The Season of Thanksgiving is a perfect time for us to focus on matters that deserve an acknowledgement of thanks and I cannot allow this season to pass without sharing the highlight of my Season of Thanks as I mention what I witnessed at the South Fariston Missionary Baptist Church in London, Kentucky. The church, which recently changed her name to Crossroads Fellowship Church, is located off Highway 25 between Corbin and London. This Fariston Community has a rich history of good neighbors and friends, and Crossroads Fellowship began as a church with land purchased on October 3, 1959, at the total cost of ($1.00) one dollar. This original land gift was made possible by the support of the Lily Baptist Church, and conveyed by Trustees, Roy Peters, Charlie Johnson, Robert Root and Casper Hopkins.
The Bible instructs Christians to lay a foundation that others can build upon and the Lily Baptist Church has long been a place of involvement and has a rich history herself. This act of generosity is one such testimony of their desire to expand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That faith and foundation laid has continued with additional layers and on the first Sunday in November of this year I witnessed a most unique foundation of God as the South Fariston Missionary Baptist Church, operating under a new vision and name installed Doug Sage as the New Pastor at the Crossroads Fellowship Church.
Crossroads Fellowship is a great name for a church that seeks to provide answers and directions for travelers along life’s highway. The search for significance and mean in life is not an easy find for many, but Crossroads Fellowship and her members stand providing individual highway signs pointing and guiding people to Jesus Christ who are willing to receive a helpful hand of friendship and assistance. The intersections of life, choices and decisions are sometimes crowded by the sounding of horns, the push of people, and the pressure to move or doing something. With that type of fast paced life it is easy to miss miracles that happen right before us, but I am thankful I didn’t miss witnessing this one.
The transition of leadership in most churches is done very quietly. We let most pastors come and go with very little fanfare, thanks or honor. Certainly hardly ever heard is a service where the outgoing and the incoming pastors are honored in the same service, but that’s exactly what I witnessed on that Sunday morning at Crossroads Fellowship. This service wasn’t planned to just get along and be nice to each other either, but it was a Holy Spirit filled experience where we witnessing the “laying on of hands”, heard prayers of praise, thanks and vision for these two men of God, and this filled my life with amazement at the wonder of God’s goodness as witnessed through the lives of two pastor and a congregation who loves the both. Pastor Joshua Smith, who served for over 2 years, has stepped down to allow God’s Will to be completed in the life of Doug Sage who has served as Minister to Students. Pastor Josh Smith provided the confirmation of God’s Will in Doug’s life after honest conversations between the two of them and because of both of their desires to serve God the best with their talents and skills. If you’ve attended church just a little or for most of your life, you will not have any problem knowing this is not something that happens everyday, as many Christian leaders often serve their own egos, perceived reputations and would never dare to take this kind of step, unheard of, step down, lift someone else up, and here’s a twist, and remain at the church to help the new pastor too?!
Only God puts a rainbow in the sky and only God brings hearts together, united, and all so that Jesus Christ can be exalted in His church-unheard of, in most circles, but witnessed in this one.
Observing the change in the Lead Servants role between these two pastors and to know that this was fully supported by the congregations causes me to know one thing for certain. I cannot wait to watch and see what God does next in this congregation. The congregations genuine love toward each other and their desire to serve God by reaching out beyond their church buildings and walls is a great indication that another foundation has been laid for others to build upon, and to see cooperating church leaders is a real miracle that you don’t often get to witness first hand, so I am thankful I have witnessed again, the hand-i-work of God in my lifetime.
Until then
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Thanks Continues: Jeremy & Sarah Skiles; Chris Merrifield; Evan Miller; Melissa Steapleton; Stephen Cawood; Phil & Donna Mitchell;
Tis the Season of Thanksgiving, and I know of no more an appropriate action that any of us could take greater then expressing thanks. Thanks are deserving of our expression for many different reasons and there are many ways in which we can accomplish the task.
How about silent thanks which we can express in a way that the recipient doesn’t know who the surprise has come from? When was the last time you received something but you didn’t know from whom? It will make you walk around in such as way as to be nice to everyone, wanting to express your thanks to all, not knowing whom to personally acknowledge for your gift. That type of living is really not an inappropriate way to live at all, actually, it would make us much more grateful and just imagine how different the world would be if we lived that way…exciting huh? How about a real word of thanks where you write a personal note to someone and it wasn’t produced by some committee or hallmark greeting card writer. A note I personally cherish is one written to me by Stephen Cawood. It was on a simple index type card with his name on it that expressed his thoughts and it meant so much then, and still does today. I am certain he has no idea of the impact of his note a couple years ago and how that encourages me. How about picking up a food bill for someone that is eating at a restaurant or stepping up to the fast food counter and saying, I’ve got this. There might be a little bit of, “no” at first, but just be firm, this is what you are doing and I’m sure the worker will take your card or cash and you can say thanks that way, and I know that will make a difference.
