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Working to Record Bible stories in Celtic languages…

February 8, 2010 by tallowoodtalking

Meet Ryan and Sarah. 

Perhaps you already know them – they were active members at Tallowood when they lived in Houston.  Ryan and Sarah both graduated from Texas A&M, and worked in Information Technology when they were in Houston. 

In 2007 they moved to the United Kingdom to work for a non-profit group that works among Celtic people groups.  The organization is working to record Bible stories in various Celtic languages for native speakers.  Ryan and Sarah’s job is to lay the groundwork and assist in projects to produce these oral recordings in specific Celtic languages and dialects.

Although ancient, Celtic languages are still spoken in parts of Europe, including Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and Cornwall in the UK, and the Brittany region in France.

Since their move, Ryan and Sarah have lived and worked in Wales and Scotland.  Last June, they moved to Ireland.  Impressively, they have learned to speak Welsh and Scots Gaelic, and are currently learning Irish.

If you have met Ryan or Sarah, you know they are a lot of fun and dedicated followers of Christ.

Tallowood Talking recently spoke with Ryan and Sarah to catch up on their experiences and adventures in the UK and Ireland:

Q: Where have you lived over there?

A: We lived in Wales for 16 months in a town of 9,000, Scotland for 8 months on an island of about 20,000, and we’ve been here in Ireland for 7 months now, living in a village of about 2,000 on the west coast. 

Q: Which place was your favorite?

A: We don’t really have a favorite.  In terms of scenery, all three places are breathtaking, but in different ways. Each of the people groups we’ve lived among has its own personality, which we’ve enjoyed getting to know.  Having made friends in all three places, we like all three. 

Q: Which language was the hardest to learn?

A: Welsh, because it was our first to try to learn.   The experience from trying to learn it gave us a good foundation to help us learn Scots Gaelic and Irish, so even though they’re very different from Welsh, it hasn’t been as rough an experience for our brains. 

Q: Do the languages have a lot in common or are they different from each other?

A: Irish and Scots Gaelic are about 70 percent the same, so they’re definitely related, and you can even see how that happened by looking at a map.  Welsh comes from a different branch in the Celtic languages tree, so there’s much less in common but still a lot of parallels can be drawn.  None of them are related to English, as English is the new kid on the block in this part of the world. 

Q: Have you become fluent in any of them?

A: We’re not fluent in anything but English (so far) but we’ve been conversationally functional in Welsh and Scots Gaelic.  We’re working on Irish now.

Q: How important is speaking the language to fitting into the communities you have lived in?

A: It’s REALLY important.  While all of these nations have at one time or another been ruled from England, and as a result English has become the common trade language, it’s still not the first language for many people in our communities.  They grow up speaking Irish, or Welsh, or Scots Gaelic and they might not learn English until they go to school.  The fact that outsiders like us care about their language says a lot to them about our desire to relate to them on their terms.  In our village, you could spend the whole day speaking only in Irish and going about your business. 

Q: What are the people like over there?

A: They’re great.  They’re very musical as a rule, and often very artistic.  They enjoy spending time together with family or friends, be it over a cup of tea, or in a pub, or watching a movie, or watching and playing sports.  The people we’ve gotten to know are very kind and generous.

Q: How is the culture different from Texas?  Has it been difficult to adjust?

A: We’ve changed cultures 3 times in the past 3 years, and that’s by nature hard no matter what cultures you’re dealing with, but most cultural differences are just differences, and usually not positive or negative.  Our new friends have been a huge help to our adjustment.  On average, the people are quieter than people in Texas.  Another difference would be the outlook on weather.  In Texas I was always focused on staying cool and dry.  Here, getting rained on is a given, and the focus is to stay warm.  Also, I have to mention the fact that everyone drinks hot tea, and a lot of it. 

Q: What’s the funniest thing that has happened to you since you moved?

A: When we were first learning Welsh and going over the past tense, the teacher asked me when I married Sarah.  A bit confused on my verbs, I loudly and confidently said to the class, “I bought Sarah 3 years ago”.  Fortunately, Sarah and everyone else found my mistake to be entertaining.  

Q: Is there one thing you can share that God has taught you from moving?

A: I think we have a better appreciation for how Jesus became like us.  Being God, and yet choosing to be born and live and die as a man, to give us access to him.  When we do things like learning a language, we’ve been reminded of Jesus, and we’ve felt his presence with us, helping us as we leave the comfort of our own language and culture in order to connect to this community that we love.

