THE OLIVE BRANCH A PUBLICATION OF OLIVE BRANCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Volume 1, Issue 1 January 2008

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THE OLIVE BRANCH A PUBLICATION OF OLIVE BRANCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Volume 1, Issue 1 January 2008 write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run that reads it.

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2Cor 6:2 We are not masters of our time on earth. The New Year is new. A new beginning brings on a new day and a new commitment.

I am thankful to our Olive Branch family, supporters and our surrounding communities. We have come a long way by the guidance of our Lord and Savior.

We must keep our trust and devotion in God. Olive Branch, we are being led by our almighty God. It is evident in our worship and our giving praise to Him.

1 THE OLIVE BRANCH A PUBLICATION OF OLIVE BRANCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Volume 1, Issue 1 January 2008 write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run that reads it. Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV The Pastor s Corner! Time is a gift! In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2Cor 6:2 We are not masters of our time on earth. The New Year is new. A new beginning brings on a new day and a new commitment. Its outcome - partly in our hands, totally in God s. We must work together with Him. Our opportunities are limitless in I m especially thankful to my wife and our children. I am thankful to our Olive Branch family, supporters and our surrounding communities. We have come a long way by the guidance of our Lord and Savior. We witnessed people being transformed, we witnessed growth, and we witnessed communion with God. Now we have this testimony. God has truly blessed our families and church. We must keep our trust and devotion in God. Olive Branch, we are being led by our almighty God. It is evident in our worship and our giving praise to Him. As we move forward, keep one another in prayer, remembering our sick and shut-in and our Armed Forces. Let us ask God s strength upon those who have lost loved ones in the year Thank God for allowing us to be as blessed as we have been. Thank you Olive Branch for your continuing prayers and support. Thank you Brenda for being a partner in our ministry. In 2008, take the time to know Him, worship Him, study Him, praise Him, honor Him, trust Him and receive Him. THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 1

THE OLIVE BRANCH A publication of the Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church s Media Ministry Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary to all those at Olive Branch celebrating a birthday or anniversary in

2 THE OLIVE BRANCH A publication of the Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church s Media Ministry Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary to all those at Olive Branch celebrating a birthday or anniversary in January GOD BLESS & MANY MORE!! Kelvin E. McDonald, Sr. Senior Pastor Editor Ann Cassell Editor-in-Chief Production Assistants Julia Pullie Keyonia Rivers All articles for the newsletter must be copy ready submitted to the Editor by the 1 st Sunday of the month. Be blessed in the Lord!!!! Editor reserves the right to edit for content and space. address: Cassie1155@cox.net Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church 510 Brooks venue Elizabeth City, North Carolina Church: (252) Unless otherwise indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the King James Version Be blessed in the Lord for the things He has done. He has given to us another year of life and another year of unity. Give unto Him and He will continue to pour out blessings beyond our many dreams and imagination. The best is yet to come!!!! Give us your dates of birth and anniversary celebration so that we might extend to you personal best wishes. A New Beginning A New Committment Celebrate a new beginning, leave the past behind. God is preparing better things for you!!!! THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 2

3 Inspirational Living Life on earth is an adventure - don t miss it! One day your soul will leave your earthly body and your eternal life will begin. For the Christian, what a wonderful day that will be! Until then. Ask yourself: are you making the most of your life here on earth, savoring each moment of beauty, joy and love. Start now and you will have plenty of time to try some of the suggestions that will be presented in The Olive Branch in the following months. This month s inspirational suggestion is Risk Looking Stupid. Noah built a boat in his front yard before anyone knew what a flood really was. Moses freed the people of Israel by leading them to the edge of the impassable Red Sea. David a boy with some rocks and a slingshot volunteered to fight Goliath a super warrior. Joshua told his troops they would defeat Jericho by marching around the city walls for six days while blowing horns. Jesus puts some mud on the eyes of a blind man and proclaimed that the man could see. There had to have been some snickers. The murmur of skeptics. A few whispers among the crowd that voiced what others were thinking This is a really stupid idea! If you want to become the person God designed you, to be you need to risk looking stupid every once in a while. Those in the Bible who did exactly that accomplished some amazing things. But they also picked up a lot criticism, and even a few enemies, along the way. That s because the grain of accepted wisdom and public opinion even when you believe is leading you to do so isn t easy. It takes courage, humility, and faith. And the results may not always be what you expect. What s considered a success in heaven may still be labeled a failure here on earth. But don t let that stop you from attempting what others may view as stupid things. Welcome that disabled foster child into your home. Talk to the atheist next door about your relationship with God. Accept the job with the smaller salary but bigger eternal dividends. Forget that wrong that seems unforgivable. Risk doing what God wants you to do, even when the task far surpasses your own abilities. If it didn t, others might miss out on catching a glimpse of God s invisible hand at work. And you could miss out on taking part in the adventure of a lifetime. Sis. Julia Pullie THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 3

