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Compiled by the Faith Newsletter editor: Burt Pearson
Contents:
From Your Pastor
Service and Mercy
Faith Kitchen Korner
Youth Group News
Library Notes
Thank You
The Healthy Church
Mistaken Identities and Disguises
Teach Him, World, But Gently
Planning Their Wedding
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From your Pastor
Several years ago Pastor John Huffman, Jr. wrote an article for the Los Angeles Times entitled: “Reaching the Christmas and Easter Crowd--Inside the minds of holiday-only attenders.”
He wrote:
Every pastor encounters them: the Christmas and Easter faces that appear in church only on the holiest of days. It's easy to grow cynical about the once-or-twice-a-year crowd. On the other hand, holidays provide the opportunity to touch the lives of the "under-churched."
Then he posed the question:
How do you feel about Christmas and Easter attenders?
You know, if you think about it, there are times when we can get a little cynical when see people who have such an apathetic attitude toward worship, which is such an integral part of our lives. However, Huffman challenged us with four emotions that should replace our cynicism.
1. Excitement.
What an incredible joy it is to see someone come to life-saving faith in Jesus Christ, and
then see him or her become an active member of the community of faith. While worship
is for believers, we need to take care to make our worship clear, and understandable to
people in our communities. Particularly during the holidays, we have an opportunity to
present the very essence of what it is to come into a personal relationship with the Lord
Jesus Christ, as we trust the Holy Spirit with the results of the message.
2. Compassion.
Instead of cynicism, we need to try to understand them. There may be valid reasons why some people come only on holidays. Maybe they have truly had some traumatic
experiences in church—even Christians can be cruel. Or perhaps the church didn't really
preach Jesus Christ and it was just a social club. Others have been adgered by an
overeager family member who has tried to force them into the faith. Still others may have
suffered a major personal tragedy that has currently rendered them emotionally incapable of sitting through a worship service. While they need to be in church where they can find
hope and healing and support from a loving congregation, they are unable to walk through the door without bursting into tears. Sometimes going to church to worship God,
and singing 'How Great Thou Art,' can be like salt in the wound of a broken heart. We all know that God is good all the time and that He is forever faithful. Yet, sometimes His
providence is very hard to accept. For others, it is simply a case of rebellion against God.
And these people stay away either because they don't believe in God, or they may know
they're living with some area of un-confessed sin and they feel ashamed. Additionally,
some people have never really understood what the Christian faith is all about. So there
are all kinds of reasons, and in the minds of holiday-attenders the reasons are valid.
3. Sadness.
As much as we pray, and work, and love those holiday-attenders, some will simply not
take seriously the claims of Jesus Christ. While there are some who may continue to
attend for a period of time, they will drift back to their old lifestyles. So this can be a time
of sadness when we think about people who are still lost and dead in their sins. It is
especially hard when it is a family member, or someone you love.
4. Hopeful.
Fourthly, and finally, we should be hopeful. Every Christmas and every Easter there are
some who come home to Jesus. God gives them a new heart and opens their eyes by the
power of the Holy Spirit, they repent of their sins, trust in Christ and the angels in heaven
rejoice. For the first time in their life they see beyond the civic and religious festivities to
the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. They come to understand that there is a God who
created them with purpose and meaning. They come to understand that they are sinners, and that their sin has separated them from a Holy God. They come to understand that
God sent his only Son Jesus Christ (the second person of the Trinity), to die for our sins
and to be raised from the dead in victory over sin and death. They come to understand
that one needs to receive freely the gift of God's grace that cannot be earned by religious
activity, even church attendance. They come to understand that God, knowing we cannot
go it alone in the Christian faith, places us in his local community called the church,
where we grow through worship, Bible study, fellowship, and service to others. And they
enthusiastically join us in the realization that every weekend is Christmas and Easter, for every Sunday we celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
As we approach Holy Week, I’m praying that we will have some “holiday-attenders.” If we do, may the Lord remind all of us where he found us, and then may he remind us of our eternal home. Peter writes: “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” [1 Peter 2:10].
