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HANDS UP
NEWSLETTER
Volume 2 Issue 3 December 2001 |
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HANDS UP Christians Creating the Future at Philip Morris
THE
ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE:
The
Servant Team – Leaders:
Tom
Meadows, Ruth Johnson, Richard Hatcher, Delois Maddox, Ralph Brown,
Julia Candia and Jackie Hager
The
Twelve Disciples – Prayer Team
Tee
Williams, Karen Page, Deborah Whitener, Ivan Pope, Janet Taylor,
Juanita Langley, Margie Jasper, Deedre Dickerson, Pam Barden, Pam
Jeter, Sandra Smalls,
and George Foreman.
Love
Fund Coordinator:
Mary
Tinnell
Newsletter Staff:
Zynobia
Gibson, Sandra Smalls, Sandra Witherspoon
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ONE
ACCORD
Happy
Holidays,
We at
Hands Up would like to wish you and your family a joyous and blessed
holiday season.
This has
been a blessed year for Hands Up.
We had two (2)
Off Site Meetings, a Fellowship Breakfast, a trip to
On
September 11th, the faith of
our
nation was tested. But
we met the challenge and had a national day of Prayer & Reflection
on 9/14/01. Think
about that, a National Day of Prayer and Reflection, giving honor
and praise to our Lord and Savior.
Since this incident, so many people have been more accepting
of others, more giving, more patient and more thankful for
what they
have. Our God has been
in the midst of all of this.
This
newsletter was written to continue encouraging our fellow Christians
to keep this hope and love alive.
We have to continue to talk to those people we really don't
want to talk to, hug someone just because, offer a smile to someone
that might be feeling a little low and remind them that Jesus loves
them. Continue to pray
for our nation and the terrorist.
"Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to
those who hate you."
Matthew 5:44
Be
blessed and enjoy this edition.
Zynobia Gibson
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CHOICES
- PHILIP
MORRIS, USA
Encouragement of CARE -
Jackie Hager
C - Challenge to love our
sisters and brothers.
A - Affirm our love for our
sisters and brothers.
R - Respect our sisters and
brothers.
E - Encourage our sisters and
brothers.
*
I want you to know that we are targets.
The enemy wants each of us to quit.
Why? Because we
are leaders in our chosen calling.
The burden is on us because we hear the voice that calls us
to service but remember the scripture about burdens.
As long as we stay in His yoke He will lead us to victory.
I want to encourage you and myself that we are more than
conquerors. We win.
Thanks for hanging in there when others won't.
(Tom Meadows)
Matthew 11:30
- For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The 7 Ups - Author unknown
1. Wake Up!!...
too much."
Proverbs 20:19
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5. Look Up!!...
6. Reach Up!!...
For something higher.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto
your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He
will direct your path."
Proverbs 3:5-6
A POSITIVE THOUGHT
QUOTE TO
REMEMBER
When we
keep our eyes on Christ,
obstacles
become opportunities.
HATYILYTILYAJLY
Has
anyone told you
I love
you,
today
I love
you
and
Jesus
Loves You
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Sidebar Articles
Weed & Seed Program - Tom
Meadows
1 John 3:17
- But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need,
and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the
love of God in him?
Weed &
Seed of Richmond, Inc. is one of the original Weed & Seed programs
funded by the US Department of Justice in 1992.
W&S of Richmond Inc. is a non-for-profit service provider,
officially recognized and accredited by the Department of Justice.
The focus is to offer quality prevention and intervention
programs for families, provide technical assistance and serve as a
support resource that facilitates collaborations in the Blackwell,
Gilpin and Whitcomb communities.
The
purpose is to create healthier and safer communities through
collaborative efforts with residents and service providers within
the community through a comprehensive strategy of:
Weed:
1. Law
enforcement to decrease violent crimes and drug activity.
2.
Community policing approaches, which engage citizens in crime
prevention.
Seed:
3. Adult
and youth oriented prevention and intervention programs
4.
Economic revitalization and neighborhood
restoration.
Hands
Up’s part in this endeavor is to support the involvement of our
employer in this worthy cause.
Our
commitment in 2001 is to support the needs of two families at
Christmas. Our purpose
is to answer the high calling of our Lord to serve others.
Check our website
http://www.hands-up-ministry.org/ for our Christmas page to keep
up with what we are doing and how you can help.
Galatians 6:9/10
- And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall
reap, if we faint not.
As we
have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially
unto them who are of the household of faith.
Matthew 25:45
- Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch
as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Weed &
Seed Of Richmond
901 East
Cary Street
Richmond,
Virginia 23219-4030
775-1366
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September 11, 2001
An E-mail Letter - Author
Unknown
Dear Family and Friends,
I had a very dear friend question my faith in God right after the
terrorist attack on America.
