"One Another"

by Pastor Mike McCartney

Fall is here and with the season come thoughts of change and commitment. This brings to my mind two verses in the Bible that are often quoted alone when they should be quoted together: Hebrews 10:24 and Hebrews 10:25. Verse 24 says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Often this verse is used to indicate how we should encourage each other in our mutual daily walk. However, this would be taking the verse out of its context. Verse 25 (which in the original manuscripts would be connected to verse 24 without any punctuation) reads, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

The early Church met every day for mutual encouragement, Bible study and prayer. The "good deeds" of verse 24 are obviously connected with the mutual ministries of sharing the Word together and prayer of verse 25. This is not referring to the Sunday morning worship service, since that did not happen every day, although the worship service certainly is included in the "meeting together" of verse 25. The ministries of the modern Church that would correspond to the daily gatherings of the early Church would be ABFs, Home Groups, AWANA, Sunday School, or other ministries other than and in addition to the Sunday worship service. Interestingly, this would indicate that if I as a Christian am only participating in the Sunday worship service, I am missing out on verse 25, and cannot really accomplish verse 24!

Following is a brief description of some of the "One Another" ministries of The Chapel in North Canton. Consider becoming involved in one or more of them this year. Just click on the underlined title of each section for more information!


Adult Bible Fellowships (ABFs)

An ABF is a congregation within a congregation. As the church gets larger people need to be in smaller, more intimate groups for in-depth Bible study, prayer and fellowship that is not possible in a worship service. ABFs are one way of meeting this need. ABFs meet Sunday mornings in Adult Classrooms 1 - 3 and in the Library. 

Women's Ministries

The Chapel has an extremely busy and dedicated ministry for women that, in addition to a wide variety of Bible studies, also features Secret Sisters, a Mother/Daughter banquet, Scrapbooking and crafts, Christmas Coffees/Teas and more. 

Home Groups

Home Groups are small groups of six to seventeen adults who meet in homes on various nights throughout the week. Together we study the Bible, pray for each other, support and love one another and reach out to others in need of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Consider joining a Home Group this year! 

In Him,

Pastor Mike McCartney

From the Children's Ministries Pastor

by Pastor Frank Yost

I remember a time when people would ask me, "How many kids do you have?" I always thought that was a tough question to answer. Not because I couldn't remember the number, but because I always had to take time to explain who my kids were. As it stands right now, I have had hundreds of kids. Three are mine biologically (Nathan, Alex and Emma), but the others are... well, I did say it was tough to explain. In my previous employment experiences, I have worked with many children, none of which were biologically mine. Instead, I would "adopt" them as my surrogate children. Many of the kids, you see, either did not have good role models for parents or they did not have any parents at all. So I would make them mine in the sense that I would express concern, affection, pride and sometimes even disappointment in them. 

There are many children I feel as strongly about them as I would if they were my actual children. I see this relationship as one trying to mirror the one that God has with us. Children in today's world, now more than ever, need to have appropriate adults as role models, teachers, surrogate parents and examples of Christ. So when I was asked to write something about myself, I felt the need to explain why I am rather than who I am. I am why I am due to the grace and love of my surrogate Father. 

If you feel you have that relationship with your Father and would like to share that with the children of The Chapel in some way, shape or form, please feel free to call me or stop in and see me anytime.

In Christ's Love,

Frank

Strategic Bible Institute - Yaroslavl

by Pastor Larry Bennett

What a tremendous opportunity The Chapel in North Canton has to impact Russia. During the coming year, The Chapel, along with Faith Bible Church, will partner to support a Bible/ministry training institute in Yaroslavl. This partnership will involve the two churches providing the financial support needed for 25 to 30 Russian pastors to come to Yaroslavl for one year of intensive Bible and ministry training. Besides the financial support, we, along with Faith Bible, will supply the teachers for the institute. I, along with Pastors McCartney, Peterson and Robertson, Clyde Caes and Ed Cox, will be teaching for two-week periods at the institute. We will be covering everything from theology to New Testament and Old Testament surveys, Youth Ministry, hermeneutics and homeletics. For most of the Russian pastors coming to the institute this year, this will be the only Bible and ministry training that they will ever receive. That is why I say we have such a great opportunity. Long after Russia closes again to all outside evangelical influence, the pastors that The Chapel has helped to train will go on impacting Russian churches and lives for Jesus Christ. 

It is amazing to think about the opportunities in Russia that God has given to us as a church. First we supplied the financial support for the two Russian pastors. Next came the opportunity to supply the finances needed to help the church in Yaroslavl reach out to its city. Now, comes the opportunity to impact not just one Russian city, but 25 to 30 cities as these pastors return home. It is an ever-widening circle of impact that God has allowed us to have. I greatly thank the Missions Commission of The Chapel for its vision of impacting Russia.

Going along with each of us will be another person from The Chapel. Will you pray for all of us in asking God:

• To use us mightily as we teach and preach.

• For safety for us as well as for our families while we are away.

• For understanding for the 25 to 30 Russian pastors who will attend.

• For great spiritual blessing to be bestowed upon The Chapel in North Canton and Faith Bible Church as a result of ourwillingness to support this institute.

Those going to Russia and the dates scheduled are:

• September 20 - October 6, 2001:  Pastor Mike McCartney and his wife, Bettye.

• October 4 - 20: Pastor Larry Bennett and Dave Phelps

• November 1 - 17: Clyde and Nancy Caes

• November 29 - December 15: Pastor Happy Peterson and his wife, Erin.

• January 10 - 26: Pastor James Robertson and Tom Maurer

• May 13 - 24, 2002: Pastor Mike McCartney

• May 27 - 31, 2002: Ed Cox
  

Other upcoming events in The Chapel's Missions Program include:

• September 2: Comissioning of Ed & Linda Cox as they return to Bulgaria to serve with Navigators. We have been blessed by having them home for two years.

• October 7: Charlie Spicer from Overseas Council will be preaching both services.

• October 14: Jeff & Julie Sanders, new missionaries going to the Phillipines with ABWE will be speaking in the Kindred Spirits & Joy Sowers ABFs.

• October 19 - 26: Pastor Slava Pleskach, Associate Pastor in Yaroslavl, and will be preaching both services on October 21. He will be accompanied by Alex Yusov, who was here with Pastor Dimitry two years ago.
  

Thank you for your prayers and support,

Pastor Larry Bennett