Thanks for a Great Sunday!

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank all who were involved in helping to make this past Sunday a great Sunday for our Lord. There were those who helped to get the facilities ready by taking care of the ice situation, those who helped with costumes, who were involved in helping with the Toddlers and musical, ushering, music, etc. Thanks to the two young ladies above who served as greeters for awhile. We pray that the story of Christ's coming to earth and the reason for that journey, was made meaningful. We hope to have a DVD available for those of you who were not able to attend.

Do You Know What You Believe and Why?

In a recent report, USA Today report (here) Americans and Christians are mixing religious beliefs. Here are some of the reported findings:

• Even though Americans' overwhelmingly claim allegiance to someone they call God (92%), 70% said "many religions can lead to eternal life" and 68% said "there's more than one true way to interpret the teachings of my religion."
• The percentage of people who call themselves some type of Christian has dropped more than 11% in a generation, and so many have moved into the "None" category for religion that it is now at 15%, the third highest "religious" category after Catholics and Baptists.
• Reincarnation: 24% of Americans believe that they will be reborn in this world again, and 22% of those who call themselves Christians believe the same
• 29% of Americans believe that they can get in touch with the dead, and 29% of those calling themselves Christians believed the same thing.
• 26% of Americans believe the could get "spiritual energy" in trees, etc., and 23% of those calling themselves Christian believed the same thing.
• 18% of Americans had a ghostly experience, and 17% of those calling themselves Christian had the same experience.
• 15% of Americans have consulted a psychic and 14% of those calling themselves Christian also had the same experience.

Our goal here at Valley Grace is to help you understand God's truth and be firmly grounded in it so that you can respond to the errors and lies set forth by the enemy of our souls. We encourage you to be part of Sunday School, the Grace Institute (meets Wednesday evening), and other opportunities to learn and grow.

Jessica Semler & Paul Veen Engagement

Jeff and Kerri Semler of Clear Spring announce the engagement of their daughter, Jessica Semler, to Paul Veen of Michigan. Jess and Paul are planning a June 12, 2010 wedding.

Angelo, Robin & Taylor Shusko Dedication

We ask for your continued prayers for Angelo & Robin Shusko as they seek to raise their precious daughter, Taylor for the Lord. They dedicated themselves to providing a Christian home so that Taylor might come to know the Savior, and we dedicated ourselves as a church family to support them in this awesome undertaking. We gave them a Children's Story Bible with 365 stories so that they might start teaching Taylor at an early age the truths of Scripture.

Operation Christmas Child ~ Thank You!

Thank you to all of you who participated in "Operation Christmas Child." Let's pray that those who receive these gifts come to know Christ.

Jack Shillingberg - Celebration of Life Service

Jack went to be with his Savior on Wednesday morning about 9:00 am. We are planning a Celebration of Life service for Jack on Saturday, November 14 at 11:00 am at Valley Grace. A fellowship meal is to follow. If you have a memory of Jack you are encouraged to leave it in the comments section.

Note: if you are planning to come to the service, it would really be helpful if you would park in the "lower lot."

Reflections on Veterans" Day

My earliest memories of American soldiers occurred during our time in the Philippines. Clark Air Force Base and Subic Naval Station were located on Luzon, the main island of the Philippines. We would have the privilege to interact with these young men who had come for some R&R from the battle in Vietnam. They were only a few years older than I was, and I respected them for their response to the call. As we often have heard, "Freedom Isn't Free" - someone paid for it. I salute our military personnel at home and abroad, those veterans who have serve in foreign wars, and those who have given their lives so that we might enjoy the freedoms which we share.

From time to time it has become the popular thing for some of our own people as well as foreign nations to discredit our military and our country. Peggy Noon wrote (here) an interesting piece in which she observes the following:

... America has gone to Europe twice in the past century to fight for peace. This is an old concept, and has to do with killing killers so they can't kill anymore. It cost America a lot to do this, and we kept no territory, as they say, beyond the graves where our soldiers lie. America then taxed itself and gave its wealth not only to its allies but to its former adversaries, to help them rebuild. We didn't actually have to do this. We did it to make the world better. We did it to foster peace. (They should give us a prize.)

America hasn't just helped the world, it literally lit the world with its inventions, which are the product of its freedoms. The lights under which the Peace Prize judges read, and rejected, the worthy nominations? Why, those lights were invented by an American. The emails the committee members sent to each other, sharing their banal insights on leadership? They came through the Internet. Who invented the Internet? It was a Norwegian bureaucrat with a long face and hair on his nose and little plastic geometric eyeglasses? Oh wait, it was Americans. The members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee are healthy because they have been inoculated against diseases such as polio. Who invented the polio vaccine, an enfeebled old leftist academic in Oslo? Nah, it was a man named Jonas Salk. He was an American.

Today, we salute you who have served our country and served us by risking your lives. May God Bless You in a special way!

Seeing the Harvest

Jesus said, to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." (Matt. 9:37-38 NASB)

Ed Stetzer writes about the church, "We’ve sped up the music, spiced up the messages, & spruced up the barns, but the wheat is still not harvesting itself."

This is a good reminder for us to continue to be on mission for Christ in introducing people to Him. Many of you are involved in this on a regular basis. Let's continue to focus on the harvest! We live in days of great opportunity.

A "Thank You" to Valley Grace!

Pam and I want to express our gratitude to the church family at Valley Grace for your expression of kindness for Pastor Appreciation. There was obviously a good deal of thought placed into the items which appeared in the basket, and we will enjoy the gift certificates. It is a privilege to be on assignment here by Our Lord!

Valley Grace Hayride clip

Thanks to all who made this possible, and for those who participated. What a great evening God gave us!

