Watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. — Acts 20:28 (NIV) January 2015 Number 1501 It is customary at this season to look back at the year just ended— to remember the most significant events, and rejoice in the Lord’s Blessings. Our search for the top story didn’t have to search very far this year. On the Sunday a er Christmas, the Pastor Nomina ng Commi ee announced the candidate to be nominated as our next pastor. He is Shawn Carafa, a graduate of California University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English, and a 2011 graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary, with a Master of Divinity degree. He is a ‘Candidate Under Care’ in the Presbytery of the East, and is currently serving as Youth Director for an EPC congrega on in Glenmoore, Pennsylvania. Shawn has been married to Meg for more than ten years. They have three children, and a blessed event an cipated in January. Shawn’s status as a candidate under care is part of the preparatory process for prospec ve Ministers of the Word and Sacrament. A candidate under care will be counseled, instructed, and examined, by the Presbytery Candidate Good News is the monthly newsletter of the Attica-Williamsport Evangelical Presbyterian Church 300 East Main Street Attica, Indiana 47918 George Ellsworth, Editor (765) 762-3606 [email protected] Church Office (765) 762-2381 Mark Mason Clerk of Session [email protected] www.atticapres.org Copyright © 2015, Attica-Williamsport Evangelical Presbyterian Church, All rights reserved For information regarding reprints or permission to copy, contact the editor. Annual Meeting of the Congregation Session has established 12:00 Noon, January 25, 2015 for the annual mee ng of the congrega on. At this mee ng, we will elect oﬃcers for 2015, receive 2014 Annual Reports, and conduct any other business that may be brought before the congrega on. The nomina ng commi ee will present a slate of candidates for the oﬃcer vacancies to be filled. Nomina ons may also be made from the floor, provided the candidate to be nominated shall have previously agreed to serve if elected. This is the annual mee ng of the corpora on as prescribed by law, so any business of the church Meeting Continued on page 3 Continued on page 5) In This Issue AWEPC Youth ............................ 2 Session Highlights ...................... 3 Ken & Kendra Doutt .................... 3 Jeff Edwards ............................... 4 Cupboard Corner...................... 5 Chosen People .......................... 6 Survive, Thrive, Even in This Economy......................... 6 New Year’s Resolutions.............. 7 Good News Page 2 As 2014 comes to a close, it is hard not to look back and reflect on the year as a whole. There have been so many changes, challenges, and blessings for our youth ministry. Many of the greatest challenges for the youth ministry this year in particular have come from the very lives of the youth themselves. They have faced many struggles in 2014. In this year alone, I have counseled our youth on suicide, self‐harm, bullying, running away, dating violence, parental abandonment, grief, and a multitude of other family related challenges. #1501 The reality is, life hurts! And teenage life seems to be drama zed and amplified and kids need an audience and an ear. Every student in our youth group is a day away— or one decision removed from— the pain that’s hiding around the corner ready to invade. That is why youth ministry is important. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank this congrega on for all of the support that you have shown to the youth ministry this year. Thank you for your me, your financial support, your kind words, your hospitality, and your prayers. I thank God for all of you in my > prayers— and wish you all a very happy 2015! Good News Page 3 #1501 Highlights of the Stated Meeting of Session Compelled By Compassion December 18, 2014 The Stated Mee ng of the A ca‐Williamsport Evangelical Presbyterian Church, A ca, IN was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on December 18, 2014 by the Moderator, Rob Eyman, in the church basement. The mee ng was opened with prayer by Rob Eyman and the ruling elders present. Members present: Moderator, Rob Eyman; Ruling Elders: George Ellsworth, Jerry Watson, Ray Smyth, and Allen Baird cons tu ng a quorum. The agenda and minutes of the November mee ng were approved as distributed. Mandi Thompson’s report of last month’s youth ac vi es was received. We will not send a commissioner to the 154th Presbytery mee ng at Ward EPC in Northville, MI on February 20‐21 due