BEULAH ANN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 66           NUMBER 9                  SEPTEMBER 2023

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK…

1 KINGS 18:35 – And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

Israel was without rain for three years. They dried up physically and spiritually. They needed literal showers of blessings. And so, during this battle of faith, Elijah confronts and challenges the false prophets of Baal. When things dry up and out, they tend to burn easily—the wildfires in the West bear witness. Yet, when the enemy’s cries to their god went unheard and unanswered, Elijah poured it on.

His altar was twelve stones. He prepared the wood for the sacrifice and poured twelve water barrels over them. He drenched the altar until the water ran down and filled the trench. Our faith dries out and up because we don’t moisten our prayer altar with tears of repentance and heartbreak. I want revival for me and our church! I want it for our community and sister churches. I want it for America! And I want it for you. I’m willing to pour it on my altar. Will you join me? Will you pour it on over the next few weeks? You’ve got needs and problems. Are they important enough for you to drench the altar?

Jesus knelt in Gethsemane and poured it on. “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44). In the shadow of the cross, Christ prayed! Revival results from tear-stained, sweat-glistened altars, dampened in anguish, groaning, and brokenness. We’ll only have revival if we pour it on the altar. ‘Preacher, do I have to cry?’ Jesus wasn’t crying. He was sweating from exertion. Sweat is an acceptable substitute for tears if it’s earnest. It was after Elijah poured it on that the fire of God came down! Plead for Revival! Pray for Revival! And pour it on!                                                                              ~~ Pastor Greg

AUGUST SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

 August 6                113

August 13               105              

August 20               138    

August 27               136

                          4) 492 (123 average)

 The church is thoroughly cleaned between all services. If you cannot attend, all services are streamed live on these Facebook pages: Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist (church building is the profile pic); Greg Lunsford; and Erin McComas-Carter and broadcast live on FM radio 89.5 which can be heard from the church parking lot. Immediately after services, you can watch on YouTube channel “Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist Church.”  

Prayer requests may be sent directly to the prayer line which is maintained by Sharon Chapman at babcprayer@aol.com, or called in to the church at 304-743-5854. 

Offerings may be mailed to the church at P. O. Box 247, Ona, WV 25545. Please mail Sunday School Class (and other groups) offerings directly to your class treasurer.

Your attendance is very much welcome at any time. Love to see everybody back!

 OVER 80 BIRTHDAYS

Phyllis Noble, Sept. 8, 80 yrs.

Mary Lunsford, Sept. 22, 89 yrs.

Juanita Nance, Sept. 24, 82 yrs.   

Patty Dailey, Sept. 29, 85 yrs.

Bill Ryder, Oct. 1, 87 yrs.   

Gladys Burns, Oct. 2, 87 yrs.                 

 OVER 50 ANNIVERSARIES

Garry & Carol Woody, Oct. 8, 58 yrs.                        

BIBLE READING PROGRAMS

WVBC ABWM 5-year Bible Reading Plan:

September: Obadiah

October: I Corinthians

Evangelistic Outreach Bible Reading Calendars give an Old and New Testament selection to read each day of the year.

A chronological Bible Reading schedule is also available. All these plans are on the front foyer table.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO NEWSLETTER FUND

Thru church treasury                   $225.00

Willing Workers SS Class               $20.00

Thank you for your generous support.

MISSION PROJECTS

Our project for August was the Salvation Army, which is an international movement with a message based on the Bible. They reach out to meet spiritual and physical needs, especially in times of disaster, such as the recent wildfire crisis in Maui. We sent $130 to this wonderful organization. 

 In September, we are getting an early start on shipping costs for Operation Christmas Child Love in a Shoebox. We hope to have between four and five hundred boxes again this year. Each box costs $10.00 to ship. We take ours to a collection center at Lewis Memorial Baptist Church, and from there they are trucked to North Carolina, then by plane all over the world. To give, just put Shoebox on the memo line of your check.

 The ABWM has resumed meeting after a short summer break. The ABWM Community Outreach Project for September is body wash and wipes for the Huntington Hospice House. If you would like to help, place items in the basket in the foyer. Thank you!

