Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Issue #3 Spring--2007
Greetings
Spring has sprung and we’re getting ready for all sorts of activities at GBC.
For one, our Wednesdays continue to move in a family direction. A few
months ago, we became aware that a number of our families were not able to
attend our fellowships--for we had nothing to offer their small children.
So, action was in order. Starting this May, our Wednesday evening fel-
lowship went family. For the sake of our little ones, we now meet at 6PM
rather than 7PM and have a stop at 7:15. For our prayer warriors, the
prayer groups begin shortly after and end around 8PM. On the first
Wednesday of each month we share pizza and fellowship. The other
Wednesdays, we'll provide modest meals. Please come and support this
effort, and please invite friends. All guests of the church eat, well, as
guests! We would not dream of
charging them. The rest of us just
donate as we feel led.
Our First Wednesday kickoff was
on May 2, but Pizza nights will
follow on June 2 (we’ll see about So, come and bring your children.
July 4,) and August 1. Just come, eat, David and Marlene Hamilton have a
fellowship, and learn from God's fun and learning-filled curriculum all
Word. I can't stress enough how im- lined up. And, of course, there will
portant it is that we all make an effort be games.
to come. Excitement is contagious
and the difference between a church Blessings to you all, and please pray
and a "Sunday Sermon Gathering" is for this evangelistic and family min-
the love that we see for each other istry.
during the week.
Also, as a small church, it is so es- For Him,
sential that we have faithful atten-
dance for these types of programs to Charles J. Busada
grow. We all have a role to play in Pastor
this, and I ask you to prayerfully con-
Grace Bible
sider where the Lord would have you
Church
[1 ]
spend your Wednesdays.
(what is “good” is defined only by how I
Pastoral Report
feel about it). What a perfect lead to the
Gospel.
On that day the lights went on for the major-
ity of the class. Skepticism has led to our
empty post-modern way of thinking.
It was an interesting Winter. We
One student of faith then made the
marched through the Gospel of Mark, from the
comment, “it is only through the pre-
light of Galilee to the darkness of Jerusalem,
scription of God’s commandments
through the gloom of denial, and the shadow of
that we can even know what is “good;
death. Low in the grave He lay. But, with a
just look and see where our ‘feelings’
burst of light, we saw the Resurrection, the soft
have brought us.”
rebuke, the commission and we travel on in
It was also my pleasure this winter
victory.
to be the keynote speaker at Imman-
Our next joy is to journey with Dr.
uel Christian School in Hazleton. The
Luke through the Book of Acts. We can hardly
topic dealt with conflicts in world-
overestimate this book’s value. Not only is
views.
Acts the second longest book in
Several events are up-and-coming
the New Testament, but it is our
and I’m looking forward to them. I’ll be the commence-
chief authority for the history and
ment speaker for CCCS on June 8, and a guest speaker in
founding of the church and its
Allentown (June 15, 16 at DeSalles University) for Jim
early growth.
Long’s Newton Reformed Church summer retreat. This
With the apostles, we’ll
year's theme is "Arise, Shine” with the fruit of the Spirit,
see Jesus ascend in a cloud of
the cultivation of Christian virtue, and the active practice
glory, hear his commission, re-
of Christianity in our interpersonal relationships. Also,
ceive the promise of the Father,
plans are coming along for a two-week mission trip to Ar-
hear the sounds of a mighty rush-
menia and a nameless Middle East country with my semi-
ing wind, see flaming tongues of
nary friend and missologist, Phil Hopkins. The trip is
fire, hear Peter’s sermon, meet
scheduled in October. On top of all of this, I plan on enter-
Cornelius, and a prophet named
ing a DMin program at Bible Baptist Seminary with a con-
Agabus. We’ll travel to Troas,
centration church growth and evangelism.
