I N TOUCH WITH COMMUNITY M ARCH - APRIL 2014 CENTERS OF PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS CENTERS OF PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS CENTERS OF PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS CENTERS OF PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS How do we find peace in the “tunnel of chaos”? In the last issue of In Touch, we focused on “getting out of the boat,” heeding God’s calling, and stepping into the unknown. In reality there are many times when just stepping out of bed or crawling from under our blanket is like going into a battlefield, confronted with chaos. We struggle against loneliness, divorce, health issues, and loss of loved ones, jobs, homes, and dignity; we are anxious about the economy, terrorism, natural disasters and warfare, within and without. We experience anxiety when we envision a future without God where we are god of our fantasies. We turn to self-help books that focus on making one’s “self” the center and controller of all things, and peace becomes more and more illusive. According to Oswald Chambers, “Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The reason the battle is lost is {we} fight it first in the external world.” He says, “Get alone with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.” Until we do this, we will lose every time. “Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle before God and won there” (Utmost Classic Readings, p. 96). Then, we come to a crossroads, a turning point, where God becomes the Center. Our true security is in the Lord; “…for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12). We can be calm and at peace in the face of disaster because “the Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5). We need to step aside and let our Savior place his shield before us; He has already won the greatest battle on our behalf; our future (Continued on page 2)
16
Embed
March - April 2014 - Clover Sitesstorage.cloversites.com/communityreformedchurch/documents/March... · We can be calm and at peace in the face of ... though its waters roar and be
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
IN TOUCH WITH COMMUNITY
MARCH - APRIL 2014
CENTERS OF PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOSCENTERS OF PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOSCENTERS OF PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOSCENTERS OF PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS
How do we find peace in the “tunnel of chaos”? In the last issue of In Touch, we
focused on “getting out of the boat,” heeding God’s calling, and stepping into the
unknown. In reality there are many times when just stepping out of bed or crawling from
under our blanket is like going into a battlefield, confronted with chaos. We struggle
against loneliness, divorce, health issues, and loss of loved ones, jobs, homes, and dignity;
we are anxious about the economy, terrorism, natural disasters and warfare, within and
without. We experience anxiety when we envision a future
without God where we are god of our fantasies. We turn to
self-help books that focus on making one’s “self” the center
and controller of all things, and peace becomes more and
more illusive.
According to Oswald Chambers, “Our battles are first
won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence,
never in full view of the world. The reason the battle is lost is
{we} fight it first in the external world.” He says, “Get alone
with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.” Until we do this,
we will lose every time. “Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle
before God and won there” (Utmost Classic Readings, p. 96). Then, we come to a
crossroads, a turning point, where God becomes the Center.
Our true security is in the Lord; “…for the Lord will go before you, and the God of
Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12). We can be calm and at peace in the face of
disaster because “the Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5). We need to step aside and let our Savior
place his shield before us; He has already won the greatest battle on our behalf; our future
(Continued on page 2)
PAGE 2 IN TOUCH
is secure.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will
not fear, …even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into
the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake
with its swelling…the Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46: 1-
3,7).
Kathryn Scott, a Christian singer and songwriter from Ireland, captures this theme
beautifully on her latest cd, “Sing on the Battlefield.” She sings, “Though the journey has
been hard, through the fire, through the pain, from soaring wings to broken dreams, from
the mountaintop to the empty cup, we still believe” (“Still Believe”). Kathryn sings of peace
on the battlefield, amidst chaos: “When I’m in over my head, caught up in the fray—you
make me sing on the battlefield. In the presence of my foes, you anoint my head with oil,
you make me dance through these tears.” She sings of hope and victory: “Arise, shine, for
the glory of the Lord is risen in you” (“Sing on the Battlefield”). Kathryn’s lyrics echo
biblical truth: when God is at the center of our lives, and we march onto the battlefield of
life, trusting in Him, we can experience peace in the midst of chaos.
Prayer: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). “Teach me Lord, to still my soul
before You. Help me to bear patiently the trials I face, and to leave everything to You to
direct and provide. I know that You will always remain faithful” (Our Daily Bread
11/03/13).
