Vol. 15 No. 07 • July 2015PENNWAY

Lansing Lugnuts Christian Family NightOrder your tickets now for Friday, August 21. Tickets cost $8 with a payment/order deadline of July 26. Game time is 7:05pm - Lugnuts vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods! Contact Matt McMichael to purchase tickets.

Pennway’s Free Summer Family Movie NightsThis summer, join us for a night of free, family entertainment. We will be offering family- friendly movies everyone can enjoy. Doors open at 6:00pm and the movie begins at 6:30pm in the youth room. Please enter at the double wooden doors by the playground. Bring along blankets and pillows to sit on. All children must be accompanied by an adult. If you are in-terested in volunteering to serve snacks and build relationships with the families that attend, please contact Amanda Fisher at 517-927-1058.

July 10 • “Despicable Me”July 24 • “The Incredibles”August 7 • Disney’s “Robin Hood” August 21 • “Penguins of Madagascar”

RUMMAGE SALEJuly 11 @ 9:00am-3:00pmThe Missions team is planning their rummage sale. They are looking for donations including clothing, shoes, books, household items, tools and anything that is in good condition. (No large items like couches, refrigerators, baby cribs, etc.) Please DO NOT price donations in ad-vance. Donations of baked goods and lemonade are also appreciated. Volunteers will also be needed to help set up Friday before the sale and the day of the sale. Items donated may be placed in Room 104 Sunday, July 5 after the service through Friday, July 10. Please be sure to mark your boxes intended to be included for the Rummage Sale.

FAMILY CAMPSCharlevoix Camp #1 • June 27-July 3 • Pastor Bob Dunlin with Song Evangelist Rev. Jeff Eckman Camp #2 • July 11-17 • Pastor John Davey with Song Evangelist Rev. Matt StoneWarner Camp • July 17-25 • Pastor Robin WoodSt. Louis Camp • August 6-14 • Pastor Melissa Pratt with Song Evangelist Dr. Steven Darr

Pastor's Paragraph

A man who had not been a Christian very long came to his pastor asking him to pray for him to find a differ-ent job. “The place I work is so rotten you wouldn’t believe it,” he said. “I hear nothing but foul language and dirty stories, and there’s not one other Christian there, as far as I can tell.” The pastor replied, “I can’t pray for you to get a different job. Why would I pray for God to take the only source of light out of a dark place? That’s crazy. Why do you think that God leaves us here on the earth after we’re saved anyhow?” The man thought and then said, “I never thought of it that way. Do you really think…?” The pastor replied, “Here is what I will do. I’ll join in prayer with you. I want you to call me every morning before you go to work and we’ll pray together that God will keep your light shining down there.” For two weeks the man called the pastor and they prayed together each morning. Then he stopped calling. A week later the pastor saw him and said, “Hey, I’m missing my wake-up call.” The man replied, “Listen, since we started praying, three of the guys at work have come to know Christ and I go down early in the morning so we can have a Bible study together before work. I don’t need to call you, but keep praying.” The pastor replied, “OK, now you’ll probably get your new job. God has a core of light there now and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if you got transferred to another place that’s just as rotten as this one was when you started.”(Jerry Cook, Love Acceptance and Forgiveness, page 73) That is different than Christians tend to think these days, isn’t it? Many times we are only concerned with our comfort and feel that is what God should be concerned with most. Instead, God is more concerned about building His kingdom than He is about our comfort. Don’t get me wrong, God loves us and wants to help us have the best life possible. But, that might include being somewhat uncomfortable so we can develop relationships with pre-Christians many of whom we might lead to a loving Christ. God has placed us in our neighborhoods, in our places of work, in the various school groups, etc. so that we can be His light to those who don’t see. There are people with whom we can develop relationships and show God’s love. There are people in those places with whom we can pray as they face problems and when they are sick, pray for their healing. If everyone where you live and where you work are Christians, then maybe you need to pray for other opportunities to develop relationships with pre-Christians. Maybe it means that God desires you to change jobs, or neighborhoods, or join a new organization or group, or go to a new health club or whatever. It is so very clear to me that God’s vision for our church at this time, in this place, is that each one in our church look for ways to lead people to Christ. That means that each of us needs to develop relationships and grow in those relationships to the place where we can invite them to church or to a Bible study or a ser-vice project. Maybe we need to share our faith with them and help them know God loves them. This is not about getting more people to join our church, but about helping more people come into a personal relation-ship with God. We can change our world as we see these opportunities and make the most of them. Love people enough to desire them to know God. Pray about your situation. Pray for the people who cross your path. Pray that God will help you to love these people with an extraordinary love. Pray that God will help you to show others God’s love. If you need someone to pray with you each morning for a while, let me know. God is ready to do some great things through each of you. Listen closely to His leading. You are God’s light in this dark world. We can shine out God’s love and change our world! Isn’t that exciting!

Pastor John

ONE FORTY-NINE, ONE“Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the

assembly of His faithful people.”

CHRISTIAN SERVICES July is Clothe a Child for School Month. Judson’s Love Clothing Cen-ter serves over 800 pre-school to high school children with clothing during August and September. Be a part of this great effort. Needed children’s clothing size 4T through teens. Items may be taken to Judson Memorial Baptist Church. 530 Vernon, Lansing. (517)882-5961. Questions, call Geneva Decker @ 882-0223.

