Parma Heights Baptist Church

2012 Deacon Retreat

2012-02-07T10:06:00.000-05:00

The Pastors and Deacons prepared 300 sandwiches and salads.

Serving the Men.

On February 4, the deacons set aside the day for their annual leadership retreat. The day was focused on discipleship. Besides meeting at the church to work and develop a focused model of discipleship, they spent a good part of the day putting their faith into action by preparing and serving a meal at a men’s shelter in Cleveland. It was a blessing to serve and talk with many of the 200 men at the shelter that day.

Student Ministries 2012

2012-01-13T10:43:00.000-05:00

Operation Christmas Child

2011-12-06T09:54:00.000-05:00

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

2011-11-23T08:49:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-13T13:10:00.000-04:00

Bill Conn - Faith Story

2011-09-12T09:21:00.000-04:00

Shirley Myers' Faith Story

2011-09-09T11:42:00.000-04:00

NYC Mission Trip 2011

2011-07-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-29T01:21:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-27T23:15:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-26T23:09:00.004-04:00

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

2011-07-25T22:27:00.001-04:00

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

2011-07-25T22:20:00.001-04:00

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

2011-07-24T22:27:00.000-04:00

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!

2011-07-22T22:53:00.000-04:00

Parma Heights Christian Academy

2011-07-20T08:00:00.001-04:00

2011 Vacation Bible School - SonSurf Beach Bash

2011-07-19T11:19:00.000-04:00

Mike Kling - Faith Story

2011-07-01T14:26:00.000-04:00

Focus Sports Camp Final Video

2011-06-25T12:48:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-24T21:27:00.002-04:00

Focus Sports Camp 2011 Day 2

2011-06-21T18:24:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-20T22:08:00.002-04:00

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

2011-05-26T15:26:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-26T14:55:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-26T14:53:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-25T13:18:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-24T13:59:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-16T14:37:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-05T13:37:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-03T09:02:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-03T08:51:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-03T08:42:00.002-04:00

Dave Pietrzak - Faith Story

2011-05-03T08:40:00.001-04:00

Brigade Regional Race

2011-04-05T14:06:00.001-04:00

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

2011-03-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

2011 Boys Brigade and Pioneer Girls Pinewood Derby

2011-03-25T10:06:00.001-04:00

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.

Kerrie Mawyer - Faith Story

2011-03-15T15:53:00.000-04:00

Pioneer Girls' Old Fashioned Street Fair

2011-02-10T11:58:00.000-05:00

AN OLD FASHIONED STREET FAIR IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER—What an experience for our Pioneer Girls as they enjoyed the evening with their dads at our special valentine event. Dads & daughters enjoyed the evening playing hopscotch, jumping rope, 3 legged races, hoola hooping, cup stacking, some special snacks, and much more. Both Dads and daughters were heard saying they hadn’t done some of these things in years. The evening culminated with a beautiful drawing by a local artist along with a special letter from Jesus. What a great night to be together with dads, uncles, grandfathers, or other special friends.

Stockade Overnighter

2011-02-09T14:24:00.000-05:00

The PHBC Stockade, for boys from 3rd grade through 6th grade had their annual overnighter recently. Over 30 boys and dad's were together through the night for games, stories, contests and food (sleeping was optional). Some of the activities included: Battle Ball (the boys #1 favorite game), kickball, basketball, relay races, paper airplane contests, bible trivia contest, and a bible story. The boys and dads also learned about the City Mission, which is where some of the money collected with aluminum cans and shares went for this year. Stockade is open to all boys 3rd grade through 6th grade. We meet every Wednesday evening during Family Night. Each week we have games, a bible story and achievement time. If you have never been to Stockade now is a great time to check us out. Dad's you are welcome to join in as well!

Jennifer Berkey - Faith Story

2011-02-07T15:01:00.004-05:00

Tricia and Randy Webb Faith Story

2011-02-05T14:55:00.003-05:00

TREASURE COVE

2011-02-03T14:53:00.003-05:00

40 Days of Community - Youth and Kids

2011-02-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

Staci Kling - Faith Story

2011-01-30T10:57:00.001-05:00

Kraig Anderson - 40 Days Faith Story

2011-01-28T10:49:00.000-05:00

Our Pastor Of Worship shares part of his experience during 40 Days of Community.

