August 2013 - Terrill Road Baptist Church
Transcription
August 2013 - Terrill Road Baptist Church
1340 Terri l l R oad S cot ch P l ai ns, NJ 07076 908 -322 -71 51 Terrill Road Baptist Church Pastor William C. Page ...doing the work He is doing in the world... August 2013 Pastor’s Page A Pastor’s Proud Moment Set Free. Live Free. In This Issue: Pastor’s Page: A Pastor’s Proud Moment Celebrating Our Members: Shawn Gulbin New TRBC Facebook Group! Favorite VBS Themes Insights from Team Cleveland Teens Inspiration Point: She Took My Seat! Wisdom from the 8th Grade Valedictorian Katelyn Dyer Spiritual Fitness: It’s Who You Know I had the privilege of accompanying six of our young people on the P2 Mission trip to Cleveland, Ohio last month. Madeleine Farrell and I led a team of four girls and two guys to serve the Lord in this needy city. The neighborhood we served in was a horrible casualty of the mortgage crisis. House after house in the Slavic Village neighborhood was vacant and boarded up. It was to this neighborhood we came alongside Pastor Joe Jaworski of the Slavic Village Chapel. Pastor Joe grew up in this neighborhood and the Lord called him to return here some seven years ago to plant a Bible-preaching church. The church is still small, but its vision is big. Most church planters prefer to plant a church in an area that is vibrant and growing. This neighborhood is neither. They have chosen to stay and minister to the many who are still there. That is commitment! I thought back to Shrewsbury, MA where Bernadette and I planted Grace Baptist Church. It was growing and was in a highly desirable place to live. Pastor Joe showed me afresh that you faithfully serve where God has placed you, regardless of the demographics. The children who our teens ministered to were not looking at the neighborhood the same way I was. To them, it was home. They played sports in the park, looked out for one another and enjoyed having fun. They had no more or less of a need for Jesus than people in any other place. Every place needs the Gospel. Material wealth sometimes masks spiritual poverty, but it is still there. Someone said, “You can’t take the Gospel to the wrong address.” I agree. (Continued) T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Pastor Page (continued) Our teens brought the love of Jesus to Slavic Village that week. I wish you could have been there! The pictures show a lot. But the pictures cannot put you in that 95 degree heat with the “lake effect” humidity. I never heard anyone complain! We all said it was hot, but no one was complaining about it. It was more like we were remarking about the weather. I know at home I would have been inside in the air conditioning. But everyone knew we were there for a much GREATER purpose. God had us there to love those kids. Believe me, if those kids had had air conditioning and Xboxes in their homes, I don’t think they would have been out there for the three hottest hours of the day. We were there for a heavenly purpose. Lucas gave up basketball one day (no small thing) to hang with a little boy Nico who for some reason gravitated to him. Cori read story after story on that bench as kids came by. Carina, Ayanna, Samuel and Alexis played game after game of various sports they admitted were not “their sport” but played anyway because it’s what was needed. When Madeleine tried to tell one of the kids how old she was, that child’s response was, “Yeah, but you have LIFE!” She responded, “You’re right. I do have life!” Isn’t God good? We lived on that statement all week. There were many times while drinking another cup of water that I paused to gaze upon our group. I was so proud of this team. These kids raised money. They asked their parents to pay the fee. They rode nearly eight hours to go serve the Lord by serving others in this way. This was not youth camp. It was not a retreat. It was a Gospel service opportunity with less than perfect accommodations. No swimming pools. No treat at the end of the day. Our reward was four young people who gave their heart to Jesus and a local pastor and church, blessed by our presence and the knowledge of a job well done. Any other reward is eternal. You heard their testimonies during the Sunday service after they returned. If you missed it, it is available online. That Sunday, I was blown away by their candor. God’s presence was evident in their stories. For this pastor, it was another proud moment that I will never forget. Please pray with us that the name of Jesus will be remembered by the folks in Cleveland. Blessings, Pastor Bill 2 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Insights from Team Cleveland Teens You’ve read Pastor Bill’s comments about Team Cleveland. The teens who went on the trip were also deeply moved by what they saw and what they