Sunday, April 30, 2006

LADIES DAY AT CAMP HICKORY HILLS

What a glorious time the ladies enjoyed at the annual Ladies Day. I enjoyed helping kitchen head cook Pastor Luther Massengale and the kitchen staff. There was no slack in our menu as we had bar-b-cue (cooked overnight outside over hickory coals by Pastor Massengale) cole slaw, potato salad, texas toast or cornbread, baked beans, tea, cola or coffee and peach or cherry cobbler the first evening. Then the breakfast the next morning was bacon or sausage, eggs, gravy, french toast sticks, biscuits, orange juce or coffee. We had a blast working together, talking together, listening to gospel music as it blased above the noisy kitchen work.

The five ladies who attended from Huntingdon also told of great times (you can read more about this on the blog for the COGOP in TN - Dr. McKinley) in the services, joy groups and devotional times.

Thank God for women who love the Lord Jesus and work tirelessly for the Him.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

FAMILY & FRIENDS FELLOWSHIP

Tonight at 7 pm is the monthly Family and Friends Fellowship. Come, bring your food and enjoy the fellowship of family and friends in the Fellowship Hall (basement) of the church.

AZUSA STREET - DAY TWO

From State Overseer E. C. McKinley of the Churches of God of Prophecy in Tennessee.

I had an early start to the day to take in the activities of the Azusa Street meeting. Upon arrival at the convention center, I noticed the atmosphere charged with the energy of thousands of believers gathering to remember the great revival that happened here one hundred years ago. I have no idea how large the crowd was, other than to say that there were over 22,000 registered.

After looking around in the convention center for a while I started to the front of the facility. I heard a familiar sound….one that I have known since I was a small child. It was the Bahama Brass Band playing at the front of the convention center. One of our own Tennessee ministers, a member at the Chickamauga Loop Church, Dr. Joseph Hall was playing in the drum section. The crowd was going wild over them! People danced, clapped and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the music.

While there, I saw our General Overseer, Bishop Fred S. Fisher, Sr., as well as, Randy and Bess Howard, Cathy Payne and one of our local pastoral teams Zach and Beverly Brooks. There were several other ministers and members from different parts of the world there as well.
There were several seminars and clinics during the afternoon, but in the evening service the events were in other locations. Among the speakers were Benny Hinn, Dr. Kenneth Copeland, Paula White and Bishop T.D. Jakes. Getting a seat was difficult, but well worth the trip.

My prayer for you today is the Lord’s richest blessings!

AZUSA STREET CENTENNIEL

For the next few days, I will be copying and posting our State Overseer's notes from the Azuza Street Centenniel in Los Angeles. This is a great time of meeting for Pentecostal Holiness groups as well as Evangelicals, Charismatics and others. You can go to the BLOG here Voice of Hope


Yesterday was certainly a long day. I flew out of Nashville in the late evening (so I could get some work done before leaving town) and had a layover in Minneapolis. When we lived in Montana, we used Northwest Airlines to go just about everywhere outside of that region, so I have been in that airport many times, and knew my way around it pretty well. I arrived in Los Angeles at 1:00 a.m. and then had to wait about an hour and fifteen minutes for my luggage to arrive at the baggage claim. Finally, the drive to the hotel was about another 30 minutes…who would have believed how heavy traffic is at that time of the night? Nashville traffic doesn’t seem so bad now. At any rate, I arrived at the hotel at almost 3:00 a.m.

I have a full day scheduled, had to get up and get going early to register for the Azusa Street meetings, and, oh yes, the traffic is still heavy.

I wish that all of you could be here to experience the 100th anniversary celebration of the great Azusa Street revival. If you remember your history, the Church of God was mostly a “holiness” movement until G.B. Cashwell came to preach at the Cleveland church and A.J. Tomlinson was baptized in the Holy Ghost. Although we had experienced a movement of the Holy Ghost at the Shearer Schoolhouse in North Carolina in 1886, the momentum of what has made us a holiness/pentecostal church started right here in this city.