“I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.” (Amazing Grace- by John Newton)
Glory be to God!, Grace and peace,
Pastor Bob Adams
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Service and Mercy
Last month, Michael D. Gallogly, introduced you to the Diaconate Ministry here at Faith. I thought this month I would continue with what Mike started. I was elected by the congregation to this ministry in January. I will serve as a Deacon of Faith Presbyterian Church until 2010. My area of responsibility is in the area of Service and Mercy. I also serve on the Worship Committee. This month I will focus primarily on my responsibilities under Service and Mercy. Later in the year I will share some of my thoughts about Worship.
The Deacon’s Manual opens with the following:
PURPOSE: To Glorify God.
GOAL: Faith Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church is committed to helping the world find new life through Jesus Christ. To this end, we dedicate ourselves:
1) to live for God, worshiping Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength;
2) to live for each other, building up one another in love;
3) to live for the salvation of people, bringing others to faith in the Son of God; and,
4) to live in the world for Christ’s sake, representing Him in service and joyful giving.
PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY:
Even though churches may have the same doctrinal beliefs, they can differ markedly in how they work out their beliefs in the ministry of the church. We have outlined six basic character traits, which we believe God wants us to build into the ministry at Faith Presbyterian Church. These traits give a picture of who we are now and also where we are going in the grace of God. Each of these characteristics is rooted in the Word of God.
I included the above to help you understand the base from which our entire ministry springs. One of the six basic character traits falls under my area of responsibility: Service and Mercy. I know you may be thinking, “Well, Tom, that is two characteristics.” For our purposes we see service and mercy as one thing. I can further explain by listing the five specific actions I take as the Deacon responsible for this area of ministry.
1) Screen those applying for assistance from the deacons’ fund
2) Develop procedures for the care and needs of the widows in the church
3) Organize and coordinate any transportation needs for the congregation
4) Alert the officers to the needs, both financial and spiritual, of the congregation
5) Initiate ways to improve the quality of life of the congregation
As you can see, this carries much responsibility, which I take very seriously. The process is not an easy one, as each need has its own special characteristics. To add to the difficulty, at times, there are requests made that are not true needs. It is fairly easy to deal with our church family when a need arises. We are often aware of the need before the request is made. The requests, which come from the community, are more difficult to deal with. We must be good stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. When a request comes from the community we begin doing some research to gain as much information as possible before taking action.
Unfortunately, there are those who make a living traveling from place to place seeking assistance from local churches. It has been the policy of Faith to try to limit our help to those in the Central Brevard County area. All others will be referred to an organization or local church in their geographic location.
It is truly our desire to serve others in the Name of Jesus Christ. We especially know we have a responsibility to all of those God has entrusted to the ministry of Faith Presbyterian Church. I know it is sometimes difficult to ask for help should the need arise. Please know that every situation will be handled with the utmost confidentiality. No one in our congregation should go through any crisis alone. The love and concern exhibited here, at Faith, goes far beyond anything I have experienced in any other church I have served. There is always a way for God’s provision to be brought into our lives. I know that some needs may go beyond our means or expertise, but we can help you find help even if it is beyond us.
If you know of anyone who is in need of assistance in any of the five areas I listed above, please contact the church office at 321-452-1715 or you may contact me directly at 321-259-1879.
Submitted by Tom Ferraro
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Faith Kitchen Korner
Hello from the kitchen, another month has passed by with great success. The sweetheart dinner was wonderful! Thanks to our “sweetheart kitchen cooks” Charlie Harris, Bryan Holmes, Steve Richardson, and Al Stewart. A beautiful cake was made by Natalie Syms, and last but not least the youth did a fantastic job under the guidance of Joaquin and Brain Hall. The entertainment was great with our host Tom Ferraro as the MC. If I missed listing your name I’m sorry. All of us working together made it a Happy Valentine’s Night for everyone.
