Volume 17, Issue 2
Feature Articles
JU N E 2 0 1 5 Columns page 2
Publisher’s Note
page 12
Jason Watson
Faith @ Work: Lois Brown
page 4
Pastor's Perspective Michael Rippy, Evangel Church
Meet Lois Brown and find out how God has not only been by her side through tragedies in life, but how He has motivated her to help others who are suffering.
page 13
Pondering the Journey Sam Whatley
page 14
Shine
Kim Hendrix
page 16
page 19
Parenting Well in a Digital World
With All Your Mind Matt Jordan, Ph.D.
page 20
Counselor’s Corner
by Tim Challies
Nancy Thomas, LPC
Technology can feel overwhelming for the Christian parent, but Tim Challies challenges moms and dads to embrace it in order to help children make right choices.
page 29
The Intersection Bob Crittenden
page 35
Family Teams for Christ: Military Edition
page 22
Lisa and Mike Conn
Vacation Bible Schools
page 36
Register your kids today for one or more of these fun weeks at local churches!
Dave $ays Dave Ramsey
In Every Issue page 26
page 6
Hope for When You’re...
Books to Read
Expecting | Unexpectedly
page 8
Around Our Community page 30
by Mandy Pascal
Support Groups
Discover the life-saving work of First Choice Women’s Medical Center and River Region Crisis Pregnancy Center.
page 32
Event Calendar 1
June 2015
River Region’s Journey
Our Mission... We believe the Good News concerning the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is worth sharing with our friends and neighbors in the River Region. Each month we deliver this life-changing message to the centers of activity across our community in a user-friendly and relevant way to empower and equip all those seeking to grow closer to God. Join us in this mission by sharing a copy with your neighbor or by becoming an advertising partner starting next month.
Editor DeAnne Watson deanne@readjourneymagazine.com
Publisher
Jason Watson jason@readjourneymagazine.com
Associate Publisher Savannah Bowden
Research Editor Wendy McCollum
Contributing Writers Tim Challies Lisa and Mike Conn Bob Crittenden Kim Hendrix Matt Jordan, Ph.D. Mandy Pascal Dave Ramsey Pastor Michael Rippy Nancy Thomas, LPC Sam Whatley
Advertising Opportunities Jason Watson ads@readjourneymagazine.com (334) 213-7940 ext 703
Ad Design
Tim Welch, Welch Designs
Distribution Team Kristy Brennan Wendy McCollum Chris Mitchell Manzie Moore Richard Ward Lesa Youngblood
From the Publisher June is the beginning of many new faces migrating into our community. Military families and others starting new jobs in other fields are making their way to the River Region. If you’re one of those fresh faces let me join your neighbors in saying, Welcome to the River Region! Also, I’m glad you’ve picked up a copy of Journey magazine. Journey is unlike any other publication in the area. Each month we share the good news of the Gospel of Christ through pertinent and practical columns and articles. More than just a magazine, we strive to be a “resource” for the community by helping you get connected with Christians, churches, local ministries and events in the area. We like to say Journey is the most up-lifting publication in the area and this month is no exception. For starters, you’ll get to meet Mrs. Lois Brown. I had the opportunity to interview Mrs. Brown for this month’s Faith @ Work column and I was left extremely inspired after our conversations. Mrs. Brown shares how two close family deaths led her to grow closer to Christ and serve others. She’s a model of being the hands and feet of Christ that we can all aspire to be. Did you know that 51% of all pregnancies are unexpected? In 2015 it’s common to consider “all your options” when you become pregnant, but on page 26, regular contributor Mandy Pascal has written “Hope For When You’re Expecting, Unexpectedly”. Mandy showcases how two area ministries are helping serve women by offering them support counseling and resources that encourage making the right choice among what can be a confusing landscape of competing ideas. Please make sure to spread the news about these ministries to those who need their care. Speaking of children, many of today’s parents are finding it exceedingly difficult to find proper boundaries for their children inside the digital world. It’s no longer only teens who are attached to their phones. In the home, the car or out-to-eat, it seems all kids are attached to some device. What can parents do? Is it a losing battle? Not at all, and Tim Challies has written easy to follow guidelines in “Parenting Well in the Digital Age.” Challies doesn’t tell us to hide the devices and cut the line to the modem. He offers a thorough set of ideas to equip parents and children to make their way successfully through the tangled web of this digital age we all live in. These are just a few of the ways you’ll be “up-lifted” by this month’s issue. There is so much more you’ll find as you go cover-to-cover. Also, make sure you visit our website at www.readjourneymagazine.com where you can connect with our Facebook page and see our past issues. These are great ways to receive the helpful news and stories we offer all month long. Finally, be on the lookout for our special River Region’s Church Directory issue coming in July. If you’re not connected with a local Christian church you’ll find all you need to start that all important relationship. Until then, may God fill you with the glorious riches of Christ our Savior.
River Region’s Journey is published monthly by Keep Sharing, P.O. Box 230367, Montgomery, AL 36123. For information, call 334-213-7940. River Region’s Journey is copyrighted 2015 by KeepSharing. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in River Region’s Journey are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the owners, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. River Region’s Journey has the right to refuse any content that is not consistent with its statement of faith.
River Region’s Journey
June 2015
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River Region’s Journey
Pastor’s Perspective
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Michael Rippy, Evangel Church
Ancient Landmarks or Outdated Traditions? There’s no doubt the culture we live in throughout the United States and our River Region has and is changing rapidly. We must ask ourselves, “Is the change positive or negative?” The Bible has a couple of passages that seem to contradict themselves at first glance: Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set. Prov. 22:28 (ESV) Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved. Matthew 9:17 (ESV) It certainly seems the Bible is saying that some things are more related to tradition and can become outdated - maybe that even need
River Region’s Journey
June 2015
changing - and there are some things that are “for all times.” Knowing the difference has a profound effect on our community, churches and families. The racial makeup of the church and school I lead would not have existed a generation ago in our city. I am thankful for the beauty and diversity of Evangel Church and Academy. More importantly, I have no doubt that this pleases God. His Word affirms this “change” when Paul says: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 (ESV). We celebrate this change, but we must guard against the notion that any and all change is profitable for our culture. We are being told that the need for marriage is an old tradition that is no longer needed. We are being asked to redefine the understanding of what and who constitutes a marriage. Some of these issues have found their way to our Supreme Court. Are these items “Ancient Landmarks” or “Outdated Traditions?” I understand the Supreme Court won’t take God’s Word into account when they render their decision, but remember that the Supreme Court has gotten some things terribly wrong in the past {i.e. Dred Scott}. As followers of Christ, our standard is not the same as what a U.S. court may hand down. The Bible says “God’s ways are not man’s ways.” I know as a student of God’s word that as both a lifelong relationship and as the healthiest environment 4
for raising children, marriage is an “Ancient Landmark.” It’s also clear that no matter what the Supreme Court rules; God’s word gives us a clear definition of marriage. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What God has joined together, let not man separate. Mark 10:6-9 (ESV) I think there are three essential characteristics in this Biblical definition of marriage. 1. PERMANENCE – From the beginning God meant it to be for a lifetime – “let not man separate.” 2. TWO – Marriage is the relationship between two people. If the courts are willing to redefine marriage, there is no reason they cannot redefine the number of people involved in a marriage. “The two become one flesh.” 3. MALE & FEMALE – This is the great cultural debate today. God’s word is clear that “God made them male and female.” I believe marriage is a clear “Ancient Landmark” that should not be moved. Sadly, our Court may move it and in the minds of the young people of our nation, (if you believe the polls or, more accurately, how the poll question was asked) it’s already been moved. What can we do about these things? As far as the Court, at the time of writing this article we do not know the decision, so we must pray. In our churches and our homes, we can teach a Biblical worldview of marriage with clarity and conviction. I call all of the clergy of our River Region to regularly preach and teach the Biblical standard of marriage to their congregations. I call on all Christian families to make sure you are teaching your children and youth the Christian worldview on marriage. Mike Rippy has been in full time ministry with the Assemblies of God for 28 years and Lead Pastor for 21 years at Evangel Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He has been married to his wife, Terri, for 36 years and has 3 children and 8 grandchildren.
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Our Statement of Faith In keeping with Protestant theology, we believe that the Bible, as contained in the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is fully inspired by God and therefore inerrant in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the only essential and infallible record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind. The Scriptures are the authoritative and normative rule and guide of all Christian life, practice, and doctrine. They are totally sufficient and must not be added to, superseded, or changed by later tradition, extra-biblical revelation, or worldly wisdom. The Bible is perfect in every way and shows us how to become and live as Christians. The way of becoming a Christian is by faith alone in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, who came to us, born of a virgin, in full human form while remaining fully God. Jesus was, and is, perfect, and was crucified so that others could live. Three days later He rose from the dead, never to die again. He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own. Those who have faith in Jesus as their Lord in this life, and Savior from damnation in the next life, now live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, becoming more like Jesus everyday. We believe that God is one God. The one God has three persons: the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Just as God is one, so also, all believers are to be one. We believe in the unity and fellowship of all those that have faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We are one in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His Body, which is composed of all men, living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith.
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June 2015
3/13/15 7:04 AM
River Region’s Journey
The Art of Work by Jeff Goins
There is a lot to like about Jeff Goins’ new book The Art of Work, and there is a lot to commend in it. For those reasons I really wanted, and even tried, to love it. Unfortunately, though, it cannot overcome a couple of significant, exasperating flaws. Despite the title, The Art of Work is not actually a book about work, but about calling. Goins promises to share a proven, time-tested path that will lead you to the very thing you were always meant to do, and he begins with the familiar restlessness of this life. “No matter how noisy the world got, no matter how busy you became, there would always be something inside you — a small voice what whispered in the quieter moments of life taunting you with the shadow of the unlived life. If you listen hard enough, you can still hear it.” I think we all grapple with this at one time or another and wonder if we are doing the right or best thing—the thing that will best unleash our gifts, talents, and passions. Of course this dissatisfaction is the key to a million self-help books, and I had hoped that Goins, a professed and committed Christian, would be able to offer profound and satisfying answers. Sadly, this was not the case. But first, let me share some highlights. The book is well-written and packed full of interesting illustrations and interviews. Goins is a gifted writer and is able to easily carry his subject for the requisite 200 pages. He also has the ability to arrive at interesting insights and to distil them down to thought-provoking phrases—things like “Comfort never leads to excellence” or “The River Region’s Journey
June 2015
worst way to get a mentor is to go find one. The best way is to see the one that’s already there.” I live a life that is similar to his in many ways, and I benefited from his wisdom and candor. But then there are those not-so-good parts that, sadly, steal away much of the good. I am going to focus on two of them. My first major disappointment is that all through the book Goins speaks of the importance of heeding our calling, but he never quite tells where that calling comes from. He says that this calling is something that demands a response and promises a better life if only we will follow it, yet he never says anything significant about the origins of that call. Who is calling? Strangely, Goins anthropomorphizes life and the universe, making us answerable to them, of all things. He quotes Parker Palmer and says, “Don’t just tell your life what you want to do with it; listen to what it wants to do with you.” But what is life that it has a will and that it can be listened to? He quotes Paulo Coelho who says, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” But what is the universe that it can offer help? Am I under obligation to heed the universe? Am I under obligation to even acknowledge that the universe is capable of calling out to me about my purpose? Goins commends calling, but calling is never more than a mystical force or presence or something. It is terribly unsatisfying. My second disappointment is that this book subtly diminishes work that does not flow out of that mystical call. Once the existence of this call has been established, you and I become answerable to it. But 6
the simple fact of life in this world is that someone has to stock the grocery shelves and haul away the trash. These are hardly the jobs dreams are made of, but we are all grateful that people do them and that many do them perfectly happily. I know many women who have put great passions and talents on hold in order to commit themselves to raising their children, or men whose life circumstances simply do not afford them the ability to pursue what they may feel as their calling. The long-held Protestant understanding of vocation says that these are perfectly noble tasks precisely because they can be done for the good of others and the glory of God. Those who do them are not wasting their lives and are under no obligation to heed life’s mysterious call. I doubt Goins would deny this, but I’m also not convinced that he adequately commends these jobs and the people who do them. This book and its principles apply well to the highly-motivated middle-class creative or the type-A entrepreneurial person, but it falls short for many others. I do not wish to critique The Art of Work for failing to measure up to what I would have liked it to be—a book written by a Christian that would carefully draw truth out of the Bible and apply it to our lives. It seems clear that, even though Goins is a Christian, he wrote this book for the general market reader. But I think this is exactly what becomes so frustrating. He has borrowed concepts from his Christian worldview, and in many way displays Christian thinking, but strips away all biblical grounding and authority. The gospel is entirely absent. Rather than grounding his work in the authority of Scripture, Goins ultimately grounds it in his own life, experience, and research. In the end I can only recommend The Art of Work in that way, as a book that contains helpful nuggets rather than as a wider system for finding meaning and satisfaction in that thing you were always meant to do.