Over the years I have always attempted to be someone that said thanks, but there are some folks that I wish I had said thanks to more often then I have. If you are someone that doesn’t take a “thanks” well, then please don’t stop us for doing such because if you will not allow an individual to say thanks then you become a thief and rob them of something that is rightful to do and certainly appropriate. When was the last time you said thanks to a teacher that has no idea they made a difference in your education. I cannot help but remember Mrs. Dorothy Engle, my first grade teacher, and Mrs. Carter, my second grade teacher at Arjay Elementary School. What a difference they made. I recall their gentleness, soft words and encouragement in accomplishing task age appropriate that are sometimes difficult to master when you are a little one. Remember early days are a good thing and honoring new friends in our new days is just as good. I’ve got new friends that have been a blessing that I need to say thanks to. I realize that for some individuals they don’t have any new friends, basically they have the same friends they have always had. There are a lot of ways to make new friends. If works takes you away from home, there is a chance plus you can deal with a little “home sickness” better if you don’t stay cooped up and in your own little world. Travels on vacations and weekend experiences create a great chance to meet new folks, after all, saying hello might just lead you to a better understanding of how small the world really is, and you may just have friends in common that you would never have discovered if you didn’t say hello, or ask, “how are you”.
Jeremy Skiles and his wife Sarah are two friends that have earned my respect this past year. They will say I am not wrapped all that tight, so please, no one agree with them, they need no encouragement along these lines, ha, ha. Melissa Steapleton is just as dandy and we always have a great time laughing and hanging out, but don’t hold it against her, she from Indiana. Evan Miller is another new comer that has earned a word of thanks as he is a great listener and the perfect birthday planner. Evan is from that other end of Kentucky in Murray, so I could just write that he’s from Missouri but I know he will smile with me as I say thanks in this endeavor. Chris Merrifield from Knoxville, Tennessee has become a great friend and someone that I must say thanks to for being genuine and real in a world that is so often filled with the disingenuous. My final salute to new friends must be Phil and Donna Mitchell. Phil loves bluegrass music so you know he’s in my circle of friends and Donna makes the best homemade spaghetti, so she “cook of the year”.
Not sure who you need to say thanks to, or by what method you will choose to honor those that you love and appreciate, but there is no better time then now, as we celebrate the Season of Thanks.
Until then
How about silent thanks which we can express in a way that the recipient doesn’t know who the surprise has come from? When was the last time you received something but you didn’t know from whom? It will make you walk around in such as way as to be nice to everyone, wanting to express your thanks to all, not knowing whom to personally acknowledge for your gift. That type of living is really not an inappropriate way to live at all, actually, it would make us much more grateful and just imagine how different the world would be if we lived that way…exciting huh? How about a real word of thanks where you write a personal note to someone and it wasn’t produced by some committee or hallmark greeting card writer. A note I personally cherish is one written to me by Stephen Cawood. It was on a simple index type card with his name on it that expressed his thoughts and it meant so much then, and still does today. I am certain he has no idea of the impact of his note a couple years ago and how that encourages me. How about picking up a food bill for someone that is eating at a restaurant or stepping up to the fast food counter and saying, I’ve got this. There might be a little bit of, “no” at first, but just be firm, this is what you are doing and I’m sure the worker will take your card or cash and you can say thanks that way, and I know that will make a difference.
Over the years I have always attempted to be someone that said thanks, but there are some folks that I wish I had said thanks to more often then I have. If you are someone that doesn’t take a “thanks” well, then please don’t stop us for doing such because if you will not allow an individual to say thanks then you become a thief and rob them of something that is rightful to do and certainly appropriate. When was the last time you said thanks to a teacher that has no idea they made a difference in your education. I cannot help but remember Mrs. Dorothy Engle, my first grade teacher, and Mrs. Carter, my second grade teacher at Arjay Elementary School. What a difference they made. I recall their gentleness, soft words and encouragement in accomplishing task age appropriate that are sometimes difficult to master when you are a little one. Remember early days are a good thing and honoring new friends in our new days is just as good. I’ve got new friends that have been a blessing that I need to say thanks to. I realize that for some individuals they don’t have any new friends, basically they have the same friends they have always had. There are a lot of ways to make new friends. If works takes you away from home, there is a chance plus you can deal with a little “home sickness” better if you don’t stay cooped up and in your own little world. Travels on vacations and weekend experiences create a great chance to meet new folks, after all, saying hello might just lead you to a better understanding of how small the world really is, and you may just have friends in common that you would never have discovered if you didn’t say hello, or ask, “how are you”.
