Christmas Characters

Merry Christmas

from

Mary, Joseph, three shepherds, an angel and the rest of Kidz Church.

May the Lord richly bless your homes this season and in the coming year, and may you grow in the knowledge of Him.

Merry Christmas

Storefront display- NYC

The day is finally upon us!

All the scurrying around will soon cease and people will settle down and enjoy the holiday, hopefully by enjoying one another exchanging gifts, around a meal, looking at decorations, and attending a church service.



We want to wish you all the merriest of Christmases



Pastor P, Pastor Ben, & Lucie

If I Were To Do A Message on Cleanlinesss . . . .

. . . . it might start with a good story like this one:

Can Cold Water Clean Dishes?

John went to visit his 90 year old grandfather in a very secluded, rural area of Arkansas.

After spending a great evening chatting the night away, John's grandfather prepared breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. However, John noticed a film-like substance on his plate, and questioned his grandfather asking, "Are these plates clean?"

His grandfather replied, "They're as clean as cold water can get them. Just you go ahead and finish your meal, Sonny!"

For lunch the old man made hamburgers.

Again, John was concerned about the plates, as his appeared to have tiny specks around the edge that looked like dried egg and asked, "Are you sure these plates are clean?"

Without looking up the old man said, "I told you before, Sonny, those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them. Now don't you fret, I don't want to hear another word about it!"

Later that afternoon, John was on his way to a nearby town and as he was leaving, his grandfather's dog started to growl, and wouldn't let him pass. John yelled and said, "Grandfather, your dog won't let me get to my car".

Without diverting his attention from the football game he was watching on TV, the old man shouted, "COLDWATER, GO LAY DOWN!!!!"

Meet Coldwater!



Merry Christmas,
Ms. Lucie

Christmas Festivities

It is almost Dec. 25th, and with this joyous holiday comes the annual tradition of parties in Missionettes and Rangers on the Wednesday before Christmas. The girls have been busy shopping in the Missionettes Store over the past month, and will this week enjoy a time of games, activities and crafts, and food. The boys will shop this week at the Ranger cabin while also enjoying a time of shopping and fellowship. Neither the Rangers nor the Missionettes will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 26.

Merry Christmas to all!

Speed the Light and continued success

I love this photo- it makes me think of the old game show, "Let's Make A Deal". And to think that they chose Drew Carey over our own Pastor Ben for "The Price is Right". He would have been so good...

Oh well, their loss is our gain, our continued success and blessing. Once again, Pastor Ben has led the Powerline youth to a great year of ministry and raising funds to provide vehicles for our missionaries around the world.

A final report will be given sometime soon-but for now I can tell you that they raised almost $28,000 this year. Congrats to everyone and a very Merry Christmas to our missionaries.

Pastor P

Mystery Man

Okay, okay, okay. Maybe I don't blog enough, but I'm doing it now. I've been searching for the perfect photo to go along with my entries, and it's taken me a long time. But now, I have one!!!!

Yes sir, you can't get prettier than that!!!

And now for the story behind the picture: we've just begun a great new series in Kidz Church, where the children will explore various ways that biblical characters worshipped Jesus during that very first Christmas. We will be taking a make-believe journey to Mexico during Christmas time, and will learn not only about how they celebrate Christ's birth there, but how we can worship Him here in our own little town of Newark! That fellow photographed above is Mr. Ken Fuchs, acting as Bobby Blunder, a man also journeying to Mexico as part of a short-term missions team, and who is doing everything possible to avoid being part of the group! This week, he told us that he couldn't stand the music the missions team selected, so he decided NOT to join the group during worship time. He ended up taking a very wrong turn on his quest for Acapulco, and we learned that it IS good to worship God in ALL we SAY AND DO!!

The very best thing about this Sunday happened at the very beginning, BEFORE we had even gotten into the new unit. Ms. Faith and I prepared a series of excellent worship songs to set the tone of honoring God with our whole body, mind and soul. There was A LOT of motion in those songs, and they were so catchy and fun that all the kids had smiles on their faces by the time they went back to their seats for the offering prayer. Usually we do 3 or 4 fun songs, and then one or two slower, more sedentary ones during the offering. Also usually, during those slower songs, the kids get kind of distracted with the ushers going up and down the aisles, taking the offering, and they tend to get a little chatty with one another. Ms. Faith and I have to often remind the kids that the offering songs are an excellent opportunity to really focus on God and praise Him for the many wonderful things He has done for us and because He loves us so much. Most kids heed this advice. But there are ALWAYS those who do not.