Children's Worker Breakfast - The Adventure of Your Life

2011-01-27T10:12:00.001-05:00

Can you believe that another Children’s Worker Breakfast has come and gone already? On Saturday, January 22 we had a wonderful morning of fellowship and interactive learning. Approximately 100 children’s workers gathered together to enjoy a great breakfast attended different workshops to help them prepare for the adventure that God has in store for them in Children’s Ministry. There was a variety of workshops addressing needs in all areas, ranging from the nursery, to preschool, to elementary age, and covering weekly ministries as well as outreach opportunities. The workshops included “Nursery Walk Through/Spic-n-Span”, “The Challenge of Ministering to the Pre-School Child”, “Object Lessons They’ll Never Forget,” “Crafts That Help Teach,” “Me? Coach?” “Classroom Control,” “Teaching God’s Truth with Science,” “Expanding the Treasure Cove Ministry,” “Bible Stories Come to Life,” “Teach ‘Em the Way God Made ‘Em,” “Hot Pick-Up Games for Elementary Students,” “Preschool Games that Grab Their Attention,” and “Music Anyone Can Do.” We hope that all our volunteers feel refreshed and ready for another year in Children’s Ministry!

The Cherokee Community Small Group Concert

2011-01-19T09:18:00.000-05:00

On December 21st our small group The Cherokee Community, had the awesome privilege of bringing Christmas to the Hospice Center in Strongsville. Our group sang carols accompanied by saxophone, and also performed a saxophone duet, saxophone solo, a bass and saxophone duet, a children's trio and an women's quartet. While no one came down to the lobby during our performance we did have nurses tell us that evening that the music was drifting to every room. Since that evening we received a letter thanking us for giving our time and talents to bring Christmas to the residents. Perhaps the most touching of all was hearing that one resident passed away an hour after we finished performing. Could it be that their last memories of this world were the music praising Jesus' birth? We can make a difference, just by letting God use us. Not only were the residents effected by our evening, but we were changed as well. We grew together as a family as we shared God's love with the world.

Winter Retreat 2010

2011-01-04T21:04:00.004-05:00

Winter Retreat 2010 @ Stony Glen

All Out War - Investigating Spiritual Warfare

A study in Ephesians 6

This is quite possibly one of the best ways to spend Christmas break!

62 of us got away to Stony Glen on 12/27-29/2010 for an amazing retreat.

We enjoyed sledding, snowball fights, gym time, free time, gaga dodgeball, cabin time, capture the flag, a talent show, a powerful drama, and much more with our friends.

Our Youth Worship Band, "Forgotten Prosperity" led us in engaging worship, and our chapel times taught us about the spiritual war we're in each day. From Ephesians 6 we learned about the Armor of God, its importance, and how we can put it on daily.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

2011-01-03T15:57:00.000-05:00

The choir and congregation join together in singing.

All of the children gather to listen to a special Christmas story.

The lighting of candles.

Glory to the newborn King!

The Geiger's Small Group Service Project

2010-12-10T11:56:00.000-05:00

The Geiger's 40 Days of Community small group filled four boxes to send to co-worker's son who is serving in Iraq.

Crossroads ABF Fill Boxes For Operation Christmas Child

2010-11-24T11:03:00.000-05:00

The Crossroads ABF enjoyed their quarterly brunch before working on filling shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

A large assortment of items were brought in for boys and girls ages 2-14.

Necessary supplies to wrap the boxes were also brought in.

Everyone pitched in to pack 28 shoe boxes.

Maggie's Place Service Project

2010-11-17T11:21:00.000-05:00

The Bartlett's 40 Days of CommUNITY small group served at Maggie’s Place, a home in the Parma area for expectant mothers who are homeless or in need of a safe haven to carry their babies to term. They participated in a monthly work day and did some yard clean up for them. They also toured the facility, met some of the staff and were blessed to have served them. They are hoping to return again in 2011 to serve.

Maggie's Place/Zechariah House

Rototilling the garden

Raking up the leaves

40 Days Of Community Outreach - Anderson Small Group

2010-11-08T22:29:00.002-05:00

What could be a better use and more fun on a Saturday than this: a small group having a fantastic time doing yard work, some handyman repairs, and talking with an individual who recently had surgery for cancer and just started chemotherapy. That's what our small group was able to do on a brisk October Saturday. The woman we helped was a co-worker of one of the people in or small group. It was one of those days that this is what God got us up to do today! Thank God for the opportunity to be His hands and feet!

Jeff at the ladder, Tommy picking up the piles and Harold works the mower.

Kristin poses with the rake. Funny thing is she never really used it. She was serving inside on this mission trip.

Even Tim and Michael were able to clear the calendar to serve with our small group.

Some morning fuel to keep us moving! Yeah for muffins!

Well, can you believe Tommy now has a new nick name - "leaf boy"

5th Quarter Outreach Party

2010-10-29T19:58:00.001-04:00

What an evening of fun at our annual 5th Quarter Outreach Party after the Parma/Valley Forge football game.

