November 2014 Children’s Home Month
November 2014 Children’s Home Month This is a calendar of denominational events and regular holidays and special days/seasons of the Christian year.
Sunday
Monday
As times/dates may change, you can scan the QR code above for a more complete and up-to-date list.
Tuesday
Wednesday
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Friday
Saturday
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Central Conference
Election Day
Daylight Saving Time Ends
Thursday
@ Elm Grove Church Ayden, NC
Symphonic Band Concert 7:30 p.m. Assembly Hall, UMO
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Veteran’s Day Cape Fear Conference @ Smithfield First Church, Smithfield, NC
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Friends of Children Day
Fall Choir Concert 7:30 p.m. Assembly Hall, UMO
@ Children’s Home
Homecoming, UMO (Nov. 21–22)
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Thanksgiving Day
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1st Sunday of Advent
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Let’s Give Thanks By The Reverend Mark Hobbs In a few short days millions of Americans will travel home for Thanksgiving. The busiest travel day for airports comes each year at Thanksgiving. Big bucks will be spent hustling home for a heaping helping of homemade love. Mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and homemade lemon pies will all be carefully crafted by caring hands reflecting loving hearts. The recipes you crave, cherish, and hope to sample, most often reflect the foods you remember eating as a child at Thanksgiving. Going back “home” to be with family you seldom see or see every Sunday, depending upon your circumstances, is viewed as something most Americans want to do on Thanksgiving. Why is this? Perhaps going “home” is important because it serves to remind us that no matter how successful or unsuccessful we have become, family still matters. A lawyer that is able to squeeze a confession out of a client may find himself defenseless seated
next to his 80 year old dad who continues to talk to his successful 43 year old lawyer son as if the man is a 15-year-old teenager. It’s almost as if time travel happens on Thanksgiving. This is important, too. One can contemplate days gone by, while quickly fast-forwarding into the future 30 years. Perspective of life and the relevance of what really matters most, is often left in our hearts after the Thanksgiving experience just like a little spilled gravy on our best blouse from Grandma’s Thanksgiving feast. We didn’t mean for it to happen, but there it is; a stain on our shirt and a gnawing sense in our gut that life is too important to just live without a plan or purpose. Good-hearted grandpas often ask their grandchildren what they plan to be when they grow up. More than likely these questions reflect a desire for more than gainful employment by the grandchild. These grandpas and grandmas yearn for
their offspring to lead lives filled with values that reflect honesty, integrity, and the desire to help others. Most Christian grandparents and parents want their children and grand kids to know, love, and serve Christ. To be a follower of Christ is to love Him and His ways. Christ modeled honesty and integrity. He was servant to all. Perhaps we’d all do well this Thanksgiving if we took time to do more than rush home for the good food, warm memories, and over stuff our stomachs with too much food. Maybe we should seek perspective from the Lord, understanding from our families, and encourage each other to place our trust in the Lord and His goodness rather than spend our earthly lives living to please others and success that withers with the grass. God is good. God is great. Let us thank Him for mercy, grace, and love. Amen.
Mark S. Hobbs, born to Shelton and Jane Hobbs of Smithfield NC, was nurtured in the Christian faith at Hopewell Church where he and Gracelyn married in 1980 and was ordained in November 1980 by the Cape Fear Conference. He graduated from Mount Olive College, Barton College, and Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest. After a five year pastorate at First Church, Rocky Mount, he served as an Air Force Chaplain for 20 years until retirement in 2006. He has served as pastor at Snow Hill Church and taught Air Force Junior ROTC at North Johnston High School since 2006. He serves on the Central Conference Ordaining Board, Chaplaincy Commission, and Free Will Baptist Press Board. His three children and two grandchildren are gifts from God.
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Volume 132 • Number 11 ■ FEATURES & COLUMNS Reflections: A Guest Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Don’t Let Labels Define You!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
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Pondering the Past with Celia Hales. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
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Sanctified with Andrew Mozingo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Graphic Designers Jerry Goff, Nathaniel Ingram
From a Woman’s Heart with Nora Koonce Avery. . . . . . 27
Production Team Ronnie Jones, Ted Johnston
Lesson Inner View with Adrian Grubbs . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Caring for the Soul with David Morrow. . . . . . . . . . . 29 A Sling and a Stone with Marc Boswell. . . . . . . . . . . 30 Psalms for the Soul with Linda Herring. . . . . . . . . . . 31 Dr. Pepper’s Book Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
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Board of Directors Mike Scott (Chairman), Eastern Mark Hobbs (Vice Chairman), Central Kelley Smart (Secretary), Central Joe Ballance, Cape Fear • David Pooser, Albemarle Nancy Hardee, Pee Dee • Richard Cuddington, Western Linda Weathersby, Central • MeLinda Edwards, Western The purpose of this paper is to promote the cause of Christ among Original Free Will Baptists, and we reserve the right to refuse any article or news that is inconsistent with our purpose, programs, or policies, and that does not reflect a spirit of harmony and cooperation with the Free Will Baptist Press Foundation and the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists. The contents herein do not necessarily reflect the beliefs and policies of the editor or of The Free Will Baptist. The responsibility for each article is given the person whose name appears under the title or to the person submitting said article.
For information on subscription rates, submission and photo guidelines, advertising rates and guidelines, and more, visit <fwbpress.com>. © 2014 The Free Will Baptist • All Rights Reserved. The Free Will Baptist is edited and published monthly by the Free Will Baptist Press, P. O. Box 159, 3928 Lee Street, Ayden, North Carolina 28513-0159. Second-class postage paid at Ayden, North Carolina (USPS 2094-4000). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Free Will Baptist Press, P. O. Box 159, Ayden, NC 28513-0159.
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■ DENOMINATIONAL MINISTRIES Children’s Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 University of Mount Olive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Foreign Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Cragmont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
■ ANCILLARY MINISTRIES NC Foundation for Christian Ministries. . . . . . . . . . . 34
ON THE COVER: Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 27. As we lead up to that day, let’s be mindful of all we have to be thankful for—now— and leading up to the Christmas season and the celebration of the Christ Child.
Contents
Production Manager Jerry Goff
November 2014
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Labels Don’t Define You! Good morning, before I get started I would like to thank a few people: my daughters, Kelly, Tracy, Carrie; and my son-in-laws, Kim Lerch and Mark Munsell. Without their help and support the past few months, things would have been more difficult. I would also like to thank my dear friends, Doris Tyson Temple, Doris Little Stokes, Alice Little Rouse, and Peggy Mixon Potter for allowing me to tie up their phones for extended lengths of time. And finally… my brother Jake, his wife Nancy, and my sister, Beulah. The year was 1935 and our country was in the midst of the Great Depression. Unemployment was at 20%, the country of Persia was renamed Iran, Hitler was in power in Germany, the first nighttime baseball game was played between the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies, Babe Ruth played in his last career game, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law, and you could buy a 160 acre farm for $4,000. This was a time of great change in our country and in our world, and World War II was on the horizon. In September of that same year, I was born in Mount Olive, North Carolina to George and Mavin Lane. In 1945, times were tough for the Lane family of Mount Olive, North Carolina. My father passed away that year leaving my mother a widow at the age of 34 with nine children to raise. She needed help so she contacted Dr. William Howard Carter, pastor of the Free Will Baptist Church in Goldsboro, and he put the wheels in motion that would change our lives 4
forever. It was now 1946 and my siblings and I were taken to the Caswell Training Center in Kinston, North Carolina. Prior to entering the orphanage, we were put through a series of tests. I don’t know if this was common practice, but if you were found to be “slow,” you may have become a resident of the Kinston School. I was 10 years old and, after testing, I was labeled a “slow learner.” Why? I don’t know. However, I was not kept at the Kinston Training School, I was sent on to the orphanage with my siblings. I had previously completed the 4th grade at Brogden School in Dudley, North Carolina. Since I was now labeled a “slow learner,” I had to repeat the 4th grade in my new school. It was 1946 and the five youngest Lane children were taken to the orphanage. David John Lane, Durwood Gene Lane (deceased), Patricia Ann Lane (deceased), Jacob Lane, and Robert Lee Lane found their new home at the Free Will Baptist Orphanage in Middlesex, North Carolina. School has always been very important to me. I don’t know if it was because I was labeled a “slow learner” or if I just knew that education was the path to greater things. But I worked very hard in my studies and made good grades. I was determined that the label given me would not stick. One of the things I remember about being at the orphanage in the first few days was that I was put to work in the dairy barn. I was 10 years old and, up until this point, I was just a farm boy who had worked odd jobs to help out my family. This job was new to me, as we couldn’t afford cows and had never had them at
By David John Lane home. My job was to clean the barn every morning and every night. I would hose it down and make sure it was clean and ready for the next day. This was quite a responsibility for a 10-year-old. Later, I was given the job of milking five cows every morning and every night. I did this job for the next two years until I was 12. I was then given the job of working in the laundry room and firing the boiler. This was an important job as the boiler provided the hot water for not only the laundry, but also all of the hot water used in the girl’s dormitory. I also helped do the laundry in the big commercial washer that was used to wash clothing. Both of these jobs, in the dairy barn and in the laundry room, began early each morning. However, the job in the laundry was a step up! The dairy barn was cleaned seven days a week, laundry was done five days a week, but we still fired the boilers each and every day. Part of our daily life in the orphanage was learning that hard work was expected and everyone had a job to do, but an education was just as important. I started the fourth grade at Middlesex Public School shortly after beginning my life at the orphanage. There were approximately 100 children in the orphanage when we arrived, about half girls and half boys. There were three of us Lane children who went to school with the other school age children that September in 1946. The two younger Lanes (Jacob and Robert Lee) weren’t old enough for school yet. Our days were full with getting up early and working our jobs and then getting to school and making sure we kept up with our studies. There were also jobs when
we came home in the evening. The tone was set for our lives, to keep us busy. We worked hard, learned life lessons, and we were exhausted by the end of the day. The lessons we learned during those years were the value of a job well done, respecting our elders and an education was expected. I would like to mention two of the adults who had a great impact on my life during this time: Mr. Horace Mixon and Mrs. Sudie Mixon. They showed me what it meant to be a hard working, caring, and loving person. They shared their values and set the example for me and the other children. I think they looked at Loyce Rodgers and me as their sons. They loved children and loved us. I will never forget what they taught us and what they shared with us. I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart and honor them for all they gave during my early years and for showing me what I wanted out of my life. I stayed at the Children’s Home until I was 16 years old and in the 9th grade. It was January 1952. During those years there were circumstances and incidents that happened that made it impossible for me to stay. I left my first home as a little boy, a home I loved. I then left my second home, a home I also loved, to find my way in the world. I moved back to Goldsboro and lived with my mother. As money was very tight, I had to drop out of high school and go to work. I worked for Carolina Power and Light Company as a tree trimmer during the week, and I would go back to the orphanage on Friday evenings to see my friends. The orphanage staff would allow me stay until Sunday afternoon when I would go back home. I enjoyed those weekends with my friends and shared good family time with them. I worked at this job until I was 19 years old and realized I was getting nowhere. I wanted to get my high school diploma, have an education, and make something out of my life. I wanted to go back to school and get rid of that invisible label of “slow.” An education was my ticket. One Sunday evening, I borrowed $5 from Pa Smith, the Children’s Home superintendent, and I took a bus to Raleigh first thing Monday morning
to sign up with the Air Force recruiter. The first thing I did after enlisting was I took the Air Force Qualification Test. I scored high enough on the test that I entered into their Electronics Program. In the 1950s, this program was developing technology and was working on cutting edge projects for the U.S. government. It was now 1955 and by that Monday evening, I was Airman David John Lane and was stationed in San Antonio, Texas at Lackland Air Force Base. For a little boy who was told he was “slow,” I was now a 19-year-old young man and off on a journey that I didn’t know where it would lead me! I entered Basic Training at Lackland AFB for 13 weeks. I did drills in the Texas heat with other “green” airmen. The drill sergeants did everything they could to make things tough. Their job was to change us from civilians to military men.
