Valley Isle Fellowship Love God, Love His Church, Love His World 473 S High St - PO Box 886 Wailuku, HI 96793 NEWSLETTER March 5, 2017 www.vifmaui.com I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who took the time to attend and participate in a very historic evening as we unanimously determined to enter into a legal agreement with the Doris Todd Christian Schools, in particular with the Maui Christian Academy, to lease our High Street properties for their High School. I really appreciated the comments, questions, but especially the attitude and spirit that dominated the evening. I believe that Valley Isle Fellowship will be blessed for agreeing to a very generous offering of our High Street facilities to Maui Christian Academy. This agreement will involve the Annex and the 2-Story Worship Center. The parsonage is not involved in this arrangement. This decision was preceded with the desire to keep all of these properties in ministry. Many years ago, Wailuku Baptist Church was provided with the majority of the funds to purchase this property through the resources of the Southern Baptists Foreign Mission Board. It was their desire that these properties would be used for the glory of the Lord. Now as Valley Isle Fellowship is preparing to move to their Waikapu campus, the desire to keep these High Street properties in ministry peaked with the revelation that Maui Christian Academy was interested in securing our properties for their campus. The long term desire is that Maui Christian Academy would grow to the point that they would be able to purchase our High Street properties. In order to assist them to achieve this goal, we have agreed to lease these properties to them at a low break even cost. This means that VIF would not be looking for or expecting to make any money in this arrangement. We would simply want Maui Christian Academy to pay all of the A Historic Evening By Pastor Stephen Kaneshiro expenses of these properties so that we could concentrate on maintaining our new Waikapu campus. We will be developing a legal lease agreement, with our attorneys (Larry and Bradford Ing), that would cover our expenses that we have been covering. This would include, but not be limited to, all utilities, maintenance and up keep, insurance, and taxes (Real Property and G.E.T.). It is our desire to partner with Maui Christian Academy to continue a ministry to our neighbors along Pualani Street and High Street. Also, to partner with them to see young people to grow and mature into giants in the faith. Another motion was brought forward to allow one of our young men to do his Eagle Scout project at our Waikapu campus. This project would entail building a mini-amphitheater leading down the slope behind our worship center to a circular pad upon which we could put a baptistery. This is a beautiful project that Joseph Shum is working on and it was a joy to see Valley Isle Fellowship get behind this project and partner with Joseph in accomplishing this project for the glory of the Lord. (continued on next page) IN THIS ISSUE: 1-2 A Historic Evening 2,4 Announcements 3 Knowledge Of What? 5 Missional Opportunities 6 VIF Calendar
A Historic Evening Pastor Stephen Kaneshiro (continued from page 1) Both of these endeavors are very exciting and we are looking forward to all that God will do in and through these efforts. However, we do have some challenges in getting to the point where we can complete and move into this campus. God has blessed us in the past. He is currently blessing us. And He will continue to bless us, as long as we keep focused on bringing glory and honor to our Lord. These challenges that are confronting us are only making us stronger. They are not weakening us and they will not defeat us. God, in His perfect timing, will provide and empower us to mature into the people that will bring much glory and honor to Him. I would like to say to you in closing that we are living in very exciting times. Times where we are getting a first hand, up close view of God s love, grace, and provision. All of this is because He is intending to use Valley Isle Fellowship to bring glory and honor to Him. I want to encourage you to diligently search for God s leadership in VIF and in your personal life. Then let us all commit to love, serve, and obey Him with all of our lives. Very exciting days lay before us. God bless you all as you continue to love and obey Him. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Annie Armstrong Easter Offering Week of Prayer March 5-12, 2017 Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention Goal $150,000 100% of offering gifts go directly to the field to missionaries and their ministries to help with childcare during the worship service hour on a rotating schedule Sign-up today at the back table! Children are a gift from the Lord.; they are a reward from Him. Psalms 127:3 (NLT) Friday, March 17, 2017 6 pm - 7:30 pm VIF Church - 473 High Street Enter from stairs facing High Street Ladies...Come join us for a cup of coffee, tea, water. Bring a friend or meet a friend. For more information contact: Pam (446-4009) or Lani (757-1652) - 2 -
