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“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so …” (Psalms 107:2)
Power,
Redemption,
Affirmation,
Inspiration,
Sanctification,
Exaltation |
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Volume 4 Issue 3
December 2003 |
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THE ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
The
Servant Team – Leaders:
Tom Meadows, Ruth Johnson,
Richard Hatcher, Delois Maddox,
The
Twelve Disciples – Prayer Team
Love
Fund Coordinator:
Mary
Tinnell
Newsletter Staff:
Sandra
Witherspoon
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 us. |
FROM THE SERVANT TEAM:
PRAISE the Lord!!
Seeking
In 2004 – God Has A Presence
In 2004 our call to service
is “Seeking In 2004 – God Has A Presence.
As we approach the coming of another year there will be new
challenges and better yet more opportunities to show the world that
God has a presence at Philip Morris.
We will be starting the new year with one of our founding
leaders leaving the company to retirement.
Brother Richard Hatcher has elected to retire effective
December 31, 2003.
Brother Hatcher was one of the original nine founding members of
Hands Up on January 13, 2000. Richard will continue to serve Hands
Up Ministry as our Coordinator of Offsite activities.
In appreciation for his service and commitment to serve our
Lord, this issue of
PRAISE
is dedicated to
Richard Hatcher. I was
scheduled to speak about Richard at his retirement but business took
me out of town, so I will share what the Lord spoke into my heart
about Richard. If you
look up the word “character” in the dictionary you might see the
following picture.
CHARACTER
Christian – man of God.
Humble – others come first.
Available – ready to serve.
Respected – loved by all.
Anchor – sold out to Jesus.
Compassionate – a giver.
Thankful – praise is on his lips.
Edifier – lifter of the brethren.
Radiant – shines with the glow of
God.
Brother Richard Hatcher
retiring after 30 years of service to Philip Morris. This is not
farewell but a fare well wish as you retire to serve the Lord in a
larger capacity as servant.
Thanks for all your contributions to your fellowman and to
the KING.
Tom Meadows
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RICHARD HATCHER
by
Dannetta White
Let me take a moment to talk about the man I call Dad and you call
Richard. First and foremost, I thank God for him and I’m so very
glad that God blessed me to be one of his daughters. I would
say the following things about him even if he wasn’t my father.
He’s kind and thoughtful, forgiving and sweet. He’s someone
you would want to come across everyday of the week. He’s made
it this far because he put God first in his life. You
shouldn’t be surprised to know that he’s on his bending knee
thanking his Lord & Savior every night. I’m sure his friends
will miss from seeing his smiling face, but ya gotta know that Daddy
Hatcher doesn’t keep still, you’re liable to see him in this place
or that place. I’m soooooooooo happy and proud of you Dad for
2003 was your year, now come on home to your family who just thinks
you’re so dear! Thank you Jesus for blessing my dad.
He’s a good father, friend, co-worker, neighbor and spouse that
everyone wish they had!
I love you,
First Baby!
Dannetta
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Richard Hatcher
Soldier of the Cross
Richard who is a soldier of the cross was also a soldier of the
Specialist 5th Class Richard Hatcher |
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Seeking
In 2004
God Has
A Presence
Leadership Workshop & Dinner
December 6, 2003
Towerlight Faith Center
Powhatan, Virginia
Several leaders of Hands Up Ministry serving on the Servant Team,
The Twelve Disciples Prayer Team and the Editorial Staff attended a
workshop dinner on December 6, 2003 at the Towerlight Faith Center
in Powhatan, Virginia.
We discussed where Hands Up Ministry has come from, where we are
today and what is the vision for the future with special focus on
2004. We reflected through testimonies, praise, worship and
prayer. We scheduled special guests Dr. Larry and Pastor Jane
Briggs to minister to the leadership in what thus saith the Lord for
our direction, praying that He would speak to our individual hearts
and our corporate spirits.
The Lord came in a powerful way not only to bless Hands Up Ministry
but also to bless the host church, Towerlight Faith Center and its
pastor the Reverend Shirley Eggleston. The Lord used Brother
Larry to speak a holy inspiring word to Hands Up Ministry and also
the Lord spoke through Sister Jane to each HUM members present.
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Seeking in 2004-God Has A Presence (continued)
Dr. Briggs spoke from Exodus 17 where the first Hands Up meeting was
held. The Lord showed Brother Briggs how Moses became so tired
that he could not hold up his hands and when this happened the
Israelites would start losing the battle. Moses had been so
busy burning himself out with the murmurings of the people that his
strength was gone. Aaron and Hur had to hold up his hands.