 CONGRATULATIONS to Chris & Erin Carter, who welcomed Thomas Drew “TD” Carter into the world August 24. He is little brother of Keeley Carter, and grandson of Tom and Susan McComas, Susie and the late Drew Carter, and great-grandson of Gene Caldwell.

 THANK YOU

 We appreciate you guys so much for your donation to our Knight’s Great Hall. We are able to help more kids and families weekly.

               ~~Tracy Urian, CMHS Counselor

CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF:

TIMOTHY DALE BECKETT, 61, of Milton, who passed away Sept. 10. He was the brother of Marty Beckett (LeeAnn).

CONNIE SUE COCHRAN, 65, of Milton, whose funeral was Sept. 1. She was an aunt of Tyler Smith.

BECKY SUE SHELTON CONRAD, 75, of Milton, whose funeral was Sept. 2. She was a friend to many in the church.

CHARLES MACARTHUR “MAC” KREPPS, 81, of Hurricane, whose funeral was Aug. 22. He was a friend of several in our church.

EDDY GENE STEPHESON, 85, of Huntington, whose funeral was Aug. 23. He was a friend and co-worker of James Perry.

NEW MEMBERS

 On Sunday, August 27, the Hanson family presented themselves for church membership. Rob and Jennifer, husband and wife, and their sons Caleb and Logan come to us from the First Baptist Church of Portland in Portland, TN. Welcome, family!

 CHILDREN’S MINISTRY NEWS

We thought the adults would like to know our Bible Hero for August was Peter and for September it is David! The kids have been working on their trivia questions for awards on the last Sunday night of September. Better get started studying adults!

On Sunday August 20th the Children’s Ministry had a Back-to-School party. Please keep them in your prayers along with their teachers this year. Also, on that evening the Jesus Kids began practicing again! They actually went singing to Paramount Senior Living this past Sunday. The Jesus Kids sounded wonderful and looked so good in their new Jesus Kids shirts. Thank you, Christy & Scotty Holley for engraving our shirts. The kids will be singing in church on Sunday night September 24th at 7 pm during their Awards. They have a surprise coming up too and they will share that on that Sunday night. Don’t miss it.

On October 25th we will be having our Circle of Treats in the Gym after evening service. We all look forward to that. We love seeing the new families that have started coming.      ~~Children’s Ministry Team

 GRACIE BRUMFIELD BELLOMY graduated from Marshall University with honors and a BA in Nursing. She is the daughter of Julie and Steve Brumfield, niece of Jeanne and Greg Lunsford, and granddaughter of Phyllis and the late Joe Noble.

 Gracie and her husband Hunter Bellomy have moved to McDonough, GA (about 20 miles south of Atlanta). He is to be an associate pastor at Henry Baptist Church. They have already taken a mission trip to Jamaica and held several church camps in the area. Hunter is to be ordained Oct. 14^th.

 Gracie is working as an R.N. at Atlanta Surgical Urology Center. She has week-ends off and will be helping Hunter in his ministry.

 Those who know Gracie and Hunter are aware of their calling to do God’s work. The family has heavy hearts about their leaving but know this is God’s plan for them. God bless them and wish them God’s speed.

 YOUR AFTERGLOW

The leaves of autumn are coming,

The sands of summer run low;

Across the hill to tomorrow

Today’s just an afterglow.

The voices that laughed in the springtime

Are gone when the winter appears;

Dreams we had for the moment

Are lost in the sea of years.

So spend all your days in goodness,

For life is but one short climb;

The best is all you’ll remember

When life has run out of time.

So at the gate of September,

Where the sands of your summer run low,

You’ll be glad to cross to tomorrow,

With good for your afterglow. 

                      (Author Unknown)

MISSIONARIES FROM ISRAEL VISIT

 We had not seen them for a while, so it was good to welcome Simcha and Bella Davidov back on August 27! Simcha told us how although the Jews are God’s chosen people, most Jews do not believe Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah, and how when you plant the seed, it is a long process before they may accept Christ. This was true in Simcha’s life, who was saved in Fairmont WV in 1973. The Israeli’s have only heard negative things about Jesus for 2,000 years, lies against the truth.

 At the end of their presentation, he brought us the blessing from Numbers 6:24-26, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” Then he blew the shofar, a horn from a male sheep. He said the call meant “Come to God.” Find them on Facebook at simbelldavidov. Their website is yeshuatami.com. They appreciate support, both in prayer and financially.

 WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

 Over the years, we have been blessed to have many young men step out from the pews and accept God’s call to the ministry. In addition to our own Pastor Greg Lunsford (Jeanne), here’s where some of them have been planted:

 Jason Salmons (Amy) is the Pastor of Salt Rock Community Church in Salt Rock, WV.

 Tim Messinger (Kandi) is the Pastor of the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Milton, WV.

 Jeff Fetty (Ilene) is the Pastor of Main Street Baptist Church in Point Pleasant, WV.

 Tyler Sansom (Sarah) is lead Pastor at the First Capital Christian Church in Corydon, IN. and is a Christian filmmaker.

I just did a week’s worth of cardio after walking into a spider web.

CALENDAR

**Sun., Sept. 17, 24, 6 pm – Jesus Kids Practice, downstairs.

**Mon., Sept. 18 – Mon., Oct. 30 – Ladies Bible Study, Family Center. The group will be using In the Footsteps of the Savior, by Max Lucado. (Books can be purchased on Amazon.) Snacks will begin at 5:30 pm, and study will begin at 6 pm. See Connie Chapman for more details.

**Tues., Sept. 19, 26, 10 am – Sew Blest, Family Center.

**Thurs., Sept. 21, 5:30 pm – Guyandotte Baptist Association Annual Meeting at Camp Ona. Hot dogs and desserts at 5:30 pm, business session at 6:30 pm. Important business to be discussed. Our delegates are Pastor Greg, Vera Miller, Patty Morrison, Jo Ross, Jeanne Lunsford, and Jim Ross is an alternate. Everyone is invited.

**Thus., Sept. 21, 28, 6 pm – In Stitches Quilt Group, Family Center.

**Fri., Sept 22 – “I CAN” a movie for the whole family will be playing at Pullman Square in Huntington. This movie was directed by Tyler Sansom. A sign–up sheet is on the foyer table.

**Sun., Sept. 24, 7 pm – Children’s Ministry Awards.

**Tues., Sept. 26, 6 pm – Guyandotte Baptist Association American Baptist Women’s Ministries Fall Rally, in the Family Center. Dinner at 6 pm ($10.00), and program at 7. Global Servant Sarah McCloy will speak to us from Japan via internet. All ladies invited. Please let Jo Ross know if you plan to attend. 

**Sept 29–Oct. 1 – Fall Camp-a-Rama at Beech Fork State Park.

Looking Ahead:

**Sun.-Fri., Oct. 8-13, 7 pm nightly – Fall Revival. Evangelist: Tommy Reed.

**Oct. 19–20 – WVBC Annual Meeting, South Parkersburg Baptist Church.

**Oct. 21- Oct. 22 – Youth Ministries Retreat, Camp Ona. 

**Oct. 25, 8:15 pm – Circle of Treats, Family Center.

**Nov. 22 – Horn–of-Plenty Service.

**Nov. 30–Dec. 1 – Prepare & Distribute Christmas Baskets. 

**Dec. 2 – Church Christmas Dinner.

**Dec. 10 – Children’s Ministry Christmas Play. 

I just made me some synonym rolls. Just like grammar used to make.

GOOD NEWS NUGGETS

J  James Perry brought our special music on Aug. 20, and did a wonderful job. His heartfelt testimony and singing touched so many. He sang, “You’re the One Who Makes Mountains Move,” and Jesus Does.”

J Who knew that our Church Secretary, Debbie Sansom, could sing so pretty? On Sunday evening, Sept. 3, Pastor Greg said, does anyone have testimony or a song? Debbie stepped forward and gave a wonderful testimony about her late mother, then sang, “On the Wings of a Dove,” which she used to sing with her mother. It was a wonderful blessing. 

J The Jesus Kids are sporting new bright orange t-shirts, thanks to Scotty and Christy Holley. Lookin’ good!

J Lighthouse Baptist Church invited our Widows/Widowers and Singles group to join them at lunch Sunday, Sept. 3. They enjoyed a good lunch followed by special speaker Jennifer Chapman, Director of Development at Lily’s Place.