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Thorington Road Baptist Church Enjoys a Busy Month of Fellowship
So much has been happening in the past month at The Road. We had a night of worship with local piano students and other musicians, which was a blessing to all. The student ministry had their annual yard sale that was a big success. Our worship honoring Mother’s Day was great, as our children’s choir sang a great song letting moms know just how important they are to us all. We honored our graduates and let them know that we will always support and pray for them. Last, but not least, we have welcomed a number of new friends and families as members of our church family. Coming up is our VBS from May 31-June 4, 6-8:30pm. You can sign up on www.trbclife.org.
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Grid Iron Men’s Conference
June 19-20 BJCC Arena, Birmingham In Motion: Moving Men To Make A Change In Their World. Guest speakers include David Jeremiah, Phil Waldrep, Dr. Ben Carson, Charles Billingsley, Fred Luter, Drew Brees and David Uth. $89/ person. www.gridironmen.org
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Praise Singers “Sweet Singing” Concert
It was a sweet competition [dessert contest] between Sunday School Classes and members as the Aldersgate Praise Singers presented a “Sweet Singing” concert on Sunday night, May 17. Over 100 attendants were treated to a wonderful concert and to a plethora of different desserts at the concert. Judges for the competition were Jimmy Dennis, Steve Posell, Kathy King, Mellissa Maccia and Sandy Cobb. Competition winners of this years event in the Pie/Tart Category were: Frances Babington - First place (voted best in competition); Patricia Gerosolina - Second Place; Maria Guillot - Third Place. Competition winners of this years event in the Cake Category were: Helen McCulley - First Place; Nancy Dennis - Second Place; Sarah Mingledorff
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- Third Place. Competition winners of this years event in the Cookie/Bar Category were: Laura Hughes - First Place; Joyce Pittman - Second Place; Mark Champion - Third Place.
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Email your community or ministry news to deanne@ readjourneymagazine.com by the 15th of the month! We will share it with our readers at no cost! River Region’s Journey
June 2015
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Volunteer of the Year Celebrates 2015 Winners More than 400 people gathered April 16th at Trinity Presbyterian Church for the 41st annual River Region Volunteer of the Year Celebration to recognize and honor volunteers for their dedicated service to the community. HandsOn River Region and the Junior League of Montgomery co-hosted the event. Impact Alabama Founder and President Stephen Black was the keynote speaker and Candy Capel, WVAS Station Manager, served as emcee. Over 350 individuals were nominated by peers and nonprofits from the 5 county River Region and honored at the ceremony. Winners were announced and are listed below: • AFJROTC at Lee High School Youth Group Award • Inner City Evangelism Volunteers Adult Group Award (pictured) • Ken Ward Youth Award • Khristen Carlson Adult Award • Sylvia Condoluci Senior Award • Caroline Barmettler Lifetime Achievement Award HandsOn partners with more than 200 non-profit, faith-based and government agencies to mobilize 10,000+ volunteers annually creating an economic impact of more than $1.25 million for this region. To learn how you can serve in order to help those in need and make a real impact in the community, contact HandsOn River Region at 334-264-3335 or visit www.handsonriverregion.org.
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“4th Saturday” Outreach Event
River City Church, a United Methodist congregation, invites the entire community to their 4th Saturday Outreach event June 27 from 9am-11am at the church, located at 301 Dexter Avenue. Admission is free. The River Region will have access to blood pressure/glucose screenings, career services, free haircuts, hygiene items and canned goods. Participants can register for a drawing for a weekly bus pass and gasoline gift cards. During the 2-hour period, attendees can speak with prayer partners, and purchase items (clothes, furniture, etc…) in the River City Rummage Sale located on the lower level of the church. Nurses will screen for diabetes (glucose testing), assess body mass index, blood pressure, and other vital signs. Volunteers will also provide homework help and a craft for children. For information, please call 263-0549 or visit www.rivercityumc.com.
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B a Hope Inspired Ministries (HIM) Graduates 10 Students
Hope Inspired Ministries recently celebrated the graduation of 10 students from their program. They had the largest audience ever for a HIM Graduation, and we’re told the audience was clearly moved by every speech. HIM is a ministry created to help men and women who were chronically unemployed to be able to obtain and maintain employment. In doing so, they can become self-sufficient and productive citizens, thereby building dignity and self-worth in their lives. The graduates’ speeches are always filled with hope and inspiration. HIM leaders like to share the speeches as a way of saying thank you to local supporters, who help change lives for Him! Here’s a portion of what Honors Graduate Donnell Woods had to say on this special day: “Now I have been at Hope Inspired Ministries and this program is my new family. I have learned a lot of ways to be a more productive citizen and a role model for my children. I have stopped selling and using drugs. This program has really treated me like a son and I’m going to use everything I have learned from this program throughout the rest of my life. I will show my kids that you can work hard and it will pay off in your future. When I leave Hope Inspired Ministries, I am going to finish getting my GED. I am actually scheduled next week to take a section of the test. I also want to work on a job, and go to Trenholm Tech to get my CDL so I can make a better life for my kids and send them to college.” Read more of the inspiring speeches from HIM graduates at hopeinspiredministries.org.
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Local Pastor Authors Book on His Journey as a Caregiver to His Wife “Nothing is wasted in the life of a believer and for me I am grateful for the way God has ordered my steps…There is something about praising God that takes away the weight of the affliction; the problem was not removed but He granted me grace and mercy to endure. I praise God for His goodness and grace which are inexhaustible. God honors praise. ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth’ (Psalm 34:1). Lord, no matter what happens, may your praise proceed from my heart to my lips. I worship your magnificence!” -Dr. Paul C. Brown, Sr. When things are going well and one has no problems, it is easy to have a bright outlook. However, when affliction and trouble arise, where does one go for relief? Many turn to temporary remedies…but a true peace in the midst of suffering can only be found through the sustaining love of Christ. Count It All Joy is the personal journey of a caregiver who testifies to God’s faithfulness and exhorts others to persevere as they care for their loved ones. Dr. Paul C. Brown, Sr., is the caregiver to his loving wife Vera; father of five children and grandfather of seven. Paul and Vera released their first book entitled: Building A Strong Christian Family in June 2010. Dr. Brown embraces the covenant of marriage and has committed himself to the care of his wife. “In sickness and in health” was not an optional phrase. He counts it all joy. He is also the Executive Director of SPOLIWA Ministries, Inc., Jeffersonville, Georgia and he currently serves as an Associate Pastor at the Sanctuary, Historical Canaan Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Montgomery. Visit www.themarriageworkshoponline.com to contact Dr. Brown and to order your copy. 11
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River Region’s Journey
Even though those aspects of worship I have just described were in my life, they all seemed to vanish when my mother died. At that time I was married with three children. Though I had the benefit of an understanding husband, a father, and seven older siblings to help me through this trying ordeal, I felt that my life was over. My mother’s death, so I thought, was the deepest pain I would ever feel in my lifetime. I began to ask why my mother and what was I going to do. One day, as I began to hold my “pity party”, in the quietness of my mind and heart, I heard God tell me to pray. “Pray as you have so many times heard your mother pray.” I obeyed and was blessed. From that point on, God was really FIRST in my life. RRJ: Did that more intimate relationship with Christ affect the way you lived your life? Can you give some examples?
RRJ: Many people can relate to the role “going to church” played in your early exposure to Christianity. What were some of the benefits you received being raised in the church? In early childhood the “going to church” axiom and activity was quite a significant phase in my life. Reluctant and unknowing though I was at that time, I came to realize that it was the methodology, the procedures, prayers, songs, the spiritual messages and the people involved in the church meetings and worship services that helped to shape my life and prepare me to shoulder the adversities and difficulties, as well as the mountaintop experiences I would eventually encounter. RRJ: Even though you had been taught about Christ and valued His ways, something happened between you and God in your early 30s when your mother passed away. How did her death bring about a change in your relationship with God? River Region’s Journey
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I really want those who read this interview to know that sometimes God will take away that which you love and treasure the most to help you to realize that your commitment should be to Him. My life with God took on an intimacy that is still with me 40 years later. I spend much of my time studying the Bible and other related books, and in prayer for preparation to teach an adult Sunday School class and for group Bible Study and discussion. Not only for those purposes, but for my own personal and spiritual growth in Christ.
me. I experienced a kind of pain, I believe, only a mother can know. However deep and real my pain actually was, God’s grace to me became more profound and I could actually feel the peace that only He can give. As a result of my son’s short bout with cancer and his death within one year, I was compelled to do something to help individuals stricken with cancer in any way that I could. I became a volunteer with the American Cancer Society. Our family participates each year in Relay for Life to raise money and support cancer patients. I then accepted the chairmanship of the “Road to Recovery” program, a program composed of volunteers who use their personal vehicles to transport cancer patients to their treatment sites. We are in need of volunteers for this mission. For further information, please contact the American Cancer Society on McGehee Road in Montgomery. You will not regret rendering this service to others. RRJ: When you give yourself away to others by serving them, not only do you bless those you serve, you also are blessed. What is one blessing you receive as you serve others?
RRJ: Thirty years after your mother’s passing God used another difficult loss to redirect your life’s focus when your son passed away from stomach cancer. Since that time you have devoted yourself to working with the American Cancer Society. How are you being God’s ambassador through your work with ACS?
For me it has been and still is a blessing. I have met so many wonderful people whose paths otherwise may not have crossed with mine. More than that, God blesses me to be physically and spiritually able to give assistance to others and to my family. In fact, God extends the blessings to my own family members in ways that we can never say thank you to God enough. To be able, through God, to do something for someone that they cannot do for themselves is indeed a blessing. Opportunities to help others should not go unanswered or unnoticed. Some opportunities will not return.
I really needed all of the sermons, God’s Word, the prayers, the intimacy with God through Jesus and the further development of my faith to keep me spiritually grounded when my only son died of stomach cancer in 2005. Though the “storms of life” raged within me and caused me to become physically weak and distraught, God kept
Lois Brown is married to Joe L. Brown and is the mother of three children: one son, Baron (deceased), two daughters, Janice Avery, Mathematics Professor, and Teri Brown, RN with Public Health, State of AL. She is retired from Tuskegee University where she served as assistant to the Vice President for Business and Fiscal Affairs. Lois and Joe have five grandchildren.