---Submitted by Mary Seaman
(Continued from page 1)
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
CONGRATULATIONS AND CONGRATULATIONS AND CONGRATULATIONS AND CONGRATULATIONS AND
BLESSINGS TO:BLESSINGS TO:BLESSINGS TO:BLESSINGS TO:
� Aaron and Julie Otis on the birth of
their daughter, Olivia June. Proud
grandparents are David and June Otis.
� Ross and Miriam Winters on the birth
of their first great-granddaughter,
Alexandra Jasmine Vera. (Ross and
Miriam have ten great-grandsons.)
SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS TO:SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS TO:SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS TO:SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS TO:
Military Men and Women Military Men and Women Military Men and Women Military Men and Women
Please pray and send words of encouragement. Please pray and send words of encouragement. Please pray and send words of encouragement. Please pray and send words of encouragement. Numbers in parenthesis indicate their birthdate. Please consider sending birthday cards
Two surgeries, massive blood loss, severe lung damage, brain damage—all of these complications that Lindsey O’Connor suffered, after giving birth to her fifth child, spell chaos. In her memoir, The Long Awakening, Lindsey relates how she awoke from a 47-day medically induced coma, a miracle her family and friends had prayed for, to begin a long and frightening journey toward a new reality. She barely knew her own name and didn’t remember having a baby. She struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, from repeatedly coming so close to death.
This is also a story of sacrificial love from her husband, children, family, and friends and a poignant demonstration of their faith. Though Lindsey didn’t utter the words out loud, she was haunted by the question: Where were you, God? She could not comprehend the unwavering belief and courage of those who sat by her bedside, talking to her inert body, reading aloud and praying.
Ultimately, Lindsey came to understand that God was present as evidenced in the love she had received from others, love inspired by God. And…He is present even when we cannot see or feel Him. Lindsey says, “My mistake wasn’t asking God to show himself in the midst of chaos. That’s natural when you’re in distress. My mistake was assuming that God is present only when we feel Him near. His presence is deeper than that. He enters the darkness with us. He stays by our side. And He’s there when we emerge from the darkness, even if we don’t see Him right away.”
Submitted by Mary Seaman
THE LONG AWAKENING: A MEMOIR
By Lindsey O’Connor
Book Review
PAGE 6 IN TOUCH
JANUARY CONSISTORY MEETING:
1. Considerable time was given to discernment of the Mission and Vision statements at CRC.
Consistory voted to adopt the following mission statement: Helping all people find and
follow Jesus. The vision statement will be: God’s love invades, invites, invests (with
God’s love in the center and each word around it in a circle).
2. The Consistory Handbook was reviewed for the benefit of new and existing Consistory
members.
3. Time was spent reviewing the Classis questions and responding to them as a board.
4. Consistory officers were elected and are as follows: Ron Williams (Clerk), Garre. Miller
(Vice President); Deacon Chair and Treasurer will be determined by the Board of Deacons.
5. Consistory approved the Associate Pastor (Ted Polleys) job description as suggested by the
Executive Commi.ee.
FEBRUARY CONSISTORY RETREAT:
Doug McClintic, Church Multiplication Consultant of the Synod of the Great Lakes, facilitated
our time together.
He helped us consider, through John 4:31-38, what we are SENSING, SOWING, and
REAPING at CRC. This led to some action steps around a few areas of Sensing. We have put
together some steps to help address: the least of these, growing and nurturing marriages, and
increasing our commitment to hospitality among those inside and outside the church.
Life has brought me several challenges and chaos in my life. In the past, I have tried to solve all these problems by myself, never really asking God for help and never really solving anything. But I realize now that God wants me to leave my problems on His lap and ask for His guidance. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3: 5-6).
My health is among my biggest challenges. The reasons I use a walker are because I have no cartilage in my kneecaps and I have an s-shaped curvature of my lower spine. Obviously, it is difficult for me to walk and because I have had two broken wrists, I lean on my forearms to use the walker. The doctor says I need knee replacements. In the past when I have been sick, I have gone to the doctors first and then to God. But now I go to God first and ask for his guidance. “Lord, should I have knee replacements done?” “I need direction Lord!” “I need to hear your voice.” Then when I wasn’t expecting it, the Lord spoke to me through a television commercial. He told me that I needed to lose some weight first. So now I am working on losing weight so that I will be healthier. I have started on a program to meet that goal. . . one day and one walk at a time. I am getting my priorities in the right order.
