I Love You More Than Rainbows!

Pastor Ron will share this wonderful children's story today as we celebrate God's love for all His creation. Join us every Sunday at CCC for a great time of worship and fellowship in the presence of the Lord.

Rekindling Our Passion!

Rekindling Our Passion will be the title of the new sermon series for the month of February. Sunday's message will be Rekindling Our Passion For God!

Gordon McDonald in the book, Renewing Your Spiritual Passion, gives the following breakdown of five kinds of people that effect spiritual passion:

1. The Very Resourceful People: They Ignite our Passion.

2. The Very Important People: They Share our Passion.

3. The Very Trainable People: They Catch our Passion.

4. The Very Nice People: They Enjoy our Passion.

5. The Very Draining People: They Sap our Passion.

The Bible tells us that we are to love God passionately. In fact, the greatest commandment of all is to love God with our whole being. When the church becomes passionate, it will renew it's strength and spirit to follow Christ without any reservations.

Join us Sunday at 9:45 a.m. as we seek to Rekindle Our Passion!

Pastor Ron spent the day in the scenic mountains of North Carolina attending the 103rd anninversary of the First General Assembly of the COGOP. It was a good time of fellowship with church friends (including his travelling partner, Bishop Don Brock) and new acquaintences.

Valentine's Banquet

The Annual Valentine's Banquet will be Saturday, February 14th at 6:30 p.m. Our guest for the evening will be County Commissioner, Gary Youngblood. The cost for the evening will be $30 per couple. We hope you will join us for this very wonderful evening.

Food Pantry News!

Although hindered by rain, the volunteers from The CARE Package distributed food to 55 familes on Saturday. A special thanks to everyone who was involved in making this day of ministry a success. There were 16 new families that came for assistance. May God Richly Bless Them.

A Gift of Love

The Care Package Food Pantry will be open this coming Saturday, January 24th from 8 - 10 a.m. If you know of someone who needs assistance, please send them our way. If you would like to donate to the ministry please call us at: (205)553-9413.

Movie Presentation

The showing of the movie Fireproof will be changed to Sunday evening, February 22, at 6:00 p.m. There is no charge to the public for attendance.

Jeremy Hitt & Calfee Junction Church of God

Calfee Junction Church of God Youth pastor, Jeremy Hitt, will be visiting us on February 15 at 6:00 p.m. The event will be focused on youth ministries. We invite everyone to be with us that evening as we worship God with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Sunday's Sermon

Sunday's sermon is entitled, "Living in The Presence of God, from Exodus 33. God wants us to draw close to Him everyday. Someone once wrote, "When Moses sought God, he did so through fervent prayer. He sought God by going to his knees. One of the biggest problems in the church today is that people want a deep relationship with God but don’t want to pay the price for it. Developing an intimate relationship with God takes time and effort. It doesn’t happen overnight."

Moses desired three basic spiritual principles from God:

1. Teach me your ways.

2. Let me know you.

3. Let me live in your favor.

When we apply these basic principles to our lives it opens up the avenue that leads into the presence of God. When we desire to know God’s ways and to know Him in His fullness, He removes all barriers that block us from "coming boldly before the throne of grace.

Join us tommorrow as we step into the presence of God.

21 Days of Prayer & Fasting

CCC has been engaged in a time of prayer & fasting. Several members have commited to fasting from sun-up to sundown during the month of January. This is a great opportunity to push away from the table and seek God for His strength and guidance. Join us, as we commit ourselves to the cause of Christ's Kingdom.

Caught On Camera

Have you ever had your picture taken, and when the still photo came out, you had the oddest look on your face and everyone who saw it laughed? This picture came from the local newspaper where my father works. I can just imagine the young man in the red jersey being extremely embarrased the next day when he saw the odd expression on his face. Imagine the response of his friends, family and school mates. Not only did he get beat on the play, but the look on his face is priceless.

We all have had similar embarrassing moments that we would rather forget. Yet, God does not keep a catalogue or a picture album of our failures and mistakes. He neatly tucks them in the pages of the past, and allows us a second chance to correct our shortcomings. We refer to it as Grace. He calls it LOVE!

Who knows, maybe the next time this young man's face appears in the paper he will be performing a slam-dunk on the winning play of the game. Wouldn't that be a picture worth remembering?

A Dear Friend

A dear friend & colleague of Pastor Ron passed away on Tuesday. He was a great influence in my younger life, and I know that he had a tremendous impact on many other young ministers. He was a physically strong man, but possessed a kind and wonderful spirit. We will miss him. Our prayers are with his wife and family.