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He Didn’t Say, I Told You So In the 1980’s Randy Travis wrote and recorded a hauntingly beautiful song called, “I Told You So.” It was very popular, hitting #1 on the country charts. The song describes the anxiety of a man as he ponders what his girlfriend (wife?) might say if he apologizes and offers to come back to her. He wonders if she would forgive him for leaving and attempt to find the closeness they once knew. But he is afraid that she might say, “I told you so, but you had to go.” She might tell him that she found someone new and that he would never break her heart again. The singer does not resolve the question, and you know he will only find out if he faces the one he has wronged. This reminds me of the Apostle Peter in the New Testament. He abandoned Jesus the night before the Lord’s crucifixion. He tasted the bitterness of shame and must have wondered if he could ever be forgiven. But what was worse, Jesus had predicted his actions only hours before. At the Last Supper, after Peter declares that he would die for Jesus, the Lord says: “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” (John 13:38) When Jesus is arrested and Peter denies that he knows him, Luke 23:60-62 records: Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Notice that Jesus looked at him. Jesus knew that Peter remembered His prediction, but the Lord is a person of grace. He did not call down curses on him. He did not even say, “I told you so.” Did you ever wonder why Christ did not appear to Pontius Pilate, the Sanhedrin, or the Pharisees after his resurrection? Now that would have been a classic “I told you
mined to do things our way, even when the so” moment. That would put them in their consequences were shameful. All of us have place. But Christ did not come to humiliate denied our Lord. the lost, but to illuminate the eyes of those Can we not show some grace to othwho could accept him. He was here to build His church and thereby, His kingdom. Gloat- ers? We may not feel that we can trust someone who has wronged us, but we ing was not His style. Neither should it be can forgive them and resist the temptation ours. to make them feel rejected. We can pray He also said at the Last Supper: “I am telling you now before it happens, that God will change their hearts. We can encourage them to move beyond the guilt so that when it does happen you will believe to become the disciple Christ wants them that I am he.” (John 13:19) to be. Like Christ, we can give guidance, Our words have power in the hearts of other people. We can build up or we can tear but never say, “I told you so.” Then we will become the melody the world needs down. Days after Jesus’ resurrection He met to hear. Peter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Three times the Lord asked Peter to affirm that he loved Him. Three times Peter said yes. Three times Jesus gave him instructions and more responsibility. Peter was not just restored, he was empowered for leadership. Chances are someone (a child, a parent, a spouse, or a friend) has ignored your wishes or advice and made a or vEry mess of things. You are angry with them for E n E r at i o n their waste of health, time, or money. If they had only listened to you things would have Prattville First United Methodist Church been better. You want 100 E. 4th Street, Prattville, AL 36067 to scold them with, “I told you so.” But you T R A D IT IO N A L W O R S H IP 8 : 3 0 A M & 11: 00 A M know in your heart that S U N D AY S C H O O L 9 : 4 5 A M this would only add T H E W E L L 11 : 0 0 A M humiliation to shame. How much better it would be for us to remember that we are much like Peter. www.prattvillemethodist.org We, too, have deter-
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Don’t Miss the Moments Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” How often do you get fixed on a desired outcome and miss the moments along the way? We can all have goals, in fact they’re encouraged, but when we put our entire focus on how things end, we can miss God’s powerful presence in the every day. A young mom, Rebecca, recently shared her testimony with me, revealing God’s amazing strength in the midst of terrible circumstances. She shared how someone she knew and trusted held her hostage, armed with a knife and a bomb. This man told Rebecca, “When I get through with you, you will no longer believe in God, I plan to take all of your hope away.” Rebecca said as this terrifying time began to unfold, she prayed to God, “What do I do, Dear Lord? Do I fight, do I try to run away, what do I do?” She said she clearly heard God say to her, “I’m not promising to get you out, but I do promise I’ll be with you every moment.” That answer provided peace in the midst of pain. Rebecca said suddenly the Bible stories she had read became real—it was as if she had been thrown into a fiery furnace, just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and like them, she was never alone. Rebecca managed to run away after being held six hours and now she shares her testimony, saying no matter how hard things get for you, or how hard it is to see an outcome, you can always trust God is with you along the way. The suspect River Region’s Journey
June 2015
in her case had threatened to kill her if someone even knocked on the door. She later learned that her neighbors who often checked on her, got distracted when they were headed her way to see if all was okay. And her Mom, instead of bringing Rebecca’s son to the door, decided not to bother her daughter, thinking she had stayed home sick and must have been napping. At the time of this terrible ordeal, Rebecca was leading a small group in a female prison. She said the inmates often told her, “I’m on drugs because of all I’ve gone through; you just don’t get it.” Shortly before this hostage situation, Rebecca had gone through a tough divorce and her best friend had died. She said she took all of these difficulties to the inmates and said, “Listen to all I’ve been through and I’m not on drugs, because I have Jesus—He renews, restores and redeems!” She says her difficulties and her resolve to stay connected to Jesus suddenly got the inmates’ attention. Psalm 107:1-2: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.” A chance encounter I had recently with a stranger during “airline travel gone awry” proved once again the peace and power provided in focusing on the moments rather than the outcome. When bad weather suddenly canceled all flights out of Montgomery, I found myself in a car with three strangers as we made our way to Birmingham in a rental car, determined to catch flights to our various destinations. 14
As I began talking with Tabitha, who was clearly pregnant, I learned her husband had two children from previous marriages, and in both births, the moms died from a rare complication caused by a protein in the Dad’s blood. Now, even though they thought they had done everything to prevent a pregnancy, she found herself six months pregnant, due this July. She said her husband told her he was so sorry when they learned they were pregnant, and in tears he asked her what they should do. She told him, “We will love this baby and all that comes with being pregnant, and we will thank God for this time.” With tears in her eyes she said, “I know I may die, but I’m trusting God is with us.” This woman was returning from serving our country in Afghanistan and had the most joyful, encouraging spirit. It is quite obvious her focus is on the moment, that she’s being strengthened and held up by “His righteous right hand.” So the next time you fret over how it will all end… whether it’s a major project at work; a tryout for your child; a difficult illness or a test in your marriage—take a step back and get refocused on the moment. He never leaves you, He will not forsake you and His moments are pretty powerful. Trust the outcome is in His hands and don’t miss the moments. Dear God, Thank you for every moment and for always being there. Please forgive us for often jumping ahead and losing sight of today. We know you are Immanuel, “God with us”, so open our eyes to see you and trust these moments lead to the outcome that’s already in your hands. In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
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Even at the best of times there is nothing simple about raising children. But throw in a million new technologies—new devices and social networks and apps— and things get far more complicated still. This is every parent’s challenge today. River Region’s Journey
June 2015
I want to offer some tips on parenting well in this digital age. I will share three things you need to put off or reject, and three things you need to put on or embrace.
Reject Ignorance, Embrace Education
You need to put off ignorance and in its place put on knowledge. Whenever a new technology invades society, we see a consistent pattern: the older people tend to reject it while the younger people embrace it. The older people are perfectly content with the technologies they have always 16
known, while the younger people are excited to try something new. The younger generation surges forward and the older is left behind. This is true of parents. Parents often feel intimidated by new technologies, so do not bother to investigate them. Instead, they hand their children devices without really understanding their power and capabilities, and that leaves the children as the ones who bear all the risk. This is what we saw at the dawn of the Internet, where parents handed their children a computer and an Internet connection, never even considering that their children might just look for and find pornography. As a consequence, we found an entire generation of young people addicted to porn. Why? Because the parents did not do what they should have done. It is easy to blame the boys, but we also need to look to those parents who did not fulfill their responsibility. So parent, you need to reject ignorance and choose education. As new technologies come along and as existing technologies evolve, you need to remain educated about them. Before handing your
children those new, shiny gadgets, or before allowing them to join those new, exciting social networks, or before letting them download the new apps everyone else is using, you need to educate yourself. Reject the temptation to be passive and ignorant, and instead force yourself to get educated.
Reject Folly, Embrace Responsibility
You need to put off foolishness and embrace responsibility. Today we are handing our children power tools and then acting shocked when they cut off their hands. This is absurd, and we should expect that our children will make serious mistakes if we do not guide them. So parent, you don’t need only to educate yourself, but also your children. You need to have a plan for introducing new technologies to your children and for monitoring them as they use them. This is your responsibility—the responsibility of having a plan. Whatever plan you implement needs to account for both training and monitoring your children. Think about training your teenager to drive the family car. When that child turns 16 and gets his learner’s permit you would never just hand him the keys and say, “Have a good time and be back by midnight!” You would get in the car, take
him to a mall parking lot and allow him to drive around in circles for a few minutes. Maybe if he did exceptionally well you would even allow him to drive home. You would instruct him, watch him, and give him greater privilege as he showed greater ability and responsibility. When it comes to a car, trust and privilege are hard-earned and quickly-forfeited. And in the same way, you have no business handing your children a mobile phone or signing them up for Facebook without providing instruction and guidance. The Bible assures us that folly is bound up in the heart of a child. The consistent message of Proverbs is that young people are lacking in wisdom and desperately need parents to teach them how to live with virtue. This puts all the responsibility on you. When you give your child a computer, a mobile phone, or a social media account, you are giving something that has immense power. Your child can use these things to do so much good, but he can also use them to do so much evil. If folly truly is bound up in the heart of a child, you need to assume that without guidance, your child will use them for evil. You need a plan: a plan that will help teach children to use those technologies responsibly. Where should you begin? You could begin with The Porn-Free Family Plan or
with my book The Next Story (the second edition, that is, which has “The Porn-Free Family Plan” as a new chapter). Don’t be a fool; instead, embrace the responsibility that God has given you.
Reject Fear, Embrace Familiarity
By this point you may be thinking that these new technologies are just too risky. You may want to take the Amish approach and find ways to keep all of these technologies far away. You may feel it, but you cannot succumb to it. After all, this is the world your children are in, and it is far better to train them now while they are under your care than to send them off ignorant. So this is your solemn responsibility before God, to train them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord even as they use a mobile phone or even as they use Facebook. People often ask me if can predict what will become of all of these technologies exploding onto the scene around us today. I never know what to say except this: God is going to use them in unexpected and amazing ways. He will glorify himself through them; I am utterly convinced of it. How do I know? Because God has always done that through every scary technological innovation. Think about it:
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When people first began to record things in writing instead of relying on their memories, many people were terrified, thinking that writing would breed ignorance. But God used writing in the best way—to record his Words, so even today we can find manuscripts going back thousands of years that contain what we now know as the Bible. One of the greatest technologies in the Roman world was the Roman road system. It was created to quickly move soldiers from place to place so they could dominate other peoples and crush rebellion. But the same roads that carried the feet of soldiers carried the feet of missionaries who took gospel to the distant corners of world. The printing press came along in the 1500s and people feared its power. But what happened? Soon the printing presses were churning out Bibles, and the Bible sparked Reformation. Not only that, but the Bible became the bestselling book of all time. Radio came along and before long the gospel was being broadcast all over the world. The television was invented and soon people were watching services and
crusades and the gospel was flying to distant lands. Digital devices allowed people to create apps, and very quickly Christians were churning out Bible apps. Already those apps extremely popular, and more and more people today are experiencing God’s Word in app form. And that’s okay. That’s beautiful. God is using digital technologies too. We tend to think that no one has ever endured what we are enduring today. The truth is, this is a recurring pattern. Time and time again the world has witnessed technological explosions that have changed everything. Today we are at a new frontier, and we—you and I—have to do the difficult work of learning to use these things well. Instead of choosing fear, we need to choose familiarity. Instead of fearing new technologies, let’s investigate them and look for ways we can use them to advance God’s cause. Let’s investigate the benefits and the risks, and learn how to use these things to carry out God’s calling. And then let’s put them to work in doing good for others and bringing glory to God. Tim Challies is a blogger, author, and book reviewer. Visit him at www.challies.com.
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The Benedict Option If you’re not reading Rod Dreher, you should be. Dreher is a native Louisianan, a practicing Eastern Orthodox Christian, the author of several books, and a blogger at The American Conservative website. He is a “conservative” in the sense that every orthodox (note the small ‘o’) Christian is a conservative: he believes that we citizens of the twenty-first century have inherited a tradition of spiritual, moral, and theological knowledge that is worthy of being conserved. And he recognizes more clearly than most that such conservation will not happen by accident. Dreher argues that we need to get serious about embracing “the Benedict Option.” The Benedict Option gets its name from St. Benedict, a sixth-century Italian monk who had an enormous influence on the monasteries of the Middle Ages. Benedict lived at a time of great cultural upheaval, as the old Roman Empire was disintegrating and the need for small communities of Christians to band together and “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3) became dire. Benedict’s monastic movement was instrumental in conserving Christian faith and classical learning through the Dark Ages. Dreher believes—and I agree—that we inhabit a cultural moment similar to Benedict’s. If we are going to conserve and pass along the faith to the generations that follow us, we need to do something similar to what Benedict did. We need to form intentional communities with fellow Christians who share our convictions. This means not merely attending church or a
small group Bible study, worthy though those activities may be, but actually living life together with people who are committed to a robust, shared vision of the true, the good, and the beautiful. The reality is that we are well past the point at which American culture could be expected largely to reinforce a Christian ethic and worldview. The default options today are expressed by a host of “isms” incompatible with orthodox Christianity: relativism, scientism, materialism, egoism, hedonism, and the like. The standard picture of human flourishing, which, given the way cultures work, is virtually guaranteed to be accepted by anyone who does not consciously take a stand against it, is one in which feelings of personal satisfaction trump all other considerations. Sexual fulfillment is an unassailable goal, and sex itself has no inherent connection to love, marriage, or family. Being entertained is the main purpose of human life. Every problem has a technological solution. Accumulating data is the same thing as acquiring wisdom. The validity of spiritual practices depends exclusively on the whims of those who practice them, and belief in God is an optional (and increas19
ingly unfashionable) accessory to the welllived human life. And on and on and on. This is the world we live in. Choosing the Benedict Option means choosing, in a way that American Christians really haven’t had to choose before, to be “in but not of the world.” In next month’s column, I’ll say a bit about what that might mean in practice. Until then, let me encourage you to think and pray about what the Benedict Option might look like in your life right now. If there are topics you’d like to see Dr. Jordan address in a future column, please email him at mjordan5@aum.edu.