 J The Caldwell Class recently enjoyed a class meeting at the home of Tom and Susan McComas, where they had a great dinner, and a few of them even splashed in the pool! Good times!   

Experts: A serving size of chips is 10 chips.

Me: I eat 10 chips while standing in the pantry with the bag open, trying to decide if I want to eat chips.

BEULAH ANN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER

VOLUME 66                    NUMBER 8                        AUGUST 2023

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK…

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” Isaiah 55:11.

On a typical Sunday morning, the Pastor arrives, prays, makes last-minute sermon adjustments, and greets visitors. When the time comes to stand in the pulpit and preach the Word of God, his chief desire is to preach with power, passion, and clarity so that some will choose Jesus. As he concludes the message and gives the invitation, his heart swells. Indeed, this will be the day that an unbeliever will repent of their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet sadly, no one comes week after week, month after month. While it can be discouraging, he is not to despair.

Jesus, the greatest preacher of all time, preached truth with grace and compassion and was rejected by his people. His message was life, light, and hope! But people didn’t want those things. They don’t want them now, either. Preach the gospel. Preach repentance, faith, and love. Preach with joy and fire! Preach in the sanctuary and on the sidewalk. Put forth the Word of God and unleash the power of the Holy Spirit! God’s Word is alive and powerful. “… for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” Romans 1:16.

God’s Word is a warning and call to repentance. There are consequences for disobedience, some present and physical, others future and eternal. It is also a blessing. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” If we do not proclaim the light, we give place to the darkness. Sinners are coming to Christ. They’re just not coming down the aisle at church. Keep preaching the Word. It has purpose and power and will not return without accomplishing God’s will.                                 ~~ Pastor Greg

JULY SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

July 2                     107

July 9                     106              

July 16                   98

July 23                   126

July 30                   116

                          5) 553 (111 average)

If you cannot attend, all services are streamed live on these Facebook pages: Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist (church building is the profile pic); Greg Lunsford; and Erin McComas-Carter and broadcast live on FM radio 89.5 which can be heard from the church parking lot. Immediately after services, you can watch on YouTube channel “Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist Church.”  

Prayer requests may be sent directly to the prayer line which is maintained by Sharon Chapman at babcprayer@aol.com, or called in to the church at 304-743-5854. 

Offerings may be mailed to the church at P. O. Box 247, Ona, WV 25545. Please mail Sunday School Class (and other groups) offerings directly to your class treasurer.

Your attendance is very much welcome at any time. Love to see everybody back!

OVER 80 BIRTHDAYS 

Peggy Neal, Sept. 4, 90 years

Ray Scarberry, Sept. 7, 86 years

Jane Hatfield, Sept. 9, 81 years 

OVER 50 ANNIVERSARIES

Butch & Brenda Vititoe, July 31, 54 yrs.

Charles & Pat Markin, Sept. 3, 58 yrs.

Jim & Marcella O’Lynn, Sept. 6, 69 yrs.

Bill & Joyce Ryder, Sept. 9, 68 yrs.

BIBLE READING PROGRAMS

WVBC ABWM 5-year Bible Reading Plan:

August: II Kings

September: Obadiah

Evangelistic Outreach Bible Reading Calendars give an Old and New Testament selection to read each day of the year.

A chronological Bible Reading schedule is also available. All these plans are on the front foyer table.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO NEWSLETTER FUND

Thru church treasury                   $80.00

Thank you for your generous support.

MISSION PROJECTS

In July, we contributed to a fund at Ona Elementary School, for school supplies that some children cannot afford. We sent them $375. Thank you so much.

Our project for August is the Salvation Army, which is an international movement with a message based on the Bible. They reach out to meet spiritual and physical needs, especially in times of disaster, such as the current wildfire crisis in Maui. To donate, put SA on the memo line of your check.

CONGRATULATIONS to Daniel and Britanny Cook on the August 7 birth of son Stephen Gabriel Daniel Cook.

THANK YOU

We truly appreciate all the love, food, prayers, and support that was given to our family.