did. Alexis Casterlow, Ayanna Casterlow, Samuel Farrell, Lucas Page, Cori Spies and Carina Page offered their own impressions of their time in Cleveland: What’s your most vivid memory of the trip? Lucas: Just me at the park, hanging with all the little kids, specifically Nico, the 2-year old, because I was special to him. He called me his brother at one point, so it was very touching. And he called me Mommy. So I grew on him as time went on because he just wanted me to be with him and later on I really wanted to be with him and make him happy. Ayanna: I think the children who we met, because it was really sad and amazing to see just how hungry they were for somebody to love them and give them attention. Samuel: I guess there was this kid, Todd. He was 4-years old. And he wasn’t exactly a Christian, but he was pretty close. And I don’t know if he’s still alive today, because he told me the day before someone tried to stab him. Alexis: Probably one of the kids, he was like a 2-year old little boy. His name was Nico and he was very attached to Lucas the whole week. So that’s what I remember when I think of Cleveland. Cori: Probably a girl named Diamond who was asking to come home with me, and Nyah and Loretta. They were all asking if they could come home with me and stay with me. And just the fact that they told me I was their favorite person, like ever. The situation, what they must be going through just kind of hit me then, because they’re telling a girl that they hardly know, ‘You’re my favorite person’. Carina: I guess just playing basketball with all the 10 and 11-year old boys and just having fun with them, because that’s what I did mostly, play basketball with them. (Continued) 3 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Team Cleveland Teens (continued) What did you learn about people? Alexis: I learned about the kids in Cleveland. All they really want is someone to love them and just play with them and to have a good time with them. Samuel: You have to be very patient, because sometimes they are very unreasonable. It’s worth it, though, to just be with people like that and see them get better. Lucas: I learned to love everybody, because they’re just like normal people who just have a different life from us because they live in a bad neighborhood. We should just love them all and respect them. Ayanna: That they may be hard to connect to or love, but with God it’s possible. Cori: I learned that in the U.S. , there are a lot of people who don’t know about Christianity, because they don’t hear about it. It’s kind of hard to comprehend seeing as there’s a church on every corner and we’re supposedly a Christian country. I asked them, “Do you know the story of Jesus?” And they’re like, “No.” I was like “OK, I guess I have to tell you then.” Carina: That it’s amazing how different cultures and different environments can make people so different. Because we’re from such a privileged town, and we go to one of the worst towns in America, and we see people but we also see that we’re the same. We all just want attention and affection and love. But I think that they go to greater lengths to get that attention and love and affection. What did you learn about yourself? Ayanna: I’m a lot more compassionate towards others than I thought I would be when I first went on the trip. Lucas: I learned that I can be loving. I kind of learned that I shouldn’t stop at Cleveland and I should just keep on going to places like the park on La Grande Avenue and stuff. (continued) 4 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Team Cleveland Teens (continued) Samuel: I guess one thing I learned is I actually can be compassionate. It wasn’t really until the very last day that I felt sorry for Todd specifically. Cori: I learned that I can do more than I thought I could do. Alexis: I learned that I should be very thankful for what I have, because a lot of what I have, they don’t, like a loving family and a good relationship with God. Carina: That I’m spoiled. And that I’m just really blessed to have the life that I have, and the family that I have, and the town that I have and the friends that I have. And that I can have a heart for kids who don’t have what I have. Pray for all the kids in Cleveland. Brittany’s New Address Brittany has passed along her new address, so that you can remain in touch with her. It is: 113 Averill Court Lynchburg, VA 24501 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 5 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Celebrating Our Members Shawn Gulbin “I Love Them Beyond Beyond” Born in Manhattan, there is something you may not know about Shawn Gulbin. “My first name is actually L’etta. My middle name is Shawnie. And growing up, my family only called me Shawn”. Shawn lived in the Bronx until she was in 3rd grade. Then, her