year for me, so I continued to focus on my education, as that was my ticket to success! In 1957, I received my GED while in Canada. For the next 20 years, I was always in school and continued my education by taking college courses. I had always wanted to be a teacher and spent many of my years teaching classes to military personnel. In 1957, I was stationed at Lake City Air Force Station in Tennessee. I brought my wife with me and we had our first daughter, Kelly, during this time. In July of 1959, I was once again taken away from my family and sent to Alaska for another year. I was stationed on a small island in Cook Inlet, 35 miles from Anchorage, where the tide was so high and so low each day that the only way on and off the island was by helicopter. My wife and I stayed in touch by writing letters and sending pictures to each other. Other than a rare
School has always been very important to me. I don’t know if it was because I was labeled a “slow learner” or if I just knew that education was the path to greater things. However, I felt that it was rather easy as I was prepared from the discipline and the lessons I learned from the orphanage. After Basic Training, I was stationed at Scott Air Force Base in Belleville, Illinois and enrolled in Electronics School. It was just after the Korean War and communications were being developed. The Electronics and Communications field was rapidly changing and required continuing education to keep up. I worked very hard at this job and continued to grow in my career with the Air Force. It was during this time in the summer of 1955 that I met the love of my life, my wife Norma, and married her in February 1956 at Scott Air Force Base. Norma and I were stationed in San Francisco for a year and we lived our lives in a tiny apartment with very little money, but we were happy. I was then stationed in Canada for a year and could not take my wife with me. That was a difficult
radio communication, there was no other way to communicate. After completing my tour in Alaska, I was then stationed at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, New Mexico for the next six years where my second daughter, Tracy, was born. I was promoted several times during my stay there and still worked in the electronics field. I was specifically working at the Air Force Special Weapons Center working on the re-entry program for the space program. Over the years my girls would often ask me what I did at work. I told them as I will tell you, “I made propellers for jet airplanes.” That was my way of telling them that I could not talk about my work. I can tell you that I worked for the Air Force Security Service on highly classified programs. In 1966 I was stationed for a short time in San Angelo, Texas and my youngest daughter, Carrie, was born. I continued 5
Part of our daily life in the orphanage was learning that hard work was expected and everyone had a job to do, but an education was just as important. to work with the Security Service. It was now 1967 and after leaving Texas I was stationed at the Karamürsel Common Defense Installation in Karamürsel, Turkey. (Approximately 100 miles from Istanbul.) This was during the Cold War and there was an arms build up between the United States and Russia. I moved my family with me to Karamürsel for the next several years. My duties often carried me to the Russian border on inspection teams during those years of turmoil. I was very proud and honored to be part of tile military during these difficult years. The Vietnam War was going on and tensions were ever increasing in Third World Countries. The job I was doing made me very proud to serve our country in this capacity. In 1969, my family and I moved to Darmstadt, Germany where I was next assigned. While I was stationed there, I received the Air Force Commendation Medal for helping implement a worldwide strategic communications inspection system. I continued to work with the Security Service during this time. I also took a part-time job after work, as I was a dad with three young girls and a wife to care for. I managed an audio club in Frankfurt, Germany at Rhein Main AFB. When I started work there, it was a $50,000 a month business and during my three plus years there, the monthly sales increased to well over $250,000 some months. This was during the Vietnam War Era, and music was an important part of our culture. Overseas, music was everything as there was no American television. War protests were going on in the States, music was written about social issues. It was a changing world and a cultural changing time as well. People identified times in their lives with music and songs. Military personnel especially relied on music for entertainment and an 6
escape as living overseas did not afford you all of the comforts of home, but you could escape through a pair of headphones and a song. I left Germany in August of 1972 and my family and I were sent back to Karamürsel, Turkey again. I owned a 1969 Volkswagen station wagon at that time, and I piled my wife and girls in it along with camping gear, food, and supplies and for two weeks we camped our way through Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, and finally to Turkey. We took a car ferry from Brindisi, Italy across the Mediterranean Sea to Greece because my security clearance restricted my travel into communist-held countries. I was still with the Security Service in the Air Force and our family was kept in Europe and Asia for over nine years because of the job I did with the Air Force. The Vietnam War was still being fought until 1973. I did not directly engage in combat in Vietnam, but I was part of Military Intelligence working behind the scenes in this and the Cold War. In 1975, I retired from the United States Air Force with an honorable discharge at the age of 39. I retired at Scott Air Force Base in Belleville, Illinois and moved my family to Waterloo, Illinois. At this time I was young enough and had the education and experience in management that I was hired as a plant superintendent and managed three very successful steel companies until 1989 when I retired at the age of 55. Upon retiring, my daughters were married and had their own families, so my wife and I moved to a small town near St. Louis, Missouri. It was at that time that I took a job, which I consider the best job of my life. I worked as a maintenance supervisor at a nursing home. I made very little money, but I enjoyed it. I made many friends and was very happy. I enjoyed the
residents, I enjoyed helping people and it was a way for me to pay back some of the kindness I was shown throughout my life. I never forgot all of the helping hands, support, and love I had received. Sometimes, success isn’t measured by the material things you receive or can buy. Success is measured by the family you have, the friends you make, and the life you live. My beautiful wife, Norma passed away from cancer on October 29, 2011 after being married to me for 56 years. I am now the grandfather of seven children and will soon meet my first great grandchild who will be born in September. Education is still important in our family. Four family members are teachers and two more are in education. I own my home near my children and their families. If I could measure the successes in my life, they would be many. If I could measure the riches and treasures in my life, there would be more. They would be the names of the family and friends that I hold near and dear to my heart. I am thankful for the childhood experiences, lessons, and values I was taught at the Free Will Baptist Orphanage. I am thankful for the guidance and love of Mr. Horace Mixon, Mrs. Sudie Mixon, and those I met along the way. I am thankful for the family God has given me and the years we have been together. I have lived a good life. I have made mistakes, learned lessons, and treasure each one of them as they made me who I am today. For a little boy, labeled a “slow learner,” I feel that with God’s help, the love of many people, hard work, and blessings I cannot begin to count, I have lived a full life and I am very grateful. Don’t ever let labels define you. Use your background as fuel! Use it as a flame to light the fire and spirit inside of you and, to take a phrase from the United States Army, it will help you become “all that you can be.” Life is a gift and it is to be treasured. I treasure my past and look forward to my future because I know that my ultimate goal will be reached. I would like to close with a story given to me by my daughter, Kelly. I think you will like it.
Story of Creation (Author Unknown)
On the first day, God created the dog and said: “Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this I will give you a life span of 20 years.” The Dog said: “God, that’s a long time to be barking. How about only 10 years and I’ll give you back the other 10?” So God agreed. On the second day, God created the Monkey and said: “Entertain people, do tricks and make them laugh. For this, I will give you a 20 year life span.” The Monkey said: “Monkey tricks for 20 years? That’s a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back 10 years like the Dog did?” And again, God agreed. On the third day, God created the Cow and said: “You must go into the fields with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves, and give milk to support the farmer’s family. For this, I will give you a life span of 60 years.” The Cow said: “God, that’s kind of a tough life you want me to live for 60 years. How about 20 years and I will give you back the other 40?” And God agreed again. On the fourth day, God created Man and said: “Eat, sleep, play, marry, and enjoy your life. For this I give you 20 years.” But Man said: “Only 20 years? Could you possibly give me my 20 years, the 40 the Cow gave back, the 10 the Monkey gave back, and the 10 the Dog gave back? That makes 80, okay?” God said: “Okay! You asked for it!”
So, that is why for our first 20 years of life we eat, sleep, play, and enjoy ourselves. For the next 40 years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next 10 years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last 10 years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone! Life has now been explained to you! So, if this story is true…I am now 76-years-old (soon to be 77) and have a few more years of barking to do!
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P. O. Box 249 • Middlesex, NC 27557 • (252) 235.2161 • www.fwbchildrenshome.org
Children’s Home
Church Ministry September was packed with visitors coming to share with The Home. On the 14th the Plain View Community was bound to be empty. Lee’s Chapel OFWB Church came to campus with a bus, vans, and many cars loaded with people eager to worship with us. It was a wonderful evening with The Home having the first part of the service and Lee’s Chapel completing the evening with great music by their youth and adult choirs, a wonderful skit by their children and a wonderful message on forgiveness by Pastor Brad Williamson. It was good to see the sanctuary at Memorial Chapel full with church friends and campus family. We can’t wait until they visit again. On the 20th, the Woman’s Auxiliary from Wilson First came to visit. They had filled many boxes with extra school supplies for any new children who may come in this fall. Ms. Carol Carlton and her family made individual goody bags for each residents. To top it all off, the Wilson women also brought ice cream and homemade chocolate chip cookies for everyone to have a mid-afternoon snack. After snack time the auxiliary held their monthly meeting in Heritage Hall. On the 24th, the staff and children gathered in Memorial Chapel for the “See You at the Pole” prayer time. Due to heavy rain, we had to move inside. Scripture and songs began our time together. Pastor Richard (former pastor at the Children’s Home) shared scripture from Ephesians 6 and remarks on the 2014 theme, “Never Stop Praying, Especially for Others.” We all then joined together around the altar and concluded in prayer. This was such a special time to remind all of us to humble ourselves, turn to God, stand strong in the Lord, and to spread His Word to everyone and never stop praying. On the 25th, the layman’s league from New Sandy Hill OFWB Church, Bailey, came to campus to share a barbecue turkey meal. They came in bearing pots and containers filled with slaw, green beans, potatoes, and of course barbecue turkey. The dessert table was loaded with homemade cakes and goodies. The layman didn’t have to worry about packing up the leftovers because after we visited the tables for seconds and thirds, it was all gone. Thanks guys, it was a great meal.