REV. JACK C. STEWART

Rev. Jack C. Stewart, age 82, of Piney View, went to his heavenly home, Tuesday, January 13, 2009 following a long illness. Born November 1, 1926 in Crook, CO, he was the son of the late Robert and Lethal Clevenger Stewart. Rev. Stewart was a Bishop and member of the Church of God of Prophecy. He devoted his life to preaching God’s word and showing God’s love. He served as pastor in the following areas, Colorado Springs, CO, Sudan, TX, Farmington, WV, Charleston, WV, Cullloden, WV, Lanark, WV, Ware Shoals, SC, Rock Hill, SC, Battle Creek, MI, Chapmanville, WV, Sylvester, WV, and Clendenin, WV. He served his country proudly in the United States Army for three years having served in Japan in World War II. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Jackie Mae Stewart; a granddaughter, Malea Nicole Stewart; and three sisters, Dixie McBrien, Nira Japp, and Nina Daughtery. Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 61 years, Donna Mae Pitman Stewart of Piney View; two sons, Dale Stewart and wife Kathy of Beckley, and Bob Stewart and wife Deb of Pineville; two daughters, Sherri Sullivan and husband Dave of Charleston, and Debbie Lynn Hope and husband Lamar of Bluffton, SC.

Jack will be greatly missed for his strength and character that he showed not only to his family, but to everyone that he met. We love you. Services will be held Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 1:00 PM at Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley with Rev. Mike Morgan officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. Chad Stewart, Mike Sullivan, Steve Cline, Dell Conley, Kyle Petry, and Ronnie Passmore will serve as Pallbearers. Friends may gather with the family Friday, January 16, 2009 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blueridgefuneralhome.com. Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, WV is in charge of the arrangements.

Annual Valentines Banquet

CCC's Annual Valentine's Banquet will be held Saturday, February 14th at 6:30 p.m. The cost will be $30 per couple. The menu, again, will feature the best Ribeye Steaks in town.

This banquet is one of the highlights of our years events. Folks from around the Tuscaloosa area make this banquet a part of their yearly activities. We hope you will join us for a very special evening dedicated to God's love.

Special Showing

CCC will present a special showing of the movie Fireproof on Sunday evening, February 1 at 6:00 p.m. There is no charge for attendance. Join us as we stengthen the principles of Marriage & The Family together on this very special evening.

Faithfulness - 1 Corinthians 4

OLD FAITHFUL

Paul was experiencing tremendous difficulty with his ministry in the church at Corinth. For the most part, Paul’s ministry at Corinth does not seem to be very successful. Popularity and numerical growth were not a by-product of his investment there. People were judging and critcizing him on a regular basis. In terms of human succcess, he was bordering on failure. However, the response he gave to his detractors was this: "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me." (1 Cor 4:3-4)

True success is not to be measured in terms of what man can see, but in terms of what God sees. "My judge," says Paul, "is not man or even myself, but God."

Join us tommorrow night at 6:30 p.m. as we continue our study in the Epistle of 1 Corinthians.

Food Pantry

The Care Package is a vibrant ministry designed to help assist people with food and provisions on a monthly basis. We will be distributing food on January 24th at 8:00 a.m. The cost of the food is very economical through the assistance of the West Alabama Food Bank. We are able to feed a family of four for less than $10.00 a month. Individuals who receive assistance are not charged anything for the provisions.

If you would like to offer a one-time donation, or partner with us on a monthly basis, we invite you to do so. For more information, contact us at (205) 553-9413.

Outreach Ministry

CCC will engage in a new outreach ministry beginning next Sunday evening, January 18th at 6:00 p.m. Ken and Becca Pinkerton will lead us in preparing to distribute tracts & church information on a door-to-door basis. This is a great opportunity to share the gospel with someone who needs God. We will begin to operate a van ministry, during the month of February, as we reach out to our community and invite them to worship the Lord with us every week. Join us in this important ministry.

God Wants To Do A New Thing

Sunday's message was entitled, God Wants To Do A New Thing Living In The Presence of God, from the Old Testament book of Isaiah 43: 16 – 21. Someone once wrote, "The fundamental principles of God’s divine activity are changeless. However, the outward shape of that activity alters with the changing needs of Gods people. We are meant to reflect on the past with gratitude and stimulated faith but not to allow it to stereotype our expectations from God." We need to keep our minds open to the wonders of God and allow His Spirit to usher us into the realm of God's revelation and truth. There are new experiences with God, everyday, if we humbly and fervently pursue after them. Though God is unchangeable, His manifestations are new and fresh. Isaiah encouraged the people to not just live on past experiences of the glory of God, but to realize that God would soon deliver them from bondage and oppression. He would, again, restore His people to a blessed and favored position through His grace.

When electricity became available in remote rural areas, one woman went to great trouble and expense to have electricity installed in her home. A few months after the wiring was installed and the power was turned on; the Electric company noticed that the home didn’t use very much power. Fearing that there was a problem they sent a meter reader out to check on the problem. The meter reader saw that the power was working properly and then asked the woman, “Do you use your electricity?” The woman replied, “Of course we do. We turn it on every night to see to light our lamps and then we turn it off.”

Don't be guilty of turning off the flow of God's power in your life. Today is the day to live in the fulness of His presence.