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6 By His Stripes We are Healed!!! Continue to pray for and visit our sick and shut-in members. Sis. Odessa Etheridge and Sis. Wyommie Gallop continue to recuperate at home. Keep Sis. Please keep Sis. Avis Riddick in prayer as she recovers from a recent illness and surgery. The Women s Fellowship wishes to thank everyone who donated items for holiday gift bags to the members in the nursing home. The Cotillion Committee and girls made beautiful flannel throws for members in the nursing homes and senior members of OB. Next year they hope to be able to give more of our seniors throws. Attention all Youth and Parents!!! Please give any articles of achievements to members of the newsletter staff or to address provided in the newsletter. We want to hear about your accomplishments. The KEM Community Voices is looking for new members. If you are interested, please contact Sis. Deidre Mann, or any choir member. Choir rehearsal is the Tuesday before the 1 st & 3 rd Sunday at 6:30. Serve the Lord with gladness. Greet OB friends and members with a smile!!! The Gatekeepers Ministry seeks new members. Please contact any member if you are interested. The Gatekeepers serve every second Sunday at the 8:00 and 11:00 am services. There are several members who have not been in service in weeks. As our brother s keepers, let s reach out to those we haven t seen in service. Give them a call of encouragement, show that you care and let them know you hope to see them in the near future. Praise is what I do!!!! The 8am Praise Team desires members who don t mind early morning praise and worship. O sing unto the Lord a new song. Come out and help magnify Him. Rehearsals are Wednesday nights before the 1 st and 3 rd Sunday at 7:30pm. It s a new year, so let s begin anew by attending 8am Morning Hour of Praise, 9:30 am Sunday School, 11am Morning Worship, 6:00 Monday Power Praise Exercise Class, and 7:00 Bible Study. THE OLIVE BRANCH provides its readers with relevant and current information pertinent to the Christian walk and lifestyle. THE OLIVE BRANCH staff will make every effort to provide material which is educational, entertaining, encouraging and inspiring. All of this is done in an effort to assist OLIVE BRANCH readers in developing a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 6

7 HEALTH AND FITNESS The Little Black Dress Boot Camp designed by Tony Thompson owner of Tony s Personal Training Zone in Virginia Beach, VA. Morning workout Take a 30-minute fast walk or jog followed by: Squats - The movement is like sitting in a chair with feet shoulder distance apart; make sure to keep your knees behind your toes. Three sets of 20. Calve Raises - Basically stand on your tippy-toes and pause at the top for one second. Do not skip this drill if your black dress is truly little. Three sets of 20. Lunges - Hands on hips, take a big step, bending the forward knee. Take another step. Go for 20 yards three times. Then, for the critical upper body: Shoulder press Hold your dumbbells at shoulder height with palms facing forward. Slowly push them straight up until arms are almost fully extended, pause, and return to start. Do three sets of 20. Bicep curls Arms at your side, hold dumbbells facing inward. With arms slightly bent, raise both at once to the side to shoulder height. Pause and return to start. Do three sets of 20. Triceps kickback Lean forward, back straight. With elbows bent and tight to body, hold dumbbells facing inward. Without moving the upper arm, extend the arm fully, pause and return to start. Do three sets of 20. Now get down on your knees for 20 push-ups. Be sure to keep the body on a flat plane. Afternoon workout* 30 minutes of cardio, of your choice 100 crunches, for the abs 50 more push-ups *Note if it is more convenient the morning and afternoon workouts may be switched. This article was taken from the Virginian Pilot, Daily Break December 5, 2007 by Miranda Mulligan. THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 7