A Little Road Trip On September 21, Dianne Riley, Director of Church Ministry, along with the children and staff from The Home joined in worship with our friends at Blended Fellowship OFWB Church near Pikeville. It was truly a time of “blended fellowship.” Not long ago, Blended Hands visited our campus, along with their pastor, Doug Seymour, who delivered a powerful message. Our kids responded not only to the message, but to the people. Our kids felt warmth and love from these people and when the invitation came to visit with them and have lunch they were anxious to attend. The activities started as soon as we arrived. Videos for our youth were showing, and worship included lots of praise music and participation by our children and staff, followed by an inspiring message. A few days prior to our trip to Blended Fellowship, our children had a “private” campus yard sale. Each child was able to go to the yard sale and choose the items they liked and pay for them with their allowance money. They had decided that so many people are good to The
Home and they wanted to give back. The proceeds from the yard sale had been designated as a gift for this purpose. Our kids decided Blended Fellowship was the group they wanted to be recipients of the gift. While at Blended Fellowship, one of our young ladies presented them with the gift. The gift was not large, but it was a gift from the hearts of children learning the importance of giving back. While at Blended Fellowship one of our young ladies accepted Christ as her
Kevin and Anne-Sylvie Boykin Pottery Show
Savior. Another of our young ladies expressed that she would be doing a senior project for school and she wanted to use deaf ministry as her topic. Blended Fellowship and the Seymour family are eager to work with her. We were served a delicious lunch from Blended Café while visiting. After lunch, we gathered together for the final picture of the day. Thanks for a day of blessings and for loving us. We love you.
• • Needs List • • • Duffel Bags/Luggage for Teens • Digital Cameras (5) • Flash Drives
• (5) Trashcan Racks with Covers (needs to hold 4 trashcans) and Heavy-Duty Trashcans
On November 22 and 23 two local potters, Kevin and Anne-Sylvie Boykin will be hosting a show in their home studio from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days. The studio location is 1500 Feed Mill Road, Kenly, NC. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this show/sale will go to benefit the Free Will Baptist Children’s Home. Don’t forget to mark your calendars and stop by to see these local potters and their wares. You may find items for yourselves, or items for gifts, while supporting the work of your child care ministry.
• Canned Food Items and Dry Goods (call for details)
• (3) Chest-Type Freezers (14.8 cu. ft.) • Bulletin Boards (4 x 8 Cork) (25 needed for Children’s Rooms)
• Under-the-Counter Dishwasher (call for details) • 36-inch Electric Stove
• Restaurant Gift Card for cottages (call for details) • Movie passes for Residents (call for details)
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Christmas Sponsorship Greetings Friends. Christmas—that wonderful season when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior—is almost here. This was and still is the greatest gift ever. The Home strives to make Christmas a happy and memorable celebration for all of the children we serve. Preparations are already underway. Christmas Programs are being planned to emphasize the importance of that first gift, the birth of Jesus. Special meals have already been planned so the children and staff can join together for a traditional family Christmas dinner celebration, as well as other activities. Pretty soon the atmosphere at The Home will crackle with all of the excitement from the trappings of Christmas. For many of the children we serve, Christmas celebrations have only been seen through dreams. Dreams that were created from stories heard from other children and acquaintances. They have never been part of a family Christmas celebration, nor had the opportunity to experience the joy of opening Christmas gifts, much less hear and learn the biblical account of Jesus’ birth. We need your help to make this Christmas the best and most memorable Christmas ever. By contributing $100 to our Christmas Sponsorship program you can help make the Christmas dreams and wishes come true for a child this year. Whether you help one child or more, you will know you have shared the love of Christ with a child and filled their heart with joy, which could possibly be the greatest gift you give this season. Please complete the sponsorship form and return it to us by December 1, 2014 with your gift. May you feel blessed in knowing you have helped share the love of Christ to children served at the Free Will Baptist Children’s Home. Blessings to you this beautiful season.
Gary Lee
Free Will Baptist Children’s Home, Inc. P. O. Box 249, Middlesex, NC 27557
Sponsor:_______________________________________ Contact Person:_________________________________ Address:_______________________________________ ______________________________________ Telephone:_____________________________________ E-mail:________________________________________ Number of Children sponsored: _______
Comments:_ ___________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________
President/CEO
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634 Henderson Street • Mount Olive, NC 28365 • 1 (800) 653.0854 • www.umo.edu
University of Mount Olive
• How did you decide to attend the University of Mount Olive? My whole life I watched my mother touch the lives of students by teaching. I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do. Whenever I got to high school, I was involved in my agriculture program and became a part of the FFA program. I then decided that I would be an agriculture educator. I knew there was a program at Mount Olive and that it was going to be a major part of the college. The things I had heard about the program were awesome and encouraging. I am a member of Spring Hill Free Will Baptist Church, therefore, I had visited the campus many times for church events, but never really thought much about it as the place I would go to receive my bachelor’s degree. The decision came easy to me after the first visit I had on campus as a potential student. Everyone I came in contact with was so great and friendly. They all seemed so excited for me to come and they didn’t even know me! I absolutely love Mount Olive, and the agriculture program very much!
Ag Ed Student Grows in Education and Faith at UMO The following is an interview that Rhonda Jessup, Director of Public Relations at UMO, had with Paige Herring, a senior at the University of Mount Olive.
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• What factors went into making that decision? Everything you hear about Mount Olive is how the community is very small and close knit. I attended Rosewood High School, which only had about 600 students during my time there. I knew that Mount Olive would be a good fit for me because of the likeness in the college and my high school. It is also close to home so that I can be a commuter and still be very active in the college and the activities on campus. I was used to the small and close knit community and knew that other colleges would be too large for me. At Mount Olive I am a name, not a number. My teachers know me personally. They know what you do well in and where you struggle. At Mount Olive you are special. Dr. & Mrs. Kerstetter take the time to get to know you as an individual! I wonder how many Presidents and their wives from other colleges do that. I was able to pursue Mount Olive because of the large amounts of scholarships available as well. I am a Braswell Scholar, an Honors Scholar, a CFFA Scholar, and an OFWB Scholar. Each of these scholarships play a key role in helping me with college and the expenses that come along each semester! They also provide me with awesome experiences that have helped me do things that I would have never been able to imagine anywhere else! • What was your major and why did you choose this major? My major is Agriculture Education. When I graduate I will be able to get a job as a teacher educating students about agriculture. I knew from a very young age I wanted to teach, I just was not sure what. In high school, I was very involved in the Rosewood agriculture program and very involved in the Rosewood FFA Chapter. By being involved in this program, I was able to find my passion and love for agriculture. It is also a topic that so many are not educated on therefore have a bad idea about the way their food, clothes, and other items are made and manufactured. I knew that if I was able to gain more knowledge in this field, I would be able to educate others about agriculture and also fuel my passion for it and for teaching others!
• How has your experience/major from UMO helped you? My major has helped me to be able to see many types of agriculture in different areas around the state. Agriculture is very diverse in North Carolina. Throughout many of my classes, I have been able to travel to different farms and sites to learn more about the way plants grow, or how they are manufactured, or how feed is made and shipped to different stores. In our agriculture education department, we as students are also given a chance to be able to take many tests to gain certifications for quite a lot of things. We have the opportunity to take the Pork Quality Assurance certification test, my Transportation Quality Assurance certification test, Beef Quality Assurance certification test, multiple pesticide certification tests as well as many more. I have also been able to meet many people in the agriculture community. Mount Olive has helped me to grow as a person and step outside my comfort zone. I do not venture far from home. But I was given a very awesome opportunity to go to Greece for 7 days and it was very affordable. The Honors Scholarship allows students to go on an international trip the summer between their junior and senior year and also to go again on the trip after they initially graduate. I was able to go on this trip this summer and it was the trip of a lifetime. I was able to go on my very first flight (and all together we took six). I was able to see another country, go on my first taxi ride, go on a cruise, and see the Acropolis and many other beautiful sights.
the teachers know about your life, President Kerstetter & Mrs. Mary Kerstetter take the time to invite students into their home to get to know students better. And it does not just stop there, anytime I see them on campus or at an event they take the time to speak to students by their name and they can discuss more than just school with each of us. The staff at UMO is just awesome, and they all too play a key role in the student experience. UMO has also allowed me to be able to meet people from across the state. These people came into my life because of the atmosphere of the University and the easy sense of family! You just cannot help but become friends with everyone with whom you come into contact!
• How did the classes fit with your schedule? My classes have fit with my schedule well. Sometime it is a struggle because the college is small and there are only a certain number of students per class. There are many options for classes to take as well, You are not limited to just one option to meet the credit hour requirements. The classes for my major (agriculture education) fit in with the general education requirements as well. The teachers here are very understanding and help students fit into classes and are always willing to make it work! As you are probably aware, the tag line for UMO is transforming lives and transforming education. How has your life been “transformed” by UMO? UMO has transformed my life in an amazing way! It has helped me to be able to get the education needed to receive my degree to prepare myself for my career. It has also transformed me as a person, I have become more confident in my future agriculture career. I have also been able to become more outgoing and have experiences that I would have never received anywhere else! I have been able to travel to a foreign country with my fellow classmates and instructors, as well as take trips around North Carolina with my fellow agriculture classmates. My life has been transformed in a very positive way! The UMO community is more of a UMO family. Each student gets a more personalized experience at UMO. Not only do
• What have been your community/civic/church involvements? • UMO CFFA & Young Farmer and Rancher group gleaning for the Food Shuttle • Collecting canned goods for Harvest for All through UMO CFFA & Young Farmer and Ranchers • Collecting items for the Wayne Pregnancy Center • Collecting items to create Kids Kare boxes through Spring Hill OFWB • Collecting shoes for the Harvesters International Ministries • Involved in our church team for the Wayne County Relay for Life
• How has the Free Will Baptist Church transformed your life? Spring Hill OFWB Church has transformed my life with all of the support my church family offers. Each church member is encouraging and interested in building up my life and spiritual life. One important member, Mrs. Jean Ackiss, has worked at the college for 40 plus years! She has always been my “rock” at the church, one who I could go to for prayer support and advice! That has extended to my UMO life too! I knew that by attending UMO, I would have a friendly face at the college who knew me and would be someone I could turn to for advice and prayer support if it were ever needed. She is a special part of UMO and a special part of my life!