Great Thoughts by Louis Morgan

Searching for the Balance Between 'Hogwash' and the Holy Spirit: Pondering Pentecostal Expressions
This morning I decided to catch up with some friends who are in ministry and discover what is happening in their life and ministry these days. Most of these friends have an online presence, so I browsed blogs and websites. Interestingly, I realized (once again!) the diversity that exists among my friends in Christian ministry—Charismatic, Pentecostal, Reformed tradition, Roman Catholic—really all over the place doctrinally and experientially. However, my focus was drawn to the level of diversity existing among my Pentecostal and Charismatic friends. In some cases, it seems these opinions and expressions are as diverse as are the views among my Baptist and Catholic friends.

There are many different expressions among my Pentecostal/Charismatic friends, each of whom seems to feel he or she is in the very center of what God’s Spirit is doing in the earth today. (Okay, so how much of this is hype, clever advertising, or genuine truth? Call me a skeptic, but I’ve seen so much promoted in the name of Jesus that is clearly different than the Jesus represented in scripture.) So now, I’m thinking… what is the proper balance in Pentecostalism?Firstly, I’m not sure I’m comfortable being classified within Pentecostalism. While I am Pentecostal in my experience, I’m not sure it means the same thing as what is often promoted in contemporary Pentecostalism. (And, it is the “ism” part of Pentecostalism that troubles me deeply. I wish to be true to scripture and open to the continual guidance of the Holy Spirit, but what if Pentecostalism has become so structured that it can no longer see “outside the box” of its own religious norms, conditioning, and perceptions? It happens to so many movements.) Having noted that, I wish to reaffirm my belief in the operation of spiritual gifts and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, more than anything else, I consider myself an individual on a spiritual journey seeking to follow the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as my guide. Going a step further, it is my daily goal to transfer my personal will for the will of God. I desire to be led by the power of His Spirit. I’m not sure what label is appropriate for such a philosophy.

So, what is a Pentecostal to do these days? I turn on the television and hear many things promoted as Pentecostal or Charismatic that do not seem to be properly aligned with scripture. I sit in churches and listen to sermons that seem to be more entertainment-driven than scripture-based. I go to a conference to discover that if I am not communicating with angels on a regular basis or constantly speaking a word of prophecy to someone then I must not be in the “flow” of God’s Spirit. I am made to feel spirituality immature. I see more about personal power, fame, ego, and success than I do about humility, serving others, faithfulness, and sacrifice.Frankly, friends, I think much of what I hear espoused as Pentecostal expressions today is what my grandmother would call “hogwash”. While I wish to be careful not to discredit a genuine work of God’s Spirit or become so calloused against the fanatical that I fail to embrace the sacred, it seems to me it is most appropriate to use some “old-fashioned horse sense” (another of my grandmother’s sayings, which translated means a person will accept what is real and reject what is not, just like a horse will refuse to move forward when danger is near).

Sometimes I feel the Pentecostal movement has become so diluted by various “pet doctrines” that the real power of God’s Spirit has become overshadowed by a less-effective substitute.After reviewing my Pentecostal/Charismatic friends’ blogs and websites today I am left with a few questions:

What is the central message among Pentecostals and Charismatics? (There is a great deal of talk about Jesus, but I’m not certain He is the central focus any longer).
What is the proper balance between biblical understanding and spiritual expression among Pentecostal/Charismatic groups today?
Please do not misunderstand me. I still believe, but sometimes I am not sure if I still belong.

Read more from Louis Morgan At: http://www.morganonmission.blogspot.com/

Join CCC's Worship Team

We invite you to come and join CCC's Worship Team as we rejoice and praise the Lord every Sunday. Practice is every Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m., and every Sunday morning at 9:45 a.m. If you can make a joyful noise to the Lord, then we invite you to join us as we sing.

1 Corinthians Study

Tonights study in 1 Corinthians 3 draws a parallel from the children's story of the 3 Little Pigs. The first little pig was slothful and lazy. The second little pig was more concerned with appearance, rather than substance. The third little pig was diligent and dependable. He built a structure that could withstand the fiercest of storms and attacks. The Apostle Paul writes, For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which has built on it endures, he will recieve a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defies the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Join us on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. for this wonderful study of the New Testament.

Pastor Sutton and the Cliff Haven Church

Pastor Brian Sutton and the folks from the Cliff Haven Church in Sheffield, AL blessed us tremendously this past Sunday evening. The Cliff Haven Youth Praise Team did an outstanding job as they led us in worship. Pastor Sutton's message on The Prodigal Son was inspiring and life-changing. We were blessed by the awesome anointing and presence of God throughout the entire service. Thanks, Cliff Haven, for sharing in our fellowship at CCC! May God bless this church, and prosper them for many years to come.

CCC Secret Sister Party

Happy New Year 2009!

Best wishes and continual prayers for a wonderful New Year. May God bless you with the greatest year that you have ever experienced in His love.