Thank-you if you have filled out one of the kitchen team cards in the recipe box and if you haven’t please fill one out, the card also serves as a point of contact.
Respectfully Submitted by:
Karen Thornton
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Youth Group News
Faith Youth Group thanks the congregation for their generous support at the Sweetheart Dinner. $506 was donated for our Youth Program. The money raised will offset the cost of camp this summer.
As a youth group, our desire is to continue:
- maturing in the faith
- developing Godly character
- learning to be servant leaders
- engaging our community to know Jesus
- attracting youth and their families to Faith
We cannot succeed in our mission of attracting families without providing a solid youth program. Please prayerfully consider the following ways you can assist the youth as we seek to know Jesus and make Him known:
Raising financial support
- The youth need money to attend summer camp, retreats, etc. These events are educational, social, and servant activities that positively transform our youth.
Social Events
- We need people to host social events like movie or game nights, pool parties, lock-ins, etc.
Servant Events
- It is important for youth to engage in local service projects to share their gifts with the congregation and the community. We need ideas that will help us engage our community to know Jesus.
Promotion and Outreach
- We need people to make our mission known in the community. How can our youth Activities advance the church’s mission? How do we bring more youth and families into our church? If you are interested in any of these areas, please either call Bryan or Joaquin Hall at 806.4083 or e-mail us at: youthgroup @ faithpresbyterianarp.org
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Library Notes
If anyone is interested in helping to organize the library, please contact Ann Pusar or Brenda in the office. We are trying to get our library in order. It will take some dedication, but once we are done, our small library should practically run itself. Please consider helping.
Submitted by Ann Pusar
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Thank You
The following thank you was received from “Aids Orphans and Street Children”
We would like to thank you for your donation to AIDS Orphans & Street Children. We greatly appreciate the shoes. These items are hard to find overseas and they are really helpful to our orphans. This gives many orphans a unique opportunity to experience the protective feeling that shoes give, when most would not ordinarily be able to own shoes or receive them in any other way.. At the same time, this presents an opportune moment to show that someone cares enough about them, to do something for them. This is one of the most effective ways to share God’s love with these children, and it means a lot to them.
We will make sure that the shoes are put to good use by the orphans.
Once again, thank you so much for your time and efforts.
In Christ,
Robert M. Bland
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The Healthy Church
PROMOTING THE UNITY OF THE BODY
The following is a three-part article series on the importance of promoting unity of the church body. The first article of the series discusses the proper view of ourselves. The second article deals with the cause of divisions. The third is a discussion on the cure for divisions. The Biblical text is taken primarily from 1 Corinthians (with appropriate related passages), where Paul dealt with division in the church at Corinth.
THE HEALTHY CHURCH – PROMOTING THE UNITY OF THE BODY
THE PROPER VIEW OF OURSELVES (PART I)
1Cor 3:18-20
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” (NKJV)
Much division in the church could be avoided if individuals were not so impressed with themselves, with their own wisdom and with their own strengths. This leads to the problem of pride. The above passage says that we must become a fool (moros) in order to become wise. In other words, we should recognize that human wisdom is only foolishness (moria) in comparison to the spiritual wisdom available through a relationship with God. (Those two Greek terms are from the same root word where we get the modern word, moron.) A person, who believes himself wise in human wisdom and strength, is only fooling himself.
Paul was not writing about wisdom in such things as mathematics, biology, physics or engineering. We all can be very subject-matter knowledgeable without any spiritual enlightenment, because God created man with intellect or intelligence. Paul was referring to human wisdom as it relates to the matters of God. Prideful, human wisdom is foolish in comparison to God’s wisdom and truth. How many times have people with ‘perceived’ wisdom been heard to say, “I am too intelligent to believe in God”? This is the danger of human wisdom. There are many intelligent atheists in the world, particularly in academia, today. Human wisdom is foolish and useless in the matters of God, in His salvation and in His spiritual truth. Human wisdom has no way of discovering and understanding divine things. Why? We cannot understand because we are by our very nature corrupt. We humans have been corrupt since the original sin of our ancestor, Adam. Isaiah 64:6 tells us, “And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags (NKJV).”
