PRAISE

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so …” (Psalms 107:2)

Power, Redemption, Affirmation, Inspiration, Sanctification, Exaltation

Volume 5 Issue 2                                                                                                 August 2004

Hands Up Ministry

PHILIP MORRIS, USA

THE ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

The Servant Team – Leaders:

Tom Meadows, Ruth Johnson, Ivan Pope, Delois Maddox, Ralph Brown, Roy Campbell and Jackie Hager

Richard Hatcher, Emeritus

The Twelve Disciples – Prayer Team

George Foreman, Ivan Pope, Janet Taylor, Juanita Langley, Margie Jasper, Denise Warren, Tom Meadows, Karen Page, Pam Barden, Ronnie Waddell, Deedre Dickerson and Tee Williams,

Love Fund Coordinator:

Mary Tinnell

Newsletter Staff:

Sandra Witherspoon and Mona Eno

If you would like a copy of this newsletter, contact Tom Meadows and give him your home and/or e-mail address.

The Newsletter staff is always looking for roving reporters, writers and publishers.  Anyone interested in serving God through this publication, please contact Sandra Witherspoon, 274-3097 or Mona Eno 274-3508

FROM THE SERVANT STAFF:

PRAISE the Lord!!

Seeking In 2004 – God Has A Presence

THE CALLING 

My name is Ivan Pope. I am a Holy Ghost Filled, Blood Washed, Brooklyn born; Bronx raised husband and father of two.

I was raised with three brothers by my father, Henry A. Pope, who was a born again, prayer warrior until the day he “went home” to be with the Lord.

I remember that “Daddy” did not always have time to play but he would always take time to pray.

I have experienced many miracles in my life.

The greatest one being that within the first four months of our marriage, my wife and I gave our lives to the Lord while she was living in Germany and I was in Turkey!

I have experienced other miracles such as preservation, (thanks Daddy), healing and motivation.

So there is no doubting God in the Pope household.

Being chosen for the Servant Team was what I call a motivational miracle, because in Christ you can always do something more with the right motivation.

When this opportunity was presented I did not want to volunteer because of my schedule, but Tom Meadows’ first email saying that the person had already been revealed to him by God made me pray seriously for God’s will to be done.  But when I asked God if I should volunteer, I never heard an answer.  So I decided to pray and watch for the “one” to come forward.

Right after the holidays is when I received Tom’s second email.  It caused me to stress a little because I didn’t want to miss God or be disobedient, but I had no confirmation.

I thought about a study my wife Deborah and I had been going through the week prior to receiving this email where we discussed leadership styles. She observed that I cannot be content in Aaron’s role when the situation calls for me to be a Moses.  This became my fleece.

I asked the Lord to let me hear or see the name Moses if He wanted me to volunteer for this position.

I received the second email on a Tuesday around 8:32 am. I received no conformation the remainder of the day.

Wednesday morning came and nothing still. I felt relieved because I did not volunteer for a position meant for someone else and I was walking in obedience.

Then Tom’s third email arrived around 11am. It was titled Meeting Notice and Updates and it contained nothing unusual

until the end which read:

(Continued on page 2)

Seeking In 2004 – God Has A Presence (continued from page 1)

     We are still waiting for our new Servant Team member to answer God's call to come and serve.  The Lord has spoken this individual to me and confirmed it both by word and by sight.  If you have received this unction then I expect God to direct you to respond to His call. He has called your name twice just like he did when He spoke, "Samuel, Samuel', "Moses, Moses" and "Saul, Saul".

I immediately called my wife and told her the situation.

I was nervous, excited, and surprised, that God would take time out to answer my request so specifically.

Now I know how Gideon felt.

I replied to the email half heartedly, not knowing whether my name was the one given to Tom.

I waited and waited and received nothing.

By the time his confirmation arrived I was so busy with other things; I was caught off guard and could do nothing besides give God the praise.

I thank God for this opportunity and hope that I can truly be of service to Him in this new capacity.

        By Ivan Pope

Behold I make all things new.

HATYILYTILYAJLY

Has anyone told you

I love you

today

I love you

and

Jesus loves you

Are You Available?

