Getting Stotted. Shalom, CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH 42 Washington Blvd. Williamsport, PA (570)

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1 CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH 42 Washington Blvd. Williamsport, PA (570) Rev. Peter C. Wilson, Pastor Sandra L. Snyder, Secretary Getting Stotted One of the most influential Christian lives of the 20th century came to a close last week with the passing of John R.W. Stott at age 90. Many church people don t recognize his name but even Time magazine recognized him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world and any seminary-educated evangelical pastor around the world knows his name well. Stott clearly exposited scripture (which many have done) and added to that clear and informed applications to the issues and realities of life today. I have put out a small display of some of the 50 books he authored. (He edited commentary series as well). On that table you can read a number of obituaries and remembrances that highlight his influence as well as his personality and character (in Stott s case it is very true that the medium is the message). I won t try to go into that here, but I do want to recommend that you pick up and read a booklet or book of his to sample his style of clarity and authentic motivation for living a more genuinely Christian life in our day and time. (If nothing else, it will be so refreshing after the parade of other personalities and characters and messages that we are exposed to in the sometimes circus-like world of American evangelicalism). Paul warns us that we will reap what we have sown. Our minds (the source of our actions and choices in life) are like newly prepared gardens. We can take the plants that God gives us and plant them there or the ones the world offers us, or whatever just blows in there. Turn off the TV next Saturday at sunset. Spend the evening preparing your Sunday School lesson or reading a couple of chapters of Stott. You ll be seeing changes soon, good produce God wants to see, and used John Stott s life and labors to make available to you. Let s get Stotted! Shalom,

2 Council Notes by James D. Lewis The Calvary Baptist Church council met on July 19, This is a synopsis of that meeting. As of the end of June 2011, we are $7, in the red. Pastor Pete has completed his Sunday school series on the seven churches in Revelation. The adult Sunday school class is now working from a book titled, Spiritual Warfare. Several members attended the Northumberland Baptist Association Fair in Milton in June. If you didn t attend, you missed a good time. Pastor Pete will be leaving for Turkey on August 19 th and will be gone through the 31 st. Larry LeFeber will bring the message on August 21 st and Mark Mahserjian-Smith will preach on August 28 th. Our good friend Marva Hoover went to be with the Lord on July 16, Several congregation members will be presenting special music on July 31 st. The choir will not start up again until after Labor Day in September. At the congregational business meeting on July 20 th, the membership voted to dissolve the personnel/nominating committee of the church council in favor of appointing a committee when one is needed. The new church directory is on hold until we can get pictures (in the proper computer format) of new members and homebound persons. Kathy Temple is trying to set up a follow-up session with Olan Mills, but she needs 15 people to be photographed before Olan Mills will come to the church. If you need (or want) to have your photos taken, contact Kathy Temple. Larry Green has been busy arranging for repair of steam pipes in the basement, contracting for weed control for the lawns, and getting estimates for sanctuary roof repairs and repairs for the parsonage. VBS is coming up in the first half of August. Duane can still use help if anyone else is so inclined. The yard sale funds collected will be added to the special fund being saved for the eventual repair of the church roof. Another yard sale is in the works for September 16 th and 17 th. Items will NOT be accepted until after VBS is completed. The church picnic will take place at Short Park on August 20 th. Helen Yoas advised that she is having trouble getting material for the monthly newsletter (Courier). If you have any ideas, or would like to submit an article, contact Helen. The two cribs in the church nursery no longer meet safety standards and so will be destroyed in the near future. Sue Green is looking into prices to replace these items. The counters for August will be Shirley Beyer and Kathy Temple. Kathy Temple will also be the greeter for August. The fellowship meal coordinator for August will be Helen Yoas. The next council meeting will be August 16, Have you had your picture taken for the upcoming photo directory? A number of people were unable to have their picture taken at the originally scheduled session. We are currently working to get another photo session set up so we can have everyone included. You DO NOT need to be a church member to have your picture taken. Please don't miss this opportunity to have a professional photo taken at NO CHARGE. Speak with Kathy Temple for more details. As noted above, the cribs in the church nursery are being disposed of since they no longer meet government safety standards, and efforts are underway to find safe replacements. If anyone has new or gently used nursery furniture and desires to donate it to the church, please speak to Sue Green. Equipment like the Pack N Play Playard and Bassinet would be ideal and appreciated.

3 AUGUST MARK YOUR CALENDARS! PLAN TO ATTEND THE CHURCH PICNIC on SATURDAY, AUGUST 20. We will meet at Short Park (Loyalsock Twp. - Just after the swimming pool on Northway Rd.) 4:00 p.m. - Games 5:30 p.m. - Dinner followed by vespers. Meat and beverages will be provided. See Lynn Turney following the service to sign up to bring a dish to share. (In case of rain, we will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall for dinner and vespers.) Where can you go for dinner on August 14, enjoy a great meal, and get money back? Hoss s of Williamsport! On Sunday, August 14, Hoss s will once again host a Community Night fundraiser for Calvary, and 20% of each check will be donated back to the church, with the presentation of a Cash Cow Card. If the total of all proceeds exceeds $1,200, the donation will be 25%. Dine with the church family right after services or come over for supper: the offer is open all day. See Helen Yoas for Cash Cow Cards: some for you and some to hand out to your friends, or give us your address and we ll send you an you can print out. Remember the date: there will be food for the body, food for the soul, and food for the church finances, too! Pandamania is the theme of Calvary s 2011 Vacation Bible School, which runs from August 8 to August 12. Duane Yeagle and his band of volunteers do a fabulous job each summer of organizing and presenting a VBS program for Calvary kids as well as neighborhood children. If you re reading this before the closing ceremony on Friday, August 12th, and if you have any time free 6:00-8:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, it s likely that volunteers will be welcomed. If you can t be there to help, please keep all

