Ghana Update Spring 2012

by admin on May 12, 2012

GHANA UPDATE  SPRING,  2012

Dear Friends- Carol and I want to share with you what is happening in our continuing “Mission to Ghana”. Recently, we returned after several weeks in Ghana as part of a time when we dedicated the Dr. Robert D. Everson Memorial Library at the Mawuko Girls Secondary School, Ho,  I memory of David’s cousin, who had spent time at that school in 2006. Also part of our group was Willa Everson, Bob’s widow, and David and Carol’s son, Eric Christensen. We worshipped in Kpenoe, Takla, and at Mawuko Girls School and worked In six schools.

Through a partnership with the local communities, the church, Rotary International Water Projects, and USAID, in 2011, 114 Water and Sanitation Projects were completed for over 250,000 people, including Takla Gbogame, where we visited and celebrated the new water system and its seven stand-pipes.  This culminated a three year process and cost $5 million, and involved hours of local communal labor and training for a local water and sanitation committee.

Delivered to the Regional Leprosarium: 100 kilos of rice, 2 gallons of cooking oil, boxes of fish, spaghetti sauce, soap and a  water catching  tarp to be used with special attachment for cisterns, insuring that those “cured lepers” will have food, while receiving on-going care and treatment.   On our latest visit we accomplished the following:

1.  EP Church Scholarship Funds through the National Church Headquarters

2. Supply Packet for every Mawuli Junior High teacher.

3. Educational materials and First Aid kits to 8 primary / junior high schools

4. Supplies distributed to Womens’ Activity Center (Training for women to be employable)

5. Purchased goods from carvers, jewelry makers, seamstresses, bead makers, micro-     businesses, weavers and senior centers.

6, School Fees for Ho Heve Primary School (Miami Everglades Can recycles) plus one scholarship

7, Funds through Roman Catholic Diocese of Ho for Education

8.  Items of Clothing for Rural Clinics, widows and orphans in Takla and Kpenoe

9. Distributed funds to Ho Farms Extension Service

10. Eyeglasses and funds given to Shepherd Center for the Ageing

11. Medical Supplies delivered to Volta Regional Hospital

12. Visited and gave First Aid kits to 4 Creches (pre-schools) Gave funds and educational materials to 2 needy Creches

13. Scholarship for Junior High Student from Elmina Itura

14. Placed orders for drawing boards, T-squares and math kits for Mawuli Junior High, Takla JHS, to be delivered in time for Fall Term.

15.  Grant to an adult to enable him to attend the Africa Peace Building Institute, In Nairobii

16. Funds distributed for furnishings, books and supplies for Mawuko Girls’ School Library

17. Explored possible venues for September group trip to work and serve

18. Met with the leaders of Dzogbefeme and contributed to their water project fund and connected them to Rotary International

Thanks to all who contributed, prayed for us and continue to support our work in and through the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, our United Church of Christ Global Mission Partner. Plans call for us to return to Ghana with a group September 17, 2012

In His Service – David and Carol Christensen

“Ministries in Ghana”

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Faith of a cancer patient

by admin on April 26, 2012

Shared by a woman fighting serious cancer.
In closing I want to share with you something I read from time to time.  It encourages me as I walk through this cancer journey.   I bet it will encourage you as well.
This is a list of statements written by Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer.  Say the word “Today” before each statement…
-I love the Lord my God with my whole heart, soul and mind(Mark 12:30)
-I walk by faith and not by sight.(2 Corinthians 5:7)
-The Lord is on my side.  I will not fear what man can do to me.(Psalm 118:6)
-I am competent not in my own abilities but because He has made me competent by His Spirit.(2 Corinthians 3:5-6)
-I abide in Christ, He abides in me, and I bear much fruit.(John 15:5)
-I have the mind of Christ, therefore I act in a way that is consistent with His actions. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
-He will never leave me nor will he forsake me. (Hebrews 13:5)
-I do not look with disdain upon my weaknesses.  I use them as an opportunity for God to display His powerful strength (2 Corinthians 12:10)

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Easter 2012

by admin on April 23, 2012

Easter Egg Hunt After Church

 

 

 

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Native American Sunday

by admin on April 23, 2012

William Waterway played the flute at the service April 22.  The music was transporting!

William and Rev. Arlene Bodge

William and Carol Loud

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Order of Worship, April 15, 2012

by admin on April 15, 2012

Chilmark Community Church
April 15, 2012
Prelude: Little Prelude in E flat minor J.S. Bach

Gathering and Announcements

Introit :  Hymn 328
Call to Worship: Psalm 133 (UMH 850)

*Hymn  548 “In Christ There is No East or West”

Children’s Moment

Confession :  Let us , in the silence of our hearts, acknowledge  all that separates us from God, …………………
(unison)
Light of the world,
shine upon us
and disperse the clouds of our selfishness,
that we may reflect the power of the resurrection
in our life together. Amen.