We enjoyed tons of pizza and friends, video games, pizza, basketball, friends, volleyball, pool, friends, air-hockey, music, 4-square, and much more. There was plenty of fun for everyone. Come join One Eighty One Student Ministries on Sunday mornings and Wednesday Evenings.

Pizza & Friends

Go Parma!

More pizza & friends

Even more pizza & friends

Something fun for everyone

Open gym all night

Enjoying the Wii and PlayStation

40 Days of Community - Bednarski Small Group

2010-10-18T15:03:00.001-04:00

Participants of our small group were at Medwish International on Saturday, sorting medical supplies. MedWish International is a non-profit organization committed to the recovery and recycling of donated medical supplies that area health care providers must discard.

Toni, Brian and Marilyn, Amy and Elizabeth

Outreach Pastor Candidating September 25-26

2010-09-24T14:59:00.000-04:00

Jeff was raised in a wonderful Christian home just outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He graduated from Hope College with a degree in Business Administration and spent some time working in the business world. He has worked in commercial banking, real estate acquisition, and also owned a company that ran after school golf programs and summer camps for children. He and his wife Mollie have been married for three years and are expecting their first child in January.

In 2004 Jeff felt God calling him into full-time ministry and he enrolled at Moody Theological Seminary where he earned a Masters of Divinity. He has been serving with Oak Pointe Church in Michigan since 2007 and he is currently the Director of Missions and Outreach. He has a huge passion for the local church and loves seeing the body of Christ discipled and trained to reach out both locally and globally. He says, “When people give themselves away in love and service to others for the glory of God, the body of Christ grows and the church fulfills its role of making disciples.” “Jesus said, ‘I will build my church.’ The fact that we are able to be a part of that is humbling, yet incredibly exciting.”
Golf is by far Jeff’s biggest hobby, but he also enjoys just about any outdoor activity. He also loves traveling, reading, playing his oft-neglected guitar, and working on projects around the house. He is an avid Michigan State Spartan fan, so he dislikes the Wolverines just as much as everyone in Ohio. Jeff and Mollie love serving the Lord and desire to be in the center of His will for their lives.

Pack the House 2010

2010-09-22T20:58:00.003-04:00

How many friends can we pack in the One Eighty One Youth Center?

I can only think of one good way to find out!

All you can eat pizza, open gym, games, video games, and much more!

School Year Kickoff Cookout

2010-09-01T20:10:00.000-04:00

What a great way to kick off the school year! An evening for the whole family. 250+ parents and teens came out for a cookout, games, and an overview of the upcoming school year. God has big plans for our One Eighty One Youth Ministry in the 2o10-2011 school year!

Annual Cedar Point Trip 2010

2010-08-11T20:14:00.003-04:00

Van loads of students enjoyed our annual trip to Cedar Point.

We're always having fun at One Eighty One Student Ministry. Come join us!

Lighthouse ABF Bike Ride

2010-07-27T11:30:00.000-04:00

On July 11 the Lighthouse ABF went for a bike ride at the Metroparks. After about a ten mile ride, everyone stopped to enjoy the beautiful waterfalls in Berea. The day was topped off with a cook out and fellowship!

SonQuest Rainforest - VBS 2010 Day 5 - Final Day

2010-07-23T12:00:00.004-04:00

Parents and kids, we are so glad you could join us for an adventure at SonQuest Rainforest this year. We really hope everyone had a fantastic week, made some new friends and learned more about God and His love for each of you.

Remember the things we learned?

Monday - GET IT! "I have hidden Your word in my heart"-Psalm 119:11
Tuesday - GET FOUND - "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son" John 3:16
Wednesday - GET GOD'S LOVE - "Love the Lord...Love your neighbor" Matthew 22:37-39
Thursday - GET PRAYING - "By prayer...present your requests to God" Philippians 4:6
Friday - GET GOING - "Whatever you do, work...for the Lord" Colossians 3:23

SonQuest Rainforest - VBS 2010 Day 4 - NEW FRIENDS

2010-07-22T17:45:00.001-04:00

Day 4 - GET PRAYING!

Today's Theme: No matter what circumstances we are in, we can pray to God and we will hear our prayers and help us experience His goodness.
Today's Verse: "Do not be anxious about anything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God...will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

SonQuest Rainforest - VBS 2010 Day 3

2010-07-22T17:38:00.000-04:00

Wednesday was all about being a great neighbor. What does that mean at Sonquest? That's found in today's theme and verse:

Theme: God's love is so amazing that it motivates us to love Him in return and pass His love on to others.

Today's Verse: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind...Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39

SonQuest Rainforest - VBS 2010 Day 2

2010-07-20T17:40:00.001-04:00

Tuesday...
Theme: Get Found - God sent Jesus to show us how much He loves us!
Verse: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and Only Son" John 3:16
Enjoy these pictures of all these fantastic kids and adults!
See you all Wednesday!