Planned Parenthood Director Quits After Watching Ultrasound

Twenty-nine year old Abby Johnson worked as a director at Planned Parenthood in Bryan Texas. She watched an abortion take place via ultrasound and realized as she watched the fetus being vacuumed out during "procedure" that it was time to leave. She declares that she was extremely "pro-choice" prior to observing her first abortion. She also shares some of the inside motivations behind Planned Parenthood and although education is supposed to be part of the mission, there isn't much money to be made in education. The goal of the pro-life movement is to help eliminate the crisis, not the child. Therefore we need to look for opportunities to help girls and women who find themselves in situations that seem to be beyond their ability to cope. An abortion seems to offer immediate relief to the crisis, but only creates much greater problems in the future. You can read more from Foxnews here.

Tract or Treat Report

Eyewitness Report from Pastor Allen:

The tract or treat event was, in one word, SPECTACULAR! We were expecting around 125-150, We had around 400 people or more. We lost count after 300. Families upon families were coming out in droves. We had lines formed at the candy table, and the cotton candy machine for about an hour and a half straight. Each Child was given a bag with a tract and candy and a flyer with information about all of our ministries here at Valley Grace. It was truly an exciting night. People were shocked when they wanted to pay and were told its all free! But it was good to see all the smiles on people faces as they enjoyed all of the activities we had for the family in a safe environment. I think this is the start of something great we just need to continue to reach out to our neighborhood families with local mission and opportunities for the families.

Thanks to all who participated and prayed!

The Indispensable Church

"If your church closed tomorrow, would anybody notice?" -- thought provoking question. How would we answer it? To phrase the question another way, "How can the church become indispensable to the community?" Chuck Warnock points out that years ago the Celtic Christian abbeys were built at crossroads or next to a village. The purpose was so that the abbey would become the center of the community. As Warnock writes, the abbey "became necessary for the community's survival because they fed people, cared for the sick, gave shelter to the homeless, provided refuge for the weary and wanted, and lived out the Gospel in tangible and essential ministries."

The church does not exist merely to perpetuate an institution, but to impact a community for Christ. Warnock goes on to write, "I want us to touch more lives during the week than we have bodies in pews on Sunday. I want people to ask us to stay in business because we've made a difference in their lives." We want to position ourselves part of the body of Christ to make a difference in our community. As we are involved in challenging times, here is our opportunity to serve our community and make a significant impact for Christ. Please pray that God might grant us the privilege to have the same kind of impact for Christ, that our Celtic brothers did centuries ago.

Have Ideas? You are encouraged to list your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section. (Here is Warnock's full post)

Family News ~ Dr. David Whitcomb

Here is a picture of my dignified brother (step-brother) who was in Egypt allegedly for medical lectures. I think Dave is having fun, not sure about the camel. I also don't think he blends in -- even with the head gear. Below are some of his credentials. (Click on picture to enlarge).

David C Whitcomb MD PhD
Giant Eagle Professor of Cancer Genetics
Professor of Medicine, Cell Biology & Physiology, and Human Genetics
Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
University of Pittsburgh & UPMC

Mr. & Mrs. Joshua Martin

Josh and Megan (Knepper) Martin were united in marriage on Saturday, October 3. We pray that God would continue to lead them as they desire to build a home based on God's principles for marriage and life. They will be living in Greencastle.

Book Review - Find Your Strongest Life:

Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham. (Book review for Thomas Nelson Book Reviewer Program)

I ended up getting this book more by accident than intentionally for review. I saw the main title, "Find Your Strongest Life" and clicked to review it then happened to see "What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently" and thought "how is this going to be helpful, since I am a male." However, as a husband and father to two daughters, it was helpful.

The author cites research that men tend to become more happy as they grow older, but women tend to become less happy as they age (p. 19). He illustrates this by pointing out that women take more antidepressants than men, 2 to 1. So his purpose is to show women how to be happy and successful. That is a tall order! Buckingham declares that the key to a happy and successful life is to do things that you are good at (p. 52).

That of course raises the question, how do you determine what you are good at? The author has included a Strong Life Test which has 9 "Life Roles" to help an individual determine what she ® he) is "good at." It is an interesting test, which really could be helpful for women and men to find out where to focus one's life. This seems to play off the author's book, "The Truth About You."

There is nothing of substance from a Biblical perspective in this book. In fact, there are three issues that create problems for me. The first is that there are a couple of illustrations in the book that imply that a couple is living together but not married (p. 71 for example). It certainly is not possible to find your happiest and most successful life if you are not following the instructions for life.

Secondly, the author assumes that the roles of male and female, husband and wife are pretty much interchangeable as he suggests being a "stay at home Dad" is a viable option (p. 76). It seems pretty clear from the Genesis account of creation along with instructions to husbands, wives, fathers and mothers, in the New Testament, that there is a certain giftedness for men and women. I am not referring to who is able to run a vacuum cleaner, or wash dishes or change the oil in a car. From my limited observations from those who have tried this model over the long term, there have been some significant social issues in the children.

Thirdly, there is the inclusion of a poem about being part of the universe (p. 143-144) which is sentimental, but of course untrue. Our meaning and purpose does not come from being a child of the universe, but being created in the image of God and the invitation to be His child.

Conclusion: The book could make for some good discussion between husband and wife, and father and daughter to gain perspective on what each is thinking. I felt that the Strong Life Test was the best part of the book. It would be helpful for anyone to evaluate where to focus his or her life based on personal strengths.

Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

Why is that people in America seem to love to hate people who identify themselves as Christians? Dan Merchant has produced a documentary trying to understand why this phenomenon is taking place. He set out with bumper stickers covering his jump suit to engage people about their views of Christians. His goal was not to be argumentative, but fact finding. He asked five questions. How did the universe begin? Where you you think you will go when you die? Name something that Jesus is known for (not exactly a question). Name something that Christians are known for. Lastly, what bumper sticker jumps out at you?