family moved to Piscataway. She grew up in a Christian home. “My grandmother was a Christian. My mom was a very strong Christian. My father was a believer. So I was surrounded by Christ. I was in church from the time I was little. I always sang in the choir. We went to church all the time.” She is grateful that she had a mother and father who were always there. “Listening to some people’s stories now, I’m learning how that is so taken for granted. My father’s favorite advice for us was, “Speak up, say what’s on your mind. There’s always a way to say it”, she says. “And my mom always tried to guide us in the way of Christ. So I think I was just blessed that I had two parents who really, really loved us and did whatever it took to make sure we knew it, but also disciplined us when they needed to.” She lost her dad several years ago. “He didn’t get an opportunity even to see me graduate college.” Shawn went to Temple University for two years and then graduated from Rutgers. She worked as regional human resources manager for T-Mobile’s northeast division. “Once I had the twins, I decided to stay home.” She and her husband Chris have been married for 11 years. Chris is currently a sergeant at the Union County Prosecutor’s Office in the Sex Crimes Unit. Their twins, Aubrey and Tyler, turn eight on August 4th. Eryn is six. Shawn calls her family “amazing”. “We are a very close-knit family. We do a lot of things together and we couldn’t imagine not being around each other. Family means a lot to us. I love them beyond beyond.” Shawn and Chris started coming to TRBC about three years ago. “We came because the kids were in GraceNotes. Then I started to come to the Ladies Bible Study and I started to get more involved. I got baptized and became a member a year ago. What I really love about TRBC is that the people are just like me. Even from the very first time that we came here, and this is also why my husband was comfortable, we just didn’t feel like there was any pretense or any judgment. We were taken as we are, and that was it. And we still are taken as we are and so I think that’s one of the things that I love about TRBC. It’s a church that really believes in prayer. I remember my first time here saying, ‘Man, they pray over everything!’ And now I’ve learned in my journey why that’s so important and I love that. And I love that the people here are just genuine and they’re just like me and they’re trying to find their path and do the right thing for God. And we’re all in this together.” 6 Shawn has a real talent and passion for singing. “When I sang in choirs (Continued) T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Shawn Gulbin (continued) when I was little, I was so tone deaf. And I wanted to sing and I remember my mom always singing in my ear to try to get me on the right note. I was in community plays, but I didn’t really take singing seriously until I got into high school. There was a time when I thought I wanted to sing on Broadway. And I was kind of gearing towards that, but my father being very practical was like, ‘Yeah, no. You need to go and get a real job.’ So I dabbled in it, but I never went for it full-fledged. But I did after college. I had professional training with a vocal coach and I sang for a while, doing cover bands and things like that. But I had gotten away from singing at the church, until I came to TRBC. And one of the things that I’m loving about singing here is that it is such a different experience for me singing in a song ministry as opposed to when I would sing secular songs. There are times I battle myself with being too emotional, because I’m always picturing myself at the throne when I sing. And so, it’s a whole different experience for me and I enjoy this way more than I did when I sang Broadway’s tunes and secular music.” Shawn has seen and felt God working in her life for years. “For a while after college, I was a believer but a way backslidden believer. I lived my life in the world. And I feel like God called me back when I was pregnant with the twins. No one in the medical community assumed that I would carry those babies to term. They prepared Chris and me that it wasn’t going to happen, saying, ‘Maybe you can try again, but this is not going to work’. And I remember my mom looking at me and saying, ‘You really just need to pray’. And I remember my attitude like, ‘Pray. OK.’ And I was home on bed rest, and I tell this story to everyone who will listen. I opened up my Bible the first time after not reading it in a while and it said ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ And I felt that was God talking to me. And from that point on I started to rededicate my life back to God. And I’ve seen Him working on me slowly, but surely. The twins were born healthy to everyone’s amazement and surprise. Then we had another one after that and then, when Chris had cancer, the Lord revealed Himself again to us, very powerfully. He had a very rare lymphoma. He’s now going into his fourth year of remission. And the outpouring of people just willing to help us was unbelievable. And in there, God was speaking to me and God started speaking to him. And that’s when we decided we needed to raise our children so that they can hear the Lord early. And we started looking for a church and the Lord led me back to Spring who I was friends with, who I’d met when the twins were babies and we lost touch. Our kids were in school together and she says ‘Come on by the church’, and here I am. And that’s all God. “I feel truly blessed every day”, Shawn says. “The Lord surprises me with one more thing He thinks I can handle. And, listening to Team Cleveland really was a touching inspiration on just seeing how they were touched. I couldn’t help but just be humbled by God working through them. Everyone was touched, not just the kids in Cleveland, but our kids were touched. And that was just beautiful and I feel privileged that God allowed me to see that and I know that He’s going continue to use that in ways that bring glory to His Kingdom.” 7 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Milestones August Birthdays and Anniversaries Birthdays Aug. 2 Aug. 4 Aug. 4 Aug. 5 Aug. 6 Aug. 7 Aug. 7 Aug. 13 Aug. 14 Aug. 15 Aug. 15 Aug. 16 Birthdays Antonio Casterlow Jr. Aubrey Gulbin Tyler Gulbin Peter De Sarno Augusta Bougie Shawn Gulbin Steve Vorrius Jesse Buckridee Bonnie Atkins Kathy Bell Pam Rampersad Alexis Casterlow Aug. 16 Aug. 20 Aug. 21 Aug. 21 Aug. 21 Aug. 23 Aug. 24 Aug. 24 Aug. 26 Aug. 30 Aug. 30 Janice Guy Bill Spies Madeleine Farrell Andrew Manns Don Williams Nancy De Sarno Lucas Page Jessica Pratt Gina Vorrius Kevin Caruso Andrew (Drew) Manns III Anniversaries Aug. 7 Aug. 13 Aug. 18 Aug. 26 Aug. 28 Mary Ann & Pat Martino Jamie & Joy More Jeff & Julie Staines Tom & Bonnie Atkins Marc & Lisa Dyer September Question of the Month: What is your favorite Contemporary Christian song, and why? Please give your responses to Jim Wilson or e-mail responses to [email protected] (note new e-mail address) by Sunday, August 25th. Thank you in advance for your responses. We will all be blessed by what you have to share. 8 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R 9 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Inspiration Point: “She Took My Seat!” by Jim Wilson Recently, Janet and I spent a great weekend in Lancaster, PA. It’s become one of our favorite places. The Sunday we were there, we went to Grace Baptist Church. There was a guest preacher that day who talked about change and how difficult it can be. He spoke about a shocking, traumatic day for one church goer, when somebody took his seat. It was all tongue-in-cheek, but he had the congregation hanging on his every word. We laughed, because we could relate. I wanted to share this with you. “A lady took my seat in church a while back. It’s not that important, really. She’s a really nice lady, kind and considerate, a good friend, in fact. There were several other seats available. I could sit any place. The people in our congregation are as friendly and caring as you’ll find any place in the world. A person should be comfortable sitting in any place. It’s no big deal. My seat is seventh row back from the front of the church. I’m sure she didn’t mean to take my seat. She just wouldn’t do that, nor would anyone else in our fine church. It doesn’t make that much difference. My seat is on the end of the pew, on the north side by the windows, on your left as you come into the sanctuary. I can rest my left arm on the end of the pew. It’s a good seat. But I would never raise a fuss about a seat. She probably didn’t intend anything personal by taking my seat. I never hold a grudge. Actually it was three months ago that she took my seat. I really don’t know why she took it. I have never done anything to her. I’ve never taken her seat. I suppose I’ll have to come a whole hour earlier now to get my seat. Either that, or sit on the south side. She really took it because it’s one of the best seats in the house. I don’t know why she took it. She had no business taking my seat, and I’m not going to go to church two hours early to get what is rightfully mine from the beginning. This is the way great social injustices begin, abusive people taking other people’s seats in church. This is the way seeds of revolution are sewn. A person can only stand so much! Where’s it going to end? If somebody doesn’t stand up to be counted, nobody’s seat will be safe. People will just sit any place they please and the next thing they’ll do is take my parking spot and world order will be in shambles.” -Dr. Jerry Rogers 10 