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Area-Wide Update - December, KCA, MCCHM, MLK, GHIMF, GHPPS
John Buhler, Mission Huntsville
December 5, 2005


Mission: Huntsville
Mis·sion: noun: 1.) a specific objective or task with which a person is charged or assigned; 2.) a personal or collaborative effort that includes a definite military or evangelistic objective; 3.) a divine assignment to the people and place within a specific geographic area;

Hunts·ville: noun: 1.) proper name identifying a city and surrounding geographic area of North Alabama in the Tennessee River Valley; 2.) historical capital of Alabama and birthplace of the state constitution 3.) a city of birth and new beginnings; 4.) a city of nations;


Mission: Huntsville
A City-Impact Initiative


Please be aware of several of the following opportunities for prayer, support, or community involvement, and pass this information along to others who may be interested as well.

A Word in Season
Merry Christmas!

City and Community
Keep Christmas Alive - Festival of Sacred Christmas Music
Madison County Coaltion for Healthy Marriages - MCCHM
Area-Wide MLK Emancipation Proclamation - Preparations and Involvement
Encouragement from Pastors Prayer Summit Leadership - MLK Celebration

Pastors and Ministry Leaders
GHIMF Monthly Meeting
GHPPS Monthly Mini-Summit
Run for ONE

 

"GOD be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause Your face to shine upon us ... that Thy way may be known upon earth, and Thy salvation among all the people!" (Ps 67:1-2)

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Contact Information

A Word in Season - JESUS!



Jesus, the Reward of Life!

He's the Goal, the Destination, the Objective ...
He's the Purpose, the Reason, the Cause ...
He's the Incentive, the Motivation, the Inspiration ...
He's the Hope, the Assurance, the Security ...
He's the Prize, the Glory, the Reward!

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (Jn 1:14)

The WORD did not become a philosophy, a theory, or a concept to be discussed, debated or pondered ... but the WORD became a PERSON to be followed, enjoyed, and loved! (author unknown)

Merry Christmas!

Keep Christmas Alive - Festival of Sacred Christmas Music

Mission Huntsville - Special Note:
The Festival of Sacred Christmas Music is an expression of Keep Christmas Alive which is a broader effort to take make the most of the opportunity of this season to emphasize Christ in Christmas - the reason so many celebrate this season - and to encourage the freedom and right to celebrate our faith (even in the public square) in this time when manger's are being removed from public, and "Christmas Trees" are being called "Holiday Trees."

May the LIGHT of CHRIST shine through each of us - His people - in this season when so many celebrate the coming of the LIGHT OF THE WORLD, HIMSELF!
SELAH - We have a national holiday called "Christmas" which because it contains the word "Christ" and is Christian is being stripped from public view in every way lest someone "take offense." How far we have fallen ... how shallow we have become ... that any take offense at another's joy and celebration ... and moreso that we would allow such a right and freedom to be further stripped away in such manner. May the LORD give great wisdom in how we may respond to defend the freedom and right long guarded in this nation (long expressed in private AND in public, by both the individual AND the state) to acknowledge God publicly in this season and always ...

It was not until this last generation that we so utterly confused the right and freedom to "acknowledge" God with the "establishment" of religion and the Constitutional clause that, "CONGRESS shall make no LAW regarding the ESTABLISHMENT of religion." It is troubling that we are struggling so in discerning the difference between the freedom to express/acknowledge faith and the congressional legislation of faith (i.e. that Congress shall not legislate the establishment of a national denomination or Church of America as there had been in England). The difference is plain - it seems either we have chosen to overlook it, or we have been misled by those who would claim otherwise.