                The Fred Hayes Family

Beulah Ann Church,

Thank you all so much for letting us borrow your van for our children’s camp. We are thankful to get to serve Christ together with you in Ona. God bless,

                 Antioch Baptist Church

Thank you for your generous and thoughtful donations over the summer. CMHS pantry is available M-F 7:30 am-3:00 pm to assist those who may need help. We appreciate your generosity. Sincerely,

                   Tracy Urian, CMHS Counselor

CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF:

JERRY ADKINS, of Ona, who passed away August 3. He was a friend of Willie and Dorey Rose.

JAMES “FRED” HAYES, 76, of Ona, whose funeral was July 22. He is survived by his wife, Linda Caldwell Hayes; daughters Chrystal (Joey) Shepherd, Trena (Travis) Welch, and Mary Adkins; brother Pete Hayes; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was a devoted member of our church where he served as a Trustee. 

John David Kinner, 53, of Culloden, whose service was July 18. He was a friend to several in the church. 

JARED DAVID SCHULTZ, 39, of Huntington, whose funeral was Aug. 11. He is survived by his wife Lauren Booten Schultz and two young children. He was a friend of Pastor Greg and Jeanne Lunsford. 

PAUL “SMITTY” SMITH, 66, of Barboursville, who passed away Aug. 11. He is survived by his wife Nancy. He was related to Ann Woodard and was a member of this church. 

RILEY STONE, 98, of Huntington, passed away July 11. He served as Cabell County Circuit Clerk for many years. Jim Ross and Peggy Neal both worked for him. 

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY NEWS

Our Bible Hero for July was Samson. On Sunday night July 23rd was our Bible Trivia night and Awards night. We had four faithful children to attend. These four kids all received awards for saying July’s memory verse and won the Bible Trivia against the adults!! Pastor Greg & we were so proud of them. The kids are learning about Peter this month.

On August 20th all kids will be back in town and we are celebrating with a “Back to School Bash” 11 am & 7 pm.

The Jesus Kids will be resuming their practice at 6 pm that night also. 

The kids are getting ready to go back to school this week. Please pray for them and the teachers and personnel.

                     ~~Children’s Ministry Team

 CALENDAR

**Tues., August 22, 29, 10 am – Sew Blest, Family Center.

**Sun., Aug 27, 7 pm – Missionaries Simcha & Bella Davidov from Israel.

**Tues., Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26, 10 am – Sew Blest, Family Center.

**Thurs., Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28, 6 pm – In Stitches Quilt Group, Family Center.

**Sun., Sept. 10, 6 pm – ABWM (Family Center) and ABMM (Caldwell Classroom) resume their meetings after a summer break. All men and women are encouraged to become active in these groups. 

**Sun., Sept. 10 – Newsletter Deadline.

**Sun., Sept. 10, 2:45 pm – Jesus Kids to Paramount Senior Living.

**Mon., Sept. 11, 7 pm – Board of Deacons Meeting, Family Center.

**Fri., Sept. 15, 9 am – Newsletter Work Party, Family Center.

**Sat., Sept. 16 – In Stitches Quilt Group will be traveling to Faith Freewill Baptist Church to help make burp cloths with Ann Blankenship’s Quilt group. The group will carpool from our church parking lot at 8 am. Let Karen Caldwell know if you are interested. (Lunch will be provided.)

**Mon., Sept. 18 – Ladies Bible Study, Family Center. The group will be using In the Footsteps of the Savior, by Max Lucado. Snacks will begin at 5:30 pm, and study will begin at 6 pm. See Connie Chapman for more details.

**Sun., Sept. 24, 7 pm – Children’s Ministry Awards.

**Sept 29–Oct. 1 – Fall Camp-a-Rama at Beech Fork State Park.

FALL REVIVAL

Sun.-Fri., Oct. 8-13. 7 pm nightly

Evangelist: Tommy Reed

Looking Ahead:

Oct. 19–20 – WVBC Annual Meeting, South Parkersburg Baptist Church.

Nov. 30–Dec. 1 – Prepare & Distribute Christmas Baskets. 

Nov. 22 – Horn–of-Plenty Service.

Dec. 2 – Church Christmas Dinner.

Dec. 10 – Children’s Christmas Play.

GOOD NEWS NUGGETS

J Our guest for our July 5^th Sunday Night Sing was Nancy Banfield, who did a wonderful job as always. Covid and other issues had kept her away for a couple of years, and it was great to see her again. Her husband Bill

did a great job on the sound board while she brought us songs such as “I Will Trust Him,” “Heaven is Real,” and “A Hill Called Mount Calvary.” Come back soon, Nancy. 