Good thing that God never changes. T HE LA MP LI G HT E R TRBC Group on Facebook! We have something new and exciting! TRBC now has its own group on Facebook, 57+ members and growing! If you’re on Facebook, search for “Terrill Road Baptist Church, Scotch Plains, NJ” and ask to be added as a member to this group. There, you’ll be able to see what’s coming up in the days and weeks ahead. You’ll be one click away from sermon audio each week. It’s another way to stay in touch. “Terrill Road Baptist Church, Scotch Plains, NJ”. See you on Facebook! Any questions, ask Jim at [email protected] Mark your Calendars! Calling all Ladies! Nursery 2.0 is coming! Please join us for breakfast Saturday, September 7 at 9 a.m. Childcare will be provided. Dear Heavenly Father, Great is Your faithfulness, morning by morning. As the song says, You give me strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. I couldn’t get through this day without You, Lord, nor would I want to. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 11 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Question of the Month The Lamplighter Question of the Month for this month was: What has been your favorite VBS theme at TRBC and why? (Some recent ones have been Rickshaw Rally, Rambling’ Road Trip, Arctic Edge, Game Day Central, Outrigger Island, Big Apple Adventure and this year’s Colossal Coaster World.) Thank you all for your responses. 12 Shawn Gulbin - I did not have the pleasure of experiencing very many VBS adventures at TRBC. But Colossal Coaster World really resonated with me for a lot of reasons. I remember the very first time I rode a "big kid" roller coaster. I was nine years old and it was the famous Cyclone in Coney Island. I had the pleasure of riding it with my dad. I was terrified and excited all at the same time. I remember watching the coaster sway slightly back and forth as the cars thundered across it and I said to my dad, with a slight tremor in my voice ,"Is it supposed to move like that?" He smiled and said, "It's going to be ok, I will be right here". We finally got our turn and rode the FRONT car. Now you have not lived life on the edge until you have ridden the front car of a roller coaster. There is nothing between you, the sky or the ground but a little lap bar and you literally feel as if you are flying. As we took off and started up the incline I was petrified!! As we started to crest, I grabbed my dad's arm and barely got out a choked "Daddy?". He looked at me and said, "I'm right here", and then we took off. All I can say is WOW! It was amazing, the drops, the turns, the dips. When we pulled into the station he looked at me and without a word he knew I wanted to ride again. We got back in that long line and waited for the front car. This time as we crested that steep incline I threw my hands in the air and WOOOOHOOOOO, away we went! See, I trusted my dad when he said, "I'm right here". Those three little words meant everything to a scared nine year old. It meant that no matter what happened, my father was right there for me. So having this same lesson taught to the children at VBS really meant something to me. That no matter what they feared, God says, "I'm right here". Three simple words that mean more than you can ever imagine in the face of fear. Every time I see a big roller coaster, I always flash back to that moment with my dad and me. I now realize that he taught me one of the most important lessons of my Christian life - no matter what I see, feel or fear, God is ALWAYS right there. Now, who said VBS was just for the kids? (Continued) T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Favorite VBS Theme (continued) Sheryl Morales - I liked “Big Apple Adventure”, partly because I love NYC, but also because in music, there was a rap song of John 3:16. That song was a creative way to engage the older kids, especially. Watching the entire VBS sing that song at the closing program was a memorable experience. Jim Wilson - All of them have been great. I guess my favorite was “Big Apple Adventure”. A really good part is how every VBS theme meets kids where they are, with adventure, with a storyline that is exciting and relatable. The best part of VBS is that every one of them focuses on the ABCs: Accept that you’re a sinner, Believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that He died for you, Confess that He is Lord and Leader of your life. That message is life-changing and so easy that even this grown-up can remember it! Sue Martino - I loved this year's theme! The music was so upbeat and fun, I loved the way the rooms were decorated to look like rides in an amusement park. The kids all had a blast and kept talking about it even weeks after it was over. Gina Vorrius - My favorite theme was actually this year’s “Colossal Coaster