Proclamation and Praise (See Below for commentary)
Acts 4:32-35
Hymn 2222 “The Servant Song”
1 John 1:1-2:2
Hymn 206  “I want to walk as a Child of the Light”
John 20:19-31
Hymn 384 “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” vs. 1,2

Concerns and Celebrations
God invites us to bring our doubts and fears,
our joys and concerns, our petitions and praise,
and offer them for the earth and all its creatures.

Prayers of the People, concluding with:
Receive these prayers, O God, and transform us through them,
that we may have eyes to see and hearts to understand not only what you do on our behalf, but what you call us to do
so that your realm will come to fruition in glory. Amen.
Prayer for the church:
Spirit of promise, Spirit of unity, we thank you that you are also the Spirit of renewal.  Renew in the whole Church that passionate desire for the coming of your kingdom which will unite us in one mission to the world.
The Lord’s Prayer

Offering
*Hymn 95 “Praise God From Whom All Blessing Flow”
Prayer of Dedication (unison)
Loving God, you bring the gift of Resurrection and a redeemed life through the locked doors of our hearts. Sometimes we react with joy, sometimes with fear, sometimes with doubt.  Bless these gifts we give as an extension of your hands reaching out to the world through us, and may those we can’t see and may never meet be touched because we gave from our hearts. In the name of the risen Christ, we pray. Amen. (John 20:19-31)
Musical offering: “Your Raise Me Up” Helen Stratford

Benediction (unison)
The Lord did not abandon Thomas to his unbelief, nor will the Lord abandon us to ours. God hears our cries for help and answers. God knows how we struggle to believe what we can’t see or touch. Let us know that our Invisible God makes forgiveness visible to our hearts and souls. Let us see God at work in our lives from this day forward. Let us trust our spiritual sight more each day. Amen

Postlude: Andante Telemann

Please join us for “coffee”  in the fellowship hall after the service.
________________________________________
Organist:  Carol Loud:
Worship Leaders:  Emily Broderick & Virginia Mc Clure
Next Week’s Lessons: Acts 3:12-19;Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1-7;
Luke 24:36b-48

Emily read several introductions from  Conversations, The Message Bible” by Eugene H. Peterson.  Here are just two of them.

“The arrival of Jesus signaled the beginning of a new era.  God entered history in a personal way, and made it unmistakably clear that he is on our side, doing everything possible to save us.   It was all presented and worked out  in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  It was, and is, hard to believe–seemingly too good to be true.

But one by one, men and women did believe it, believed Jesus was God alive among them and for them.  Soon they would realize that he also lived in them.  To their great surprise they found themselves living in a world where God called all the shots.. had the first word on everything; had the last word on everything.  That meant that everything, quite literally every thing, had to be re-centered, re-imagined, and re-thought.”  p1481

Re. John 20:22

“The phrase “breathed into them; is the identical phrase used in Genesis 2 when the Lord God breathed life into Adam, who at once became a “living soul:.  ….The same Spirit that moved over the chaos and became articulate in the (creation)…now moves in the disciples so that they can continue the creation work of Christ, “the firstborn over all creation”…That same Spirit moves over the chaos of our lives as well, bringing form out of formlessness and fullness out of emptiness, resulting in a new creation.”

 

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Carol and David Christensen Return

by admin on April 7, 2012

Dear Friends – Happy Easter to you all- Carol and I have just returned safely from our latest Mission in Ghana. We were able to dedicate a library in memory of my cousin, Dr. Robert Everson on  March 31,accompanied by his widow and our son, Eric   We also shared in worship. brought food to a Leprosorium .and gifts to a hospital, taught in schools and planned our next trip for September. We visited water sites and celebrated the completion of 114 deep well water and sanitation system projects for 250,000 people. Thanks for your prayers and concern. A full up-date to come later.Peace and BLessings
David and Carol

 

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Carol and David Christensen return to Ghana

by admin on February 29, 2012

Dear all: Carol and I are returning to Ghana March 19-April 3 and hope that you will place us on your prayer list- We ask for travel mercies and our mission will be a blessing – thank you- Peace and Blessings
David

 

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Shrove Tuesday Pancakes

by admin on February 22, 2012

Rev. Arlene at the Griddle

 

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Community Corrections

by admin on February 11, 2012

Saturday, February 11:  If you got near to the Fellowship Hall you’d hear rock music playing and smell sausage or bacon and paint fumes in the air.  Brian Kennedy and his crew of eight painters were in action.  After a community breakfast, the Community Correction crew will be finishing the main room today and have the blue tape down and the switch plates back on.

( The foggy exposure is not smoke but a cold camera lens.  )

When thanked for this energy and work, Brian replied that they all appreciated our prayers.  Lets keep Brian, his wife Susan, and all those he works with in prayer.

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Baby Organ Pipes

by admin on February 10, 2012

 

Top of Organ case

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