SonQuest Rainforest - VBS 2010

2010-07-19T13:07:00.004-04:00

Vacation Bible School started with a bang today as we went back in time to experience "Sean's" trip in the rainforest. It was some adventure and we are really excited to experience the entire journey this week.

Today's Theme: GET IT!
Memory Verse: Psalm 119:11 - "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you"
We learned about different kinds of soils through some stories Jesus taught in the Bible (Matthew 13:1-23).

Enjoy this video photo tour of the day. Come back for more tomorrow!

Summer Camp 2010

2010-07-10T22:16:00.007-04:00

Student Life Summer Camp 2010

@ Cedarville University

Mission Trip 2010 - Waterbury, CT

2010-07-10T21:49:00.006-04:00

Mission Trip 2010

to Waterbury, CT

Our group with the Waterbury team

It's fun to serve!

The kids and day camp at a ton of fun learning about Jesus

Is that a broom...?

Pastor Maner & Dan Adams

That one awesome (and hungry) team

Sports Camp - Thursday AM

2010-06-24T22:43:00.000-04:00

We're not quite done with these videos...here's Thursday morning! What a day...what a week!

Sports Camp 2010 - Wednesday - Decision Day

2010-06-24T07:53:00.000-04:00

Wednesday is a special day at sports camp. We've been teaching the kids the truths of the Bible, who Jesus is and how He matters to us. Today's theme is, "I need Jesus Christ to be my Savior". In devotions we studied Acts 16:23-31. Paul and Silas were jailed simply for telling people about Jesus. Then an earthquake broke open the doors of the jail. The jailer was so moved when he found out these two Christian prisoners did not try to escape he immediately shouted out, "Men, what must I do to be saved?". Paul and Silas said to him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.

At the end of this video, you will see kids signing cards. These are decision cards that the kids are filling out letting us know where they stand with a relationship with Christ. Parents, we encourage you to ask your kids what they've learned about a relationship with Jesus Christ and help them investigate that further so they can learn more about the marvelous life found in Christ.

Focus Sports Camp 2010 - Thank You Volunteers!

2010-06-23T13:16:00.002-04:00

Focus Sports Camp is the result of volunteers and staff working together over an entire year! During sports camp, over 165 people invest a week of their summer to serve kids. They do it out of a heart to serve that God has placed in their lives. They invest this time in kids because they believe that each child matters to God and these wonderful volunteers want to be a small part of being a positive influence in these kid's lives.

We thank you volunteers so much for what you mean to these kids lives. You have all done well as you've served Jesus Christ, each other and of course these hundreds of incredible kids! One more day to go.

"God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another." 1 Peter 4:10

TO VIEW VIDEOS IN HIGH DEFINITION; START THE VIDEO, THEN
SELECT THE BUTTON ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE YOUTUBE
SCREEN THAT SAYS "360p"...THEN SELECT "720p"

Sports Camp Day Two - Afternoon Session

2010-06-22T19:12:00.000-04:00

With weather forecast to be rainy all day, sports camp was blessed by only blue skies! The afternoon kids worked and played really hard...under the unexpected blazing sun. All of you parents need to be really proud of your kids...they have treated us and each other extremely well for two days! Enjoy a snap shot video tour of the day.

TO VIEW VIDEOS IN HIGH DEFINITION; START THE VIDEO, THEN
SELECT THE BUTTON ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE YOUTUBE
SCREEN THAT SAYS "360p"...THEN SELECT "720p"

Today's devotional started with a fun game with two teams and protective sports gear - one team was the protector of an individual and the other was the attacking team trying to "take that person out of the game. Ask your kids about it.

We studied a passage from the Bible found in the New Testament: Ephesians 6:10-13. It talks about putting on the protective armor of God. We had some great discussions on what that actually means in our lives. We ended with this prayer: "Thank You God for being our Protection and for providing us with Your protective armor. Please help us remember to choose to put on His armor."

Tuesday, June 22 Sports Camp - AM Session

2010-06-22T15:28:00.005-04:00

We woke to heavy rains this morning, but sports camp was greeted by nothing but blue skies! Keep enjoying pictures of your kids...they are all class acts! It was an great day again today!

TO VIEW VIDEOS IN HIGH DEFINITION; START THE VIDEO, THEN
SELECT THE BUTTON ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE YOUTUBE
SCREEN THAT SAYS "360p"...THEN SELECT "720p"

Today's devotional started with a fun game with two teams and protective sports gear - one team was the protector of an individual and the other was the attacking team trying to "take that person out of the game. Ask your kids about it.