Larry addressed prayer as our strength and spoke to the HUM members
to hold up the hands of the ministry leaders so we would not start
losing the battle. He gave us three points to success in 2004.
1.
Communication: Relationship with the Father is where God talks
to man. Religion is where man talk to God.
2.
Compliant spirit: Obedience. Moses did as instructed and
so did Joshua, Aaron and Hur.
3.
Commitment: Being a servant and praying.
Larry also shared that while in prayer for our meeting, the Lord had
told him that para-church ministries like Hands Up would be used by
God to get to the people. God was coming out of the Church and
that ministry would occur outside of the luxurious buildings.
God was not leaving the Church just getting out into the workplace
to meet people's needs.
Our special thanks and blessing to Reverend Shirley, Junius and
Brandon for preparing our dinner and providing such a wonderful
place for worship. Thanks to Junie and Brandon for ministering
to us in song as prompted by the Holy Spirit.
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Hands Up Ministry
Christmas Outreach
through
Weed & Seed of Richmond
Christmas Mother 2003
Margie Jasper
Since 2000, the first year of ministry, HUM has adopted at least one
family to provide for their Christmas needs. Each year that
commitment has grown one additional family with the ministry.
As we are completing our fourth year of ministry we are adopting
four families through the Weed & Seed Program of Richmond. In
total with these four families we will have provided a Christmas
celebration for ten families. This is no small undertaking to
sponsor four families and some may be questioning that vision but I
believe that God will supply our every need to do this because it is
about serving others. Jesus came not to be served but to serve
and are we any less committed to the will of our Lord. We are
not doing this to bring attention to ourselves or to our company but
to bring honor and glory to our Heavenly Father. Each
Christmas those members of HUM that go out on the distribution day
get to see what their donations and sacrifices are doing for others.
We take time to pray God's blessing upon the family and their home
and expect God to add the increase to the lives of the people that
are touched by your acts of obedience and kindness. God's word
says obedience is better than sacrifice, so please pray and obey the
Holy Spirit as to what your part will be in this effort.
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Update
We were able to raise over $1800 and supply the needs of these three
families plus provide a financial donation to one of our own Hands
Up Ministry members who has been unable to work recently due to
illness. We praise God for His faithfulness to provide all
these needs for our four families in 2003.
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Check out the Weed & Seed page on our web site. |
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Pray
for the following people:
PMUSA
Management PM
Employees Hands
Up Staff
Family & Friends
America 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
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YOUR
INVITATION TO A CHRISTMAS PARTY
You are cordially invited to
A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!
Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ
Date: Every day. Traditionally, December 25
Time: Whenever you're ready.
Place: In your heart.... He'll meet you there. (You'll hear Him
knock.)
Attire: Come as you are... grubbies are okay.
He'll be washing our clothes anyway. He said something about new
white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the last.
Tickets: Admission is free. He's already paid for everyone...
(He says you wouldn't have
been able to afford it anyway...it cost Him everything He had. But
Refreshments: New wine, bread, and a
Gift Suggestions: ; Your life. He's one of those people who already
has everything else.
(He's very generous in return though.
Just wait until you see what He has for you!)
Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth, |
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A Christmas Story
Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered
their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for
those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all
outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life
comes from giving, not from
receiving.
It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like
the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough
money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted so bad that year for
Christmas.
We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured
Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. So
after supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front
of the fireplace and waited
for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for
myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read
scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible; instead he bundled up and
went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done
all the chores. I didn't worry about it
long though; I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came
back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his
beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out
tonight."
I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for
Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no
earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores,
and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially
not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one
dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up
and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave
me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house.
Something was up, but I didn't know what.
Outside, I became even more dismayed. |
A Christmas Story (continued) Page 2
There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to
the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be
a short, quick little job. I could tell. We never hitched up the big
sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was
already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up
beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When
I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front
of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on
the high sideboards," he said.
"Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger
job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but
whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the
high sideboards on. When we had exchanged
the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an
armload of wood---the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from
the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting.
What was he doing? Finally
I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?"
"You
been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived
about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so
before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight.
Sure, I'd been by, but so what? "Yeah," I said, "why?" "I rode by
just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the
woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt."
That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the
woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the
sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to
pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to
the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He
handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When
he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder
and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.
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A Christmas Story (continued) Page 3
"What's in the little sack?" I asked. "Shoes. They're out of shoes.
Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he
was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little
candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."
