans 1:16).

We look forward to seeing you!

A Wonderful Day

We had a wonderful time of worship and fellowship yesterday. Although we had a few people out, we still had 25 in attendance, for which we praise the Lord. I shared a message on the fact that Spiritual Growth is a choice that we must make. God has commanded that we grow, and it takes effort on our part. God has not left it all up to us, however. He has promised to help us and to bless us as we pursue Him. Following the message, we celebrated Holy Communion.

We were pleased to have the District Presbyter of the Church of God of Prophecy, Dr. Freddie Harding, in service with us.

Last night I had the honor of ministering to a joint service of the Petros and Oliver Springs (COGOP) Churches. We met at the Oliver Springs church and there seemed to be a pretty good representation from each church. Mother, Dad, and Josiah (my nephew) went with me. The Spirit of the Lord was definitely present to minister to the peoples needs. I am very thankful to Pastors Roy Massengale and Stewart Sloan for giving me the opportunity to minister in this joint service!

News From Guatemala

I received the following from David Byrd in Guatemala. Please join me in prayer for the people there.

We have a urgent request for you and for your people to pray. There has been a lot of rain here. In one village, there were 12 whole families lost due to landslides on their homes. People have been told to leave their houses. People are being put up everywhere (either with relatives or friends). We have been told that the rivers will crest tonight at 11:00 (1:00 your time) and will be the equilate to Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The levies in Honduras will break which will bring a mighty wall of water into Guatemala. Please pray that the Lord will keep the river from cresting and pray for God's protection for the people here.

We are hosting a single mom and her three children with us tonight.

Thanks for your prayers.

David

Pray for Revival!

What is revival? According to Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, revival is the act of reviving, or the state of being revived. Specifically: (a) Renewed attention to something... (b) Renewed performance of, or interest in, something... (c) Renewed interest in religion, after indifference and decline; a period of religious awakening.

How do we know when we need revival?
When it is easier to stay at home than to go to church.
When it is easier to work than worship.
When it is easier to be critical than kind.
When it is easier to read magazines than the Bible.
When it is easier to support the club than the church.
When it is easier to grumble than to praise.
When it is easier to hold grudges than to forgive.
When it is easier to condemn souls rather than pray for their salvation.
(from "When Do We Need Revival?")

What are the results of Revival? Revival brings transformation (Romans 12:2), encouragement (Psalm 51:10), strength (Isaiah 40:31), support (Psalm 103:1-5), and focus (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Let’s Have A Revival
Let’s have a revival
From the pulpit to the pew
Let’s have a revival
That starts in me and you..
Then it reaches out to a lost and dying world
Let’s bring them in
This is our joy—it’s our survival
Let’s pray for Holy Ghost revival
Let’s have a Revival

Arrangements for Jay Houston

I just learned the arrangements for Jay Houston. The family will receive friends at the Bilbrey Funeral Home tomorrow night (Friday) from 6p.m. to 7p.m. with a funeral service to follow.

Again, please join me in prayer for this family.

Death Announcement

I just returned from the hospital a little while ago, and I am very sad to announce that Jay Houston passed away as a result of the injuries he sustained in an accident earlier today.

I didn’t know Jay personally, but he was my sister-in-law, Brenda’s, uncle. My brothers, Chris and Bill, were both well acquainted with Jay, and they have talked about what a good man he was. Jay has children living in California and Nevada, I believe, and all of them were able to come and visit with him just a few weeks ago.

When death comes so suddenly it only reminds us of how short life really is. In the bible, James spoke of the brevity of life. “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). How very important it is, then, that we prepare ourselves for that day that will come to all of us.

Please join me in prayer for Jay’s wife, children, and grandchildren, for his extended family, and for all those who knew and loved him.

Saturday and Sunday

The past couple days have been exciting. On Saturday, we served the evening meal and had a service with the people at Bread of Life Rescue Mission. At the end of the service we met a young man, Pete, (that’s not his real name) whom the Lord had delivered of many things. It was awesome to hear him share what the Lord has done for him. Please join me in prayer for “Pete” that the Lord will give him strength to press forward in the name of Jesus.

Yesterday we had a wonderful service at New Beginnings. Our new drummer sounded just awesome in the worship service. I preached, “It’s Time for Revival,” and we had a wonderful time of prayer after the message. Everyone seems so excited about our upcoming revival. Last night we met at Lawson Memorial Chapel to pray and seek the face of the Lord.

Volunteer Event

I received the following announcement from Linda Kawicki at Bread of Life Rescue Mission.

Dear Friends in Christ,

You are invited to take part in our volunteer event. Date is July 26th from 10 – 3 pm with lunch being provided. This will not only be a fun day, the meeting will provide understanding about what the mission’s needs are. Come and here about the future! If you would so kindly place this message in your bulletin or on your bulletin board, it would be appreciated. RSVP by July 23rd by calling 931-707-0503 and ask for Linda. Become a part of the team.

Hope to see you there,
Linda K. Secretary

Revival Announcement

Click on image for larger view.

