Pastor's Notes

Sarah and the children left on Wednesday to visit with her family in North Carolina. Her sister and nephew are flying in from California, and her brother teaches at the school where her Dad is the administrator. They have a busy time planned. Her grandmother was supposed to fly in from Ohio, but she broke her arm and is unable to make it.

They had hoped to make it to North Carolina on Thursday, but due to heavy rain and high winds they stayed at my parent's house for an extra day. Mom took them to an outlet mall. I always hated those trips. We went once a year right before school started, and we had to carry the bags with our clothes in them after Mom bought them. We would get there early and they threw us out at the end of the day.

Brendan and Melissa Homquist were originally scheduled to be with us in July for our Vacation Bible School on July 19-23, 2010. However, they recently e-mailed us to let us know of a change in their itinerary. Melissa is expecting, and so they will be unable to come home until September. We rejoice with their newest gift. If you believe that you could help in any way, please let Dale Conklin know so that we can begin making plans. We will be doing a Sea Quest theme this year. I will keep you informed.

Men, we will be scheduling some project nights on Thursdays from January through April here in the church. There are some minor and major projects that we can accomplish together. This will be a time of fellowship, and a chance to finish some projects around the church.

-Pastor Stephen Racite

Pastor's Notes

How exciting it is to be reminded that this world is not our home. There is much about Heaven that we have been told in Scriptures, of the beauty of the Heavenly city, of a street of gold, of the absence of tears, illness, death, and the sun. However, the greatest delight we have in Heaven is that we shall be in the presence of our God and Savior for all eternity.

There is much about Heaven that we do not know. God has given us but a foretaste of its glories. If this is so, I can only begin to imagine how much greater the joy and delight that will be there when we arrive home. May our hearts and minds be encouraged as we consider the study of our future home. May our prayer be "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

It is our delight to have the Stelzers with us this morning. Dr. Stelzer has spent 20 years in the ministry, and is currently a professor in the Bible department at Pensacola Christian College and Pensacola Theological Seminary. I have had him as an instructor on both the undergraduate and graduate level, and look forward to having him share the Word of God with us this morning.

Basic Baptist Beliefs: a study on the Biblical Distinctives of Being a Baptist. Starting next week, Pastor Bossley will begin teaching this class during the Adult Sunday School hour. This class will examine the reasons why we identify ourselves as a Baptist Church. We will examine both the doctrinal positions and their practical import into what we believe. Come join us for this time of study, and bring your children for classes for their age.

-Pastor Stephen Racite

Pastor's Notes

Next Sunday, we will have Dr. Karl Stelzer from Pensacola Christian College with us for a Bible Conference on Heaven. He will be highlighting several aspects of our future home, and we look forward to having him with us. This conference has been something that I have looked forward to for close to three years now. While I regret that the original speaker was not able to be with us, I believe that God has Divinely provided for us, and that we will learn much next weekend.

It is my primary desire that this conference will be an encouragement to you as we study on our Heavenly citizenship. I am hoping that we will be challenged to consider the end of our life and its joys that await us, so that we might choose to live godly in the present time.

On November 15, we will be starting a new Adult Sunday School Class taught by Pastor Bossley. We will have more information next Sunday, but I encourage you to make plans to attend the Sunday School hour. We begin combined with singing and celebrating birthdays and then we break up into different classes. This is a great time for the entire family.

We are currently examining prices for redoing some blacktop around the church. We are examining prices for doing the hole dug up by the septic, the potholes at the bottom, the driveway, and the entirety. This is an expensive fix that we will need to address in the coming months. We covet your prayers as we look toward caring for our property.

-Pastor Stephen Racite

Pastor's Notes

This week Stephen turned six. We gave him some presents Wednesday, and then had cake with him on Thursday. Other than having laryngitis, he seemed to have a good time. As I write this, we are planning to go down to South Jersey in a couple of hours. I believe that Mom is planning on celebrating with him down there.

In a couple weeks, Sarah and the children will be heading down to North Carolina to visit with her parents. Rachel and Michah (Our newest nephew) are flying in from Ohio. Ryan and Laci now live and work in the area, so they will be around for part of the time. While they are away, I will be able to get ahead in some of the projects looming before me.