Thursdays (Noon – 1:00 PM): Alternates between Operations Center, Finance Center and Manufacturing Center

August 12th  – Manufacturing Center

August 19th  – Operations Center

Gateway Center

  Tom Meadows Sr., one of the founding members of Hands Up Ministry was ordained into the ministry on June 20, 2004 by Dr. Larry Briggs, Senior Pastor of Emmaus Fellowship Church.

 Senior Associate Pastor Thomas "Jeremiah" Meadows

Missions Director

The prophetic call of Jeremiah chapter one has greatly influenced the acceptance of the call to serve God through the ministry of serving others.  This personal calling was spoken to me on April 11, 2004 as I sat in a motel in Asheville, NC reading John 15:16.  

John 15:16 - Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

God's calling was confirmed through the spoken word of Pastor Larry Briggs at a Wednesday night Bible study on April 21, 2004.  I was specific in asking God to confirm His call by speaking it through Pastor Briggs and no one else.  I was overwhelmed that He did and that He did it so quickly.

One of my many Sisters in the Lord, Karen Page who God used to direct me to Emmaus Fellowship Church, gave me my ordained name of Jeremiah.  This too was confirmed through Pastor Briggs when he used Jeremiah 1:5 for the text as he ordained me on June 20, 2004 into into the ministry.  Pastor Briggs did not know that some called me Thomas Jeremiah until that morning. 

(Continued to “Jeremiah”)

“Jeremiah” continued . . .

Background:  I was saved at an early age of around 14 at Round Hill Baptist Church in Union Mills, NC while attending a boarding school, Alexander Schools, Inc., on welfare.  Like a lot of young converts, I was not faithful but God was and He protected me and I did my own thing until November 2, 1976.  While attending a funeral in Roanoke Rapids, NC, I realized I was not ready to meet God and I came under extreme conviction so much so that I had a nervous breakdown.  I went to Pastor Mert Winkle at the First Church of the Nazarene at 3510 Dill Road in Richmond to get right with God.  I served in the Church of the Nazarene for 23 years until November of 1999 when God released me from my church due to some personal hurts.  

Around the same time on October 22, 1999, as I attended a business retreat at the Homestead, God birthed in my spirit the need to become a better Christian especially on my job.  Out of that revelation the dream of starting an on the job ministry called Hands Up Ministry (HUM) was born on January 13, 2000.  Little did I know this would be my church and my spiritual lifeline for two years (2000 and 2001) since I did not attend a church service on Sunday morning.  It also became my school of ministry, my training ground of servant hood and my university of growth and leadership.  I would like to thank my Hands Up Ministry family for enabling me to learn to be a Brother, a friend and hopefully a Shepherd to God's sheep.

In 2002, I told God I would start visiting churches again to see where I could fit in.  I was especially blessed when I would visit Tower Light Faith Center in Powhatan with Pastor Shirley Eggleston.  She even got me to preach twice and Rev. Eggleston even prophesied that I didn't need man's license because I had God's licenses.  I didn't understand what she meant in its entirety.  You have to understand that Rev. Eggleston ministers to many from the home in Powhatan that she goes and picks up and makes it possible for them to be in the House of the Lord on Sunday.  These are people that no other church cared about.  When I spoke to these people the Lord broke my heart.  He showed me the kind of minister he wanted in me through the humbleness of this Woman of God.  He showed me it was about dying for the sheep as demonstrated by Sister Shirley and not about being served.

(See Jeremiah page 4)

“Jeremiah” continued . . .

I first met Pastor Briggs one evening for a counseling session in July or August 2002.  I felt as a Christian leader of HUM and not attending a church regularly, I needed some spiritual guidance and authority in my life.  We didn't have much time to discuss anything as a member of HUM who was in the hospital dying with cancer called me.  She had a friend call and ask would I and some HUM members come to pray for her.  I immediately began to weep and told Pastor Briggs that I had to go because of how the Lord was using me and HUM.  That evening I anointed the first person in my life.  Through it all God was preparing the unprepared (me) for ministry.  My friend passed away on September 3, 2002 and I felt like I had failed her.  I did all I could and it wasn't enough.  That was a lesson I have learned well, because I can do all that I can but it will never be enough to do what God can do if I will just abandon my rights and give him the right to use me.  Well since God always knows the end from the beginning it should not come as a surprise that in October 2002, the Prayer Leader of HUM, my Sister Karen Page, invited me to church.  Karen attends Emmaus Fellowship Church shepherded by Pastor Larry Briggs.  When God writes a script for your life it always begins and ends with "YES".

