Getting Back To Normal

Even though we never take a vacation from our relationship with God, there are times we get away from the normal way of doing things. With services being called off at church last week, and our family traveling to be with Chris family. Then coming home Saturday only to get up the next morning to start all over again. Things just haven't been normal or routine lately. But things are getting back to normal. But things aren't going to stay that way.
As we plan for this next year things are going to be anything but normal. We are praying for God to do something that is abnormal, something new, and and full of life. We are excited about the ministry that God has called us into. Things will never be the same once Jesus is at the helm, everything will be fresh and full of His glory. Any thing but normal. It's our choose. He is asking us for full control of our lives and His ministry. I'm seeking and finding His direction. What about you? May God grant us a blessed and fruitful harvest of souls this year.

Christmas In Kentucky

We'll be getting ready today for a trip to Kentucky. This will be our Christmas with Chris family. We are planning to come home Saturday morning to get ready for Christmas with my family. I'm looking forward to our time together, we are so blessed to have families that are so close and love one another. My prayer is that you have the Merriest Christmas ever and remember the reason for the season. God's son Jesus came to us.

Ending The Week

Someone tell me it's not over already. I'm talking about this week. Well your right, it is. But for those that make it through the night we start over again, and what a week this will be with Christmas coming. I am looking so forward to tomorrow, Gods people coming together to worship Him and visit with one another, there's just nothing like it. I would like to invite you to come join us in celebrating the birthday of our Savior. We will have a play in both the morning and evening service, and a banquet after the play that evening. May God Bless You & Yours.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Santa is coming to town, but the Stork got here first

Nathan and Jennifer are the new parents to a little girl named Haven, she was born last night, the 13th just before midnite. Haven weighed 7lbs. and 15oz. and was 21'' long. Both Mother and daughter are doing great, but the father Nathan had a really tuff night and was in recovery when I visited today. (Sleeping) He became conscious after his mother slapped him around a little. lol. I think all will be well soon, but keep them in your prayers.

First Time in Church for Brianna Gant

Appreciation Brunch For S.S. Department

The Turkey Story

When I was a young Turkey, new to the coop, my big brother Mike took me out on the stoop--then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow, and he told me there was something that I had to know; His look and his tone I will always remember, when he told me of the horrors of...Black November;> "Come about August, now listen to me, each day you'll get six meals instead of just three. And soon you'll be thick, where once you were thin, and you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin; And then one morning, when you're warm in your bed, in'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head; then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald n' pink, and scoop out your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink.> "And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing, she'll spread your cheeks and pack you with stuffing. "Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat, and I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat.> I decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked, I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked; I began a new diet of nuts and granola, High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola;> And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes, I stayed in my room doing Jane Fonda tapes; I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half and tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed; but 'twas I who was laughing, under my breath, as they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death;> And sure enough when Black November Rolled around, I was the last turkey left in the entire compound;> So now I'm a pet in the farmers wife's lap; I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap; She held me today, while sewing and humming, And Smile at me and said "Christmas is Coming"!

Update On Prayer Request

Evidently Brother Linkous
did not receive any serious
injury, however, Sister
Linkous has a bloodclot
on her brain from the acci-
dent. This poses some
problems. It needs to
move either on its own or
bu surgery. Either way
presents some serious challenges.

The Big Wheel

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just75 cents in my pocket. Their father was gone. The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two. Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared.Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds. He did manage to leave $15 a week tobuy groceries. Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no morebeatings, but no food either.If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it. I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress, loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find a job.The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town. No luck. The kids stayed crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to convince whomever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything.I had to have a job. Still no luck. The last place we went to, just afew miles out of town, was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that hadbeen converted to a truck stop.It was called the Big Wheel. An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids. She needed someone on the grave yard shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning. She paid 65cents an hour, and I could start that night.I raced home and called the teenager down the street that baby-sat forpeople. I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night. She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep.This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big Wheel..When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent herhome with one dollar of my tip money--fully half of what I averaged every night. As the weeks went by, heating bills added a strain to my meager wage.The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons andbegan to leak. I had to fill them wi! th air on the way to work andagain every morning before I could go home.One bleak fall morning, Idragged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires! There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires. Had angels taken up residence in Indiana? I wondered.I made a deal with the local service station. In exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office. I remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires.I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough.Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids. I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys.Then hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning. Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel. These were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state troopernamed Joe. A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine. The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up.When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning, to my amazement, my old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with boxes of all shapes and sizes. I quickly opened the driver's side door, crawled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat.Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box. Inside was whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked inside another box: Itwas full of shirts to go with the jeans. Then I peeked inside some ofthe other boxes. There was candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes there was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was hole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items. Andthere were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll. As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas ! Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude. And I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop....THE POWER OF PRAYER. I believe that God only gives three answers to prayer:1. "Yes!"2. "Not yet."3. "I have something better in mind."God still sits on the throne, the devil is a liar. You maybe going through a tough time right now but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that you cannot imagine. Let's find someone in need and be an Angel this Christmas.