Galatia, Corinth, Athens -- and
Rome. We’ll see dungeons, pris- Chat with Phil Hopkins
ons, roads, and resorts. We’ll 8:54 AM me: Hey Phil
meet Stephen, Barnabas, (did I 8:55 AM Phil: hey how are you
mention Paul?). We’ll travel on me: doing fine and still thinking
land and sea, and take a wild ride from Cyprus Our Services about October
to Fair Havens to Malta to Italy. Phil: great; we'd love to have you,
In short, we’re still living within the Any questions I can answer
book of Acts. The church is still on her com- Morning Prayer 9 AM 8:56 AM me: No, you sent me an
mission. So join us as we travel from Jerusa- Sunday School 9:30 AM email a little ago and I just need to
lem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and go unto Sunday Worship 10:35 AM get planning
the uttermost part of the earth. Please come for Phil: we are doing a bunch of disc
Evening Worship 6 PM
the ride. Few things in life are a “guaranteed stuff with pastors and going in coun-
success,” but with the Pentecostal power of Wednesday Family Night 6 PM
try.
the church, this qualifies as one. me: disc stuff? Phil: discipleship
8:57 AM me: sorry, I'm thinking dvd's and other discs
8:58 AM Phil: dates are going to be around 18 Oct
On another note, I have surely en- me: OK, I imagine it will be around 10 days to two weeks?
joyed my semester at LCCC teaching ethics. Phil: yes 8:59 AM 1 week in country; the other discipleship
It started off running. I had one day’s notice me: 9:04 AM Phil: We will handle the *** airfare; US Air/Austrian is one of
to prepare, no syllabus, and no text book. the cheapest. An update on tetanus is the only shot you need, if you do not
Slowly the class developed a form, and the have one I am in Dubai right now, but in a day or two I can get you an approx
students became familiar with such names as list The big thing is the visa to ***; that takes time. When we have specific
Aristotle, Plato, Aquinas, Déscartes, Benton, dates, I will give them to you so you can get started on that process. If we go
Mills, Hume, Kant, Rand, and others. They with a tour company in Iran (I am 99% sure we will) then the process is easier.
know terms such as “utilitarianism,”
“consequentalism,” “categorical imperative,”
Father Son banquet
On Saturday, June 23.
of willing consent. And even if we reach
higher, it is always His will that is done,
and His power that it is done by, how-
ever active we seem to be. Otherwise
not done at all. God's blessings flow
down to us through pipes empty and
clean. Now a pipe, to form a channel, can
not elect to stand upon its end to see
and be seen, but down in the muck and
be covered over and forgotten. And Elders’ Message
every time we turn on a water tap, we The Psalms as Prayer:
should be grateful for the pipes that lie
buried in the ground. Similarly our ac- Praying the psalms together has long been one of
tive part is to lie low, and let God work the most cherished traditions of Christian worship.
through us. As a matter of course Jesus and His disciples would
This being so, how deep is the lesson have sung the psalms together as part of saying their
of peace we have to learn! Since God is morning and evening prayers. The Apostle Paul, on
From The Letters of willing and eager to be at peace with us more than one occasion, encouraged the early Chris-
William Still (on His terms, of course!) about any- tians to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs as
thing in heaven earth or hell, there is part of their worship.
Let Peace Rule therefore nothing in the whole wide
Dear Christian Friends, world that should disturb us. When we Look what Paul writes in his epistles. Eph 5:19.
are there, we are founded on rock, for “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns
I cannot easily forget how the Spirit of our peace is built upon His sure Word. and spiritual songs, singing and making melody
God enlarged my heart on recent Let us ask ourselves the question, Can in your heart to the Lord; Col 3:16 Let the word
Wednesdays as we spoke together on we do more than He wills? We only of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teach-
that imperative word in Colossians need to ponder His astonishing ingenu- ing and admonishing one another in psalms and
3:15, 'Let the peace of Christ rule in ity queering our pitch and foiling our hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in
your hearts, to which also ye are called crafty purposes to know that man can your hearts to the Lord.
in one body; and be ye thankful'. I am never hope to do what God forbids. Let
assured that it was a spiritual land- us ask, Can man or demon harm the The Epistle of James does the same thing: James
mark to several. It was the emphasis child of God whom He promises to exhorts in 5:13 that “if any among you afflicted?
the Spirit enabled us to put upon the protect? We only need to review how let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.”