J Our men were able to repair another handicap ramp for one of our church family recently. Well done, gentlemen.

BACK TO SCHOOL

10 Verses to pray over your kids as they head back to school:

1. Ephesians 4:32 – Ask God to help them to be kind.

2. Joshua 1:9 – Praise God for always being with them.

3. Proverbs 10:9 – As God to help them walk in integrity this year.

4. Psalm 56:3 – Ask God to help them put their trust in Him.

5. Philippians 4:6-7 – Ask God to help them not worry.

6. Luke 2:52 – Ask God to help them grow this year.

7. Proverbs 17:17 – Pray for their friends.

8. Colossians 3:23 – Ask God to help them work hard.

9. James 1:5 – Ask God to Give them wisdom.

10. Philippians 4:12 – Pray for their contentment in all circumstances.

LADIES SUMMER RETREAT 

On Saturday, July 22^nd, the following 14 ladies from BAMBC were blessed to head to Myrtle Beach, SC for a few days of R&R, but most importantly, for a weeklong Bible study and wonderful fellowship: Jeanne Lunsford, Phyllis Noble, Brooke Chapman, Patty Morrison, Joan Morrison, Theresa Haynes (friend of Joan but now a friend to all of us), Vera Miller, Ann Hinkley, Alliene Caldwell, Debbie Dillon, Sheila Braley, Missy Petitt, Jessica Dillon, & Lexi Dillon. Monday, Jessica and Jerica Noe were able to join us after Jerica represented WV in the Senior Legion Regional Softball Championship in NC. Way to go, Jerica!! 

Our Bible study was on the book of Luke, titled “Gut-Level Compassion” – by Lisa Harper.  We learned from the Gospel, according to Luke, that perfection is not a prerequisite for personal relationship with Jesus. Lisa Harper showed us, through this book, how Jesus doesn’t focus on the elite but uses outliers, outcasts, and the overlooked to draw others closer to Him. Session One was titled Mercy of God. This lesson taught us how Jesus would seek out the Samaritans and equipped them as evangelists which demonstrates His deep compassion for all. Session Two was titled Worship in the Waiting. This lesson gave us accounts of how we should be patient in waiting for God to fulfill His promises while increasing our desire in worshiping Him during that wait. Session Three, titled Uphill Glory, was a fantastic lesson about “the cost” of following Jesus in all areas of life. We were challenged to fill any emptiness in our lives with Jesus and to be more preoccupied with Him and less with ourselves. The fourth session was titled, “Gut-Level Compassion.”  Lisa Harper gave wonderful descriptions from Luke on how compassionate God is to all. She helped us to see that we as Christians, need to take opportunities to demonstrate true gut-level compassion for others. The final day, we studied Session 5, The Tender Heart of Obedience.  This lesson about having passionate love and affection for Jesus as well as overflowing mercy and kindness for others was a wonderful way to end our study. The session led us to think about how we tend to serve and obey Jesus. Is it out of duty or delight?  We should have a passionate love for Jesus and be delighted in serving Him. 

This Bible Retreat was a fantastic experience with our sisters in Christ. With wonderful fellowship, great lessons, a little shopping, a lot of food (hot Krispy Kreme donuts), and tons of laughter, we look forward to more retreats in the future. God is so good!                                     ~~Jeanne Lunsford, Adult Ministries

GBA DAY CAMP 

Children from 1^st through 5^th grade gathered at Camp Ona July 10-14 for Guyandotte Baptist Association Day Camp. The theme was, “COW a-bunga Farm, Growin’ with a Faithful God.” Lessons included Trust & Obey; Serve Faithfully; Remain True to God, Ask for God’s Forgiveness; and Trust His Plan. 

We had 39 campers for the week, 10 youth, and a group of wonderful volunteers and staff. We praise the Lord for Good Hope Baptist, Milton Baptist, New Baptist, Union Baptist, and the Joseph & Mary Sunday School Class from Beulah Ann Baptist for their financial support and for providing lunch for all the campers each day. The campers enjoyed Bible lessons with Helen Arthur, Jennifer Hanson, Ann Hinkley and Elizabeth Green. Camp Pastor Chad Clark held vesper services at the Eber Bowles Vesper Area on Friday. 

