Operation Christmas Child

 What a blessing our church is! 285 shoe boxes were delivered to the glass walkway from various groups and individuals through out our church. As I was standing there trying to figure out how to rubber band some boxes, organize, and arrange the boxes for packaging into the shipping cartons by myself, a young man asked if he could help. Then another young man volunteered to help and before I knew it several others were helping and the job was done in less than an hour. Thanks to all those who helped.

- Ron (Stockade)

Crossroads ABF and Operation Christmas Child

On November 13 the Crossroads ABF packed 22 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Left over items were passed on to the Widows’ Fellowship and Single Women, who added their own items to pack 18 more shoe boxes on November 19.

Denise Luczywo Faith Story

Bill Conn - Faith Story

Shirley Myers' Faith Story

NYC Mission Trip 2011

Day 7 July 28, 2011

Our last full day in New York City was the longest day so far!  Sam began the morning by reminding us that while it is Thursday for us, it was Monday for those that are still lost in New York City.  This meant that we needed to be working as though it was our first day, not our last.  There are still people that need to hear about the joy of the Lord’s salvation.   With that, we headed to our last designated ministry area, Bryant Park, in Manhattan.

 Bryant Park was filled with the local business crowd on their lunch break, tourists, and a crowd of people listening to a free concer.  Needless to say, it was packed!  We had an hour and a half to walk around doing one-on-one canvassing in the park.  We did not have our paint board to attract a crowd, or a prayer station that could be a catalyst for telling the Gospel.  Instead, we had a few tracts, surveys, our rope tricks, and most importantly, our Bibles.  This area was extremely intimidating.  Not many people could be bothered to let us talk with them, or to even take a tract.  Those that would talk with us thought that they had a better version of God and “religion” than what the Bible says.  Even though it was difficult, the Lord still opened up opportunities for us to share His word.  We were able to present the entire Gospel 43 times, and one person gave their life to Christ!

After eating lunch in Bryant Park, we began our tour of Manhattan.  We walked through the beautiful Central Park, which was a sanctuary in the middle of the city.  Next we headed to South Street Sea Port to do some shopping and eat dinner overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge.  After dinner we rode the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty.  It was a nice time to sit back and watch the sun setting over the water.  On our way to Ground Zero Sam stopped us and told us his first-hand experience during 9-11.  It was eye-opening to entire team, and made the visit to Ground Zero more meaningful.  We ended our tour in the overly crowded Times Square.  We had 45 minutes to run around and do a little sight-seeing and souvenir shopping.  We were so tired by the time we got on the subway, but we had a blast.  We did not get back to church until after midnight, and we could not wait to get to bed!

Praise God that the van was fixed, and we have a safe ride home.  Please keep us in your prayers as we travel home.  The prayer focus for today is Missions.  Pray for all the missionaries around the world and back home.  Pray also for Sam and his Open Air team here in New York.

NYC Mission Trip 2011

Day 6 July 28, 2011

This has been another long day.  We will post more details later.  However, all of our vehicles appear to be running, and we plan to arrive home on time (10 pm pickup).  Please pray for safe travels home.

NYC Mission Trip 2011

Day 5 July 27, 2011

“We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly.” 1 Corinthians 4:12-13a.  This verse came to mind when reflecting on today’s events.   We left the church a little before noon and headed to Brooklyn, right near the Brooklyn Tabernacle where we were Sunday.  We broke into three groups; two of them used the paint boards to evangelize, and the third set up a prayer station.  The group at the prayer station received similar responses as yesterday.  Many people were blessed by the prayers that were lifted up for them, and three people accepted Christ as their Savior. 

The groups that were heading up the paint board stations ran into some spiritual warfare, but with the Lord’s guidance, they were able to stand firm, “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” It seemed that one after another, there was someone from another religion that tried to distract the groups from they were there to do.  The situation escalated when a black supremacist became vehemently and verbally aggressive.  He was physically imposing and threatening, and tried to run us off and publically humiliate us.  The teams responded wonderfully, not giving them a platform to dishonor the Gospel, standing bold and strong for Christ. 