to travel distance and expense. Next prayer mee ng will be January 4 following a noon lunch. Prayer Leader a er worship service: January 4 Mark Mason and Mandi Thompson January 11 George and Jane Ellsworth January 18 Allen Baird and Jo Ann Koekenberg January 25 Jerry and Mary Watson There were 52 communicants at the December 7 worship service. November a endance: 55, 48, 49, 50, and 60. Average: 52.4 January Pulpit Supply: January 4 – Don Williams January 11 – Mandi Thompson January 18 – Don Williams January 25 ‐ Open Received Summary Financial Reports from Brenda Gates and George Ellsworth The Sacrament of Holy Communion will be celebrated on January 4, 2015, to be served by Mark Mason and Allen Baird. Approved the 2015 church budget. Changed the date of Robert Walker’s visit from March 25 to March 18, 2015. Set the annual mee ng of the corpora on for January 25, 2015 fat 12:00 Noon, or the purpose of annual reports and the elec on of 2015 church oﬃcers. The next Regular Mee ng of Session will be January 15, 2015, at 7:00 PM. The mee ng was adjourned with prayer at 8:48 p.m. Mark W. Mason, Clerk > Dec 2014 “For Christ’s love compels us...” — 2 Corinthians 5:14 Ken & Kendra Dou , Nicaragua The words “Thank you” will never be enough to express our thanks to each of YOU. You have literally walked through the dark streets of Managua, traveled down river in dugout canoes and scavenged through the dumps of Nicaragua for all of 2014 with our family. You have been hand in hand with us as God has helped us reach the least of these. You helped us build the children’s center in Emanuel, San Benito that is a place of refuge, hope and soon to be the future site of a sewing school for young women. You laid brick over brick to complete the church in El Limonal, Rivas, that is now reaching 6 bordering communi es with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. You provided 10 camps, where hundreds of children were bussed across country for a 3‐day encounter with the one and only, Jesus Christ. You fed 20,000 children daily that suﬀer from hunger and malnutri on. Children who face greater trials and tragedy on a daily basis than most of us will experience in a life me. Compelled Meeting Continued on page 5) Continued from page 1 may properly be presented from the floor. It is considered good form to no fy Clerk of Session Mark Mason of any such business not listed above prior to the mee ng, so that a place on the docket can be allo ed. Ministry Moderators and organiza on chairmen must submit annual reports to the Clerk not later than Sunday, January 11, to allow me for compiling and prin ng. We plan to distribute the annual report package Sunday January 18 for examina on prior to the mee ng. The clerk prefers reports to be submi ed via email or other electronic means whenever possible. Typewri en reports (that can be scanned) are second choice. > Good News Page 4 Jeffry Edwards —12-15-14 I’ve procras nated about sending you a quick update on my last trip... to Mexico in Nov. So, I’ll do it succinctly as we all seem to have less me at this me of year. The meetings with church leadership were tense, at times, due to the sensitive nature of the decisions being weighed. However, in spite of this, the #1501 A man walked into a bar with a thirteen-inch tiger salamander on his shoulder. The barmaid admired the creature, noting it’s startling coloration and unusual size. “What’s his name?” “Tiny,” said the man. “How come you call him Tiny?” inquired the barmaid. “Because he's my newt,” the man answered. > atmosphere was always positive, trusting and God‐seeking. So, our prayers were answered. The small denomination we work with in Mexico still has a lot of maturing to do but the path forward is positive and clearer. Thanks for praying. My continued prayer request is simply for wisdom for future contact, direction and counsel. I was blessed by Francisco (see picture of us on the bb court at 7AM). What an encouraging tes mony of how God changes lives. He went to juvenile deten on for the first me at 9 years of age. A er that he spent 16 total years in jail for various crimes: armed robbery, drugs, etc. He was shot several mes. Now, due to God’s Grace, he is a pastor and shares his faith with everyone. I was humbled, encouraged, challenged, and grateful to God. Our God is awesome! Pictures: Ñ With Cossle family (Field Director in Mexico) Í With Francisco Thanks for your prayers. And, Merry CHRISTmas! Jeﬀ PS: Pray that God will guide us in regards to our support acct with OMS. We’ve been losing ground for three straight months and we’re very close to going in the