Monday, March 31, 2014
Tip Your Server
Having been a server this is a great video reminder. Number one rule, since servers are the most un-churched demographic in the United States, never leave a track instead of a tip.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Victory nor Defeat
There is no way in the world that I can express the spirit of manhood better than this. I find little as haunting as these lines. It is easier to sit on the sidelines and criticize than to jump into the fight and actually take a stand for something.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. "
- Theodore Roosevelt
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Men's Retreat
Hey all just wanted to pass on to you a wonderful article written by Roy Stewart one of our church members and attenders of the retreat. I would tell you all about it except that I think that Roy does a much better job. Here you are I think you will enjoy.
"Seven Enjoy Religious Retreat in Mendocino Forest"
"Into the forest rode the seven men to attend the first-ever men’s retreat feted by the Stonyford Community Church. In an event conceived, organized, and managed by Pastor Kevin Weston, the retreat was held at a cabin in the Mendocino National Forest.
"At 10 a.m., on Friday, November 8, 2013, the seven men, in three pick-up trucks laden with firewood, food, and hymnals converged on the cabin for twenty-six hours of fellowship and study. Six of the men were Stonyfordians, headed by Pastor Kevin and including Frank Pendell, Frank Elliott, Paul Crabtree, Russ Coughran, and Roy Stewart. The seventh, Richard Knight, is from Elk Creek. The highlights of the retreat were twofold: First, were the conversations as they sat around a warm stove and got to know each other better. Second, was the entertaining enlightenment that was experienced through listening to renowned preachers sharing thought-provoking stories from their life and their missionary work. And also through the sobering slide-show commentary by Pastor Kevin on topics that included marriage, work, and the discipline needed to live a Christian lifestyle.
"The morning we headed into the forest high country was sunny and cool—perfect weather for our upcoming adventure. Upon arrival, the cabin was chilly, but the small wood-burning stove quickly warmed it up. The now-warm 600 square foot cabin proved perfect for our retreat. It was cozy and its main room was a near-
perfect conversation pit containing two three-cushion couches, two reclining-chairs, and a coffee table. After making ourselves comfortable, Kevin opened with a prayer, Paul shared a devotional message, and then we broke for a lunch of homemade chili. After lunch, Paul cranked up the generator so Kevin could show an inspirational message by Dr. David Gibbs. Dr. Gibbs is a lawyer and president of the Christian Law Association. He is an entertaining speaker who related stories about his grandfather, Earl Gibbs. Grandfather Earl was a self-made man. His formal education had stopped at the fifth grade, but his native intelligence and trust in God made him successful in life. He was a butcher who parlayed the butchering and selling of one steer into ten steers and then hundreds and thousands . In one humorous anecdote, Dr. Gibbs said that his grandfather always began his prayers by telling God his name. He would say, “Heavenly father this is Earl . . . .”He also said that he prayed often and credited God with whatever success he had made in his life. Theirs was a loving relationship, and Dr. Gibbs made that fact abundantly clear. We all enjoyed his talk so much, that we asked Kevin if he had any others. He had one more, and he shared it with us a few hours later.
"David Gibbs was a hard act to follow, but Kevin rose to the occasion. While his computer was still hot, he used it to present a Power-Point presentation emphasizing the importance of having God in our family, home, and work lives. Using quotes from the Scripture, allied with appropriate images, and with calls for discussion during and following each topic, he kept us interested and focused during his hour-long slideshow.
"After all this food for the soul, it was time to feed the body. Kevin, Paul and Frank Elliott broke out the barbeque grill and put on the hamburgers. Dinner was hamburgers, left-over chili, and a tempting variety of chips and dips. Along with dinner came much interesting conversation. All of us had fascinating tidbits to share from our childhood and on up to our present lives. Three of us had been in the military and shared experiences gained from far off places in Iceland, Europe and Asia. Others shared growing-up experiences in nearby places, such as Yuba City, Sacramento, Stonyford, and Glenn County. The conversation flowed so evenly that it was a while before there was a pause. When the pause occurred, Kevin stepped into the breach so ask if we were ready for another slideshow. We were. Kevin’s second Power-Point presentation was A Call to Action a motivation to the Modern Christian Man.
"The sun had long disappeared and bedtime had drawn nigh. The challenge now was where each of us was to bunk. It was surprisingly easy. Kevin spread a cushion on the main-room floor, Ross and Richard each took a couch, Frank Pendell setup a cot in the kitchen, Frank Elliott spread his sleeping bag in the loft, Roy took the bed in the loft, and Paul slept in his truck. And, also surprisingly, for six men sleeping in a barracks-like environment, the night passed quietly—no one snored.
