If you have ever been to our 8:30 am service at The Village Chapel you have seen Yvonne. She is usually perched at our welcome table greeting everyone as they go by. You will also usually find her helping out at our special luncheons we do. Yvonne definitely has the gift of hospitality and a mean golf game! What makes Yvonne’s story even greater is that she started coming to our church after she lost her beloved husband. She came for months as a way to deal with grief and decided to attend our women’s retreat and ended up accepting Christ! The next spring she was baptized and has grown so much in her faith. Next time you see Yvonne go and up tell her thank you for all she does.

Ken Smith is a man who does what is needed to be done. Last minute errand needed before church…Ken is usually your guy. Missing something that needs to be bought at Wal-Mart. No one knows better than Ken. While Ken’s job as an assistant manager at Wal-Mart takes him away sometimes when he is there his help is usually being felt. Whether helping his wife Diana out with Hospitality or loading chairs on to the carts Ken can usually be seen doing something. We are so appreciative for his attitude and willingness to do whatever needs to be done.

Next time you see Ken, whether at church or at Wal-Mart, go up and give him an “Atta Boy!” He loves that kind of attention!

1. Is it wordly counsel?
Worldly counsel can sound incredibly good but be biblically off. Here are two ways to discern if it is worldly counsel or Godly counsel. First consider the source. If the person talks about or refers to himself alot you can be certain it is worldly. Ahithophel referred to himself five times when counseling Absalom about going after David. “Let me take 12,000 men … and I will kill David.” If an expert gives advice and constantly refers to himself or his accomplishments ignore them. It is worldly counsel.
Secondly the way to determine if it is worldly counsel is if there is a hidden agenda. Ahithophel wanted revenge against David for his granddaughter Bathsheba and the killing of Uriah. Ahithophel was using Absalom to accomplish his agenda but wrapped the advice in language that made it look like it was good for Absalom. “I will kill David and let everyone else go.” It was personal for him and he wanted to exact revenge.

2. Is it Godly counsel?
There are two ways to discern if the counsel is from God. First is that the advice that you are getting is truthful. Hushai gave counsel to Absalom and was very direct in doing so. Hushai didn’t try to sugar coat it or even water it down he gave it directly to Absalom. Basically Hushai looked at Absalom and told him “Do you realize that you are going after the greatest warrior in all of Israel?” Absalom needed to hear this. When someone is giving us Godly advice they don’t cut corners or worry about hurting our feelings. They are direct, honest, and truthful.
The second way that we know counsel is from the Lord is that it is ordained by God. God used Hushai to defeat Ahithophel’s counsel. When people give us Godly counsel it is first God honoring, second God centered, and finally it is backed up by scripture. God was in control of this situation and He is in control of ours. If we get advice that leaves God out we are sure that it isn’t Godly.

So next time you seek advice or counsel in a situation make sure you go to a Godly person, better yet go to God’s word and see what God has to say. It is amazing how timely God’s word can be to your present day situation.

Tina Gatz is one of our first members at The Village Chapel. From the beginning she has worked in our nursery loving on all of our babies. She can’t get enough of the the little ones. She serves faithfully every month often covering for others when they can’t make it. We have been so blessed by her service. Once again she is one of those workers who goes about her service with most people never noticing but if you have an infant you know. Your children lover her and our church functions much more quietly because of what she does. Next time you see Tina go up and give her a hug and tell her how much you appreciate her.

Pastor Church

From the onset the attitude of the owner was radically different than in our last dealing with him over two years ago. There was tone in his voice that I had never heard. He mentioned that us leaving the hotel was handled wrong and that they should have worked harder at keeping us. From there it was made very clear that they were open to working with us and that several options were available for to choose from. We talked about assuming the loan they have with a Central Coast bank or even a lease to own option. It became very clear that there was a possibility of getting this done. The owner made it known how much he wants to sell it for but we are very aware of how much it is worth. We are going to look into some of the options we have and go from there.

So where do we go from here? Well, we ask that you continue to pray! Your prayers were felt so strongly while we were in the meeting on Friday. I can’t emphasize that enough. Specifically pray that we will find favor with the bank holding the loan and that a solution can be worked out. Also pray that God will bring all the finances necessary for us to go ahead once the door opens. There is so much to be done besides just getting into the property. Finally pray for wisdom for the Elders and Finance team as we move forward with this. I am very confident with our team and really feel that God has positioned us for this moment.

The second thing you can do it give. We are guessing that we are going to need to come to the bank with $350,000 to make this happen. We have a good start on this but we need the people of our church and those outside who support us to step up big time to make this happen. I am  not afraid to ask: “Will you consider giving sacrificially over the next 12 months to make this happen?“If we can show the bank that we have a majority of our church committed to giving to this they will take that as money in the bank. If each family in our church gave $125 a month toward this we would meet our goal in one year. This Sunday we will putting response forms in our bulletin for you to get on board. You can also go online right now and give (Click Here). It will automatically take it out of your bank account each week.

We are excited for the plans God has for our church on this property. We truly believe God is going to use it to have an international impact for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray about partnering with us in this endeavor.