• Is there anything else you would like to tell us? I absolutely could not imagine being anywhere else for school! I absolutely love UMO and everything it has to offer! I tell everyone how awesome my experiences are here. When I am around, any students whom I know who are looking into college always get to hear about why they should come to UMO! I know without any doubt there is no other college I could have possibly gone to that would have been a better fit for me. UMO is definitely the place I was meant to come, and I am so glad I followed through and joined the UMO family! 13
2014 University of Mount Olive Dinners The schedule below lists each of the 16 county-wide dinners for this fall. All Free Will Baptists are invited and encouraged to attend the dinner in their county. Reservations can be made through their local church chairperson. There will be a testimony by a current student, and special music from one of our student groups. Come and bring your high school students.
• Duplin County
• Washington, Martin, Tyrrell, and Pasquotank Counties
Saturday, November 1, 6:00 p.m. Lois K. Murphy Regional Center, University of Mount Olive, Tommy Benson, Chair
Tuesday, November 11, 7:00 p.m. Union Chapel OFWB Church Lloyd W. Jones, Jr., Chair
• Johnston-Wake Counties
• Sampson, Harnett, and Cumberland Counties
Monday, November 3, 7:00 p.m. The Farm Entertainment Venue, Selma Howard F. Scott, Chair
Thursday, November 13, 7:00 p.m. Robert’s Grove OFWB Church Kenneth Benton, Chair
• Carteret County Saturday, November 8, 6:00 p.m. Sound View OFWB Church Fellowship Hall Ricky Benson and Edgar Pake, Co-Chairs
• Craven County
• Pitt County Monday, November 17, 7:00 p.m. Rose Hill OFWB Church Jean M. Averette and John Hill Co-Chairs
• Wilson County
Monday, November 10, 7:00 p.m. Juniper Chapel OFWB Church Beck Bennett, Chair
Tuesday, November 18, 7:00 p.m. Daniels Chapel OFWB Church Johnny Sullivan, Chair
he annual Christmas by Candlelight services, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the University of Mount Olive will be on Saturday, December 6, 2014 at the Historic Assembly Hall, located at 207 Wooten Street. The event is a Christ-centered service patterned after the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, a traditional English evening service which began in Cambridge in 1918.
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Luminaries will be placed around the Historic Assembly Hall entrance for the 6:30 p.m. service. Luminaries honoring or memorializing an individual, can be purchased for $5. Proceeds benefit Coats for Kids, a project helping local Mount Olive area school children. Luminary requests should be made by December 1, 2014 by printing and completing the form below, and mailing it along with a check, made payable to the University of Mount Olive to: Chaplain Carla Williamson, Luminary Lighting, 630 Henderson Street • Mount Olive, NC 28365. Donation made by:_ ____________________________________________ In Honor or In Memory of (please circle one): ____________________________________________________________ Donor’s Phone Number:_ ________________________________________ Donor’s e-mail:_________________________________________________ • For more information, call Carla Williamson at (919) 658-7749 • 14
Educational Opportunities VISITATION DAYS for new freshman entering the university in fall 2015 are scheduled for November 11, 2014 and January 19, 2015. Choose the date that fits your calendar. Register at <www.umo.edu/visitationday>. Parents are invited to come along for this important information day, which is filled with admissions and scholarship take aways, academic and athletic updates, and financial aid tips. Prospective students who have expressed an interest in UMO are receiving notices about these important dates! Recent high school graduates and college transfers can apply now for openings in spring semester, which begins in January 2015. Visit <www.umo.edu> or contact Admissions at <admissions@umo.edu> or call 1-844-UMO-GOAL to set up an appointment. Financial aid and scholarships are available. How to pay for college is one of the questions parents and students often ask. At UMO, we believe that every worthy and capable student should have an opportunity to attain a college education. Throw out any ideas you have about not being able to afford a great education—we make college possible for students every day. Finding the “right fit,” the best academics, and the most positive environment should be your top priority. In order to assist in offsetting the cost of college, the University of Mount Olive is committed to helping each and every incoming student obtain the best financial aid package available. Our dedicated financial aid counselors are ready and available to meet with you individually to discuss the best options for you. • Visit the UMO website at <http://www.umo.edu/admissions/incoming-freshmen/financial-aid> to learn about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and what you need to do to be eligible for federal, state, and UMO scholarships, grants, and loans. OFWB students who enroll full-time in the daytime program are eligible for a $3,000 grant annually. One-night-a-week seated and online classes 24/7 make it possible for adult students to enroll in degree programs and accommodate their work and family life schedules. With locations in Wilmington, Research Triangle Park (RTP), Mount Olive, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, New Bern, and Washington, NC, and online, there is a place for you at UMO. We also offer some programs at Johnston Community College in Smithfield. Call 1-844-UMOGOAL or contact Admissions at <admissions@umo.edu>. • Accelerated programs are available in general studies, accounting (online), human resources (online), MIS (online), early childhood education, criminal justice (online), business management, healthcare management, religion, RN to BSN (online), teacher licensure, and MBA (online). • Ask about our new program in Leadership, beginning in January 2015. The University of Mount Olive locations are full service offices, with admissions and academic advisors waiting to help students get enrolled. Classrooms and computer stations are on site. Adult students are eligible for federal and state aid if they are US citizens, permanent residents and citizens of North Carolina. Financial counselors are available at all UMO locations. The University of Mount Olive is a comprehensive higher education institution with undergraduate and graduate programs. With daytime and evening accelerated and online options, UMO has programs for recent high school graduates, college transfers, and working adults wishing to enter or complete college or graduate school.
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Coming Events at • Grubbs and Williams Show October 18–November 22 • Teresa Pelt Grubbs Art Gallery
The Reverend Frank Grubbs and the Reverend John Williams will have a joint show of pottery and woodwork pieces • Symphonic Band Concert November 6 • 7:30 p.m. • Assembly Hall, 207 Wooten St.
• Fall Choir Concert November 20 • 7:30 p.m. • Assembly Hall, 207 Wooten St.
• Homecoming November 21–22
Alumni and Friends, take time to come back home during Homecoming at University of Mount Olive! A full day of family fun awaits you on campus. Games for everyone on the commons will be followed by collegiate basketball games—the annual Pickle Classic Tournament! Come back home to UMO; We’re waiting for YOU! • Christmas by Candlelight Service December 6 • 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. • Assembly Hall, 207 Wooten St
Guests will enjoy a Christ-centered service that includes six Scripture lessons, tracing salvation history, each followed by music by the UMO Music Department and other local choirs. Admission is free, but seating is limited. For more information, contact Chaplain Carla Williamson at <cwilliamson@umo.edu> or (919) 658-7749 • The Importance of the Gospels March 17–19 and March 20–22 • Cragmont Assembly, Black Mountain, NC
Cragmont and the University of Mount Olive present a conference opportunity for you to explore. Dr. John N. Blackwell, Ph.D, will present a conference on the importance of the Gospels. Choose a time that will fit your schedule. To make a reservation, please contact Hope McPherson Fields at <hfields@umo.edu> or (919) 658-7714. • Winter Glitz February 21, 2015, 6:00 p.m. • Lois K. Murphy Regional Center Cost: $75 per person or $125 per couple • Contact: Anne Hamm at <ahamm@moc.edu> or (919) 658-7822.
The theme for Winter Glitz 2015 is “A Night at the Theater: A Musical Celebration.” With lights down and curtain up, guests will enjoy familiar songs from their favorite musicals. Live and silent auctions will raise money for student scholarships. Reserve your seat for this special dinner theater!
Jennings Speaks at Harrison Lecture Dr. Willie Jennings was the guest speaker at the 25th Annual Vivian B. Harrison Memorial Lecture. Dr. Jennings is the author of The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race and numerous articles. Apart from writing, Dr. Jennings teaches in the areas of systematic theology and black church and cultural studies, and his research interests include these areas as well as liberation theologies, cultural identities, and anthropology. Dr. Jennings lectured on the topic of Theology and Race. 16
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Spreading the Word. For Life!
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Spreading the Word. For Life!
Name:_ ___________________________________________________ Age: _____ Male: ____ Female: ____ (Please Check) Name of Parents or Guardians:__________________________________
Sunday School Ministry
The Sunday School Ministry awards Camp Scholarships each year to young people ages 9–18 who wish to go to summer camp but who need financial assistance. The scholarship value will cover the cost of the camp, with the exception of personal spending money. The application must be accompanied by a letter from the pastor of the church or the Sunday School superintendent substantiating the financial need. When the selection is made, the applicant will be notified and he/she must, in turn, inform the Sunday School Ministry director of the camp they wish to attend (either Cragmont or Vandemere). The applicant or parent should complete the following information and mail the form with the appropriate letters to the Sunday School Ministry Director at P. O. Box 39, Ayden, NC 28513. The application must be postmarked by December 31 in order to be considered. If further information is needed, do not hesitate to contact the Sunday School office at (252) 746-4963 or e-mail: <director@ofwbsundayschool.org>.
P. O. Box 39 • Ayden, NC 28513 • (252) 746.4963 • www.ofwbsundayschool.org
Camp Scholarships for 2015
_________________________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________ City:__________________________ State:_______ Zip:____________ Telephone:__________________ Church:_______________________ Conference:________________________________________________
Write a brief statement as to why you want to go to camp and why you need the financial assistance (Use extra paper as needed).