As I looked around last night, I could see people of seeemingly every tribe, nation and tongue all around me. I pray that another Pentecost can break forth and help us to finish the work…remember Acts 1:8, “ye shall receive power….to be witnesses…” That promise/obligation is still in effect.

Please pray that I have a safe and healthy meeting here and that God will grant traveling mercies as I return later this week. May God bless and keep each of you

Monday, April 24, 2006

LADIES DAY AT CAMP HICKORY HILLS

Sister Karen will be headed for Ladies Day this coming Friday with five of the ladies from the church. Karen will be a cabin host and I have helped her get some things together for her time of devotion. I believe God is going to meet with these ladies and do some great things among them. They are excited about getting there and getting involved in the fellowship and enjoying the food but most of all to worship and be enriched by the presence of the Lord. The men came back from Men's day and have "boosted and talked up" the Men's day so much that the ladies are "chomping at the bits" to get there.

Brother Paul Rivera, Sister Lori Rivera, Brother Jimmy Davis and myself are going to help feed this "crew" of women. Brother Davis is taking his mobile trailer for he, Brother Paul and myself. I say glory to God for these ladies and for how they rally to the work of the kingdom and the church. May God bless them is my prayer. . . .

I understand there may be as many as 500 in attendance and motel rooms are having to be rented for some of the attendees. Okay men, lets have "hats off" to the Sisters. . . .

REVOLUTIONARY

From THE HARVEST NEWS by Pastor Don Brock

American Christians are dropping out of churches at an alarming rate. Many just don’t have time in their hectic schedules for a Sunday service when the laundry is piled high and the e-mail inbox is full. Others have been wounded or ripped off by church leaders who imposed their personal agendas on entire congregations. Still others just got bored with fluffy sermons or the seemingly endless cycle of fruitless religious activity.

It is called religious burnout. And there is no question that it has become a widespread plague in our post-modern society.

In the midst of this epidemic, a growing group of Christian trend-watchers have decided that the dropout crisis is actually a move of God. They claim that the Holy Spirit is reordering the church and bringing us back to more of a New Testament model, recalling a simpler era when Christians met “house to house” (see Acts 2:46) and did not waste time or money on religious buildings or nonessential church programs.

So now we have a touchy debate brewing. The proponents of house churches have positioned themselves against the “traditionalists,” a category that includes pastors of megachurches, leaders of media ministries, anyone who is a member of a denomination and anyone who attends a congregation that is too big to fit into a coffee shop or a living room.

How far will the revolution go?

Of course Christians do not have to meet in religious buildings on Sunday mornings to “have church.” Of course most ministry should happen outside the church walls. I’ve been saying that for years.

I am 100 percent in favor of innovation, and I believe we must constantly employ creative strategies to reach our generation for Christ. But I do not agree that innovation requires us to discard the need for godly, New Testament authority.

Many of the people who want to see traditional churches closed down and padlocked are the ones who tend to hop from one church to another, sowing discord and speaking against appointed servant-leaders. When these mavericks’ pride or false doctrines are challenged, they move to another church. Are these the kind of people we want to lead a new grassroots movement?

No thanks. Regardless of where my church meets, I intend to hold on to the New Testament principles of healthy, accountable leadership.

Why not have house churches and ministry in the community, functioning under the accountability of the "church," while coming together to celebrate together on Sunday morning?

GREAT SUNDAY SERVICES

God met with us in a great way on Sunday morning and evening. The worship and praises just kept going up and up and up and God's power kept flowing down, down, down and around. The morning message "Death To Sin" from Romans 6, challenged us to "reckon (be sure) of Christ's work in us and through us and to declare that He is victorious over sin and we His children are victorious through Him."

Sunday evening the power of the Holy Spirit moved as we continued to worship and praise the Lord. The Holy Ghost spoke and said, "you are my children, I am moving as the wind moves, I will bless you as you seek Me." Thank God for people who come to worship the King of Kings. People were weeping, rejoicing, dancing giving God praise and worship. Prayers went up for lost and discouraged children and families. ALL PRAISE TO THE LAMP THAT WAS SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD!