Posted in Education, Missions | Leave a Comment »

More Great Questions from Kids…

February 2, 2010 by tallowoodtalking

Pastor Brooks continues to work his way through a group of questions submitted by students who are studying how to defend their faith around their peers.  This is part of the “Great Defenders” program, in which the children are also asked to submit in writing any questions they might have.

Question:  How old was Jesus when he died?

Dr. Brooks responds:  We believe that Jesus started his public ministry at about the age of thirty.  This thought is based upon the historical evidence of the dates of the rule of prominent leaders mentioned in the Bible story of Jesus’ life. 

Augustus Caesar was emperor and Herod the Great was ruling over Israel when Jesus was born.  We also know who was in charge of the country when Jesus was crucified:  so one of Herod’s sons was in charge of Israel and Pontius Pilate reigned as a Roman governor. 

Based on the dates of their reigns, Jesus would have been between 30 and 35 when he started his ministry.  The custom was that a Rabbi began his work at the age of spiritual maturity, 30 years of age.  John writes in his gospel about three different Passovers during Jesus’ ministry, extending over three years. 

So if we add those numbers we come to the conclusion that Jesus lived to be about 33 years of age, very young by today’s standards.  This is the historical interpretation of the length of Jesus’ life, though some say he lived to be as old as 37 or 38.

Posted in Children, Education, Pastoral | Leave a Comment »

Men’s Life — One Man’s Experience

February 1, 2010 by tallowoodtalking

For several years, adult men have met each Wednesday morning at 5:45 to enjoy breakfast together, encourage one another, study the Bible, worship and grow in their relationship with God and their families.  The gathering is called “Men’s Life” and it is a key part of the Men@Tallowood ministry.  It’s open to all men, and if the Wednesday morning schedule does not fit, there is a meeting at 6 each Wednesday night.  The morning sessions are at Tallowood Center, I-10 and Attingham, and the evening meetings are in the Fireplace Room, on the main campus within the building that houses the gym. 

Justin Lofts is a young father who is one of the Men’s Life regulars.  A firefighter/EMT, he was asked why he found value in the experience.  The following is his response:

In my life, I have had the opportunity to meet many people that come from broken homes.  In fact, where I grew up, broken homes were much more common than families that actually stayed together.  I’ve seen “troubled children” from all over America, and I noticed a common trend in the majority of the people that I met.  The common thread was almost always an absent father.  In America, our family units are suffering from an epidemic of indifferent and absentee fathers. 

Perhaps it’s because the roles have changed so much that dads just don’t know how to be dads anymore, or perhaps fathers just stopped caring somewhere along the way.  I would submit to you that this is merely a symptom of a bigger problem.  The real problem is that families are falling away from God, and as fathers, we are the only ones to blame.  The Bible tells us that the man is responsible for the spiritual leadership of his house.  In Joshua 24:15, Joshua takes a bold stand for himself and his family when he says “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.  I fear that as a whole, men and fathers are afraid to take that stand. 

For this reason, when asked to write an article about Men’s Life, I could not resist.  I started going to Men’s Life with the goal of becoming a better husband, father, and man.  While I will not claim to be perfect, I would hope that my family has noticed some improvement.  I myself grew up in one of those broken homes  mentioned earlier, and as statistics go, the major thing missing in my life was a godly father.  Having lived this I appreciate the need for men to step up and take their places as the head of the family.  Luckily for us though, we don’t have to do it alone.  Proverbs 27:17 tells us “As iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”  As Christian men, we can stop the epidemic of indifference, and start to lead our families back to God, but we are not going to do it alone.

To me this is what Men’s Life is all about.  Yes, it is early.  Yes, it means making yourself get up and go to church on a Wednesday morning, but the trade-off is well worth it.  In return, you will get a chance to hear the Word of God, fellowship with other Christian men, bless, and be blessed.  Oh, and did I mention that it comes with breakfast??? 

