The Messenger October 2018

Transcription

1 October 2018 Cumberland Plateau Baptist Association The Cumberland Plateau Baptist Association is a network of Churches committed to evangelizing, teaching and ministering to our World. Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. Psalm 103 The Cumberland Plateau Baptist Association Annual Meeting and Annual Worship Service are upon us. In fact, it is October 7, 2018 at Lantana Road Baptist Church. Our Annual Meeting begins at 4:00 p.m. and our Annual Worship Service is at 6:30 p.m. Our stated purpose as an association is to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ by assisting, encouraging, and strengthening member churches to reach evangelistic, educational, missionary and other ministry goals in a cooperative relationship. Hopefully, your church has already selected those that will be your messengers during the CPBA Annual Meeting. Our meeting will begin at 4:00 p.m. and will include reports from our ministries and missions involvement, election of officers and leaders, and voting on new events calendar and budget. Messengers are asked to RSVP to Alta for dinner reservations by October 3, We ask our churches to come together on two Sunday nights a year. We do this once in the Fall and once in the Spring. Our Annual Worship Service is a time for our churches to be together in fellowship and for encouragement. We will have special music during our worship by several people from our CPBA churches. Our speaker for the evening is Steve Holt who serves as director of the Church Services Group of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. I hope that you already have this on your calendar and have shared with others. Encourage a few of your fellow church members to join all of us as we meet and worship together. See you then, Kirk

2 Page 2 Pastoral Counseling Center of the Cumberland Plateau Submitted by Carolyn Scott, Pastoral Counselor October 2018 A serving ministry of the Cooperating churches of the Cumberland Plateau Baptist Association That no one may say: "No Man Cared for My Soul." Psalm 142:4 Those being served through the counseling center have described the same sense of despair and concern about factors in life beyond their control: job loss, lost income, diminished quality of life, overworked and under-paid, struggling to keep utilities and rent paid. Health problems are ongoing with little or no medical care. Children are in trouble at school, acting out due to anxiety and depression. Families are grieving over primary losses of loved ones, and others grieving over secondary losses of relationships because of sexual sins; all this against a background of broadcast news of wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famine. James 4:1-3 explains this well: Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Scripture exhorts us as followers of Christ to humble ourselves, to draw near to God, and to cleanse our minds and hearts with His help. Rather than to be exalted in our own pride, we are to allow God to lift us up (James 4:7-8, 10). We cannot rightly say that we will plan and perform any endeavor without His enablement. James 4:13-15 makes this clear: Come now, you who say, Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. Yet many among us go on with actions that oppress the poor and endanger their own standing before the Lord. In Bible times and today, wealthy members of the community seek to enrich themselves at the expense of their employees or the poor. There are stern warnings in Scripture against this. James 5:1-4 spells this out plainly: Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

3 Page 3 Continued from page 2 We are exhorted to wait patiently for the Lord to restore judgment and fairness at His coming again (James 5:7-11). Again, our Lord taught that we should look to God for our daily needs of food, clothing and shelter (Matthew 6:31-34). At the counseling center, we encourage this attitude while also doing what we can to alleviate spiritual and other distress. The one unshakeable truth that we can impart to all who come for help is that God knows our needs and He is able to make a difference. He will make a way when there seems to be no way. Ours is a holy calling, walking in the steps of the Master, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him (Acts 10:38). Carolyn has been recovering from a tick-borne illness but will be coming back on a more active schedule beginning in October. If you would like to make an appointment, call Carolyn Scott at Please keep us in your prayers daily. We appreciate the support of all who have given money, time, effort, and prayers. The Pastoral Counseling Center is a faith based ministry serving a community of individuals who are hurting from life situations and losses. This ministry provides opportunities to receive help without pay for those who are on disability or indigent status, and a sliding pay scale for those who are working ($15-$45 are suggested donations to help cover our expenses). We are supported by churches in the association, private pay, and individual supporters who give tax-deductible donations to the ministry. By giving to the ministry, you allow us to reach out to more and more individuals with the hope and message of Jesus Christ. Would you please consider writing us into your home budgets for next year or make a single donation now? A minimal donation of just $15 per month can ensure that we never turn anyone away for their inability to pay. Thank you for considering giving over the coming months. Carolyn Scott is available to make presentations and/or teaching lessons at your church event on many topics. She is also looking for individuals to cover the counseling ministry with prayer. If you are interested, please call The CPBA is a 501C3 organization! Your donations are eligible for tax deduction. Please help us continue our counseling services. By making a monthly donation to the counseling ministries, you allow us to continue providing discounted counseling services to indigent and hardship cases. We want to ensure this counseling ministry continues. Please write your check to CPBA and mark your donation Counseling Ministry to ensure your donation goes towards counseling. Again, we thank you for giving.