My qualifications are simple.  God called me and I said, "YES".  I know what it means to be broken and used by God.  I know that God doesn't call the equipped but He equips those He calls.  I know God sustains those He ordains and He anoints those that He appoints.  I know that in me, that is in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing, but greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.  I know God doesn't need me to do anything, but I need Him to do it through me. 

 "I understand the need for the shepherd to be willing to die for the sheep."

T. E. "Jeremiah" Meadows, Sr.

Senior Associate Pastor

MISSIONS AT WORK

Investment For An Eternity

By Tom Meadows, Sr.

Our Next Project 2005

Hands Up Ministry in partnership with Chester Outreach Church of the Nazarene and Emmaus Fellowship Church will be supporting a mission trip scheduled for the spring of 2005 to the Dominican Republic to build a church.  If you would be interested in being a part of this team or helping sponsor a team member or contribute to the building fund please contact us. 

Tentative dates are:

One-week trips are April 23-30 and April 30-May 7 or two weeks from April 23 – May 7.  Air fares should be about the same but per diem and insurance will cost more for the two week trip.

We are currently selling candy to raise about $800 of our goal of $6000.

Invest in the future and eternity for yourself and others by contributing to this church.

Work & Witness@hands-up-ministry.org

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?                          

 Isaiah 6:8

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?  Then said I, here am I; send Me.

Work & Witness 

We serve the one and only mighty God who can do anything but fail.  Hallelujah Thank You Jesus.  When the Lord speaks to you and you answer "yes", please let us know.  

Would you like to go on a mission trip? Is your church planning a mission trip that could use some more workers? 

PRAYER MINISTRY

Please pray for the following:

PMUSA Management

Fellow Co-workers

Hands Up Staff

Family & Friends

America

Mission Trip 2005

 Pray for these needs:

Revival of God‘s people

An outpouring of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Presence of God

Workers for the harvest

1 Peter 5:7

"Cast all your anxiety on him,

 because he cares for you"

If you need prayer contact Karen Page and Margie Jasper or any member of the Twelve Disciples or the Servant Team

***********************************************************************

A Little White Lie

                                    Submitted by Sandra Witherspoon

Alice was to bake a cake for the church ladies' group bake sale, but she forgot to do it until the last minute. She baked an angel food cake and when she took it from the oven, the center had dropped flat.  She said, "Oh dear, there's no time to bake another cake." So, she looked around the house for something to build up the center of the cake.  Alice found it in the bathroom ... a roll of toilet paper! She plunked it in and covered it with icing. The finished product looked beautiful, so she rushed it to the church.  Alice then gave her daughter some money and instructions to be at the sale the minute it opened and to buy that cake and bring it home.  When the daughter arrived at the sale, the attractive cake had already been sold. Alice was beside herself. 

A couple of days later, Alice was invited to a friend's home where two tables of bridge were to be played that afternoon. After the game, a fancy lunch was served......and to top it off, the cake in question was presented for dessert.  Alice saw the cake. She started to get out of her chair to rush into the kitchen to tell her hostess all about it, but before she could get to her feet, one of the other ladies said, "What a beautiful cake!"  Alice sat back in her chair when she heard the hostess (a prominent church member) say ........

"Thank you. I baked it myself!"

“THE LIGHT UPDATE 2^nd QUARTER 2004”

An Outreach Ministry of Hands Up

FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT

                       Ronnie Waddell

Park 500

When the Lord called Samuel, “the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to Him” (1 Samuel 3:7); thus, Samuel believed his earthly father was calling his name.  After the third instance, his father Eli, realized God was calling his son and he advised Samuel to “Go and lie down, and if He calls you say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” (1 Samuel 3:9)

Ronnie Waddell, a founding member of The Light Ministry at Park 500, has faithfully led the ministry at Park 500 for four years.  Recently, Ronnie was transferred to the Operations Center.  Knowing that “He who began a good work [at Park 500] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 1:6) I am certain that God will raise another servant at Park 500. 