For me personally, it is an opportunity to learn from Christian role models, men of God that I did not have growing up.  Can I say that Men’s Life will solve all of your problems?  No, but it is a great place to start learning how to be a godly man, father, and husband, and it’s a place to build relationships with other Christian men.  I would encourage any man, married or single, young or old, to give Men’s Life a try.  It is a fail-proof investment into your family, and you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Posted in Men's Ministry | Leave a Comment »

For Tallowood Volunteers, Passion2010 was a Joy

January 26, 2010 by tallowoodtalking

Larger session completed, thousands of students head for community groups

Imagine 22,000 college students in one area.  

Staggering thought, is it not, especially if one envisions the scene from the perspective of a volunteer standing between them and lunch as masses of hungry students, five and six abreast, start coming in waves through opened doors, looking for food. 

More astonishing is the reality of the situation:  the students are courteous, smile, follow instructions, unfailingly say “thank you.”   That’s what happened at Passion2010, a gathering in Atlanta over the New Year’s weekend when students from around the world spent three days worshiping God with a passionate, contagious fervor.  

The Passion conferences are a creation of the ministry of Louie Giglio and his associates who work to ensure that today’s college students can and should make a difference in the world.   The Scriptural foundation of Passion conferences is Isaiah 26:8:  “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your truth we eagerly wait for You, for Your name and Your renown are the desire of our souls.” 

The prayer is that from Atlanta, and from the location of all other Passion conferences, college students leave as a radical band of Christ-followers who have experienced His unrivaled goodness and are fueled by a passion to spread His fame to every person on the planet. 

For the small group of adult volunteers from Tallowood, the Atlanta conference was both exhausting and rewarding. 

Tallowood volunteers John and Marlene Grant, Keith and Julie Williams, and Laura Cating

Jerome Smith, Tallowood’s minister of students, organized and led 28 adult volunteers who were responsible for the rooms in which students assembled in the morning and at night in smaller community and family groups.  The Tallowood volunteers supported facilitators who led the students in focused examination of the messages they were hearing in twice-daily large group sessions. 

It was within these community and family groups that students had a place to cultivate relationships with each other, and to process what God was doing in their lives and on their campuses. 

For the volunteers, the lunch distribution task was so massive it was an “all hands on deck” challenge, involving everyone in addition to primary assignments.  It was a breeze because of its efficiency. 

Students pray in community group

In the morning hours, box lunches for every student had been stacked on long tables situated in different sections of the massive Georgia World Congress Center.  Doors were opened in sequence and students were guided along a pathway that led them past the tables where they grabbed a box and headed into a cavernous room where they sat and ate together.  

As students filed past, they were randomly asked to take a large trash bag and collect debris in their area when the meal was finished. 

Virtually every student said yes.  Every area was cleaned within minutes of the meals being completed.  There was not a complaining word heard. 

It was typical behavior and the kind of experience that made volunteers feel so good they can’t wait to do it again.

Posted in Youth and College | Leave a Comment »

Abundance of musical events coming up…

January 25, 2010 by tallowoodtalking

There’s music in the air at Tallowood – and it goes on and on. 

This Sunday evening, January 31, Gerald Ray hosts another of his extremely popular “Hymn Sing” concerts and on Friday, February 5, there is the evening of “Pasta and Pianos and More” benefiting the Sonlight Mission 2010 project. 

Performers at Hymn Sing include the Tallowood adult choir; Grammy award winner Cynthia Clawson; Scot Cameron, minister of music at Williams Trace Baptist Church; pianist Marvin Gaspard from St. Luke’s Presbyterian; Barbara Bamberg, from St. Luke’s Methodist; author and poet Regan Courtney; trumpeter Matthew Baker and a surprise “mystery” pianist. 

Hymn Sing blends solo performers with audience participation, singing traditional hymns and spirituals.  Ray, the retired minister of music at Houston’s First Baptist Church, is a Tallowood member and audiences at his Hymn Sing programs usually fill the auditorium early. 

The program gets underway at 6 p.m. in the main worship center, and doors will open at approximately 5 p.m.  There is no admission fee and an offering is taken to help defray costs. 

“Pasta and Pianos and More” is an evening of delicious pasta and great music from outstanding musicians.  This year the event will feature four pianos and an organ, and Marvin Gaspard will be the special artist. 

Proceeds from the event benefit Tallowood’s mission trip for students July 16-26 to San Diego.  General admission is $20 per person and includes the meal and entertainment.  An entire table for 8 can be purchased for $150, and Underwriter’s tickets will again be available for $50 and purchasers enjoy their meal with the performers and have front row seats for the concert. 

