By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35

We show the world that we are disciples of Jesus Christ when we work in ministry together with harmony because of his love for believers and unbelievers.   Emmanuel has been doing that all summer in wonderful ways.  Working together in unity comes when we love Jesus enough to obey him.  He empowers us to follow leaders, share space, respect what others are doing, and forgive one another when work is tough and frustrations run high.  Churches often speak of “the summer slump.”  Emmanuel has been filled almost daily with many activities.  Let me share some examples to keep you informed.

Bob Burdette Center: Energy Express Reading Program has occupied the 3^rd floor of the EBC education building.  Boy Scouts and the youth have worked with them to share space.  In addition, the BBC summer program has kept the building occupied and busy all summer.

BBC Community Garden on the Moyer property has worked together with the church, Mr. Roberts, the Kiwanis Club, WV State Extension Service, Lowes and the students at the center.

Boy Scouts are moving their meetings from their church basement room to the third floor.  They have taken boys to Boy Scout Camp and the 100^th Anniversary of Scouting Jamboree at Ft. A. P. Hill near Washington, D.C. in addition to other activities.  They held an Eagle Scout Court of Honor and dinner for Marshall Sharp

EBC Youth: This has been an extra busy summer in ministry.  Youth worked at the Youth Work Day at Camp Cowen. Through EBC 54 children and youth attended age appropriate camps at Camp Cowen.  Youth worked in fund raisers for their mission trip.  They helped with Vacation Bible Time Noah’s Ark.  25 student and adult leaders leave August 1 for a week in Tennessee doing mission work.

EBC Worship Team spent the week July 18-23 at Brother’s Keeper leading the music for about 200 students and leaders from WV and other states in addition to their weekly 9:45 service ministry.  Brother’s Keeper is based at Parchment Valley, the WV Baptist Conference Center.  Youth and adult leaders do service projects repairing houses etc. in Jackson County.

EBC Children Vacation Bible Time is the highlight to the normal summer gatherings.  “Noah’s Ark” occupied the Gathering Area and Great Hall.  More people than we can name put many hours into building the “Ark” and preparing the stalls and filling it with fascinating animals and activity opportunities.  Many people sweated together in harmony to pull off such a big event.  What took weeks to build was dismantled in few hours by Christians of all ages working together in harmony.  It was amazing.  Children and parents who attended were blessed.  The Ark even rated an article in the Daily Mail newspaper.

The EBC Men under the leadership of Rick Harrah organized a Golf Tournament to help the youth raise funds for their Tennessee Mission Trip.  They raised about $1500 and had fun at the same time.  The team scores and special recognitions are:

1st place - Bill McGlothlin, Argyle McMillion, Roger Fields, Tom Jones

score of 60 and win the tournament on tie breaker after playing 5 extra holes.

2nd place- Jerry Ware team score of 60

3rd place- Ken Sayre team score of 64

4th place-Downey team score of 67

5th place-(3 way tie) Vickers, Boggs, Young teams score of 68

6th place- McClung team score of 72

7th place-Harrah team score of 73

Longest drive -Nathan Sayre

Closest to pin -Jerry Ware

Longest putt-Charlie Young

The Education Assistance Ministry Gospel Sing is coming up Sunday evening August 15.

Project Love hosted their car wash and hot dog sale and completed several jobs this summer.

Since June 1 EBC has welcomed several new members:

Shonnette Koontz Letter of Transfer

Orlando Dowell Letter of Transfer

Kara Caldwell-Moore Baptized July 18th

Vova Moore Baptized July 18th

Cameren Smith Baptized July 18th

Jeff Biddle Baptized July 18th

Samuel Stoner Baptized July 25th

There is “no summer slump” with Emmanuel Baptist this year.  We are having a great summer.  Thank you for the demonstration of your love for Christ, for one another and for this lost world.  Beware the schemes of the Evil One to try to disrupt and destroy.  Keep praying and working in unity.

Pastor Ron Stoner

I read in a church newsletter an article by Karin Jarman.  It grabbed my attention.  I adapted it some. I hope it will stir you also.  “Once upon a time there was a church staff looking for teachers for children…

And some adults said, “I don’t want to leave the sweet fellowship and study of my adult class.”  But the drug dealer on the street said, “Not even the threat of arrest and jail will keep me from working to win your children.”

And some adults said, “I could never give the time it takes to plan a Bible message and present it to the students.”  But the drug dealer, the pornographer, the media producer of graphic violence, rebellion and immorality said, “We will work whatever hours it takes to capture and own the minds of youth and adults.  We will sell our products no matter the influence on those who use them.”

And some adults said, “I am unsuited, untrained, and unable to work with youth and children.”  But the worldly corruptors of kids said, “We will survey, study, and work hard to prepare and market whatever will capture the lives and the spending habits of the youth.”

So the adults of the church stayed in their classes and enjoyed sweet fellowship and good Bible study.  They were free to go out of town on weekends and choose other activities for Wednesday and Sunday evenings rather than teach and seek to influence for Christ the lives of young people.

And when Sunday came the children came to their classes but the only one there was the church staffer who had to cover multiple groups.  The staff member to assure them that there would soon be teachers to work with them but it did not happen.  The children quit coming.

A few years past and the adults were too old and feeble to come to church.  The children’s lives were captured by the things of the world rather than the love of Christ.  The church building now sits empty with a large “For Sale” sign on the outside wall.

The crime rate is rising.  People don’t feel safe in their own homes.  It seems you just can’t trust anyone these days.  Why doesn’t somebody do something?  I remember when….

People of Emmanuel let us take action and refuse to be victimized by this terrible scenario.

Ron Stoner

God has many people in this city.  Acts 18:10

On Sunday, May 16th, I charged the congregation to pray for spiritual awakening and transformation of our city, the Kanawha Valley and WV.  There are indeed many people who do not know Christ  today that God intends to know him soon.  I challenge you to pray individually and in groups for this life changing outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Pray for your family, people you know and those you have not met that they will receive Christ and be transformed by him.  After May 16th, one man asked me, “What did I stand up for in church?”  In case you forgot or you were not present on May 16th, those who stood committed themselves to do two things: 1) To pray for spiritual renewal   2) To share your faith in Christ in the marketplace of your life - Marketplace describes the places - You are when you are not in church or at home.  At the close of the worship as you stood I prayed for you to be an influential marketplace minister in the power of the Holy Spirit.  I will continue to pray for that outcome.

Ron Stoner

Welcome to Jeff Biddle

Jeff begins his ministry of Associate Pastor to youth and young adults on June 1.  Please welcome him warmly and pray for him earnestly.  He just graduated from Trinity Evangelical Seminary near Chicago.  Many of you remember Jeff from his work as a seminary intern with us in the summer of 2009.  Last summer you may have called him “Jeb.”  This is a family name to help discern his name from his father’s.  Since he is   going to be with us on a more permanent basis, it is appropriate that we call him by his given name, Jeff.    We are excited to have him working with us in the ministry of the gospel through EBC.

Until he gets settled and finds other housing he will be living with his grandparents, Charlie and Mabel Young.  Jeff grew up in Michigan where his father is a professor of economics at Michigan State University.  He graduated from Harvard College with a degree in economics.  There he received and began to follow his call to ministry.   It is exciting to welcome him to Emmanuel Baptist Church.  I hope every one of you get to know him soon.  Don’t forget to be patient while he learns names and gets acquainted.