The Dental Team that visited Peru

More News From Peru

Bro. Nick is to the left and Bro. Cooper in back beside him. The rest are people of Peru.

Tomlinson Center Online

Tomlinson Center Online Classes Begin January 11, 2006. From Marvin Eskew - marvin@cogop.org by way of Jeanette Rollins - Jeanette@cogop.org Greetings,The beginning phase of the Tomlinson Center is now in place and we are excited about what the future holds for a new educational entity for the Churches of God of Prophecy. The advisory board for the Tomlinson Center unanimously agreed that launching the Tomlinson Center Online is the first step in the right direction. This approach immediately gives us global coverage and because we are partnering with Lee University we are also fully accredited from the very beginning. We have already sent applications to interested students in Africa, Spain, and many of the Caribbean nations.The first two courses will be taught by Dr. H.E. Cardin, overseer of Georgia, and Tim Harper, overseer of Indiana/Michigan. Dr. Cardin will be teaching Synoptic Gospels and Tim Harper will be teaching Pastoral Epistles. These classes will begin on January 11, 2006. All appointed ministry qualify for a 50% scholarship. This includes not only you as pastor, but any leadership in your local church of whom you have appointed to lead a ministry.Enrolling in the Tomlinson Center Online (TCOL) will sharpen your ministry skills for leading in the 21st Century church. After completing the program the student will be awarded a bachelor's degree in Christian Ministry. (If you already have some college hours, you can transfer them into this program.*) If you are not degree focused at this time, you will be awarded ministry certificates at certain levels of accomplishment. Beyond the recognition for work completed is the knowledge and insight gained as a student of biblical studies.To enroll in the Tomlinson Center Online simply print out and complete the application. Be sure to sign and date the application and then mail it to the Lee University address provided. The application fee should also be sent with the application.If you have any questions, please contact me by phone or email: (423) 559-5323; marvin@cogop.org. Scholarship with Spirit,Marvin EskewInterim Director Tomlinson Center*Transfer courses must be approved by Lee University. From the application, visit:http://www.tomlinsoncenter.com/TCOLApplication120205.pdf

Prayer Request

Bishop Malcom Linkous and his wife
Hannah were in an accident yesterday,
sustaining critical injury. I'll keep you
posted as I receive updates.

Neighbor's New Baby

New babies are everywhere! This one belongs to Rodney& Krisy our new neighbor's. He's, well you know "sweet".

Birthday Party

After class we celebrated Griffin's Birthday he is 1 year old.

Off To Class We Go

Were up getting ready to go to Collinsville for the evangelism class. They were right on time for what God had already begin bringing up in my Spirit. We was up last night preparing the lunch for today's class, its our act of kindness. Someone has been responsible each week so Chris and I chose this week. It is always a blessing to be able to do something for others, I want to look for ways to minister to all those the Lord brings into my path. Well I hope you have a blessed day and one other thing, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Men's Support Group

Wow! The first Thursday night of each month has proven to be a great time in the Lord for our men in the North Alabama area. We met at the Fellowship Christian Center in Rainsville this month. The men's support group started in August and the Holy Ghost has taken over in every service since. If you would like to be in a service with us, please contact me at bltanner@hiwaay.net and I will give you directions to our next meeting place. Men have received healing, both physically, mentally and emotionally. God will be their, what about you?

A Request for Prayer

I later received this letter from Bro. Nick.

Thank you for your letter.I need my friends prayers,as I am not well. Two days after I got back,I got the flu,and now is turned to pneumonia. Thank you for your prayers.

Please help me pray for this great warrior.

A Letter From Nick Kladtis

>>Hello friends of missions,I am glad to inform you about the sucsess of a >dental group I took to Peru,from Nov 11th 2005 to Nov 22nd Nov 2005.They >provided free dental care in several centers of that country.My daughter >Christine kladitis Berger and three other Canadians who live and work in >Grand Cayman,Cayman Islands,payed their own travel expences,plus gave alot >of medecin vitamins and clothes to many poor people who could not otherwise >effort it.I prepared their itenarery,booked their travels within Peru by >plane,train,bus and boat in the heart of the Amazon.They provided dental >help without dental chairs,electricity or running water,many times.They are >to be comented for their friendliness,love care and generosity they showed >to so many people.>Most of their customers were our church people,in Indiana >Iquitos,Cusco,Paramonga,Piura and Sullana.Our Pastors helped us alot to >find comunity medical posts to see the patients and advertised the >events.In Piura,two of our assistance got sick with food poisoning and >could not come to work.When we got to the clinic there where alot of people >waiting,so Dr Thacker,Christine,myself and pastor Mauro,worked from 9.a.m. >to 9.p.m.until we saw the last patient.The doctor and Christine pulled >teeth,pastor Mauro was in charge with disinfecting the instrements,and I >was shining the flush light in the patients mouth.Lunch time sister Vera >and some other sisters prepared a lovely lunch for us,but no one wanted to >eat.we just ate a couple of crackers and continued working to the end.In >all centers,we had mostly dificult extractions,where peoples teeth were >rutted down level with the gum.They had to cut open the gum to get the >roots out.Every one received pain killers and a tooth brush.Also young >ladies came to have their front teeth extracted because they had cavities >and they were painfull.These teeth could have been saved if they were >treated and filled,but they said they have no maney for filling,so they >would rather have them extracted.Christine and Dr,Thacker gave them money >to have their teeth filled.The whole team were very impressed with the >contact of our pastors and our church people.At the same time our people >were very impressed with their love and generosity and promissed to keep >praying for them.>They promissed to do it again next year.>Nick.