The purpose of this documentary is to help Christians (word used loosely) understand how they are perceived by the world. From the comments I have read from those who have seen a preview, this documentary will make you laugh, and it will make you cry. It is a look in the mirror of what America thinks of Christians. You can go here to see a trailer. I believe this will be something all Christ followers should see to enable us to engage our culture in a more civil manner in order to present the claims of Christ. Note: you can download the first chapter of the book from the link above in a PDF file which is thought provoking. (I haven't found it showing any where close to Hagerstown yet. According to the literature, if it doesn't show close, we can purchase the DVD to show in 2010).

Convoy of Hope - Hagerstown 2009

Thanks to all who helped in many different ways. Let's continue to reach people with the Good News that only Jesus can provide.

Convoy of Hope ~ Follow Up Thoughts

Thanks to all of you who participated from Valley Grace with the Convoy of Hope. We had a good representation for Christ along with other churches from Hagerstown Area. I think it would encourage you to leave a story or two in the comments section to this post of someone who made an impression with you and how we can continue to pray for these individuals. Please make sure confidentiality is maintained so that individuals are not able to be identified. May God continue to bring people to our Savior! (Note: this is not a very good picture, better ones will be coming!)

Masterplan Report ~ Phase 1

As you are aware, we are facing a facilities pinch in the area of nursery space, children's space, and lobby area (Phase 1). The Masterplanning Team has put together a four phase plan to address these issues as well as parking space (Phase 2), and eventually a multipurpose building (Phase 3) as needed. This was presented this past Sunday during the 9:30 hour.

We want to continue to carry out our ministry of investing in people for the kingdom of God, but we need the tools (facilities) to continue to do this. We believe that Phase 1 is a step which we need to help us provide facilities without compromising ministry.

We would like to make a focused effort on paying down our current mortgage, then move toward giving to a Building Fund. This would allow us to continue with approximately the same amount of cash flow which is going toward facilities. We are looking to significantly reduce our mortgage (which is very reasonable) while blueprints are finalized. This would allow for building in the Spring.

We will be meeting on Sunday evening, September 27, at 6:00 pm to give you an opportunity to approve this plan. We are asking that if you consider Valley Grace to be your home church that you would come to give your input. You will be given an opportunity to approve Phase 1. Please pray for the Lord's direction and plan to attend!

Father Who Got it Right

Foxnews carries the story of a Dad who made a good catch of a foul ball at a Phillies game. Apparently he gave it to his daughter to hold, who ended up tossing it back onto the field. After doing that, she thought she might have done something wrong, so looked up to her Dad. He said he just hugged her. Great to hear stories of a Dad who understood the bigger picture. You can read more about it here. (PS. It is reported that after the game, a Phillies official brought him a new one.)

Convoy of Hope - Update

We are fast approaching September 26, the day of Convoy of Hope. Listed below are some things you can do to help with preparation for this event.

1. Pray - we are dependent upon the blessing of God for the success of this event. Our desire is to see that men and women, boys and girls are introduced to our Savior.
   
2. Security - there is a need for individuals to help with security on Thursday and Friday evenings. There are some different shifts available.
3. Preparing to participate in the Prayer Tent on September 26. You can still receive the training for this opportunity.
4. Help with the financial needs. As of this post, there is still a need of approximately $15,000 to help cover the cost. The original need started at approximately $50,000 so we can thank God for those who have been involved.
5. There is a need for help with set-up on Thursday and Friday. This includes setting up snow fence, driving fence posts, setting up tables and chairs.
6. Participate in the Main Event on September 26. There are many options and possibilities for you to use your abilities.

You can get more information here about the above items as well as a few more opportunities. Thank you to those of you who have already been involved, and those of you who are praying for this event and planning to participate!

The Heavens Shouting God's Glory!

Isn't that an amazing picture taken by the Hubble telescope?! That is an assortment of 100,000 stars clustered together in the core of a giant star cluster.

The psalmist was absolutely correct when he wrote:

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. {2} Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. (Psa 19:1-2 NASB)

You can see more amazing pictures of God's creative work from the Hubble here.

Valley Grace Labor Day Picnic 2009

We are grateful to the Lord for a beautiful day to enjoy fellowship together. From the best count we received, there were 200+ in attendance.

Book Review of "Fearless" by Max Lucado

There are many things which can bring fear into our lives: talks of downsizing, a mortgage gone bad, sickness, terrorism, plagues, the economy, and the list goes on. Lucado writes, "imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear was your default reaction to threats?" (book jacket). The author then opens Scripture to look at Jesus' promises to His followers given with the purpose that we might live by faith and not by fear.

Fearless covers many different areas that can be sources of fear for an individual. These chapters include The Fear of Not Mattering, Fear of Disappointing God, Fear of Not Protecting my Kids, Fear of Violence, and other fears that can paralyze an individual.

In response to these fears, Lucado reminds the reader of the promises of God and yet brings a balance. For example, he points out that "legitimate concern" about the necessities of life can "morph into toxic pain" (p. 46) and lists examples of this. "Worry-stoppers" are suggested to deal with this particular fear. These include: praying first, slowing down, acting on fear, and other recommendations to deal with areas that can paralyze us.

This is a very helpful book which contains many of the promises of God for His children when faced with the various challenges of life. It definitely is biblically based and emphasizes the need to look to Scripture for the answers. It is a good reminder that Romans 8:28-30 is still in the Book, and although that passage doesn't say that everything works out for our happiness in this life, we can trust God that the experiences of life are part of His plan for us. For example, "just as some prenatal features went unused before birth" so certain events of this life may seem unnecessary, but are needed for the life to come (pp. 132-133)

My Problem Areas:

1. It raises flags for me when I see an author use a number of different Bible translations and/or paraphrases. I realize that no translation is more inspired than another, but some translations are certainly better than others on certain passages, and translations trump paraphrases any day. This approach gives me the feeling that the author is looking for a translation or paraphrase to support preconceived ideas (proof-texting).