8 CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS An angle says, Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn t happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice. Try these stress-reducing tips: 1. Pray 2. Go to bed on time. 3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed. 4. Say No to projects that won t fit into your time schedule or that will compromise your mental health. 5. Delegate tasks to capable others. 6. Simplify and unclutter your life. 7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many). 8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places. 9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don t lump the hard things all together. 10. Take one day at a time. 11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you to do and let go of the anxiety. If you can t do anything about the situation, forget it. 12. Live within your budget, don t use credit cards for ordinary purchases. 13. Have backups; an extra key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc. 14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble. 15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday. 16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line. 17. Get enough rest. 18. Eat right. 19. Get organized so everything has its place. 20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life. 21. Write down thoughts and inspirations. 22. Every day, find time to be alone. 23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don wait unit it s time to go to bed to pray. 24. Make friends with Godly people. 25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand. 26. Remember the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good, Thank you Jesus. 27. Laugh 28. Laugh some more! 29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all. 30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can). 31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most). 32. Sit on your ego. 33. Talk less, listen more. 34. Slow down. 35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe. 36. Every night before bed, think of one that you re grateful for that you ve never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 Submitted by Deacon Raymond Hawkins THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 8

What s cooking in the Kitchen? Cajun Shrimp Fettucini Alfredo A co-worker and I were talking about Christmas dinners. This year, she prepared a seafood menu.

9 What s cooking in the Kitchen? Cajun Shrimp Fettucini Alfredo A co-worker and I were talking about Christmas dinners. This year, she prepared a seafood menu. One of her dishes was Cajun Shrimp Fettucini Alfredo. She said it was a big hit, so I thought I would share it with you. Prep Time: 30 minutes or less Cook Time: 30 minutes or less Serves: 4 1 lb bag of fettucini 1 bulb garlic (optional) (I used the minced garlic) 1/2 lb shrimp (optional) 1 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tbsp butter (+/- 1 tbsp) 1 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese (not that grated stuff) Some olive oil Some Creole/Cajun Seasoning (optional) Basil (optional) First, put some water into the pot and put it on high heat to boil. Add some salt if you want. Before your water boils, start heating up a pan of olive oil and start your sauce. Just put the pan on medium heat and add some oil to cover the bottom. Put a smaller pot on medium-low heat and add the cup of cream and butter to it. Stir the cream sauce every once in a while. By now your water will be boiling... So add the pasta and cover it up. When your oil is hot, add the garlic and don't forget about the sauce back there (add a little pepper to it). Now the pasta should be about done (do a taste test if necessary). Drain the pasta. Now put the cover back on it and throw your shrimp into the pan with the garlic. Add some cajun seasoning while you're at it. These little shrimp cook fast. 4 minutes is all it takes. Don't overcook these or they'll turn out chewy. Well now that's done, so add the pan contents to the pasta. It's time to finish up the sauce. Add your parmesan cheese while stirring the cream sauce, but leave just a little bit left over for garnish at the end. Don't worry if it doesn't seem thick. Trust me, it will thicken as it cools. Now add the sauce to the pasta. At this point, add about 2 teaspoons full of cajun seasoning to the mix. You don't have to add this much if you don't want to. Actually, the cajun is completely optional. Add more or add less. Stir in a little basil, put it on a plate, and you're done. It'll serve between 3-4 people If I can do it, anybody can Sis Mac!!!!! Visual Recipe By: John Matrix THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 9

10 COMBINED CHOIRS DEC 2007 HOLIDAY FELLOWSHIP AT GUARDIAN CARE THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 10

11 141 ST CHURCH ANNIVERSARY. PASTOR SMITH AND CORNERSTONE BC WERE GUESTS. THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 11

12 Humor in Christ THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 12

JANUARY MEMBER OF THE MONTH SIS. JERELINE LYNN Sis. Jereline Lynn was raised in Norfolk, Virginia.

That was in 1948 and she has been here every since. She joined Olive Branch in 1954.

She has been a devoted deaconess and also serves on the Pastor s Aide committee. As a member of the Women s Fellowship, Sis.

Sis Lynn enjoys walking and is an active participant in the Power Praise exercise program.