Life on earth for the child of God is not easy. We have a new spiritual nature, yet we live in a world full of wayward children who have not yet returned home. Indeed, our mission is to point them home to the Father. We must be mindful; The way is fraught with snares and temptations. Sometimes the temptation is to run away and hide. But this is not God’s plan.

Thankfully, Jesus knows what we face because He has already faced it all. Hebrews tells us that Jesus “was tempted in every way, just as we are” (4:15, NIV). If you feel like you’re on your own, take courage! God has promised to never leave or forsake us (Joshua 1:5; Heb. 13:5, NIV).

Our song for July is “Abide With Me,” a plea for the presence of God to always surround, ever sustain. No matter what temptations we may face, no matter how weary we may become, know that God is always with us.

Are you ready to worship? - Pastor Doug

JULYCalendar

01 • All-Church Prayer............4:30-6pm01 • Griefshare......................6:30-8pm01 • No Ignite 03 • Office closed - July 4th Holiday05 • POTLUCK.........................11:45am07 • Senior Adult Breakfast.......8:30am (Flapjack, S. Cedar St.)08 • All-Church Prayer............4:30-6pm08 • Griefshare......................6:30-8pm08 • Ignite.................................7-9pm10 • PROCLAIMER DEADLINE10 • Family Movie Night.................6pm11 • Rummage Sale.....................9-3pm14 • PRIME Luncheon...................12pm15 • All-Church Prayer............4:30-6pm15 • Griefshare......................6:30-8pm15 • Ignite ................................7-9pm21 • Senior Adult Breakfast.......8:30am (Flapjack, S. Cedar St.)22 • All-Church Prayer............4:30-6pm22 • Griefshare......................6:30-8pm22 • Ignite................................7-9pm24 • Family Movie Night ............6-8pm29 • All-Church Prayer............4:30-6pm29 • Griefshare......................6:30-8pm29 • Ignite ................................7-9pm

PRIME (50+)With summer upon us, it’s time to enjoy the great outdoors. On Tuesday, July 14, our PRIME luncheon will be held by the lake at Russ & Shirley Rowe’s home, 291 W. Columbia Rd. Mason, MI 48854. Lunch will be served at noon with a $4.00 donation, but feel free to come early and enjoy some fishing or socializing before we eat. If the weather is bad that day, we will meet at the church instead. Call the church that morning if you aren’t sure which place to go. July 14 is also the final day to sign up and pay for your tickets to Christmas Rocks II.

Potluck - Sunday, July 5Join us for good food and fellowship immediately following the worship service. We will meet in the Fellow-ship Hall. Bring a dish to pass to feed eight people. Tableware and drinks will be provided.

The Zumba Fitness class has taken a break for summer and

will resume in September.

Military Support Project June 14 - July 12It is time once again to send care packages to GI’s overseas. We are collecting non-perishable foods and drink mixes but anything will be welcome. Cash donations for postage are also welcome. Make checks payable to Pennway Church of God and write Military Support Project in the memo line. A complete list of the most desired items (and most discouraged) is available from the Information Rack.

Mobile Food PantryOn Saturday August 15, 2015, Pennway will again be hosting the Lansing Mobile Food Pantry. Please post this event on your calendar and pray about how you might be able to help with this exciting ministry for the citizens of Lansing. If you would like information about how to volun-teer at the event, please contact Denise Eckman or Vicki Sproul.

NON-PROFIT ORGUS POSTAGE PAIDLANSING, MICHIGANPERMIT NUMBER 95

A Monthly Publication of Pennway Church of God 1101 East Cavanaugh Road, Lansing MI 48910-5625

office hours Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, Friday 9:00 am - 2:00 pm • phone 517-882-0223 To contact a pastor after office hours call 1-989-763-0399web www.pennway.org email info@pennway.org

prayerline/information/youth 517-882-0225 senior pastor Dr. John Davey associate pastor Doug Irvingyouth pastor James Brydechildren’s pastor Becky Rodriguezpastor emeritus Bill Millerassociate pastoral care Abelean Hintonfinancial manager Roy Murry facilities manager Terry Baker

LEADERSHIP BOARDchair Dan Quisenberry • secretary Tim King treasurer Goldie Kurtzhals • Vici Bryde,Greg Colegrove, Jim Sproul, Dante Rodriguez, Roy Switzer

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Wednesday Nights from 7-9pm

July 1 • No Ignite (July Fourth Week)August 5 • Messy Game Night

Worship On the WaterfrontWorship On the Waterfront (WOW) is a free outdoor summer worship series held every year on the shores of Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, MI. WOW is held on Sunday evenings from 7:30-8:45 at the Waterfront Stadi-um. This year’s schedule runs now through August 30. Since this is an outdoor venue, WOW will be cancelled or moved to an alternate location in the event of extreme weather or the threat of heavy rain or lightning.

July 5 z Jaci Velasquez & Nic GonzalesJuly 12 z Mike’sChairJuly 19 z JJ HellerJuly 26 z Josh Wilson & Band

August 2 z PlumbAugust 9 z Down Home HornsAugust 18 z Jason GrayAugust 23 z Peder EideAugust 30 z Chris August

Coming up...