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OFWB International
P. O. Box 39 • Ayden, NC 28513 • (252) 746.4963 • www.ofwbi.org
God Is My Refuge Fellowship Center Original Free Will Baptist Church International Incorporated Mandaue City, Philippines
16 Year Anniversary th
By the Rev. Dante M. Cepeda
We celebrated the 16th year anniversary last July 28–August 3, 2014, God has been so good for all those years, His limitless blessings abounded to us, and His glorious miracles sustain us. For 16 years we have been having seven days of festival celebration. According to the Word of God found in the book of Deuteronomy 15:16– 17, God has many ways to provide our needs. He can do beyond our expectation and imagination. All we have to do is to trust Him and follow wherever He leads. The first night of the celebration was the leader’s night. This was sponsored 22
by all leaders in the church. The speaker was Pastor Dario Basingil, and the praise and worship leader was Brother Percy Degamo. Everyone was encouraged to listen to the Word of God, live lives that glorify God, and dedicate their lives to serving Him. The second night of the celebration was the men’s night, and of course it was sponsored by all men in our local church, plus men from the Cordova FWB Church, Mactan Island, and Talisay. It was a great honor to celebrate with them how magnificent our almighty God is. Our speaker was Pastor Renato Pacudan, worship leader was Brother Pañares. The message
for this night was on family life and it stressed the role of the father. The third night was the pastor’s and worker’s night and was sponsored by all pastors and workers in Cebu District. I was gratified to see my co-laborers in the Lord celebrate with us. The speaker was Pastor Guillermo Reuyan and the worship leader was Pastor Emillio Magdadaro. The message was being a shepherd of the flock, even when times are difficult. There is joy in service. The fourth night of the celebration was sponsored by the women. Their speaker was Rene Magdadaro. The message was about the power of our spoken words, for they can bring blessing or curses. The attendance was approximately 70 people. Our time of worship together was really awesome. Our Sisters in the Lord mature day after day in serving the Lord, and they are more active in the church. The fifth night of the celebration was the youth night. There were youth from three other churches, with about 60 youth in attendance. The youth are the future leaders of the church. Their speaker was Angelou Polancos from Mohon Talisay. The sixth day was children’s celebration. They are the fruit of our Daily Vacation Bible School. Every year we treat them with trips to the amusement park, beaches, and zoo. We have four areas of our Daily Vacation Bible School yearly with 60–80
children. This time we cater 200 children. We gave them food, let them play together with our youth organizers, and taught them the Word of God. it is easier to minister to children compared to older ones. They are eager to know God’s Word. The seventh day was the great day, August 3, 2014—our 16th year anniversary. God provided everything in our seven day Jesus Festival Celebration and we truly worshipped Him and gave Him praise for all He has done. To God be the glory!
Five Precious Souls Palawan, Philippines By Merly A. Taladro
We praise the Lord for He continues to add souls to the Main Church in Puerto Princesa City, Philippines. We recently baptized five souls at Balsahan River, through the support of our church members. We ask everyone to please pray for the newly baptized to continue in serving the Lord and for God to use them in different church ministries. 23
QUIET TIME I own a precious little book of meditations that I bought many years ago at the Ayden Free Will Baptist Bookstore. Though first published in the late 1800s, it is still in print and even available as an electronic book. Entitled Daily Strength for Daily Needs, the book has an entry for each day of the year. Mary W. Tileston intended her well-designed offering to be a resource for daily quiet time with God. I well remember my quiet time with God, Mary’s book in hand, the time when the book was newly purchased. The year was 1982, the season, summer. I spent time that summer visiting my grandfather, who at 92 was ailing. I slept upstairs on East Second Street in Ayden in a spare bedroom of my grandparents’ home, and I read Daily Strength while stretched out on the bed at bedtime, fan blowing the curtains at open windows, no air conditioning. I had to be still to withstand successfully the hot night. There I read Mary’s book, marking significant passages, and I prayed. I relaxed in gratitude for the peace that enveloped me in that solitary room. There were, objectively, problems on the horizon. My grandfather’s health
was declining, and if he shouldn’t make it, my grandmother would have a major adjustment, not only from the death of her husband of 62 years, but she felt she couldn’t live alone and so there would be upheaval ahead. For myself, I was finishing the last schooling I would ever have. During the day I was writing the most important paper of my entire education, the final requirement for my final educational degree. That was pressure, for my whole future work life depended on the outcome of that paper. These are only two of the stresses that summer. There were others, for do not problems seem to come in bunches? But—my point—did I fret and worry while reading Mary Tileston’s little book? Were my prayers anguished and agitated? Not at all. I felt God’s blessing on my life and the lives of my loved ones, and I relaxed in the peace that my quiet time afforded at the end of the day.
I am not always so fortunate in enjoying “…the peace of God, which passeth all understanding…” (Philippians 4:7). I have not always been able to let the stresses of the day recede at the end of the day. But I do know that when I have consistently practiced quiet time at the end (and the beginning) of the day, my life has smoothed out marvelously. It is only my own failing that doesn’t keep God close in my life. He is always there, ready to be acknowledged. And that summer, in a solitary room where I wouldn’t be disturbed, I knew gratitude for God’s blessings in a time of transition for my family and for myself. Today, I return to Mary’s book when I want to recapture the spirit of those summer hours. And I always find my way back to God, in part because of the reading of her delightful little book. Thank you, Mary. Thank You, God.
A former religion librarian at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Celia now lives with her husband Paul in Oxford, Mississippi. She was previously employed at both the Free Will Baptist Press and Mount Olive College (now known as the University of Mout Olive).
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“Christmas on Main Street” December 4–7, 2014 Thursday–Sunday
Join the Cragmont crew for… • A Holly Jolly “Main Street” Christmas in Black Mountain • A Christmas Performance • A little Christmas shopping on an inside street (the Mall) OR rocking by the fireplace on Main Street, Cragmont style • Maybe even a mystery on Main Street??? • Lots of Fun with “old” friends and new
Cost:
$300 (includes all transportation) $200 (excludes transportation to and from Cragmont) For a grand beginning to your Christmas, mail the registration form below with your deposit $100 by November 17, 2014 to:
Cragmont Assembly
Cragmont Assembly
Cragmont’s
1233 North Fork Road • Black Mountain, NC 28711 • (828) 669.7677 • www.cragmontassembly.com
Then Come To…
Are you… • Searching for a Christmas Adventure? • Looking for an early dose of Christmas spirit? • Wanting to enjoy Christmas before the rush?
1233 North Fork Road • Black Mountain, NC 28711.
Cragmont Christmas on Main Street 2014 Name:_ __________________________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________________________ Phone:___________________________ E-mail:_ ________________________________________ Amount enclosed: __________________ ______ Check if you want to provide your own transportation to Cragmont. ______ Check if you need first floor accommodations due to health reasons. For more information call: (828) 778-1752. 25
Watch What You Watch Racy sex scenes, foul language, violence, and drug abuse. This is the face of the television and film industry in America today. Gone are the days of “Andy Griffith” and “Leave it to Beaver” shows. Gone are the days of modesty and decency on the big screen. Gone are the days of good wholesome humor without the expense of someone’s body being sexualized or abused in some fashion. Gone are the days of turning on “kidfriendly” channels and not having to worry whether or not an inappropriate image will literally scar the minds and eyes of your children. Gone. While I could continue on and on about what has gone and come in America, I cannot because I do not have enough room in my column; I will, however, address why you need to overcome such horrid films and programs. Approximately one year ago I went through my film collection and threw out every film that had a single trace of the above listed items, and took a vow to no longer watch such films or programs. I don’t say this to toot my own horn; rather, I say this to challenge you to do the same. Let me give you some biblical evidence as to why these types of films are divinely prohibited. 1. Romans 12:1–2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. How and why? Well, your mind is no different than a sponge. If you drop a sponge in clear beautiful water the sponge will swell but it will remain filled with clear beautiful water. If you drop a sponge in an inkwell, the sponge will swell and become dirty, black, and just all around icky. Your mind works the same way. What you feed your mind determines what it looks like and how you feel. If you constantly feed your mind with films saturated with sex, blood, guts, swearing, and so forth your mind will literally deteriorate into an abyss of sinful, almost natural seeming, habits. You will sexualize men
and women inside and outside of the TV; think, and possibly even, verbalize foul language; view drug abuse as something that just happens and cannot be avoided in our society; and feel more violent and angry which leads to utter rage and desolation in your life. No, I do not have any statistics about these types of issues I have described. I know this happens because I have lived it. However, if you fill your mind with truthful humor and godly inspiration you will all-of-a-sudden one day realize that you are not sexualizing other men and women, you are not thinking and speaking foully, you are understanding America’s drug problem is real, and you will find a peace that passes all understanding. As Luke said, “out of the abundance of the heart [our] mouth speaks” (see Matthew 12:34 and Luke 6:45) 2. Colossians 3:5–6 literally tells us to kill the flesh or else you will face the wrath of God. On one hand the Bible teaches that Christians will not be condemned for our sins, but rather judged on our works (Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:10). On the other hand, are you truly saved if you refuse to leave your sin behind? I am not here to make you doubt your salvation, but maybe you are needing a self-evaluation. While I wholeheartedly believe viewing these types of films consummates sin, as a bornagain believer you cannot, by the mercy and grace of God, be condemned to Hell for these actions. But, if you refuse to give up your sins, such as subjecting yourself to racy sex scenes, foul language, violence, and drug abuse, you are not killing your flesh and you will face the wrath of God Almighty. And it will not be pretty. Be set apart by really truthfully censoring what you are watching and subjecting your mind and heart to.
Andrew Mozingo resides in Winterville, North Carolina and is employed with the Free Will Baptist Press. He is studying religion with a concentration on Christian Ministries as a student of Liberty University Online in Lynchburg, Virginia. After finishing his bachelor’s degree with LUO, he plans to attend Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for further training. His aspirations are to become a youth pastor and eventually hold a full-time pastoral position. Andrew is engaged to Michaela Dixon of Kinston, North Carolina with a wedding date set for fall 2015.