We finished our ministry in the projects in Queens, where we set up free kids programs again.  Those have been a highlight for the team both days.  It brings so much joy to us to watch the kids eagerly learning about Jesus.  One of the little girls that came to the program and accepted Jesus as her Savior said that when her mom got home from work she was going to tell her about Jesus! What a way to bring our ministry to a close for the day!  All in all, there are 15 celebrations in heaven tonight, and 68 seeds planted in hearts.

It may sound repetitive, but please continue to pray for our safety.  Pray also that our team will remain bold as we go out one last time tomorrow.  Pray that God will do even more amazing things tomorrow, as only He can!  A brief update on the van situation, it is still not fixed, and we are planning on leaving Friday morning, please pray that God will provide a safe way home for us.

NYC Mission Trip 2011

Day 4 July 26, 2011

Today was an extremely long day.  We were told last night that today would the most demanding day physically, and that we should not expect the same positive reception, or results as yesterday.  We started off the day by canvassing Woodside, the neighborhood in Queens where we are staying.  It was not a crowded area, but the sun was out, and we had the opportunity to have deeper conversations with the fewer people we came across.  After lunch, Sam took us to Union Square in Manhattan where we were surrounded by more locals than tourists.  The atmosphere was fast paced and crowded, and rejection and insults more frequent.  The group as a whole was more intimidated than yesterday.  One of our teens, Breahna Phillips said, “It was way more intimidating, but that was good, because we had to push ourselves to rely on God.”  Although it was long and mentally exhausting, the team remained faithful and hopeful that the Lord would work through us, despite the intimidation and awkwardness. 

After our time at Union Square, we walked 40 minutes south to the projects in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.  There, we organized children’s meetings right in the center of the Avenue D projects.  We invited the local children and their parents that were gathered in the area to come to our free program.  The programs were complete with songs, a rope trick, an interactive word puzzle, and a story.  We were amazed at the turnout, and even more amazed at how excited the kids were, how much they participated, and how well they behaved!  In all we reached over 30 kids and many of their parents who came to watch, or were sitting close by.  When we finished around 7:00 p.m., our feet were hurting, we were tired, thirsty, and hungry, but we all had smiles on our faces.  It was so much fun to be with the kids.  It made the 40 minute walk back to Union Square for dinner not so bad.

When we made it back to the church at 9:45, we had a quick meeting with Sam to talk about the results for the day.  We were not expecting to have as high of numbers as yesterday, but once again God showed his power.  Sam added all the numbers, and in total, we gave the complete plan of Salvation 133 times, and 11 decisions were made for Christ!  We ended the night thanking God, and praying for our prayer focus, natural disasters.  Lights out was 11:15, and I have never seen so many teens go to bed as fast as they did tonight!

Please continue to pray for the safety of the team as we travel to Brooklyn today.  Each day has been more physically and mentally challenging than the day before, and we appreciate all the prayers from back home!

NYC Mission Trip 2011

Day 3  July 25, 2011

What a day! We saw first hand how the Holy Spirit works in us and through us to reach people for Christ.  We spent the first half of the day, from 11:30-2:30, spread out on different street corners sharing the Gospel with those that were near by.  It would be a lie to say that we had no anxiety about talking to people that we did not know, in a city and culture we were unfamiliar with.  The second half of the day was a little challenging due to the rain that did not stop until we were done for the day.  However, it was amazing to see the boldness of our teens, as they shamelessly shared the complete plan of salvation to 135 people!  There were seven total decisions made for Christ today, and countless seeds planted.  The team was able to witness through one on one conversations with people, and using visuals such as a painting on a sketch board, and a rope trick to pique the interests of those passing by.  Others were able to introduce the Gospel through a survey, and asking the people if they could pray for them.  All glory goes to the Lord, who used our team as a tool to spread His Word, in rain and shine.