red. We’re not concerned, but looking for His direc on. My request to you: pray that He will guide. Jeﬀry Max Edwards, DMin Int’l Regional Director, L. A. and Caribbean One Mission Society Want to support Jeﬀ & Laura with your treasure? h ps://onemissionsociety.org/give/TheEdwardes1 > Good News Page 5 At a recent funeral dinner, there was a vegetable casserole that received much posi ve comment, and more than a few requests for the recipe. The recipe requests were all verbal— as were the promises of fulfillment— and Yogi Berra explained the value of verbal contracts* many years ago. However, since the culinary ar st who produced the tasty marvel lives at my house, I have determined that the fulfillment of those promises is best discharged here in this space. If I promised you the recipe and you are not reading this newsle er, then I suggest that you correct your oversight immediately. It’s the only way to be sure your get what you were promised. If you didn’t ask for the recipe and you ARE reading this, then consider it a freebie bonus. As you may have guessed by now, the delightful casserole came from Jane Ellsworth’s kitchen. There were a few leftovers after the dinner, but two servings (and meager morsels they were) finished them off at supper that evening. And the good news is, it’s easy enough to make that I could probably do it (but don’t tell Jane). No ce that this recipe is listed as “Crowd” pleasing. It’s two pounds of vegetables, nearly two pounds of soup, and nearly a pound of cheese and sour cream. It says it will serve twelve. Compelled Continued from page 3 You helped us get thousands of children into school for the very first me. They now have an opportunity to receive an educa on and rise up out of the cycle of poverty they con nue to live in. You made it possible for us to train, equip, and send out 15 young people to reach the lost in other countries around the world. You have put every available resource in our hands and encouraged our hearts. You have prayed for us fervently and given sacrificially. We have seen God eﬀec vely use you to help fulfill the Great Commission. May God bless each of you beyond measure. May He do exceedingly, abundantly above all that you ever asked and imagined and may He mul ply every sacrifice that you have made to help spread the Gospel across Nicaragua to those who have not yet heard. Much love, Ken & Kendra, Kaden, Kaleb & KyAnna [email protected] > #1501 Crowd Pleasing Vegetable Casserole Ingredients: 1 — 26 ounce can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (or 3 10 oz. cans) 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (about 8 ounces) 2 /3 cup sour cream ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 — 16 ounce bags frozen California vegetable blend (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots), cooked and drained 6‐8 ounces French Fried Onions (about 22/3 cups) Direc ons: S r the soup, 1 cup cheese, sour cream, black pepper, vegetables, and half of the onions in a 3‐quart shallow baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes or un l the vegetable mixture is hot and bubbling. S r the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and onions. Bake for 5 more minutes or un l the onions are golden brown. In the unlikely event that there are le overs, refrigerate as soon as possible. Rehea ng in the microwave degrades the delight only slightly. > *Verbal contracts aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. —Yogi Berra Candidate Continued from page 1 Candidates Commi ee— through a mentor, and collec vely by the commi ee. We do not yet have a time‐line for the sequence of events that will culminate in Shawn’s ordination and installation as our pastor. We will have a better handle on the time frame after we consult with Presbytery now that the holidays are over. We will provide more information as it becomes available. For now, REJOICE! Pray for Shawn, Meg, Colton, Summer, and Oliver. Pray for a safe delivery, for journey mercies for the necessary travel, and for a mely beginning for Shawn’s ministry in A ca. > Ken & Kendra (nee Kendra Lange) Doutt are missionaries to Nicaragua, with Assemblies of God World Missions. Kendra is an Attica native, the daughter of Harvey & Kathi Lange. Good News Page 6 12‐29‐14 Shalom in His peace! Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas! As you probably know, we are in the midst of an outreach campaign in Israel using the prophecy of the Suﬀering Servant in Isaiah 53, which shows how Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise. We have a website, and have given away hundreds of books to Jewish Israelis who have requested a free copy. Addi onally, about 200,000+ Israelis have watched the first of our video tes monies on the site. This is wonderful, and we have been following up with those who have responded. Recently, I received a note from the brother who is coordina ng the campaign in Israel, and I wanted to share this with you… I le the note as it was sent to me without any edi ng! “I’m from Tel-Aviv. As you can imagine, as a child I’ve been taught false things about Yeshua. Two days ago, we’ve learned in history class about how a new religion started (Christianity). I was surprised to hear how much compassion Yeshua had.” “The next day, there was an advertisement on YouTube of your video. I always ignore the ads and click ‘next’, but I decided to watch the whole thing. It got my attention, so I decided to watch all 52 of your videos!” (produced by our friends at Israel College of the Bible) “I made a decision that truth is with you, and that Rabbinic-Judaism is full of agendas, false teachings, and man-made religion.” “I don’t have a unique story to tell; I didn’t have a special revelation or a conversation with God, but I saw the truth and I cannot look back... It’s important to me to live in truth, and not in a lie. Although I’m still in high school, and I don’t know any messianic Jews, and I know people will tease me and be upset with me if they knew that I #1501 How can you survive, and even thrive, in our current economy? It can be done! Here are 10 valuable, prac cal sugges ons for construc ve change from your friends at Crown: 1. Priori ze ge ng out of debt. Make sure you don’t compromise your home or your transporta on. 2. Nego ate with creditors as needed. Be proac ve. Seek a mee ng with them to make payment arrangements rather than wai ng un l you miss payments and they come looking for you. 3. Downsize and reduce your lifestyle costs if it puts you in a be er cash posi on. 4. Pay extra whenever you can to reach payoﬀ dates sooner. 5. Have a garage sale on EBay or Craigslist to generate extra cash— to pay down debt or to increase savings. 6. Learn to garden; use fresh vegetables and fruit when in season to save food costs. 7. Cancel cable/satellite. Purchase an antenna and watch network TV for free, or consider Internet streaming services for a much smaller monthly fee. Be er yet, forego TV altogether: read books, play games, or share coﬀee with friends. Crown Continued on page 7 now believe in Yeshua, it’s important to me to find out more and live as a follower of Yeshua”. I wept a er reading this note, as this is what my life and Chosen People Ministries is all about! The Lord is faithful. Please remember to pray for our work among the Jewish people around the globe. Thank you again for your generous support which helps make these joyous events, such as the one above, possible. Your brother, Mitch Glaser > Good News Page 7 —Elder George Ellsworth, Editor As usual, we have heard much in the last week about New Year’s Resolutions. According to the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology, the most popular resolution for 2014 was ‘Lose Weight.’ This perennial favorite— losing pounds or some variation thereof— is in the top ten of virtually every list, including Twitter. Approximately 45% of the study respondents usually make resolutions, and another 17% sometimes do. That leaves 38% who eschew the whole resolution process. Brings to mind the 1980 Mac Davis hit, “Oh Lord it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way.” Another item on most top‐ten lists is some form of ge ng a handle on finances— and by extension, a handle on debt. A recent email from Crown Financial Ministries hit this topic squarely on the head. It provided some prac cal and promising sugges ons for solving the pecuniary problems that plague so many of us. We have reproduced the email star ng on page 6, because it’s good advice. Unfortunately, like most good advice, it’s easier to give than to take. Crown’s #1 sugges on is to make ge ng out of debt a top priority. We know that the borrower is servant to the lender (Prov. 22:7), and debt is the yoke the borrower wears, while the lender rides in the wagon. There is a warning built into the ‘a en on to debt’ admoni on: don’t jeopardize your home, or your transportation. It is a common trap that home equity loans, and even automobile equity loans, are touted as Crown Continued from page 6 8. Explore bartering to save on major expenses. 9. Pay your bills faithfully. Making your payments on or before the due date is a posi ve tes mony to your creditors and a good example to your family and neighbors. 