4 Adult Summer Sunday School The summer sessions are underway with a study of Spiritual Warfare; what it is, how to recognize it and how to confront it. Sound heavy going for summertime? Well, it isn t. The summer Sunday school is more of an informal discussion of an important and interesting topic. Questions posed in the study guidebooks are designed to stimulate thought and promote group comment, so there are no wrong answers. The discussion is bounded only by the ideas and comments of the group. The sessions are only two weeks along, but in those two weeks we have learned that Spiritual Warfare can originate from outside as well as inside ourselves, from the Evil One at war with our Spirit and by our own temptations at war with the Holy Spirit within us. It is not too late to join in, to listen and learn, to talk and teach as all of us engage in learning about Spiritual Warfare. Sunday 9:30. Join in. Join us. A Bit of Outflow in the Traffic Flow, or, A Little Impact Lesson By Ben Mazzullo A few weeks ago while on a vacation trip I got a little lesson in how living in Christ does change one s life. As we drove onto a merge lane on a busy local Massachusetts highway, I stopped for an oncoming truck. Unfortunately, the driver behind me did not. There was a big Clunk! and a jolt as my wife and I were slung forward against our safety belts. Startled but unhurt, I looked behind me at the vehicle all too close in my rear-view mirror as I released my seat belt and exited my car. I must admit I was in a bit of ill humor as I strode toward the other car, determined to vent my anger at the man who failed to come to a stop at the intersection. Just what I needed, an accident while on my vacation-damage, delay and frustration! But a funny thing happened. When the man got out of his car, I immediately saw how distraught he was: he was literally shaking as he profusely apologized. At that moment, my anger left me. He was more upset than I was. Hey, I said to him, no one got hurt and it is only a few gouges and scratches on our bumpers. Everyone is fine and the cars drivable and can be fixed. For some reason, I did something I seldom ever do, I actually reached over to hold him by the shoulder - briefly, it is true, but I did it. He slowly calmed down and then we exchanged info in a friendly and relaxed manner and left the scene. My wife, who witnessed all the interaction, complimented me on how well I handled the situation, saying that I really witnessed Christian behavior. A few years ago, I would not have ever been able to step outside my car and my anger and act sympathetically in such a situation. So maybe having Christ in one s life does change you in every way. That little accident was just exactly what I needed.

5 Calvary Baptist Church 42 Washington Blvd. Williamsport, PA If you have any news, updates, articles of interest, or upcoming events that you would like others to know about, please submit this information to Helen Yoas for the September 2011 issue of the Calvary Baptist Courier. PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to cut expenses, the Church Council has decided to change the way we send our newsletters. Previously, the church paid an annual "Bulk Mail" fee of $150 plus approximately $35 for each mailing. We are now handing out the newsletter to those attending the worship service and mailing only to those unable to attend. If you d prefer to receive the newsletter by , please CalvaryCourier@gmail.com with subscribe in the subject line Church Council: Shirley Beyer, Ken Bower, Donna Camp, Larry Green, Sue Green, Jim Lewis (church clerk, ex officio member), Ben Mazzullo, Penny Ohnmeiss, Kathy Temple (moderator), Deb Titus, Lynn Turney, Pastor Peter Wilson (ex officio member), Dan Yoas

6 August EACH SUNDAY: EACH MONDAY: 9:30 am Kids Club, College Pastor s Day Off Class and Adult Class 10:40 am Worship Service CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH B Birthday A - Anniversary EACH WEDNESDAY: EACH THURSDAY: EACH SATURDAY: No AWANA Sparks No Choir Rehearsal 9 AM Evangelism Team and T & T Clubs until Fall until Fall Prayer Meeting 7 pm Bible Study and Prayer Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 7 Fellowship Luncheon (pot luck) following worship service 1 B Mariah Hallabuk B Debra Titus 8 B Timothy Green 6 8 :30 p.m p.m. International Women s Program 9 VACATION p.m. I.W.P. B J. Harvey Snyder BIBLE 4 B Jody Lantz A Rev. Thomas & Frances Wilcox (8-4-36) 11 B Rev. Bob Berger SCHOOL 5 7:00 p.m. Set up for V.B.S. A Steve & Denise (Koons) Gee 12 6 Dwayne Koons and Elizabeth Emmerich Wedding Hoss s Community Day B Frances Wilcox A Larry & Sue Green ( ) 21 Guest Preacher: Rev. Larry LeFeber :00 p.m. Church Council Meeting p.m. I.W.P B Valerie Snyder Pastor will be away p.m. I.W.P CHURCH PICNIC at Short Park 4 p.m. Games 5:30 p.m. - Dinner 27 CLI Orientation B Rob Foust 28 Guest Preacher: Rev. Mark Mahserjian- Smith p.m. I.W.P. Pastor Returns 2011