Pastor Chuck

Greetings from Ireland!
I hope you all enjoyed Midsummer’s Eve yesterday. Here in Cork, it was absolutely glorious! The sun shone brilliantly all day long, and well into the night as well. In fact, the sun doesn’t set till 10 pm, so I was hanging laundry out on the line after ten last night! Our garden in enjoying the extra sunshine as well; I picked our first strawberries of the season just over the weekend, the sweet peas I planted are going crazy, and everything everywhere is bursting into life (we had a nest of blackbirds in the hedge, and the babies just left the nest yesterday!). I have eight vases of sweet peas and roses from my garden all over the house- I love summer!
Speaking of summer, our annual Church Retreat is just a week and a half away. This year, we’re renting a hostel on Cape Clear Island, an Irish speaking island (meaning: the people speak Irish, not the island) just off the west coast of Ireland. Over the past month, there were sightings of dolphins, sunfish, seals, KILLER WHALES (!!), and basking sharks off the coast of the island. So yes, I’m definitely looking forward not only to the retreat, but to the ferry journey as well! The passage we’ll be studying is Psalm 23, with both Mike and Pastor Pat from Calvary Fallbrook teaching. Will you please join me in praying for:
1) the planning to go well! I’m organizing the schedule as well as shopping for and preparing (with help) the meals (for 35 people!), and I need grace and wisdom to get it all right! And I can’t forget anything, because once we’re on the island, we’re stuck there with no proper shops or anything.
2) the weather- sunshine please!!
3) the teaching- that it will bless everyone and draw our church closer together as a body (I love Psalm 23!)
4) the fellowship- again, the goal is to bless the congregation as a body. Pray that friendships will form and deepen, and that the Lord will cause us to lie down in green pastures as He restores our souls (Psalm 23).
5) no one to miss the ferry! We’re taking the last one on Friday, so if anyone misses it, they’re gonna have to lie down in green pastures and camp out on the beach till morning!
6) the children- that we are able to bless them as well, and that they don’t get bored (I don’t really see how they could… unless it’s raining).
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mike is actually away in England until the day before the retreat. I dropped him to the airport this morning, and he’s going to a conference in London, then teaching at the Calvary there, then teaching at the Calvary Chapel UK Pastor’s Conference next week. It’s so cool that he was asked to teach! But obviously, he is very busy over the next 9 days, so will you please pray that the Lord will strengthen him and speak through him. Pray that he will be encouraged and refreshed by both conferences, that he will have a blessed study time, and that the Holy Spirit will make clear the message he is meant to share. (I included the poster from the conference ’cause it has Mike on it! Cute!)
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Glorious as it may be, summer can be a bit discouraging as well when you have a church full of students- they all go home until September! And Duke and Dawn, the wonderful couple who have been serving in Cork for the past 3 years, have been asked to pastor a Calvary affiliated church in the next town over. We are SO excited for them, but they were awesome at what they did and will be very missed. And of course, there are those that are graduating and moving counties or even countries. Our piano player, our treasurer, and our drummer will be gone in just a few months. We know that God is using us in a special way to minister to young people, in a sense of raising them up and sending them out. And of course with Ireland having one of the highest rates of unemployment in Europe, you have to go where the jobs are. So can you please pray that we won’t be discouraged as people we dearly love have to move away. Also, pray for our core group of those committed to Cork- that they won’t be discouraged, and that God will raise them up to fill the ministry gaps left by those who are gone (praise God, we are already seeing this happen!).
Do continue praying for our children’s ministry as well. We now have a few babies, a 4 year old (Eoin), 8 year old boy, and 12 year old boy. Kind of random ages! There’s the possibility of another family with kids joining us in a month or so as well. So we’re thinking up new and energetic boy-friendly ideas for the Sunday School. It’s all new to us- and I’m open to suggestions!! But we are so blessed that Calvary Cork is attracting families now- it’s great! And we want to serve them the best we can.
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A few more prayer points…………….

*Outreach last Friday went really well- Mike and everyone stayed out on the streets till after midnight! Pray that those who heard the gospel will surrender their lives to Christ.

*Eoin is finishing up playschool in a week, then he’ll be joining a new playschool in September that’s just for autistic children. It is extremely difficult making decisions regarding school for him, and we are so thankful for your prayers regarding this. We know God is in control, and that He’ll guide us in His timing. Praise God that Eoin is now receiving physiotherapy, and for the daily work that Aan-Sofie does with him (she’s amazing). Pray he’ll get speech and occupational therapy as well. Thanks!!

*Tomorrow is Bonfire Night (St. John’s Eve) in Ireland. It’s a celebration before the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist, when people gather up old branches and rubbish and burn them in huge bonfires- whilst singing and drinking and all that. Mostly people are just happy to burn things, rather than think about John the Baptist! But our street can be a bit crazy sometimes (someone recently went around lighting all the bins on fire), so do pray for our safety and that of the city!

Wow!! If you read this all, then you must truly love us
Thank you for your prayers and support. God has sustained our family here for 6 1/2 years, and we continue to rely on Him and His faithfulness as we carry out His work in Cork City. What an honour it is to serve our God!!