Kenai Christian Church

Transcription

1 Kenai Christian Church John 11:25 May 23, 2012 Vol. 12 No.5 Sunday Sunday School Worship Evening Wednesday Bible Study Our Services 9:45 AM 11:00 AM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM Ministers Robert DeVolld Phone: Home Bryan Copenhaver Phone: Home Youth Minister Adam Meyers Women's Ministry Leslie Daniel Phone: Summer Small Group begins Sunday, June 3rd! Stop by the tables in the Foyer and see the many options. Sign up, today! Memorial Day is Monday May 28th Evening Service will be dismissed on Sunday, May 27th. KCC News is published monthly by Kenai Christian Church 104 McKinley Street, Kenai AK Phone: FAX: WEB: Layout Annie Job Editor Annie Peek Women s News Layout Susan Lee Editor Annie Job Publishing Jean Widmayer, Chrystle Henderson Joy Winston, Louann Peery Joyce Tugan, Angie Miller Fathers Day is June 17th Evening Services will be dismissed

2 Minister's Outlook clear and 45 ( ) 9:00 a.m. A Thought To Consider Merely looking out the any window of our homes tells all of us that God has blessed us again with the privilege of experiencing the changing seasons. The winter snow is gone and the greening of the trees and grasses are everywhere to be seen. How good it is and how blessed we are! Just to be outside and take in all the sights and springtime aromas are blessing enough, but we have the added blessing of migrating birds, roving moose and caribou, and occasionally the experience of seeing one of our very healthy population of black and brown bears. In addition to this, sports and commercial fishing boats are now being readied for summer use. Truly, there is excitement in the air. In the church there is excitement too. Last Sunday, Maccoy (Mack) Castillo was baptized by his grandfather, Eddie Castillo. Next Sunday, nine of our graduating high school seniors will be recognized and honored. On Memorial Day weekend we will remember our faithful military men and women who have defended the blessings of living... in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Susie Knudsen, our director of Children s Ministry, recently outlined the curriculum for the Grades 1-5 summer Wednesday evening activities and lessons. David Daniel has prepared sign-up sheets for our Sunday evening summer Small Group sessions and has listed the homes which will be hosting them. And Merci is planning for the VBS program later on. What are vital to these matters is YOU. God has granted us many physical blessings and desires that we enjoy them and praise Him. But God also wants us to be sharp, alert, and truthful. He knows, and we know, that the physical blessings He provides can easily become curses based upon the criteria we use for determining our decisions and plans. God teaches us that there must be a balance between the appreciation of the physical blessings and the development of the spiritual opportunities He has granted us. Only then can we effectively appreciate the purpose for which we were created. To appreciate the physical gifts God has provided is good. But to ignore the spiritual opportunities He provides will not prepare us for the heaven He has prepared for all of those who love Him. Robert Encouragement Corner Haiti One Year Later By the time this newsletter reaches your mailbox, it will have been almost exactly one year since Kenai Christian Church sent thirteen members of the congregation to Gonaives, Haiti to minister to the folks at Living Water Christian Mission. Based upon the s that I have received from Salonique since our visit, it appears that the sporting equipment, audio / visual equipment, library shelving and various other resources that we supplied have been put to good use. It has been exciting this last year to watch as Salonique has continued to pass along pictures of the progress that has been made on their medical clinic. What was once a walled in, empty lot, now contains a building that is in the final stages of concrete work. The manner in which the Lord has provided the finances for this project, is yet another testimony to the faithful support of brothers and sisters in Christ here in the United States. Salonique is passionate about seeing this project completed as quickly as possible. One only has to read his letters to see why. On April 19 th of this year, he wrote the following I (have been haunted) by the waste and loss of many lives to Cholera all over Haiti, particularly in my region. And I still believed that if we had the health clinic, we could have saved a few. I say this because the clinic of New Testament at La Croix saved the life of my niece Anne Christie and that of a gentleman named Jacky. I name the two that I can document as an eye witness. I wonder sometimes if we truly realize how blessed we are here in Alaska. Our sanitation systems are such that an outbreak of Cholera is unheard of. If we do become sick, we simply check ourselves into the hospital where the latest and greatest of medical treatment awaits us. Unfortunately though, the folks of Gonaives are not afforded this luxury. But if Salonqiue and the folks at Living Water have their way, some sort of medical assistance will become available to the residents of Gonaives, thanks to the faithful support of congregations like Kenai Christian Church. I leave you with the words of Salonique in regards to this matter I thank God for each and everyone who have made this project theirs. Thanks to the Churches who have been giving toward the construction of the clinic. Thanks to the families and individuals who have been giving sacrificially so that health care could be readily available to many people. Your donations have been a confirmation that the Lord is in this project. Thanks for your encouragement. Because He s the Truth, Bryan