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in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Coping With Family Stress Most of us have had the experience of family life becoming hard to manage at one time or another due to finances, career difficulties, demands of children, or marital conflict. The tension in the family builds and children begin to squabble about everything, nothing gets done, and you feel guilty for not being able to function in complete bliss. Does this sound familiar? Family stress is different from other forms of stress because of the intensity of the relationships involved. Much like a mobile over a baby’s crib each member affects the rest of the family. Children are most vulnerable to stress and trauma in the first five years of their lives. The stress they experience, but may not remember, may impact their functioning for the rest of their lives. While some stress is motivating, living continually at your peak level of stress is unhealthy and causes biological, neurological, and psychological changes that lead to medical and psychological illness and addictive behaviors. New research indicates that even low intensity but high frequency stress has been found to alter our ability to function the way God created us. We become highly reactive to minor inconveniences, triggers and conflicts as a result of stress. Why do families differ in their ability to cope with stress? Families who cope well with stress think and behave differently than those who do not cope well. Romans 12:11-13 (NIV) Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful River Region’s Journey
June 2015
Families who cope effectively with stress share five key beliefs: • Faith and a positive belief system offset worries or fears. Believing that things will eventually work out for the glory of God is a belief that helps us endure challenges. • There is opportunity for personal growth through the pain of change. Scripture is full of examples of how believers grew through persecution. • Participating in Christian fellowship and positive relationships provide continuity and support in a chaotic life. Families are strengthened and nurtured by participating in regular worship activities. • Recognition that the pursuit of individual interests and talents is not selfish but creates normalcy and relieves stress, particularly for the children and caregivers. • Confidence in clergy, doctors, and counselors who help families cope with stress. They are not afraid to reach out to those who are trained to support them. Families who cope effectively with stress share five key behaviors: • They talk about their feelings with someone they trust. • They maintain healthy coping skills like eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, spending time with friends, praying regularly, reading an uplifting book or a daily devotional and getting enough sleep. • They put effort into solving the problems which can give a sense of self-determination, pride, and self-esteem. They remain open to opportunities provided by our heavenly Father who gives us hope. • They take time to understand what is happening to the family. Research online, the library, or join a support group. If necessary consider the services of a professional. The 20
more you understand, the better you will cope. • They learn what it takes to manage any special needs. Assume that your needs and the needs of your family are important and worth caring for no matter how challenging or inconvenient. Come up with a plan rather than leave caring for family up to chance. Research shows that as affluence, relocation away from family and isolation have increased in modern life, the care and nurturing provided by living among extended family and friends has been reduced, making it more difficult for us to recover from stress and trauma. This is all the more reason to belong to a faith community that can provide some of the support no longer available by extended family members. 1 Peter 4:8-10 (TLB) Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love makes up for many of your faults. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay for the night. God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings. Let us keep the faith and care for one another with these special abilities through Christian hospitality and fellowship, which makes all of the burdens of this earth easier to bear.
Nancy W. Thomas, M.A., N.C.C., C.C.M.H.C., L.P.C.
Nancy Thomas is the Executive Director of Clinical Services at The Samaritan Counseling Center, Inc. in Montgomery. She is a National Certified Counselor, Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor. She graduated from the University of Alabama with an M.A. in Counselor Education in 1994. She has extensive training and experience in mental health and marriage and family therapy. Her professional interests are in mental health recovery, adolescent and college issues, life transitions, healthy relationships, marital counseling, parenting, spirituality and identity development, and preserving marriages and families. Nancy works primarily with adolescents and adults.
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June 2015
River Region’s Journey
Aldersgate UMC 6610 Vaughn Road, Montgomery Theme: Time Travel 3D When: June 22-25 Ages: 3 yrs – 5th grade Register at www.aldersgateumc.org or call 272.6152. Anointed Remnant International Ministries 1353 Reed Street, Montgomery Theme: “Journey on the Map” When: June 17-18 Call (334) 294-2515 for more info. Autauga Heights Baptist Church 1393 Highway 31 N, Prattville When: June 22-26 Ages: 4 years – 6th grade. Call (334) 322.3222. Blue Ridge Baptist Church 4471 Jasmine Hill Road, Wetumpka Theme: Journey Off the Map When: July 19-23, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. A family night musical performance will be held July 26th at 6 p.m. Call 567.4325. Camellia Baptist Church 201 Woodvale Road, Prattville Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 15-19, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Ages: 3 year preschool through 6th grade, plus adult classes. Register at www.camelliabaptist.com. Call 365.0231. Capital City Church of the Nazarene 4450 Vaughn Road, Montgomery Theme: “God of the Underdogs” When: June 15-19 from 6:00-8:00 pm Ages: Pre-K through 6th grade For more information, call 272.8176.
Covenant Presbyterian Church and Two Cities Church 5 Arden Road, Montgomery Theme: Summer Sea Quest: Jonah When: June 15-19, 9 a.m. to 12 noon Ages: Pre-K4 - 6th grade. Call 272.1133 or visit www.covenantmontgomery.com. Dalraida Baptist Church 3838 Wares Ferry Rd., Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 1-5; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Age: Kindergarten through 6th grade Pre-registration Family Fun Day: May 31st from 5-7:30 p.m. Call 272.2412. Eastern Hills Baptist 3604 Pleasant Ridge Road, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 8-12; 8:30 – 12 p.m. Ages: 4 (by August 1st) through 6th grade Call 272.0604 or register online@ www.ehbconline.com. East Memorial Baptist Church 1320 Old Ridge Road, Prattville Theme: Camp Kilimanjaro When: June 15-19, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Family Night, Thursday, June 18 at 6 p.m. with hot dog supper beginning at 5 p.m. Ages: 4 years through 8th Grade Call 365.7500. Eastmont Baptist Church 4505 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery Theme: Son Spark Labs When: June 15-19; 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Ages: 4 yr. - grade 6 Register online @ www.eastmont.org or call 277.6300.
First Baptist Church, Prattville
138 S. Washington Street, Prattville Theme: Journey Off the Map June 22-26, 8:30 am-12:00 noon Ages: 3 years- 8th grade Children must turn 4 on or before September 2, 2015 to attend. Register at fbcprattville.org or call 365-0606. First Baptist Church, Wetumpka 205 W. Bridge Street, Wetumpka Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 8-12, 8:30 a.m.- 11:30 Ages: K-6th grade. Call 567.5191. First Presbyterian, Prattville 211 S. Chestnut Street, Prattville Theme: Summer Sea Quest: Jonah When: June 8-12, 8:30 to noon Ages: 4 years old through entering 6th grade Call 365.6387.
First UMC, Montgomery
2416 W. Cloverdale Park, Montgomery Theme: Ready, Set, Go: On the MOVE with God When: June 15-19; 9a.m. until noon Ages: Age 3 (by Sept 1 of 2015) through 5th grade. Call 834.8990.
First UMC, Prattville
100 E. Fourth Street, Prattville Theme: Everest: Conquering Challenges with God’s Mighty Power When: June 9-13, 9 a.m. to Noon Ages: Open to children who have just completed Kindergarten through 6th grade. Call 365.5977. Fountain City Baptist 492 East Main Street, Prattville Theme: To The Edge: Encounter the God of the Universe When: June 14-18; 6-8 p.m. Ages: 3 to 12. Call 365.2034.
Frazer Memorial UMC
Capitol Heights Baptist Church 2514 Madison Avenue, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 8-12, 9 a.m. to noon Ages: 4 years old by Sept. 1 through 6th grade. Nursery provided for VBS workers only. Call 264.6461.
3974 Vaughn Road, Montgomery Theme: Everest When: July 20-24; 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Ages: 3 to upcoming 6th graders Call 272.4882 ext. 107.
6000 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: July 13-17; 9 a.m. to 12 noon Ages: Finishing K4 year olds (as of Sept. 2 2015) - Finishing 5th grade. Call 272.8622.
Centerpoint Fellowship Church 2410 Wall Street, Millbrook Theme: Everest When: June 22-25; 6 pm to 8:30 pm For information or registration, call 356.3076.
305 South Perry Street, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 22-26; 9 a.m. to Noon You can register on our website at www. MontgomeryFBC.org or call 834.6310.
First Baptist Church
Gateway Baptist Church
River Region’s Journey
June 2015
Evangel Church
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3300 Bell Road, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map! When: June 22-26 9am-12pm Ages: Completed 1st-5th grades Call 272.9494 to register.
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Glynwood Baptist Church 376 N. McQueen Smith Road, Prattville Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 8-12, 5:30 pm each night Ages: 4 through grade 6 For more info and to preregister, go to www.glynwoodbc.com or call 361.9180. GracePointe Church 1565 Ray Thorington Road, Montgomery Theme: Then & Now: A Journey to Nazareth When: June 18-July 1 from 6-8 pm Ages: 4-12 Visit www.grace-pointe.com to register or call 271.2525. Hayneville Baptist Church 1180 State Hwy 21 N, Hayneville, AL Theme: Journey Off the Map When: July 12-16, 5:45 until 8:30 Ages: Pre K - 6th Grade (grade completed) Email: hbc@connecthbc.com or call (334) 548.2620.
Heritage Baptist Church 1849 Perry Hill Road, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 8-12, 8:30 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. Ages: Complete 4K - 6th grade Call 279.9976.
Theme: God’s Big Backyard When: June 15-19; 8 a.m.- 11 a.m. Age: Entering Preschool – entering 6th grade Call 277.1989 or register online @ www.holy-spirit-church.com.
Heritage Baptist, Prattville 1357 S. Memorial Drive, Prattville Theme: Mount Kilimanjaro Dates: June 7-11, Time: 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Ages: K3 through completion of 6th grade Call 365-2372.
305 Wasden Road, Hope Hull Theme: Hometown Nazareth When: June 14-18; 6 pm to 8 pm Small meal provided at 5:30 pm Call 288.3956 or visit www.hopehullumc.org.
Hope Hull UMC
His Vessels Ministry, Montgomery Union Station, Downtown Montgomery Theme: Patriot Camp Dates: June 8-12; Times: 9 a.m. until noon Ages: 6 – 12; Cost: $15 per child, max $45 for family. Call 334-356-4478 or email info@hisvessel.org.
Lakeview Baptist Church 9225 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery Theme: Camp Kilimanjaro: An Epic Expedition through Proverbs When: June 22-26; 5:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. Ages: 4 years old thru entering 6th grade. Free meal for kids at 5 pm. Call 213.3080.
Holy Spirit Catholic Church 8570 Vaughn Road, East Montgomery
Landmark Church 1800 Halcyon Boulevard, Montgomery
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Theme: The Mystery of Christ When: July 12-15, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Ages: Nursery through adults Call 277.5800. McGehee Road Baptist Church 2877 McGehee Road, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 7-11; 5:30 – 7:30 Call 262.0689. Metropolitan UMC 3108 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, Montgomery Theme: Shining Star When: June 22 - 26, 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Call (334) 263-0950. Everyone is welcome. Millbrook Presbyterian (PCA) 3480 Main Street, Millbrook Theme: TBD When: July 6-10 6:15-8:15pm Ages: Entering K-4 thru 6th grade For registration, call 285-4031.