Tickets are on sale each Sunday morning and Wednesday evenings.  No tickets will be sold at the door.  Childcare for birth to 5 years old is available by reservation.

Posted in Missions, Music, Youth and College | Leave a Comment »

Startling Statistics

January 25, 2010 by daveray

Our new Worship in Action emphasis is underway!  David Ray writes about how you can be involved, and why hope is the vital distinctive of Christian ministry:

Sometimes statistics are misleading, like the fact that drivers switching to an insurance company saved money.  (Why else would you switch?)  Sometimes statistics are irrelevant, like that fact that a baseball player has a better batting average during night games played on Tuesdays in the state of Ohio.  But sometimes statistics are startling, and they should move us to action.  Check out these statistics from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services 2008 Annual Report.  Did you know that in the state of Texas, in 2008…

*  517,573 calls were made to the CPS Abuse Hotline
*  14,295 children were removed from their homes
*  31,058 children were living in foster care
*  4,517 children were adopted out of foster care
*  The average adopted child spent 29.5 months in foster care

James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  At first glance these two thoughts might seem disconnected, but there is an important underlying truth at work here.

Many people look at problems that seem so large and say, “What difference can I make?  What does it matter what I do?”  But that is exactly the kind of attitude that James is warning us against.  It’s an attitude that is like polluted, poisoned water and when it gets inside us it affects everything.

The opposite of this kind of cynicism is hope.  It caused Paul to write to the Romans, “Be joyful in hope,” (Rom. 12:12) and to remind the Colossians that Christ in them was “the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).  What is the hope of glory?  The answer is twofold.  It’s the hope that we have something real to offer to a suffering world, a reconciliation to the relationship we were meant to have with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  And it’s the hope that someday the suffering and injustice of this world will be set to right by the Righteous Judge.

So what can you do to keep yourself from being polluted by the cynicism of the world around you?  You can hope!  And what can you do to help look after orphans and widows in their distress?  You can extend that hope to the 57 children of South Texas Children’s Home Ministries by participating in our ongoing Worship in Action emphasis.  Follow the links to find out more information about our current emphasis and how you can be involved.

Posted in Missions, Worship in Action | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Tallowood supporting Here’s Hope Texas effort

January 23, 2010 by tallowoodtalking

Tallowood is fully engaging in “Here’s Hope Texas,” the effort by the Baptist General Convention of Texas to tell the gospel to the entire state by Easter Sunday, April 4. 

This month Tallowood is praying for our congregation and all of Texas Baptists, using a prayer guide that is being provided churchwide and available to anyone who requests it.  A CD is being provided that includes a number of personal testimonies with the versatility that it can be viewed in dozens of languages.  The plan is for people to view the CD, then give it away to others. 

On February 23 – 25, Tallowood will have revival/renewal services led by evangelist Mike Satterfield of Birmingham, Alabama.  Each evening before the services, which will begin at 7, the chapel reception hall will be used as a place of prayer and preparation for the services, entitled “Refresh.”  Preschool childcare service will be available each night. 

In advance of the revival, Tallowood members are being encouraged to read the book, “The Prodigal God,” which is available in the church’s Book Shop. 

March will be an evangelism month at the church, with prayer walks, and prayer for God’s guidance as the church reaches out to the community, inviting friends and prospective members to attend. 

Holy Week services conclude with Easter services on April 4.  During April there will be a concerted effort to follow-up on every guest who attends Tallowood during the January – March period.

Posted in Missions, Pastoral | Leave a Comment »

Young Married Adults enjoy retreat at Round Top

January 13, 2010 by tallowoodtalking

 

Last weekend marked the fifth time that Tallowood’s young married adults gathered in the Round Top Retreat Center for a weekend of fellowship and getting to know each other. 

Led by young adults minister John Music and several of his Sunday School leaders, the annual retreat was in a large home-like hideaway surrounded by peaceful grounds that allowed worship, outdoor recreation such as football and whacking golf balls around despite the cold temperatures, plenty of indoor board games, movies, food and getting acquainted with each other. 

For several, it was their first retreat.  Brad and Kristin Waller of the New Beginnings department (for newlyweds) wrote: 

“Being half a year into our marriage, we are no strangers to the idea that a good marriage takes work.  We work to blend the traditions and common practices of our individual families.  We work to find compromise between what he thinks and what I think, what he wants and what I want.  We work so hard at building a strong foundation for our marriage that sometimes, we forget to have fun. 