Revival at Sparta

I received the following e-mail announcing revival at the Sparta church:

Bro. Chip, I wanted to invite you guys to join us, "By His Grace" Ministries for revival services at Sparta COGOP. We will begin services Friday night @ 7 PM thru Sunday morning. Hope you can join us and help us pray for revival!

God bless you! Gary Baker
www.byhisgrace.faithsite.com

The past few days...

We had an awesome service on Wednesday night. My mother ministered from the book of Jonah, “You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide.” Following her teaching, we had a powerful time of prayer. As we prayed for one another the Holy Spirit seemed to sweep through among us. The children came from the back and joined in the celebration. It was so exciting to see them express the joy of the Lord along with us “older folks.”

Friday, my family went to the lake in Spring City to celebrate Independence Day. We had a great time! I got to see many of my maternal relatives—the Weaver clan. It is always a joy to be around them.

Today we had an awesome service. Pastor Tony Cathey was with us (filling in for our Worship leader who took some extra time with his family). Tony did an awesome job. I preached “Understanding the Seasons of Your Life.” Although we had about 10 of our regular people out, we still had 30 people in attendance with several first time guests! Today was also the first service in which we had a drummer, and we are looking forward to having her play on a regular basis as part of our worship services. We are excited about the future!!

Plateau District Fellowship

I received this from Freddie Harding.


Click image to enlarge.

Week-end update

Saturday was the 7th Annual Block Party hosted by Bread of Life Rescue Mission. Mother, Dad, and I went around noon and it was very crowded. It was good to see so many people interested in the ministry of this mission. We enjoyed visiting and look forward to our continued cooperation with them.

Saturday afternoon I went to Grandview for my niece's birthday party. It was a western theme and free horse rides were offered. Jurnee had a great time opening all her birthday presents (who wouldn't, heh?)

Yesterday we had a great service. I preached "Wake up, take off your night clothes, put on your day clothes, and go to work" with Romans 13:11-14 as my text. We had some 2nd time guests and Aaron (Rhonda's son) who is visiting from CA.

I'm looking forward to a wonderful week ahead!

Just A Reminder

I received the following note from Linda Kawicki, Bread of Life Mission Secretary.

Just as a reminder: 

Tomorrow is the BLOCK PARTY hosted by the Bread of Life from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm.  Lots of food and fun for the kids.  And lots of praise and worship.

Hope to see you all there.  Bring your favorite lawn chair and enjoy the day with us. 

God Bless

Restoration Ministries Newsletter

On Eagles Wings
Restoration Ministries Newsletter
February – March, 2008

In February, we had a meeting with the NUFED schools. The purpose of this meeting was to decide which schools wanted which project. The projects offered were: reforestation, water cisterns, raising fish, and raising chickens.

On February 8, Vickie and I began raising 500 Tilapia. They are growing very well. Starter food has been given to them three times a day. We started out at 9 ounces, then 12 ounces, and now they receive 1 lb of food. The Tilapia were just minnows when purchased. Now, some are about 3 to 4 inches long in two months. However, 63 fish have died. Please pray for the fish to stop dying. The fish will be sold, and the proceeds will be used for construction.

 
The day finally came to hand out certificates of thanks and the showing of a Jesus film. Twenty two of the twenty eight families who installed water cisterns during the past two years received their certificate of thanks. After a time of thanking the people, we also praised the Lord for supplying rain to fill the cisterns. There were approximately 100 men, women, and children in attendance.

Following the time of thanksgiving, we showed the Jesus film. The movie was enjoyed by all. No one came forward afterwards for prayer. However, we ask that you partner with us in continued prayer for the village of Cajon de Rio.

On March 3, Don Julio came to teach us how to graft our fruit trees. Four people were present to learn how to do the grafting process. Two hundred thirteen trees were grafted in all. The trees grafted were 70 tangerine, 70 limes, and 73 grapefruit. We are now waiting to make sure the grafts took hold.

Santos and Amabilia, two students from the Intermach school in Jacotan planted radishes. We planted approximately 800 radishes. The radishes will be sold, and the proceeds used for construction. The radishes are growing well and will be ready to harvest in about 3 weeks.

On March 28, Jorge Rosales from NUFED schools and I went to Guareruche. For two days, Moringa limbs were cut down in preparation to be handled out at the school inn Guarecruche. The teacher was excited about the trees as were the students and parents. Twenty seven limbs, three feet long, were given to the school. The limbs were placed in a dark room for four days. Then, they will be planted around the school property.


The students and I visited San Jocinto and another village about 10 minutes from Chiquimula. They graciously gave us permission to cut 100 Moringa limbs from each location to hand out at the NUFED schools. It is our goal to plant the Moringa limbs at each school. Six months later the limbs will be cut off and half given to the school and the other half to us so other schools will benefit from the limbs. The Moringa trees have a three fold purpose. The leaves are a good vitamin resource, the seeds are used to purify water, and the wood can be used for firewood for cooking. Every six moths the limbs can be cut. Since the tree grows so fast, the tree is a good resource for firewood.

The students mixed dirt to put into bags to plant seeds. Six hundred bags were filled with dirt. The mixture was six parts dirt, three parts manure and one part sand. Six hundred Ramon seeds were planted in the bags.