2. My biggest problem arose in Chapter 7, "Dragon in my Closet" and is related to the translation issue above. On page 82, I understand the author to be declaring that Jesus was fearful as He faced the cross. If that is the case, then Jesus did not practice what he preached when he said, "don't be afraid," or "don't be fearful" in many of the passages which Lucado cites throughout his book. He then moves from the NEB translation which uses the word "horror" (Mark 14:33) and says that the word means "... a man who is rendered helpless, disoriented, who is agitated and anguished by the threat of some approaching event." I am not familiar with the source cited in the end notes for this definition (The Churchbook). My study of the Biblical text does not yield the above definition, and in my judgment is moving in the wrong direction in Biblical exegesis.

The definition cited by Lucado for "horror" above (specifically helpless and disoriented) is not what the Greek word, ekthambeisthai means in Mark 14:33 (from Grk. ekthambeo, "to be amazed, astonished" - Liddell & Scott, p. 433; see also Kittel, vol 3, p.4-6, thambos). Certainly Jesus experienced intense human emotions such as a shrinking back from the experience or dread. But Jesus was not "disoriented" about the experience. He declared precisely that it was "for this purpose I have come" (John 12:27) even though He declared "My soul has become troubled" (Grk. tarasso = "stirred" or "agitated"). Lucado also cites Matthew 26:37 as meaning "depressed and confused." The word that he cites as "confused" comes from Greek verb ademoneo which is translated "sorely troubled," "dismayed" or "to be in anguish" (Liddell & Scott, pp. 20-21, "ademoneo") which is significantly different from being "confused." Therefore the argument is not with apostle Mark and his record (p. 82), but with the translation and/or paraphrase of the Greek text.

3. I don't recall any place in the book where the author indicated that the promises made by Christ were for His followers alone. These were not promises just made to the masses. It would be inappropriate for a person who is not a follower of Christ to take the promises of Jesus and think that they can live a fearless life because they are quoting Bible verses. The promises are qualified. Lucado comes close in Chapter 14 entitled, "The One Healthy Terror."

Bottom Line: I feel that this will be a very helpful book for followers of Christ to be reminded of the promises that Jesus has made to His children – especially when facing issues that can cause fear. The book is an easy read, but the truths need to be digested. Lucado uses many mental pictures to drive home his points. (A discussion guide is also included in the back of the book.)

[This is the first Max Lucado book that I have read. Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers for providing a review copy.]

Lucado, Max. Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear. Thomas Nelson, 2009. 224 pages, $24.99.

Valley Grace Softball Tourney 2009 Clip

Thanks to coach Dave Wyand for a great season. The Valley Grace softball team went undefeated during the regular season and took second place in the tournament. More importantly, it was a great time of fellowship for both fans and players. The ice cream run afterward may have been the best part. See you next year, after the injuries heal!

Kayla Semler Engagement Announcement

Jeff and Kerri Semler of Clear Spring announce the engagement of their daughter, Kayla Rae Semler, to Scott Eugene Malone, son of Gene and Donna Malone of Salisbury, MD.

Miss Semler is a 2006 graduate of Clear Spring High School and will receive her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Salisbury University in December 2009.

Mr. Malone is a 2001 graduate of Parkside High School in Salisbury, MD. He attended York College and currently is employed by Long and Foster Real Estate and owns his own t-shirt company Dynasty Graphics both in Salisbury, MD.

The couple is planning their wedding for April 17, 2010.

Church Masterplan Presentation - Sept. 20 @ 9:30 am

The Master Planning Team has been evaluating our current and projected facility needs here at Valley Grace and will be presenting their proposal (endorsed by the Church Board) during the Sunday School hour (9:30 am) on September 20. Our desire is to have the necessary tools to continue to be able to serve the Lord and you. The First Phase will present a solution to address our current space needs for our growing nursery and children's ministry as well as provide a larger entrance and lobby area which is congested as you well know. An overview of other phases, such as parking and additional space will also be provided.

If you consider Valley Grace your home church, we would invite you to attend this presentation for your prayerful consideration. This will be primarily an informational meeting which will then allow you to give input to the Master Plan Team at a future time. Our desire is to balance the facility needs to meet expanding ministry opportunities as well as continue to support the people ministries in which we are involved. We certainly realize that buildings are not eternal, but they are tools which enable us to more effectively serve people for our Lord. An official vote to proceed will come at a later time after you have had the opportunity to ask questions, give input and pray with us about this.

Missions KY2009 Presentation

Thanks for your support of our mission's trip to The Happy Church in Jackson, KY this summer. Please continue to pray for this ministry and those involved. Thanks Jeff, for overseeing this trip and for creating this presentation.

Missions KY2009 Video Clip

Thanks to all who went, prayed, and supported this event!

Update on Mexico Missions from Bess & Brenda

We had the privilege of having Bess & Brenda (and Denver Murray who accompanied them) give an update on the mission's work in Mexico City on Wednesday evening August 12. Bess & Brenda have been there for twenty years, and Valley Grace has partnered with them for that time. They explained their strategy to reach people for Christ, a strategy which really works anywhere. Here is what they have done.