I am happy to know God in a better way. He is why I am at peace in the midst of chaos. He waits patiently for us to come to Him. He is our friend. He wants us to receive his blessings. I am so glad I have a Jesus who loves me so much and wants the best for me and for all of you.
Be blessed!
PAGE 8 IN TOUCH
When asked to contribute an article on this
topic, I didn’t have to think long on what to
write because I’d already written it…four
years ago. About a month before the first
anniversary of Jeff’s death, I started thinking
back to the ups and downs of life since his
diagnoses, the months leading up to and after
his death, and then to where I was at that
first year mark. In my daily assessment of
where I had been and where I was now, I
was able to see that God was always there…
in the form of His people reaching out to me.
So, as the memories flowed over me, I felt a
need to write it down for all my kids (sons
and wives). It was a tearful, yet joyful,
endeavor…and very cathartic! I called it
‘The Year in Review’ and emailed it to them
on March 11, 2011, that first anniversary. It
briefly chronicles my/our journey of that first
year and maybe, if I wrote it today, I’d title it
“I Didn’t Do It Alone….”
The Year in Review
I’ve been playing a game for the past few
months. It’s called “A year ago, I was/we
were ……” and up to the last couple of
months, the memories of life a year ago
haven’t been so bad, but now I’m into that
last hospital stay. With the exception of “The
Great Escape,” most of the memories from
here on out are fairly unpleasant. But, as has
been happening over the past year, God will
give me what I need to deal with the
unpleasantness.
But this isn’t really about what happened
prior to March 11….we were all there and
I’m sure each has his/her own memories.
No, this is about the past year…without Dad.
What’s amazing to me is that I’m still
standing…meaning that I’m not a puddle on
the floor. I’d always considered myself to be
strong and an independent sort. After all,
how else could I deal with life with five kids
while Dad was on shiftwork, out of town,
etc.? But here’s what I’ve learned…. my
strength then was rooted in Dad’s. I was
strong because he enabled me to be.
However, now I’m discovering that with
God’s help, I have my own strength. And I
realize that independence, that ‘I can do it all
on my own’ attitude, is overrated. After Dad
got sick, we certainly leaned on each other
more…but, just as importantly, I’ve learned
that it’s OK to lean on others. Throughout
this adventure, I heard over and over (from
Dad and others) that God is with us, that He
would see us through this. Yes, I know that
God is in this with me and I’m so thankful for
that. But what I’ve come to realize is that He
works through His people…through the
(Continued on page 9)
I DIDN’T DO IT ALONE…PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS
By Karen Bakker
PAGE 9
Uncle Willies and the Ron and Mary Anns
of the world. God provides the shoulder God provides the shoulder God provides the shoulder God provides the shoulder
and I just have to ‘be willing to lean’. and I just have to ‘be willing to lean’. and I just have to ‘be willing to lean’. and I just have to ‘be willing to lean’.
What a year it’s been! We’ve gotten
through all the normal ‘firsts’….birthdays,
anniversaries, holidays…but there were a
couple extra life milestones thrown in. I
attended Uncle Fred’s funeral a month after
Dad’s…a daunting task, but with Zac’s help,
I made it. Marshal and
Callie’s wedding….besides
the normal stresses of a
wedding, we had to deal
with the wind, the rain,
the mud, and the last minute
transformation of a pole barn into a
reception hall. In addition, I wasn’t sure I
could, without Dad, do what was required
of me as the mother of the groom. By
pulling together, however, we made it
happen. We celebrated the birth of
Ashlyn, who just had to get an early peek at
life. And, with God’s grace, we even made
it through the Great Crash of 2010.
However, the biggest milestone for me was
getting my cycle endorsement. Learning to
ride (at the age of 51!) has given me a
confidence and a joy I can’t describe…to say
nothing of partially fulfilling a dream of
mine. I say ‘partially’ because, in my
dream, Dad and I are rollin’ down the
highway together, each of us on a Harley.
So he’s not on his own Harley, but a part of
him does ride with me.