The Ramon trees can supply food for the people. The Ramon seeds can be ground and made into tortillas and atol, a drink which the people like.

We thank you for helping us with our personal support. Without your faithful financial support, we would not be able to serve the Mayan people of Camotan and Jacotan, Guatemala.

God bless you for all you do.
Love and prayers.
David, Vickie, and Melissa

Service at Bread of Life

Saturday night was awesome! New Beginnings prepared the evening meal for the residents of Bread of Life Rescue Mission. We served about 30 people and there was plenty of help and food. After the meal, we had a service with them. Representatives of the Lantana Road Baptist Church opened the service and led in singing, and then I preached. I used Matthew 20:30-34 as my text. The Spirit of the Lord was awesome in that place. Several came forward for prayer during the altar service, and one man gave his heart to the Lord. God is awesome!

On Saturday, June 28th, Bread of Life will host their 7th Annual Block Party and Open House. This will be an all day event, beginning at 10:30 a.m. and concluding at 6:00 p.m. There will be fun and games for the kids, plenty to eat, and lots of worship, music, and praise.

Praise Reports

I just received word a little while ago from the families of Veness Diden and Rhonda Turner. Sister Veness had her surgery this morning in Knoxville and she came through it quite well. She had a tumor behind her right eye about the size of a golf ball. The doctors were able to get it all, and it was benign.

Rhonda had her surgery in California. She had an aneurysm in the brain. I am told the surgery was successful and Rhonda is doing great.

We give praise to the Lord for watching over each of these ladies today. Please continue to remember them in prayer that they will have a full and speedy recovery!

Prayer Requests

Today both Veness Diden (from Sunbright) and Rhonda Turner (my cousin) will be having surgery. Please join me in prayer for both of these ladies.

Christian Unity

Here is an interesting quote I found on Christian unity.

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshippers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. Social religion is perfected when private religion is purified. --A.W. Tozer

Why Another Church?

I am often asked, "Why would you want to start another church in Crossville?" In some ways, I suppose this is a legitimate question, although I do sometimes tire of hearing it. Nevertheless, I would like to answer the question here.

First of all, starting a new church is biblical! Paul said, “My one ambition is to proclaim the gospel where the name of Christ is not known, lest I build on someone else's foundation” (Romans 15:20). The New Testament church was very aggressive in planting churches.

Second, starting a new church gives people options! Usually, churches are afraid of competition from a new church that is planted across town. It is possible, however, for two churches to complement one another rather than to be in competition. People are not all the same, and some aspects (style of worship, average age of congregation, etc.) of one church may not appeal to everyone.

Third, starting a new church may be more effective in reaching the lost. Numerous studies have shown that 60-8- percent of the new adult members of new congregations are people who were not actively involved in the life of any worshiping congregation immediately prior to joining a new mission.

Father's Day

In my preparation for our Sunday service, I ran across this poem and thought I'd share it here.

Mender of toys, leader of boys,
Changer of fuses, kisser of bruises,
Bless him, O Lord.

Mover of couches, soother of ouches,
Ponder of nails, teller of tales,
Reward him, O Lord.

Hanger of screens, counselor of teens,
Fixer of bikes, chastiser of tykes,
Help him, O Lord.

Raker of leaves, cleaner of eaves,
Dryer of dishes, fulfiller of wishes,
Bless him, O Lord.

Expecting Better Things

The story is told of a salesman who had a flat tire on a lonely road one dark rainy night and, to his dismay, he had no lug wrench. Seeing a nearby farmhouse, he set out on foot. Surely the farmer would have a lug wrench, he thought. But would he even come to the door? And if he did, he’d probably be furious at being bothered. He’d probably say, “What’s the big idea getting me out of bed in the middle of the night?” This thought made the salesman angry. Why, that farmer is a selfish old clod to refuse to help me.

Finally the man reached the farmhouse. Frustrated and drenched, he banged on the door. “Who’s there?” a voice called out from a window overhead.

“You know good and well who it is,” yelled the salesman, his face red with anger. “It’s me! And you can keep your old lug wrench! I wouldn’t borrow it if it was the last one in the county.”

It is amazing how our thoughts often determine our actions. We can work ourselves into a frenzy dwelling on negative things. But it is a contradiction to think that we can walk in faith, expecting all the good things of God, while dwelling on the negative and being suspicious of the motives of others. Perhaps that’s why Paul said, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV). The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language says it this way: “Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.” Don’t dwell on things as they are...or appear to be...expect better!

News From Thailand

I spoke with Boonyong Bureenok on the phone last night and he shared some of the happenings in Thailand with me. Later, he sent me several photos, some of which I will post here. Please continue to join me in prayer for Brother Boone and his family, the orphanage, and the work of ministry in Thailand.

Praise Report

A few days ago I requested prayer for Reese Samuel Davis, My cousin, Ginger Meadows Davis' new baby. Although he remains in Children's hospital in CA, I am informed that he is doing much better. We praise the Lord for touching and watching over this baby, and request your continued prayer.