We made it back to the church around 8:30 and spent time debriefing with Sam about the day.  He praised the group on their boldness and willingness to jump right into witnessing.  He reminded the group that we did not save anyone today, but that it was the work of God.  He also encouraged the group to continue with what they are doing, and to be sure to be right with the Lord.  During our end of the day group session, the team spent over an hour talking about what they experienced during the day.  There were many great stories to share, a couple funny, some sad, and those that were celebrated because someone came to know the Lord.  We then broke into our smaller groups to thank God for the day, and pray about the upcoming week and our daily prayer focus, which is the Military/Government.  Please continue praying for the safety of the team, and that we will “fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel” to the people of NYC.  

NYC Mission Trip 2011

Day 2 Sunday, July 24, 2011

We started the day early, as we needed to have the church ready for services by 8:00 a.m.  We did not attend the services at Woodside Community, instead we had the opportunity to travel to Brooklyn, and attend the Brooklyn Tabernacle.  What an experience!  We were blessed to hear the joyful singing of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, and a sermon by Pastor Jim Cymbala. The entire team was surprised by the warm welcome we received at such a large and diverse church.  It was definitely a memory that will last a lifetime.

The remainder of the day was spent in preparation for the week to come.  We had a two hour meeting led by Sam to refresh our minds on the different ways to present the Gospel, and then we had practice time.  As the evening came to a close, we had our evening group time where we went over our day, and divided into small groups to pray.  Each night we will be spending time in small groups praying for specific prayer needs that extend beyond our own mission trip.  It has been neat to watch the team connect with each other, and more importantly God, through prayer. 

The prayer focus tonight is Parma Heights Baptist Church, and the greater Cleveland area.  We encourage you to join us each day in prayer for the specific prayer focus of the day.  Please also pray for the team as we go into the Bronx tomorrow.  Pray that the team will be bold and shameless as they present Gospel to a hurting city.    

NYC Mission Trip 2011

Day 1.  Saturday, July 23, 2011

Praise God!  After 12 hours, and one broken down vehicle, all 29 members of the mission team made it to Woodside Community Baptist Church, in Queens, New York.  The trip was not without its side tracks, as God showed us right away that our plan is not always His plan.  About half way through our drive to NYC, one of the vans decided it was time to shut down.  After a brief 20 minute rest, it started up again and we were back on the road.  We made it all the way to New Jersey, less than a quarter of a mile from the George Washington Bridge that leads into New York City, when the van once again, decided to shut down.  This time it was in the middle of a traffic jam.  Thankfully, the guys were able to push the van to the side of the road, while the girls made their way to the church in the other vehicles.  An hour and a half later, the van was given a jump by port authority, and is currently at a local garage waiting to be fixed.  The teens showed great maturity through being flexible and doing everything without griping or complaining.  God showed His provision by keeping everyone safe through potentially harmful circumstances.

When the girls arrived to the church, we were reintroduced to Sam Frey, our guide for the week, and his three summer interns, Amanda, Makayla, and Micah.  We unpacked the trailer and waited for the guys to arrive by enjoying some New York style pizza for dinner (messy!).  When the whole group was finally back together again, we had a brief together time where we discussed the house rules for the week, and found out that there are two, yes, two showers for a group of over 30 to share!  To end the night we had mail delivery, which is cards and letters that family and friends back home have written to the team.  The mail will continue daily throughout the week, and is a source of encouragement to everyone.  We finally had much anticipated lights out at about 12:30! 

Please pray that the van situation will be easily fixed, and not an issue that will hinder our ministry here this week.  Please continue praying for the team, that we will be stretched this week as we allow God to use us for His Glory.  Pray also for the physical needs of the team, as it is expected to be a hot week, and we will be spending 8-10 hours a day on the streets of NYC.   Finally, pray that God will open up divine appointments this week for us to share the Good News of the Gospel.

VBS 2011 - More Great Pics!