Could it be you?

Please contact Ronnie Waddell (4-2270)

if you believe the Lord is calling you

  to serve in this capacity.

Is God Calling You Forth?

Have you heard His Voice?

Editor’s note:  Ronnie will be moving to the Operations Center in mid August for his new assignment for PM and for Jesus.  You see the Lord placed him at Park 500 for a season.  Now someone else must hear the Master’s voice and say “Yes”.

THE LORD'S BASEBALL GAME

Submitted by Sandra Witherspoon

Freddy and the Lord stood by to observe a baseball game. The Lord's team was playing Satan's team.  The Lord's team was at bat, the score was tied zero to zero, and it was the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs. They continued to watch as a batter stepped up to the plate named 'Love.'

Love swung at the first pitch and hit a single, because "Love never fails."

The next batter was named Faith, who also got a single because Faith works with Love.

The next batter up was named Godly Wisdom. Satan wound up and threw the first pitch.

Godly Wisdom looked it over and let it pass: Ball one. Three more pitches and Godly Wisdom walked because he never swings at what Satan throws.

The bases were now loaded. The Lord then turned to Freddy and told him He was now going to bring in His star player. Up to the plate stepped Grace. Freddy said, "He sure doesn't look like much!"

Satan's whole team relaxed when they saw Grace.  Thinking he had won the game, Satan wound up and fired his first pitch.  To the shock of everyone, Grace hit the ball harder than anyone had ever seen! But Satan was not worried; his center fielder let very few get by.

He went up for the ball, but it went right through his glove, hit him on the head and sent him crashing on the ground; the roaring crowds went wild as the ball continued over the fence . . . for a home run!

The Lord's team won!

The Lord then asked Freddy if he knew why Love, Faith and Godly Wisdom could get on base but couldn't win the game. Freddy answered that he didn't know why.

The Lord explained, "If your love, faith and wisdom had won the game, you would think you had done it by yourself. Love, Faith and Wisdom will get you on base but only My Grace can get you Home:

“For by Grace are you saved, it is a gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast."  Ephesians 2:8-9

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."  Psalm 84:11

A Review of

The Passion of

the Christ

a Mel Gibson film

Written by Sandra Witherspoon

There has been much controversy regarding Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”.  Although it was released on Ash Wednesday, I waited until Good Friday to view the film.  As I stood in line awaiting tickets, I thought of all the things I had heard about the film:  “It’s very graphic and gruesome.”  “It anti-Semitic.” Etc.

As I settled in my seat and the lights grew dim, I was not aware at the time that my most comfortable moment in the theatre had just passed.  The film opened as Jesus prayed in the garden and quickly advanced to his arrest and brutal beating. 

Although I knew the plot of the story, I found myself pleading with Pilot to just let him go.  As the flogging began, chills ran down my spine.  It seemed to last forever and was the most hideous display of human cruelty I have ever witnessed.  Several times I felt as if I were going to leap from my chair and scream at the soldiers “STOP!!!”

Based upon the reviews I had read, I expected to become emotional; however, I was surprised by the overwhelming intensity of emotion and helplessness that overcame me.  I was unable to detach from the characters in the movie and felt as if I were standing there witnessing this atrocity for myself.  I wept.  I moaned.  I gasped.  I could not catch my breath.  This was more than a member of my family on the screen.  This was my Father, my Savior, my God and my friend!

Yes, anger welled up within me and I felt hatred toward the soldiers and the high priests but it did not stop there.  I felt hatred toward myself, mankind and everything evil in the world!  I could not simply blame the soldiers who beat my Lord, nor could I simply blame the high priests who condemned him to die, but instead I blamed me, my sin.  It was my guilt that nailed Him to the cross but more importantly it was His grace that set me free. 

I am grateful that Mel Gibson persevered and produced the film.  I’m also grateful that I had an opportunity to view it.  I hope that it will be used to witness to the lost; however, I choose never to see it again.  I shall never forget!