From Faith to Faith
July 2005 VOL. XXI No. 7
PASTOR: Dr. Carl W. Bogue
Attention ladies of Faith Church! WIC (Women in the Church) has planned a picnic for July 16th at the home of Fern Richard’s. All women in the church are welcome and encouraged to attend. More information regarding the picnic will be forthcoming. See the vestibule table in the next two weeks for a sign up sheet and more details.
Deacons and elders...don’t forget you have a combined deacon/session meeting July 16th. The deacons will meet alone at 8:00 a.m. and then join the session at 9:00 a.m.
FUN, FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP FOR ALL!
A new activity has been planned for Faith Church to help us all get to know one another and spend time in good Christian fellowship. On Saturday, July 9th , from 5:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. everyone is invited to join in for a time of fun, food and fellowship at the church. Please bring your favorite games and a covered dish and/or a snack to share. This “fun” night will be every month on the second Saturday of the month from 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Remember Vacation Bible School is quickly approaching on August 1-5th. You ask how you can help? There are several ways you can help to make VBS a success!
✦Vacation Bible School needs lunch money donations. If you can donate funds to help supply lunches for our workers this relieves a big burden off our workers so they can focus all their energies into making VBS a success. If you can make a lunch money donation please see Melinda Althuis.
✦Last VBS Planning Meeting: July 17
✦VBS Workday July 30th: 9:00 to noon. Please come and help get the props ready for VBS. This is a big job and many hands are needed. Come for an hour or all morning if you can.
Please remember to invite your grandchildren, neighbors and any children you know ages 3-12 to come to VBS. Help us spread the gospel to as many children as possible...
Attention to all the young people in the church. Junior Choir is about to begin!
Any children (ages 5 thru high school) interested in singing are invited to join. We will meet to practice on the 3rd and 4th Sundays of each month immediately following the lunch meals. The practices will only last about 30 minutes.
This is an opportunity for the children to learn more about music, how to improve their singing skills, and how to worship God in music. If you have any questions please contact Jennifer Stone.
Bruce and Donna Buchanan are finally here! We are so glad their family arrived safely in Akron. Please note their new address and information:
Rev. Bruce and Mrs. Donna Buchanan
Their children are:Verity, age 5, Mercy, age 3 ½, Peace, age 1 ½, Benjamin, 1 ½ months
Dear Faith Family:
On behalf of my family, and as your newest pastoral staff member, I want to thank you all for making our moving-in and settling down experience stress FREE. That is no exaggeration. Your gifts and kindnesses have proven your love to us. I pray to God that my ministry of the Word to you, and Donna’s and the children’s use of their gifts here at Faith, may return even a tenth of the mercies of God shown to us through you. Pastor Buchanan
We would like to welcome two new members into our church family. Daryl Woolf and Staci Rupple joined Faith Church by a reaffirmation of faith on June 10th. Daryl and Staci are engaged to be married. Welcome Daryl and Staci!
We would like to thank everyone for their prayers, cards and visits. We are so appreciative of our church family for all their love and support during this time. Thank you so much. Jim and Dina Bruder
From the Pastor’s Study
It is perhaps time to use this space to bring a few things up to date in the life of the church family. As many of you are aware, I have been in and out quite a bit recently, and things are not changing drastically on that front. Happily, Pastor Bruce Buchanan is now on the scene, having been ordained and installed the first Sunday in June. Bruce has also preached a couple of times and is getting to know some of the congregation. We are still getting acquainted “professionally,” and hope to have some shared work planned out in the near future. Do give him your support and welcome him when he approaches you that he might more quickly be able to serve the congregation in his roll as assistant pastor.
Elder Caler and I were delegates to this year’s General Assembly in Chattanooga. There is not a lot of vital news to share, as much of the work just moves on at a pace and direction that is well established. One new study committee was formed to look into “life” issues that might go beyond the earlier “Abortion” study and “Heroic Measures” study which were done quite a few years ago. The purpose of this study project is to advise the churches regarding the Sixth Commandment with respect to issues on the sanctity of human life, including, but not limited to, suicide, euthanasia, stem cell research, human cloning, and medical treatment and care, and report back to the 35th General Assembly in 2007. A report on the G.A. done by the PCA “In Faith” publication is on the table in the vestibule for those interested in a more detailed report.
One further note for your information and prayer is a trip I will be making to Larnaca, Cyprus, in August. I have been invited to teach two different groups from churches in the Middle East coming to Cyprus for this purpose. It is under the sponsorship of the Middle East Reformed Fellowship. Please pray for my preparation and for Pastors Buchanan and Kobb as they fill in while I am gone.
Prayer Chain Requests
May 17: Chuck and Robbie Jamison have a praise to share! Leah will be reinstituted to the Lord’s Table. God alone is responsible for bringing her back into His flock and we are grateful beyond measure for all the prayers that have been lifted by God’s people for her sake.
May 23: Barb Imke asks for prayers for herself. She has severe allergy/sinus headaches. She’s had to leave work early due to illness and asks for prayers for relief.