Jeremy Skiles and his wife Sarah are two friends that have earned my respect this past year. They will say I am not wrapped all that tight, so please, no one agree with them, they need no encouragement along these lines, ha, ha. Melissa Steapleton is just as dandy and we always have a great time laughing and hanging out, but don’t hold it against her, she from Indiana. Evan Miller is another new comer that has earned a word of thanks as he is a great listener and the perfect birthday planner. Evan is from that other end of Kentucky in Murray, so I could just write that he’s from Missouri but I know he will smile with me as I say thanks in this endeavor. Chris Merrifield from Knoxville, Tennessee has become a great friend and someone that I must say thanks to for being genuine and real in a world that is so often filled with the disingenuous. My final salute to new friends must be Phil and Donna Mitchell. Phil loves bluegrass music so you know he’s in my circle of friends and Donna makes the best homemade spaghetti, so she “cook of the year”.
Not sure who you need to say thanks to, or by what method you will choose to honor those that you love and appreciate, but there is no better time then now, as we celebrate the Season of Thanks.
Until then
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Thanks: Bill Cox; Nathan Zettler; Mike Ernst; Ken Fritz; Dr. Samuel B Patterson;
When you love the month of November as I do, I just can’t wait to write about my Thanksgivings and as has become one of my traditions, a chance to write my thanks about people who have influenced my life and folks that I am thankful to God for their lives, witness and friendship. Since I began this type of public thanksgiving for friends I have been amazed by those that are taken back when they see their name in print and me publically acknowledging their influence and my thanks and appreciation for their impact in my personal life. I believe it is very important that we practice such a moment in our lives as people need to hear a witness if you will, or a testimony about what we have observed in their lives and the difference they have made in ours because they gave, shared, or extended friendship.
Friendship is no easy thing. Early times in my life I would have thought that having friends is easy, and while the Bible says to have friends, one must show themselves to be friendly, that alone doesn’t give us a promise that we will have friends, but it does give us a beginning point to establish friends. I have been blessed to have had the influence of mentors in my life that really made a difference.
Dr. Samuel Benjamin Patterson. He was the Bishop of the AME Zion Church and the District that covers Eastern Tennessee. “Dean” was a person that always smiled, and he didn’t believe in taking up the tithes and offerings in church using plates. He taught that plates just don’t hold much, and to prove his point he would say go to the buffet line and you will come to a point where you just can’t put anymore on, even if you want to. He liked taking up tithes and offerings using baskets, and he believe in big baskets, “harder to fill” I can still hear him say, when thinking about a congregation, but “no problem” for God, he taught me. He preached several times at the Horse Creek Road Baptist Church in Corbin, and while he was from Morristown, Tennessee, he had a real love for the folks in the land of blue, and his spirit was one you just could not get enough of. He died at the age of 42 and is missed by this student quite often as I travel down life highway.
Bill Cox, the leader of a ministry called Concoxions, and located in South Carolina is the first person to teach me that Jesus Christ wanted a personal relationship with me. I was just a child at 8 years of age when he would pick me up in a station wagon and take me to Vacation Bible School at Crockett, Kentucky, when the coal camp was still booming back in the 1970’s. This effort grew from the heart of Dr. Alastar Walker, who served as Pastor of the First Baptist Church Middlesboro in the 1960’s, before he became pastor of the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and served there over 30 years. I am so thankful to Bill because when the entire world around me falls and crumbles I am reminded that I have something that no man can take away, my personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and Bill introduced me to that guy named Jesus!
In this modern age of living, I have three friends that can only be mentioned as a group. I can speak of them individually and their accomplishments, but when it comes to friendship and what they and their families have extended to me, they all three stand tall and on the same level in my world. Nathan Zettler, a police officer in Hamilton Ohio, Michael Ernst, a corporate representative in Louisville, KY, and Ken Fritz, an executive with Northern Kentucky University are true friends, tried, tested and passed! Hard to think about how my life would be without tried and tested friends who have your front, back and every side as a part of their friendship.