“This weekend we were reminded.  We were reminded of the joy that should be found in marriage.  We laughed, we played, we relaxed.  We broke bread, worshiped, and prayed.” 

Justin and Nicole Lofts, who attend Foundations Department, said: 

“What a wonderful way to begin 2010.  My wife and I have been members of Tallowood for about 3 years and have never attended Couples Retreat but I am so glad that we did this year.  

“Coming into the weekend we did not know what to expect.  We did not know too many people that where going and wondered if we would feel out of place, but, as always, the members of Tallowood opened their arms and pulled us in.  Couples Retreat is by far one of the best weekends I have had in a long time and I will definitely mark my calendar for next year’s retreat.  

“This weekend gave us a chance to rest, relax, play hard, fellowship, and spend time renewing our relationship with God and each other.  It was incredibly refreshing to break from the daily grind of life and to spend time doing things that we enjoy.  Nicole was able to play games, watch movies, spend time talking with other mothers and Christian women, and even squeeze in a nap or two. 

“I was able to play football, try my hand (quite unsuccessfully) at golf, and hang out with my wife.  In the hustle and bustle of everyday life it is easy to forget to take time to enjoy the little things and that is what this weekend is all about.  I think we all need to retreat every once in a while and I am glad that I had this opportunity to do just that.  The lodging at Round Top is very nice and we were fed very well.  In fact it sometimes seemed like the meals ran together.  But the best part of couples retreat by far was getting to know other Christian couples.  I highly recommend going on this trip to anyone considering it.  It is one of the most refreshing things that you can do as a couple.” 

Wiley & Meredith Parkman, also in the New Beginnings class, both commented: 

Wiley said “While I was hesitant at first about the retreat, my hesitancy soon gave way to excitement.  Getting outside the city limits and just “being” was amazing.  There were numerous opportunities to hang out with Meredith and friends not to mention beating Dave Ray by 1 stroke at the Tallowood Open. Definitely a great weekend!” 

Meredith wrote that she found “The young married’s retreat is a fun weekend to get away from Houston.  I enjoyed it because it gave us time to hang out with each other and with our friends from church as well as meet other couples close to our age.  It was a good way to start the year and really built fellowship among believers.” 

The retreat is held annually in early January.

Posted in Adults, Education | Leave a Comment »

Barbara J retiring

January 6, 2010 by tallowoodtalking

Barbara J and her late husband, Dan

A true Tallowood icon is being honored Sunday night. 

Barbara Justman, or “Barbara J.” as everyone calls her, is retiring as director of Tallowood’s food services.  It is where she has been involved in the preparation of untold thousands of meals for the past 35 years.

Her retirement is effective January 15 and she will be honored at a reception Sunday evening following worship.

This is a lady who is an absolutely perfect model of the servant heart described by Christ.  Rare is the day she is not at the church, “checking on something,” as she calls it. 

Weddings, funerals, anniversaries, special events, lunches with the pastor gatherings, parties, festivals, musical events, etc., etc., are where she and her team of volunteers shine.  Many have served with her for decades.

Barbara J’s service began shortly after she and her late husband, Dan, joined Tallowood in 1968.  A home economics graduate from Baylor, Barbara started by helping in the church kitchen area.  At that time, food service management fell within the responsibilities of the church’s maintenance supervisor.

In 1982, he asked her to take responsibility for directing food services “until they found someone,” she recalls.  It was supposed to be a 30 hour per week, “part time” job, but it always required 60 hours to do.  It has had its highs, such as the many parties she and her team have worked, and at least one low, such as the Wednesday evening when the cart hit a rough spot in the sidewalk, and all of the spaghetti sauce for dinner hit the ground.

What happened after that?  “We quickly cooked a lot of hamburgers,” she laughed.

In the mid-1990’s Barbara and her staff prepared meals for 450 people on an average Wednesday evening.  Currently the number is about 250.  “There are so many events drawing our young families away,” she laments.  “So many ball games.”

The fare has changed, as well.  Early on, the meals consisted of “big old rolls, chicken fried steak and a lot of fried foods.”  