1. Begin with contact discovery. This is the simple, yet difficult task of finding people who are open or seeking about Christ. One effective means was the giving away of the Jesus video.
2. Process evangelism. This means taking time to present the person of Jesus before the plan of salvation. Evangelism is not a "one-time" shot with a prayer to accept Christ at the end of the presentation. It takes time.
3. Discipleship. Beginning to help those who have trusted Christ to grow.
4. Formation of Spiritual Community. Encouraging new believers to get involved in family groups for care and accountability. These groups also do some outreach events for friends and family.
5. Leadership Development. As the church continues to grow, there is a need for Mexican leaders to be developed. This development is done through retreats, conferences, meetings, Bible Institute, and ministry experiences.
6. Corporate Worship. The coming together to praise and worship the Lord. They refer to the Sunday services as a Celebration since they are celebrating what Christ has done by providing salvation. Their service normally lasts for two hours. Maybe we should try that! (Someone of you may think we do that already).
7. Organize for Ministry. They have started with people and not a building. Some people have thought that if you build the building they will come. But that does not really seem to work. They start with reaching people and have recently been able to acquire a building for use which took major renovation. Originally they had money to purchase about 100 chairs, so about twenty people would need to stand for the service. They recently were able to purchase an additional thirty chairs so everyone has a seat.

Bess, Brenda, and Denver are all greatly encouraged at what God is doing in Mexico City as they are turning over the leadership of the Cocrimex (the Mexico City church) to national leadership. The harvest truly is ready, but the laborers are few (Matt 9:37). Thank you for your financial investment in this work and please continue to pray for God's blessing.

Ministry Opportunity - Convoy of Hope in Hagerstown

We have the opportunity to be involved in a local missions opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ with people in our own community. The main event is Saturday, September 29 26 at the Hagerstown Fairgrounds. There are some "pre-events" which are necessary to get the word out and will be taking place over the next 6 weeks. Here is the information:

Meet at LifeHouse Bethel at 8:45 AM for instructions, to be put into groups, and given an area to cover. We will depart Bethel at 9 AM and go to it. If you are able to help any of these Saturday mornings please meet at Lifehouse Bethel (formerly known as Bethel Assembly of God on Wilson Blvd next to Minnichs).

Here is the breakdown for the weeks:

August 15th - Downtown
August 22nd - South End
August 29th - West End
September 5th - Noland Village & Oak Ridge Apartments
September 12th - Downtown
September 19th - Housing Authority Units & missed areas

Please be in prayer for this event and the opportunity to share Christ by meeting tangible needs. You will also want to consider how God might want to use you and your family.

For more information, you can contact Jess Semler (our contact person) via email at: semler.jessica [at] gmail[dot]com.

The Truth Project

For the Fall Semester of our Grace Bible Institute, we are going to be using the material from The Truth Project. The purpose of this study is to help followers of Christ see the world from a Biblical perspective. It is designed to help Believers develop a Christian worldview. This study will also be helpful to parents who need to be able to respond to the secular material that your children are being taught in school about truth, science, sociology, philosophy, ethics, etc.

This is a DVD curriculum, but the goal is to make it interactive so that there is time for discussion during the teaching time as well as afterwards. We will be starting Wednesday evening, September 9 and the class will run from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. This is in conjunction with our regular Family Night ministries (AWANA, Girls of Grace, JV & Varsity Boys) so that children will also be learning.

Please sign up on the bulletin board and provide your name, the number attending and your email address (you can also email this information to Pam at the church office). There is a web site link that will be emailed to you where you can download notes which you can print out and bring to class. We would appreciate having this information as soon as possible since we are preparing room assignments for Family Night.

Here is a link for more info on The Truth Project (here). For the Spring semester, we will be returning to our regular study.

Younger Unchurched Perspective on the Church

There is a quote that is being attributed to the younger unchurched which says this: "we like Jesus, but we don't like the church."

That statement, of course, raises a good number of questions. But it is good for us to listen to why many young people are saying this. How is it possible for us to reach the younger unchurched if we don't understand their concerns. One of the big issues that is raised over and over again is that there are hypocrites in the church. This doesn't mean that the unchurched are looking for perfect people, but they are looking for people who are genuine -- who are authentic. The hypocrisy charge comes in when we give the impression that we have it all figured out instead of saying "I am still a work in progress." It is acknowledging that we still have faults and failures but Christ is in the process of transforming us and we aren't what we used to be. We are working on the problem areas of our lives under the power of the Holy Spirit.

According to a study done by Ed Stetzer, two-thirds of the younger unchurched say that the church is full of hypocrites. On the othere hand, 61 percent of the younger unchurched say they would be willing to study the Bible if a friend asked them to. There is a willingness to learn about Biblical truth. You can read more or listen to a radio broadcast here.

Mr. & Mrs. Joshua Hoy

We pray for God's best for Josh and Angie as they begin their new life together and desire to build a Christian home. They were married on Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Offroading with Pastor Mike in Jackson KY

Pastor Mike gave me a "tour" of some of the "hills and hollers" around The Happy Church in Jackson, KY. Some interesting notes at approximately 3:30 into the video there is a cemetery that is located among the tress on a mountain top. The reason for the cemetery being up there is that the ground was worthless for anything else such as growing crops because of high clay content. So they use it as a cemetery. At 4:15 we are in a Creek Bed. And at approximately 6:00 Mike notes that we have lost our brakes. A turn too sharp and the passenger front tire caught the brake line and ripped it off. Mike said that he needs to adjust the turn stops on the front for the tires. Mike's vehicle is a jeep with 32 inch tires and 3 inch lift kit. Mike also has some tidbits of information which you will hear. We had picked up a boy, Kenny Lee who rode with us.

Missions KY2009 - Work Station

This is where I spent a good bit of the time on our Missions KY2009 trip cutting laminate flooring. You can see I had a trusty guard dog, Shadow to protect the area.

Robin & Angelo Shusko - New Members

We welcome Robin & Angelo Shusko into "official" membership here at Valley Grace on Sunday, 7/19/2009. Please pray for a safe delivery for the baby that Robin is carrying. She is due in about 4 weeks. Robin and Angelo would also appreciate your prayers for them for God's wisdom and grace as they prepare to enter the fascinating world of parenting!

