‘Great is thy faithfulness’

Lamentations 3:23

From The Pastor

Dear Gunpowder Family,

As we start a new church year wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could call this the year of devotion? How do you think God would change our church if we all started each day with a time (even just a few minutes) of prayer and Bible study? I truly believe that our ministry and worship start with our time in our “closet” with the Lord. When we spend time alone with the Lord, He shows us who needs our help and how we are to go about ministering to them. Really, when you think about it, that is the heart of the Great commission. We are to minister to others (give a cup of cold water) in His name. I also believe that our corporate worship will change when we spend time with the Lord alone. When our time together is an overflow of the worship that we have with Him in private, then we will have the proper focus. God will be the deserving object of our adoration. When we serve and worship out of a growing relationship with God rather than out of religious duty, we will see this community and our world change.

So give it a try. Get up thirty minute earlier than usual. Spend some quiet time with the Lord. When we spend time in His presence, we are changed. Isn’t it time for a change in your life?

See you Sunday,

Pastor Jack

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Where Have The Men From The Mission Gone?

By Missy Walker

Many people have approached me and asked, “Where are the men from the mission?” The answer: they are at the mission. Men from the mission need men! For this reason, I have stepped down as the Homeless Ministry Director.

Why should Gunpowder Baptist Church continue the Homeless Ministry and an alliance with The Helping Up Mission? What impact has this ministry had on men at The Helping Up Mission and our church family? Consider the following:

1. The children in Awanas and Royal Ambassadors learned to serve God and give to those less fortunate by collecting toiletries and money for men at Helping Up Mission. They prepared gift bags and handed them to the men at Christmas.
2. Families worked together to prepared desserts and load vehicles with desserts and sodas, which they gave out monthly at the mission. They also served dinner on Thanksgiving and Christmas. This enabled interaction between the families and the homeless resulting in a blessing to all involved.
3. Musicians from Gunpowder provided music at the Mission during the Saturday night worship service. The house rocked as the men stood, clapping, swaying, singing and truly worshipping God. If you didn’t get goose bumps, you must’ve been dead!
4. Pastor Jack gave his testimony in a powerful sermon at the Mission’s Saturday night service.
5. “Hope Tote” bags were filled with clothes and toiletries for use by men at the Mission.
6. Gunpowder Baptist Church sponsored the first ever Helping Up Mission baseball team and provided uniforms. The men played in a Christian league, enabling them to have an alternative to drugs as a recreational activity. They also bonded together as a team working towards a common goal. These are new concepts for a recovering addict.
7. The men from Helping Up Mission came to the Fall festival and friend day. They integrated with our church family and some shared their testimony. The FAITH team was able to discuss the message of salvation with some of the men.
8. Men from the Mission came to Sunday School and Sunday morning worship and contributed to the worship with lively and heartfelt contributions. Some men asked Jesus into their lives as a result of being part of Gunpowder Sunday worship.
9. Collections taken for individuals and graduates of Helping Up Mission program enabled them to obtain necessary transportation and medical care.
10. Assistance resolving legal problems was provided.
11. A prison visitation / correspondence outreach was established with men met at The Helping Up Mission.
12. Gunpowder sponsored and attended the Mission graduation banquet. Musicians from Gunpowder provided music for the graduation. This entailed many hours of practice with and ministering to the men at the Mission.

So what’s in it for you?

Seeing and hearing the stories of recovering, homeless addicts can influence our youth not to follow the path of drug and alcohol addiction. By participating in the Homeless Ministry, the youth are learning how to step out of their comfort zone and to serve God. The connection that forms between church members working in this ministry strengthens the church and is an example to others of commitment to god. Fun! Did I say fun? You can actually have fun with these guys! Watching them play ball was a hoot (well, if you aren’t too serious about winning!). Singing and worshipping with them gives you an excitement for God that can’t be beat. As you hand out desserts and soda to the seemingly endless line of homeless men and they look you in the eye saying, “Thank you for the delicious dessert, we really appreciate it. But what we like best is just to talk to you”, a feeling that can’t be described takes over … an attitude of thanks to God and an appreciation of how important loving relationships are. How about the fresh perspectives the men offer in Sunday School, their singing in the service, their laughter heard at the Fall Festival? One of the men sang, “How Great thou Art” at the Fall festival, it was magnificent. What about the smile on their children’s faces as they painted pumpkins at the Fall festival?