Parma Heights Christian Academy

2011 Vacation Bible School - SonSurf Beach Bash

Mike Kling - Faith Story

Focus Sports Camp Final Video

This video is a compilation taken from several days of sports camp.  This is the video that was shown during our family night show Thursday evening.  Thanks to the Jamming Jumpers Jump Rope Team for their great entertainment Thursday night and of course all of the volunteers who help and the parents who drove their kids to camp every day and were extremely flexible as rain hit us several times right during pick up and drop offs.  We hope everyone really felt blessed to attend or to serve.  See you soon!

Focus Sports Camp Day 3

Focus Sports Camp 2011 Day 2

We had a soggy start to our morning session, but even with that, the kids were fantastic and we got a little extra time for devotions as we studied Genesis and talked about being "seperated" and "with" God.  The afternoon session was dry, but really hot.  We've got a fantastic group of young athletes and volunteers again this year!

Focus Sports Camp 2011 Day 1

We hope all you kids, coaches and blue shirt workers had a fantastic 1st day of Focus Sports Camp.  Remember:  "Do not fear...I am with you...I am your God...I will help you!"  See you tomorrow for another fantastic day learning about sports, each other and all the help found in Jesus Christ!

Boys Brigade Awards

On Wednesday, May 25th the PHBC Boys Brigade program held its annual recognition night. To start the night the Stockade shared their opening ceremony with the group. The Academy Administrator, Dave Griffey provided a short devotional and charge to the boys and the parents. Each of the groups recognized each boy and young man who participated throughout the year. PHBC Brigade has three programs. Treeclimbers (grades 1-2), Stockade (grades 3-4), Sentinels (grades 5-6) and Battalion (grades 7-12). After the awards were given everyone enjoyed refreshments together.The goal of this program is to assist boys and young men in their walk with God. The use of scripture, activities and games creates an environment where each one can grow closer in the walk with God in new and exciting ways. If you have a son in Grades 1 - 12, this is a great place to be on Wednesday night's throughout the school year! See you in September!

 Opening ceremony done by Stockade

 Builders receiving their awards

 Sentinels receiving their awards

 Pastor Dan recognizing Jacob and Kyle for Highest Honors in Stockade. These two boys, along with Jesse completed all requirements of the four year program.

 Jacob and Kyle - Stockade Highest Honor recipients

Battalion receiving their awards. Evan received special recognition for most points and will be getting a private airplane ride as a reward.

Real World University

A Christian’s role as a disciple of Christ does not always mean going into full time ministry. Every career is a mission field and that is the goal of Real World University. The organization introduces students to a number of professions where Christians are using their talents and reaching the world for Christ. This year our students were able to visit Cleveland City Mission and Hopkins Airport where they learned about all the various jobs it takes to make each day a success.



Here are some pictures from their time at Hopkins Airport

Youth NYC Mission Trip Training

Spirits were high as the second training session was held for OneEightyOne’s mission trip. This year a select number of students will have the opportunity of serving in New York City through street evangelism. They will be working with city missionary Sam Frey, a long time veteran of urban ministry, along with local churches. The teens learned valuable skills such as communication techniques, Gospel presentation, and a handy rope trick. This trip serves as a reminder that we do not have to travel very far to do outreach.

 Sam Frey is beginning the training.

 The room was filled with eager learners.

 Conversation diagram.

 The Gospel drawing catches people's attention so we can share the truth.

 Pastor Dan with a few students after a recharging lunch.

The Team

Youth Open Mic Night

Last month the teens put on their first ever Open Mic Night outreach. It was a chance for students and guests to perform their wide variety of talents: singing, dancing, poetry, acting and even some magic as well. The night was a huge success, so keep your ears open for when the next one comes around. For now, enjoy this short video of that night.

Youth Spaghetti Dinner

The annual spaghetti dinner went off without a hitch this year. Families turned up for a great meal and good service, all the servers were teen volunteers. The funds raised from the dinner and desert auction go towards the student’s cost for Student Life summer camp and the New York Missions Trip in July.