This week, as Ms. Faith, the Kidz Choir and I stood at the front of the room, with our eyes closed and hands held high, totally immersed in the spirit of true worship, ALL the kids in the room did also!!!!!! Let me restate this, because this is HUGE: ALL the kids were totally tuned into worship! It sounded like an angelic choir and God's spirit was actually felt in that room! At the end of that song (Here I Am To Worship, 4 minutes and 5 seconds) the kids started yelling out: "PLAY IT AGAIN, PLAY IT AGAIN!"

I couldn't believe my ears. Our kids were HUNGRY for MORE worship and they hadn't even heard the message on "worshipping God" yet!

This is what we have been praying for in this room--for the Spirit of God to take over completely in the lives of these kids, for a mighty move of His Spirit to flow in us and through us, and for His presence to shine through us to those around us, so that they too might grow in a deep and meaningful relationship with Him.

It happened yesterday!! And I am totally excited about today and tomorrow!!!
All glory and praise be to HIM!!!

Ms. Lucie has the bestest job in the whole world!!!

Onesimus 3? or 2?

Hey there

Just a quick note- for some reason Lucie Hale has not put any posts to this blog in a long time. She is the third person in Onesimus3. Do us a favor and email her at lucieshines333@comcast.net and URGE her to post something of interest. Her life is so full of good things- I know there is something that she can share. PLEASE EMAIL her today! She probably just needs to know that you care and that you are interested. Without her we are just Onesimus2.

By the way- this is supposed to be a drawing of Paul and the run away slave Onesimus.

Pastor P

It's Christmas time in the City

Recognize the guys in the picture?

One is our own Chuck Parsons and the other is Ruppert G. owner of the Hello Deli and frequent contributor to the David Letterman Show.

This was just one of the sights and stories we have from our trip to NYC this past weekend. 29 of us went and we had a great time.

From feeding the flying rats (also known as pigeons) near Ground Zero to hangin out at Times Square and not buying $3 pretzels or $4 sodas to
touring St Patrick's Cathedral and seeing "The Tree" at Rockefeller Center, it was another chance to make memories and expand horizons for many of our teens.

I love New York and that's not just repeating the famous ad campaign. It's where I grew up, it's where most of my family lives and it's a great place to eat a dozen or so White Castle Burgers, some Chicken rings, egg rolls and some fish nibblers (if you so desire, we didn't).

I love Delaware too. It's where God has called me to work alongside some incredible people to impact our world with the Love of Christ. Unlike Ruppert, most of them may never be famous or pseudo-famous, but they are the ones who make PowerLine Youth Ministries tick and without whom we could not accomplish all that we do.

So thanks to all the Youth Leaders, parents and students who give of their time, talents and so much more.

PB

TIME

Time: The one thing that we cannot buy at the mall or the department store or even online. There is simply no way to get more. And people are feeling the crunch right now with Christmas and New Years quickly approaching. We could all use a little extra time.

Time is God's provision to us, we are to use it wisely. And here is what He has to say about our use of it.

EPHESIANS 5:15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, (redeeming the time) because the days are evil.

And God has plans for our time...
PSALM 139:16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

And here is more great advice-
Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So...I suppose we should not worry about time, how much we have or how quickly it is passing, especially when we know Christ as our Savior. We should remember that the day that we first received Christ and accepted Him as as our Savior was the first day of our New Life which is also the day that we began living Eternal Life. So even when we leave this world of clocks and calendars we still live-but in eternity without the restraints and confines of time.

Try to enjoy the next 31 days before we begin a whole new year of opportunities.

Blessings, Pastor P

Holy Spirit and Paintball

What a great weekend we had at PowerLine.

Friday night we had 110 at our youth service, with 20 first time visitors.

Saturday we had 40 get together to play paintball. Only 27 actually played, but that is a whole other story. Those that eventually played, had a great time and only a few went home with welts or bruises.

Back to Friday.

We have had an emphasis on the Holy Spirit this month and Friday night we taught on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Speaking in tongues. We had a full altar as dozens of students responded to receive more power. Several were filled with the HS and spoke in tongues and other commented that they had never felt God so close and real as they did that night.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of challenging our students to grow in their relationship with God. They are hungry and ready for more and with God's help we will work to disciple and encourage them.

In between, we will have fun and also look for opportunities to let Christ Shine through us in every venue.

Gotta go for now. We are having a "Drive-in" movie in my backyard later this week and I need to do some prep for that.

PB

Happy Thanksgiving

Real Pilgrims at Plimouth Plantation in Massachusetts.

This Thanksgiving let us remember to give thanks for our religious freedom. This was the force that drove these early pioneers to the "new world".