The Business Session went well as we adopted a plan to get electricity to the new property and to begin on the new pavillion. We are planning to have this completed for the May 29th Labor Day Youth Blast. . . .Thank God for those who are giving and working. Someone gave a thousand dollars just a week or so ago. Our property is now paid down to less than 10 thousand as we move forward. . . .The property is worth well over 60,000.00 and is 7.6 acres just 1/4th mile off the by-pass and 1/4th mile from Veterans Park on Northwood. We anticipate the day when we have a groundbreaking for a new church building.

Friday, April 21, 2006

UPDATE ON SURGERIES

Lois Thomas came through her surgery fine and should be back at home by now.

Alton Crossno's hip replacement went well and he has already arrived back home in Huntingdon. He and Donna left for home before noon today.

Thank God for being with these during their surgeries. We continue to pray for their complete recovery.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

QUOTES FROM THE SERVING LEADER

Quotes from The Serving Leader by Ken Jennings and John Stal-Wert

"You qualify to be first by putting other people first."

"You're in charge principally to charge up others."

"To serve the many you must serve the few."

"The best reach-down is a challenging reach-up."

"To protect your value you must give it all away."

"To address your weaknesses focus on your strengths."

"Your biggest obstacle is the one that hinders someone else."

"Run to great purpose."

"You can't become the best unless others do, too."

INTERESTING SITES FOR LEADERSHIP

Mentor Link (Dr. Stacy T. Rhinehart) http://mentorlink.gospelcom.net/

Venture Works http://www.ventureworks.com/

Center For Faith Walk Leadership Faith Walk Leadership

HalfTime www.halftime.org

The Giftedness Center http://www.thegiftednesscenter.com/

Greenleaf Center For Servant Leadership www.greenleaf.org

Christian Community Development and Service www.ccda.org

Leadership Network www.leadnet.org

The Serving Leader www.theservingleader.com





Wednesday, April 19, 2006

QUARTERLY BUSINESS CONFERENCE

There will be a Quarterly Business Conference this coming Sunday at 5 pm. The clerk and treasurer is to have reports ready and all leaders. Thank You. Pastor

WATER BAPTISM SERVICE SCHEDULED

To any and all who desire to be baptized, a Baptismal Service is scheduled for the last Sunday in April near the end of the worship service. Please see the Pastor if you have been saved and have not been baptized in water. We want to present the opportunity for any and all to come into the water to show publicly that any who know Christ Jesus as Savior will be baptized.

WEDNESDAY EVENING

This week the study on Marriage will continue as prepared by the Bible Doctrine and Polity Committee. This document is scheduled to be presented in August of this year at the General Assembly in Nashville .

PRAYER REQUESTS

Sister Karen visited with the home bound widows this past Friday. Continue to remember these in prayer. . .Sister Jennie Sanders, Sister Lillie Grooms, Sister Lennie May Crossno and Sister Bonnie (Crossno) Curtis. Also remember Sister Mildred Stacy. She has not felt well for the past 6 months or more.

UPDATE ALTON CROSSNO

Alton Crossno's surgery went well. The doctor stated that the hip was worse than he expected but that the replacement should work well after several months physical rehabilitation. The family requests your continued prayers.

Monday, April 17, 2006

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please pray for my mother and her family. Her brother Lowell passed on this past Friday. He is mom's third sibling to leave this earth since April 30th of last year. Now there are four left out of the eleven. Charles the oldest still lives and is 87. Mom is next at 76. Delano is next at 69 and Denver is the youngest at 67. Charles and Denver were born on the same day - 2o years apart. Mom is the only daughter left out of the living children.

Alton Crossno is scheduled for hip replacement in Nashville, TN tomorrow.

Lois Thomas is scheduled for surgery in Jackson, TN this Wednesday.

Glorious Easter Sunday

We are thanking and praising God for a great time in our Easter Service. It was good to see some who have not been to church in some time as well as the regulars. The presence of the Lord was very evident. God blessed greatly as we praised the creator and lifted the name of our Savior. The message, Jesus Christ, Ever-Living, Ever-Doing, Ever-Sufficient challenged each one to place complete trust in the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.