No one—Christians included—has a right to their own opinion about God or about what God has revealed in His Word. When Christians start expressing and following their own ideas about the gospel, the church cannot help but to be divided. Christians are no wiser in their flesh than unbelievers. The first step in becoming truly wise is recognizing that our own human wisdom is foolishness and a reflection of the wisdom of the world. Foolish intellectual pride is the enemy of God’s revelation and is a tool of Satan.
In an attempt to emulate or entice the world, many churches ‘water-down’ God’s Word. Weak commitment to God’s Word will severely weaken a church. In a church where the Word of God is not the supreme authority, division is inevitable and unavoidable. In such a case, division will occur because that church is operating outside the Word and Will of God! This happens when pastors, leaders and members begin substituting their own ideas—their own human wisdom—for the inerrant truths of Scripture. When the truth of Scripture is not the sole authority, men’s ideas and opinions become the authority. This is a dangerous path for a church to follow. It leads to division, as well as to many other serious problems. Many times churches can even lose sight of Who God really is and what His Word truly says! Tragically, this is also the mark of a cult. Cultists believe the statements of their leaders who claim to have new interpretations of the Bible, or valuable additions to it.
We must submit to God and be faithful to His Word. Paul tells us that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (II Timothy 3:16, NKJV). Scripture is literally ‘God-Breathed’. When we read the Bible, we are reading the very Word of God. Unity comes from Doctrine. Doctrine does not come from unity. The Word of God is the foundation for unity. Believers, reading, teaching and committing to the Holy Word of God, build on that foundation. The church must create an atmosphere in which the Word of God is honored and followed, an atmosphere where ‘human wisdom’ is never used to judge or qualify God’s revelation. As far as the things of God are concerned, Christians must be totally under the submission of God’s Holy Word and the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Only then can we become truly wise in the ways of the Lord. Unity in the church is not possible unless Christians become foolish to the ‘perceived’ wisdom of the world. The Bible says to let him who glories, glory in the Lord.
JEREMIAH 9:23, 24
23Thus says the LORD:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
24But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD. (NKJV)
Paul refers to this passage from Jeremiah when writing to the Church in Corinth in 1Cor 1:26-31, “26For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28and the base (lowly or insignificant) things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—31that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” (NKJV)”
This passage from 1 Corinthians states that God chose the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise and He chose the weak things of the world to put to shame the mighty and that no flesh should glory in His presence. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born in a barn and slept in a feed trough for animals. Throughout God’s Word, the foolish, the unlikely, the lowly, the weak and the common were chosen by God to do His mighty works.
We cannot think too highly of ourselves by relying on our own wisdom and on our own strengths. We must not be so prideful as to glory in ourselves or in our accomplishments. We must allow God and His Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. We must die to self and we must die to our pride. We must keep our focus on God and glory in Him. Christ’s church must be in complete submission to God.
In Christ,
Anthony Chambers
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Mistaken Identities and Disguises
Put on your detective cap, and try to identify the people who appear below in disguises or cases of mistaken identity.
1. Isaac said, “The voice is ____ voice, but
the hands are the hands of____.”
2. Mary thought ______ was the
gardener.
3. Judah did not know that the “harlot”
was his daughter-in-law _____.
4. People thought _____ was John the
Baptist or Elijah.
5. In the morning, Jacob awoke to find
____, not ______ .
6. ____ disguised himself to visit the
“witch” of Endor.
7. ____ disguised himself to do battle with
Neco.
8. ____, the king of Israel, used a disguise
while battling Syria.
9. ____had his wife disguise herself and go
to Ahijah.
10. “The eye of the ____ … waits for the twilight, saying, “No eye will see me”; and he disguises his face.