Six Association churches and two non-association churches had campers attending Day Camp. 

Crafts, Music, Bible Lessons, and Hiking for the morning then in the afternoon the campers enjoyed a couple of water slides, inflatables, and the Ona Volunteer Fire Department.

We praise the Lord for his many blessings. We have planted the seed of the Lord and pray for each camper to come to the full knowledge of the LORD and accept his plan of salvation.

               ~~Rebecca Childers, Chairperson, GBA Christian Board of Education

MISSION TRIP TO PA 

Thank you, Beulah Ann, for sending me with Lewis Memorial’s High School Mission Trip to Coatesville, PA. We were so blessed to leave Lewis Memorial’s parking lot with 2 buses and a box trailer at 7 am on the 14th of July. We set off for a planned 8-hour trip.  However, no mission trip would be complete without a few roadblocks.  The girls’ van ended up breaking down in Cumberland, MD, where Chick-fil-a hosted our group for 3 of the 5 hours we waited for the van to be fixed. (That Chick-fil-a will forever hold memories for all of us and I’m sure all of their staff.) A local garage and very helpful shopkeeper, thankfully, stayed after hours to get our van fixed so we could get back on the road. We arrived in Coatesville much later than anticipated but ended the evening in devotion and meeting one of our Missionaries, Rob Sundholm at 12:30 am.  

Our next few days consisted of meeting some of the locals our Missionaries have been working with, and also visiting a local Amish Farm. While we were there, we were given the opportunity to milk a cow and meet the many farm animals they tend to every day. We also learned a little about their religious beliefs and even met a few who have been shunned from their community but chose to follow Christianity. We spent most of our evenings around a non-campfire, as it was too hot to have a fire, singing and sharing testimonies with Rob and Jean Sundholm’s church family.  

Sunday, we led the church service for Hephzibah Baptist. We were blessed to have several musicians with us so that we could lead singing and our Youth Pastor, Matt McClay, brought the message. Afterward, they treated us to a wonderful potluck dinner and many hours with their youth.  

The rest of the week we spent in the community doing a VBS-style ministry sharing the gospel and teaching about the life of Moses. We were blessed to enjoy the outdoors with them while playing volleyball, soccer, parachute ball games, and Soapbox racing down their grassy knoll. The children were then treated to The Sight and Sound Theater, where they could watch the theatrical recreation of Moses. To say they were blown away is putting it mildly. It was an amazing experience and one I will never forget.

God was with me throughout this whole journey. The devil tried to stand in my way and divert my attention from God. However, being in constant devotion with God and reading his word daily along with lots of prayers, allowed me to become stronger for him. It was an honor to serve God and Coatesville community. I look forward to continue serving the Lord.                                                 ~~Haylee Vititoe

COW-TECH GOSPEL

The August issue of the unfolding Word Newsletter features a photo of a farmer wearing a conical hat, working in his rice paddy with a wooden plow pulled by his cow.  “Everything about the scene, his simple tools, the plow, the cow, and the watery field, speak of primitive culture. The picture from this southeast Asian land could be a thousand years old, except for one thing: a high-tech audio device hangs from the cow’s horns. From it, a man’s voice in the farmer’s heart language is reading God’s Word, explaining and applying it as he goes. The farmer listens as he works all day because he’s never heard anything like it. God’s Word is changing his life, giving him hope, and filling him with new purpose.” 

“Tens of thousands of similar devices now enrich the lives of farmers, factory workers, and tiny house-fellowships throughout the country, despite government antagonism.”

To learn more about this wonderful organization, go to unfoldingword.org. Their motto is “The Church in Every People Group/The Bible in Every Language.”

NOTICE: To donate to help people affected by the wildfires in Maui, make your check to the church, and on the memo line, put OGHS –Hawaii wildfires. Your money will safely reach its destination and proper use through One Great Hour of Sharing.

I finally found a diet that really works. It’s called, “The Price of Food.” 

I signed up for an exercise class. Was told to wear loose fitting clothing. If I HAD loose fitting clothing, I wouldn’t have signed up.