Please Pray for Those at Youth Conference

This is a picture of the crew from our church which left on Monday for Youth Conference. Please be in prayer for life changing decisions for Christ. If you would like to follow the Youth Conference schedule, you can go here.

Mike Waugh's Testimony given on Sunday 07/12/2009

Mike Waugh Testimony from Pritchett4 on Vimeo.

The above video testimony was shared on July 12, 2009.

Reflections on Sunday - 7/12/2009

• Praise Team did a great job in leading us to focus on worship.
• Praise Team also introduced us to "None but Jesus" which we will sing this coming week with instruments.
• Emilee Draper presented her medical missions trip to India this fall. Please be in prayer for her and the team. Her need is approximately $3,000. We have about $1,500 raised toward that already. If you would like to help support financially, mark your gift "India". Also she hopes to take hand santizer soaps, you can donate these as well.
  
• Message: The Power for a Transformed Life - question: do we really know Jesus, or just name His name? From Acts 19:8-20 (will be uploaded this week, Lord willing)
  
• Video Testimony of Mike Waugh was well received. Mike was welcomed into the official membership of Valley Grace (plan to make that available for viewing also). Please pray for Mike's upcoming surgery on Aug 17. It will be a bit tricky.
  

Reflections on the Passing of Life

I believe all of us have been reminded of the fact that earthly life can quickly be over. We have heard of the passing of celebrities and undoubtedly we are aware of others who haven't received the media attention, yet each life is precious. We have been informed that 31 million people watched Michael Jackson's memorial service. I heard about the death of a 17 year old, Gabe Brewer, who died in a car accident a week or so ago. His father preached his funeral message to a few hundred people, and concluded with a call to commitment to Christ through the song, "Give Me Jesus." Ed Stetzer has written a thought provoking blog on "A Tale of Two Funerals (you can read it and see a short video here). As Ed pointed out, one funeral looked back to the past, while the other also included a look to the One who gave His life and rose victorious over the grave. "Gabe didn't have a golden casket, but he is walking on streets of gold," writes Stetzer. I encourage you to read Ed's complete post and watch the video. It really helps to put life in perspective!

Missions KY2009 - Personal Care Items

Thanks for helping to provided personal care items to be taken on our Missions trip leaving on July 19. These items include toothbrushes, hair brushes, flip flops, shampoo, etc. We are still accepting items if you have something you would like to provide for the trip to the Happy Church in Jackson, KY.

Modesty: Nothing to Be Ashamed Of!

When you think of the word "modesty" what reaction comes to your mind? For many individuals they think in terms of Victorian style of clothing or something like bonnets and burqas. The topic may seem as archaic as 8-track tapes, or even LPs. So, as followers of Christ is modesty a consideration for today, and if so, where do we derive our principles of modesty?

We read that after Adam and Eve had sinned, God clothed them (Genesis 3:21). It is also important to remember that God has made us male and female and that there is to be a difference reflected in how we present ourselves. (No, I don't believe that means that females can't wear pants.) Paul writes "I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly..." (1 Timothy 2:9). So how do we help our children learn to do that? Michael Hyatt, who raised 5 daughters had the following “Four Guidelines for Modesty”:

1. If you have trouble getting into it or out of it, it is probably not modest.
2. If you have to be careful when you sit down or bend over, it is probably not modest.
3. If people look at any part of your body before looking at your face, it is probably not modest.
4. If you can see your most private body parts or an outline of those parts under the fabric, it is probably not modest.

As Dad's of daughters, it is important for us as men, to help our young ladies learn how to present themselves. This is contradictory to the world culture which says "if you've got it, flaunt it!" I recently was forwarded a link from a Christian Dad (no one you know!) who had proudly video taped his daughter singing up on an elevated stage. One of the first thing that went through my mind as a Dad who has daughters, was that her dress was too short (no, that is not a mind in the gutter - it is the protection of a Dad)! There are things that may be cute at 3 and 4 years of age, that are no longer appropriate as our daughters mature. This was a point of discussion on a few occasions in our home where, innocently, our daughters were not aware of the implications! (If you want to read the rest of Michael Hyatt's post, you can go here)

By the way, ladies, it is your responsibility to also model modesty to the young ladies around you, whether they are your daughters or someone else's. Mary Mohler writes, "if you arrive at church dressed in such a way that by the end of the service the people around you, by no fault of their own, now know the color of your underwear as they have watched you do a shimmy dance as you try to get your too-short, too-tight skirt to go under you, there is a big problem." She goes on to say, "and don't blame the men around you that they need to get their minds out of the gutter."

I have heard Christian parents concerned about the pressures that their sons are facing. Their sons desire to walk with God in purity, but are bombarded with immodesty and aggressive behavior from the young women around them.

So what do we do?

1. Lead By Example -- demonstrating modesty.
2. Teach your young ladies why modesty is important from God's perspective. Use Mary Mohler's article as a good place to start -- perhaps some dinner conversation or family devotions. (Thanks to Girls of Grace which also covers this topic)
3. Shop Differently. It may mean bypassing the juniors' department or Abercrombie, Mary Mohler goes on to write. "Unlike the discount stores whose marketing says, 'there are no rules,' there are absolutes! You can download Mary Mohler's article entitled "Modeling Modesty" here. It would provide a good point of discussion for parents with their children -- both male & female. We often hear the statement, "pick your battles." Mary Mohler gives some good reasons why this is not an area to forgo taking a stand.

You can add your thoughts below in the comments section.

God's Golden Gang Picnic @ Gordon's 2009-06-27

Thanks to Ray & Dottie for opening their home!