Montgomery Area Episcopal Churches St. John Episcopal Church, 113 Madison Ave. Theme: Building Faithful Friendships with Legos Dates: June 1-4, 8:30 a.m. – Noon Ages: Rising K4 through rising 6th grade For registration, call 263.5529. Morningview Baptist Church 125 Calhoun Road, Montgomery Theme: Mount
Everest When: June 1-5, 9 a.m. to Noon Ages: Completed Kindergarten-5th grade Call 272.2304. Mountain View Baptist Church 1025 Rifle Range Rd., Wetumpka Theme: Journey Off the Map
When: June 15-19, Times: 8 a.m.- 11:30 Ages: 4 years old - completed 6th grade Call (334) 567.4458. Mulder UMC 3454 Firetower Road, Wetumpka Theme: Blast to the Past When: May 31 – June 3; 6 – 8 p.m. For more info please call 567.4225.
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Open Door Christian Faith Worship Center 2450 Presidents Drive, Montgomery When: June 8-12, 6 pm to 8 pm Ages: 3-Adult For more information, please call 270.6498. Pilgrim Rest Baptist Chruch 501 Doster Rd, Prattville Theme: TBD; When: June 22-26; 6-8 pm Ages 3-Adult. Call 361.0574. Ridgecrest Baptist Church 5260 Vaughn Road, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 1-5, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. On Sunday, June 7th, we are inviting parents
FREE GED CLA$$E$
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361-4703
• Employment Preparation Classes • E.L. Civics Classes • Computer Skills • College/Career Ready Classes • WorkKeys • Online Classes Available
Family Support Center 113 West Main Street • PRATTVILLE, AL 36067 PHONE: 334-361-4703 • www.acfsc.org
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR TESTING FOR QUALIFIED STUDENTS
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Thorington Road Baptist Church 450 Ray Thorington, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: May 31-June 4; 6 to 8:30 p.m. Ages: 5 yrs. to 5th grade Call 396.9376.
Ages: Entering Kindergarten through entering 6th grade. Registration online at www.vaughnforest.com. Call 279.5433. Whitfield UMC 2673 Fisk Road, Montgomery Theme: Workshop of Wonders When: June 22-25, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Ages: 3 years to 6th grade. Call 281.2467.
Trinity Presbyterian Church 1728 S. Hull Street, Montgomery Theme: Summer SeaQuest When: June 1-5, 9 a.m. to noon. Ages: Pre-K 4 through completed 6th grade Call 262.3892 to pre-register.
Saint John’s AME Church 807 Madison Avenue, Montgomery Theme: Jesus: The True Superhero When: June 15-19, 6 to 8 p.m. Ages: Classes for all ages. Call 265.4136.
Trinity UMC, Prattville 610 Fairview Avenue, Prattville Theme: TBD When: June 14-18, 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Dinner provided for children every night. Call 365.7339.
Taylor Road Baptist Church 1685 Taylor Road, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: July 20-24, 8:30 a.m. to Noon Ages: Completion K-6th grade. Call 271.3363.
Vaughn Forest Church 8660 Vaughn Road, Montgomery Theme: Journey Off the Map When: June 1-5; 9 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Woodland UMC 4428 Wallahatchee Rd, Pike Road Theme: Everest When: June 22-25; 5:30 – 8 p.m. Ages: 4 years old -6th grade Call 272.7230. Young Meadows Presbyterian Church 5780 Vaughn Road, Montgomery Theme: Sports Camp 2015 When: June 1-5, 9 a.m. until noon Ages: Kindergarten-5th grade Call 244.1385.
• H ORSEBACK R IDING • S WIMMING • T ENNIS • C ANOEING • D ANCE • A EROBICS • G YMNASTICS • B EACH V OLLEYBALL •
We don’t wonder anymore how it happened, that one summer could bring such happy memories.
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New friends are now best friends. New experiences are now the best times ever. No wonder it’s so easy to tell others about it and include them in the fun.
B ASKETBALL • S OCCER • A RTS
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Saint James UMC 9045 Vaughn Road, Montgomery Theme: Everest: Conquering Challenges with God’s Mighty Power When: June 22-24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Ages: K4-5th grade Call 277.3037.
Welcome to Riverview Camp for Girls!
We’ve do put Itogether everything you’re looking for in a perfect“I saw camp onemy of Why choose Riverview each summer? mysetting! first river Recognized on a mountain,as I rode Golf,times Dance, Dance, Outdoor Sports, Soccer,use Beach Volleyball, Basketball, “As go,Stomp it was one of the BEST.”Skills AndClass, what child couldn’t some of that these days?
Riverview Refinement, Program, Campfires night,Recognized optional trips and more! We’ve put together everythingCIT you’re looking for in a perfect every camp setting! as one of the Southeast’s best all-around summer camps for girls, Riverview is an oasis of fun, friends and happiness. Spring and Fall &available 2 week Sessions ages to 16... Mother-Daughter Weekends1are also! Registeredfor Nurses and6 Physician on Staff. Entire full-summer staff is First Aid andand CPRFall Certified. Camper/Counselor Ratio 5:1 Spring Mother-Daughter Weekends...
waiting lists start early...sign up soon!... Waitingwww.riverviewcamp.com! lists start early...sign up soon!...
Dr. Larry & Susan Hooks, Owners/Directors • Donna Bares,Asst. Director
AND
www.riverviewcamp.com
1 & 2Week Sessions for Ages 6-16
C RAFTS • C HORUS
first I had campfires every night. Icamps felt close to God. giggled a lot is with friends and counselors. time flew by! thehorse. Southeast’s best all-around for girls,IRiverview annew oasis of fun, friends andThe happiness... I Exciting felt safe and secure. Iinclude: gained confidence in myselfPool,Tennis, through the world around me.” activities Riding, Heated Canoeing, Ropes Course, Climbing Tower,
AND
Only 1 /Mountain 2 hours from Huntsville Located on top of Lookout in Mentone, AL. Only a 3 hr drive. 1
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FLAG TWIRLING • CHEERLEADING • RIFLERY • ARCHERY • TRIP DAY • GOLF
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and families to join us for morning worship and a VBS presentation; a hot dog lunch will follow. Pre-register online at www.rbcmontgomery.com/ register. VBS t-shirts are available for pre-orders at a cost of $11 each. Call 277.0011.
Call for FREE DVD and catalog 1-800-882-0722 Accredited by American Camping Association • Members of Christian Camping International
• R OPES C OURSE • C LIMBING T OWER • O UTDOOR L IVING S KILLS • C AMPFIRE F UN • C OUNSELOR -I N -T RAINING • 25
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“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” –J.R.R. Tolkien There are few things in life that bring more joy than holding a newborn baby. The way they look up at you and the look in their eyes is one of love, innocence, and trust. As the old hymn says, “How sweet to hold a newborn baby, and feel the pride and joy he gives; but greater still the calm assurance: This child can face uncertain days because He lives.” However, unplanned pregnancy happens way more than you would ever imagine. In fact, 51% of pregnancies are classified as unplanned. When a situation like this occurs, often times the mother feels hopeless and doesn’t know where to turn for help.
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Two organizations in the River Region specialize in becoming a beacon of hope for not only moms to be, but also women who have had abortions and are looking for council.
First Choice Women’s Medical Center/Sav-A-Life
Sav-A-Life Montgomery began its ministry in 1982 and was originally classified as a pregnancy resource center. In the beginning, they provided women and men with free and confidential pregnancy testing and counseling by trained volunteers. In 2007, Sav-A-Life felt led to change the direction of their ministry slightly and began offering medical services. Such services included pregnancy screenings performed by certified nurses and ultrasounds. Because of this change, Sav-A-Life became known as First Choice Women’s Medical Center. In 2012, Sav-A-Life felt another calling from God to further expand their ministry and decided to offer parenting education programs for expectant mothers and their families. If the families participate in the classes, they are able to earn baby supplies and other items needed for a newborn baby, which they can pick out from an on-site store. Since First Choice Women’s Medical Center/Sav-A-Life opened its doors 34 years ago, it has been able to make a tremendous impact on many women’s lives in Montgomery and the surrounding area. All services offered are free and confidential to the expectant mothers. Some of the services offered are: pregnancy testing, ultrasound confirmation, peer counseling and emotional support, nurse consultation, HOPE Group: post-abortion recovery and support, parenting education, and material support of baby items. One of the greatest tools that Sav-ALife has is the ultrasound machine. With this machine, they are able to show the mother her baby for the first time and allow them to bond. Often times, someone who is considering having an abortion changes her mind after being able to see the life that is being formed in her womb and hearing the tiny heartbeat on the monitor. Sav-A-Life could not make the impact it does today if it weren’t for the love and
SHE SUCCESSFULLY PLAYED THE SAME PRANK ON HER MOTHER THREE TIMES IN A SINGLE DAY AND REMAINS CONFIDENT SHE COULD DO IT AGAIN. and at Children’s of Alabama we want to see every child grow up and live to their fullest potential. That’s why we recruit, train and retain the most inquiring minds, the most skilled hands and the most compassionate hearts in pediatric medicine.
C H I L D R E N A M A Z E U S E V E R Y D AY
1600 7TH AVENUE SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233 (205) 638-9100 ChildrensAL.org
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support from the community. They rely on support from churches, individuals, local foundations, family businesses and civic clubs. They are always grateful for any bit of help they receive. If you would like to make a donation of any amount please send to Sav-A-Life Montgomery, Inc., P.O. Box 241664, Montgomery, AL 36124. Visit www.savalifemtg.org. Also, they always need the help of volunteers, from peer counseling to receptionist to even running errands. If you wish to volunteer with Sav-A-Life you may give them a call at 334-260-8010 or stop by their location at 380 Mendel Parkway, Montgomery, AL 36117.
River Region Pregnancy Center
Another wonderful organization in the area is River Region Pregnancy Center. They pride themselves on a judgementfree environment in which women can explore all of their options in dealing with unplanned pregnancy. All of the services at River Region Pregnancy Center are confidential and
free of charge to the expectant mothers. The center is able to provide lab-quality pregnancy tests with results that can be given immediately. They also offer ultrasound services to allow the expectant mothers to get a first glance of the life forming in their womb. Not only does River Region Pregnancy Center offer medical services to the mothers to be, but also confidential pregnancy counseling. This compassionate service is something every expectant mother needs. It allows women to know they are not alone, and at this facility they are surrounded by loving and compassionate people who want to do nothing more than make sure they are taken care of and to see the same thing for their unborn child. River Region Pregnancy Center also offers services such as peer counseling, pre-natal classes, life skills classes, men’s support, post abortion support, and community referrals.
River Region Pregnancy Center is located at 707 McQueen Smith Road S, Prattville, AL 36066. You can reach them by phone at 334-365-8266 or by text at 334-595-5668. Visit online at www.riverregionpregnancycenter.org. The River Region area is very blessed to have not one, but two wonderful facilities such as the ones listed above to offer hope to women who find themselves in an unexpected pregnancy situation. Every life brought into this world is precious and loved by our God. Organizations like Sav-A-Life and River Region Pregnancy Center are designed to allow each and every mother who steps foot into their buildings to know that. “For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13 These services could not be provided if it weren’t for the help of the community. Whether it be a small monetary donation, giving a few hours a couple times a week to go help around the facility, or even adding these centers to your prayer list, you can always make a difference. Mandy Pascal graduated from Troy University with a degree in print journalism.