Knowledge Of What? Pastor Darren Sarmiento You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. John 5: 39-40 NLT This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Ephesians 4:13 NLT Recently, I joined an exercise gym. I m not as young as I was before so I m not trying to look like Dwayne The Rock Johnson. I m trying to get back into shape because I ve gotten a bit older in age and I packed on quite a few pounds of weight and sadly, it s not all muscle. When I was younger, I did work out a lot with weights and I understood the mechanics of it and what each weightlifting routine did. I had coaches who trained me and worked out with me and I also had friends to continue to help me along the way. I got a lot of help in understanding what weightlifting can do for me physically and just the overall benefits. I say all this to make a point. I didn t gain all this knowledge just so I could know it and do nothing with it. My intentions were to put into practice what I knew, so I could get the results it could produce. What I got was a leaner body that was healthy and strong. I hope to get that same results today. How does this apply to the title of this article? Well, what are we trying to gain out of all the Bible studies we have done over the years and are still doing today? What do we know more of now with having a great deal of knowledge of the Bible? Today, there are those who have such great knowledge of the Bible and yet put in very little practice of what they know, to get the results it should be producing. The question is, what results should we be seeing? Many believe that knowledge of the Bible is the end to the means when it really is a means to an end. According to the scripture verses above, knowledge should lead us to Jesus, to believe in Him, follow Him and become like Him. In John 5:39-40, Jesus was talking to the religious leaders of His day. Why? Because they thought they had gained eternal life by having memorized all of scripture. It didn t change their life or livelihood because Jesus revealed how wrong they were because they would tell others how to live unto God, while they themselves weren t living it, too. Jesus refuted that by telling them that the scriptures only pointed to Him and that in Him can you receive eternal life. Jesus is our example of how to live our lives for God. That is why it is not enough just to believe in Jesus but also to follow and become like Him. In fact, if you truly believe in Him you can t help yourself but to want to follow in His footsteps. To believe in Him is to know who He is, what He did on the cross for us and why He did it for us. To become like Jesus means that we are tied into Him, we know who He is, what He wants and know what he is asking of us. In the end, we all need to be knowledgeable, but the question is knowledge of what? In Ephesians 4:13 the Apostle Paul said in essence that the knowledge we need is to know Christ so that our standard of life will be like His. Building and being in a relationship with Jesus provides us the opportunity to be influenced by Him, thus giving us the potential to become like Him. Let me finish by giving you a quote that hopefully may help you remember what knowledge we need and why we need that knowledge. All I want is to know Jesus and make Him known to others. - 3 -
Announcements Today, Mar 5 Childcare Schedule Team 4: Hawea R, Cheeng S et al, Danae O Mar 12 Team 1: Marion K, Karen F, Kolbe F, Alysha F, Melanie F Mar 19 Team 2: Elaine Y, Wendy C, Krystal AV Mar 26 Team 3: Jennifer B, Francis C, Jaydee G, Jules G High Street Lawn Care Schedule Week of Mar 2-4 Week of Mar 9-11 Week of Mar 16-18 Week of Mar 23-25 Sign-up in the back to be a part of this ministry. Be in the know! Join our text alerts... To receive messages via text: A) If you have a smartphone, get push notifications. On your iphone or Android phone, open your web browser and go to rmd.at/mrvif Follow the instructions to sign up for Remind. You ll be prompted to download the mobile app. B) If you don t have a smartphone, get text notifications. Text the message @mrvif to the number 81010 or (808)670-3442. C) Give your cell number to the office and request to be added. *Standard text message rate may apply. For more information or help call the Church Office @244-0865. High Street Cleaning Schedule Week of Mar 9-11 Hawea R Week of Mar 16-18 Carol Sn, Marion K Week of Mar 23-25 Cendana Ohana Week of Mar 30-Apr 1-4 -