4 Page 4 Annual Association Meetings and Worship Service Lantana Road Baptist Church October 7, 2018 Meeting at 4:00 p.m. Worship Service 6:30 p.m. Speaker: Steve Holt Special Music From our Churches Steve Holt Church Services Director Tennessee Baptist Mission Board Steve Holt serves as director of the Church Services Group of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board in Franklin, Tennessee. Prior to coming to the TBMB staff, Steve served for over 17 years as a pastor in Northeast Tennessee. He is a graduate of Carson-Newman University and holds a Doctor of Ministry degree in Evangelism and Church Growth from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Steve is married to Donna Parton Holt and has three adult sons. Messengers please RSVP by October 1 for Supper Reservations

5 The Messenger Page 5 $ YOLANDA HEUSER OCTOBER 2018 MISSION EMPHASIS MEETINGS November 15th Pine Eden 976 Genesis Road Crossville, TN ALL MEETINGS 6:00 PM & are 6065/EAT EVERYONE IS INVITED: MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN WMU DATES: October CWJC/CMJC Site Coordinators Retreat, Carson Springs BCC, Newport 14 Global Hunger Awareness Sunday 27 JAM West-East TN As we welcomed our, WMU s new year September 1st. we also begin our new emphasisunshakable Pursuit for Our watchword verse is 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. I had a small well ok a large --dose of exercising my unshakable pursuit and trying hard to remember that while we might not ever see the fruits of our labor, it is not in vain. You see, we started out our Baby Comfort Station with a disappointment-but just as Paul stated be steadfast, unmovable always abounding in the work for the Lord; we did stay steadfast and unmovable [with a little bit of grumbling] we did in fact finish on a high note. We got, what we thought was a head start this year and set up the tents on Thursday afternoon and into Thursday evening; only to return Saturday afternoon to devastation. Our tents had dry-rotted and literally were in shreds flapping in the wind. We tried for hours to duct tape and patch the rips, holes and shreds of what was once two tents. Just as we thought we had this task finished around 10 o clock Saturday night the dew started and the duct tape was no match for the dampness and the tape begin to let go. An S.O.S. text was sent to Kirk which resulted in him borrowing two tents. So Sunday afternoon we began the taunting task of tearing down the remains of what was once two tents and setting up two new tents from scratch in 91 plus degree heat with no shade. This task continuted into the late hours of Sunday night and just before Monday morning we were once again ready to host babies, mothers and children with our services. Sometimes it is not easy to stand steadfast, but it is vital to do so and never give up. The following totals will show exactly why we must stay in an UNSHAKBALE PURSUIT state of mind to know God more and to show our community and the world of His love and to make disciples that make disciples that make disciples and so and so on as we continue to do His work.