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The diagram apparently was crafted over 1000 years ago - part of a book that was placed on sale by Manhattan’s Les Enluminures Gallery, a dealer in medieval manuscripts, a book written on vellum with a rather unique first page, according to a report on the Religion News Service website, which likens the circular diagram to a game board. The RNS report surmises that over a hundred years after the book, containing only the gospels, was commissioned by an abbess in Liesborn, Germany, someone opened the Gospels, which would have been used primarily for display and oath-taking, to the blank first page, set a compass needle in the center and began drawing concentric circles. The report calls this the “Liesborn Prayer Wheel” and describes the content. The words are in medieval Latin. The outer circle contains the words, “The Order Of The Diagram Written Here Teaches The Return Home.” The description continues: …The next is labeled “Seven Petitions” and contains seven quotations from the Lord’s Prayer (“Daily Bread,” “Will Be Done,” “Kingdom Come.”) In the third circle, seven “Gifts Of The Holy Spirit” (“Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel … ”) run clockwise in red, interspersed with seven events in Christ’s life (Incarnation, Baptism, Passion Day of Judgment) in black. The fourth segment contains seven groups blessed in Jesus’ Beatitudes (“Meek, Poor in Spirit, Mourn”) and — opposite each — their rewards (“Inherit the Earth,” “Kingdom of Heaven,” “Be
Comforted”). Finally, at the center, surrounding the pinhole of the compass, is the word “DEUS,” or God. Lauren Mancia, a medievalist at Brooklyn College who has examined the Wheel, is quoted as saying that schematic prayer guides were more common in later centuries, but said that the diagram suggests that monks and nuns were “using a mnemonic device to remember and internalize, or even to make an inner journey.” The Religion News Service piece asked some pertinent questions, such as: Clearly the nun was supposed to find her way from the Lord’s Prayer to God; but how? Did she read her way around one wheel and move in to the next? Or did she drill downward along each of the wheel’s “spokes,” and then start again on the next spoke? Or were the seven events in Christ’s life the key to the diagram, connecting its prayers to the Gospels that make up the rest of the book? This diagram is part of a book with a reported $6.5 million pricetag, and can inspire us to think about the work of prayer, which has inestimable value for us. Here are three takeaways from this story: This wheel points to a system of prayer and approach to God. There are all sorts of ways that we can keep focused on our relationship with Christ, and having a disciplined action plan can enhance our experience and fellowship with Him. It may involve a number of components, such as a specific, intentional time, commonly called a “quiet time,” when we in essence meet with God and engage in spiritual activ29
ity. You could keep a prayer journal or use a prayer guide to help keep track of the requests for which you are praying. Or, your system could involve some sort of Bible reading guide to lead you on your spiritual quest. You might even memorize Scripture through a device such as the Topical Memory System. Certainly, there is no “one size fits all” approach for our encounter with God, but we recognize that consistent fellowship with our Savior and engagement with His Word leads to spiritual growth. The Lord wants to lead us by His Holy Spirit into a more vibrant, rewarding walk with Himself, and provides the tools and direction in order to do that. Last month, I wrote about the potential of prayer. But, if we want our prayers to be effective, it is important that we are intentional in our prayer efforts. Consistency and intensity are essential elements in a productive prayer life. There is a movie that is due to be released in August called “War Room,” that is designed to illustrate the effectiveness of a prayer strategy. The movie is the latest from the Kendrick Brothers, who brought us “Fireproof,” “Courageous,” and other films. I certainly embrace the concept of a prayer strategy, and by staying focused on the areas in which we are praying, we can see the Lord do incredible things in our lives. Finally, change in our lives is not haphazard - I believe it results from the development of effective means to connect with God. If we want to change, if we want to grow closer to Christ and more like Him, it’s important that we yield to Him and allow Him to do His work. Time spent with Him can help align our hearts and our lives with His truth. Bob Crittenden is host of “The Meeting House”, heard weekday afternoons from 4-6pm on Faith Radio, 89.1FM in Montgomery. Described as “the intersection of faith and culture”, the program features Christian music and conversation about a variety of topics. Learn more by visiting www. meetinghouseonline.info. June 2015
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Adoption
Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy and Glynwood Baptist, Prattville APAC- Alabama Pre/Post Adoption Connection Support Group provides education and social interaction for adoptive families. Montgomery Group meets 3rd Thursdays, 6-7:30 p.m., Room 8114 at Frazer UMC. For information, call Hannah Taylor at 409-9477 or the church office at 272-8622. Autauga/Elmore Group meets 4th Tuesdays, 6-7:30 p.m., Glynwood Baptist Church, Prattville. Childcare, children’s group and dinner provided. For more info, call 409-9477 or e-mail htaylor@childrensaid.org. Location: Landmark Church, 1800 Halcyon Blvd. Leaders: Chad & Betsy Emerson (334) 201-5241 Wednesday, 6:30pm in Rm. 116. The Orphan Care Group will focus on God’s call to help orphans through adoption, foster care, and missions work. The group will share experiences, study and Biblical themes regarding orphan care, and provide a support and network for individuals who want to support orphans.
Alcoholic / Addict
Location: Caring Center of FBC, 52 Adams Avenue CrossRoads Support Group is for addicts/alcoholics and family members. Meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and follows a Christ-centered 12-step program. Call 264-4949. Location: Dalraida UMC, 3817 Atlanta Highway Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. 272.2190. Alanon meets at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Location: First Baptist Church (Huff Community Ministries Bldg., 200 S. Perry Street) Celebrate Recovery, a Bible-based Christ centered approach to recovery from hurts, habits and hang-ups, meets Friday nights, from 5:30 p.m.- 8 p.m. For more information, contact Jane Ferguson at 241.5141. Location: Grace @ Bell Road, Corner of Bell Road and Atlanta Hwy. Alcoholics Anonymous and Alanon meetings are held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, at 6 p.m. An Open AA Speaker meeting is held on Saturday at 6 p.m. An Alanon & AA held on Sundays at 2 p.m. Location: Grace Point Community Church, 78223 Tallassee Hwy (Hwy 14), Wetumpka Celebrate Recovery- every Tuesday night- 6:15pm. All are welcome! These meetings are a safe and loving environment for individuals seeking to conquer their hurts, habits and hang-ups! gracepoint.info. Location: Journey Church, 2960 East Cobbs Ford Road across from The Catfish House in Millbrook Celebrate Recovery - Christ-centered 12-step for anyone struggling with addiction or life-challenging issues. Mondays at 5:30pm (meal-CrossTalk Cafe), 6-6:55 pm (large group), 6:55-7:45 (small group). Childcare available. Call Larry at 334-832-5714 or visit myjourneychurch.com.
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Location: Landmark Church, 1800 Halcyon Blvd. RSVPThis is a 12 step spiritual recovery program for overcoming addictions. Using the steps and Bible we help build self-esteem, responsible behavior, the making of amends for our destructive actions, and to fill the void in our hearts in a loving relationship with God. Wednesday @ 6:30pm in Rm. 121 of the Life Center. Location: Prattville Church of Christ, 344 East Main St. RSVP - 12 step (Christians Against Substance Abuse-CASA) spiritual recovery program, for overcoming addictions. Class begins each Wednesday evening @6:30 PM. Please call 334365-4201 for addition information. Location: Santuck Baptist Church, 7250 Central Plank Rd. (Hwy 9), Wetumpka. Celebrate Recovery meets each Thursday evening at 6:15 in the Fellowship Hall. This is a Chrsit centered 12 step-program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Call 567-2364. Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) is open to all struggling with addictive sexual behavior. If you believe you have a problem with sex addiction (or are wondering if you might) and you want to change your behavior, we recommend you visit our group. For locations, please visit- https://saa-recovery.org/ or please contact – MontgomerySAA@outlook.com. Meetings are held: every Sunday night - 7:45 p.m, men only. Every Monday night - 7:30 p.m, men and women. Location: St. James UMC, 9045 Vaughn Road Celebrate Recovery meets every Thursday night from 6-8 pm in the Youth Room. This is a Christ-centered 12-step group for anyone struggling with an “addiction or lifechallenging issues.” For information, call Chris Henderson at 334-215-0427. Location: Trinity Episcopal, Wetumpka (Across from Winn Dixie on HWY 231) Gamblers Anonymous-Saturdays at 7 p.m. Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road Celebrate Recovery is a 12-step-Christian process to help you cope with hurts, hang-ups, and habits on a weekly basis. Led by Jeff McFarland on Wednesdays from 6-8 pm. Call 279-5433 for more info. Location: Victory Temple Church (located behind Wetumpka Walmart) ‘Fresh Start’ Recovery meets every Monday, 6-8pm (meal included). In 2011, Fresh Start Motorcycle Ministry (FSMM) began when God laid it on the heart of a lifetime biker to minister to those with his background. All are welcome, not a requirement to own/ride a motorcycle. Format used is the Holy Bible. For any info contact ministry leader, Paul Henderson, 334-201-5428.
Alzheimer’s / Dementia
Location: First UMC, 2416 W. Cloverdale Park, Wesley Hall Bldg. An Adult Parkinson/Alzheimer’s respite ministry meets from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Lunch is served. Contact Daphne at 834-8990. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy An Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers’ Support Group meets on the first Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. in Room 3103. Call 272.8622.
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Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy A Dementia Daycare is held each Thursday in Rm. 3101 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Each participant may bring a sack lunch. There is no charge. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Call the LifeCare office at 272-8622.
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Location: Memorial Presbyterian, 2130 Bell Road A Dementia Morning Out for caregivers is offered each Tuesday from 8:45-noon. There is no charge. Each participant may bring a sack lunch (juice provided). Registration is required by calling 274-1018.
Cancer
Location: Aldersgate UMC, 6610 Vaughn Rd, Montgomery Cancer Survivors Support Group is sponsored by Samaritan Counseling Center. We would love to have anyone (patient or family member ) join us. Thursdays at 1 pm. Please call before attending just to make sure we are meeting that week. Please call Debbie D at 467-4578 or Ben W at 202-1912. Location: Dalraida Baptist, 3838 Wares Ferry Road. Just for Men -- Faith based cancer support group for men. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the conference center. Please call 272-2412 email stan.hurst@knology.net.
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Location: ChristChurch, 8800 Vaughn Road Cancer Support Group for general cancer. Tuesday afternoons at 1 pm. For more info, please call Christy Holding at 531-1390 or Debbie at 467-4578. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Women of Hope Breast Cancer Support Group, providing education, awareness, and mentoring for breast cancer patients/survivors, family, and friends, meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in Rm 8253. Call 272-8622 or womenofhope@charter.net. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. The Central Alabama Multiple Myeloma Support Group meets from 10 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of every month in Room 3105. We have guest speakers, video presentations, printed information and a group that welcomes sharing their journey with myeloma in an informal setting. Refreshments are provided.. Contact Lorenzo and Elaine Duncan at 334-281-8158, or at duncan6563@gmail.com.
Depression
Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy A Depression/Bipolar Support Group meets on the 1st Thursday of each month from 7:00-8:30pm in Room 3101. This group also meets on the 3rd Saturday afternoon, 12-2 pm, Dalraida UMC, 3817 Atlanta Hwy in Church Annex. Call 334.652.1431 or email dbsamontgomery@yahoo.com.
Divorce
Location: First Baptist Church, 305 S. Perry Street Divorce Care is held Wednesdays, 6:30-8 pm. Childcare available. $15 for workbook. Dinner at 4:45 ($5 adults, $3 kids). Call Kathy Cooper at 241-5125.
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Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy A Divorce Recovery Support Group meets each Tuesday, at 5:30 p.m., in Fellowship Hall Lobby. 272-8622. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Divorce Care for Kids (DC4K) meets each Tuesday from 6-7 pm. Pre-registration is required. This group is for children ages 5 and up and helps children of all ages heal from the pain of their parents separation and divorce. Call (334) 495-6368.
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Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road DivorceCare fosters a weekly supportive and caring environment to heal the hurt of separation and divorce. Facilitators are Todd Smith, Wendy Timbie, and Becki Harrison. Call 279-5433.
Gambling
Location: Cedarwood Community Church, 10286 US HWY 231 in the Wallsboro/ Wetumpka community Gamblers Anonymous, Saturdays at 6 pm. 567-0476 Location: Mental Health of America Bldg, 1116 South Hull Street, Montgomery. Sundays @ 5 pm. Location: St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 4475 Atlanta Hwy, Mondays @ 6pm. Gamblers Anonymous Hotline: 334-541-5420 or you can call 2-1-1 and ask for meeting information.
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Location: Eastmont Baptist, 4505 Atlanta Hwy. Compassionate Friends is a national self-help support organization for families grieving the death of a child meeting first Tuesdays at 7 pm. Call (334) 284-2721. Location: First UMC, 100 E. Fourth St, Prattville Grief Share, Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm in the church parlor. Call 365-5977. Location: Frazer UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Grief Recovery Support Group meets Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., Rm 3105, in Fellowship Hall Lobby. 272.8622. Location: Grace Baptist Church, 304 Old Montgomery Highway, Wetumpka Mourning to Morning is a Christian growth group for mothers who have lost a child, from before birth through adulthood. Meets the last Thursday night of each month. For info, contact Alice Scarborough (334) 462-4775 or Gwen Ellis (334) 567-8754 or e-mail mourningtomorning@gmail. com. Join us on Facebook--Mourning to Morning Group. Location: Millbrook FUMC, 3350 Edgewood Rd Grief Share meets – Tuesday 5:30 PM in the Friendship Sunday School Class Room. Call 285-4114 for more info. Grief Share is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experience. Location: Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church 1550 E. Washington Street Grief Ministry is a grief recovery support group that meets every Monday at 6:00 P.M. The ministry is designed to help anyone through the hurt of losing a loved one by successfully traveling the journey from mourning to joy. Alicia Glover is the coordinator. For information contact Glover at 334-281-2754.
Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road GriefShare is a support group that meets Wednesdays from 6-8 pm. This program is non-denominational and features biblical concepts for healing your grief. GriefShare will be led by Howard and Carol Payne and Jim Williams. Call 2795433 for more information.
Miscellaneous
Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy NAMI Montgomery (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) This group provides understanding, education and information to family members & friends of those who suffer mental illness. This group will meet on the second Monday of each month from 6:30-8:30 in room 3103. For more information contact Mary Jo Logan (334) 271-2280. Location: 5500 Ash Grove Circle, Montgomery. OCD Support Group (obsessive- Compulsive Disorder) Long showers, multiple hand washing, rituals, checking stove, hoarding and symmetry. This support group is open to anyone who has struggled with OCD. You’re not alone anymore. Call Donald: 220-7555. Location: Eastmont Baptist Church, 4505 Atlanta Highway Take Heart is for women dealing with infertility and/or miscarriage. The group meets the first Monday of each month at 6 pm in room 116. Contact Melissa at (205) 9132667 for more information.
Parenting
Location: First Baptist Prattville, 138 S. Washington Moms LIFE (Living In Faith Everyday) meets twice monthly from 8:30 - 11:45 am in the chapel at the Church from Aug - May. We offer a time of fellowship, Bible study, musical guest, special guest speakers and a lot of fun!! Cost is $5 per meeting. For moms of all stages and ages of life. Childcare provided by reservation. For more info and to reserve your spot, call April Scott at 828-446-6666. Location: First Baptist Church, 305 S. Perry Street MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Moms, need a little break? MOPS is a place you can share a good meal, make new friends, and find encouragement as you face the everyday challenges of raising your little ones. We have educational speakers, great conversation, and fun activities. Free childcare is provided. Meetings are every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m., September through May. Contact Tiffany Alewine at 241-5165. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Frazer mom2mom is a playgroup to connect mothers of preschoolers at Frazer United Methodist Church to share fun and inspiration in our journey together, with our children, and with Christ. Email Mom2mom@frazerumc. org for more information. Location: Perry Hill UMC, 910 Perry Hill Road Single Moms’ Care and Support Group meets 2nd and 4th Thursdays from 6:15 - 8:00 PM. December meeting will be on the 11th. Free snack supper provided to moms and children. Child care for infants -16 years. Call 272-3174 for information. Location: Redland Baptist Church, 1266 Dozier Road, Wetumpka A MOPS group will be held 1st and 3rd Tuesday’s of every month during the school year, and has scheduled play dates and moms nights out through the summer and beyond. While moms are in a MOPS meeting, their children are lovingly cared for in the MOPPETS program. Email Denise Braswell at deniseorscott@yahoo.com for more info.
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Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road Are you in need of a time-out? MOPS joins mothers together by a common bond, to be better wives, moms, and friends along this journey in the trenches of motherhood. We meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 9:30—11:30 a.m. Childcare is provided. For info e-mail VFCMOPS@gmail.com.
Physical Challenges
Location: Aldersgate UMC, 6610 Vaughn Road Visually Impaired Support Group – Meets monthly on second Thursday 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. The group is called Outward Sight - Inward Vision and is for those with vision loss and their caregivers. Our mission is to assist those experiencing vision loss to maintain their independence by providing access to valuable information and spiritual support. Call 272-6152. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy An MDA/ALS Support Group will meet Tuesday August 10 6:00p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in room 3101. Anyone affected by a neuromuscular disease or family members of those affected. To receive information, call 396-4534. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy The Montgomery Ostomy Support Group is for people who have had or will have urinary or intestinal diversion surgeries such as colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy. Family members are welcome to attend. Meetings are held every other month generally on a Sunday afternoon. For more information, call Paul at 271-3563 or visit www.montgomeryostomy.info. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy A Parkinson’s Support Group will meet the 4th Thursday at 6 p.m., in room 8114 at Frazer UMC. This group is for those who have Parkinson’s disease and the family members. 272-8622.
Singlehood
Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Singles’ Small Groups meet each Tuesday from 6:307:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall Lobby. Call 272-8622. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy T.N.T. (Tuesday Night Together) for Singles meets Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall, bldg. 7000. A meal ($5.00) and program are provided. For reservations, call 272-8622. Location: Cornerstone Christian, 301 Dalraida Rd. Unavoidably Single Again (USA) Fellowship, a support group for widows and widowers. Informal meetings for fellowship and fun are held on the third Saturday of each month starting at 10 AM. Contact Lynda at farauthor@ aol.com or 354-8869.
Veterans
Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Veterans OEF/OIF Caregivers Support Group meets on the 3rd Wednesday from 11am-1pm in Room 3108. Contact LaQuana Edwards, Caregiver Support Coordinator at CAVHCS (334) 727-0550 ext. 5350.
Email your support group info to deanne@readjourneymagazine.com! June 2015
River Region’s Journey
June 2015 Community Calendar Monthly events can also be found in the Around Our Community Section starting on page 8.
See Our Vacation Bible School Guide beginning on page 22. June 19-20
Grid Iron Men’s Conference will be held at the BJCC Arena, Birmingham. In Motion: Moving Men To Make A Change In Their World. Guest speakers include David Jeremiah, Phil Waldrep, Dr. Ben Carson, Charles Billingsley, Fred Luter, Drew Brees and David Uth. $89/person. www.gridironmen.org
Saturday, June 27
River City Church, a United Methodist congregation, invites the entire community to their 4th Saturday Outreach event from 9am-11am at the church, located at 301 Dexter Avenue. Admission is free. The River Region will have access to blood pressure/glucose screenings, career services, free haircuts, hygiene items and canned goods. Participants can register for a drawing for a weekly bus pass and gasoline gift cards. During the 2-hour period, attendees can speak with prayer partners, and purchase items (clothes, furniture, etc…) in the River City Rummage Sale located on the lower level of the church. Nurses will screen for diabetes (glucose testing), assess body mass index, blood pressure, and other vital signs. Volunteers will also provide homework help and a craft for children. For information, please call 263-0549 or visit www. rivercityumc.com.
Coming in July
Hospice of Montgomery (HOM) will be hosting a Grief Support Group each Wednesday in July from 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. The support group will meet at Hospice of Montgomery’s office River Region’s Journey
June 2015
located at 1111 Holloway Park, Montgomery, 36117 throughout the month. This Grief Support Group is open to the community. For more information contact Hospice of Montgomery at 334279-6677 or www.hospiceofmontgomery.org.
Frazer mom2mom is a playgroup to connect mothers of preschoolers at Frazer United Methodist Church to share fun and inspiration in our journey together, with our children, and with Christ. Email Mom2mom@frazerumc.org.
Ongoing Happenings
Good News @ Noon is an interdenominational Bible study, held at the First Baptist Community Ministries Building on Adams Street, Thursdays, at noon. Small cost for hot lunch. Call 272.1133.
AGLOW International meets every third Thursday, 9:30 at the Montgomery House of Prayer. All women welcome to join together for praise, prayer and an anointed message. Contact mboudousquie@yahoo.com. Bridge of Life Assembly of God, 9000 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, holds Sunday morning worship at 10:30 a.m. each week. Sunday school classes meet at 9:30 a.m. We offer classes for all age groups and childcare is provided. Our goal is to build bridges...not walls. We invite you to come join us if you need to learn how to build those bridges. For directions or information call 334-396-0208. Email jon@bridgeoflife.tv or visit www. bridgeoflife.tv. Central Community Christian Church, 981 South Perry Street, Montgomery, holds new members training classes on Sundays at 9 a.m. Sunday School (9:30), morning worship (11:00), Tuesday night Bible study (6:30). Every fourth Sunday of the month is our youth Sunday. For more information please call (334) 269-0457 or by email at centralccchurch1@gmail.com. Christchurch, 8800 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, offers a Women’s Enrichment Bible Study led by Jeanne Dean on Thursdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m., in Canterbury Hall. All women are welcome. Childcare for ages birth-4 years is provided. Call 387-0566 x 201 for more info. Christchurch offers a men’s Bible study led by Fr. John-Michael van Dyke, on Thursday mornings on the 11th floor of Goode Medical Bldg, Jackson Hospital. Breakfast is served beginning at 6:45 a.m. and teaching begins at 7:15 a.m. Call 387-0566 x 201. Chisholm Baptist Church, 2938 Lower Wetumpka Road, Montgomery, holds Sunday morning Bible study (9:30), Morning worship (10:45), Tuesday prayer breakfast (8:30) Wednesday evening prayer service (6 pm) and Senior Body and Soul Group (every 1st Tuesday at 1 pm). Email jbass9784@charter.net or call 262-6437. First Presbyterian Church, 9299 Vaughn Road, hosts a Men’s Prayer Breakfast every Friday morning, 6 a.m. The Youth of First United Methodist Church, Montgomery every Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. for Wednesday Night Live, a time of praise and worship in “the attic”. Also, every Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. is MYF which includes a snack supper $3.00 followed by activities, small groups and lots of fun! Visit www.fumcmontgomery.org. First United Methodist Church will host Terrific Tuesdays. Please come and join us for fellowship, a program and lunch. Terrific Tuesdays will meet each Tuesday in room 204 of Wesley Hall. Fellowship time will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by a program at 10:30 a.m. and lunch at 11:30 a.m. The cost of lunch is $2.50. Contact NeeNee Webb at 834-8990. 32
Hall Memorial CME Church says: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Tutors, prayer-warriors, and office/clerical volunteers needed for the Montgomery City Jail Ministry & G.E.D program. Opportunities are ongoing. No experience or certification necessary. Contact Pastor Anderson T. Graves II, at hallmemorialcme1@aol.com. Call 334-288-0577. The City Jail ministry is an in-reach ministry of Hall Memorial CME Church, 541 Seibles Road, Montgomery.
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Macedonia Miracle Kingdom & Worship Center (MMKWC), 3070 Selma Highway, Montgomery, services are Sunday School and New Members Class, 9:00 a.m., Morning Worship, 10:45 a.m.; Tuesday Night Bible Class, 7:00 p.m. and Friday Night Prayer, 6:00 p.m. (BOTH at The Pattern-Mt Meigs Road)
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Messiah Lutheran Church, 6670 Vaughn Road, invites all to Wonderful Wednesdays starting with a $3-5 meal at 5:30 pm (RSVP 277-4213 by Monday noon), worship with eucharist 6:15-7:00 pm, and adult choir rehearsal and Catechism class for 7th-9th graders at 7:00 pm. Please call for Wednesday schedule due to seasonal breaks. For information, call 277-4213.
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Mt. Gillard Missionary Baptist Church, 3323 Day Street, holds Wednesday Bible Study in the church Fellowship Hall and lasts for one hour. Please come and participate in roaming the Bible learning God’s word through teaching. The Rev. Henry M. Carnegie, Jr. is the teacher and pastor. Mid-day Bible Study begins each Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. Evening Bible Study begins each Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Call 233-8750. Open Door Christian Faith Worship Center, 2450 Presidents Drive, Montgomery, holds Sunday School at 9:00. Sunday Morning worship 10:45. Wednesday night Bible study 6:00. Youth Sunday Every 2nd Sunday. Women’s Prayer Monday 6:00. Our Mission is producing believers who make an impact on a fallen society. Motto: Living –Loving-Praying and Walking In The Spirit of Excellence. William E. Cromblin, Pastor. For information call 334-270-6498. Perry Hill UMC, 910 Perry Hill Rd, sponsors a Bluegrass Jam in the Church Fellowship Hall on the third Saturday of each month from 9AM - 12AM. All Bluegrass Artist plus Fans are invited to attend. Attendance is FREE. For information call Kathy@ 272-3174. Perry Hill UMC, 910 Perry Hill Rd, hosts a Wednesday Night Supper and Revive! program each week from 5:30pm til 7:00pm. Reservations are required by noon on the Monday prior to the supper. Cost is $4 per person or $12 per family. Call 334-272-3174 for more information. River City Church, 301 Dexter Avenue, offers a Friday Christian Night Club (free of alcohol and smoking) with Ballroom Dancing every Friday at 6:30 P.M. Cost $10 for a one hour lesson, devotional, and 3 hours of DJ music. All denominations welcome. 7:30-10:30 open dance floor.