The children enjoyed an egg hunt after the service. There were over 60 present and about 15 children present.

Thank God for a glorious day with the Lord! Pictures, hopefully, will be posted later.

Friday, April 14, 2006

EASTER SUNDAY

We anticipate a great time this Sunday. We are expecting several visitors and friends to be with us at the Easter Service tomorrow. We are praying for a fresh anointing and a special time of worship to our Savior and Master - Jesus Christ. We pray that He will be glorified and that we will see those who do not know Him to come into a personal relationship with Him and for those who do know Him to find a closer relationship with Him. To HIM be all Glory, Honor and Praise.

NOTE: There will be an Easter egg hunt for the children immediately after the morning worship service on the grounds of the current property. There will be no service on Easter Sunday night. Take time to be with your family and do something special with them - being with them is special.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Alton Crossno is scheduled to enter Baptist Hospital in Nashville, TN on Tuesday, April 18 for hip replacement surgery. Please be in prayer for this request and for the family. I have scheduled to be there with the family.

Lois Thomas (Berry) is scheduled for surgery at the Regional Hospital in Jackson, TN on Wednesday, April 19. Please be in prayer for this request and for the family. I have scheduled to be there with the family.

Sunday, April 09, 2006

ANOTHER GLORIOUS SUNDAY

God blessed greatly as we sang, gave, and glorified the Lord. The message by Dr. Chuck Burks was timely - "Get In the Boat - Go To the Other Side," dealing with church growth. We thank God for Jonah Davis being baptized with the Holy Ghost. To God Be The Glory!

GLORIOUS TIME AT TENNESSEE MEN'S DAY

Great time at Men's Day. God blessed greatly as five men from this area went to Men's Day. It was a shaky day with storms brewing and landing all over the state but a great time with many who came and enjoyed a great move of God as we worshipped and sang. Pictures to come later.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Power For A Purpose by J. I. Packer

Power for Service. . .

During the past century, Christians have been very concerned about power. Have they been wrong to be concerned about it? Not altogether. In the middle and late 1800s, there was great concern to find "the path of power." The path of power meant one's ability to perform set tasks and overcome temptations. Was it wrong to seek the power of God for greater self-control and a richer practice of righteousness? Of course not. At the same time concern focused on being able, through the power of God, to impact others for God through preaching and witness. Was it right to be anxious lest one's witness should be powerless? Of course it was right.
More recently, Christians touched by that movement known variously as Pentecostalism, charismatic renewal, and the third wave, are finding, if they can, the ability to channel supernatural demonstrations of God's power in healings of all sorts: healings of the body, inner healing of the heart, exorcisms where there appears to be something demonic in a person's life. Is it wrong that Christians are concerned about these things?


Read more . . .

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

UPDATED SCHEDULE OF SERVICES & EVENTS FOR APRIL 2006

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 7 PM: Prayer and Bible Study. We are studying the documents that will be presented to the General Assembly in August. Last week was "Deaconesses." This week will begin the study on "Marriage."

FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 5 PM - SAT. APRIL 8, AFTERNOON: Men's Day at Camp Hickory Hills. We will be leaving at around 1:45 PM on Friday. Registering at around 4:30. This will be a great time for worship, teaching and preaching, fellowship, competition, and, of course, food. Four of the men here are set to go and hopefully more.

SUNDAY APRIL 9, 10 AM & 11 AM: Sunday School at 10 am. Worship at 11 am. Dr. Chuck Burks will be bringing the morning message. This will be the second part of a message which will include a key to church outreach and growth. Second Sunday missions offering.

PRAISE AND WORSHIP TEAM PRACTICE: Sunday April 9th at 5 pm. See Dr. Chuck Burks
SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE: YOUTH, Brother Paul Rivera, Youth Director, in charge.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 7 pm. Prayer and Bible Study. Continuing in the study of documents that will be presented at the General Assembly. This will be a continuance of the "Marriage" document.