Keep Christmas Alive


Thursday, December 15, 2005 ~ VBC Concert Hall ~ Huntsville, Alabama

Note from Brice Marsh, Executive Producer of the Festival:

The Inspiration for the Festival of Sacred Christmas Music

The original inspiration for the festival was to "somehow import the renewed joy and liberty of the overflowing Spirit of Christmas" that Dr. Pat Odom and I were feeling when we and our wives returned from attending a number of Christmas programs in Branson, Missouri last December. Even though those programs were staged in a secular environment, we felt God's presence and could see evidence of God's handiwork in almost all of the eight different programs we attended while we were there. Even the restaurants where we ate and the hotel where we stayed and the other business establishments we visited were all boldly proclaiming "Merry Christmas," "Jesus is the Reason for the Season", "God bless you", "God bless America", "Keep Christ in Christmas", and other proclamations of Christian empowerment at Christmas.

You might be thinking they were simply pandering and patronizing to a sympathetic crowd of Christians. Here's my response to that: Even if every instance of Christmas spirit was born of a selfish motive to exploit the sensibilities of Christians for business purposes, why do the businesses in Branson feel it is politically correct and safe to do so when many businesses in North Alabama apparently are afraid to mention the name of Christ?

Whatever their motive, I choose to believe that God had intervened in a majestic way to cause the businesses in Branson to realize it would be "good" to glorify God and to exalt the name of Christ at Christmas. [ More ... ]

Festival of Sacred Christmas Music - Keep Christmas Alive!
www.KeepChristmasAlive.org
Printable Flyer (PDF)

Proceeds will go to benefit the Downtown Rescue Mission and Teen Think Tanks, Inc (of Huntsville)

For information contact Brice Marsh at bricemarsh@aol.com

Tickets available at the VBC box office and Ticketmaster locations

Madison County Coalition for Healthy Marriages - MCCHM!


Mission Huntsville - Special Note:
A community marriage coalition has formed over the last year and has been considering what may be done to radically change the devastating trends that have emerged due to the disentegration of marriage and family. The most effective proven strategy that has emerged in the nation is from a Christian ministry known as Marriage Savers and has been implemented in congregations and cities across the nation with tremendous impact.

In every city this has been successful, there has been a foundation built on beginning with a coalition of clergy from the community. MCCHM is in the initial stages of considering how this might could be pursued for Madison County ...

Madison County Coalition for Healthy Marriages
Our Mission: "To Promote and Strengthen the Institution of Healthy Marriage in the Huntsville/Madison County Community"

Marriage
The gift that keeps on giving ...

"Till death do us part." A wedding is still the most celebrated, costly and well planned social occasion in our society. But how much money and preparation does the couple invest in preparing for this lifetime, dedicated commitment?Since marriage is the central institution of the family, it plays a vital role in fostering the emotional, social and economic bonds between husbands and wives, children and parents, the family and the community in which they live.A healthy marriage, where conflict is low and commitment high, provides a positive environment for the development of lifelong positive bonds for the whole family. Researchers have found that marriage contributes to the physical, emotional and economic well being of children, husbands and wives and communities.

A healthy marriage is the foundation of a strong family, which is the building block of a strong neighborhood, that contributes to the health of Madison County, and ultimately the state and the entire USA.

According to Judge Billy Bell who currently handles 5/6 of the domestic relations cases filed in Madison County, the "state of the union" in Madison County is unhealthy! He states that "over 6,000 adults and thousands of children, have their lives affected by domestic cases each year, just in Madison County alone" (Reference Judge Bell's letter to the Governor here: Letter to Governor and Governor's Response).

This is the motivation for the formation of the MCCHM. We need healthy marriages to nurture our children, so all of us in Madison County can become involved in developing a strong, caring, committed community.

Healthy Marriage Initiative (HMI)

The healthy marriage initiative stems from a growing body of research that explores the impact of family structure on child well being. Such data includes:

  • One-third of all births are out-of-wedlock.
    More than 50% of first marriages end in divorce.
    Nearly 40% of all children do not live with their biological fathers.
    About 6% of children in married-couple families were poor in 1999 compared to more than 35% in single-mother families.
  • 43% percent of unmarried women have children with multiple partners compared to 15% of married women (Jarchow, 2003).
Reference the national ACF Healthy Marriage Initiative, and the ACF African-American Healthy Marriage Initiative for additional background and information. See also Understanding the President's Healthy Marriage Initiative (The Heritage Foundation, 2004 ).