World”. I love how it taught the children to face fear by trusting God. Fear can be so powerful, and learning how to trust God with your fears is an awesome thing! Janet Wilson - Difficult question as I’ve been at so many and all had their good points! The “Ramblin’ Road Trip” theme was fun as we learned about various travel spots. “Big Apple Adventure” was near and dear as we “visited” areas in New York City. I believe our mission offering was socks given to Lance for the Relief Bus Ministry. The music of this year’s “Colossal Coaster World” was not only fun (and aerobic...pant pant!), but we had lyrics based on scripture; very life-applicable words that worked well with our Bible stories that week. It’s been a blessing to have Carina help me in leading the music. I’ve seen her rapport with the kids and leadership skills develop these past few years. I’ve been so thankful to Karolyn for her commitment in working the sound booth (Ask her about her crazy hats!). I’ve been very moved by the loving ministry Jenna Staines has provided these last couple of VBSes as she has been Matthew’s “special buddy”. This meant she was not working side-by-side with her peers; she needed to be self-less and was very dependable. Lastly, the joy I experience every time I see all those children singing praises to Jesus is beyond words! (Continued) 13 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Favorite VBS Theme (continued) Julie Staines - My favorite theme was “Outrigger Island”. I loved decorating our “hut”. But mostly I remember the fun music. The annual ABC VBS song was “A awicki, B awicki, C awicki” and I still sing it in my head. Liam Page - My favorite was “Colossal Coaster World” because VBX was awesome! Robin Di Fiore - Here’s a story to show that Vacation Bible School did not fall on deaf ears. My friend Krystna Allen has three little girls, Isabella, Josie and Sonia, who came to VBS. I ran into Krystna at the farmer’s market and she welcomed me with a big hug and she couldn’t wait to tell me this story about Isabella: She was having a tooth pulled. She was so nervous for this extraction. But she just kept saying over and over, “Facing Fear, Trusting God” and repeating 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” And her sister Josie was taught, “Be Strong, Be Brave.” And her mom was just overjoyed at this message that was sticking with her and she was applying it to her life. She kept thanking me over and over again. She just wanted us to know that the message definitely was being applied to her daughter’s life and how grateful she was. It was so sweet. She gave me permission to share this with our church. My own personal story: my little Michael was visiting my sister for the weekend and she took him to the pool. And there was a high dive and he was so nervous to go off of it. And every time he kept climbing the stairs, he kept saying “Facing Fear, Trusting God” as he was trying to be brave and jump off the high dive. He was using scripture and that motto to face his fear and jump off the high dive. And he did it! Lucas Page - “Ramblin’ Road Trip” - about cars! “Arctic Edge” - courage. “Rickshaw Rally” - my first one! My fave was “Big Apple Adventure”. It was the best because I was old enough to understand the material. Trudi Karpel - My favorite VBS theme was Amazon Outfitters - On expedition with the one true GOD! This is my favorite, because it speaks to every aspect of my life. I need to have an expedition with the one true God. As a Christian, my life is filled with highs and lows. But when I keep God first, the adventure is filled with joy and happiness. 14 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R How Well Do You Know God’s Word? “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 Fill in the blanks, then check your NIV Bible to see how you did. Daniel 3:15b “...if you are ready to fall down and worship the ______I made, very good. But if you do not _________ it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing ___________.” Daniel 3:17 “If we are thrown into the blazing ________, the God we serve is able to _______ us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king.” Daniel 3:18 “But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your _______ or worship the image of _______ you have set up.” Daniel 3:24 “Then King _________ leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisors, ‘Weren’t there _______ men that we tied up and threw into the _______?’” Daniel 3:25 “He said, ‘Look! I see four men walking around in the _______, unbound and _______ and the ________ looks like a son of the gods.’” Daniel 3:26b-27 “So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the ___________ and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal ________ crowded around them. They saw the ________ had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their ______ were not scorched. And there was no smell of _______ on them.” Daniel 3:28 “Then Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Praise be to the ________ of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent His ________ and rescued His servants!’” 