We studied a passage from the Bible found in the New Testament: Ephesians 6:10-13. It talks about putting on the protective armor of God. We had some great discussions on what that actually means in our lives. We ended with this prayer: "Thank You God for being our Protection and for providing us with Your protective armor. Please help us remember to choose to put on His armor."

SONG INFO: If you like the song in this video, it's called "Bless" by His Name High (http://www.hisnamehigh.com). They are a new local group who toured with Australian Hillsongs last summer. All the band members are fully commited followers of Christ and have family connections to Parma Heights Baptist Church.

Focus Sports Camp 2010 - Day 1 (PM Session)

2010-06-21T18:55:00.002-04:00

Focus Sports Camp 2010 Day One Afternoon Session was very smooth and another real blessing to coaches and athletes alike. The schedule is identical to the AM session, so check out this mornings post to see more on what was studied during devotions. Enjoy the photos from the day! Come back tomorrow for more!

ENJOY THIS VIDEO FROM TODAY'S AFTERNOON SESSION!

Focus Sports Camp 2010 - Day 1 (AM Session)

2010-06-21T16:22:00.004-04:00

We had a fantastic first morning of sports camp. The kids, parents, coaches, blue shirt people and excellent weather all pulled together to make it an outstanding day! The schedule mixes together skills and drills, snack time, devotion time and of course with warm weather, plenty of water breaks!

Here's a glimpse of today's morning session:

Sports are a great way to promote teamwork, develop positive attitude and self-esteem. At Focus Sports Camp, we also spend time learning the life skills that God teaches us through His Word, the Bible.

Today's devotion time was centered around Psalm 18:2 "the Lord is my Rock, my Protector and my Savior".
We also studied Matthew 7:24-27 which includes Jesus saying "Everyone who hears these things I say and obeys them is like a wise man. The wise man built his house on the rock, but the person who hears the things I teach and does not obey them is like a foolish man. The foolish man builds his house on sand."

The coaches and kids talked about these Bible verses and how they apply to our lives. We ended with this prayer "Thank you God for being the strong Rock that we can build our life upon!"

We can't wait for Focus Sports Camp day two! Come back tomorrow to check out the day two video!

Focus Sports Camp - Volunteer Staff Make It Happen

2010-06-10T07:16:00.001-04:00

REMEMBERING LAST YEAR...CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS YEAR!

Sports Camp Is Almost Here...remember last year?

2010-06-10T01:30:00.007-04:00

LAST YEAR HAD SOME REALLY AMAZING EXPERIENCES...LOOK BACK AND REMEMBER!

Vocal Artistry

2010-04-23T09:43:00.001-04:00

On April 17, fourteen of our worship team vocalists had the opportunity to attend a fantastic day-long seminar called “Vocal Artistry”. Tim Carson, fantastic vocal instructor and vocal coach from Seattle, Washington was the presenter. His unique approach to building vocal strength, range, tone and other vocal styling’s were refreshing and challenging to say the least.

Tim Carson, from Seattle Washington

Bernice and Mandi

Christene (far left) and Jennifer (3rd from right) working on developing their “chest voice”

Jennifer, a classically trained singer being stretched as Tim seeks a contemporary tone in this exercise.

A few of our vocalists…I think they’re having a good day

More of the gang (Christene moved fast and found her way in this picture too!)

Focus on Marriage Simulcast

2010-04-23T09:28:00.000-04:00

On February 27, Parma Heights Baptist Church hosted an incredibly meaningful marriage building event simply called, “Focus on Marriage”. Over 30 couples from our church and the community joined thousands of couples all across the country as we celebrated God’s design for commitment. This marriage strengthening simulcast tackled Christianity’s biggest challenges—empowering you and your spouse to stay faithful, committed and encouraged in your marriage. With Focus on Marriage, we received wisdom, encouragement and knowledge from leading marriage teachers such as Gary Thomas, Kirk Cameron, Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott, Francis Chan and Dr. Gary Chapman, all of whom have a passion for seeing marriages thrive – specifically yours! Great resources were available immediately to continue what was started at the simulcast. Pastor Dan led us in prayer following a nation-wide marriage recommitment ceremony.

Maximize Ministry

2010-04-23T09:17:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, March 6, the First Impressions ministry launched our new “Connection Ministry”. This ministry is all about warming up the building with more people intentionally working to connect people with each other, whether it’s someone’s first visit or if they are a long-time member. This fantastic night was designed to draw people in, show them what the Connection Team does and get them excited to do their part. We were thrilled to see nearly 70 people invest a Saturday evening to see what the “Connection Ministry” is all about.

A great soup, salad and dessert supper started the evening.

Kraig showed us his passion as he laid out the vision for the Connection Team.

Annette and Pam right before the event began.

