Family News

April 11, 2004

SHORT  BY

STUFF   DAVE SHANER

If you are visiting with us today, we would like to extend to you our warmest wishes. This is the day that is celebrated as the resurrection of Christ. Unlike Christmas, this is a time that we can be quite certain. We know that Jesus was raised from the dead on the Sunday after the Passover. The Jewish Passover has been celebrated for centuries. If it were not for this one event, then Christianity would not be. Jesus Christ would have gone down into history as simply a great teacher and it would have stopped at that. There have been many great teachers in many different religions. All of them died and their graves can in many cases be visited today. Jesus Christ is the only one who claimed that he would conquer death and then proved it with more than 500 witnesses having seen Him after he was raised. We don't just follow this man because He was a great teacher but because He is the very icon and image of God. Jesus, himself, said, that if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father (John 14).

Jesus didn't just come to represent an alternative way to come to God. He is the only way that sinners can come to God and receive forgiveness. He is the head of His body, which the scriptures describe as the church. The church was not an afterthought in the mind of Christ. The church is the living body of Christ in the world today. The church is the bride of Christ and belongs to him, not to any man. When Jesus said that He would build His church (Matthew 16:18), He was not thinking of a new or different denomination. In fact, the idea of many different kinds of churches was foreign to the thinking of 1st century Christians. To them, there was only one church. Through the years, with the evolution of church tradition and different opinions, different denominations started springing up and as they did, they got farther and farther from the source. The Dalton Gardens congregation seeks to be completely undenominational and return to the New Testament as its complete guide. The prayer of Jesus was that his followers would all be one (John 17). It is a shame that all of the followers of Jesus Christ can not simply go back to the scriptures as their rule of faith and practice and come together in unity. We know that this is not necessarily an easy task, but if that were to happen, just think of the testimony that the world would hear. Today the opposite has often happened. The existence of so many different denominations often serves to confuse people, not unite people. It is our prayer that we would use all of our energies to see Jesus' prayer fulfilled in our lifetime. The church in practice may never be perfect but we can be simply Christian servants seeking to advance His cause in the world. That is what the church is all about - bringing the lost to Christ so that they one day we all can experience the resurrection as well.

If there is any way that we can be of service to you in helping you to come to know God, be sure to let us know.

Have a Great Week !!!

'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!' -Luke 24:5-6

Welcome!

Columbia High School Choir

The Columbia Christian High School from Portland, Oregon will be here to sing for us on Wednesday, April 14 at 6:30 p.m. Your help housing this group of about 55 students would be greatly appreciated. There is a sign up sheet on the kiosk. Thank you!

Attention Ladies:

IMPORTANT MEETING! Mark your calendar! It is only 6 months until our 2004 Ladies Fall Fellowship on Saturday, October 2, 2004, with our speaker Lacreta Scott from Altadena, CA. We have many decisions and planning still to do. Some of you have already volunteered to head committees, or help. But more help is needed to make the day bring glory to God and encourage one other. To this end we will have an important meeting Sunday April 18 at 2:00 PM at the church building. Please plan on attending and being involved, you are needed! See you there! Thanks, Jean Grow

Dalton Gardens LTC Celebration!
Next Sunday Night.......5:30 pm Sunday, April 18th

We will showcase many of the events we shared at the Phoenix convention. In lieu of Bible Study Groups, we want to share with all the church family. Please plan to be here to enjoy the program, and support our kids.

JOIN THE JOURNEY

Thousands of Christians will be on the move in the first few days of May 2004. From the fifty states and several nations around the world, they will make the annual 'pilgrimage' to Malibu in search of refreshment for their spiritual lives. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures begin on the afternoon of May 4 and do not conclude until the evening of May 7. Call the Office of Church Relations at (310) 506-4270 for a beautiful 44-page booklet that describes the entire Lectures program. For more information e-mail Whitney.Wall@Pepperdine.edu.

Shepherd's Corner

Easter Thoughts: One of the most beautiful Old Testament texts about the coming Messiah, points to the saving work of Jesus: 'But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed'. (Isa. 53:5)

The New Testament reflects on this same perspective: 'He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed'. (1 Peter 2:24)

On Pentecost Day following the resurrection of Jesus, Peter declared 'God has raised this Jesus to life,' and that Jesus had been 'exalted to the right hand of God'. (Acts 2:32-33) Following his resurrection, Jesus claimed, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me'. (Matt. 28:18)

Praise God for the present exalted position of Jesus the Christ, who saves, forgives sin, and imparts the Holy Spirit . (Acts 2:38) -For the Elders

BIBLE BUILDERS MEMORY VERSES
Children's Sunday A.M. Bible Classes

4 years - Grade K: 'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find.' Matthew 7:7a

1st - 2nd Grade: 'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.' Matthew 7:7

3rd - 6th Grade: 'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.' Matthew 7:7-8

For this week only, the Tuesday ladies' Bible study at 12:30 p.m. is moved to Alyssa Frahm's house. Her address is: 3511 Pinegrove Dr., Coeur d'Alene.

Calendar of Events

April 13 - 6:30 a.m. - Prayer Breakfast at JB's
April 14 - Columbia H.S. Singing Group - 6:30 p.m.
April 16 - Ladies Craft Night - 6:30 Sm. Auditorium
April 18 - Ladies Fall Fellowship Meeting - 2:00 p.m.
April 18 - LTC Celebration - 5:30 p.m.
April 24 - CCS Auction - 9 a.m. Kootenai Fairgrounds

Prayer Requests

Jim Rehms is home recuperating from a heart stint procedure. Pray for his strength and comfort.

George Kane is recovering from heart surgery in Phoenix. He is still in a lot of pain. His family thanks you for your continuous prayers for his recovery.