15 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Wisdom from the 8th Grade Katelyn Dyer’s Valedictorian Speech 16 Good afternoon Dr. Hartzler, Coach Hobbs, teachers, parents, grandparents, extended family and friends and my classmates, the 2013 8th grade graduates of Timothy Christian School. First, I want to thank God for the gifts and talents He has given me and each of my classmates to bring us to the place we are today! We are all so very blessed. Second, I want to thank all of our parents, family members and friends and our churches for upholding and supporting us throughout the years. Third, I want to thank the teachers and staff at TCS who have taught us, prayed with us, and for us, and modeled for us what it is like to be a follower of Christ. Lastly, I want to thank my classmates, some of you who have been with me since kindergarten and others who just joined us last year. Thank you for walking through these elementary and middle school years with me! You are a very special group. It would not have been the same without you. As many of you know, I have been at TCS since kindergarten. Over the years, there have been many fond memories. We all loved having kindergarten with Mrs. Weber and Mrs. Russell from nap time to recess. First grade didn’t consist of as many breaks and we didn’t have nap time anymore, but we still had ‘pet week’. Second grade came along, and we spent an entire week being astronauts with Miss. Ramunda – what a memorable experience! We also had to get used to something new called Spec Logs. Then third grade came around, and so did reading time with Miss Ingoglia. Some of my favorite books were Treasure in an Oatmeal Box, Tale of Despereaux and No Talking. Dissecting owl puke in fourth grade wasn’t exactly pretty, but before we knew it, our last year of elementary school came. Thanks to Mr. Carroll, I learned how to play the trombone, which, at that stage in my life, was as big as me. For those of you who had Miss Hopper, you will never forget how you diligently said “Yes Ma’am” 24/7. I will also never forget how many Bible Verses we memorized in 5th grade, that I will have with me for the rest of my life. This was also the year when a beloved teacher, Mrs. Page, passed away. God’s comfort and grace brought us through this very difficult time. Finally, middle school was here. No more jumpers. No more standing in lines. No more having the same teacher all day long. We were finally free. Seventh grade brought along some new friends and a fabulous science teacher, as well as learning more about different sports in P.E. which was one of the highlights of everyone’s day. Ultimately, eighth grade ended with a trip to outdoor ed for all of us and a rainy, freezing day at Six Flags that will never be forgotten. (Continued) T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Wisdom from the 8th Grade (continued) Now it’s time for the next big step in our lives - high school! I am really excited about high school at Timothy Christian. First, Timothy has helped me grow academically, spiritually and socially in the past 10 years like no other school could. Why stop now? Second, not only are the teachers gifted at what they do, but they care. The teachers staying late to help or talk about something unrelated to studies isn’t unreasonable or out of the ordinary either. It’s normal and it’s great. Lastly, God should be most important and at TCS, God is just that. At the beginning of last year, I began thinking I might have to go somewhere else for high school. Why, you might ask? Because I love playing lacrosse. I have played on a recreational team since third grade and a summer travel team for the past three years. I very much want to play in high school, but since Timothy does not have lacrosse, I began to look at other schools that do. However, as nice as all the other schools seemed, none had the Christ-centered education that TCS does. God began to tell me that lacrosse isn’t the most important thing in the world and that He knows what He is doing as He says in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.” I am trusting that God has a perfect plan for me and will use my high school years at Timothy to help direct me on His path. Also, I can still use other talents He has blessed me with for Him while studying all the academic subjects which are based on His Word. God is most important. Thank you,TCS, for providing that atmosphere where I can make God the center of my life. I’d like