Strong's Concordance

You can down load onto your PC or on a disc. Makes it easy to find the Hebrew & Greek meaning to words in the Bible. Go to www.e-sword.com It's free.

Keeping up with Yesterday ?

James Myers in "A Treasury of Military Humor" (The Lincoln-HerndonPress, Inc., 1990), tells an all-too-true story which comes from theAmerican Civil War. General Stonewall Jackson recruited a man namedMiles, who had a reputation as a superb bridge builder. Becausebridges were needed to be built or rebuilt quickly, Miles became avaluable asset to the army.One day, retreating Union troops set fire to a bridge and Jacksoncalled upon Miles to get his men ready to prepare a foundation for anew bridge. He told him that the engineers would have plans ready inrecord time.The next day, Jackson called for Miles and asked him if the engineershad given him their plans yet. "General," Miles drawled, "we done gotthe foundation built but I cain't tell ya whether them pictures isdone or not."There is a time for careful planning, it's true. But there is also atime for quick and decisive action. Miles seemed to know that theurgency of the situation required him to just do what needed to bedone.Our greatest obstacle to "doing what needs to be done" is not carefulplanning. Though many of us have admirable plans and worthyresolutions, we often simply never get around to doing what we havedetermined to do! We procrastinate. And unfortunately, we often missan opportunity to do something decisive today, for as Don Marquis hassaid, "Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday."Or maybe you have been thinking that you would like to procrastinateless, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. If so, perhaps thesewords will help: He was going to be all that a mortal could be...tomorrow. None should be stronger or braver than he...tomorrow. A friend who was troubled and weary he knew, Who'd be glad of a lift and who needed it, too, On him he would call to see what he could do...tomorrow. Each morning he'd stack up the letters he'd write...tomorrow. And he thought of the friends he would fill with delight...tomorrow. It was too bad indeed; he was busy each day, And hadn't a minute to stop on his way; "More time I'll give to others," he'd say..."tomorrow." The greatest of workers this man would have been...tomorrow. The world would have known him, had he ever seen...tomorrow. But the fact is he died, and faded from view, And all that he left here when living was through Was a mountain of things he intended to do...tomorrow.

Quote of the Month

With hurricanes, earthquakes, fires out of control, tornado's, flooding and servere t-storms tearing up the country from one end to the other, with the threat of bird flu, terrorist attacks. Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of our Pledge of Allegiance ? Jay Leno
Just a Thought.

Another Look at America

Today we had a great time in the Lord. We had a wonderful S.S. lesson, then worship, it is always great to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The message this morning was taken from Daniel 2:36 - 44 The dream of Nebuchadnezzar was interpreted by Daniel. His interpretation is of great importance for us today. It gives us insight into the time in which we live. In verse 40 - 44 Daniel describes the fourth and last Kingdom as the one that is ruling over all the earth when Christ will come back to earth. It is my belief that we are quickly heading toward the one world government that is described in scripture. The United States assets are being sold to foreign countries at the average rate of 100 billion dollars a month, according to Midnight Call Magazine. There are so many things going on at this time and many of them are directly affecting this country and speeding up the process of the one world government and the end of time. For more imformation contact me at bltanner@hiwaay.net

A Few of the Family Members at Thanksgiving

Really Really Ready

A Day Off

We sleep late this morning, it was the turkey, lol. I did get the opportunity to help someone. This morning an elderly lady ask if I could take a look at her car. Come to find out she had a bad battery. After getting her a new battery she is now on the road again. This afternoon we went to Chris mom and dad's. After yesterday I thought I wouldn't need to eat for at least a week, but it's that time of year when eating is something we find ourselves doing often. Thank God for our families and His protection.

Happy Thanksgiving

We have had a wonderful day today with our family. My hope is that you have also. God has blessed us in so many ways that we could never repay Him. But it is my desire to become even more thankful to Him.

Sister Paulean Millican

I visited with Sis. Millican today she is still very weak and needs our prayer.

Leadership Meeting

Sunday evening the church leaders came together to evaluate and prioritize the ministries. God is helping us at Browntown to put first things first. Our plans for the new year will focus on Evangelism. In the next weeks our goal will be to recreate the way we have ministered in the past.

A New Baby

On Thursday morning God gave John and Melissa Gant a baby girl she weighed 6 lb. and 15 oz. We celebrate with them this great accession.
Melissa is home and the baby and her are doing good thanks for your prayers.

Family Day

We have designated 5th Sunday Family Day at Browntown. On October 31 we invited former pastor Wayne Craig to be guest speaker. We had 96 in attendance and a wonderful lunch. Our families are very important and with the help of the Lord we are going to win all those that are lost.