May 25: Karla Richard’s co-worker’s mother, Loretta Knopp, is being rushed into emergency surgery this morning to re-do the stint in her pancreas. Earlier tests show this is most likely cancer.
May 31: Susan Brown went to the doctor and was told he suspected she may have ovarian cancer. She has a cystic mass and has another doctor appointment tomorrow.
May 31: Jim Bruder will be coming home tomorrow. In three days he will have a bone marrow test. If this comes back clear he will be able to begin radiation treatments soon.
June 1: A friend of Kristin Green’s died suddenly. She is a 35 year old mother of two boys. The doctors told her husband they have no idea how she passed away. She was vacationing and was found dead in bed.
June 1: A good friend of Bertha Horvath’s (Antoinette West) has been hospitalized for dehydration. She is also experiencing back pain and generally not feeling too well.
June 2: Susan Brown met with the doctor and since the tumor is so large a surgery is scheduled for July 18th. Also, she will go to a specialist on June 14th to find out about some abnormal nodules on her thyroid.
June 2: Mrs. Knopp went to her oncologist and the cancer is locally contained. She will be able to have chemo and radiation.
June 10: Art Richards was hospitalized this Wed. for dehydration and an infection. He is extremely week and tired.
June 11: Jim Bruder’s bone marrow tests came back negative!
June 11: Art Richards is still in the hospital and they are looking for the cause of the infection.
June 11: Randey Richards is having outpatient surgery this Thursday for a hernia. Please pray for guidance for the surgeon and for his quick recovery.
June 12: Please pray for a friend of Karla Richard’s. The six year old daughter of this family, Jaclyn Cremeans, was hit accidentally in the head by her older sister Paige with a baseball bat. She developed a blood clot overnight and was transported to Rainbow in Cleveland. Surgery was performed to remove the clot and a titanium plate was inserted. The incision is from ear to ear, but mostly will be hidden within the hair line. She shows no sign of brain trauma and all neurological functions are normal.
June 12: Betty Curtiss’ friend, Linda Wilson’s husband, Blane, will be having open heart surgery tomorrow. Please pray for God’s guidance and a full recovery.
June 13: Art Richards and family have received devastating news this morning. The cancer is all throughout his body. He is home now and a hospice nurse will be out to help with his comfort care. Please pray for comfort for the family during this time.
June 14: Chuck Jamison’s father passed away early this morning. Please pray for peace and comfort for the entire family and for God to provide safe travels for the family.
June 14: Kelly Rastetter’s father, Art Barnes, is going to have a biventricular pace maker inserted in two days. It is a new technology, especially for congestive heart failure patients. He is very weak and is short of breath. But, his spirits are good and he trusts that he is ready to meet God, if things don’t go well with the surgery. He is 82 years old and will be 83 in July. Please pray that all goes well.
June 14: Jaclyn Cremeans is on her way home from Rainbows. The doctors said her recovery was remarkable and she is doing very well.
June 19: Art Richards passed away in the night. Please pray for peace and comfort for the entire family at this sad time.
Missions Update
Sid and Louise Anderson – Czech Republic: The Andersons request prayer for the safe arrival of Dr. Krabbendam who will be arriving at Zlin June 23 and will be staying until July 5th. He will have a busy schedule teaching at Reformed Church in Zlin, lecturing at Martin Bucer Seminary, preaching in Prague at a new church plant and will hold a church-wide conference in Hradek. Please pray for God to bless the work at the seminary and that the twelve students will truly have a desire for the Word of God and that they will want to go on and prepare themselves for service in the church. There will be an Islamic Conference on October 6th and 7th for church leaders and educators. Islam already has a strong presence in Europe. Pray for the publicity associated with the conference. Pray also for spiritual and physical strength for the Anderson and Deutchmann families.
Calvin and Geeta Taylor – Asia: Calvin is asking for our prayers concerning the new internship program they have been planning. Pray that God will bring the right men into this program. Pray for a good response to their VBS, and for the teachers, who will be teaching a senior class. The Childrens Home where they used to work needs our prayers as some big challenges have come up recently. Please pray that God’s will be done.
Jack and Sherri Campbell – Spain: Jack and Sherri are still stateside in Pensacola, Florida. Please keep Sherri’s father in prayer. He is suffering and probably near death. They will soon have to leave the house they have been renting. Keep them in prayer that they might find another house to rent for the next six months until they leave for Spain.
July Preaching Schedule
July 3: AM: “Sovereignty and the Covenant”; Luke 17:10
PM: Pastor Kobb
July 10 AM: #117 “Is God Dead?”; Psalm 79
PM: Pastor Buchanan
July 17: AM: #118 “A Plea for Restoration”; Psalm 80
PM: Dr. Bogue – TBA
July 24: AM: #119 “Open Your Mouth!”; Psalm 81
PM: Pastor Buchanan
July 31: AM: “#120 “Who is Really in Charge?”; Psalm 82
PM: Dr. Bogue – TBA