They are the joy of her life along with her 7 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

13 JANUARY MEMBER OF THE MONTH SIS. JERELINE LYNN Sis. Jereline Lynn was raised in Norfolk, Virginia. She came to Elizabeth City one day to check on her mother-in-law, who was ill at the time. That was in 1948 and she has been here every since. She joined Olive Branch in Since then, she has been an active member of the Missionary Ministry. She is now the Chairperson of the Missionaries. She has been a devoted deaconess and also serves on the Pastor s Aide committee. As a member of the Women s Fellowship, Sis. Lynn has helped to feed the hungry, and provide comfort to those in the nursing home. Sis Lynn enjoys walking and is an active participant in the Power Praise exercise program. She became a widow at an early age, but with strength, prayer and determination, she was able to raise her 3 children. They are the joy of her life along with her 7 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. After 22 years of service, she was blessed to retire as the Residential Director of Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). Sis. Lynn talked about her joy of fishing before her left arm strength began to weaken. Now she enjoys reading, completing crossword puzzles and playing the video game Tetris. She knows that it was the Lord that saw her through hard times and illnesses. Thus her favorite scripture is Psalm 27. THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 13

14 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 There Is A Door That God Will Not Open Seven churches received letters from the Lord through Apostle John while John was held in exile on Isle of Patmos. In one of the letters, a church was strongly rebuked. The church at Ephesus was told they were lukewarm and in danger of being 'spewed out' by the Lord. His rebuke was accompanied by an invitation to share a meal with Him; however, they would first have to open the door so that He could enter. This was one door the Lord would not open. He Is Waiting On You Your relationship with the Lord is important and must be consistently attended to. Although the Lord can open any door, it is essential that you understand this is one door He will leave to you. The Lord stands at the door making Himself available for your relationship, and He awaits the door to be opened. He is waiting on you. THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 14

15 TAKE THE TIME TO FELLOWSHIP! WORSHIP! STUDY! S UNDAY S CHOOL L ESSONS JANUARY 2008 January 6, 2008 Title: Inspired to Inquire Devotional Reading: Psalm 148:7-14 Background Scripture: Luke 1:5-25 Printed Text: Luke 1:8-23 January 13, 2008 Title: Inspired to Love Devotional Reading: Psalm 37:1-11 Background Scripture: Luke 6:27-36 Printed Text: Luke 6:27-36 January 20, 2008 Title: Inspired to Pray Devotional Reading: Psalm 28:6-9 Background Scripture: Luke 11:1-13 Printed Text: Luke 11:5-13 January 27, 2008 Title: Inspired to Trust Devotional Reading: Psalm 31:1-5 Background Scripture: Luke 12:22-34 Printed Text: Luke 12:22-34 Bible Study is a wonderful time to listen, learn and discuss our Lords teachings and direction for our lives. Please join us in our discussion and learn about our Christian faith! If you have questions or need clarity on God s Word, we invite you to attend our School of the Word Bible Study every Thursday evening at 7:00 PM! Come prepared. Bring your Bible, Bring your pen, bring your paper, and bring YOUR FRIEND! WEEK AT A GLANCE SUNDAY 8:00 AM Early Morning Worship 9: 30 AM Sunday School 10:45 AM Praise & Worship 11:00 AM Morning Service 11:00 AM Children s Church 1:00 PM Guardian Care Visitation (3 rd Sunday) MONDAY 6:00 PM Praise Exercise 6:00 PM Sunday School Ministry (3 rd Monday) TUESDAY 6:30 PM KEM Community Voices WEDNESDAY 6:00 PM Cub Scouts 6:00 PM Trustee (3 rd Wednesday) 6:00 PM Youth Ministry (4 th Wednesday) 6:30 PM Praise Team (before 1 st & 3 rd Sumday) 7:30 PM Mass Choir (before 2 nd Sunday) 7:00 PM Mass Choir (before 4 th Sunday) THURSDAY 2:00 6:00 PM Pastor s Office Hours 5:30 PM Missionary Ministry (3rd Thursday) 6:00 PM Senior Usher Ministry (4 th Thursday) 7:00 PM School of the Word Bible Study SATURDAY 10:00 AM Usher/Hostess Ministry (before 2 nd Sunday) 11:00 AM Praise Dancers 11:30 AM Youth Ministry (before 3 rd Sunday) 1:00 PM Deaconess (before 1 st Sunday) 1:00 PM Women s Fellowship (3 rd Saturday) THE OLIVE BRANCH JAN 15

THE OLIVE BRANCH. A PUBLICATION OF OLIVE BRANCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Volume 1 Issue 5 May 2008

THE OLIVE BRANCH. A PUBLICATION OF OLIVE BRANCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Volume 1 Issue 5 May 2008 THE OLIVE BRANCH A PUBLICATION OF OLIVE BRANCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Volume 1 Issue 5 May 2008 write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run that reads it. Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV M is