The Lord Showers His Blessings!

April 2015 VOL. THREE, ISSUE FOUR

April 21, 2015 Rebecca Griffin-Marcoux was baptized into Christ. I knew Becky when she was a young teen, and we lost touch over the years. She came back into my life a day before we left for Texas in January. Before our return from Florida in February, she agreed to study the Bible. Due to my health concerns at the time, Kirk became the next candidate to bring her the gospel. Becky embraced it the way she has taken on suffering; with passion and purpose. She has a tracheotomy and serious lung conditions that literally endangered her life when she chose obedience to our Lord. You can find Becky on Facebook and be inspired by her life while encouraging her in her NEW LIFE.

Kirk continues the studies with both men named Steve. Our studies with Bonnie and Jack have gone well. Kim

continues to study with Kirk, and her twin, Karin, joins them. Becky committed her life to Christ, and is now

studying 40 Days of the New Believer with Karen. Karen continues the Visualized Bible Series Wednesday nights

with Olivia. Her cousin, Josh (his twin is Justin) plans to join us Sunday mornings to receive the gospel and learn

about God and the Bible. He says, Sandy completed her study with Carol, and is transforming every day. Karen

and Kirk have been developing connections with Ashley, Nancy, and Michelle.

Please keep all of us in your prayers.

New Creations and the Lost-Coming-to-Christ

Romans_8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Green Mountain church of

Christ in Castleton

Telephone 802.683.4970

39 Carver Street, Brandon, VT 05733 WWW.VermontChurchOfChrist.COM

Vermont Mission Field

Like us on Facebook @ Green Mountain Church of

Christ in Castleton, Vermont

Preparing for a New Life in Christ and

addition to the church

We all love our sisters and brothers so much! Jan and Steve are true servants; their laughter is infectious. They are studious, humorous, trustworthy, hospitable, giving, loving servants. As do we all, who love in marriage in this life, we learn to love in spite of their faults; as they love us with all our warts and wrinkles too. If you’re going to stay in any relationship long enough to reap the greatest reward you soon learn it is not an easy road to walk. The deepest pain comes from when a relationship suffers from spiritual pain. Those who choose to love bravely and sacrificially eventually learn that the journey could not have been any better; our joy is inexpressible. The bumps that tossed us out of the “happy cart” are leveled. The rain and sunshine brought the flowers. The cold times reminded us to enjoy the warmth. The lonely times taught us to work for unity. Others can often become an inspiration to the rest of us!

Holy Matrimony!

Church Income & Expense Report - April

BEGINNING BALANCES FOR APRIL Church Account Balance $40,422.42 Building Fund Balance $11,675.00 Israel Support Fund Balance $12,827.36 Working Fund Balance $5,539.18

CONTRIBUTIONS FOR APRIL

Total April Giving $2,391.75

CHURCH ACCOUNT EXPENSES FOR APRIL Rent, Utilities & Insurance 1,236.38 Church Contribution to Israel Support 300.00 Operating Expenses 362.57 Bibles, Curriculum(s), Children’s Bulletin 99.90 $1,998.85

WORKING FUND SUPPORT FOR APRIL (some late deposits) $1,000.00

WORKING FUND EXPENSES FOR APRIL Guest Speaker (Ron Bontrager) 991.57 Benevolence 29.65 Statement Fee None Misc. (Fuel, office supplies, etc. 261.40 $1,282.62

ENDING BALANCES FOR APRIL Church Account Balance $40,815.63 Building Fund Balance $14,275.00 Israel Support Fund Balance $13,827.36 Working Fund Balance $5,256.56

1 Peter 3 My Lord, God, you are perfect in all your ways! The word you gave to us is forever. It teaches us to love one another, in marriage and in the church, and to be at peace with one another. How magnificent is Your Word? Every day I open the pages of this book, called The Holy Bible, and my heart is lifted to soar above the clouds over the lakes and oceans, even when those in the world wish to splinter me on the craggy rocks of the desert. Thank you! Thank you for the joys and the tears! Thank you for being mindful of me as I read and study these unfathomable gifts you have given to mankind – Your Love, Your Son (Self), Your Word! We are blessed people that you are mindful of us.

Jan at the Baseball Hall of Fame in

Cooperstown, New York.

April 2015 VOL. THREE, ISSUE FOUR

VT Mission Field

Psalm 143:8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! Jude 1:20-23 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

The Scope of Our Mission

Pray and Search for true Seekers.

Return the fallen to the kingdom.