3 Mission Moment Let s be honest. Sometimes, we like to get comfortable. With the weather turning for the better (hopefully), and summer days ahead, it s easy to start to think about, what would I like to be doing now? Although not sinful in and of itself, the self-turned focus can be a dangerous thing. If all the soldiers on the battlefield turned their attention to the plushness of their foxholes instead of listening for the direction of their general and watching for enemy movement, the battle would be lost. As we are out this summer, let s keep these words from John Piper in our heads: Jesus Said: Therefore: Matthew 24:14, This gospel will first be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come. Matthew 9:37-38, The harvest is plentiful, the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Matthew 28:18-19, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. John 20:21, As the Father has sent me, so send I you. Until the Kingdom is finally established and there are no more unreached peoples, the local church must be a mission base. Until the Kingdom comes, worship must stoke the fires of love for the glory of a global God. Until the Kingdom comes, Christian education must train the troops for tactical and strategic warfare with the weapon of truth. Until the Kingdom comes, counseling and nurture must be the field hospitals saving the wounded, relieving battle fatigue, transforming the traumas of spiritual war into veteran courage. Until the Kingdom comes, fellowship must have the flavor of camaraderie under siege. Until the Kingdom comes, money must be the currency of combat, not convenience. Until the Kingdom comes, leisure must be re-creation for the cause of Christ. Until the Kingdom comes, marriage must be a partnership in arms (double meaning intended!). Until the Kingdom comes, the family must be an enclave of Christcentered joy equipping young insurgents to infiltrate occupied territories. Until the Kingdom comes, vocation must be an on-duty outpost, a solitary sortie, and a basic line of support for the war effort. If we love the glory of God, and have compassion for the lost, no other mentality will leave our conscience clear. Let us stand at attention together this summer, and take the battle to the enemy. Mary Pat Mills and Duane Shaffer will exchange wedding vows on Saturday, the sixteenth day of June in the Chapel Everyone welcome ~ Congratulations ~ Tara and John Ryan Copple welcome a daughter, Paige Marie born on April 27, She joins big brothers, Isaac and Bridger PRAISE Maccoy Castillo was baptized into Christ May 13th by his grandfather Eddie Castillo. Welcome to the KCC Family! Welcome to Lupine Orlob! She placed membership with KCC on May 16th Please remember to Pray for Our Missionaries on June 15th COMING IN JULY Sonrise National park Vbs July :30-8:30 pm

4 1 John 4:1- Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Upcoming Events: June 2 Beautification Day! 10am-Noonish June 3 Small Groups begin June 11 1pm-3pm Ultimate Frisbee! June 16 Duane & Mary Pat s Wedding 1pm KCC Chapel July 8 Early Bird Registration for camp Summer Camp! There has been a lot of questions surrounding this year s summer camp, so I thought I would address them here to clarify a few points. First of all, both middle school and high school camp will happen during the same week. The dates are July 30th-August 3rd. Both middle school and high school will be at the same campus and will share the same missionary, free time and main session; however, all classes and cabin arrangements will be separate. We will be taking a chartered bus from KCC to Little Beaver Camp in Wasilla, and this is why it is crucial to pre-register. The cost of camp is $140 per camper if you register before July 8th ($165 thereafter). This covers all activities, lessons, meals, and room fees. Checks are payable to Greatland Christian Camp. What does the new camp have to offer our youth? Well, the same sound Biblical teaching as always, missionary from I.D.E.S., and guest speaker Mike Sweeney. The new stuff: water tubing, zip-lining, the blob, paintball course with all supplies, basketball courts, canoeing, kayaking, beachfront activities, and a fully staffed kitchen who prepares meals for us and cleans up afterwards! So what s the big deal? EVERY- THING!! I stand by the fact that summer Bible camp has a way of transforming youth like no other event during the year. Youth spend more time in one week studying God s word and in fellowship with other Christians and mentors than they do all year. The results are new commitments to Christ, and a firmer foundation for those who are already believers. Simply put: there is no substitute for summer camp! Lovin camp, -Adam

5 Beautification Day is June 2nd 10am noon Alien Youth will be helping plant flowers again this year. Debbie is asking for financial donations so she can pick a color pattern. If you would like to donate, please drop your specified donation in the offering boxes, to the staff or Debbie by May 30th. Thank you for your help!