November is a great month to sit down, do some reflection, think about your life, where you have been, and where you are headed, and who is going with you on that journey. The course of life itself lends to moments that are marked historically in your life that cannot be repeated or traveled again. Moments that you will never be able to live again, but moments cherish in your memory bank forever. To be thankful for the friendship once shared and to look for the new ones that are developing around you daily are all a part of this thing called life.
Until then
Friendship is no easy thing. Early times in my life I would have thought that having friends is easy, and while the Bible says to have friends, one must show themselves to be friendly, that alone doesn’t give us a promise that we will have friends, but it does give us a beginning point to establish friends. I have been blessed to have had the influence of mentors in my life that really made a difference.
Dr. Samuel Benjamin Patterson. He was the Bishop of the AME Zion Church and the District that covers Eastern Tennessee. “Dean” was a person that always smiled, and he didn’t believe in taking up the tithes and offerings in church using plates. He taught that plates just don’t hold much, and to prove his point he would say go to the buffet line and you will come to a point where you just can’t put anymore on, even if you want to. He liked taking up tithes and offerings using baskets, and he believe in big baskets, “harder to fill” I can still hear him say, when thinking about a congregation, but “no problem” for God, he taught me. He preached several times at the Horse Creek Road Baptist Church in Corbin, and while he was from Morristown, Tennessee, he had a real love for the folks in the land of blue, and his spirit was one you just could not get enough of. He died at the age of 42 and is missed by this student quite often as I travel down life highway.
Bill Cox, the leader of a ministry called Concoxions, and located in South Carolina is the first person to teach me that Jesus Christ wanted a personal relationship with me. I was just a child at 8 years of age when he would pick me up in a station wagon and take me to Vacation Bible School at Crockett, Kentucky, when the coal camp was still booming back in the 1970’s. This effort grew from the heart of Dr. Alastar Walker, who served as Pastor of the First Baptist Church Middlesboro in the 1960’s, before he became pastor of the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and served there over 30 years. I am so thankful to Bill because when the entire world around me falls and crumbles I am reminded that I have something that no man can take away, my personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and Bill introduced me to that guy named Jesus!
In this modern age of living, I have three friends that can only be mentioned as a group. I can speak of them individually and their accomplishments, but when it comes to friendship and what they and their families have extended to me, they all three stand tall and on the same level in my world. Nathan Zettler, a police officer in Hamilton Ohio, Michael Ernst, a corporate representative in Louisville, KY, and Ken Fritz, an executive with Northern Kentucky University are true friends, tried, tested and passed! Hard to think about how my life would be without tried and tested friends who have your front, back and every side as a part of their friendship.
November is a great month to sit down, do some reflection, think about your life, where you have been, and where you are headed, and who is going with you on that journey. The course of life itself lends to moments that are marked historically in your life that cannot be repeated or traveled again. Moments that you will never be able to live again, but moments cherish in your memory bank forever. To be thankful for the friendship once shared and to look for the new ones that are developing around you daily are all a part of this thing called life.
Until then
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Presidential Election 2008 - In the future writing!
The Election Day has passed; we have a new President of the United States of American and their name is_________? As I write this column in advance, currently I am reading the papers, watching the television, listening to talk radio and counting the days down to Tuesday, and that would be this past Tuesday (Nov 4th) actually. Speculation of who will be elected and reports of all the different poles about who is leading here and about how this lead has changed there are everywhere, and it could just be that even though the Election Day has passed the election could be in question, if we have lawsuits filed protesting or questioning the results.
Writing into the future is fun, and it could be that while I am thinking this column will be published the week of the Presidential Election, it could very well be that the world has ended and no one will ever read these, my famous last words? I am prepared for the end of the world spiritually speaking. My faith in Jesus Christ has me ready for His return, whenever He has set for that occurrence to begin. I feel like writing that I am not ready for the world to end if that happens some other way then my preparations have prepared me, spiritually. Certainly for some who are dug into their political parties I guess this election will either brings “WE DID IT” or “2012”. As a Christian, I have not placed my faith, hope or eternal thoughts in a political party. While I have voted already and I am pleased with my selection, my world will not end if my choice doesn’t win this election.