Sue and Terry shared some of the important details.

Women's Retreat 2010 - Sweet Life Cafe

2010-04-20T10:57:00.000-04:00

The Sweet Life Cafe opened its doors this weekend to women who were hungry and thirsty for God. Ninety-five ladies gathered together on Friday and Saturday to learn about truly savoring their relationship with the Savior. We came to understand that He offers us relief from our hunger and thirst. He wants to fill us with the Bread of Life and Everlasting Water. As we came together we were able to worship His goodness and celebrate the differences He created in all of us. We laughed and cried together as we became more than just women who pass in the hallways of church, but rather friends who are walking on this journey together. In our closing session we were also called to make a difference in someone’s life by praying for them and then giving them a sweet treat we created with our own hands. It was a wonderful weekend of being refreshed!

Autumn Fellowship Buffet

2010-03-31T11:33:00.000-04:00

Faithful workers help with food preperation for our Senior Adult Buffet.

Those who attend take advantage of free blood pressure screenings, done by our very own registered nurse before each buffet.

Ready to serve! And always serving with a smile!

A generous selection of sidedishes lovingly provided by those who attend.

Always a great time of food and fellowship.

Pinewood Derby

2010-03-22T14:47:00.001-04:00

On March 17 over 60 boys and girls and their families watched while their pinewood derby cars raced down the track. There were many fast cars that raced that night, separated only by fractions of a second. The top four places for each age group for Pioneer Girls and Stockade were recognized with great trophies. The top designers for each group were also recognized with a special award. All racers received a ribbon for their participation. At the end of the night the top boy racer faced off against the top girl racer and the girls won! The top place finishers will be racing in a regional race at the Chapel in Akron. Let's Go PHBC boys! Thanks to our crew who set up the track, checked in the cars, helped fix the breakdowns, raced the cars, judged the finishes and selected the top designs. Without all of you the night would not have been possible.

Pioneer Voyagers' Overnight Event

2010-02-18T13:34:00.001-05:00

The Pioneer Voyagers had an overnight event Friday, February 12. They worked on a My Friends', Puzzle and Cooking badges and enjoyed making their own breakfast. Fourteen girls were in attendance, as well as their group leaders. All had a wonderful time!

Friends make friends laugh, sometimes with a funny face.

...more fun with our friends and their faces!

Do unto others...treat others how you want to be treated...

We have fun with our friends when we play games!

Why we love church - fellowship and food! The girls made rice cakes with either frosting and "doo-dads" or cream cheese.

Pancakes made from scratch!

These ladybugs are too cute to eat!

Enjoying their hard work.

Wednesday Night Pioneer Girls

2010-01-29T12:47:00.000-05:00

This place was buzzing on Wednesday night, as we found our Pioneer Girl Groups learning together and reaching out in service to others. Our younger groups were connecting with God and one another through various activities. The Trailblazers had invited some of our Senior ladies to partner with them in a service project. They spent the evening decorating cookies and making Valentine cards to be sent to those serving our country overseas. Our Junior Guides along with their leaders put their learning into action as they became our teachers for the evening in one of the pre-school classes. Girls, come joins us on Wednesday nights from 7:00-8:30.

Children's Worker Breakfast

2010-01-29T12:31:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, 95 of our children workers gathered together to enjoy a tremendous breakfast, learn about each other and participate in a live game of Clue. As our groups moved from the “study” to the “conservatory” to the “kitchen” and other rooms, they got to meet all of the Clue characters, Colonel Mustard, Professor Plum, Miss Scarlet, Mrs. White, Mrs. Peacock, and Mr. Green. After brainstorming about the clues to connect effectively with kids, each age group formulated a plan to help show kids that KIDS MATTER. We pray that each of us will do our part to help children find and follow Jesus Christ.

Crazy Olympics

2010-01-14T13:21:00.000-05:00

It’s the adults vs. the teens. The adults line up to decide who will start at each activity.

Each person had to put on five articles of clothing. Accessories are always so important for a good fashion look.

Picking up marbles can be a challenge, but in ice water? Using your toes?

Whipped cream tastes good, unless it’s still frozen. It made it hard to find the Skittle hidden in the whipped cream (which was also frozen).

Who should we choose to fit the most marshmallows in their mouth?

Yuck! And he wasn’t even the winner!

Churchtime Snowball Fight

2010-01-05T10:33:00.000-05:00

Snowball fights can be fun. Rather than getting cold and wet outdoors, the children in grades 1-4 battled indoors on December 27.

The girls' team and boys' team each prepared their arsenal by crumbling sheets of newspaper into compact “snowballs”.

The teams form their plan of attack.

The leaders keep a watchful eye as the “snowballs” fly.