I think of Dad every day and miss him like
crazy...that will never, ever change. But
I’m learning, as cliché and Duh! as it might
sound, that life goes on….it does not stand
still. There was a time I wouldn’t have
believed it possible, but, slowly, I am
enjoying life again. Don’t for an instant
think that I’m trying to forget the past; it’s
made me who I am and my
memories are precious…
but instead of dwelling on
what can’t ever be again,
by the goodness of God, I’m able to look
forward. For me, that’s a huge blessing
since I do not enjoy walking around on the
edge of crying, or actually crying, all the
time. Now and again is okay and
necessary, but not 24/7. And, while I might
not understand God’s plan, I’m finding
peace with it. And I pray that each of you
does too…finds peace, that is. So now
more than ever… I treasure treasure treasure treasure the past as I try
News from Safe HavenNews from Safe HavenNews from Safe HavenNews from Safe Haven
Submitted by Jan Boss
People have been asking how much it costs for the Free Breakfast Club daily. Here is a general breakdown of what we estimate based on what we serve. If we had to buy all these ingredients this is what it would cost us as of February 26, 2014.
Misc: Granola, onion, yogurt, creamer, sugar, take out containers, blueberries, pecans, brown sugar, raisins, mushrooms, spinach, peppers, ................................................................................. $26.00 Total ......................................................................................$135.00
Approximately: $ 2 per person
Gratefully, all our meat, potatoes, and blueberries have come from donations. We are able to get some supplies from The Manna Food Project where each item (no matter what it is) is 19 cents per pound. If we take out the donation from the list above, it costs us approximately: $96 per day and $1.40 per person. Depending on what The Manna Project has, that number could be brought down to about $1.30 per person.
Youth Ministries
Dominican Republic Young Life Spring Break Missions Trip March 27th-April 3rd
A group of our senior high students have the opportunity to serve at a Young life Camp in the
Dominican Republic over Spring Break. They will get the chance to assist the camp in ge.ing ready for
summer campers. We will partner with Young Life in helping them minister to young people of the DR.
We will be staying on the camp property, doing general maintenance, clean up, and set up in
preparation for summer campers. Kids will get a “behind the scenes” look at what it takes to provide
summer camp to young people and also do this in a foreign country. The young people who are going
Certa, and Will Telgenhof. The leaders are Ted Polleys, Tanya Whitley, and Drew Oliver. Please pray for
us as we prepare to go. Pray for the finances to come together , pray that our team would connect
together, and pray that God would use this trip to change us to be more like Jesus.
PAGE 11
Update on Night Light “men’s emergency shelter”: We have had 2 gentlemen use our ministry over a three day time span. One was a hitch hiker from California and the other a guest from our Free Breakfast Club. We will remain open until March 31st and then reopen on November 1st.
Free Yard Sale: Friday, May 16. We will begin collecting your treasures beginning May 1 and will take just about anything except clothing!
PAGE 12 IN TOUCH
Global Outreach Missions Submitted by Don Trimper
If you have a passion for serving the Lord and are committed to spreading His
gospel to the corners of the world, what a great time to be at Community
Reformed Church.
March 27th Ted Polleys will lead a team of our youth to the Dominican Republic
to work at a Young Life Camp, performing maintenance and construction projects
to ready the camp for summer guests.
How blessed are we to have so many in our congregation that not only hear the
call “to go” but also commit themselves to serve “the least of these,”
ADOPTION. FOSTER CARE. GLOBAL INITIATIVES.ADOPTION. FOSTER CARE. GLOBAL INITIATIVES.ADOPTION. FOSTER CARE. GLOBAL INITIATIVES.ADOPTION. FOSTER CARE. GLOBAL INITIATIVES.
You are invited to You are invited to You are invited to You are invited to join both laypeople and leaders from across
America and around the world at The Christian Alliance for
Orphans’ CAFO2014 Summit on May 1CAFO2014 Summit on May 1CAFO2014 Summit on May 1CAFO2014 Summit on May 1----2 2 2 2 at Willow Creek
Community Church in Chicago Illinois.
