The Calvary. Volume 17 - Issue 2 February 2016

Transcription

1 Calvary Baptist Church 1140 Rush Ave. The Calvary Bellefontaine, Ohio Phone (937) Fax: (937) Volume 17 - Issue 2 February 2016 Call We are continuing a series of articles written by friends who attended Calvary, and moved away. This is a way to keep up with old friends. We have named this series Where are they now? Where is the Willetts family now? BY JEREMY WILLETTS I had the wonderful privilege to sit under the leadership and preaching of Pastor Jeff Willetts (love you dad) at Calvary Baptist Church in Bellefontaine from 1995 to It was at that point that I moved away to college and was only able to come home for the summers. We enjoy the visits and seeing familiar faces and giving hugs to old friends. The question was asked, Where am I now? One of the biggest things that I think of since my time at Calvary has been how my family has grown. Kelly and I were married at Calvary and since that point we have added four children (Jackson 8, Bria 6, Piper 4, and Ruby 2) to our family. They grow too fast and are such a joy to us. Much of the time we think they would rather be in Bellefontaine Inside this issue: From the pastor s desk....2 Looking for a letter New members.3 Calvary news Calendar...INSERT CCS news insert with grandparents rather than at home with us. God has given us the privilege to see both Jackson and Bria repent of their sins and turn to Christ for salvation. We continue to pray both for their growth and also for the salvation of both Piper and Ruby. I currently have the opportunity to serve as the Associate Pastor of and Family at Calvary Bible Church in Kalamazoo, MI. I have had the joy of serving here for the past ten years. The current focus that the Lord has laid on my heart while serving here in Kalamazoo is a burden for families and how the church can be a close teammate to parents as parents follow their biblical role in raising their children. A key passage that the Lord has laid on my heart is Deuteronomy 6:5-9 with a key section of that passage saying, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children. It is a challenge to me personally as I raise my own children and a challenge to me in ministry as I seek to help other parents follow what the Lord instructs to do in his word as it relates to raising children. The Willetts family While the Lord currently has a large burden on my heart for families, Kelly and I continue to spend most of our ministry time serving Middle School students and their parents. It is a joy to be able to walk through God s word with students and see them make decisions that alter the trajectory of their lives. We have an amazing adult leadership team that cares deeply for the students and spends much time praying for them and serving them. It is nice to look back and see how God used Calvary Baptist Church as a tool in my life. He used it to prepare me for where I am today. It is always a joy to travel back and remember those times. * * * *

2 page 2 The Calvary Call Looking for a letter ay after day, I checked the mailbox for a D letter. I had asked for something, and I had the assurance that I would get what I needed. Days turned into week and weeks turned into months, and I still didn t get the letter I was expecting. I thought it might have been sent electronically so I checked my inbox - nope, deleted files just in case I deleted it by accident nothing from them. I even checked the junk mail box although I knew it would never go to my junk box again nothing. The delay was killing me. The silence was deafening. I was making contact with them every day but I still didn t see the letter in the box. It made me wonder, did I get them mad by contacting them too much? Did they have the wrong address? Did they know how badly I wanted that letter? Did they even care? Why wouldn t they send me a letter? Then I saw it. Embarrassingly, it was there all the time. I glanced over to the end table right where I always sit and there it sat. How could I have missed it? Did I shuffle other papers on top of it? Was I too distracted to even notice it? Was I busy with other things and this took a lower priority? I don t know what happened but all I know is I have it. I tore it open to see what it had to say. Finally, I would get my answer. I was looking for a letter from God. How do you know the Lord s will? How often have you prayed over and over for something and secretly you were hoping that God would send a letter in the mail, spelling out in exact details what you should do or not do. You were confident that He would give you step by step directions to take in a particular area of your life. The truth is we need his guidance every day. Recently, we studied the Lord s Prayer. In that prayer we ask, Your will be done. Then we wonder, What is His will? The last part of the prayer acknowledges our inabilities. We need to ask Him to give to us, forgive us, lead us, and deliver us. We need a letter. As a pastor, I feel the weight of leading a church. Should we begin this ministry or should we wait on it? Should we change leadership in a particular area of the ministry or just give them more training? Should we buy a building or should we limit ourselves to the building we currently occupy? When a couple comes for counseling they expect that I will give them an answer that will address their concern, fix their issues and be in full harmony with the Lord. I want to shout, Help, I need a letter! Then I look at my desk again and there it is a letter from God. It contains 66 different books looking at things from different points of view but all pointing to the same conclusion. How could I have missed it? Finding the will of God is not as hard as we make it out to be at times. If we are consistently in God s Word and laying our questions before God in prayer and seeking godly counsel then we just need to listen to the counsel and act. If we are not violating God s Word and if God hasn t put road blocks in front of us and if the counsel of godly people continues to point us to move forward, then move. God s letter was given to us long ago. We just need to read it, obey it, and don t violate it. Reread a purpose statement written in 2 Timothy 3: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. Did you notice that last line? God has given us a letter that will equip us for everything. The principles in God s Word will address everything you and I will face. Thank you, Lord, for your letter. - Jeff Willetts, Senior Pastor