Her question was simply put, "Where is your God today?"
She was very hurt, as all Americans were, so I tried not to react
defensively. Since that
moment I have prayed and grieved over the disastrous events.
However, I believe I have the answer.
I know where my God was the morning of September 11, 2001!
He was very busy.
First of all, he was trying to discourage anyone from taking these
flights. Those four
flights together held over 1000 passengers and there were only 266
aboard.
He was on 4 commercial flights giving terrified passengers the
ability to stay
calm. Not one of the
family members who was called by a loved one on one of the
high-jacked planes said that passengers were screaming in the
background.
On one of the flights he was giving strength to passengers to try to
overtake the high-jackers.
He was busy trying to create obstacles for employees at the World
Trade Center. After
all, only around
20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit.
Since the buildings hold over 50,000 workers, this was a
miracle in itself. How
many of the people who were employed at the WTC told the media that
they were late for work or they had traffic delays?
He was holding up two 110-story buildings so that 2/3 of the workers
could get out. I was so
amazed that the top of the towers didn't topple when the jets
impacted.
Although this is without a doubt the worst thing I have seen in my
life, I can see God's miracles in every bit of it.
I keep thinking about my friend and praying for her every
chance I have. I can't
imagine going through such a difficult time and not believing in
God. Life would be
hopeless.
Note:
This is awesome! Isn't
God good?
As Christians, we must encourage others, to never question or give
up on our Lord. He is
always looking and watching over us.
We may not always understand the things He does and why, but
it is always for our good.
Zynobia Gibson |
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A WORD WITH YOU
By Ron Hutchcraft
#3857
Strong Storms And Shallow
Roots
Luke 6:46-49
John and Becky were gone when this huge windstorm hit their
neighborhood recently.
Although no one could be sure a tornado was involved, the winds were
clocked at 70 miles an hour.
John and Becky told me that when they returned later that
day, their street was closed.
A huge pine tree had been blown down, and it fell right
across the road. Now
other kinds of trees had lost some branches, but the wind had
actually totally uprooted this evergreen.
Well, a neighbor explained to John that it really isn't that
hard to uproot a pine tree - no matter how big it is.
Because even though it's a big tree, it has shallow roots ...
so it's relatively easy to bring it down.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU
today about "Strong Storms And Shallow Roots."
Now, there are a lot of
"pine-tree-Christians" - some even big and beautiful
Christians - who have shallow roots.
And that's why they keep falling.
Jesus talked about vulnerable believers in our word for today
from the Word of God, Luke 6:46-49.
He says, "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do
what I say? I will show
you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them
into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep
and laid the foundation on rock (or developed deep roots).
When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could
not shake it, because it was well built.
But the one who hears My words and does not put them into
practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a
foundation (or had shallow roots).
The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and
its destruction was complete."
Now, that's two kinds of Christians - just like two kinds of trees:
one with deep roots that can withstand a storm and one with shallow
roots that gets felled by the storm.
With the times we're living in becoming more stressful and
more uncertain - and even dangerous - it's pretty important to be
sure that your commitment to Jesus is deeply rooted.
Shallow spiritual roots come in several varieties.
There's environmental faith
- the kind that is strong when you're in your Christian world but
caves in when you're not.
And then there's second-hand faith.
That's a faith that isn't really yours firsthand - it's
rooted in your parent's Christianity, or your church's faith, or
your pastor's faith, or your Christian friends.
There isn't much really going on directly between you and
Jesus. That will never
survive a storm. |
Stagnant faith - that's another form of shallow roots.
Not much new has happened between you and Jesus for a long
time, and consequently, He seems farther - He seems less real than
He used to. And when a test or temptation hits, it won't be enough
to keep you standing.
And there is one other kind of "shallow-roots-Christianity" - event
faith - the kind that depends on the next spiritual event, the next
high, and the next big Christian experience to keep you going.
In between, you go into a deep valley.
That kind of relationship with Christ is going down
eventually.
Jesus' parable about the two houses is a call to a strong foundation
... to deep roots. And
He tells us the difference between storm-proof and storm-wrecked
faith. It's not whether
or not you know what He says.
Both the man whose house stood and the man whose house fell
"heard" what Jesus said.
The difference was putting what Jesus said into practice.
The question is, are you regularly getting into God's Word on your
own - and then immediately going out and acting on what you read?
Its immediate assimilation of God's Word into real life
situations that makes you a little stronger each day.
So you read or listen to God's Word asking these two
questions: "What did God just say to me?" and "What am I going to do
differently today because of what He said?"