Ralph Reagan

We were very honored to have Pastor Ralph Reagan of Bread of Life Rescue Mission to minister to us at New Beginnings this morning. I had only met Ralph once before, but I had heard a great deal about him and how the Lord is using him in Crossville.

Brother Ralph preached a very inspiring message on standing up for what we believe even in difficult times. He stated that the enemy will use all kinds of temptations to sway us, but it is critical that we remain absolutely committed to the cause of Christ. He shared some of his life story, especially after he surrendered his life to the Lord.

After the service, I announced that Ralph had brought a supply of his book (just recently published). I'm not sure how many he brought, but the were all sold and he was kind enough to sign several (if not all) of them. Once I got home, I started reading the book and have now finished it. The book, Fallen, Felon, and finally Faith, is a powerful testimony of Ralph's life and the grace of our loving God! To purchase books contact: April Press BOL, P.O. Box 1514, Crossville, TN 38558

Prayer Request

My cousin, Ginger Meadows Davis, had a baby on Friday. His name is Reese Samuel Davis. I just learned that the baby is in a children's hospital in California in critical care. I'm not sure of all the details, but Uncle Jim is requesting that we please be in prayer for Reese.

Bread of Life Rescue Mission

New Beginnings had the privilege of serving a meal at Bread of Life Rescue Mission tonight! This was our first time to serve a hot meal, but certainly not the last we will be doing to support this tremendous ministry. In fact, we are scheduled to be back there on May 31. We also have a box at New Beginnings for receiving food donations for the Bread of Life food pantry.

I am pleased to announce, too, that Pastor Ralph Reagan, co-founder of Bread of Life Rescue Mission, will be with us this Sunday morning to share from the Word, and about BOL. Ralph has written a book, Fallen, Felon, and Finally Faith which has just been published. He will have some with him on Sunday and will be on hand to sign copies. The book is $10 and the net proceeds go to the mission building fund.

Please add Pastor Ralph and his wife Connie as well as the ministry of Bread of Life to your prayer list.

Just a Reminder....

Sunday is Mother's Day! As I have been preparing and thinking about how to best honor our mothers, I ran across a few quotes I thought I'd share with you here.

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.”
- Rajneesh

“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother."
- Abraham Lincoln

“If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden.”
- Attributed to Claudia Ghandi

You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back.
-William D. Tammeus

Don't wait until Sunday to tell your mother you love her!

Praise Report

I went to Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt yesterday, along with Mother & Dad, Bill & Kim and family. I am pleased to report that Isaiah Samuel is doing much better. His bilyrubin has come down. He will probably be in the hospital for a day or so longer, but I know the Lord has touched him. We appreciate your prayers very much and request that you continue to pray for him and Jason and Jennifer.

Prayer Request

I just learned a little while ago that my new nephew, Isaiah Samuel Meadows, was admitted to Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt because his bilirubin is too high. They have started him on IV’s and placed him under the light, but the doctors have also already mentioned the possible need for a blood transfusion. Please join me in prayer for him.

National Day of Prayer

Just a reminder that tomorrow, May 1, is the National Day of Prayer. Please join us at the Cumberland County Courthouse tomorrow for a time of prayer for our nation. The theme this year is: Prayer! America's Shield & Strength.

A Brand New Meadows

I am happy to announce that I'm an uncle...again! The newest member of the Meadows family is...

Isaiah Samuel Meadows
Born at 6:10 AM on April 30th 2008
7 pounds 15 ounces
21 inches long

I would like to congratulate my brother Jason and his wife Jennifer on this new bundle of joy. I went to see him today, and he is adorable!!

Jason and Jennifer request that we pray for them as they transition into a 4 member family and as Josiah gets used to his new little brother.

Martin Luther

Someone recently shared this with me and I thought it good to post it here. This is by Martin Luther (1483-1546).

Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord,
With all your graces now outpoured
On each believer's mind and heart;
Your fervent love to them impart.
Lord, by the brightness of your Light
In holy faith your Church unite;
From ev'ry land and ev'ry tongue,
This to your praise, O Lord, Our God, be sung:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Communion Sunday

Just a reminder that tomorrow is Communion Day at New Beginnings. We will be observing Holy Communion on the fourth Sunday of each month.

The Holy Communion (also referred to as the Lord's Supper and the Eucharist) is one of the ordinances given by Christ to the church. Because it is an ordinance (commanded by Christ, the Lord of the church) it is not optional. As surely as all believers are commanded to be baptized, likewise all believers are commanded to partake of the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby Christian believers, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, remember the death of the Redeemer with thanksgiving and anticipate His second coming.