SUNDAY APRIL 16, 10 am & 11 am, EASTER SUNDAY: Sunday School at 10 am and worship at 11 am. Message by Pastor. Third Sunday expense offering.
NO SERVICE SUNDAY EVENING - ENJOY BEING WITH YOUR FAMILIES

WEDNESDAY APRIL 19THM 7 PM: BIBLE STUDY AND PRAYER CONTINUING WITH GENERAL ASSEMBLY DOCUMENTS

SUNDAY, APRIL 23 10 am & 11 am: Sunday School and Worship.
SUNDAY EVENING, 5 pm: Quarterly Business Meeting

SUNDAY EVENING YOUTH, 6 pm: Brother Paul Rivera, Youth Director in charge.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 7 PM: Family and Friends Fellowship in fellowship hall. Bring your dish and drink and come enjoy the fellowship and food.

SUNDAY April 30th, 10 am & 11 am: Sunday School & Worship. Message by Pastor.
SUNDAY EVENING CARE GROUPS, LEADERS IN CHARGE.

MONTHYLY HOME AND OTHER PLACES: PRAYER MEETINGS TBA

LEADERS MEETINGS: TBA

NOTE: Dr. Chuck Burks will be starting the Spiritual Disciplines Studies two Wednesday evenings a month very soon.

Monday, April 03, 2006

URGENT POSTING FROM STATE OVERSEER

Strong Storms Hit West Tennessee
Good Morning,

I am writing, to ask for the prayers of the church. As you may have heard, severe storms cut across Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee last night and early this morning. At the end of a District meeting at Paris, Tennessee last night, we began to receive calls from extreme Western Tennessee of severe storms with tornadoes that had damaged the homes of some of our members. My family and I drove home through heavy rains, high winds and hail. We arrived safely home and watched the weather coverage on the television late into the night.

Early this morning, as I began to call our pastors to check on them I learned the following:

1. Some of our folks in the Dyersburg and Ridgely have lost their homes or suffered severe damage.
2. I have not been able to make contact with some of our pastors because of downed communications
3. One of the tornadoes stayed on the ground for almost 30 miles
4. At this point I do not know about any casualties, however, it is a distinct possibility.

Would you please pray for our folks in the Western Tennessee area? Will you also please pass this around. Again, let me emphasize, we DO NOT know of casualties, but with so many people unaccounted for, I am deeply concerned about them.

Sunday, April 02, 2006

THANK GOD FOR AN AWESOME DAY

WEST TN STATE YOUTH DIRECTOR VISIT: This morning we were blessed by the boost from West TN State Youth Director, Gigi Cummings. She encouraged us and excited us about the work of the youth - Youth Camp, Teen Talent and an upcoming outreach sponsored by the Youth Department here at Huntingdon. We look forward to working with Sister Gigi and the outreach here.

COVENANT SUNDAY: Today the members of the church here renewed their covenant and, Praise God, there were four new ones who took the covenant for the first time. The new ones were, Dr. Chuck Burks and wife Ragene Burks, Delilah Mummel and Peggy Heath. Sister Delilah has attended here since she was a just a baby and is now 28 years old and just took the covenant for the first time. Sister Peggy has been attending for over 18 years and is in her eighties and took the covenant for the first time today. She testified that she felt "this has been my church for the past 18 plus years but I never expected to really make a public commitment but today I felt the need to do that." We thank God for these who have come into the local body here. Dr. Burks is in the process of becoming licensed in the COGOP and he is using his gifts in music, teaching and preaching in the local church here. He is seeking God for his future in ministry and believes God has called him to Pastor. We are praying that God will open the door for him. He has committed to minister here until God moves him otherwise. Brother Leon Reynolds testified that it was very special for him to renew the covenant today. We thank God for all He is and all He is doing here.

PENTECOSTAL POWER MEETING: We were blessed tonight to be at the Paris church and to be involved in a great time of worship and to hear State Overseer, Dr. E. C. McKinley preach. We thank God for the presence of the Lord that we felt so strongly and the message. There were ten who went from Huntingdon and we enjoyed the fellowship of the churches in our district. Bishop Clayton Mahan moderated and led the service in a great time of worship.