We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I
tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by
worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though
most of what was left now was
still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and
split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we
could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa
buying them shoes and candy?
Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer
neighbors than us. It shouldn't have been our concern. We came in
from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as
quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to
the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice
said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we
come in for a bit?" Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She
had a blanket wrapped around her
shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in
front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any
heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the
lamp. "We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the
sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the
sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the
shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for
each of the children---sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would
last.
I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from
trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down
her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something,
but it wouldn't come out. "We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa
said, then he turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring enough in to
last for awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place
up." I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the
wood. I had a big lump in my throat and, much as I hate to admit it,
there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those
three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing
there with tears running down her cheeks and so much gratitude in
her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a
joy filled my soul that I'd never known before. I had given at
Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much
difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these
people.
I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids
started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow
Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face
for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she
said. "I know the Lord himself has sent you. The children and I have
been praying that he would send one of his children to spare us." |
A Christmas Story (continued) Page 4
In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears
welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact
terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that
it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never
walked the earth, save One.
I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for
Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on
it. Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was
amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes
to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that
the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.
Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up
to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a
hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that
they missed their pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs.
wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner
tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and
a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many
meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have
some little ones around again. Matt here, hasn't been little for
quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two older brothers and two
older sisters were all married and had moved away.
Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I
don't have to say, "'May the Lord bless you,' I know for certain
that He will."
Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I
didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to
me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me
have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we
could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then
yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by
to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking
that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this
morning to do just that. But on the way I saw little Jakey out
scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunnysacks
and I knew what I had to do. So, Son, I spent the money for shoes
and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."
I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood
very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Just then the rifle
seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot
more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the
radiant smiles of her three children.
For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split
a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that
same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me
much more than a rifle that night; he had given me the best
Christmas of my life.
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God Won't Ask
BREAD CRUMBS:
“If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great
deal of the fire of faith.” –Martin Luther
“Praise is the language of a heart set free.”
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Chilling Story!!
(God is in control)
A man from Norfolk, VA called a local radio station to share this on
September 11th, 2003.
His Name was Robert Matthews. These are his words:
A few weeks before Sept 11th, my wife and I found out we were going
to have our first child. She planned a trip out to California to
visit her sister. On our way to the airport, we prayed that God
would grant my wife a safe trip and be with her. Shortly after I
said 'amen' we both heard a loud pop and the car shook violently. We
had blown out a tire. I replaced the tire as quickly as I could, but
we still missed her flight. Both very upset, we drove home. I
received a call from my father who was retired FDNY. He asked what
my wife's flight number was, but explained that we missed the
flight. My father informed me that her flight was the one that
crashed into the southern tower. I was too shocked to speak. My
father also had more news for me; he was going to help.
"This is not something I can just sit by for, I have to do
something." I was
concerned for his safety, of course, but more because he had never
given his life to Christ. After a brief debate, I knew his mind was
made up. Before he got
off of the phone, he said, take good care of my grandchild."
Those were the last words I ever heard my father say; he died
while helping in the rescue effort.
My joy that my prayer of safety for my wife had been answered
quickly became anger . . . anger at God, at my father, and at
myself. I had gone for nearly 2 years blaming God for taking my
father away. My son would never know his grandfather, my father had
never accepted Christ, and I never got to say goodbye. Then
something happened. About 2 months ago, I was sitting at home with
my wife and my son, when there was a knock on the door. I looked at
my wife, but I could tell she wasn't expecting anyone. I opened the
door to a couple with a small child. The man looked at me and asked
if my father's name was Jake Matthews. I told him it was. He quickly
grabbed my hand and said, 'I never got the chance to meet your
father, but it is an honor to meet his son.' He explained to me that
his wife had worked in the World Trade Center and had been caught
inside after the attack. She was pregnant and had been caught under
debris. He then explained that my father had been the one to find
his wife and free her. My eyes welled up with tears as I thought of
my father giving his life for people like this. He then said, "there
is something else you need to know." His wife then told me that as
my father worked to free her, she talked to him and led him to
Christ.
I began sobbing at the news. Now I know that when I get to heaven,
my father will be standing beside Jesus to welcome me, and that this
family would be able to thank him themselves."
When their baby boy was born, they named him Jacob Matthew in
honor of the man who gave his life so mother and baby could live.
This story should help us to realize two things:
First, that though it has been two years since the attacks,
we should never let it become a mere tragic memory.
And second, but most important, God is always in control.
We may not see the reason behind things, and we may never
know this side of heaven, but God is ALWAYS in control. |
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