And every time you do that, your roots go a little deeper into
Jesus. Meetings won't do it, theology won't do it, a great Christian
environment won't do it.
It comes from letting Jesus change you through His Word a
little bit each day.
That is spiritual reality.
That is a deep root.
The kind that will leave you standing strong no matter how
fierce the storm.
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Update
on "THE LIGHT"
FROM DARKNESS
INTO LIGHT
Ronnie Waddell
Park 500
Many are
finding that the pursuit of worldly ambitions doesn’t always lead
where they expect.
Given a moment to reflect, we find ourselves without a clear sense
of personal identity, a strong sense of personal mission, or a deep
sense of life meaning. After 911, more questions have fewer answers.
Answers often don’t come easy. But the searching questions of life
are well worth asking, and diligently pursuing the answer is
essential for living with the purpose and perspective you were made
for.
We in the
Light are committing ourselves to be faithful to our God and to
continue to do good deeds. Our goal is that of 1 Peter 4:7-10, to be
clear minded and self-controlled so that we can pray.
Above all, to love each other deeply, because love covers
over a multitude of sins. We will offer hospitality to one another
without grumbling. Each
one will use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
We boldly
and confidently speak God’s Word now to claim Ephesians 5: 8-9 for
the Light Ministry,
“Live as children of light and find out what pleases the Lord”.
To Him be the glory and power forever and ever.
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Calendar of Meetings
Jan 10, 2002
Jan 17, 2002 Place – MC/MPR
Place – OC/A2E1 Time : - 12:00
Time: - 12:00
Jan 24, 2002
Jan 31, 2002 Place: -MC/MPR
Place - OC/A2E1 Time:
12:00
time: - 12:00
Feb 7, 2002
Feb 14, 2002 Place – MC/MPR
Place – OC/A2E1 Time : - 12:00
Time: - 12:00
Feb 21, 2002
Feb 28, 2002 Place: -MC/MPR
Place - OC/A2E1 Time:
12:00
time: - 12:00
Mar 7, 2002
Mar 14, 2002 Place – MC/MPR
Place - OC/A2E1 Time : - 12:00
Time: 12:00
Mar 21, 2002
Mar 28, 2002 Place – MC/MPR
Place – OC/A2E1 Time : - 12:00
Time: 12:00
Apr 4, 2002
Apr 11, 2002 Place: -MC/MPR
Place - OC/A2E1 Time:
12:00
time: - 12:00
Apr 18, 2002
Apr 25, 2002 Place – MC/MPR
Place - OC/A2E1 Time : - 12:00
Time: 12:00 MPR: MULTIPURPOSE ROOM
Reminder:
The
Newsletter staff is always looking for roving reporters, writers and
publishers. Anyone
interested in serving God through this publication, please contact
Zynobia
Gibson 274-3446, Sandra Smalls 274-3353 or Sandra Witherspoon -
274-3097
If you
would like a copy of this newsletter, contact Tom Meadows and give
him your home and/or e-mail address. |
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Giving Him the Glory
This section will feature testimonies on how
AWESOME our God is.
We hope you enjoy and are blessed by the sharing of our brothers.
Never be afraid to share your blessings with others, you
never know you who it may help including yourself.
" Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou has done,
and thy thoughts which are to usward: they cannot be reckoned up in
order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more
than can be numbered. "
Psalms
40:5
Peaks and
Valleys - Zynobia Gibson This has really be a trying year for me. I have had so many peaks and valley that I can't count them. But through it all, when I was at my lowest, one or several of my fellow Hands Up members always came to the rescue. I am reminded this one day, when James Gear sent me Strong Storms and Shallow Roots. This particular week, I had been feeling really depressed and the devil was working overtime in my life. I had fallen into a trap of feeling sorry for myself and wallowing in it. The night before I received James's e-mail, I had prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to take those feelings away and help me stand on the Lord's words.
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The next morning I woke up feeling much better and asked the
Lord to carry me today and continue to surround me with words of
encouragement. So when
I came to work, I received the e-mail from James.
I was so filled with joy and praise after reading it.
The rest of the day, I had a smile on my face and nothing
bothered me. It truly
was a confirmation that my Father is AWESOME.
Psalm
27:1, 14 reads,
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life; Of who shall I be
afraid? . .. Wait on
the Lord; Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart;
wait, I say, on the Lord!
For those
of you that are not involved in Hands Up, you are really missing out
on a serious blessing.
You meet people from all walks of life and different denominations,
but we all have a common goal, Giving Praise and Honor to Our Lord
and Savior. Please come
fellowship with us at one of our meetings to receive the Word of God
to deepen your roots.
We would love to see you there.
May God Bless You
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