Reflections on Sunday 6/28/2009

• Opportunity to be reminded of God's involvement in our lives as Creator and King through music.
• Studied Joshua 24:1-33 as Joshua called for a decision to be made as to who or what we serve with our lives. We are serving something or someone. Joshua also challenges us to consider the cost of the decision. Jesus challenges individuals to count the cost as well when making a decision for Him. Jesus made it clear that He was not interested in people being his fans, He was only looking for followers. The resulting question to be answered is "Am I a fan or follower of Christ?" The decisions that I make will indicate which of these I am.
• Individual indicated that she wanted to become a follower of Christ!
  

Resources for Fathers, Grandfathers, and...

At 110 years of age, Joshua was able to declare that he and his family had made the choice to follow God (Joshua 24:14-15). It was quite an audacious statement, yet it was true. There were two key components, I believe, that led him to be able to make this bold declaration. He started with himself -- he had determined to walk with God on a consistent basis "as for me." Joshua did not compartmentalize his life, he was the same person in private what he was in public. Secondly, he had determined to influence the heart of his children, not merely their external actions. He took Deuteronomy 6:4-8 to heart and looked for teachable moments in daily activities.

Here are a few resources that might be helpful to you Dads as you raise your children so that you might have a successful home:

The Marks of Manhood: What are the indicators that a boy has become a man? What is the target that we are shooting for when raising sons to become husbands and fathers? Al Mohler lists 13 indicators of manhood. Men, these are also good for us to reflect upon in our own lives. Also for you Dads with daughters, these indicators would make for a good Father-Daughter date once a month to discuss the implications of their quest for a godly husband.

Achieving True Success: How to Build Character As a Family: this is a book with 49 different character traits that can be used for discussion in helping to develop children. This would make for a good discussion at the dinner table, or perhaps even a devotional time. I would encourage you to take the time to look up the biblical principle from Scripture and read the passage as demonstration of God's desire for character. It is my understanding that this is not necessarily a "Christian" book, but that the truths of character are backed up in Scripture. Note: I have given you the link to the Amazon site just for your convenience. I do not receive any remuneration for this promoting this book. I have it on order and it should be arriving either this week or the next.

"She Calls Me Daddy" by Robert Wolgemuth: this is an excellent audio book for those of you who are fathers to girls. It has some insightful tips for raising daughters at all age levels -- from one who has been there. If you would like to borrow this in a CD format, stop by the church office. I haven't found anything quite as helpful for boys, though that hasn't been my main focus. If you have a recommendation, you can leave it in the comments below.

Pastor Dad: Free ebook for Dads which points out the responsibility of being the pastor of your home. You can read it online or download it as a PDF file. It is written by Mark Driscoll. I'm working my way through it as well at this time.

Hope those resources are a helpful starting point. If you have found other resources that you would like to share, you can leave them in the comments section below so that others might profit from your knowledge.

May God grant you His wisdom, grace and joy as you guide your children as a father!

Reflections on Father's Day

(Yep, this is our house in the Philippines, my Dad, Mother, myself and my brother Tim - held by my mother).

As I reflect on Father's Day, I am grateful for three men that God placed in my life as a father to impact me. The first was my biological father (seen above) whom I had the privilege of being part of my life for 15 years until God called him home. God placed a second man in my life as father around the time I was 17 years of age. He is my step-father and I am thankful for his guidance and encouragement over the years. He turns 85 today (June 22). A third man God placed in my life was my father-in-law whose consistent walk with the Lord was evident. He would have turned 80 this Saturday, but God called him home approximately three years ago.

I am grateful for the privilege to be Dad to two daughters and their husbands. Pam and I got to hang out a bit yesterday afternoon and evening with Jamie and her husband Dennis. Jill called from Myrtle Beach and it was good to talk with her again.

Dads, I trust you had an enjoyable day. Time races on -- take the opportunities that you have with your children now. For those estranged from Dads and children, do your best to reconcile and move forward. Those opportunities will come to an end too soon.

VBS Clip #2

Another good evening of VBS, even with the rain!

Vacation Bible School Video Clip

Thanks for all those who have invest of their time and effort in Vacation Bible School this year. This video clip doesn't catch all of you, but God knows who you are and your efforts for His kingdom will not go unnoticed. Thanks to all for your prayers and financial support for this ministry!

Father/Son Picnic

Just wanted to say THANKS to the ladies who worked to make this time possible. Great food, fellowship and weather. It was a gorgeous day and a great opportunity to hang out with some other men and boys. (Click on the picture to enlarge it)

Operation Barnabas Update

We received word today of the group assignments for the three young people from our church. You can follow the different teams by clicking on their blog site.

Team Central: Mandy Jenkins - blog site for Team Central here.

Keystone: Wade Weaver - blog site for Keystone here.

Tri-State: Spencer Draper - blog site for Tri-State here.

(Orientation Blog here - which is soon over)

Thank you for your prayer & financial support!

Skeletons in the Pulpit and Cadavers in the Pew

I loved the title of this article by Joe McKeever. The author points out that it is important for those involved in preaching God's truth to take Biblical truth and make present day application. It is not enough to come up with a clever outline (the skeleton) and preach an outline. The result of preaching an outline is a cadaver in the pew -- "undernourished saints who have nothing to chew on but outlines." Of course it is important for the preacher to have an outline so that he knows where he is headed versus just wandering around, but the main goal is not merely to remember a clever outline.

McKeever admonishes those preaching to make relevant application of God's truth to the listener's life. He also encourages those listening, not to be so concerned with getting the outline of the message down correctly, but instead, to write down whatever the Spirit says to you, perhaps something you want to remember or look up or do after the sermon's over.

A good word! If you want to read the full article, you can go here.

Monday's Reflections on Sunday...