Steve Weaver explains that 1 Corinthians 11:26-28 gives an overview of four important looks that one should take before, during and after taking the Lord's Supper:

* The first is a backward look to the cross. The Lord's Supper's primary message is about remembering the cross of Christ and what was accomplished there for our sins. Any celebration of the Lord's Supper with acknowledging the cause of its celebration causes one to become "guilty of the body and blood of the Lord" (v. 27). The purpose of the Lord's Supper is, as v. 26 states, to "shew the Lord's death till he come."
* Secondly, one must also take an inward look to examine one's own heart and motives (v. 28). Are you considering what this Supper represents? Are you right with God and your brother? These matters must be dealt with properly before receiving the Lord's Supper.
* Thirdly, a forward look is needed. We must look forward to the Second Coming of Christ. Every celebration of the Lord's Supper is an occasion to look forward to the day when we consummate this great feast with Jesus Christ Himself at the head of the table. "“For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord'’s death till he come"” (v. 26).
* Finally, a outward look to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is needed. Although the Lord's Supper is intensely personal, there is an important corporate element to this ordinance as well. Failure to care for the needs of our brothers and sisters results in the same condemnation received by the Corinthians. To come to the Lord's table without the attitude and action of humble, serving love for one another is a failure to properly "discern the Lord's body." As we remember how the physical body of Christ was broken for us, it is also important that we remember that we are a part of the spiritual body of Christ. Therefore, it matters whether or not we are in fellowship with one another when partaking of the Lord's Supper.

Heartfelt Thanks

I wish to express my sincere and heart-felt appreciation for all the wonderful cards and expressions of love for my birthday. I received several phone calls on Monday and tonight I was very surprised with a birthday party at the church. I can usually sniff surprises out, but you guys got me on this one! You guys are just awesome, and I thank the Lord for you all. I am humbled by your kindness...even you, Chelsie! (Ha! Ha!).

Death Notice

Yesterday Jerry Houston passed away. Jerry was the father of my sister-in-law, Brenda Meadows. The arrangements are as follows:

Visitation from 11 AM to 1 PM tomorrow (Saturday, April 18) at Hood Funeral Home. The funeral will follow the visitation.

Please join me in prayer for Brenda, her brother and the rest of the family.

Hosea a Portrait of God's Love

I received the following from Pastor Terry Barnwell.

Recently White Wing Publishing House commissioned Pastor Terry Barnwell at Arrowhead Church, to write some curriculum for them in the Spirit Matters Lessons. These lessons are now available for purchase. They are designed for Sunday School, Small Group Studies, or Wednesday Evening classes. These lessons are undated meaning they can be taught anytime, without following a set teaching schedule as the traditional Sunday School lessons in the past. The study I have written in this series is called; "Hosea a Portrait of God's Love". These lessons are centered on the biblical character Hosea and his unconditional love for a promiscuous wife. Each lesson is designed to challenge the student concerning how they impact the world around them with Christ Love. I have attempted to make the material cutting edge, fresh, and applicable to real life for the student.

Each lesson includes an introduction titled "Introductory Matters", with the study body including sessions titled; "Principle Matters", "Questions Matters”, and "Resolving Matters". The "Questions Matters" section is designed to allow the teacher to initiate discussion either at the conclusion of the lesson or at times within the lesson.

This inviting booklet has ten lessons on "Hosea a Portrait of God's Love" which includes;

Lesson One: Bearing the Name of Jesus - Salvation
Lesson Two: A Wife Named Gomer - Completeness
Lesson Three: Hosea's Love for His Wayward Wife - Covenant
Lesson Four: Silent, Unnoticed Love - Serving
Lesson Five: Tough Love, Wounding to Heal - Great Physician
Lesson Six: In the Pits - Suffering
Lesson Seven: I Am Wrong - Repentance
Lesson Eight: A Redemptive Payment - Mercy & Grace
Lesson Nine: Putting His Name on the Line - Reputation
Lesson Ten: A Home Coming - Restoration

Each book also includes a CD. The CD contains a variety of resources for use by the teacher. All CDs include student pages to be printed out for each student. A Printed copy of the student pages is also included in the book.

Our prayer is that you will freely and creatively adapt these courses to your teaching style and setting as God leads.

This inviting study can be purchased today for $24.99 plus shipping and handling by calling White Wing Publishing House at 1-800-221-5027 and ask for Darlene, she is the account specialist. Soon it should be online at;
www.whitewingbooks.com

Funeral of Gertrude Turner

I failed to post this on Saturday, but I wanted to express how beautiful the service for Sister Turner was.

Brother Tacket, Pastor of Abundant Life Church, and Bishop Jimmie Turner officiated. They both shared about the life of this precious lady and what a beautiful example she set for others. Two granddaughters also shared about their grandmother--Lisa Shaw, and Mary Kimbro. It was very touching to hear them share some of their personal experiences. As Lisa concluded her remarks, she read a poem her husband wrote about Sister Turner.

While the loss of a loved one is a sad occasion, I know it must have been comforting to the family to know that this precious lady lived in Christ and she died in Christ. And her life was a testimony to that fact all the way to the end!

Upcoming Events

The state director of Women's Ministries has announced that the "Tennessee Ladies Day “Early Bird” registration is extended to Monday, April 7th to allow promotion one more Sunday." For more information or for an application please visit the Women's Ministry website here. You may also pick up an application at New Beginnings. Ladies Day is scheduled for April 25-26, 2008 at Camp Hickory Hills in Dickson, TN.