When you see graduates of The Helping Up Mission walk across the stage at the graduation banquet and receive their graduation certificate, it brings overwhelming joy to your heart and a tear to your eye.

Have you ever visited a man in prison who is alone in the world? Tears stream down their face when they see you. They put their hand up on the glass partition that separates them from the outside world, you put your hand on the glass on the other side, and you say a prayer. The ½ hour goes by quickly and you spend most of the time reading the Bible during the visit. When you leave, you have a feeling of exhilaration.

Is this enough for you? More importantly, is this enough for God?

At the recent Dedication ceremony for a new building that the Helping Up Mission recently acquired, several men approached me and asked why we no longer came to the Mission and why they weren’t coming up to Gunpowder on Sunday anymore. I felt sadness in my heart and did not have an adequate response.

I want to emphasize again, this ministry needs a male leader. The Bible tells us that the man is head of the household; the man is head of the church. We need male leadership and role models for our families and the men at the Mission need to see the example of Christian men. I am pleading with the men of Gunpowder Baptist Church to step out of their comfort zone and into the lives of those less fortunate. This ministry is a vital part of who God wants you to be.

I am praying that God leads you to this ministry.

Missy Walker

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Women’s Fall Retreat

November 10 & 11, 2006

Theme: Duty, Destination and Determination

Spinners of Hershey

Hershey , PA

GUEST SPEAKER: Pam Ubanks

SOLOIST: Elizabeth Rivera

TRIO: Chord of Three

A time to relax and enjoy the music, fun, fellowship and prayer with your Christian sisters. I guarantee Pam will touch your heart with her words of encouragement.

Prayerfully yours,

Joan Krebs

Retreat Coordinator

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Social Committee

WOW! What a great turnout for the Fall Festival last month. The weather was beautiful except for a quick shower which drove everyone under the pavilion for a while, except for those playing football. We all know it would not be a good football game if there were no mud.

The children decorated their pumpkins before we began eating the delicious chili’s, soups and desserts. There were some very interesting pumpkins judged. Prizes were given to the following for their decorated pumpkin. Congratulations to:

There were many delicious soups this year being judged. Congratulations to the following for being chosen for making the best soups.

It was a great night for a bowl of hot chili and those that were judged did not take any home to be eaten the next day. Congratulations to the following for being chosen for making the best chili.

There were so many yummy desserts it was very difficult to pick one over the other. Congratulations to the following chosen for the best desserts:

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Keenagers

The Keenagers have upcoming trips and covered dish luncheons. See the calendar for dates.

Your Keenager in Christ,

Myrtle Gettle

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Children's Sunday School Department

We have a busy month in October. On October 6 th, we are planning a trip to Swamp Fox Farm. The children’s dinner will be provided. A brown bag dinner with drink will be served at the church pavilion at 4:00 p.m. sharp. The van will leave at 5:00 p.m. for the farm and return to church at 7:30 p.m. A trip through the pumpkin patch to pick their own pumpkin, a corn maze and a hayride will be awaiting them. Please join us. The cost is FREE.

In October during Sunday School, we will be learning, “How to be like Jesus.” Week 1 – Love like Jesus; Week 2 – Care Like Jesus; Week 3 – Forgive Like Jesus: Week 4 – Serve Like Jesus and Week 5 – Be Kind Like Jesus. Oh how I wish I could be more like Jesus. He is so loving, forgiving, patient and wise. Bring your children so they can find out how to be more like Jesus.

The fire exit signs have been placed in all children’s classrooms. We had a test fire drill on September 17 th. Also, in the next few weeks, we will have all the parents fill out a registration card for their children in the department. Thank you for your cooperation.

Looking forward to serving your children and our awesome God. The children will be singing during our 2 nd worship service on October 15 th. Please have your children join us in singing praises to our awesome God.