to close with a part of a letter Paul wrote to young Timothy. I have re-worded it for my classmates: “But as for us, let us continue in what we have learned and have been convinced of, through our elementary and middle school years at Timothy. Because we know those from whom we have learned it and how from kindergarten we have been taught the Holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that each of us, in the class of 2013 may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Thank you. Thank you, Katelyn, for words we all need to hear. 17 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Face Down in the Balcony by Jim Wilson I grew up in church. Back in the day, I spent almost every Sunday at the First Baptist Church in White Plains, NY. My parents were both very active from as early as I can remember. I was baptized there when I was nine. As a teen, I was president of the youth group, the Baptist Youth Fellowship. Our BYF group was very active. When our longtime minister retired, I was honored as a 16-year old to be a youth representative on the pastor search committee. That was an awesome experience. What I remember most about growing up in the First Baptist Church was the balcony, especially on one particular Sunday. It was a nice church. As a kid, I was there for the groundbreaking. My dad worked the radio booth in the back of the balcony, giving the intro to the Sunday services that aired on WFAS and wrapping them up when the sermon was over. Because he was in the booth, my family always sat in the front row of the balcony, right hand side facing the front of the church. As a kid, it was great to look down at the top of people’s heads. But these were days before air conditioning, and that balcony sure could get hot. It was summer. It was sweltering. And there we were in our spot in the balcony. I don’t remember the sermon that day. But I do remember the closing hymn, “Once to Every Man and Nation”. Mercifully, there are only four verses to that song in TRBC’s “Celebration Hymnal”. Back in White Plains on that hot summer day, it seemed like there were 18! Somewhere around verse 17, I started getting light-headed. By the beginning of verse 18, the sanctuary was a blur. Somewhere during the last line of that last verse, I passed-out, keeled over and hit the floor with a crash. Fortunately, I didn’t go over the balcony railing or that really would have been a benediction to remember. I face-planted in the front row of the balcony as my family rushed to pick me up and the congregation kept singing. Only folks in the balcony were aware of the casualty in their midst. I think we sat somewhere else from then on. To this day, I still get light-headed when I hear that song. I guess if there’s a spiritual lesson, it’s this: When you fall down, get up again. Thank the Lord. And keep on singing. 18 T HE LA MP LI G HT E R Spiritual Fitness: It’s Who You Know by Jim Wilson One of the key lessons in life that we all have heard is that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. A resume only goes so far. References often make the difference between getting the job or getting disappointed. In my own career, I figured that a masters degree would carry a lot of weight. It was an indicator of how much I knew. I figured it would open doors. But, it’s really just a piece of paper. It shows book knowledge, but not necessarily life knowledge. For me, the door to my career opened not because of me, but because I knew someone who knew someone else. Knowing someone is key. It’s key in your career. It’s key in your life. It’s key in your faith. How sad it must be when a person has all manner of head knowledge about the Bible, but does not personally know the Lord. Walking with God involves reading and doing and knowing. Bible study shows us the way God wants us to live. It’s where it all begins. It’s a great, daily first step. But there’s more. The second and vitally important step is to know the Lord, to intentionally and daily seek His will and to actually walk in His ways. Much more important than a change in knowledge .. is a change of heart. It’s not what you know, it’s WHO you know. Strive to know Him more each day. 19 Terrill Road Baptist Church is a Bible-believing Church where people connect with God, each Sunday Phone: Bible 908-322-7151 Study 9:30 a.m. Sunday E-Mail: Worship [email protected] Service 10:45 a.m. Website: Phone: 908-322-7151 TRBC4him.org E-Mail: [email protected] Church Website: trbc4him.org other, and influence our world for Jesus Christ. Find us on Facebook! Terrill Road Baptist Church, Scotch Plains, NJ My thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue. -Jim Wilson, Editor Scan this into your smart phone for instant access to TRBC’s website. Deadline for September Lamplighter: Sunday, August 25. 20