"The morning broke clear and cold, with an ambient temperature in the 30s. The outside temperature was of no consequence—except, perhaps, to Paul—because the cabin was warm. Ross had kept the fire going throughout the night, and the window in the stove showed a bright orange. When our individual getting-up
were behind us, we were ready for breakfast. As a young man, Kevin had worked for the Cracker Barrel chain, so he appointed himself chief cook and bottle washer. It was a apt appointment. He stirred up a hearty meal of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Had they known, the Cracker Barrel would have been proud.
"Following breakfast, Kevin again took the floor with another spiritually laden lecture-and-slideshow . Next,
he posed the question to Paul to tell us something about his life that we did not know. When Paul finished, others continued until we had all had a say. It was a very interesting hour or so. When the talk petered out around eleven, Kevin suggested a last hour-long lecture by Otto Koning, a Dutch missionary in Indonesia. He regaled us with several stories about preaching the gospel to demon-believing warrior tribes in the New Guinea jungle. His dead-panned humor coupled with his delightful Dutch accent had us all laughing. While funny, his stories all contained deadly serious conclusions about God and His power to defeat Satan.
"The Dutchman left us with a smile and the noon hour told us it was time to clean-up and go home. With all sharing the load, repacking the trucks and cleaning and securing the cabin was quickly accomplished. By one o’clock we were headed back down the mountain and home. A good time was had by all, and we all
agreed that Retreats like this could become tradition."
"Seven Enjoy Religious Retreat in Mendocino Forest"
"Into the forest rode the seven men to attend the first-ever men’s retreat feted by the Stonyford Community Church. In an event conceived, organized, and managed by Pastor Kevin Weston, the retreat was held at a cabin in the Mendocino National Forest.
"At 10 a.m., on Friday, November 8, 2013, the seven men, in three pick-up trucks laden with firewood, food, and hymnals converged on the cabin for twenty-six hours of fellowship and study. Six of the men were Stonyfordians, headed by Pastor Kevin and including Frank Pendell, Frank Elliott, Paul Crabtree, Russ Coughran, and Roy Stewart. The seventh, Richard Knight, is from Elk Creek. The highlights of the retreat were twofold: First, were the conversations as they sat around a warm stove and got to know each other better. Second, was the entertaining enlightenment that was experienced through listening to renowned preachers sharing thought-provoking stories from their life and their missionary work. And also through the sobering slide-show commentary by Pastor Kevin on topics that included marriage, work, and the discipline needed to live a Christian lifestyle.
"The morning we headed into the forest high country was sunny and cool—perfect weather for our upcoming adventure. Upon arrival, the cabin was chilly, but the small wood-burning stove quickly warmed it up. The now-warm 600 square foot cabin proved perfect for our retreat. It was cozy and its main room was a near-
"David Gibbs was a hard act to follow, but Kevin rose to the occasion. While his computer was still hot, he used it to present a Power-Point presentation emphasizing the importance of having God in our family, home, and work lives. Using quotes from the Scripture, allied with appropriate images, and with calls for discussion during and following each topic, he kept us interested and focused during his hour-long slideshow.
"After all this food for the soul, it was time to feed the body. Kevin, Paul and Frank Elliott broke out the barbeque grill and put on the hamburgers. Dinner was hamburgers, left-over chili, and a tempting variety of chips and dips. Along with dinner came much interesting conversation. All of us had fascinating tidbits to share from our childhood and on up to our present lives. Three of us had been in the military and shared experiences gained from far off places in Iceland, Europe and Asia. Others shared growing-up experiences in nearby places, such as Yuba City, Sacramento, Stonyford, and Glenn County. The conversation flowed so evenly that it was a while before there was a pause. When the pause occurred, Kevin stepped into the breach so ask if we were ready for another slideshow. We were. Kevin’s second Power-Point presentation was A Call to Action a motivation to the Modern Christian Man.
"The sun had long disappeared and bedtime had drawn nigh. The challenge now was where each of us was to bunk. It was surprisingly easy. Kevin spread a cushion on the main-room floor, Ross and Richard each took a couch, Frank Pendell setup a cot in the kitchen, Frank Elliott spread his sleeping bag in the loft, Roy took the bed in the loft, and Paul slept in his truck. And, also surprisingly, for six men sleeping in a barracks-like environment, the night passed quietly—no one snored.