Goals of the Madison County Coalition for Healthy Marriages (MCCHM)

  • To increase the number of stable, healthy marriages through providing thorough premarital education To decrease the high divorce rate in Madison County To increase community awareness of the MCCHM To increase public awareness of the need for marital education, a growing marriage movement and the availability of resources
  • To increase access to marriage resources through:
    1. Coordinating existing resources Acting as a clearinghouse of information on marriage resources both within and outside of Madison County
    2. Facilitating the development of new and affordable programs to meet the needs of our diverse population
Resources - Please visit our Resource Page for a variety of helpful resources regarding Marriage Enrichment, Healthy Marriage Initiatives, Marriage Advocacy, as well as services for those who may be in a Dangerous or Crisis situation.
See also a feature article in the Huntsville Times regarding the Madison County Coalition for Healthy Marriages here: Supporting the Union (May 13, 2005)
“The Coalition is composed of a wide variety of participants representing many people and organizations in the healing and helping fields. It is intended to be broad and inclusive for all those with a deep commitment to strengthening marriage and family life as an essential part of the fabric of a healthy society and community.”

Area-Wide MLK Emancipation Proclamation - Preparation and Involvement

Mission Huntsville - Special Note:
Preparations continue for the upcoming Area-Wide Martin Luther King Emancipation Proclamation Celebration that will occur in the Von Braun Center January 15th. All of the pastors in the city should have received information by mail, but PLEASE pass the information below on to your pastor and personally encourage them to prayerfully consider joining with other pastors and congregations from throughout the Greater Huntsville area during this special celebration.

Links are included below to some of the area correpsondance.

If your congregation would be willing to participate in any of the special areas of involvement, please provide any helpful contact information through the ONLINE FORM at www.GHIMF.org

The Greater Huntsville Interdenominational Ministerial Fellowship (GHIMF)
Annual City-Wide Martin Luther King Service


Click for More
Click for More

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Emancipation Proclamation Celebration


4pm, Sunday January 15th, 2006

Von Braun Center Arena

700 Monroe Street SW, Huntsville, AL  35801
www.vonbrauncenter.com

Related Correspondance

Letter Sent to All Churches of Madison County
Email Sent to Choir Directors and Music Leaders
Pastors Prayer Summit Leadership Encourages MLK Choir Participation
Pastors Prayer Summit Leadership Encourages Area MLK Priority and Participation


Primary Contacts - Special Areas of Involvement

  • Area Pastor to participate in Area Pastors Processional (Senior, Associate, Youth Pastor or Ministry Leader)
  • Area Choir/Music Minister to participate (with Choir) in Area Choir Processional and Choir of 1000 voices!
  • Area Usher to help with Area Ushering Teams
  • Area Youth (Middle School-High School) to participate in Area Youth Processional with flags/banners

    Please provide contact information for you or your congregation and note if you have interest in any of the special areas of involvement through the ONLINE FORM at www.GHIMF.org, or if you prefer to contact a coordinator for that special area directly you may do so through one or more of the following:

    Pastors Processional
    Rev. Wendell Thompson
    Hubert.Thompson@email.aamu.edu
    256.372.5527 office

    Choir Directors/Ministers of Music (Choir Processional)
    Dr. Janette Kotey
    jkotey@fmbc.org
    256.852.4318, x231

    MLK JR SERVICE MASS CHOIR REHEARSAL DATES
    CONTACT Dr. J Kotey, jkotey@fmbc.org or 256-852-4318, x231

    SAT DEC 17th @ 5:30 PM - First Missionary Baptist Church

    First Missionary Baptist Church
    3509 Blue Springs Rd NW
    Huntsville, AL 35810
    Phone: (256) 852-4318
    Web: www.fmbc.org

    FRI DEC 30th @ 6:30 PM - Saint Bartley P B Church

    Saint Bartley P B Church
    3020 Belafonte Ave NW
    Huntsville, AL 35816
    Phone: (256) 536-6266
    Web: www.saintbartley.org