Spreading the Word. For Life! 26
with Nora Koonce Avery
The Legacy of Little James On the wall of my guest room there is a picture taken around 1925 of a little boy in a blue outfit sporting a mischievous grin. He is my mother’s baby brother, James Oscar Pike, who died of meningitis shortly after this picture was taken and not long before his second birthday. I grew up hearing my mother tell how devastated my Grandmother Edith was after losing this young child to death. Like my grandmother, throughout the ages mothers with empty arms have wailed, “Why? Why did You take my precious child, Lord?” Those questions may never be answered as long as we walk the earth. Sometimes, though, I believe their work on earth is finished in their short life. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1–2). How, you may wonder, could a child less than two years old have finished the work God sent him to do? During her time of grief, according to my mother’s account, my grandmother paced up and down the dirt path in front of their big sprawling farmhouse, lifting her eyes heavenward, crying and wailing in heart-wrenching sobs and asking that age-old question that many mothers who have lost children ask. In pain that
only a mother who is missing a child can understand, my grandmother begged God to restore her little boy’s life. During this time God revealed to her that her baby could not come back to earth, but she could one day go where he is and she would see him again. “This is my comfort in my affliction…” (Psalm 119:50). Up until this time my grandmother was not living the life of a Christian—a fact that surprised me, knowing what a godly woman she had become by the time I was born—but she accepted Christ’s free gift of Salvation and raised her remaining children and the little ones that God later gave her in a Christ-centered home. They became faithful members of Whaley’s Chapel near Richlands in Jones County, and when at last God called my Grandmother Edith home in 1972 her memorial service was held there. Shortly after Grandmother Edith’s death the family gathered together to sort through her meager earthly possessions. Her worn Bible was a testament to her relationship with God. Her sparse jewelry included a pin in gold script that read, “Jesus Saves.” When we got to her purses we found one after another that contained scripture tracts. She had kept a ready supply to use to plant the seeds of Christ’s
love to those people that crossed her path to whom she felt led to witness. The story doesn’t end there, however. Because of my grandmother’s obedience in accepting Christ in her life during this traumatic time, and in raising her family in faith from that point on, she produced a houseful of God-fearing adults who went on to carry the Good News to their families and friends. Her youngest son, George Earl Pike, became a minister. Several of her children went on to play key roles in the Kingdom of God on earth. Many people have accepted Jesus as their Savior because of a seed planted by one of Grandmother Edith’s children. Where would these people have ended up had the story not started with little James and his grieving mother’s cry to the Lord? Where would I have been today if my mother had not led me to the Cross of Jesus after being raised by this Godly woman? Death is never easy on the living, especially when one is taken so young. One thing we can be assured of, though. Those who have been saved through Grace will have eternal life with Jesus in Heaven, and all the little ones who left this earth so soon will be there with us, including a little boy dressed in blue.
Nora grew up in Trenton, NC and now resides with her husband, Eddie, in Cove City, NC. They are members of Wintergreen OFWB Church, and she serves as the Woman’s Auxiliary Vice President. She and Eddie have two sons and three grandchildren. Nora enjoys photography and reading.
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The topic for our Sunday School lessons this first quarter is “Sustaining Hope,” and for the month of November (Unit 3) our sub-topic is “Visions of Grandeur” with four lessons from Ezekiel and one from Isaiah 52. The setting remains the same: early 6th century B.C. with the Israelites in Babylonian captivity. “Visions of Grandeur” are visions of a glorious return of the exiles to their homeland and restoration of the nation as the people of God. More so than any of the other prophets, Ezekiel gave precise dating for many of his oracles, or visionary messages from God. Ezekiel was a priest who was carried into exile to Babylon with the first captives in 598 B.C. As he ministered to the people as their priest, he was called to be God’s prophet to God’s people. His call came in 593 B.C., five years after the first captivity and six years before the fall of Jerusalem, and spanned thirty years (Ezekiel 1:1–3). The lessons for our study come form the third division of the book which might be called “the oracles of hope” (chapters 40–48). This section begins with grand visions of the new temple. He has a guide (40:3) who takes him on a tour beginning with the outer wall and gates,
to the outer courts, the inner courts, the altar, into the temple, and the inner room (“the holy place,” Leviticus 16:2) which Ezekiel did not enter. His guide carried a cord and a measuring reed and gave precise measurements for every part. It may be tempting to turn to the book of Revelation for insight into Ezekiel; but that is doing things backward, since Revelation was written 600 years after Ezekiel. The book of Revelation does borrow images and phrases from Ezekiel but gives them entirely different meanings. Therefore, we must resist the urge to use Revelation to explain Ezekiel. One thing the two books have in common is that both were intended to instill hope in seemingly hopeless times. Lesson one takes up at chapter 43 with “the glory of God” entering the temple through the east gate. Previously, at 10:18, “the glory of the Lord” exited the temple through the east gate. God departed the temple before the fall of Jerusalem and went eastward ahead of the captives; now in 43:2 Ezekiel sees the Lord entering the new temple from the east ahead of the returning exiles. In verse 12 Ezekiel refers to the law (torah) of the temple. Lesson two continues at
43:13 with the dedication of the altar. Ezekiel’s guide has not given much attention to heights in his measurements until he comes to the altar. The altar is the place where the divine and the human meet, where confession is offered and forgiveness is given. Lesson three jumps to chapter 47 with the vision of a life transforming stream flowing from beneath the temple. Water is a precious commodity in the Middle East. Babylon had the Tigress and Euphrates Rivers, and Israel had the Jordan River; but between them was a vast desert. The image of a flowing stream of water was a powerful symbol; and this river flows eastward through the desert. Lesson four continues in chapter 47 with a vision of the allotment of the territory to the twelve tribes of Israel. Lesson five concludes Unit 3 with a passage from Isaiah 52 calling for praise to the God of our salvation. Ezekiel, as with Jeremiah in previous lessons, reassures the people in Babylonian exile that God will return them to their homeland, they will rebuild the Jerusalem temple, and they will be forgiven and restored as the people of God.
H. Adrian Grubbs, Jr., was born in Dade City, Florida, to the Rev. Herman A. and Lillian Kinard Grubbs. The family moved to Mount Olive, NC, in 1959. Adrian was ordained in the Eastern Conference in 1963 and has served eight churches. After a 30-year pastorate at Deep Run OFWB Church he retired in 2007 because of vocal problems. Grubbs has served the denomination as President of the Sunday School Convention, Moderator of the Eastern Conference, member of the Eastern Conference Ministerial Examining Board, and is currently on the Mount Olive College Board of Trustees. Adrian and Jo Ann have one son, two daughters, and six grandchildren.
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with David Morrow
Thanksgiving in All Circumstances As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday season, it is important to spend more than just Thanksgiving Day thinking about the things for which we are thankful. Often, it is easy to get bogged down in the struggles of life, and not notice the important things. It is one’s attitude that makes all the difference. In Paul’s final letter, which was to Timothy, he was writing from a Roman prison. In 2 Timothy 2:8–10, Paul said “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” Paul’s attitude was obviously very positive even though he knew at this point that he was on death row. Take a moment to reflect on Paul’s life: He went to our equivalent of the best school available. His teacher was Gamaliel. Paul was required to memorize the first five books of the Bible by age 12. He became a Pharisee, and highlighted his own credentials in Philippians 3. He
became a mass murderer in his zeal to stop the message we call the Gospel. His actions, prior to meeting Jesus on the Damascus Road, perhaps, is not unlike the actions of the Jihadist of today. Yet, Paul did meet Jesus on the Damascus Road, and started the journey that led him to that Roman prison where he was waiting to be executed for the same crime for which he used to be the executioner. Contrast that with a man with whom Abraham Lincoln interacted. On April 4, 1865, ten days before he was assassinated, Lincoln walked through the city of Richmond. An African American walked up to the President and bowed down to him. Lincoln responded by saying, “Don’t kneel to me; that is not right. You must kneel to God only, and thank Him for the liberty you will hereafter enjoy. I am but God’s humble instrument; but you may rest assured that as long as I live no one shall put a shackle on your limbs; and you shall have all the rights which God has given to every other free citizen of this republic.” Obviously, there is a very big difference between the freedoms of being an American and the gift of grace that is available only through Jesus
Christ. However, do you, at times, live as if you are chained like Paul, when you are actually free like the above mentioned African American? Take a moment to think about your freedoms as an American, and also your ability through Jesus Christ to live without the guilt of your own sin. As an American, we can reflect on God’s providential guidance of our Nation, particularly in its beginning, and celebrate the freedoms that we share. This is particularly true when you look at the fact that Christians in other countries are being murdered for their faith. Often times, we focus on growing and maturing as a Christian. However, it is important to never forget the baby steps: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). It is remembering these types of foundational beliefs that may help us to focus on a cheerful heart. Therefore, pay attention to the attitudes of your heart. Are you a free man that continues to wear chains, or a man that is only chained by this world but lives in the freedom of abundant life?
David Morrow is a graduate of Campbell University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He earned a Master’s of Divinity in pastoral counseling. His is a licensed marriage and family therapist and also an ordained minister. He has 23 years of experience in the mental health field and works for CareNet Counseling East. His offices are located in Greenville, and Kinston, North Carolina. In his spare time, he enjoys playing music, spending time with his family, and playing golf.
Spreading the Word. For Life! 29
Confessions of a Book Lover I have entirely too many books. Some bibliophilic folk may say that such a thing isn’t possible. But after transitioning through several moves across different states over the past six years, my back and a lack of square footage attest that such a thing does exist. It’s not that I find the books to be any less valuable. However, I’m trying to make the mental and emotional switch from seeing books as things-tobe-collected to books as things-to-beshared—particularly, and selfishly, the ones that I don’t want to read again in the near or not-as-near future. The majority of these books are related to Christian thought and practice. Having formally studied these things for the past ten years, I’ve had more than ample opportunity to indulge my tendency to collect various, relevant literary treasures. It’s only that, now, I’m realizing they’re not all worth keeping. Many were impulse buys. Some, admittedly, have not been read from cover to cover. So occasionally I force myself to comb through my many bookshelves, trying to find a few, at the least, that can be given away to local libraries or thrift shops. Upon one recent attempt to purge (ironically, to make room for new books),
I ran across a few that were of great importance to me but which I had not picked up in years. Two or three of them, in particular, I read about ten years ago when I first started to grow interested in Christian faith and spirituality. It’s hard to describe the full impact they left on my spiritual journey, but, to put it less than mildly, the ideas communicated by their authors opened to me new worlds and understandings like I had never known. These books I couldn’t give away. For the first time in a long time, I dusted them off and placed them on my bedside table so that I could start leafing through their pages again. I was amused, at first, to see what parts of the text I highlighted and what I was thinking at the time of the first reading, as indicated by the hand-scribbled notes I left in the margins. But the more I read, the more I realized how much life these ideas had given me, and how my journey has brought me back to yearning once again for the visions constructed by the authors—some of which I had long since forgotten. There was a period during these past 10 years that was especially marked by a sense to conform my theological convictions to those beliefs of others with
whom I had close relationships. In a larger sense, this has played out over and over again in regard to other vocational circles within which I move and work. Without filling in too many details, I’ll simply say that I’m grateful to come back to or find reinforced that something which seemed right, both rationally and within my belly, many years ago when I first stumbled upon these books and their ideas. I reminisce about these things simply as a reminder that our spiritual development or growth is never static. It can be both linear and cyclical. We change. We grow. We can suppress ideas. We can forget important things. We can keep ever present in our mind matters that actually aren’t that important. Within all of us there may be something in our innermost being that we neglect, ignore, or have simply forgotten over the years. The books that I pulled back off my shelf reminded me of this. I may very well forget their lessons in the not too distant future, as I quickly move along to other areas of research and study. But, for now, I’m grateful for the ability to feel at home once again in my own skin and to catch a glimpse, however fleeting, of what God may be doing in the world.