Pastor

Life Is Strange

Well, reflecting over the past month I must say that life is truly strange. One moment I am traveling 7,500 miles (by way of the latest technology) to Africa and ministering (without technology) in a world that is seemingly much more simple than here in the USA. Life in rural Kenya was very basic and uncomplicated. Drinking hot tea that was steeped in water from the most recent rainstorm, eating very simple meals that were prepared over wood fires and cooked out of doors.

Then at the end of a week of ministry to be thrown into the lap of luxury, treated like English colonizers during the turn of the century (early 1900s), gazing at wild animals doing what they do over a forever changing vista on the open savannah of the Masai Mara.

And then to do a "white knuckle" drive to New England to visit and assist aging parents in their last days. And taking the role of guardian and parent of my parents. Total role reversal, after 50 years!

It almost seems like a time machine (note drawing of HG Wells' time machine above) had transported me within three very different venues in only about 3 weeks time. I am not sure of the word, but maybe it is surreal or sublime or maybe strange is as good a choice as any.

Pastor

Safari Photos

Here we are at the "Terminal" at the landing strip at Masai Mara greeted with fresh fruit drinks and even hot coffee
We had our own Land Rover and Driver for the three days

Sunrise from our bed, looking right out to the savannah, when the sun rose higher it revealed zebra and giraffe and wildebeast

Masai tribesmen patrolled the camp perimeter

A group of young male lions napping in the mid morning sun

Hippos lined up like cruise ships

The Crocs were huge

Pumba and her babies

As you can see, we were able to get pretty close to all animals

Magnificent sunset

Out of Africa

Our first dinner meal was in Nakuru at an Ethiopian restaurant- excellent food eaten with your hands.

The next two days were non-stop with a conference in Nakuru for pastors on the topic of Discipleship and Cathy presented healthcare issues to the pastor's wives.

Saturday was a day off watching these two Rhinos square off with one another at Lake Nakuru National Park.

The pink along the shoreline are hundreds of thousands of flamingo



Sunday morning I preached in the Assemblies of God church in Nakuru with Pastor Wallace who serves as the District Superintendent




The last three days of our Africa trip were spent in the Masai Mara at Kichwa Tembo
Here is the view from our dining table

We had luxury tented accomodations

We saw the Big 5, including these elephants crossing the Mara River

More photos in days to come...

Look what I came home to

After arriving home from Africa following a 2 week trip this is what I found in my office. I found a wall full of post-its expressing appreciation and then a desk covered with even more post-its. I never know what will happen to my office whenever I leave town.

Also, while I was gone, the Red Sox won another World Series! And to think that I had an almost complete news black out while I was in Kenya.

Here is a photo of our accomodations while on Safari the last three days of our stay. I will post more photos later. Pastor P

Dentist Appointments and Meeting the President

Who would think that getting to see a dentist would be more involved and harder (it has to be) than meeting the President?

Today ended an odyssey of phone calls, faxes, emails and general frustration to use our Dental insurance to see the dentist. We have had dental for a couple of months now and have had to reschedule appointments a couple of times before success was achieved. The Insurance carrier sends out a roster every month to the office with the names of clients listed, well we were not on "the List". So we were told that we would have to cancel our appointments and reschedule for December when we were on "the List". Problem is that the appointment was for BJ and he needs to go so he can get x-rays taken that can then be used to start him on his journey down the braces trail.

Long story short, we went up the customer service ladder and finally got approved to go, even though we are still not on "the List" we will be added and all is well. So after all the fiasco, BJ now has a dentist appointment Monday at noon and an orthodontist appointment at 2pm. What a fun way to spend an afternoon.

So after our success dealing with that seemingly impossible situation, I am going to start making phone calls to set up a dinner with the President. That should be easier after dealing with an Insurance company.
PB

They Did It!

Just like the last time that they won the World Series against the Yankees, the Sox have come back from a 3-1 deficit and beat the Indians. For me, it could have ended with either team winning, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the Cleveland Indians, or any underdog, or anyone 'cept the Yankees.

Pastor P

Imagine This!

Here is the photo that Pastor Ben wanted you to imagine- the best Quarterback in the NFL- Tom Brady and the UNdefeatable New England Patriots.

Pastor P

Talking Trash and other Discipleship Tools

Pictures can be good on a blog, but sometimes the website won't cooperate and let you put one in. So please close your eyes and imagine a picture of a football player here then continue reading the rest of the post. PB


Sometimes we think of evangelism (telling others the Good News of forgiveness and salvation) and discipleship (helping them grow in their relationship and commitment to God) as overwhelming tasks that should be left up to "professionals". I learned something a long time ago and that is that though knowledge of God's word is vital, our relationships with people are also as important. If you want to be effective for the Kingdom, take time to make connections.