    SAT JAN 7th @ 5:30 PM - TBA

    FRI JAN 13th @ 7:00 PM - TBA

    Youth (Processional w/ Flags/Banners)
    Rev. Leroy Cole
    lcole@hiwaay.net
    256.379.3250

    Usher Teams
    Minister Pricilla Montgomery
    pmontg8@aol.com
    256.428-7400 office



    • Pastors Prayer Summit Leadership Encourages Priority and Participation in Area-Wide MLK Celebration

    Dear Pastor or Christian Leader:

    I want to take this opportunity to invite you to be a part of a truly historic event involving thousands of people in Huntsville, Alabama. This event, on the basis of what Jesus taught in John 17, has the potential to bring great blessing to multiple local churches, our city, and this region. I want to invite you to the upcoming Area-Wide Martin Luther King Emancipation Proclamation Celebration that will occur in the Von Braun Center on January 15 th.

    This vibrant gathering is sponsored by the Greater Huntsville Interdenominational Ministerial Fellowship. Dr. Oscar Montgomery, acting on behalf of GHIMF and in serving as its President, has graciously extended an invitation to all the churches of the Greater Huntsville region to gather at the Von Braun Center on Sunday January 15 th at 4:00 p.m.

    In Dr. Montgomery’s words, “You are invited to participate in the procession of Pastors and Ministers into the Hall at the beginning of the service. Dark attire is to be worn for this event. Your choir is invited to participate in the City-Wide Celebration Mass Choir under the direction of Dr. Janette Kotey.” I encourage you to explore www.GHIMF.org for more information.

    As pastor-theologian John Piper once asked, “Are our churches thermometers registering the racial attitudes and actions of the world; or are they thermostats raising the warmth of commitment to racial understanding and love and demonstrable harmony?” It is our hope that the pastors and Christian influencers of this region will serve as thermostats in raising the temperature of God’s love, favor, and unity through the person of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

    Allow me to encourage you to make the Area-Wide Martin Luther King Emancipation Proclamation Celebration a priority on January 15th, 2006. Your leadership is needed at this time. I hope you will make plans to be present. I hope you will encourage your choir to be a part of the City-Wide Mass Choir being assimilated in preparation for this historic night. I hope you will encourage the congregation you serve to be present as well.

    For the sake of God’s shalom and favor over our city and region,

    Paul Lawler
    Torchbearer, Greater Huntsville Pastors’ Prayer Summit


    Greater Huntsville Interdenominational Ministerial Fellowship - GHIMF!

    Greater Huntsville Interdenominational Ministerial Fellowship
    Monthly Meeting!


    Greater Huntsville
    Interdenominational Ministerial Fellowship
    Monthly Meeting
    December 2005
    Meeting Time

    GHIMF Monthly Meetings occur the Saturday before the 2nd Sunday of each month.

    December Meeting
    Saturday December 10th

    Please note that the GHIMF meeting for the month of December will be hosted by Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church and Reverend Leroy Cole. The location and directions are included.

    Meeting: 10:00am
    Spiritual Feast: Rev. Wendell Thompson
    Meeting Location

    Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church
    292 Cemetery Road
    New Market, AL 35761
    (256) 379-3250
    www.hopewellmbc.org



    Map and Directions


    Executive Board

    Please note there will also be a GHIMF Executive Board Meeting Tuesday, December 6th at 11:30am at Union Hill Primitive Baptist Church (Multipurpose Room), 2115 Winchester Rd NW.

    Greater Huntsville Pastors Prayer Summit - GHPPS!

    Greater Huntsville Pastors Prayer Summit

    7th Annual Greater Huntsville Pastors Prayer Summit
    Please MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the 7th annual Greater Huntsville Pastors Prayer Summit that will occur February 27th-March 2nd, 2006! Don't miss this incredible opportunity to join with pastors and ministry leaders from throughout the Greater Huntsville area, for focused prayer for one another, our city, and our community. It will be life-changing and city-reaching as relationships continue to grow among leaders, and vision for our city and community continues to expand. More information will be available very soon!

    Monthly Mini-Summit!