MISSIONAL OPORTUNITIES NAMB Missionary Spotlight: Each year, churches and individuals give to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. This offering accounts for 49% of NAMB s budget, with 100% of offering gifts going directly to the field-to missionaries and their ministries. None is kept for administrative purposes. Pray for people to be generous in giving to the offering this year so missionaries are equipped to share the gospel throughout the United States and Canada. AnnieArmstrong.com Send Me is a tool designed to help churches and individuals join the everyday mission of God through a variety of church planting and other ministry opportunities. Pray that pastors and congregations, and potential missionaries, chaplains and church planters would use this site as a resource as they seek to spread the gospel across North America. namb.net/sendme SBC Chaplaincy Spotlight: International Mission Board Connecting in Prayer https://www.imb.org/pray/ *Wassulu of Mali, Guinea and Cote d Ivoire(WAH-soo-loo) In January, workers among the Wassulu shared that more than 10 men and women had become followers of Christ in the village of Dalton this past November. Some introductory discipleship studies were begun with these new sisters and brothers, as well. Malian Pastor Paul* and two other indigenous ministry partners returned to Dalton the week before Christmas, and with his family s blessing, Paul stayed through Christmas Day. Praise the Lord for Pastor Paul s commitment to being with these new believers and the small number of existing Christians as they learned about celebrating Christmas in this predominantly Muslim area! During the times of discipleship and sharing in December, four more citizens of Dalton came to Pastor Paul and the others to openly declare their decision to follow Christ! Give thanks to the Lord for the small but growing body of Christ in Dalton, and please pray that each one of these sisters and brothers in Christ will grow in their relationship with the Lord. (*name changed) *Basotho of Lesotho and South Africa (BAH-soo-too) - The Basotho Team asks: Will you pray for Stan and Angie Burleson from First Baptist Church of Perryton, Texas, as they join us in reaching the Basotho for Christ? Stan and Angie will be serving their first term for two years. This church is partnering with IMB missionaries to get it done! -5-
Valley Isle Fellowship Calendar March 2017 5 9:00 am - Worship Service @ WES 10:30 am - Sunday School @ High Street Property 6:00 pm - Evening Service/Study @ High Street 6 Prayer Meeting @ Annex 8 6:30 pm - Youth Group Fuel @ High Street 12 9:00 am - Worship Service @ WES 10:30 am - Sunday School @ High Street Property 12 noon - Trustees Meeting 6:00 pm - Evening Service/Study @ High Street 13 6:30 pm - Prayer Meeting @ Annex 15 6:30 pm - Youth Group Fuel @ High Street 17 6:00 pm - Sweet Life Cafe 19 9 am - Worship Service @ WES 10:30 am - Sunday School@ High Street Property 6:00 pm - Evening Service/Study @ High Street 20 Prayer Meeting @ Annex 22 6:30 pm - Youth Group Fuel @ High Street 26 9 am - Worship Service - Lordʻs Supper 10:30 am - Sunday School 6:00 pm - Evening Service/Study 27 6:30 pm - Prayer Meeting @ Annex 29 6:30 pm - Youth Group Fuel @ High Street April 2017 2 9 am - Worship Service 10:30 am - Sunday School 6:00 pm - Evening Service/Study 20 Prayer Meeting Valley Isle Fellowship 473 S. High St, PO Box 886, Wailuku, HI 96793 ph: (808) 244-0865 - vifoffice@hawaii.rr.com - www.vifmaui.com SUNDAY MORNING SERVICES Wailuku Elementary School Cafeteria 355 S. High St., Wailuku, HI 96793 SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE VIF Church 6:00 pm Worship Service - 9:00 am Sunday School - 10:30 am (High Street property) www/facebook.com/valleyislefellowship @VIFMaui Senior Pastor Stephen Kaneshiro cell: (808)419-8100 email: icastephen@gmail.com Associate Pastor Darren Sarmiento cell: (808)757-1651 email: darrenvif@hawaii.rr.com - 6 -
A Life of Integrity Acts 5:1-10 Pastor Stephen Kaneshiro I. The importance of the, not the. A. A and practice. - Acts 4:32-37 B. Prompted by the filling of the. - Acts 4:29-31 C. and by the sinful. - Acts 5:1-2 II. An evil heart s can even the greatest acts. A. Ananias and Sapphira to a. B. They plan to do something, but it with a C. Their them. - Matthew 15:18-20 III. Cannot and God. - Acts 5:3-10 A. The act was actually. B. The led to a. C. the Lord is so. D. Change the change the purifies the. - Ephesians 4:20-26 Notes: - 7 -