YAM Holiday Happenings

2009-12-29T13:47:00.000-05:00

The Young Adult Ministry has had a busy Christmas season this year. We welcomed home many of you students that are studying at colleges and universities outside of the greater Cleveland area. On Sunday Mornings we completed our study of Advent: What Really Happened Christmas Morning, the women's bible study continued to meet through the holiday and we held two activities for the students to be involved with and enjoy each others friendship.

We had a Christmas party that included a white elephant gift exchange, with some pretty creative re-gifting, a canned food collection for the PHBC pantry ministry, games and of course plenty of food.

About 16 members of the Young Adult Ministry went ice skating the Sunday after Christmas at Iceland in Strongsville. Some were on skates for the first time in years others were honing their skills for the upcoming Olympic Games.

Takin' Him To The Malls

2009-12-19T18:17:00.001-05:00

On December 13, 2009, the Worship Arts Ministry took 90 minutes of Christ-centered music to Parmatown and Southpark malls. At 3:30 the "Ron Nelson" jazz trio started playing at Parmatown Mall, followed by the "brassphone 4" and finally our worship choir. By the time the choir was finishing things up at Parmatown, the jazz trio had traveled to Southpark in Strongsville to begin our program their.

The whole idea behind this outreach is to draw a crowd that the musicians and people form our church could connect with. The weather was beautiful, the crowds were very nice and it turned into wonderful night that was really enjoyed by the musicians and audience alike! Thanks so much to everyone who supported this new endeavor!

Soul'd Out Quartet

2009-12-19T17:57:00.002-05:00

What a fun night we had on Tuesday, November 24. The wonderful, nationally known vocal group "Soul'd Out Quartet" spent a fantastic evening with us. They entertained us, made us laugh, shared their lives and the gospel of Christ with a nice, full crowd for this year's Thanksgiving week Concert.

The Ultimate SuperCharge Christmas Party

2009-12-16T14:53:00.000-05:00

Our 5th and 6th graders had so much fun at our Ultimate SuperCharge Christmas party on December 5. We played games, ate snacks and had a great time with each other.

Waiting on the unveiling of what the SuperCharge challenge would be.

We had a gingerbread house making contest. Each team took on a personality of their own.
This team was very organized.

This team was very creative.

This team was very festive.

This team was enthusiastic and just plain old messy!

We decorated the Christmas tree and took our family photo. We had a blast celebrating Christmas at SuperCharge and can't wait until the next one.

Bethlehem Project

2009-12-16T14:17:00.000-05:00

Grades 1-6 joined together this past Sunday for a special Christmas service. With the use of puppets and modern technology, Sonshine and Gang Puppet Team presented the Bethlehem Project. The program closed out with a devotional entitled “Isn’t it Amazing”? As children realized what amazing things God has done for us, several children chose to give their lives to Jesus for the first time. It’s always exciting to see God work in the hearts of our children. Merry Christmas!

Pioneer Girl Mother Daughter Christmas Event

2009-12-15T10:10:00.000-05:00

Surrounded by live music and snowflakes, our moms and daughters enjoyed a festive evening together. They began by making snowflake napkin rings and listened to a devotional about how God has made each one of us unique, just as there are no two snowflakes alike. That was illustrated further as 138 people created their own snowflakes, with no two being alike. The girls were awarded their badges they earned since September. After the girls received their badges, our Junior Guides served hot chocolate and snowflake cake to finish out the evening. We’re so glad our moms and daughters were able to spend quality time together.

Pioneer Girls Junior Guides - Cake Decorating

2009-11-23T15:44:00.000-05:00

Once a month the Pioneer Girls Junior Guides get together to do a special project, learn a new skill or sharpen their leadership skills. For the month of November the girls had a night of cake decorating. Each girl was given a small cake and materials to decorate the cake and express their creativity. The group was given instruction on tips and tricks to make their cake look not only beautiful, but appetizing!

YAM-Monster's Hockey Night at the Q

2009-11-18T16:02:00.000-05:00

The Young Adult Ministry recently attended a Monster's Hockey night at the Q. For many it was their first time to a hockey game and for some their first time at the Q. Even though the team didn't win we all still had a fun time getting into the action of the game! Afterward, we hung around for a short concert by a local Christian band and the kick-off to a local youth all-nighter. Whether attending the ABF, eating lunch or supporting one of our local sports teams the Young Adult Ministry is focused on Helping Young Adults Find and Follow Jesus Christ!