Marc Boswell is from Saratoga, NC, where he grew up as a member of Spring Branch OFWB Church. He is ordained in the Central Conference and currently lives in Richmond, VA, where he is working toward the completion of a Ph.D. in the fields of Theology and American Religious History at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.
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The Bible speaks to us but the Psalms speak for us. Psalm 103:1 says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Based on the Bible, I can tell you without reservation that God loves us and He forgives everyone who trusts Christ as Savior. Scripture says: With His blood, Jesus paid our sin debt and gives us a full pardon. Forgiveness is given to everyone who believes in Jesus and remains available to all believers. Our pardon for sin is based on the riches of our Father’s grace, which always exceeds the offense. God does not count past or future sins against us. Scripture assures us that no transgression is beyond the scope of God’s pardon. This is not a license to sin. Divine forgiveness should instead motivate in us a passion for holiness. Let’s be thankful for such a great gift. Do not let the stresses of the day steal your Psalm. Linda Herring is married to Vernon Herring. They have two children, Amy and Vernon and three grandchildren, Jenna, Jared, and Noah. Linda is an active member of the White Oak Grove OFWB Church in LaGrange, NC. Linda leads a Bible study group, Circle of Friends. She has been a drama director of two dramas that she wrote, They Called His Name Jesus and The Book of Ruth. She is a resource for the OFWB Woman’s Auxiliary. Her outreach ministry includes this column in TFWB, a radio broadcast by the same name (aired on WAGO 88.7 FM), and a weekly devotional article for the La Grange Weekly Gazette and The Sampson Weekly. She also has a devotion book printed by the Mount Olive College Press.
Church & Ministry Positions Available • Hickory Chapel Church in Ahoskie, NC, is seeking a full-time pastor. For more information, contact Sandy White by phone at (252) 395-1025 or by e-mail at <bands1@centurylink.net>. You may send résumés to: Hickory Chapel Church, Attn: Sandy White, 531 NC 561 W, Ahoskie, NC 27910. • Otway Church in Beaufort, NC is presently seeking a full-time pastor. For more information, contact Brother Alonzo Harron at (252) 838-1615.
Shopping Spree
“Come Shop ‘Til You Drop!” Saturday, November 15, 2014 • 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Little Rock OFWB Church • 6115 Little Rock Church Road, Lucama
Admission: $1 Breakfast will be sold by the Men’s Fellowship • Hotdog Lunch will be sold by REFLECT Youth Ministries Vendors will include: ET’s Creations, Thirty-one, Tree Down Pottery, Fuzzy Frogg, The Pastor’s Pen, Pampered Chef, Willing Hands, Lou Lou’s Gifts, Cross & Crown Christian Store, and many, more! There will be lots of handmade fall and Christmas crafts, wreaths, jewelry, pottery, baked goods, scarves, & much, more! Proceeds go to Trinity Circle for missions and projects throughout the year. For more information, call (252) 239-0361. For a vendor application, e-mail: <littlerocktrinitycircle@hotmail.com>. 31
Book reviews in this column are not meant to reflect any theological or political positions.
Marcus J. Borg, Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Meaning and Power and How They Can Be Restored New York: Harper One, 2011. 248 pages. ISBN 978-0-06-197655-1.
A New Look at Christian Words and Concepts Harvey Cox, Hollis Professor of Divinity emeritus at Harvard, traces Christianity from the early church fathers Irenaeus of Lyons, Ignatius, Origen of Alexandria, and Cyprian to the role of the Roman empire with Constantine and the Roman Catholic Church to diverse views of Arius and the Waldensians to modern liberation theology with the Sant‘ Egidio Community. What Cox asks is crucial: “What does the future hold for religion, and for Christianity in particular?” (1) He recognizes the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt as well as the growth of Buddhism in Japan led by Nichiren Shoshu rooted in the Buddhist teachings of Nichiren Daishonin (1222–1282). What is the future of the Christian faith in the modern world? To understand the future, Cox carries us back to the historical past.
Irenaeus of Lyons, Ignatius of Antioch, Origen of Alexandria, and Cyprian of Carthage Irenaeus of Lyons (ca. 142–200) supported the argument favoring four gospels in the New Testament canon. Cox claims that Irenaus said there must be four gospels “since there had been four faces in the vision of Ezekiel: a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle” (92). These symbols are linked to the four gospels: “Matthew (an angel), Mark (a lion), Luke (an ox), and John (an eagle)” (92). Ignatius (death in 110) was the bishop of Antioch and was the Christian thinker who combined “the centrality of the bishop with apostolic succession” (92). The “autocratic view” (92) of government with the power of the bishops as “authentic successors of the apostles” (90) were views held by both Ignatius and Irenaeus. What they were trying to do with the Christian church was to create what Cox calls a “quality control and brand recognition” (95), elevating the “bishops to nearly absolute power over the laity” (95). Cox recognizes this position of power was “a long way from Jesus washing his disciples’ feet” (95) and asking his apostles to refer to him and to each other as “friends” (95). The third-century theologian Origen of Alexandria (185-254) also inflated the “power of bishops” (96). His emphasis that Jesus was not equal in every way with the Father was controversial. Origen also believed our souls pre-existed and that “history moves in cycles” (96). Origen’s Christian father was “martyred in 202,” (96) giving Origen the responsibility as a young man to care for “his mother and six younger brothers” (96). In 250, he was imprisoned and tortured. 32
The third-century theologian Cyprian of Carthage (died in 258) gave up his family wealth, gave his money to the poor, and became the bishop of Carthage. His idea was that “Christian unity was unity among the bishops” (97) and that bishops should set the example of loving one another in order to “represent the whole Christian community” (97). With this point of view came what Cox calls “the glorification of the bishops” (98).
Constantine and the Roman Catholic Church In 280 C.E., Constantine (Flavius Valerius Constantinus) was born in Naissus, Macedonia, as the eldest son of Constantius I and Helena. What Constantine did was to use his vision of the cross just before the Battle at Milvian Bridge as a call to conquer and defeat his challenger to the throne, Maxentius. At this point in history, Constantine linked the Roman Empire with Christianity, making Christianity a governmentsupported religion to unify the Roman Empire (100-103). Constantine switched the imperial stance from persecution to promotion so that Constantine would not only rule the Roman Empire but also govern the Christian church (102). Constantine had political coffers to support the church, but he found his bishops arguing. How could he unite the bishops? In 325 C.E., he summoned 220 bishops to his palace in Nicaea, Turkey. The Council of Nicaea became Constantine’s effort to unify the Christian church (106). In 476 C.E., Rome fell. In 1929, Mussolini passed the Lateran Treaty that established the Vatican city-state with its main area of Vatican City. In 1965, the Second Vatican Council created the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Today there are ten congregations or ministries in the Vatican with each having “its own responsibility, such as education, foreign policy, or family life” (114-115). Eight of these ministries line the Via della Conciliazione while two others are outside the Vatican City—one in the Piazza di Spagna and one in the Largo Sant ‘ Uffizio (114-115). Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) headed the ministry called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith before he became the Pope (113). Ratzinger feared the “fusing of Christian with indigenous local spiritual practices” (116), particularly across Asia and Africa. Ratzinger believed the bishops could handle this mingling of local culture with Roman Catholic beliefs. Catholics have handled conflicts in their own imperil-power ways.
Arius And The Waldensians What was the Arian heresy in early Christian history? Arius (died around 335) was a “parish priest in Alexandria” (103). Arius taught that Jesus was “the incarnation of the divine logos” (103) and that Jesus was “God’s agent in the creation of the world” (103), but Jesus was not “coeternal with God” (103), because there was a time when Jesus did not exist while God did exist (103). The theology was called “Arianism” and rejected at the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE (104– 105). Constantine supported Osiosus of Cordoba who suggested the relationship between God and Jesus to link to the Greek word homoousios (105) that translates as “same substance” (105). God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are of the same substance and form the Trinity. Arius was exiled to Illyricum. Peter Waldo of Lyon formed the “Poor Men of Lyon” or the Waldensians in 1176. Waldo gave his money away and taught that “the Bible should be the sole authority” (109) of the Christian faith—a heresy to the Roman Catholic Church. The Waldensians fled to the mountains of Italy and France but were forgiven by Pope John Paul II in 1996 when he invited “the Valdese” to St. Peter’s Basilica to bless them (110).
Liberation Theology What is liberation theology? Liberation theology seeks to promote the Christian theology as the “current rebirth of faith in the promise of the era of justice exemplified in the life of Jesus” (193), according to Cox. The founder of liberation theology was a Peruvian priest, “Father Gustavo Gutierrez, who taught at the Pontifical Catholic University in Lima and wrote his “epochal” (913) book, Theology of Liberation which appeared in English in 1979. Concerned with the poor, Gutierrez stressed these beliefs in his liberation theology: (1) Jesus is a challenge to fatalism. (2) The centrality of Christian faith is the coming of “God’s reign of justice” (194). (3) Trust in faith as a “faithful way of life” (195). (4) Read the Bible and respond to the plight of the conditions in the world.
Sant’ Egidio Community In Rome in 1630, the Catholic Church Sant‘ Egidio was built and was used by an order of Carmelite sisters until 1971 (171). Earlier in 1968, a young man named Andrea Riccardi began to start a community whose purpose was to work out ways to live as Jesus commanded and to become both peacemakers and friends to the poor. By 1973, this community moved into the church of Sant’ Egidio and obtained the name—the Community of Sant’ Egidio. What does this community do in Rome and the world? Cox gives a list of this community’s efforts in the modern world: 1) In 1992, “to the astonishment of seasoned diplomats, they succeeded in brokering an agreement between the
government of Mozambique and the Frelimo of guerillas” (172). 2) They make friends with the poor, elderly, beggars, lepers, and mentally disabled (172). 3) The group is “self-governing and lay led” (173).