"The morning broke clear and cold, with an ambient temperature in the 30s. The outside temperature was of no consequence—except, perhaps, to Paul—because the cabin was warm. Ross had kept the fire going throughout the night, and the window in the stove showed a bright orange. When our individual getting-up
were behind us, we were ready for breakfast. As a young man, Kevin had worked for the Cracker Barrel chain, so he appointed himself chief cook and bottle washer. It was a apt appointment. He stirred up a hearty meal of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Had they known, the Cracker Barrel would have been proud.
 |
| Photo By Roy Stewart |
"Following breakfast, Kevin again took the floor with another spiritually laden lecture-and-slideshow . Next,
he posed the question to Paul to tell us something about his life that we did not know. When Paul finished, others continued until we had all had a say. It was a very interesting hour or so. When the talk petered out around eleven, Kevin suggested a last hour-long lecture by Otto Koning, a Dutch missionary in Indonesia. He regaled us with several stories about preaching the gospel to demon-believing warrior tribes in the New Guinea jungle. His dead-panned humor coupled with his delightful Dutch accent had us all laughing. While funny, his stories all contained deadly serious conclusions about God and His power to defeat Satan.
"The Dutchman left us with a smile and the noon hour told us it was time to clean-up and go home. With all sharing the load, repacking the trucks and cleaning and securing the cabin was quickly accomplished. By one o’clock we were headed back down the mountain and home. A good time was had by all, and we all
agreed that Retreats like this could become tradition."
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Some Thoughts on Government
In light of the recent happening of our government and the absolute incompetency verses like these ones start to make more sense. Certainly it is true that government cannot save you only God can and it is to Him that we must look.
"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts."
"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts."
- Ps. 119:133-134
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be "cured" against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.”
- C.S. Lewis
Thursday, August 29, 2013
My First Baptism
The Lord has been really blessing lately as we have seen a couple of conversions and a wonderful baptismal service. 6 people were baptized on the 25th. It was a wonderful service and I had the former pastor come back and preform several of the baptisms because so much of what we saw that day was because of his hard work. But I did get to baptize one faithful believer who is growing in Christ in such a beautiful way. Please continue to pray for us as we labor here in the field. The Lord is really blessing and we are seeing wonderful changes in so many lives. We are also blessed with a wonderful support group, there are many mature believers in our church that are a huge part of what we do. For example Richard Knight, who we just appointed as Director of Evangelism, has had a huge impact as he and I have been doing a lot of visitation and meeting various people in the community. Because Richard knows so many people in community he is able to get into places that would be completely impossible otherwise. Thank God for His wondrous mercy, we give Him all the credit.
Below are a few pics from the Baptism:
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Happy Fourth of July
Dear Reader,
In the midst of all the BBQing and having fun at the local lake take a moment to remember that freedom is not free or thanks some one how has fought to keep us free. Thank God a few man felt that it was worth risking their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to start this free Republic that we live in. This anecdote of Benjamin Franklin says it well. This is quote from Bartletby.com.
McHenry’s notes were first published in The American Historical Review, vol. 11, 1906, and the anecdote on p. 618 reads:
Evil is always coming us with some sort of 'ism', and that is why the fight to keep our children free is ever going on. Thank God for the past generations that did it for us. God bless the Republic.
In the midst of all the BBQing and having fun at the local lake take a moment to remember that freedom is not free or thanks some one how has fought to keep us free. Thank God a few man felt that it was worth risking their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to start this free Republic that we live in. This anecdote of Benjamin Franklin says it well. This is quote from Bartletby.com.
McHenry’s notes were first published in The American Historical Review, vol. 11, 1906, and the anecdote on p. 618 reads:
“A lady asked Dr. Franklin Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy. A republic replied the Doctor if you can keep it.”
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
More About My Sermons Online
Dear Reader,
I wanted to mention this again as I have been getting some positive feed back from you all about this. Thank you so much for you support, prayers and encouragement. I wanted to give a special thanks to Roy Stewart our video guy at our church who has been faithfully recording this messages and posting them online. He plans to keep going even though we have taken a short break for the past few weeks. You should find the next installment of the Gospel of John here on our community webpage. Roy Stewart also manages this website and you will find a number of interesting tidbits about our town and church on this site.
I wanted to mention this again as I have been getting some positive feed back from you all about this. Thank you so much for you support, prayers and encouragement. I wanted to give a special thanks to Roy Stewart our video guy at our church who has been faithfully recording this messages and posting them online. He plans to keep going even though we have taken a short break for the past few weeks. You should find the next installment of the Gospel of John here on our community webpage. Roy Stewart also manages this website and you will find a number of interesting tidbits about our town and church on this site.
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