3 page 3 The Calvary Call ~ New members ~ Hailey Howard likes all animals, especially riding horses and holding her cats, Joey and Bandit. She has played soccer at Calvary Christian School for the last two years. She also likes to play with little kids. Some other things she enjoys are cooking, swimming, and crafting. Hailey s parents are Max and Julie Howard, and her siblings are Lauren, Keri, and Clay. She is homeschooled. Her favorite color is purple. Brittanny Porter and her husband, Josh, live in Bellefontaine with their two daughters, Josalyn and Sophia. They own and operate two businesses in the community, Superior Delivery and Transportation and Superior Moving. The family enjoys hiking, swimming, playing sports and together. Brittanny says they enjoy the community and the church family very much. ~ Men of God coming soon ~ This year s MOG16 Conference will be held on March 5, Online registration ($25) is now available. The guest speaker is Pastor Mark Smith. He will be speaking about worship and manhood. ~ Unite for youth ~ Unite is happening February 3 at Vineyard Christian Fellowship beginning at 7:00p.m. Unite is a collection of youth groups (6th-12th grade) from around Logan County who come together once a quarter to worship, pray, and fellowship together. Each quarter, we rotate speakers, facilities and worship teams. The purpose of Unite, is just that, it is to Unite the students of Logan County in our commonality of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in order to reach Logan County with the gospel. It is a great time of coming together, and I invite anyone in grades 6 through 12 to Unite! - Donny Macaluso

4 Calvary Baptist Church 1140 Rush Ave. Bellefontaine, Ohio Calvary Baptist Church, 1140 Rush Ave., Bellefontaine, Ohio Ph. (937) FAX (937) Web site: calvary@calvarybellefontaine.org Schedule of services: Sunday: - Sunday school - Morning worship Wednesday: - Bible studies and for youth from ages 3 through high school - Adult Bible study and prayer group Pastoral staff: Jeff Willetts, Senior Pastor Mark Warren, Music and Adult Ministries Pastor Donny Macaluso, and Family Pastor Home of Calvary Christian School K-4 through Grade 12 Phone (937) Paul Green, CCS Administrator The Calvary Call Published monthly for the members and friends of Calvary Baptist Church Lee Detrick, Editor If you wish to have your name removed from our mailing list, please let us know

5 ~ February 2016 ~ INSERT 7 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Men s Bible study 6:00 a.m. at Calstumi Unite 9 10 Men s Bible study 6:00 a.m. at NEXUS Men s Bible study 6:00 a.m. at Men s Bible study 6:00 a.m. at

6 CalStuMi (Calvary Student Ministries) - ~ for February ~ Regular student ministries: LIGHT Grades 9-12 Sunday morning Bible study at 9:00 SALT - Grades 6-8 Sunday morning worship at 10:15 CalStuMi Kids Wednesday evening group time at 6:30 Age 3 through 5th grade Children s church for ages 4 through grade 4 is GOPHER BUDDIES -Ages 3 through kindergarten available during the Sunday morning worship time at OLYMPIANS - Grades :15. INSERT ~ Calvary Christian School News ~ (copied by permission from the CCS newsletter)