It can be as simple as sticking around after church to talk for a while or finding an area of common interest and spending time with someone.

One of the most enjoyable connectors for me, with several of our teens and leaders, has been our Fantasy Sports Leagues. We are in our second year of football and have also had leagues in baseball, basketball and hockey.

Every week there are a dozen of us who email, post comments, talk in person, text and spend time together. A group of guys brought together by football, but involved in each others lives and building relationships.

I know some of you are asking, "How can this make a difference?" It's just a computer game. That's the beauty of it, God can use anything to help us change our world and build up each other. See, it's not about the "what", it's about the "who" and every week I get the chance to interact with 11 of our guys and I love it.

I guess I should add that I am tied for first with a 5-1 record so that makes it more fun and a lot easier to talk trash. But even if I was in last I wouldn't trade the opportunities to connect with those guys for anything in the world.
PB

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.”

That famous quote by legendary football coach Vince Lombardi was first introduced to me in high school and has often spurred me on. Today is one of those days.

I have had some things brought to my attention that could be depressing and frustrating, but I learned a long time ago that my eyes need to be on Christ and my faith is in His word.

Jesus was the ultimate winner and far from a quitter. That doesn't mean he didn't have challenging days. Even on the eve of fulfilling His reason for living (to Die on the Cross) he struggled and asked God the Father "...if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42

He realized that He must press on and fulfill the mission of His life. I know my mission and nothing can stop me from serving God with all I have. There will be difficulties and disappointments, but I know God is true to His word.

Remember that as you live out your relationship with Jesus and serve in Ministry keep your eyes on Him and don't let the things of this world or the actions of people affect your service to the King.

I know I'm not!

PB

Euthanized, Vaporized, Memorialized

Well, the Indians finally put the Yankees out of their misery. As I said in my last post, my favorite team is the Red Sox and any other team that will beat the Yankees- so now my two favorite teams will face off.

Now, of course I am only having fun at Pastor Ben's expense. He is so loyal to his yankees that he is probably holding a memorial service for them today while he is home on his day off. I, on the other hand, have no loyalties at all to people who are so grossly over paid for what they do and who only a few years ago shut down baseball because of their greed. Well- the crowds have returned and so has the money.

Speaking of money- this series proves, as we all should be reminded, that money does not solve all problems and it does not guarantee success. Check out the link that I have in this blog, it shows the Yankees payroll at almost double their nearest competitor. And then also look at the payrolls for the two National League teams in their competition, they are almost on the bottom. You just can't buy success! http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/salaries?team=nyy

Well... another week or two and I can start picking my favorite NFL team, right now- it looks like I am going to lean towards the Patriots or the Colts. Hey, they are both still undefeated.

One last thing- Pray for Pastor Ben, all that he has now are the Dallas Cowboys- Pastor P

They Made It

The BOSOX are in for another round. And the yankees should be out tonight.

Seeing the Indians and the Sox in the competition reminds me of when I was just knee high to a grasshopper and I would oftentimes sleep out on my parent's backporch and listen to the games on a little transistor radio powered by a 9 volt battery. I was proud of the Red Sox because I was a Massachusetts native and yet I also liked the Indians- because they were always the underdog. It was exciting whenever a team like Cleveland would win a game. And look at where these two teams are today. For now I will continue to cheer for Cleveland. Pastor P

Red Sox make it

Well... It is time to crow!

The Red Sox have won their division staying ahead of their arch rival/enemies, the yankees. All the way to the end. The Sox are definitely improved ever since breaking the curse of the Bambino. Could there be another World Series Championship waiting for the team from Bean town?

And you know- even if they don't, I am okay with that because my favorite team is the Red Sox and any other team that will crush the yankees.

Pastor P

The Weary Traveller Inn

Everyone is getting ready to enjoy a Turkey dinner at the Weary Traveller Inn during this past weekend's FCF Trace in Virginia

The Inn Keeper will pray for our meal and say "Grace"

Blue Ridge Adventure

Here I am with Bill Chestnut (Red Paddle) who just completed his 2nd anniversary as president of the Blue Ridge Chapter of the FCF ministry of Royal Rangers. About 260 men and boys attended this year's event. Bill and his team did an excellent job. It was a real honor to be able serve alongside this team during this year's Fall Trace.
Pastor P

The encampment was wonderfully laid out, all kinds of activities such as Hawk and Knife throw, archery, black powder, horn blowing and other things. This is a photo of an auction that netted almost $3,000 for missions.

I preached to the Old Timers and the Young Bucks each night as well as each morning. Night meetings including a spectacular Council Fire.