Barbara J (left) with some of the volunteers with whom she has served Tallowood for more than three decades

She says she has loved the job, but it has consumed most of her life, especially during the Christmas season, when there were so many events that she rarely had time to shop for gifts for her family of two daughters, a son, and five grandchildren.

“It’s just impossible to prepare for Christmas at home,” she says.  “There is no time.”

But she has absolutely no complaints.  “It has been a journey of joy,” she says, eyes sparkling as she recalls the years she and her team have served families in joy and in sorrow.  “Especially in funerals, when you get so close to families, you feel like you are one of them,” she says. 

Next July, Barbara will be 80.  “I thought I would be doing this job until Jesus came, but it’s time to step aside,” she says.  “This is such a loving congregation, and so many thank us for what we do.  I am going to be lost for a while, but I’ll be here, just not near the kitchen.”

 A search is underway for a fulltime chef, who will oversee food preparation, and Jan Smith will manage the administration of Tallowood’s food services. 

Asked for one food preparation tip to pass on from her vast experience, Barbara emphatically and immediately responded “Never double salt.”

Posted in Pastoral, Recreation | 1 Comment »

Someone who is watching over us…

December 31, 2009 by tallowoodtalking

There are many people who work hard ensuring everything at Tallowood goes smoothly but their effort  is mostly unseen.  Craig Williams is one of those people.

For the last 10 years,  Williams has served as  Tallowood’s security coordinator.  In this role he is responsible for all security matters and ensuring that people are safe and secure while attending church functions.  Williams supervises the group of four police officers who patrol the campus and manage traffic on Sunday mornings.  He also schedules the officers that protect Tallowood during the week.

Williams’ job is to help make Tallowood a safe place to worship and fellowship.  As part of the series to look behind the obvious at the church, Tallowoodtalking interviewed this 29-year veteran of the Houston Police Department.

Q: How long have you worked at Tallowood?

 A: I have had the pleasure of working at Tallowood since August of 1999.  I must say that it has been a pleasurable experience and I don’t view as a job. 

Q: What does a typical Sunday entail for you?

A: On a typical Sunday, I make sure all of my officers are at their assignments and they are all equipped with radios.  I walk around to make sure nothing out or the ordinary is occurring before I make my way into the sanctuary.  As I’m sitting in the services I’m constantly looking, being aware of any potential problem that could disrupt the normal flow.

 Q: What are the various assignments of the officers  on campus?

A: The officers are assigned to work in the child care building, patrol the campus, traffic and parking lot assignments.  We also ensure the buildings are empty and locked at the end of evening activities.

Q: What do you currently do for the Houston Police Department?

A: I am a Lieutenant with the Houston Police Department, and I am currently assigned to the Gang Division.  I am in charge of two investigative squads.  We work with various Federal agencies to disrupt and dismantle organized streets gangs involved in criminal activities.

Q:  What jobs have you done in the past for HPD?  How long have you worked for HPD?

A: I have been a Police Officer for 29 years, and I have had the opportunity to work in the following divisions:  Recruiting, Homicide, Financial Crimes, Robbery, Internal Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Narcotics, Patrol.

The experiences and knowledge I have attained from each assignment has help me to become a well rounded, seasoned officer.  I have been blessed to work some of the best men and women the department has and I learned things from each and every one of them.

 Q: What has it been like working at Tallowood?

A: Working at Tallowood has been a blessing for me, I started working here at a time in my life when I needed an osmosis.  The members, employees and staff have opened their arms, hearts and have shared many experiences with me.  I know that I am loved here and I hope I return it, because I really try.

Q: What is it like to sit in three services on Sunday?  Do you have the sermon memorized by the last service?

A: Sitting through 3 services is rewarding, I get an opportunity to meet and/or see the multitude.  The group dynamics between the 3 services changes in every one.  For those who are wondering, the sermon delivered by Pastor Brooks for each service varies somewhat, but maintains its consistency.

Q: Is there anything the congregation can do to improve safety and security on campus?

A: Members and visitors should be aware of their surroundings while attending.  I know we are at church, and you should feel safe, but criminals now target the sanctity of the church.  Don’t leave valuables in your car, (Ipods, cell phones, lap tops, etc) – it only takes seconds to have them removed from your vehicle.  Always know where your children are while they are attending, and report any suspicious person or activity to the staff and/or security personnel.

Posted in Education, Pastoral | Leave a Comment »

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