Together, we will explore effective foster care, adoption, family preservation and global orphan
(Continued on page 13)
PAGE 13
www.communityreformed.net Where can you find a lot of information about what’s going on at Community Reformed church of Charlevoix? You may
say, “ask an elder or deacon” or “ask Lynda Stolt” or “read about it in the weekly bulletin.” Those are all good answers, but
one other quick way to get information you may want to check out is the CRC website. If you type
www.communityreformed.net onto your internet browser, you will have access to a plethora of information. There is
information on:
� Mission/vision statements and who CRC is
� Beliefs and practice statements
� Adult, family, youth and children opportunities
� Local and Global Outreach including Safe Haven Breakfast Club and F.A.C.E.S. information
� Sermon topics and ability to listen to previous sermons
� CRC calendar of events
� Submission of confidential prayer requests
� Contact information, church hours
� Church staff, elders and deacons
� Small group information
� Announcements, CRC at-a-glance
� Tithes and offering opportunities
� Photo gallery
� And much more!
A lot of time and effort is put into maintaining this website. Be sure to check it out. You won’t be disappointed!
ministry.
The Summit inspires and equips Christians to care for orphans with wisdom-guided love. Now in its
10th year, CAFO2014 has become the national hub for what Christianity Today called, “the
burgeoning Christian orphan care movement.” Last year’s conference drew 2,500 foster and
adoptive parents, orphan advocates, pastors and leaders from 49 states and 25+ countries.
CAFO2014 will include unforgettable plenary sessions with top national and global speakers such as
Russell Moore, Gary Smalley, Dennis Rainey, Karyn Purvis and others, more than 100 workshops,
and performances by Sara Groves and more. Experience an array of one-of-a-kind experiences you
ELDER ED SCHROECK and his wife carol of Ellsworth have five children and four grandchildren. Their family extends from southern Michigan to Illinois, Colorado, and Seattle, Washington. While traveling to visit family consumes much of Ed’s leisure time, he also enjoys gardening, biking, golfing and snowshoeing. Ed is retired from East Jordan Iron Works where he continues with contract work on a part-time basis. Ed shares that prayer at each meal and before bedtime, along with a daily devotional time, help keep God at the center of his life. He continues to work on the challenge of keeping God the focus throughout the day. Ed comments, “When this does happen, being aware of God’s presence makes all the difference.”
ELDER RON WILLIAMS is married to Theda, our Worship Director. They have three married children: Brad (Kristen), Rhonda Carey (T J), and Tony (Aubrey). Their five grandchildren (two girls, three boys) are Ron’s greatest passion while, recreationally, he loves boating. Ron also has a real heart for the Safe Haven Ministry (Breakfast Club) where he helps during his “free” time. Ron is a self-employed financial planner at Williams and Company in Charlevoix where he has worked for thirty years. “Daily devotions, regular bible reading, and experiencing the good things that come as a result of the Safe Haven Ministry” help Ron keep God at the center of his life.
DEACON NANCY BALCHIK is the mother of three children: Jessica (David), who has one child; Ben (Andrea), who has two children; and Lukas, who is unmarried. Twice widowed,
Nancy was married to Jigs Whitley and Jack Balchik. Nancy enjoys swimming, writing, storytelling, crocheting, going on mission trips, and teaching kids about other countries. Working part time at Boulder Park Terrace and Curves also keeps Nancy busy. When asked how she keeps God at the center of her life, Nancy responded, “I take His hand each day and try to stay as close to Him as possible; I talk to Him throughout the day and go wherever He leads me.”
DEACON JOHN COOLMAN and his wife Dianne are parents to Rusty, Christie, and Bryan (all married) and grandparents to three girls and three boys. John is a recently retired accountant, December 13. His hobbies include sailing, snowshoeing, and cooking. John says the way to keep God at the center of your life is to “always put God first in whatever you do—helping, serving people—in order to honor and serve Him.” Wanting to do God’s will, John thinks, “What would Jesus want me to do throughout this day?” He adds, “Without Him, you are alone.”
DEACON DENNIS PENFOLD and his wife Peggi of Ellsworth have a son Matthew (22), who lives in Lafayette, Indiana, and a son Benjamin (11), who is home-schooled. Dennis is a self-employed appraiser at Appraise Real Estate. Being an outdoorsman, he enjoys fishing (all seasons), hunting and camping. Dennis shares that “lots of prayer” is what “really helps” in keeping God at the center of his life. He says, “I pray to God in everything I do.”