Becoming One ABF Christmas Social

2009-11-18T14:07:00.000-05:00

Becoming One ABF had a great time at our Christmas social, Sunday evening. Lincoln and Glenda opened up their home to host this special occasion. We enjoyed wonderful food and relaxing time with one another. The kids played together while they anxiously awaited their gifts. After the children opened their goodies, the grown-ups really had fun playing a game where each couple took turns choosing a gift, and then the next one could "steal" that gift, until every couple had a gift that they could finally open! We all listened as one of the children read Luke chapter two for all of us, he did a great job!

Integrity Live Worship Conference - What We Learned

2009-11-13T13:47:00.001-05:00

We want to share what we learned at worship:

WHAT CAN WORSHIP BE?

- Dynamic - Transformational - Inspired - Free

HOW CAN PEOPLE LEAD WORSHIP?

- Invite people into a sense of community

- Facilitate a Vertical Conversation

- Show people a journey of scripture, prayer and song

- Minister to the Lord

- Minister to people's Hearts

- Have an UNperformance

- Be transparent, so that people see God, not you

- Practice Worship in private

HOW CAN WE WORSHIP

- Show up; give God the offering of your attention

- Be authentic

- Be open to a visit from the Holy Spirit

OTHER WEE SNIPPETS:

(Kathryn being from Ireland used all kinds of cute colloquialisms
like this throughout the course of the few days)

- You don't need to change to come and worship, worship will change you if you come

- God may not give you a new song, but He may give you a seed that you will need to cultivate and grow
- How we live our lives is an act of worship. We can not put on our "Worship Man" costume every Sunday morning and expect to make worship happen
-Sunday morning service is not the pinnacle towards which we aspire
-Tip: Don't focus on grumpy faces from the congregation during worship
-Tip: Don't guilt or try to force worship. Be respectful of your congregation and meet them where they are

Integrity Live Worship Conference

2009-11-13T12:50:00.001-05:00

Several of the Worship Team members attended the Integrity Live Worship Conference on November 2nd and 3rd. Hundreds of worship leaders and their teams attended; they came from as far as New Guinea to gather at Cuyahoga Valley Church to experience real worship and learn from each other and great worship leaders. The conference was a full two days led by amazingly gifted worship leaders and song writers: Paul Baloche, Brian Doerksen and Kathryn Scott. Paul has written hundreds of songs that have been featured on a variety of albums. He has written many popular songs including "Open the Eyes of my Heart", "Above All", "Offering". Brian's songs include “Come, now is the time to worship”, “Hope of the nations”, “Faithful One”, “Refiner’s Fire”, and “Hallelujah (Your love is amazing)”. Kathryn Scott, all the way from Ireland, shared her popular songs “At The Foot Of The Cross,” “Search Me, Know Me” and the evergreen “Hungry” among others. We we're blessed to be able to sing the songs with their original creators and sing them straight to our Creator!

We were so blessed not only to indulge in a rich time of worship, but also to hear what these folks had to share about the worship experience. Our hope was to better minister to our church by learning and bringing back what we learn.

Left to Right - Ross Parsley, Brian Doerksen, Kathryn Scott and Paul Baloche

Annual Fall Family Festival

2009-11-05T14:31:00.000-05:00

This year’s Fall Family Festival on October 31 was the best yet! God sent us more workers than ever before. Our facility was transformed into our annual Fall Family Festival within one hour. After a time of prayer and feeding our workers (pizza of course), our doors opened at 12:15 p.m. Hundreds of children dressed in their costumes along with moms and dads came ready to play some old fashioned games and collect some sugary treats. Hayrides, popcorn and a movie “To Share or Nut to Share” were also enjoyed by many. Of course, it was hard to resist a trip to the face-painting table, the craft room, and a stop for cider and donuts. We went through over 600 bags of candy, thanks to the generosity of all the donations. Thanks to all who came and we’ll see you next year at our annual Fall Family Festival on October 30, 2010.

YAM-Mystery Night Party

2009-10-30T09:25:00.001-04:00

On crisp autumn evening, members of the Young Adult Ministry gathered together for a night of mystery. Each member of the group was assigned a character and role to play. As the evening progressed several courses of dinner were served along with more information about the characters being played. By night's end the mystery was solved and everyone who participated got to know one another a little better. The activities of the evening were then used in discussion the next day in ABF as we learned about overcoming superficial relationships.

Banker - David, Millionaire – Stephanie, Dry Cleaner – Tom,

TV Producer - Katie, Astronaut – Courtney
As the guests arrived at the Abby Manor Masquerade they posed for a moment to mark the grand occasion.

Coach - Art, D.J. - Chuck, Optometrist – Annie

Several of the guests energetically entertaining one another.

Optometrist - Annie, Actress - Kate, Scientist – Ben

The optometrist is convinced that she knows "who done it"!

Chef - Tim, Detective - Ben

By the end of the evening the guests discovered that the Chef
was guilty and that the detective was the victim.