Pastor Commentary

Dear Prayer Partners-
Seeing several of you last weekend who reminded me that I had not sent
a Report in a while has motivated me to try to gather together the
blessings to be reported and the requests for prayer.

Thursday Bible Study Format Change
We asked our group to write down the questions they would like to have
answered and we are going ahead dealing with those week by week.
These questions ranged from "Why does the Bible contradict itself?" to
"How do you deal with having a baby out of wedlock?" This has also
allowed for various members of our leadership team to lead as each
question can be answered by a different member.

We also have found that most teaching we are used to is literacy-based,
depending upon those being taught being proficient readers and able to
comprehend more formal, "school-like" explanations. Largely around the
world today, and in Jesus' own day, this is not the case. We are finding
that we need to teach more in stories, parables, and with illustrations if
we wish our audience here to understand and stay interested.

Sunday Gatherings
We gather for worship at the Cross Mills Public Library in Charlestown the
second Sunday of each month at 6pm. There is an open invitation to join
us as we sing, pray, worship and study God's Word.

The other Sunday evenings we are closing in on completing all the
fundamental statements and processes necessary to legally incorporate.
We also spend time teaching our leadership team and praying for the
ministry and our lives of testimony.

Unique Opportunities
One of the couples in our neighborhood who attended our baptism
last month has asked Russ to officiate at the re-taking of the marriage
vows of their son and daughter-in-law who were married several months
ago while the son was in prison in New York State. That ceremony was
not very public. This Fall they want to have a more family-oriented
occasion now that he is out of prison. We are thankful to be involved
in this happy occasion.

Some of our ladies are developing a ministry with young gals who
are the wives and girlfriends of the guys to whom we minister. These
include unwed mothers with their unique concerns as well as married
families that need encouragement and growth.

As we had been working our way through Exodus we paused for a while
at the Ten Words(commandments), noting that God is "visiting the
iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth
generation of those who hate (Him), but showing steadfast love to the
thousandth generation of those who love (Him) and keep (His)
commandments"(Ex. 20:5,6). Some in our group were quick to see
that in their own lives and families there have been generational sins
which have plagued their families for years. There is now some real
interest in how to break this sequence. Gladly we know of One who
can do that.

moviesMOVIESmovies
We were glad to view "The End of the Spear" at our Labor Day picnic.
We hope to make good movies a regular part of how we function.
There is stimulus for discussion, challenge to our living, and insight into
God's heart and will in the rightly selected films(DVDs).

Please Pray
We find that the Lord has given us ministry unlike the average churches
of which we have ever been a part. We find that we are at this time
dealing largely with drug, alcohol, and sex abuse. Our congregation
includes those who have been in jail or will be if they break their
probations. We feel a certain privilege that Jesus has entrusted such
minisitry to us since it seems these are the people that He hung
around with.

Carol and Russ plan to fly to Utah Oct.11-18 to visit Becki and family.
In addition to our daughter and family, we have people in Salt Lake City
to whom we minister via e-mail and it will be good to see them
face-to-face.

We are in the process of developing a website which does more than
give information about us. We hope it will challenge folk to know Jesus
and link them to additional sites which can help them grow. We would like
this site to be interactive as well. We'll see......

We plan to visit the synagogue here in Westerly this Sunday evening
because it is Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, the High Holy Day
on the Jewish calendar. This is a Conservative congregation and we have
been cordially invited to come, to learn, and, we hope, to better
understand Paul's words, to the Jew first. This service is usually
marked by much, intense prayer as our neighbors seek to start their
new year (Rosh Hashanah) in the right relationship with G-d.
Blessings to all, Russ and Carol