word 'rule' that was remarkable, and often in our lives all seemed lost, and
also the stress that was laid upon the God stepped in, and quietly reversed The first Christian hymnal, the Odes of Solomon,
necessity of peace as the foundation of the calamity that threatened, to be as- put together about the end of the first century, is a
the Christian life. But, somehow or the sured that there is nothing to fear. collection of some forty psalm pendants or para-
other, it seems too big a thing to be Not much wonder, then, that our phrases. Athanasius, the great fourth-century church
able to say so simply, namely, that the smiling Father puts on a grim face leader, tells us in both his life of Saint Anthony and
supreme test of the Christian life is peace. here and sternly commands in the his letter to Marcellinus about how Egyptian Chris-
Yet, there it is, for those who can receive imperative mood, “Let the peace of tians prayed the psalms.
it. Christ rule in your hearts”! For this
Many Christians seem to think that the is the beginning and ending of ev- So, is your prayer life lacking? (and whose isn’t?)
concept of peace is too passive and erything, in Christian life and ser- The Bible offers a simple solution. What a composi-
negative to bear such weight of Chris- vice. tion of genre the Psalms contain. Scripture provides
tian importance. But is it? It certainly Let . . . Peace . . . Rule! us psalms to rejoice, to weep, to guard our anger, to
does not suggest action to busy spirits Yours, to this end reflect on God’s greatness, to view the past and en-
who like to be in the thick of getting WILLIAM STILL ter the future.
things done. But it depends on what In closing, the message of
we mean by getting things done. Busy Ps 42 and 43 have carried
people get outward things done, but Our Sermons Are Now Avail- me along through many a
are these the things that most need to able for On-Line trial. When things are as
be done? Listening or Downloading. bad as they can be what
It cannot be too often repeated that should we do. David, the
the Holy Spirit is God's only Worker. Psalmist says, “Praise
http://www.esnips.com/web/
It is true that He chooses to work Him.”
GraceBibleChurchSermons/
through His children, but our part is not
the cooperation of help so much as that Charles J. Busada
ing ladders and doing the high lights and rizing the book. This book was insight-
walls. Many of the women have said that ful, stimulating, and convicting as to
without the men, there would have been no what types of “idols” we each may
possible way to have gotten the whole in- have in our lives. This book is a good
side done in one day. THANK YOU, read for any Christian who desires seri-
men. Of course, we thank you ladies, too, ously to walk closer with God.
It was a little over a year ago that because many hands make the work much
the newly organized Ladies’ Ministry at lighter!!!! Finally, as determined in the origi-
GBC took effect. It was a very busy year nal organization of this ministry, Cathy
for the chairwomen of that ministry, Cathy Our Spring Brunch was originally finished her one year as co-chair to the
and Marlene, but also each lady involved in scheduled for March 17th but had to be Ladies’ Ministry. Beginning in April,
the various committees was also quite busy. cancelled on that day because of bad Judy has now begun a 2-year term as
The Events committee chaired by Kelly and weather. It was then rescheduled for co-chair. She joins Marlene, whose
Kay was probably the busiest committee, March 24th. Lisa Mitchell, from the Philly term will be up the end of next March.
having at least one or two events a month area, spoke on the topic, “Hope for a
that needed organization. Of course, the Hopeless World.” I, Marlene, want to say personally
Church Care Committee headed by Carol how much I appreciated working with
and Dolly had the weekly tasks of cleaning There were about 45 women who at- Cathy. Her insight, thoughtfulness, and
the church and keeping the nursery staffed tended the brunch, many of whom were organizational skills were just what the
and well-functioning. The Hospitality Com- guests of our ladies. The feedback from Ladies’ Ministry needed to help make
mittee headed by Ashley, the Missions those who attended was excellent, saying this into a well-functioning ministry.
Committee headed by Amy Y. and the Out- what a wonderful time all had. What a joy to work many long hours
reach Committee headed by Deborah R. also with her!!!! THANK YOU, Cathy.
had various tasks that their respective com- April started us off with the quarterly May God richly bless you as you con-
mittees helped with. meal on the first Sunday of the month. tinue to serve Him in other roles at
Later in the month a “Welcome Baby Fel- GBC.