Pastor Dan briefs the volunteers before the rush.

For the event to run smoothly, a line of teens plated the food while a team of servers waited on their assigned tables.

The turnout was fantastic!

It was a lot of work, but they still had fun.

Here they are showing off all those tasty treats.

Irresistible!

PHCA - ACSI Music Festival

On Friday, April 8th, PHCA welcomed eight visiting schools in an ACSI Music Festival. Schools from as far as Canton and Toledo drove in for this event. The many different categories in the competition included: vocal choirs, vocal duets and solos, full bands, various solos, duets and trio with instruments. At the end of the event, there was a mass choir performance from all the schools, singing "A Festive Alleluia".

YAM Book & DVD Drop at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital

On April 30th the Young Adult Ministry was able to deliver a host of books and DVDs to the Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital near the heart of downtown. In all, over 1200 items were collected! 

That's enough to fill up the back of an F150.

 The books quickly took over the reception area.

Thanks again to our team of volunteers!



Our Teens Spring into Service

It’s been exciting to see our teens Spring into Service during their vacation time. A number of our teens were helping meet the needs of our church and community through our Spring Service Projects.

Our first project was to prepare for summer outreach ministries.

We also volunteered and sorted clothes at Thrift Nation, which is a non-profit second hand store that uses all income to support missions, orphanages, etc.

Finally, we spent an afternoon at MedWish, which reclaims medical supplies and re purposes redistributes medical supplies and making them available to developing nations in need.
Praise God for teens who have a heart to love and serve their community!

"Wonder Full World" Women's Retreat

On April 8th and 9th a group of women from PHBC set off on a “trip around the world.” While others have traveled the world in 80 days, it took us just 2 days to step foot on every continent. Along the way we learned that God's world is truly full of wonders. He cares for each of us, no matter where we are. We are royalty, His princesses, and we truly matter to Him. When life gets hard, and the cold winds of Antarctica are blowing on us, He is always there and His Word and His actions show us over and over again that we can really rely on HIM. Making a difference is something everyone can do! We were blessed to be able to put together blankets to send to an orphanage during our stop in Africa.

When we finally arrived back in the States we walked away having grown closer to God, but also to the women who traveled with us. It was a “Wonder Full” time. Keep an eye on your calendars because you never know where God will lead us next year!

Jeff Brubaker - Faith Story

Dave Pietrzak - Faith Story

Brigade Regional Race

This past weekend the top three boys from PHBC's Treeclimbers, Builders and Sentinels raced in the Brigade Regional Race at The Chapel in Akron. The race began with a short devotion by Dale Kinkade, the Regional Brigade program leader. He spoke about God's great power. Then each boy's car was raced three times in three different lanes. The times were totaled to find the three fastest cars in each division. Then those boys raced to determine 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Another fun part of the race was each boy was given the opportunity to start a race! This year the PHBC boys did very well taking the 1st and 3rd in the Treeclimbers, 1st and 2nd in the Builders and 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Sentinels!

Refuel III

2011 Boys Brigade and Pioneer Girls Pinewood Derby

Wednesday, March 23rd was the annual Boys Brigade and Pioneer Girls Pinewood Derby race. Over 50 boys and girls from 1st grade through 6th grade participated in making pinewood derby cars and racing them down our track.The evening began with Pastor Dan Adams giving a short devotion on running a good race in our walk with God and life. After this inspiring talk the racing began with the crowd shouting those three famous words in racing - "Start Your Engines"! Awards were given out for the top four racers and best design for each age group. The top four boy racers will be moving on to a regional race in Akron later this month. At the end of the night the fastest boy faced off against the fastest girl, with a 6th grade Stockade boy taking the top spot. During the evening the Pioneer Girls Junior Guides sold refreshments to raise money for Stony Glen Camp. The camp is expanding its facilities. Both the boys and girls attend the camp and both groups thought they could help raise a little money for them. Over $100 will be donated thanks to everyone's generosity.