(Click here for answers)
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Teach Him, World, But Gently
Teach Him, World, But Gently, Please by Dan Valentine
This article was written over 50 years ago and still holds true today…proving, no doubt, that generation gaps come and go but a father’s love for his son never changes.
My young son starts school Tuesday… It’s all going to be strange and new to him for a while, and world, I wish you would sort of treat him gently.
You see, up to now, he’s been king of the roost…he’s been boss of the back yard…his mother has been around to repair his wounds…and I’ve always been handy to soothe his feelings.
But now things are going to be different.
Tuesday morning he’s going to walk down the front steps, wave his hand, and start out on the great adventure. It’s an adventure that will probably include wars and tragedy and sorrow.
TO LIVE HIS LIFE in the world he has to live in will require faith and love and courage. So, world, I wish you would sort of take him by his young hand and teach him the things he will have to know.
Teach him…but gently, if you can.
He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero…that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader…teach him that for enemy, there is friend.
It will take time, I know, but teach him, if you can, that a nickel earned is of far more value than a dollar found…teach him to learn to lose…and enjoy winning.
STEER HIM AWAY FROM envy, if you can, and teach him the secret of quiet laughter.
Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest people to lick. Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books…but also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on a green hill.
In school, world, teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong.
Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with tough people.
Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is getting on the bandwagon…teach him to listen to all men…but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.
Teach him,if you can, how to laugh when he is sad…teach him there is no shame in tears…teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success.
TEACH HIM TO SCOFF at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness. Teach him to sell his brawn and brains to the highest bidders but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul.
Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob…and to stand and fight if he thinks he’s right.
Treat him gently, world, but don’t cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient…let him have the patience to be brave.
Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself. Because then he will have sublime faith in mankind.
This is a big order, world, but see what you can do…he’s such a nice little fellow…my son!
From the September 7, 2007 issue of “The Fishwrapper” as provided by Marian Sweigart.
Editor’s Note: While we might prefer to say, “Lord, use the world to teach my son”, this article is a very touching example of a father’s love for his son and, in the world in which we currently live, we need God, the Father more than ever to teach our children. Much of what the world is teaching today is not at all what earthly dads or our Heavenly Father would want our sons and daughters to learn.
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Planning Their Wedding
George, age 92, and Edith, age 89 had been seeing each other for 2 years when they decided that life was too short and they might as well be together for the rest of their lives. Excited about their decision to become newlyweds, they went for a stroll to discuss the wedding and what plans needed to be made.
Along the way they found themselves in front of the drugstore. George said to his bride to be “lets go in. I have an idea.” They walked to the rear of the store and addressed the man behind the counter.
George. Are you the owner?
Pharmacist: Yes sir, I am. How can I help you?
George: Do you sell heart medications?
Pharmacist: Of course we do.
George: How about support hose for circulation?
Pharmacist: Definitely
George: What about meds for rheumatism, osteoporosis and arthritis?
Pharmacist: All kinds.
George: How about hearing aids, denture supplies and reading glasses?
Pharmacist: Yes sir
George: What about eye drops, sleeping pills, Geritol, Preparation H and Ex-Lax?
Pharmacist: Absolutely.
George: You sell wheelchairs, walkers and canes?
Pharmacist: All kinds and sizes. Why are you asking me all these questions?
George smiled, glanced at Edith and replied to the pharmacist. “We’ve decided to get married and we’d like to use your store as our BRIDAL REGISTRY!
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Answers to... Mistaken Identities and Disguises
Answers to the Identity Quiz
1. Jacob’s, Esau, Gen.27:22
2. Jesus, John 20:15
3. Tamar, Gen 38:12-16
4. Jesus, Mark 8:27-28
5. Leah, Rachel, Gen 29:25
6. Jesus, Jn20:15
7. Josiah, 2 Chron 35:22
8. Ahab, 1 Kings 21:18, 22:30
9. Jeroboam, 1 Kings 14:2
10. Adulterer, Job 24:15
Back to identifying Mistaken Identities and Disguises
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