Teach the Gospel to the lost.

Teach people; that they may be

transformed into the image of Christ.

Serve in whatever capacity and in every

situation God gives us.

Open our homes in love, fellowship

and care to the church and seekers.

Study the Bible with whomever,

whenever, and wherever we can.

Provide for the spiritual needs of all

while pointing the way to God.

Bring H2H/H2H and Christ for Today

to 6400 homes in the area in an effort

to reach and teach the lost and fallen.

Encourage and support the churches

throughout Vermont.

Love, as living proof of God’s love.

Celebrate our salvation, encourage

repentance, and love the church.

Church Updates

Jack and Bonnie continue to attend worship with us, and

continue their studies with us.

Some struggle to overcome illness, and health concerns.

I finally figured out how to create our congregation’s

“event” at World Bible School. I had hoped to prepare

the advertising in March, but after a couple

interruptions I moved it back to April. Vermonters can

now find us at WBS under

Gr33n_Mntn_C_of_C.WorldBibleSchool.org

We plan to move some subscriptions for House to

House, Heart to Heart and Christ for Today closer and

into Rutland City; which has the largest population in

the area.

Kirk continues planning a family rally for July.

Glen, Grant, and Deborahlee are working on the VBS

for 2015. Our school supply give-away will be done in

conjunction again. That was a nice success last year.

Ron Bontrager brought lessons to us from Texas. A series

titled Spring Training; that we are prepared to run the race!

January 2014 VOL. TWO, ISSUE ONE

5555 Street Address,

City, State 55555

WWW.VermontChurchOfChrist.com

VT Mission Field

Summer Activities

The search for new facilities continues while we clean and plant for our existing building May 2nd

.

Dale and Karen Monroe are joining us in May, and we are psyched! We’re so excited to be with them again!

Vermont Family Rally, July 20th through the 27

th. The theme is Fantastic Families, with the family of God

coming together in the Green Mountains to share love, serve, encourage, and teach wonderful things to one

another. People are travelling from around Vermont, Texas, Florida, New York, New Hampshire,

Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. We have several seasoned guest speakers planned and a

couple of new ones. Kirk and I will be leading a venue. Please consider joining us for that weeklong event!

Our VBS and School Supply Give-Away Event is planned for August.

Checking Your Compass, By Kirk Israel

2Timothy 4:1-5 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His

appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and

instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will

accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside

to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

There is a guy I knew that once said the bible is just a few men’s opinions and there was no way you could know if it was God’s actual

truth or even if there is a God. I knew this guy very well.

What I find extraordinary is that in order to refute the bible you have to use the bible! The bible is the most accurate writing of that period

of history. What’s fascinating is there are noted historians like Will Durant, who claimed that “any historian who thinks the bible is not an

accurate account of history is a fool!” I wish I had known this before I opened my mouth. To be ready to preach the word in season and

out of season you must know the Bible. To understand the Bible you must be a student of history, a student of people, and you must be

faithful and understand God’s plan to redeem us and His desires for all mankind.

Many people today are not learning the truth that was delivered to mankind by the prophets, the Christ, His apostles and teachers. They

are being filled with information that has no relevance to Christ or man’s redemption back to God. In order to correct error we must be

patient, willing to counsel, correct, and encourage by instruction in sound doctrine. God’s doctrine is not the doctrines of men, but you

will only recognize the difference through study and teaching.

Verse three sounds like it refers to the New Hermeneutics, Feminist theology, Liberation theology, and an Existentialist view along with

other manmade doctrines. We must guard ourselves against these un-Godly snares hidden along the paths we walk.

The word of God brings about faith, what better job is there than to evangelize mankind. This is the greatest job I have ever had, and it is

such an honor to work as a servant for Christ. I will say it takes a sober passion to step out into the community and talk about Jesus

publically, boldly, and with conviction. I know many of us are taking the Gospel to the streets. I look forward to the day Jesus calls me

His good and faithful servant. One last thought about Bible Study – Read the bible, exegetically, read it for pleasure, read it as a handbook

for the human being, read it to learn history, and finally read it because you love God! These verses were given to Timothy as a solemn

charge to remind him what was important to Him!

By the way, the guy I knew in the beginning was me! I am so thankful someone has been patient, instructional, correcting, and providing

external and internal evidences that Jesus was a real person of history and God has a purpose for my life. I love being a tool in His hands.

Ephesians 4:11-14 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

April 2015 VOL. THREE, ISSUE APRIL