Also, the Crab Orchard Church of God of Prophecy will be having a Youth Revival April 28-May 3, 2008. There will be various speakers as well as drama and singing groups. I'm sure you will be blessed by attending.

Funeral Arrangements

The funeral arrangements for Gertrude Turner are as follows:

The family will receive friends at Hood Funeral Home on Friday, April 4 from 6 P.M. to 9 P.M. The funeral service will be on Saturday, April 5 at 1 P.M.

Please continue to pray for this family.

Gertrude Turner

I am saddened to share with you the death of Sister Gertrude Turner. Sister Turner served the Lord for many years. I am thankful that I had the privilege of knowing this precious lady. She lived an exemplary life demonstrating the love of God.

I will post funeral arrangements as soon as I know them. Please join me in praying for the family.

Also the Presiding Bishop of Tennessee announced today that Deacon Frank Howard (father of our General Overseer) passed away. You can find out more by clicking here.

EASTER

We had a wonderful Easter service on Sunday with 31 in attendance. Paul Netherton opened the service with a warm welcome and a few words.
Here are a few more photos taken after the service.

Prayer Request

I was informed this morning that my nephew, Josiah, has a temperature of 103, and Jennifer is taking him to the doctor today. She has not been feeling well, either, so she has an appointment, as well. Please keep both of these in your prayers.

Pastor Ken Dyer

It was a joy to have Pastor Ken Dyer from Harvest Christian Fellowship as our special guest yesterday. Pastor Dyer preached an awesome message entitled, “Are You Ready for Action?” His text was from Acts 10:34-44 with emphasis on verse 38.

“Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him” (Acts 10:38 MSG).

He stated that there are two things that give legitimacy to our existence as a church: 1) The fact that God’s presence is here, and 2) that we are making a positive impact in our community. These two go hand in hand.

We were challenged to bombard heaven with prayer and to bombard our community with the love, grace, and power of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s time to make a difference.

Reminder

This Sunday, March 9, Daylight Saving Time begins. This is the time of year when we “spring forward” one hour. In the U.S., DST begins at 2 a.m., so it’s a good idea to move your clock forward one hour before you go to bed.

Also, Pastor Ken Dyer, of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Knoxville, will be our guest minister on Sunday morning. Pastor Dyer is the President of Harvest Restoration Outreach Center Ministries, Inc., and is also the Senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship Church. HCF is a spiritual arm of Harvest ROC Ministries.

Pastor Dyer is a native of Knoxville, TN. and is a graduate of the old South High School in South Knoxville. He is also a graduate of Johnson Bible College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ministry and Leadership. Later, he received his Master of Theology and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling from Life Christian University, Knoxville Campus.

A Wonderful Worship Service

Yesterday was a wonderful time for New Beginnings. We had 25 in attendance with 3 new people.

Lisa Shaw opened the service with the Word, and our newly formed praise team led the congregation in an enthusiastic time of praise to our Lord.



I preached on the subject Overcoming Spiritual Limits, and we had an awesome time of prayer and praise. It was a great day, indeed!

New Life

NEW CREATION

London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior.

As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.

"Forget about the repairs," the buyer said. "When I buy this place, I'm going to build something completely different. I don't want the building; I want the site."

Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God's, the old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17). He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to build.

Ian L. Wilson.

The photo is from http://www.heartlight.org/cgi/heartgallery.cgi
The illustration is from http://www.higherpraise.com/illustrations/new_creation.htm

Men's Ministry Breakfast

Just a reminder that our Men's Ministry is having a Men's Breakfast tomorrow morning at 8:30 A.M. at Ryans. We are looking forward to a good time of fellowship.

Prayer for Brother Varlack

I received the following e-mail from Glynis last night.

"Please be in prayer for my dad, Adrian Varlack, Sr. He's been sick for 3 weeks and is being advised to go to the emergency room with swelling in his legs that medicine isn't helping. He has not been this sick as long as I can remember. Please also remember my mom, Janice. Please please pray! Thank you! ~G~"

I spoke with her this morning and she said, she talked to Brother Varlack last night and he has fluid around his heart. "Just pray for his overall healing as he has several issues right now and pray for wisdom for him, mom and the doctors. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Love you. ~G~"

Brother Varlack is a powerful and anointed man of God! Please join me in prayer for his healing.

Prayer Requests

Here are a few prayer requests.

Gertrude Turner is still in the hospital and is not doing well at all. Sister Turner is 96 years old and has given her life in service to our Lord. She is the mother of Bishop Jimmie Turner and the grandmother of Lisa Shaw and Tina Blaylock.

Audra Spurlin is still in need of our prayers. She is back home now, but still recovering.

Mary Waldo broke her foot yesterday and requests our prayers.

Dan and Marcia Juday are both sick and request our prayers.

Also, Bishop McKinley has posted a request for John Payne on his blog. You can read it here.

Please join me in prayer for each of these! Our God is an AWESOME God!!

Praise Report

We are thankful to the Lord for all He is doing at New Beginnings! Sunday morning we had a very exciting worship service and we had 4 new people. I preached that we need to stop limiting the power of God in us. God wants to do great and wondrous things in and through His people. He wants to give hope to the hopeless. He wants to strengthen the weak. He wants to restore the broken heart. He wants to heal the sick. God wants to shower His people with every good thing (Psalm 84:11), but we must have faith and trust Him. After the message, several people made their way to the altar for prayer.