Next Sunday, we will finish the Adult Sunday School lessons through "The Maturing Church: Studies in 1 and 2 Corinthians." The following week, we will have Dr. Stelzer with us for a Bible Conference on Heaven. Please use the enclosed flyer to invite people to this special conference as we discuss the realities of our future home. Following the Bible Conference, Pastor Bossley will begin teaching the adult class.

Today is my sister's birthday. Hopefully, by putting this on the back of the bulletin, I will remember to call her. If not, I can always show her the bulletin to demonstrate that I remembered her birthday. Wow! October is a busy month for us with so many birthdays.

-Pastor Stephen Racite

Pastor's Notes

This past Wednesday, the membership of the Maranatha Bible Church voted to legally dissolve Maranatha and after the payment of all debts that the assets be turned over to Cornwall Baptist Church. This will now be passed on to our attorney, who will provide us with an announcement for the paper. For the next 4 weeks, we will need to announce the dissolution and ask any one who has any outstanding bills to come forward to be paid. After this is completed, the resolution will go to the state Attorney General for his approval. This will take a couple of weeks to accomplish. Once all of this is finished, we will be in the eyes of the law that we have already determined that we are in the eyes of the Lord - One church.

This is an exciting time for our ministry, and I am looking forward to God's leading in the days and weeks to come. We are beginning a new phase in our ministry, and one in which we all need to labor together. It is my prayer, that as a result of our reunification, that we will see many souls in the community saved and added to the church.

This coming week, we will be informing all of the missionaries of Maranatha and Cornwall of the decisions that have been made so that they can pray with us. None of the missionaries will be dropped in support, and we will be having them come in as they return home on furlough. Brendan and Melissa Holmquist will be with us for the week of Vacation Bible School next summer, July 19-23. Brendan will be sharing a continuous story (?) about their ministry during the week. We will also have them present their ministry to us either the Sunday prior or after VBS.

-Pastor Stephen Racite

Pastor's Notes

    I have received materials to begin working on my next class.  I waited to start until October 1, so that I would have until the middle of May to complete the class.  Since I am not aware of how my time will be consumed with the merging of our churches, I attempted to take an easier class.  I am enrolled in Post Exilic Prophets which covers Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.  I have to read Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi four times each, outlining each chapter and finding the key verse of each chapter: read 800 pages of collateral reading, from at least ten sources: and write a 17-20 page research paper.  That's what I get for looking for an easy class. :)

    I am hoping to complete early, and then to take some classes in Hebrew.  I have never studied the language for a class before, and thus I only have a rudimentary understanding.

    For those who are unaware, in May, I completed a Master of Ministry degree in Bible Exposition, and am currently working on a Master of Divinity degree.  I cannot attain the degree, but will pursue equivalency so that I can earn a Doctor of Ministry degree.  If I continue at the present rate, it will take about seven years to earn a Doctorate.  For the purpose of clarification, my first priority is the church.  Often studies are temporarily set aside because of the demands of the church.  The church will remain my first responsibility and priority.  If at any time I believe that taking classes is a hindrance to this ministry, they will immediately cease.  Sarah, for some reason, wants me to continue, and is the one pushing me to earn a Doctorate degree.

-Pastor Stephen Racite

Pastor's Notes

    I praise God for the decisions that were made last week by the membership of the church.  We will continue to labor in the ministry as one church, and as we look forward to seeing God's good hand of blessing upon our ministry.  As we are growing, let me give you some important phone numbers.  If you are trying to contact Pastor Racite or the church office, please use 534-3335, if you are trying to contact Pastor Bossley or the Maranatha Campus, please use 534-2627.  Pastor Racite's cell phone is (845) 926-8063.  I am available at any time you need to call and get a hold of  me.

    Pastor Bossley will be maintaining Monday's off, and Pastor Racite will continue to take Tuesday's off.  On Tuesday and Friday, Pastor Bossley will be in his office here at the church.  Otherwise, he will be working from his study at the Maranatha Campus.

    On Tuesday, Pastor Bossley and I will be traveling to New Paltz to receive some information concerning the status of certain laws in New York that pertain to our ministry.  I do not often attend these, but I do like to go periodically to know what is going on.

    Tomorrow, Jennifer turns 7.  I cannot believe where the time has gone.  I still remember holding her in my arms soon after she was born and talking with her, and what my heart's desire was for her.  I continue to pray that she will grow to be a godly young lady who loves the Lord with all of her heart.  Sarah and I covet your prayers as we continue to teach and train her in the way of righteousness.

-Pastor Stephen Racite