This weekend our theme was ‘Giving Thanks.’

We spent time thanking God for our many blessings. Blessings of friendship. Blessings of family. Blessings of food. The list of God’s blessings goes on forever.

As I sit in the quiet empty dinning hall, I cannot help but feel thankful for quiet time. Time to sit back and think of the subtle blessings that all to often go over-looked in our overly busy lives.

One such blessing is the dawning of each new day. Yesterday morning I stepped out on the porch facing the playground and admired God’s handiwork as He was slowly lifting the fog from the hills revealing the colors of the ever changing leaves.

That view inspired my whole day. I found myself in such a possitive mood. Eventhough I was exhausted most of the day (4-H style bunks…) I also felt renewed in God’s grace. Something I have personally been taking for granted.

So as my family begins to stir and we prepare for services, it is my prayer that each of you who read this can be refreshed and renewed in the same manner.

God’s grace and mercy are new every day. Take time to experience them.

God bless you all.

- Joby

2011 Fall Retreat
Doddridge County Park
It is time for the annual Fall Retreat.

Campfire
Prayer walk
Fun times
Great Food
Theme Contests
Music
Games
All in the name of Jesus!
10-07-2011
~7:00
10-9-2011
ending after a small lunch upon returning from Jim’s Church

2011 Convention
Christian Church of New Cumberland
Speakers include:
Norma Arington
Jason Pancake
Chris Greathouse
and more…

Music By Neal Brooks

We received the following prayer request for John Wilson.

Keep John is your prayers, he broke is arm in 3 places yesterday and one break moved the growth plate, they realigned them today at the orthopedic doctors before putting the cast on. He goes back next Monday for another x-ray and we need the bone and growth plate to stay lined up, would have to surgery if its not. He is pretty miserable. Thanks for your prayers.
Love, Annette

- Joby

Hummingbird is the name of the middle of the three cabins. We use it as the main cabin for fellowship, food, and fun.

Last night we met and opened the weekend with some songs and ice breakers.

Kim and I lead “Rock of Ages” and “I Will Celebrate”

Mark, Kim, and Becky led us in some cool ice breakers. We all wrote one thing about ourselves that we thought no one would know about us. We learned some funny things about each other while trying to guess who wrote the comment. We then had to choose a mode of transportation that started with the same letter as our first name. Forms of transportation included Kites, Mazdas, and jalopies…

Dianna led us in a devotion based on our theme for the weekend. The devotion covered the story of the 7 virgins and the oil for their lamps.

Jim made us a big batch of nachos and cheese for our snack and the fellowship time began.

Lights out at 11:00 became lights out at lights out at 1am or so…

Title: 2011 Winter Happening
Location: Grand Vue Park
Description: Fellowship & Planning for the 2011 CE Convention in June
Start Date: 2011-03-11
End Date: 2011-03-13

Come to the WVCE Fall Retreat at Doddridge County Park on Friday – Sunday, October 8th thru 10th, 2010!

Stay over on Saturday night, attend church where Jim Messenger is Pastor on Sunday morning and end the weekend on Sunday afternoon! Please bring what you’ll need for an extra night!

You will need to bring your own bedding, towels and toiletries in addition to clothing and personal items!

- Joby

The West Virginia Christian Endeavor Convention starts today…
I can’t wait to see everyone.

- Joby

I received a voice mail from Tracy.

He is not coming to the Convention as his PSA # is incredibly high. Hopefully he does not have prostate cancer, but he is feeling great! He is having treatments and hopefully he will not have cancer.

High PSA# has NOT affected his coolness

Hopefully, he will be fine and able to come to the Fall Retreat so he doesn’t mess his consecutive visits.

He says if anyone asks, he is doing fine and feeling great.

Pray that these treatments will bring his high PSA# down and that he doesn’t have prostate cancer…

I (and I am sure others as well) received this from Rick the other day.
Definitely wanted to share it.

Often we hear when the court gives bad decisions, but did you hear that the Court (same court that ruled against the wording “God”) now has said that Both the phrase in the pledge and on the U.S. Coins — these DO NOT VIOLATE “Church and State”.

Here is a part of the article.

Rick

P.S. I just saw this in a e-magazine, but it said this happened last month.

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Court Upholds ‘God’ In Pledge, On U.S. Currency
Federal Appeals Court In San Francisco Rejects Claim That ‘Under God’ And ‘In God We Trust’ Violate Church And State
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) ― A federal appeals court upheld the use of the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance and “In God We Trust” on U.S. currency, rejecting arguments Thursday that the phrases violate the separation of church and state.

The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel rejected two legal challenges by Sacramento atheist Michael Newdow, who said the references to God are unconstitutional and infringe on his religious beliefs.

The same appeals court caused a national uproar and prompted accusations of judicial activism when it decided in Newdow’s favor in 2002, ruling that the pledge violated the First Amendment prohibition against government endorsement of religion.

President George W. Bush called the 2002 decision “ridiculous,” senators passed a resolution condemning the ruling and Newdow received threats to his life.

That lawsuit reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004, but the high court said Newdow lacked the legal grounds to file the suit because he didn’t have custody of his daughter, on whose behalf he brought the case.

So Newdow filed an identical challenge on behalf of other parents who objected to the recitation of the pledge at school. In 2005, a federal judge in Sacramento decided in Newdow’s favor, prompting the appeals court to take up the case again.