Mosaic in the Church of St. Praxedis In Rome The Church of St. Praxedis in Rome has a famous ninth-century mosaic that shows Theodora with the word episcopa (bishop) over her head. What does this mean? Scholars believe Theodora’s prominence as a bishop shows that women had a strong role in the first-century Christian church. Theodora in the mosaic at St. Praxedis is featured also with three other women—Mary of Nazareth, St. Praxedis, and St. Pudentia (180). The women appear to be leaders in the Communion service that opens up the modern dialogue about women’s role in the Christian church. Theodora was the mother of Pope Paschal I who is seen in a mosaic holding the Church of St. Praxedis in his hands (180). Martin Luther led a controversy when he stressed grace through faith (181) and he emphasized that “everyone needs to have faith in something” (182). Catholic leaders across the centuries have demonstrated conflicts with the power of the Catholic hierarchical power and creeds. St. Teresa of Avila stressed her faith as “a personal bond” (183) and had to use her own wits and charm “to keep one jump ahead of the Holy Inquisition in sixteenth-century Spain” (183). In 1977, Pope Paul VI named Oscar Arnulfo Romero as the archbishop of San Salvador, a position of power. Romero began to expose the violence in El Salvador as he announced “the names of the dead” (190) as well as the names of the ones who disappeared, and as he became a voice for the rights of peasants. In 1980, Romero was shot to death at the Hospital of Divine Providence (190). Cox sees the growth of the Sant’ Egidio Community and the rebirth of faith in “the promise of the era of justice” as demonstrated by both Father Gutierrez and Bishop Romero as the rebirth of the Spirit within the Christian community. Churches are making “way for the Spirit, like the stone rolled away from Christ’s grave” (196). In Brazil there is the growth of believers called crentes or “people of the way” (199). In 2001, Cox reports that in Rio de Janeiro there were 327 new crente congregations whose emphasis is to engage in the modern world as they work with the poor and outcast. Modern church communities seek to focus on a democratic framework. Cox describes these traits: 1) a community that is informed, 2) an active impulse, 3) a belief in the human and civil rights of people, 4) a greater equality, 5) moral principles in events, 6) the importance of the common good, 7) love and praise God, 8) the gifts of the Spirit. Both conversion (born again) and holiness (not conform to the world) are essential in the future of faith, according to Cox.
Pepper Worthington was born in Kinston, NC, and married an OFWB retired minister, Michael Gauker Warning, in 1996. The Rev. Warning served as pastor to Free Union OFWB at Sea Level, NC. She received her B.A. degree cum laude at Meredith College in 1965, her M.L.A. degree at Johns Hopkins University in 1969, and her Ph.D. with Phi Kappa Phi honors at the University of Maryland at College Park in 1976. She has been a professor of English at Mount Olive College since 1979. She is also currently the director of the Mount Olive College Press.
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P. O. Box 210 • Mount Olive, NC 28365-0210 • (919) 658.5250 • admin@ncfcm.org • rwarren@ncfcm.org
NC Foundation for Christian Ministries
Ways of Saying, “Thank You” A
s a group, modern Free Will Baptists have a lot to be thankful for. Our heritage has been preserved by vigilant ministers, laypeople, and educators. Our homes, churches, and communities have advanced well beyond the poor rural context of their origin. Free Will Baptist ministries are continuing, despite economic adversity, through the generosity of our people. Free Will Baptists have a lot to be thankful for and many are seeking creative ways to express that gratitude. However, like the Pilgrims, many Free Will Baptists today find resources are limited, so a gift from their “abundance” requires some creativity. The North Carolina Foundation for Christian Ministries has assisted many good people in finding creative ways to say thank you from their own unrecognized “abundance.” Creative Ways of Saying,“Thank You” One resource that is generally in abundance is time. For each person there is 24 hours in a day. If used creatively, time can be used to say thank you in meaningful ways. Benjamin Franklin said, “Remember that time is money… waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both.” The Foundation can provide the method to turn time into monetary resources that can be used to express gratitude through a permanent legacy. Here are a few creative ways The Foundation can assist you in expressing gratitude in a significant and lasting way even if cash resources are limited. • Endowments: Through The Foundation, individuals,
organizations, churches, etc. may establish an endowment—a pool of money that is never spent while its earnings are used to permanently support the causes that are important to the donor. With a small initial contribution now along with regular contributions over time, anyone can establish an endowment as a means of saying thank you. • Direct Funding of a Scholarship: Each year The Foundation awards over $25,000 in scholarships to assist students preparing for service as a Free Will Baptist minister. Cash gifts of any size are welcomed and give donors the satisfaction of expressing gratitude by touching lives for successive lifetimes through the work of effective Free Will Baptist ministers. • Non-Cash Donations: If cash is not available, other types of gifts may be accepted by The Foundation. These may include, but are not necessarily limited to automobiles, equipment, real estate, stocks, bonds, life insurance, etc. Within IRS guidelines, such non-cash
assets can be considered tax-exempt donations just like cash donations. • Bequests: Another creative way to express gratitude in a significant and lasting way is through bequests—gifts by will or trust. The Foundation can assist a person now with such planned giving for the future so that one can rest assured that even in death their charitable wishes will be carried out. • Charitable Gift Annuities: A charitable gift annuity with The Foundation provides a guaranteed income for the lifetime of one or two people in exchange for an initial cash donation. The initial gift is tax deductible and a portion of the annual distribution payments to the original donor are considered tax-free income. A charitable gift annuity is ideal for someone with cash on hand who needs to protect their assets, secure a guaranteed income, reduce their tax burden, and leave a lasting legacy. • Direct Funding of The Foundation: Supporting The Foundation itself is an ongoing way of saying thank you. Through a one-time direct gift to The Foundation or through an annual pledge, gifts of any amount can be used to ensure that good people are helped to do good things well into the future. Conclusion There are many creative ways to express gratitude and doing so in a lasting and significant way through the Foundation need not be out of reach of anyone. The ideas listed here are only examples; there are countless other ways that can be tailored to each person’s wishes and needs. For more information on saying “thank you” in a lasting and significant way, even if cash is limited, please contact the North Carolina Foundation for Christian Ministries, P. O. Box 210, Mount Olive, NC 28365-0210. Because The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian charitable organization, all contributions to The Foundation are taxdeductible. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty. — Edward Winslow — of the Plymouth Colony
The Foundation is pleased to announce that the following ministerial students have been selected to receive scholarships totalling nearly $12,000 for the fall 2014 semester. Student Name Bailey Sutton Dustin Bannister Jonathan Best Marc Boswell Duane Casey Vicki Parker Medlin Matthew Miller Jason Sexton José Velez Ricky Warren Joshua Whitfield Aubrey Williamson Carla Williamson
Academic Level and Area Undergraduate Music Master of Divinity Doctorate of Philosophy Doctorate of Philosophy Undergraduate Religion Master of Divinity Undergraduate Religion Undergraduate Religion Undergraduate Religion Doctorate of Ministry Doctorate of Ministry Master of Divinity Doctorate of Ministry
School Attending University of Mount Olive Campbell University Divinity School St. Thomas University Garrett Theological Seminary University of Mount Olive Campbell University Divinity School University of Mount Olive University of Mount Olive University of Mount Olive Campbell University Divinity School Campbell University Divinity School Campbell University Divinity School Campbell University Divinity School
hese scholarships are possible due to the generous support of our donors through direct and endowed gifts to The Foundation’s Shepherd Fund, which helps ensure the future availability of well qualified ministers for our churches. Thank you! For information about applications for future scholarship awards or to find out more about becoming a donor, please contact The Foundation today at (919) 658-5250 or <rwarren@ncfcm.org>.
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The Foundation gratefully acknowledes these gifts given during September of 2014 in honor or memory of those listed.
• r • In Memory of • q •
• r • In Honor of • q •
Mr. John Kenneth Starling
Dr. W. Burkette Raper
Mrs. Angela H. Warren
Mr. John Kenneth Starling
Dr. W. Burkette Raper
Mr. Rufus Rogers
Mr. John Kenneth Starling
Willie and Mildred Eason
Mrs. Virginia Davis
By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
By Mrs. Margaret J. Grice
Mr. John Kenneth Starling
Mr. John Kenneth Renfrow
Mrs. Genevieve Taylor
The Reverend & Mrs. Emmitt Jones
Mr. John Kenneth Starling
Tharen (Happy) & John Taylor
Miss Becky Jo Sumner
By Mr. & Mrs. Harold Renfrow By Mr. & Mrs. David Strickland By Mrs. Myra S. Peedin
By Ms. Robin V. Strickland By Ms. Teresa S. Lane
By Mrs. Rose M. Raper
By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley By Mrs. Sudie J. Elmore
By Mr. & Mrs. Alton R. Renfrow By Ricky and Angela Warren
Dr. W. Burkette Raper
By Mr. & Mrs. Mike Buddin
By Bertie A. Sanders
By Mr. and Mrs. Mike Buddin
By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
Mrs. Angela H. Warren
By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
Mr. Stearle Pittman
By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
Mr. Earl Worley
The Reverend & Mrs. Emmitt Jones
By Bethel Woman’s Auxiliary
The Reverend & Mrs. Emmitt Jones
By Bethel Free Will Baptist Church
The Reverend & Mrs. Emmitt Jones
By Dr. Mae Ellen Allen
Mr. Charles L. (Sonny) McLawhorn, Jr.
By Ricky and Angela Warren
By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
Retirement Income Comparison
CD Rate 1 (Oct. 5, 2014) Annuity Rate 2 (at age 70)
0.26% 5.1%
1. National Average 12-month CD rate (Source: Bankrate.com) • 2. Lifetime rate from the Foundation for a person age 70
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Christian Chapel OFWB Church presents
A drive-thru or walk-thru experience…
Live scenes of the life of Christ from His miraculous birth to His ultimate sacrifice. Friday, December 12 • Saturday, December 13 Sunday, December 14 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Christian Chapel Free Will Baptist Church 1213 Jonestown Road • Pink Hill, NC
Free Admission
For more details call (252) 670-0188 36
Christian Chapel OFWB Church
We give thanks to God for you and all the abundant blessings poured out on us this year.
Happy Thanksgiving!
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 107:1)
Tax season is coming. Plan now to make your gift go even further. Call The Foundation to find out how. 919-658-5250 Gifts may be tax deductible this year if made by December 31.
PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID 28513
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