VBS Cavassing

Yes, it's time for Vacation Bible School already. This year's VBS runs from July 12th-15th. Our theme this year is Soul Survivors on Danger Island. The theme verse is Romans 8:37, "...We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." The main objective is to get the children to recognize spiritual dangers and realize that we can overcome, conquer, them with God's help. Our adventure on Danger Island will begin with a shipwreck, then carry us deep into a bat infested cave and finally climax at the base of an active Volcano! Sounds like it will be great fun, and I think the children will enjoy it too :)

This past Saturday our church canvassed the area handing out Vacation Bible School pamphlets and Gospel Tracts. It was a good time for making some more initial contacts in the are for me, the new pastor, and a great opportunity to reach out to the community and let them know that Calais Church is interested in them and their families. Please pray that many children will come to Vacation Bible School this year, that there would be souls saved as a result and that perhaps many families may be added to the church.

We already have a family who has asked that the church van begin picking up their children this Sunday for Sunday school and church each week! Though we are without a van at the moment, I told them that the pastor and his wife would be more than happy to come pick them up. The Lord has already begun to do a work. What an opportunity to minister and witness to this family!

The Value of The Word

Tonight was my second Wednesday night at Calais as Pastor and we had a very sweet time of prayer, special music and Bible Study. We were privileged to have Jessica and Della West in the service tonight to sing for us. Jessica is on her way through preparing for her mission trip to Australia.

We had a warm time of prayer this evening where everyone had the chance to pray with a small group. There are many physical and spiritual needs of the church and community. Please pray that God will continue to work here at Calais and impress upon us the importance and power of Prayer.

Tonight's Bible study centered around the value of the scriptures as found in II Timothy 3:16-17

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

What truth is found in these 2 short verses! Because all scripture is literally God-breathed, it is profitable for the teaching of Biblical truths and principles, for training, for evidence or proof, to put right any and all false teachings and doctrines, for the schooling of mankind in true righteousness: that the man of God may be fitted exactly and fully equipped for everything that God has called him to do!

God used over 21 names for the Bible, God literally spirited or breathed each word, he has preserved it through the ages and still uses it today to change lives! If we truly valued His Word as much as we should and prayed the scriptures, lived the scriptures, and memorized the scriptures, we couldn't comprehend or contain the blessings we would receive from God.

I pray that my congregation saw the heart of their Pastor tonight. It was truly a sweet, sweet spirit in the House of God.

Finally! Now we have internet/phone at home.

God evening everyone!

I know that it has been a while since I last updated this blog. I apologize, but with the excitement and chaos of the last days right before the move and then not having internet/home phone or very good cell phone coverage since moving is what I will blame.

Let's see...where to begin. We left Nash County, NC on Wednesday evening, June 2nd and traveled to Winston Salem to attend church services and spend the night and next day with my Uncle Jim and his family. The caravan: Kim in the pickup w/trailer, Mom in Bryan's jeep, Bryan driving Kim's car, and finally my in the moving truck, headed to Ohio on Friday, June 4th. We finally arrived at our new home in Batesville, OH. It is a very nice and quaint and small old farm house sufficient for our needs with 2 bedrooms upstairs. To our surprise with no central A/C, which apparently is very common around here. ADJUSTMENT is probably the best word for it. After figuring out the best sleeping arrangements and getting some rest, we all woke up Saturday where we were joined by more than 12 folks from the church to help us unload the truck. What took us a little over 6 hours to load, only took about 3 hours to unload if you don't count the time we wrestled with the chest freezer to get it down in the basement. :) Thanks to everyone from our church who came out and worked so very hard to get us moved in.

We have had 2 Sunday services and 2 Wednesday services since we moved and have had really good attendance for all. The people of our church are so loving and friendly and extremely supportive. Mom and Dad, Billy and Ann, you don't have to worry about us. They will take good care of us while we are here.

Hopefully since the internet is now working at the house, updates will become a more regular occurrence. Thanks for your prayers and support. Continue to pray for us as we are beginning this new ministry. Pray that we will not get so busy or prideful that we miss God's will for the church and ourselves.