Following are some of the areas which gave lowship” was held for Kelly Renno and
our ladies opportunity to serve. Faith Mummey. This was a real sweet and We thank all of you for your prayers
fun time of fellowship amongst the ladies. on behalf of this ministry. Please con-
Two of the ladies in our church had ba- Also in April, meals were prepared twice tinue in prayer as we as co-chairs of
bies the end of January. Kelly Renno had a weekly for Paul and Lorraine, an elderly this ministry desire to see more women
daughter, AnaGrace and Faith Mummey couple who face many struggles. involved in service for our God and our
also had daughter, Rachael. During the church.
month of February ladies of the church pro- Amy Yemzow had opportunity to visit
vided meals twice weekly for them. the House of Hope and to see what oppor- Lovingly,
tunities exist that perhaps we as a Ladies’
Money was collected for the local col- Ministry might become involved in. Else- Marlene, Judy, and Cathy
lege students, Carina, Ben, Peter, Jon, Reu- where in this newsletter is an article writ-
ben, and Chad and a book, True For You, ten by Amy on her visit.
But Not For Me, was purchased for them.
On May 12th, many of the ladies are
We have had an outreach to a mother in looking forward to the Mother-Daughter
need with three very young children. Her Banquet to be put on for us by the GBC
youngest was born in Feb. and we had a men.
“box” shower of baby items for her. Along
with this, money was also collected to pur- Along with these activities, there has
chase a new Pack n’ Play. Kay and Marlene been a twice monthly Bible study in which
delivered the much appreciated items. many of our ladies in one way or another
participated. In January, we listened to 2
Two members of our congregation had CD presentations: 1) “The Challenges of
injuries in the last couple of months. We Ministry” by Cindy Patten, and 2)
were able to minister to Glen Krum with a “Blossoming in Ministry” by Elyse Fitz-
Valley of Vision CD and a book, Praying patrick. February through April we did a
Backwards. For Jane, a book, The God I study on the book, Idols of the Heart, by
Love by Joni E. Tada was given to her. Elyse Fitzpatrick. Several of our ladies
guided us through the chapters. Marlene
On March 19th the church experienced a introduced the study and did the first two
flurry of activity. Fifteen women and men chapters. Then Cathy, Linda, Becky, and Faith with Rachael, and Kelly
arrived to thoroughly clean the church inte- Deborah each took a couple of chapters with AnaGrace
rior. The men were a huge help with mov- with Kelly taking the last two and summa-
Charles Busada 570-752-6398
Busada@Gmail.com
Wednesday Fellowship
And Prayer 6PM
Dr. Martyn
Lloyd- Chef
Jones Hamilton
"Let me be quite direct and practical. Do you have any
expectation when you enter a Christian service? What is
your mood, what kind of condition are you in, what is your
attitude toward what you are doing? Do you go to a place
of worship simply because it is Sunday morning? Is it just
an item in the program? And is it just a matter of singing
some hymns, hearing the reading of the Scriptures, listen-
ing to a sermon, and so on? Just a matter of habit, repeat-
ing what you have done many times before? Is that the way
in which you go into God's house? God have mercy upon
you if it is!
Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones
The Prime Timers, just moments before being eaten whole by a brown-spinal alien.
The ARBCA GA 2007 Pastor Busada
On April 16, it was my pleasure to So, here we were, in April, get- Jim Renihen was inaugurated into a full pro-
travel to Mesa, AZ to Cornerstone ting blasted by an Nor’Easter. fessorship at Westminster West . . .
Baptist Church for the 2007 AR-
BCA GA. It was good to meet for-
Alas, when I arrived in Mesa, I
mer acquaintances and make new left the snow and saw this!
ones.
But in April, yes April 16, 2007 as I Geoff Thomas provided great
drove past Jake and Elwood on the preaching . . .
way to the airport, this is how they
looked.
And, I stayed with some really nice people.
I took this picture in Hazleton, they
speak a strange sort of English there.