God’s co-worker,

Joan Krebs

Children’s Director

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Children's Church Schedule

Nursery Worker Schedule

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Adult_Sunday_School_Department

Beginning in May the business meeting will be held on the second Sunday instead of the first Sunday, at 8:30 a.m. The Adult Sunday School department has elected to participate in a project ministry. Each class will collect funds in containers and pool these monies and send to a ministry organization that purchases farm animals (e.g., cows, chickens, sheep, camels, etc.) for a needy family in a third world country. The family uses the animal’s milk, eggs or cheese for meeting their needs. The first born baby animal will be given to another needy family. Our goal will be $715.00 which will buy a goat, cow and sheep and will feed three needy families. Bill Abbey will be in charge of this ministry, so contact him if you have a question.

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Prayer Ministry

Watchman Prayer Ministry - “Intercessors”

Dear Church Family,

I want to thank each of you who have made a commitment and can be counted on to pray for those on the prayer wall. I am going to mention areas of prayer we must be conscious of. If you are not a member of the prayer wall, please consider joining as there are several slots that need to be filled. I have mentioned in the past, apart from prayer, nothing gets accomplished and we truly have nuch to pray about.

Every aspect of Gunpowder's ministries should be focused on prayer. If we are having trouble with not having people to pray for church activities, is it any wonder we can not stop any of the atrocities that are in our lives? (abortion same-sex marriages, partial birth abortions) I am sure you get the idea.

Some helpful insights to prayer:

1. Place - Have a regular place where you can feel in-tune with God.
2. Practice - Develop the regular practice of prayer. It helps to have the habit.
3. Privacy - There are times for group prayer, but personal growth usually comes from being alone with God.
4. Posture - Pray in any position, but remember that kneeling to pray helps develop humility.
5. Purpose - Forget self, seek God's Will.
6. Price - Be ready to go through the process of emptying yourself of negatives so god can come with His love and power.

Nowhere does the Bible say that prayer is easy. At times, while you are still on your knees. Satan will attack, harrassing you with doubt and sending distracting thoughts into your mind. Do not worry about praying for something too large. There is nothing too big for God to accomplish. We do not always like the answers God gives. He promises in Matthew 7:11 that everything He gives is good for us.

It would be wise for all of us to ask God with a humbled Spirit what areas of our lives are offensive to Him. Failure to pray leaves peopl vulnerable on the battlefiled. Nehemiah 4. When we do what we are supposed to do, God is faithful to do His. We will pray as we should, until we see it as a necessity. Henry Blackaby "only through prayer can we know tha heart of God."

Prayerfully,

Bob Scheuerman

Prayer Coordinator

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Women's Ministry

Next Ladies Events:

Gunpowder Baptist Church

Ladies Events for 2006-2007

Schedule

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Thank You!

To My church Family.

Thank you for the flowers that cheered me during my hospital stay and for the delicious meal that Barbara Covington brought when she visited me. I am doing quite well, and I hope to see you Sunday.

In Love,

Carol Haaversen

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Congratulations to Grandpa Bill and Grandma Joann Abbey on the birth of their 13 th grandchild. Katherine Fay was born on September 8 th. She weighed 7 lbs, 15 oz. Katherine has a big sister, Caroline.

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ANGEL TREE

Prison Fellowship Christmas Outreach-

As most of you know, for the last several years we have been involved in the Angel Tree program, buying and delivering gifts to children whose parent is in prison. This year we have been assigned 6 children. I will be coordinating this activity. Please speak with me if you are interested in sponsoring a child. If more than 6 people want to sponsor children, we can always add more children.

Thank you,

Missy Walker

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October Birthdays & Anniversaries

Anniversaries 2 Ed & Terry Hoelle 3 Bert & Judy Dausinger 4 Larry & Gloria Elligson 11 Jeff & Sue Tracey 21 Larry & Barbara Bobbitt 21 Bob & Mary Scheuerman

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Belfry Archive

February, 2005

March, 2005

April, 2005

May, 2005

June, 2005

July & August, 2005

September, 2005

October, 2005

November, 2005

December, 2005

January, 2006

February, 2006

March, 2006

April, 2006

May, 2006

July / August, 2006

September, 2006