10. Learn to be content (1 Timothy 6:6‐9). Finally, as the Lord enables you, be generous! Be open to opportuni es to give faithfully to the work of Christ. As fear about the economy increases, we find that thes, oﬀerings, and other charitable giving tend to decline — at the very me the need for ministry is the greatest. I also invite you to join an online Crown Community, to receive financial insight and hope in the midst of this unstable economy. Visit us online at: Crown Financial Ministries h p://www.crown.org/ God bless you! > #1501 the solu on to untenable debt. Unfortunately, tapping your home (and/or automobile) equity for a quick‐fix is a fool’s errand. It transfers the debt from ‘unsecured liability’ to a second mortgage— and then either mortgage can be foreclosed for missed payments. This can easily leave the borrower homeless, or even a homeless pedestrian. The fu lity of borrowing your way out of debt is not unlike digging your way out of a pit— with a ver cal boring machine. Other sugges ons include downsizing your life‐style, selling non‐essen al possessions, and unplugging your cable or satellite TV service. The tenth item on the Crown list is learning to be content (Philippians 4:12). The secret of that is to cul vate thankfulness for what you have, which (with prac ce) will replace your hankering for what you have not. At the end of Crown’s list of ten, we find an un‐numbered item eleven. Oddly enough, it did not make the top ten cut, but it should have: “As the Lord enables you, be generous.” Of all that God’s Word has to say about financial management, this direc ve is probably the most counter‐intui ve. In our bean‐coun ng culture, it is considered foolishness to give away your hard‐earned resources— and yet the scriptures direct us to do exactly that. Bring in your the, give to the poor, lend without interest (or even expecta on of repayment). Give to those who ask (Luke 6:30), pay liberally those who labor in your fields (or serve at your table), and do not neglect the oﬀering of your first fruits. Any CPA could tell you that giving away your dough will leave less for you. Mathema cally, this would appear to be inescapably true. But the Lord of the harvest is also Lord of the larder. Before you discount God’s Word (Malachi 3:10), find a chef who has made sourdough bread (or ‘friendship’ bread), and ask what happens when you divide your yeast with your neighbor. This business of generosity is a mainstay of the Body of Christ. It not only feeds, clothes, and shelters the poor; it supports missionaries, pays the church gas and electric bills, cleans the building, puts candles on the communion table, buys supplies, and pays the Youth Director and the Pastor. If God’s people skimp on their thes and oﬀerings, some of these things don’t get done. Remember the chicken wing. If my income last week was one chicken, my the is approximately one chicken wing— and I do not get to take a bite of the wing first. A er all, I already ate the rest of the chicken… We are about to begin a pastoral rela onship with a man who has a wife and (soon to be) four children. Their support is dependent on God— and God has chosen to supply that support through your generosity. And remember, generosity means much more than just ‘liberal.’ It means liberal, without hesita on or reserva on, and without resentment. God loves [blesses] a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). No grouches need apply. Resolu ons, anyone? > Attica-Williamsport Evangelical Presbyterian Church 300 East Main Street Attica, Indiana 47918 Address Service Requested 01-02-2015 «Fdata» Anniversaries for January Birthdays for January DOB Name ------ ---------------------1/01 1/13 1/13 1/15 1/16 1/16 1/19 1/23 1/24 1/25 1/26 1/28 1/29 1/30 Jo Ann Koekenberg Katie Cesar Steven Smyth Linda Brown Teresa James Martha Pugh Janet Booth Charity Shettle Noah Thompson Kimberly Hecht Forrest Booth Kyle Luth Hayden Nichols Andrew Booth Anniversary Date Number Celebrating Couple ----------- --------- --------------------------------1/04/07 8 1/21/66 1/22/72 49 43 Mr. & Mrs. (nee Katie Edwards) Thiago Cesar Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Childress Mr. & Mrs. Mark Mason Sunday: Sunday School Fellowship Coffee Morning Worship Jr.-Sr. Hi Youth Group Every First Sunday Fellowship Dinner and Congregational Prayer 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 10:30 AM 6:30 PM 12:00 Noon Weekly Small Group Meetings— Call for Schedules and locations Note: Please send Birthday or Anniversary corrections to the editor, in writing, by e-mail if possible.