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The River of Life Church, located at 116 County Road 40 E (in the Pine Level Community Center) Prattville. Pastor Nick Edwards invites you to a “Place of New Beginnings”, where families come and grow together. Church Service Schedule: Sunday 10:30 a.m. Sunday School; 11:00 a.m. Morning Worship; 5:00 p.m. Evening Worship. Wednesday 6:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study, Teens (Genesis Project), Jr. High (Limitless), Royal Rangers, MPact Girls, Rainbow’s/Noah’s Zoo Club. Thursday 9:00 a.m.Women of Grace Bible Study. Nursery provided. Call the church office 334-6570392 or visit www.theriveroflifechurch.net. Saint James UMC, 9045 Vaughn Road, offers S.N.A.G. (Sunday Nights About God!) This program starts at 5:00p.m. and ends at 6:30p.m. Childcare is provided for small groups until 7:00p.m. Don’t forget this program is available for all children! Saint James UMC, 9045 Vaughn Road, offers Wild & Wacky Wednesdays! Wednesday night supper starts at 5:15p.m. We will start checking children in at 6:00p.m. This program ends at 7:30p.m. and childcare is provided until 8:00p.m. for small group participants. Call 277.3037 for more info. Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 706 E. Patton Avenue, “Clothes Closet” is open to the public each Thursday morning from 10 a.m. – Noon. The Men of Saint Paul host a free Men’s Prayer Breakfast the Third Saturday of each month at 8 a.m. in the Church Fellowship Hall. The Men’s Prayer Breakfast is open to all men of all ages. Come and share your concerns and needs of our Men of today. For more information, please contact (334) 3541897. Bible Study is held each Wednesday, 6-7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. For info call 286.8577. S-STOP, a commUNITY Bible study for Singles. Souls Strengthened Together for One Purpose. Psalm 46:10 “BE STILL and know that I am God.” Meets at Prattville Christian Academy on Sunday nights at 6 p.m. For info email sstop04@gmail.com. True Divine Community Development hosts the Community Yard Sale every third Saturday from March to October, 4525 Virginia Loop Road Time: 7:00- 11:00 AM. Sign up for $10 Booths by calling 286-4008. Vision Full Gospel Ministries, 163 Rifle Range Road, Montgomery, holds Bible Study Tues. Night 7:00 p.m., Pray & Praise 2nd & 4th Thurs. Night 7:00 p.m., Sunday School 9:30 am, Sunday Worship Service 10:45 a.m., Internet radio-homecominggospel.com Sunday 3:00p.m. Central & 4:00 p.m. Eastern. and Satellite Radio -wlsg 1340am Sunday 3:00p.m. Women at The Well Ministry invites you to attend its women’s fellowship at 1 pm every 1st and 3rd Saturday. We are women who desire and have a heart to see broken, crushed, hurting women be transformed through the one man who can fulfill their every need... JESUS. All women of all denominations or race are welcome. This ministry is available to teenagers as well. For info contact Evangelist Dr. Linda McCall, 334-220-1924.
Send your events to deanne@ readjourneymagazine.com.
Vaction Bible School
VBS
June 15-19, 2015 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M
Classes for all ages! 807 Madison Ave.
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|
Montgomery, AL
| 334-265-4136
June 2015
River Region’s Journey
Mary Ellen’s Hearth
Celebrates First 5 Graduates
years ago seemed impossible. They completed the Life Skills Training Program and became the first graduates of Mary Ellen’s Hearth. “These ladies have been courageous and dedicated over the past two years and have done a great job at reaching their goals,” said President of MEH, Amelia Barnes. Over the course of their journey, the women have learned life skills such as money management, parenting do’s and don’ts, and day to day “For I know the plans I have for you,” living essentials. declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and Mary Ellen’s Hearth not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a is an organization that future.” Jeremiah 29:11 offers help, home and healing, and these women On Sunday May 17th, family, friends have taken full advantage and supporters of Mary Ellen’s Hearth of the opportunities they gathered to honor and celebrate a very special have been given. occasion. Five hardworking, determined and As they walked across the stage to blessed women achieved a goal that just two receive their graduation plaques and gift baskets, it was apparent the wonderful change that MEH has made in their lives. From paying off debt, to becoming homeowners, to going back to school or even beginning a career, these women have definitely stepped up to the plate and completely turned their lives around. The five graduates honored during the program were: SuMMer reSident & day caMP Sharmane Cotton, YMCA CAMP CHANDLER Veronique Dor, Sharda King, Shanteal Hicks and Melissa Washington. All of these FOR MORE INFORMATION women possess amazYMCA CAMP CHANDLER ing characteristics. Ages 5-15 Determined, caring, day camp fees: Starting at $150/wk per child and responsible were resident camp fees: $245 – $765 per child all words that were contact: luke dooley used to describe them. P 334 538 4658 F 334 269 2387 “I am thankful ldooley@ymcamontgomery.org that I have been alcampchandler.org lowed to enter MEH and grow into a happy, humble, spiritual, loving, strong willed
growing confidence naturally
River Region’s Journey
June 2015
34
mother/young lady,” said graduate Shanteal Hicks. Some of the goals that some of these women have attained while involved with MEH are: paying off over $5,000 in debt, becoming a RN, becoming a homeowner, and being the loving parent that their children need. Mary Ellen’s Hearth is more than a ministry, it is a family. It was so apparent as the ceremony came to a close and tears of joy, happiness and pride filled the eyes of every person in the room as the graduates were given a standing ovation. “I am so thankful for growth and my journey, which has made me a much improved me,” said Sharmane Cotton. MEH cares about these women and wants nothing but the best for them. From the full time staff, to the part time volunteers, to the women who live in the facility, it is so awesome to see everyone come together as one to work toward one common goal. That goal is helping shape these women into the women that Christ wants them to be. When asked what she plans to do after graduating from Mary Ellen’s Hearth, Melissa Washington said, “I plan on continuing to work, and eventually I would like to go back to school to be a nurse. I hope to stay on the right path and continue to save and manage my money like I have been taught. I am really going to miss Mary Ellen’s Hearth.” Leaving such a close knit family like this is not always easy, but it is something that has to be done. MEH has done a wonderful job at equipping these women with everything they will need to face the real world. They just have to remember to always place God first and everything else will fall in place. For He knows the plans He has for all our lives. Contributed by Mandy Pascal.
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Cuba: Friend or Foe...an answer (part 2) About six years ago, an Air Force gospel of peace. In addition to all this, officer and his wife, who were members take up the shield of faith, with which you of our “Family Teams for Christ” Sunday can extinguish all the flaming arrows of school class, approached Mike with the the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation idea of having a class coin, much like the and the sword of the Spirit, which is the military tradition of having a unit coin for word of God. each squadron member. He suggested And pray in the Spirit on all occasions the “Armor of God” coin that detailed the with all kinds of prayers and requests. armor or protective covering we must wear With this in mind, be alert and always when fighting spiritual battles. We adopted keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. this coin to remind all who participate in our programs of the importance of putting One year ago when we were leaving on the full armor of God each day. Cuba after a week-long mission trip, Mike Since then, Mike has presented over had to remove his coin from his pocket 400 Armor of God coins to couples and to pass through the metal detector. When individuals who have participated in our training. Not just in Montgomery, but we’ve taken these coins to Cuba and given them to the many couples we teach in our marriage and family training classes. The coin that originated from an officer in our armed forces is now carried by many of God’s “warriors” in Cuba and in the U.S. God teaches us about the spiritual Mike and Major Wayne Dirkes, assisted by his son, present the Armor of God coin to six husbands who, along with their wives, completed warfare that is waging the Art of Marriage Bible study. Mike challenged them to put on His battles around us, and Armor daily to protect their marriage and family. we use Ephesians 6 to remind us of the importance of using all of the weapons God has asked about the coin by a young Cuban provided to fight those spiritual battles. soldier at Immigration Control, Mike explained what it meant. By the time their Ephesians 6:14-17: Stand firm then, with conversation ended, Mike had given his the belt of truth buckled around your coin to the young man, who, with permiswaist, with the breastplate of righteoussion from his superior, was able to accept ness in place, and with your feet fitted it. We came back to Cuba six months later with the readiness that comes from the and ran into the same person. Mike pulled 35
out his coin and the young soldier opened his wallet to show his coin that stays with him at all times. A simple coin stamped with the truth of God’s word has made its way from one military member to another, in a country that has been our country’s enemy for more than 50 years. So, back to the question we presented in last month’s article: Is Cuba a friend or foe? We would say, both. There are many brothers and sisters in Christ who have lived in Cuba their entire lives. They are our dear friends whom we pray for continually. With communism still their country’s form of rule, the government of Cuba continues to be our country’s foe. But, it is encouraging to witness that the Christian church is growing in membership each day in this atheistic nation! Now, to answer the final question from May’s article, “Who is your enemy?” We remember what scripture says about our enemies: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:12, 13). A final question: “What does it look like to help yourself and others (your spouse, children and friends) put on the Armor of God every day? Lt. Col Mike Conn and wife, Lisa, founded Covenant Family Ministries when Mike retired from the Air Force in 1997. CFM is an independent marriage and family education ministry committed to partnering with churches, organizations, and individuals in Montgomery and across Alabama to build Family Teams for Christ. Married for over 33 years, Mike and Lisa have three daughters, two sons-in-law, and three grandchildren. June 2015
River Region’s Journey
Q. My wife and I go to a small church where
we tithe. The church is continually asking for contributions to other charities and causes, and we don’t have the money to give to them all while we’re sticking to our budget and getting out of debt. The worst part is that we get pretty aggressive pushback when we say no. What can we do?
A. I don’t react well to
that kind of pushback. I would probably be nice a couple of times, but after that my response might sound something like, “Mind your own business.” Seriously, I’d probably be a little gentler than that. But basically when it reaches that point, they’re saying, “I want your money.” And that’s really over the top. If it goes even further, and it becomes a question of you “digging deep” or not having enough faith, I might get un-gentle in a hurry. Your first job is to provide for your family and take care of those kinds of responsibilities — which is a very scriptural stance. Once
River Region’s Journey
June 2015
you’ve done that, then you’ll hopefully have the financial ability to move beyond tithes and into offerings, which are completely different concepts. Tithes are first fruits off the top, while offerings are from surplus — meaning that you and your family are doing well financially. Another thing to consider is this: Does this church turn every impulse they have into pressure to donate or buy something, because they didn’t plan for this kind of stuff in the church budget? I’d start having a problem with the leadership if this turned out to be the case, because it’s a sign they’re not planning and leading well. Hopefully, you can explain to these folks the reason why you can’t contribute to additional things at the moment and they’ll understand. If not, and it were me in your shoes, I think I’d have to find another church.
Q. I just became debt-free, and I live in an apartment. I’m also 28 and single, and I make about $75,000 a year. Do you think
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I should get a mortgage and go back into debt, or save up and pay cash for a house? I’d like to keep the price of a new home around $200,000, and I think I can save about $15,000 a year.
A. Congratulations on becoming debt-free! It feels awesome, doesn’t it? When it comes to saving, how about rounding that figure up to $20,000 a year? Going that route, you’re only 10 years away from a nice, new paid-for home, and you’re still debt-free. That’s one way to do it. I don’t borrow money. And I don’t tell people to do things I won’t do. The one exception to that is I don’t yell at people for taking out a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage, where the payments are no more than 25 percent of your monthly take home pay. You could save like crazy for a couple of years and put down a really strong down payment on a home in the price range you’re talking about. Then, you could pay off that house in 15 years max — or even sooner. I don’t have a big problem with it either way. But wouldn’t it be great to be only 38 years old and still be completely debt-free?
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