Talking about writing into the future, as I am writing this column now, there are already talks about the election in 2012. I’ve heard talks about Hillary, talks about the lady from Alaska, talks about party platforms and the mistakes that have been made by these two major parties in America during this past election. I found some humor actually in listening to politicians I have observed all my life talk about working across party lines. When I watch republican advertisements with democrats saying that this candidate believed in all of Kentucky, I smiled. It was interesting to watch politicians who have always been down the line democrat and republican all of a sudden talking about working with everyone and for everyone, I had to smile and I believe you should have been smiling too.
What needs to happen is that the next time one of our elected officials say well the democrats stopped this, or the republicans brought this to a halt in committee, we citizens should rise up and find a way to remove them from office, crying shame for playing politics with our lives through legislation, funding and representation. I doubt this will happen but it should. Americans should cry out for honest representation that says who individually and stops mentioning a group that is always easy to blame or pin the problem on. Finding solutions does require working together. No one wants credit for the bail out, the economic conditions or any association with these problems, but it falls where it falls, on Congress, so no excuses, just responsibility and accountability.
Our Nation was founded on Christian Principals and there are always folks who will say no, this is not true, but it is, we are a nation founded on God, the Holy Bible and our nation has always been best served when those principals were followed by our elected leadership. Instead, greed, corruption, and self interest are the standards of the day. Real leadership and vision are two characteristics that are founded on service. The days seem to have passed when people do because they want to serve, but if we look closely those individuals are still out there, still attempting to make a difference by giving of themselves. While I don’t know who is elected as I write this today, when I read this column in the paper I will know, but I will also know one other thing too. The best of America has nothing to do with misplaced faith in parties, positions or platforms. The best of America has to do with loving our neighbor as ourselves and loving the Lord thy God with all your heart. When that happens in America, our economic crisis will still not be solved, but there will be a peace that passes all understanding that will carry you through any time, any situation, or any conditions we might face.
Until then
Writing into the future is fun, and it could be that while I am thinking this column will be published the week of the Presidential Election, it could very well be that the world has ended and no one will ever read these, my famous last words? I am prepared for the end of the world spiritually speaking. My faith in Jesus Christ has me ready for His return, whenever He has set for that occurrence to begin. I feel like writing that I am not ready for the world to end if that happens some other way then my preparations have prepared me, spiritually. Certainly for some who are dug into their political parties I guess this election will either brings “WE DID IT” or “2012”. As a Christian, I have not placed my faith, hope or eternal thoughts in a political party. While I have voted already and I am pleased with my selection, my world will not end if my choice doesn’t win this election.
Talking about writing into the future, as I am writing this column now, there are already talks about the election in 2012. I’ve heard talks about Hillary, talks about the lady from Alaska, talks about party platforms and the mistakes that have been made by these two major parties in America during this past election. I found some humor actually in listening to politicians I have observed all my life talk about working across party lines. When I watch republican advertisements with democrats saying that this candidate believed in all of Kentucky, I smiled. It was interesting to watch politicians who have always been down the line democrat and republican all of a sudden talking about working with everyone and for everyone, I had to smile and I believe you should have been smiling too.
What needs to happen is that the next time one of our elected officials say well the democrats stopped this, or the republicans brought this to a halt in committee, we citizens should rise up and find a way to remove them from office, crying shame for playing politics with our lives through legislation, funding and representation. I doubt this will happen but it should. Americans should cry out for honest representation that says who individually and stops mentioning a group that is always easy to blame or pin the problem on. Finding solutions does require working together. No one wants credit for the bail out, the economic conditions or any association with these problems, but it falls where it falls, on Congress, so no excuses, just responsibility and accountability.
Our Nation was founded on Christian Principals and there are always folks who will say no, this is not true, but it is, we are a nation founded on God, the Holy Bible and our nation has always been best served when those principals were followed by our elected leadership. Instead, greed, corruption, and self interest are the standards of the day. Real leadership and vision are two characteristics that are founded on service. The days seem to have passed when people do because they want to serve, but if we look closely those individuals are still out there, still attempting to make a difference by giving of themselves. While I don’t know who is elected as I write this today, when I read this column in the paper I will know, but I will also know one other thing too. The best of America has nothing to do with misplaced faith in parties, positions or platforms. The best of America has to do with loving our neighbor as ourselves and loving the Lord thy God with all your heart. When that happens in America, our economic crisis will still not be solved, but there will be a peace that passes all understanding that will carry you through any time, any situation, or any conditions we might face.
Until then
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