Happy Valentines Day

Twice As Sweet
On Valentines Day, we show our love;
We express our deep affections.
Those who are important to us
Get cards and sweet confections.

But Christian love is not just for
The ones we hold most dear;
Jesus said "love everyone;"
He made that very clear.

For Christians, it is every day
We should care and love and serve
Everyone we meet in life,
Whether they do or don’t deserve.

Let’s follow Jesus’ good command
To love everyone we meet.
Valentine’s Day every day
Will make life twice as sweet.

By Joanna Fuchs

For other poems by Joanna Fuchs, please click here.

Prayer Requests

Our General Overseer, Bishop Randall Howard, has posted a report on the violence in Kenya. You can read the report here. Please join me in prayer for our brothers and sisters who are suffering in this region of the world.


Also, please continue to pray for Gertie Turner who is still in the hospital.

Prayer Request

Granny Turner, Lisa and Tina's grandmother, was admitted into CMC yesterday. She is not doing well. Mother and I went by to visit her yesterday and had prayer with her. She said she is probably sicker than she's ever been, and she is in a lot of pain. This lady is well into her 90's and she has seen a lot in her lifetime. She has also been a faithful Christian for many years.

Please join me in prayer for her that the Lord will give her comfort.

Harvest Food Pantry

I received the following e-mail this afternoon. I'm posting it here as a courtesy to Sister Sharon.

_________________________________________________
As most of you know I have been actively involved in Harvest Food Pantry (a ministry of Harvest Christian Fellowship Church, 2505 Washington Pike, Knoxville, TN 37917) since the summer of 1998 when we first opened our doors. We went from serving 7 families on that first day in July to around 150 families each time the doors open now.

That's approximately 525 people who will benefit from the food distributed each time we are open.

God has blessed this ministry beyond words with our small congregation solely
supporting it, with the exception of some occasional contributions and donations.
In addition to providing for us, God truly helps us offer those that come,
"Bread for their Body, as well as Bread for their Soul" through His Word!

As we open our doors this coming Friday for the first time in 2008 we continue to face some challenges that have arisen in the past few years, as quality food is increasingly more difficult to find. This is one of the most common problems associated with poverty and trying to fill the needs of the hungry. Trying to obtain food that will nourish them, instead of junk food (which is always readily available) is a difficulty we face on a continual basis.

In effort to help positively impact the people who come to us in need without asking others for financial support, I am simply asking everyone that I know who belongs to a Church, a Sunday School Class, a Community Club, works in an office, are Local Business owners,
or maybe just attend a Class that's looking for a Missions (type) Project to help support this ministry in this very simple way:

Your Group would Choose 1 Item such as, Peanut butter, or Cereal, or Oatmeal, or Spaghetti, or Flour, etc., (you get the idea). Then have your group collect ONLY that item on a continual basis throughout each month of the year.

At the end of each month, I will come and pick up whatever you collected.
If you have a local business, we can bring a container where you could collect donations of that item to help support the Hungry. It takes about 150 of any ONE ITEM to fill one set of grocery bags for distribution. If you collected 150 boxes of Cereal, there would be enough for every family to receive one in their bag for that week.

This would bless this ministry beyond words, it would certainly be a blessing to those who receive food from Harvest Food Pantry and of course you would be blessed in your giving.

I will make a list of Donors to be placed in each bag that is distributed, unless you prefer to remain anonymous.

Not including any other expenses, it costs approximately $650 a month to purchase enough food from Second Harvest Food Bank to feed 300 families (approximately 1,050 people). So, if your class, business, school, or other would rather take an offering and donate funds, you could be responsible for feeding over 1,000 people easily!
What a tremendous and rewarding feeling it is to know that you are impacting the mission field that exists right in your own backyard!

Also, if anyone is qualified to teach a Parenting Class or Budgeting Class and would like to donate a couple of hours of time, we would love to implement that in our ministry! If you have any area of expertise that you feel you could donate, or maybe you work in the Food Industry and have any "Day Old" items that could be donated, that too would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read this.
I hope you will pray about helping us, help those who come to us with desperate needs!

You can contact me via e-mail: Sharon6tn@aol.com or on my cell phone: 865- 705-2559

With Sincere Gratitude,

Sharon Aruta
Harvest Food Pantry Director
Harvest ROC Ministries
865-637-1295 church office

The Favor of God

We've been gathering people for this church we call New Beginnings for 6 months and it is absolutely amazing what God is doing.

Yes, there have been times when I wondered how this was all going to work out, but then the Lord would remind me that this is His doing, not mine.

It is sometimes difficult to be starting a church in an area that already has so many churches (and several of them COGOP). The enemy has tried to discourage us by directing criticism our way, but we remain focused on our mission. Nehemiah, too, had his critics and those who opposed what he was doing, but he walked in the favor of God.