    Greater Huntsville Pastors Prayer Summit
    Monthly Mini-Summit
    December 2005
    Mini-Summit Time

    Mini-Summits occur the 2nd Thursday of each month.

    December Mini-Summit
    Thursday December 8th

    Please note that the mini-summit for the month of December will be hosted by the Chase Valley Church and Pastor Paul Lawler. The location and directions are included.

    Meet and Greet: 10:00am
    Prayer: 10:30am
    Lunch: 12:00pm
    Mini-Summit Location

    Chase Valley United Methodist Church
    1635 Winchester Rd Ne
    Huntsville, AL 35811
    Phone: (256) 859-1853
    www.ChaseValleyChurch.org


    Map and Directions
    (MapQuest)


    Steering Team

    Please note there will also be a meeting of the Servant Leadership Team at 8:30am in the same location.
    Host Possibilities? If your church or ministry would be willing to host a mini-summit one month, or you would like to recommend a location that may be a strategic site for a future month, please let us know! Email: Host Possibility

    Host Ministry Highlight
    Chase Valley Church

    LOCATION

    Chase Valley United Methodist Church
    1635 Winchester Rd Ne
    Huntsville, AL 35811
    Phone: (256) 859-1853
    Email: cvcoffice@chasevalleychurch.org
     Web: www.ChaseValleyChurch.org

    Chase Valley Church

    Chase Valley Church was birthed in 1992 through the leadership of our founding pastor, Paul Lawler. The church met in an expanding set of storefronts until moving onto its present 28 acre site on Winchester Road in northeast Huntsville in the year 2,000.

    With a pulsating passion for God; the life found in His Word; the forgiveness of sin found in Jesus Christ; and the continual thirst for the reverberating power of the Holy Spirit, we seek to live out our life’s purpose of “glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.” We grow as learners of Jesus as we gather in small groups, equipping classes, step out of our comfort zones and into mission opportunities locally and around the world, and as we gather weekly for corporate worship on Sundays.

    With people attending from all over the greater Huntsville area and southern Tennessee, Chase Valley is committed to living out its mission statement, “To allow God to lead us out of our comfort zones in order to reach, free, and grow people for Jesus Christ.” Over the last several years, Chase Valley has been involved in planting over 20 new churches in five different countries. The majority of these churches involved reaching un-reached people groups, and over 5,000 persons praying to receive Jesus Christ. We are abandoned to what some may call the “crazy notion” of the “The spiritual awakening of all peoples.” We say with John Wesley, “The world is my parish.” We joyously seek to follow the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, and His words in Acts 1:8.

    If you are looking for a church where the spiritual growth of children, teenagers, singles, and adults is looked to with a fervent desire to see people equipped and “flaming up” in their original design for God’s glory, then we hope you will come and explore what God is doing through Chase Valley Church.

    Paul Lawler, Senior Pastor of Chase Valley Church, also serves as the Torchbearer of the Greater Huntsville Pastors Prayer Summit, and helps provide leadership to Mission: Huntsville.

    Run for One - Local Pastor's Run and Special Invitation!



    RUN FOR ONE!

    My Fellow Pastors,

    For the past several months, I have been training for the Rocket City Marathon coming up December 10, 2005. As I have prepared for the race, I have been burdened heavily for you, your churches, and a desire for us to be unified in Christ. I guess you could call my training, race, and prayer time in the process a, “Run for One.” I would like to ask you to join me on my “Run for One” journey. With your permission, I would like to add the name of your church to a customized, “Run for One” t-shirt I will wear during the race. I will not use the name of your church for any other reason. I pray in some small way, a testimony of unity will bless those who run past me (I am sure there will be many!). I also want you to know that as you run the race that is ministry, you do not run alone.

    If you are willing, please email permission to me to add your name to the “Run for One” list. My email address is greg@twickenham.org. I have no idea how long it will take me to finish, but know that you will be on my heart every step of the 26.2 mile journey.

    Much Love,
    Greg Anderson
    Preaching Minister, Twickenham Church of Christ