Marci Nelson asks prayers for her grandmother, Ida, as she is suffering from congestive heart failure. She is having a hard time breathing and is very uncomfortable.

Christopher Henrikson, Don and Wilma Flanagan's grandson, is in Iraq. Also, pray for Claudia Moberg's grandson, Daniel Moberg, in Kuwait. Keep their safety in your prayers as they serve our country.

Pray for Matt Rude as he anticipates going to Texas for training and then possible deployment.

Tim & Alyssa Frahm ask prayers for the decision process in Thailand regarding the adoption of Nuanna.

Pray for Walt & Judy Brooks' son-in-law, Ross Edmunds, and his family in the tragic death of his brother.

Please pray for a safe return for the LTC students and chaperones as they return from Phoenix today.

Pray for the Reeves and the Togo Team, that the Lord will continue to bless their work, and that the families will have good health.

Continue to remember: Ron Dupey, Rita Welter, Sally Diavatsi, Jerry Roth, Patty Welter, Kenneth Bond, The Lynn Family, Patricia VanWagner.

In Sympathy

Our thoughts and prayers are with Steve Taylor and his family in the loss of his grandmother, Evelyn Taylor who passed away last Friday in Buffalo, Wyoming. Keep Steve and the family in your prayers as they travel this next week to the funeral.

Thank Yous!

Thank you to all who helped make the Easter egg hunt a success. There were many who helped by providing dozens of cookies, hundreds of eggs, and over 100 golden egg prizes. Special thanks to Mary Petersen for a great job organizing and recruiting help. We plan on making this an annual event and possibly expanding it next year to include an invitation to the community, so if you see great deals on plastic eggs or non-perishable prizes over the next week, we will store them until next year!

Mike's Memos......

LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR CHRIST
Phoenix Convention
We are there!!!!

It is always a long haul from September to April, but we all know that LTC is more about the learning process than the convention. As our kids have worked week after week on Drama, Bible Reading, Radio Minute Message, Speech, Chorus, Bible Bowl, Poetry Writing, Essay Writing, Bulletin Board, Song Leading, and other events, they have developed talents that some of them didn't even know they had. These are talents they will be able to use in the church for the rest of their lives. The development is pretty slow, and sometimes undetected during the process, but those who stay with the program year after year become some of the best leaders in our churches. They lead as young people in our youth groups, and they lead as they take their adult places in God's Family.

No, I'm not saying that the LTC program is the only means to build skills for serving the Lord. Certainly not. But after lots of years in the trenches, I say without hesitating that it is the best method I have ever seen. One reason for this is the consistency of the program. Kids who start in the third grade and stay through twelfth are blessed with so many opportunities for growth, and it keeps them involved in the Lord's work all through their teen years. I cannot tell you, and probably don't need to tell you, how important this is.

To use some of the apostle Paul's words, my heart's desire and prayer to God is that all of our parents would enroll and support and keep their kids in next year's LTC program. I promise you, it will build stronger homes, a stronger youth group, and a stronger church.

Yes, this weekend we are at the Southwest Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. Next weekend, on Sunday night, we will share with the congregation many of the events we shared at the convention. Please plan to be here at 5:30 to enjoy a real treat from your kids, and also to show your support for the work they have done.

And still, if anyone would like to help with the cost of one of the $276 plane tickets, your gift would be appreciated!! You have helped in so many ways, and we love you for it.

Jake Coppinger's Plight Having given his life to mission work in Africa and India plus leadership to World Bible School, Brother Coppinger finds himself in bad health, nearly 86 years of age and no retirement funds to sustain his on-going needs. See letter on Mission Bulletin Board for more details. It goes without saying, he will be grateful to hear from his WBS supporters.

CCS CORNER SCHOOL NEWS

The Risen by Dan DuPey

Even as God's children, it seems we easily find a way to feel discouraged, upset, angry, or unhappy. We let the grasp of the world take hold. We lose hope and forget who we are. The world is an environment full of temptation and sin. It is a place that God does not want His Children relishing in. It is a place where His children, His Army live and work to bring others into his kingdom! This can be a difficult task. But, it is the most joyous act that one could do!

An angel, who came to the grave and rolled away the stone, said to the women, 'Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is NOT here, for He has RISEN!'

Jesus rose from the GRAVE just as he said He would do. He had POWER over death. He overcame anything that man could do to Him. He gave US hope. He encouraged God's people to shout, 'Now, I believe. Jesus, now I believe!' Through Him, we have that beautiful chance for the Hope of Eternal Life. The Risen Christ gives all of us a strong, solid message again, that God IS in control!

This hope that we have stirs our desire, as C.C.S. staff, to implement God's specific plans and instructions into all the lives of our students and families. There are many steps to the Hope that God has for the many families that we work with, and we see steps toward the 'Risen' every day!

CCS AUCTION

Please make plans to attend our Annual CCS Auction on' Saturday, April 24th starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. Invite your friends, neighbors, relatives and enjoy a fun day of food, fellowship, live entertainment, and have fun bidding on great items, services and trips while supporting our great school!
*Deadline to turn in donation items for the auction is Monday, April 19th. Thank you!

Donations Needed

*For the Prayer Garden - soap chips (to keep the deer away) and used coffee grounds (to keep the slugs away). See Georgette Rude for more details.

*A small trailer (open or closed) needed for Irene Clark to use for a couple of months while she's in Colorado trying to sell their home. You may reach her at 687-2209 or 818-0433.

Ladies Craft Night!

Are you still trying to get caught up on your scrapbook? Bring those unfinished projects to Ladies' Craft night on Friday, April 16th, at 6:30 p.m., and work on them amidst the love and laughter of sisters in Christ. Bring a snack (of course there must be snacks!) and craft the night away!

TO SERVE April 18^th, 2004

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