We believe we have heard from God, and we have stepped out in faith. We have no desire to compete with what God is doing in other churches. We simply want to join in the harvest and win the lost for Christ and His kingdom!

The only way I know how to explain what’s happening at New Beginnings is that for some reason the timing seems right and God seems to pouring out His favor on us.

Here's what's been happening...

1. From August to January we were meeting in a small chapel (the Sam & Zella Lawsom Memorial Chapel) free of charge.

2. In December the Lord suddenly opened a door for us to move into a much larger building in Crossville in an excellent location, and the rent is VERY low. We had our first service in the new building yesterday.

3. The Lord has been speaking to our people, and we have received pledges that will more than cover the rent of this facility.

4. Since the very beginning (in August), Harvest Christian Fellowship has been partnering with us in prayer and financial support.

5. We have received financial support for youth & children’s ministries from not only people who attend New Beginnings, but people who are interested in what we are doing.

6. Recently we received a substantial donation for a multimedia system and other needed items.

7. Yesterday a lady (from another denomination) stopped by after church to let me know that she has been telling people about our church and is excited about what God is doing.

It seems very clear to me that God's favor is upon us, and we are deeply thankful for His favor and blessing!

MyCOGOP Space

This morning I discovered that there is a Christian alternative to popular online communities such as myspace.com, youtube.com, facebook.com and many others. MYCOGOP SPACE is a One-Stop online community for the Church of God of Prophecy world wide, a place where COGOP members and friends can come and share their, thoughts, ideas, testimonies and more ...
You can check it out here.

God Leads Us Along

Today I found a little song sheet (printed in 1962) that belonged to my maternal grandmother, Mildred (Dyer) Greer. One of the songs printed was of particular interest to me. I haven't heard it in a very long time, so I just thought I’d share it with you here. According to Timeless Truths website, it is in the public domain.

GOD LEADS US ALONG
George A. Young (1903)

In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along;
Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet,
God leads His dear children along.

Refrain:
Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.

Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,
God leads His dear children along;
Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night,
God leads His dear children along.

Though sorrows befall us and evils oppose,
God leads His dear children along;
Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes,
God leads His dear children along.

Away from the mire, and away from the clay,
God leads His dear children along;
Away up in glory, eternity’s day,
God leads His dear children along.

Women's Ministry

Just a reminder, our women’s ministry will begin a bible study tonight at 6:30 in Roy & Faye’s home. The curriculum is A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place, by Beth Moore. This is an eleven (11) week course and the classes will be approximately two (2) hours in length.

Come! Study God’s Word! Interact with other women! Be challenged to prepare your heart, like the holy of holies, to become a home for His love and glory—a dwelling place for the Most High God.

Just a Reminder

• January 27—Plateau Region Leadership Meeting (sponsored by the State office of the Church of God of Prophecy in Tennessee) at the Lawrence Chapel Church starting at 6:00 p.m.

• January 28—The Women’s Ministry bible study will begins in Roy & Faye’s home. The curriculum is “A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place,” by Beth Moore.

Thoughts for today

Excitement is mounting as we prepare for a new phase of ministry in the life of New Beginnings. We were planning to meet at the building on 4th Street this evening for cleaning, etc; however, due to the fact that we couldn’t get the gas turned on by tonight, we will need to re-schedule. We will be meeting tonight on Mawila Ridge Road.

It is important to remember that it is God Who has called us together to join Him in this work, and His plan is continually unfolding. The heart of any ministry we engage in must always come from the heart of God! Our focus should not be on what we can do for people and how we can help and encourage them, but rather on how we can join God in what He has already done and is doing for them now!

In his Foreword to the book, Outreach Teams That Win: GROW, W. A. Criswell says: “Up and down every street in every city are those who are lost, families and friends and neighbors and acquaintances and fellow citizens in the communities where we ourselves are rearing our children and building our families. God Himself knew of our desperate need insomuch that He sent His only begotten Son to teach us the way of life, to die for our sins according to the Scripture, and to go before us in the evangelization of our families, of our communities, of our cities and nation, and of our whole world.”

We recognized long ago that the ministry God was calling us into would force us to leave our comfort zones. For most of us this is new territory, and it can be a little unsettling; however, our confidence is not in ourselves, but rather in God Who has called us! Remember,

“God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

There is much work to be done, and there is a work for everyone. I am excited about the future and I pray the Lord will bless you and strengthen you as you continue to submit your life to His purpose.

Amir Tsarfati

Several people from New Beginnings made our way to Knoxville last night to attend a special service at Harvest Christian Fellowship where Amir Tsarfati was ministering. There was a pretty full house with people traveling from as far as Florida.

Amir was born and raised in and around Jerusalem, Israel. He became a born again Christian while a teenager after watching the Jesus film.

Amir is a Captain in the Israeli Army Reserve, he was the Vice Governor of Jericho, he is part of the negotiating team with the Palestinians, and, a tour guide in Israel. He also speaks four languages fluently, and is an International speaker on terrorism.

It was exciting to hear this man's perspective on some of the prophecies of the Old Testament relating to Israel and the end times. You can find more information about his ministry at his website, Behold Israel.