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June 12, 2008

This is turning out to be one wild and crazy summer!

I find it truly amazing how God continues to work at MZCC. I receive comments weekly concerning how our members will be watching or listening to a religious broadcast from another state and hear something from the subject we discussed from the pulpit. This is not an accident or a planned thing from anyone at MZCC...it is a "GOD THING." God is delivering His messages all across this world and many times you might be able to hear it again and again daily, weekly and / or monthly...that is, if we are listening.

This Sunday we plan to speak about the call of God on a person’s life. Our person of interest is Samuel and his story is told from the book of 1st Samuel which we will be reading from the first few chapters. Samuel was dedicated to God, grew up in the temple, and became a priest and then a Judge. He was the very last of the Judges before the monarchy of Kingship was instituted, with King Saul being the first which he himself ordained.

During the sermon we will be ordaining men to the office of Elder which is a truly much needed calling upon the life of a person and upon Mt. Zion as God’s church. As with the life of Samuel where changes occurred within the community of the children of God, Mt. Zion is experiencing changes which are intended to and should, free us each to a more focused, greater harmonious direction and fulfillment of each person’s call.

Far too many times in a church’s history there will be times when some will believe that it is the pastor’s church or the community’s church when it should never be anything but God’s church. When we stray from giving God what is God’s we tend to experience the reaping of seeds we wish we had never sown. Hopefully, we are growing closer and closer to the church God has always wanted. It cannot be Kenny’s church or MY CHURCH. It must be God’s church and with this type of thinking we should be better able to do HIS WILL in every aspect...even if it conflicts with MY WILL.

Reading through the events of Samuel’s life should give each of us a greater reality of the call upon our own life and how to adjust to and live with a brighter administration of this call within whatever community we live...even when it means we are no longer to be THE JUDGE...when we must pass the torch onto another.

We also intend to give a financial report as to where we are monetarily. This is a subject which is affecting each American and will probably influence the upcoming election for the office of President of the United States of America. With gas prices climbing daily, food prices and everything else will be affected as well. What will our response be as children of God? Will we close in and focus only on our own lives or will we continue to be charitable? While I am writing this, I have received yet another call from someone in need. The needs will never end and our supply will be determined upon how we use / give / sacrifice all that has been entrusted to us...how we answer the call of Christ upon our life.

This Friday, June 13th, we welcome our teens and their sponsors back from their Mission Trip. I have already heard many good reports of success from this group. Remember to pray for them as they travel and minister. We have much to be proud of with these fine people and for their hard work in the lord.
Here is an email that was sent to Terri Bryant from a friend in Campton due to our youth’s Sunday night ministry there a week ago.

Terri, I've been thinking about all of you guys! I added your group to our church prayer list this week. Everyone who attended last Sunday night couldn't stop talking about the performance, especially the last skit! And I even heard it mentioned again this morning. "Powerful" was the word used by one of the men who tried to describe the final skit. "Powerful!" You might consider scheduling another visit when we have time to do some serious advertising......... think you can?

Another thing I was asked to check on was the video. Some would love to have a video of the performance. Tell me what we need to do to get a copy.

Let the group know how awesome they were and how much their performance was enjoyed here in Campton. I'm excited for all of you. These are the times that will tide your youth through the rough spots of their adult lives. They'll always have these "skits" to remember, to apply to their lives. As long as I live, I will never forget the last performance. I tried to tell a few people about it over the week and ended up crying so I stopped! But it is a vivid, realistic visual of the battles I fight every day....... good and evil. All I have to do is recall that last scene of the "good" shielding the young lady from the "evil" and it puts everything into perspective for me.

Thank you, Terri. You're all in our thoughts AND prayers this week. Have a ball! Let me hear from you when you return. It was SO good to see you again.

Love you,
Margie

All I can say is "THANK YOU YOUTH!!!"

Wednesday, June 18th, we will be having a leadership team meeting with everyone who is a Sunday School Teacher, Team Leader, Elder & Deacon to discuss further details of dividing up responsibilities. With everyone getting more involved in ministry at Mt. Zion, there isn’t any reason why we should not be growing more than ever.

Monday, June 23rd, J.D. Miller and a group from MZCC will travel to Branson Missouri to participate in a conference. Please pray for us as we will be on the road and headed right into that soaked section of the U.S. We are scheduled to return the following Friday, June 27th.

Please do not forget to invite as many as you can to our patriotic morning service of June 29th. Dr. Cecil Todd will be here to give a stirring message from God concerning the state of America and her need to WAKE UP! Go ahead and start announcing this at your work place and if you know (WHICH I KNOW YOU DO) of place where you could paste a flyer in a window where others will learn of our rally, please pick up as many as you can this Sunday.

Monday, June 30th, a group from MZCC is scheduled to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to perform with the gospel group "The Good Twins." Pray for us as we travel and minister.

Sunday morning, July 6th, we are anticipating the return of that great group from the SALVAGE YARD CHRISTIAN CHURCH. We were blessed with their ministry last year and hope they will be able to join with us that Morning. They are coming to camp out once again and attend concerts at Wesley Woods. We will have a special PM Service which Bill Ballenger will be here to give a musical concert along with testimony. Bill and his wife were convicted and Jailed for drug possession and distribution. As a result, God was able to confront Bill with the Gospel and now...so many years later, Bill and his wife are powerful witnesses for Christ.

Our vacation Bible School will be July 20th through July 24th. Tell everyone you see.

Come this Sunday and witness the ordination of new Elders, hear where we are financially and where we need to be spiritually with God, who has called us...called us to be one.


For the Cause of Christ,

Kenny