• Thanks to the Praise Team (live background) - great job! We were reminded of the care of our Great God!
• Looked at "Facing Discouragement" -- what causes it and the means God uses to bring encouragement.
• Great time with other men & boys at Father/Son Picnic at Devil's Backbone. Gorgeous weather (thank you Lord) good food and fellowship! Thank you ladies for arranging this!
• Good start to VBS on Sunday evening - Crocodile Dock - invite a boy or girl to come! Thanks to all who have helped to prepare and who are involved. Your prayers appreciated for this ministry.
  

Jess Semler has launched on Missions Trip

Jess Semler left this week on her mission trip to Uganda. Please keep her in your prayers for safety and for an effective ministry. Thanks for your prayer and financial support for Jess. She will be returning June 24. She will be involved in outreach, through drama, VBS, sports, construction, etc. If you want to read more about what she will be doing, you can go here.

We're Ready to Rock @ Crocodile Dock!

Thanks to those who helped with set up for our VBS which starts this Sunday evening from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Here is what we still need to do to make Vacation Bible School successful:

1. Please Pray! Pray for teachers, leaders, helpers, participants and families who attend. Pray that hearts might be open and that we might reach some boys and girls, Moms and Dads for Christ. We need God's blessing on this endeavor.

2. Invite! Please invite children to come and participate in VBS. We have a great staff and theme, but the goal is to reach children. So, if you know of anyone who does not have a home church, invite them to attend -- in fact, bring them along.

3. Stop by some evening to see what is taking place.

Thanks again, for your participation through providing needed items, serving, praying, and inviting. It is a team effort for Christ!

Monday Thoughts ... Reflecting on Sunday

Reflecting on Sunday's events at Valley Grace

• Services seemed to go well
  
• Live praise band introduced a new song "I Will Rise." We will sing this song this coming week. Great words. I had never heard it before
  
• Great fellowship time for the mid-40s to 50ish in the afternoon. Approximately 30 people in attendance. Gorgeous weather and great fellowship.
  
• Sobering, just heard of a younger pastor who has had to leave ministry because of self-inflicted lethal wound. Please pray for him, his wife and family and also the church he served.

Thanks to all who helped to exalt Christ. We trust it was a profitable time for you.

Mother-Daughter Luncheon Follow-up

The Mother-Daughter Luncheon was excellent. Thanks to those who planned it and made it possible. Thanks also to the men who served, we learned some things which must remain classified to protect the guilty (it was the missionary's fault)!

The Marks of Becoming a Man

"When does a boy become a man?" That is an excellent question. The answer is much more than biological or chronological, writes Albert Mohler. How does the Bible define manhood? Mohler lists thirteen markers of becoming a Biblical man. This list is valuable for personal evaluation, as well as considering the process to develop a boy into a godly man. Mohler's post provides a good road map for fathers who desire to lead their sons into manhood. It is also a good measuring stick for fathers when asked by a young man for permission to marry their daughters. (And no, I don't think seeking a father's blessing on marriage is an antiquated custom!)

1. Spiritual maturity sufficient to lead a wife and children.
2. Personal maturity sufficient to be a responsible husband and father.
3. Economic maturity sufficient to hold an adult job and handle money.
4. Physical maturity sufficient to work and protect a family.
5. Sexual maturity sufficient to marry and fulfill God's purposes.
6. Moral maturity sufficient to lead as (an) example of righteousness.
7. Ethical maturity sufficient to make responsible decisions.
8. Worldview maturity sufficient to understand what is really important.
9. Relational maturity sufficient to understand and respect others.
10. Social maturity sufficient to make a contribution to society.
11. Verbal maturity sufficient to communicate and articulate as a man.
12. Character maturity sufficient to demonstrate courage under fire.
13. Biblical maturity sufficient to lead at some level in the church.

Mohler fleshes this out here. A highly recommended read for all those of the male gender!

Floy Polasky at home with her Savior

Shirely Imes's mother, Floy Polasky was released from her body of suffering and is with her Savior. The Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday afternoon, at Valley Grace. Refreshments to follow.

Taking a Stand - Would you Do it?

Carrie Prejean, Miss California, a finalist in the Miss USA contest has created quite a stir. She was asked by judge Perez Hilton (pseudo name), an openly gay gossip blogger, whether she believed in gay marriage. Miss Prejean, responded, "We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised." Many of the personnel who run the contest as well as much of the media has castigated Carrie. Perez Hilton has been downright caustic.

Keith Lewis, who runs the Miss California competition, tells FOXNews.com that he was "saddened" by Prejean's statement. "As co-director of the Miss California USA, I am personally saddened and hurt that Miss California believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman," said Lewis in a statement. "I believe all religions should be able to ordain what unions they see fit. I do not believe our government should be able to discriminate against anyone and religious beliefs have no politics in the Miss California family." (link)

The point is that religious people should "compartmentalize" faith. Religion is something that is to be private, but not something that would dare affect one's worldview - including politics. Prejean told FOXNews.com that she has "no regrets" and is happy with the answer she gave. According to Foxnews, Prejean, is a student at San Diego Christian College, and is studying to become a special education teacher. She spends her spare time volunteering for the Best Buddies non profit organization, a program that helps people with disabilities. Prejean is also a volunteer for the Special Olympics. (link)

There is speculation that her answer cost her "her crown." This story is worth sharing at your supper table and talking about taking a stand for what you believe, in spite of the cost or consequence. It is a biblical idea. It would also be a good opportunity to talk about the reason for your own personal convictions. Would you take a stand if it cost you a starting position on the team, a scholarship, a promotion, or ...? Here is a modern day example of someone who paid the price for standing up for her convictions.

Note: Here is a good response to this double standard by Andrea Tantaros. She effectively points out the hypocrisy of it all here.