6 The Messenger Page 6 MARK YOUR CALENDARS 2019 MISSIONS Continued from page 5 The TOTALS FOR THE BABY COMFORT STATION 2018: BIBLBES 31 one of which was Spanish CHRISTIAN BOOKS 137 CHRISTIAN CD s EMPHASIS CHRISTIAN COLORING BOOKS 223 DIAPERS CHANGED 64 MEETINGS: FIRST-AID SUPPLIES NEEDED 5 PEOPLE FREEZER POPS 635 CHRISTIAN MOVIES 115 BABIES NURSED 11 SUCKERS 572 WATER 94 CUPS 47 VOLUNTEERS AND 11 CHURCHES REPRESENTED MARCH 7 JULY 11 NOV. 7 ALL MEETINGS 6:00 PM & are 60-65/EAT LAST MINUTES THEN WE EAT! EVERYONE IS INVITED: MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN What makes some of these totals so significant? Giving a Bible away goes without saying it is vitally important, but a Christian movie? Consider that movie may be the only source of the name of Jesus in that house or that child s life. There is no other name like His and we will never know what that movie can do in not only that child s life but maybe the parent s life as they hear it over and over as the child watches it again and again. But what about a sucker, why would this be important? Our suckers are placed in a wooden cross with holes drilled in it to hole the Dum-Dum suckers and sets in the middle of our table for a significant reason. I am going to share with you the story as it was told to me. Saturday afternoon was Family Day at the fair and one of our volunteers offered a sucker to a little girl, she seemed to be about 4-6 years of age. The little girl walked over to pick her sucker from the cross and begin to ask questions about the cross. As the volunteer explained about the cross and who Jesus was the little girl had that I get it moment and just as she came to the understanding of who Jesus was and that He died for her, the little girl s mother grabbed her by the arm and made the little girl walk away. It seems the mother wanted NO PART of this conversation and made sure her little girl was not going to be a part of it either as she led her away. The volunteer was devastated on so many levels, not understanding how a parent could not want their child to hear, seeing that this child got it and realizing she, the volunteer had no control over this situation nor could not go any further with this child, yes she was devastated indeed. As we talked I told her we will never know how God will use this conversation. So even though a little Dum Dum sucker may seem insignificant, with God and His plans, everything we do is truly worthwhile. We must stand unshakable in our work for God and in pursing Him and His love for us and showing others what that love looks like.

7 Page 7 Free Christmas Toy Store Central Baptist Church 1346 South Main Street, If you could use some assistance this Christmas, you are invited to sign-up for our free Christmas Toy Store to be held in December. Sign-ups will take place at Central, Monday through Friday, October and October 29-November 2, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you can t sign up at these times because of work, please phone to make other arrangements. Parents/Guardians must provide their photo I.D. and the children s birth certificate or legal custody papers. Social Security Cards cannot be used. You must be a resident of Cumberland County. Church Clerks and Secretaries New address for checks and other mail: Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, P.O. Box , Franklin, TN Very soon the Post Office forwarding period will expire and your mail will be returned to you or will not be delivered. Questions? Call Kim Sullivan at or ksullivan@tnbaptist.org. Teen grief and loss peer support groups are forming. Meet for 11 weeks for one hour. Once we have 6 registered, we will begin meeting. Free. Call today If you are interested in facilitating or assisting grief recovery peer groups please contact: Carolyn Scott at

8 Page 8 Central Baptist Veterans Ministry Event What? When? Where? Veteran fellowship and Bible Study Every 2nd Saturday of the month at 0830 for fellowship and 0930 for Bible Study Grinder House Coffee Shop 73 North Main Street Crossville, TN All veterans are welcome to join for free coffee and light breakfast. The next meeting will be Saturday, Oct 13th. Veteran focused bible study will start next month following our fellowship at Grinder house Coffee on the 2nd Saturday (Oct 13th) at 0930 and utilize the book Jesus was an Airborne Ranger ( Please RSVP by ing Michael DePoortere at cbcveterans@gmail.com. VOLUNTEERS URGENTLY NEEDED!! For Baptist Campus Ministries We provide lunches for students each Wednesday at Roane State Community College, Crossville as part of our campus ministry. We are in search of groups (churches, mission organizations, Sunday School classes and etc.) willing to volunteer to prepare/provide a lunch for this important ministry. We normally feed about 70 plus students. The meals can consist of what ever your team would like to provide. Waters are a great drink to provide and we ask that food items be in throw away containers so clean up can be easy. You do not have to stay with the food once you drop it off but if you desire, it is a good way to build relationships with the students. Please let us know what date your group would love to have! Contact David Mahan at: oaklawn@frontiernet.net

9 CUMBERLAND PLATEAU BAPTIST ASSOCIATION 291 Sparta Hwy P. O. Box 2508 Crossville, TN Associational Directory Office Hours Mon.-Thurs. 9:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Web: Kirk Casey, Associational Missionary Cell: Alta Wagner, Ministry Assistant Office: October 1 October 7 October 8 October 15 October Pastor s Conference 10:00 a.m. Annual CPBA Meeting-Lantana Road Pastor s Conference 10:00 a.m. Pastor s Conference 10:00 a.m. Camp Ozone Work Week Fax: *********************** Carolyn Scott, Pastoral Counselor, PCCCP Counseling October 22 Pastor s Conference 10:00 a.m. Phone: cpbacounseling3@gmail.com