Thanks For The Encouragement
I don’t even remember who this was from, but I do remember taking a screenshot and saving it. So, for whoever sent this originally, thank you for the encouragement. Sometimes we forget others need to hear that we appreciate them and what they do.
Who could you encourage and thank today?
Who have you overlooked?
Thanks, again. Whoever you were!
More Than Enough
The Middle School auditorium where we meet as ChurchForFamily on Sunday mornings is not known for it’s great acoustics. Tim Stytle (our Mastor Mixer Guy) does an amazing job bringing the qualities of our worship team alive. That said, it’s a rare Sunday when you can actually hear everyone in the congregation singing. Voices easily evaporate.
This past Sunday morning though, something happened and it all just worked. More Than Enough
Paul’s Pic for News Letter
Pardon this intrusion but I’m trying to upload a new pic for the CFF newsletter.
JOY…really, Joy. (Praising God that you are safe!)
Let me ask you a question: What do you do when you get the wind knocked out of you? I don’t mean physically, I mean, what do you do when life hits you hard and you feel like you can’t breath; you can’t go on?
That’s what has happened to a lot of us, hasn’t it? Life is going along pretty good and then wham! We’re broadsided.
Last Tuesday I was on my way to the University Library where I spend my study day when my phone rang. It was my daughter Joy and I was excited to hear what she had to tell me about her school classes and her next photo project. But when I answered the first thing she said was, “Dad, I want you to know that I’m OK, everything’s fine.”
In that moment – well, first I had to pull the car over to the side of the road – but in that moment my thoughts went from Joy in the hospital to something wrong with Terrie to what about the other kids – I must have inventoried my entire life and relationships in about 1 second, “Dad, I want you to know that I’m OK, everything’s fine.”
Well, it wasn’t fine with me! If you want to scare the beejebbers out of someone – start your conversation with “I want you to know that I’m OK, everything’s fine!”
Well, Joy was fine, but her car wasn’t. As she pulled out of her parking space Tuesday morning a speeding car hit the front of her car. A second or two more and the car would have hit her door and only God knows what might have happened to her, but she was fine. Can’t say as much for the car, but that’s what insurance is for.
A moment or two earlier and it was just another morning, the beginning of another day – and then – wham! – Didn’t see that coming!
That’s what has happened to a lot of us, hasn’t it? Life is going along pretty good and then wham! We’re broadsided.
It’s at times like that when we need JOY, the settled confidence that God is in control and we can take pleasure in Him because of that. JOY is inside assurance displayed in outside praise. JOY is taking pleasure in God and His control of our lives.
Car wrecks, train wrecks, or just a wrecked day – God is in control and we can take pleasure in both His protection and His control.
got CHRISTmas?
CHRISTmas or chrismas?
“got CHRISTmas?” is now in print. It’s only 46 pages, but contains the full text of ChurchForFamily’s five Advent service talks for 2011. This is our first attempt at packaging a series in advance of actually presenting it. I’m excited about discovering together the character of Jesus Christ.
A while back several of us were talking and someone said, “It’s not Christmas without Christ.” Yeah, I know we’ve heard that before, but think about it, we even pronounce it “Merry CHRISmas” don’t we. If we’re honest we often leave Christ out of our Christmas thoughts, shopping, events and wishes.
This year my prayer for all of us is that we really do find that we “got CHRISTmas!”
Pastor Verlyn R Newell 1934 – 2011
Verlyn R Newell. Dad & Pastor
My earliest memory of my Dad was praying with me in front of the church auditorium at Banner Baptist Church. My fondest memory of Dad is sitting on his lap, praying with me as I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
I have no memories of my Father that do not include church in some way. Dad lived his life for God, his wife and kids and those who called him Pastor. Though Dad loved to work in the yard, fish, and be with his boys, he loved being a Pastor most of all. I loved watching Dad “pastor”, though, in the process he worked David and I close to death weeding the church property, waxing the floors and making us “run up to the church to turn off the lights”.
Dad taught me how to be a father and pastor. What I know about serving others I learned from Dad. What I learned about loving others I learned from Dad.
Dad had confidence in people. He seldom gave advice, even when asked. He would always simply say, “What do you think you should do?” and then give you the sense of confidence that you could.
My faith, ministry and sense of humor are the legacy that Dad has left me.
Thank you, David, for staying physically close to Dad.
Thank you, Betty, for giving Dad a second life.
Thank you, God, for giving me a great Dad, mentor, and hero.
Verlyn R. Newell
1934 – 2011
Verlyn Ray Newell was born June 13, 1934, the fourth child of five, to the parents of Gerald and Alma Newell on a farm just south of Olivet, South Dakota. After graduation from High School in 1953, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served in Philippines as a member of the Air Force Security Service during the Korea Conflict.
It was during his tenure in the Philippians that Verlyn met Baptist Bible Fellowship missionary L.D. Woosley . Under Rev Woosley’s influence, Verlyn committed his life to full time ministry, specifically as a missionary to the Philippine Islands.
Returning from the Islands, Verlyn was stationed at San Antonio, Texas where he met Margret Schupp who became his wife. Margaret had just graduated of the Baptist Bible Collage, Springfield, Missouri, where Verlyn planned to prepare for the Gospel ministry. Margaret had also prepared for the mission field and Verlyn always joked that he married Margaret for her books and college notes.
After graduation Verlyn assumed the pastorate of Banner Baptist Church, in San Antonio, Texas. Subsequently, they applied to become missionaries through the Baptist Bible Fellowship International. They were approved and began their deputation (fundraising for their work in the Philippines). It was during their deputation that Margaret entered the hospital and was diagnosed to have Lupus and the possibility that she would only life another two weeks. As Verlyn shared, “The door to my life and the mission field slammed firmly closed. But God is faithful and Margaret lived on for more than thirty years serving beside me and though she suffered with various medical issues due to the Lupus, she never complained.”
The mission field being the world, Verlyn simply changed fields, to the United States which brought them to California for a short stint as Associate Pastor in Whittier, CA and subsequently to a 15 year ministry as Pastor of Planz Road Baptist Church (now McKee Road Baptist) of Bakersfield, California. He then served as Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Vallejo, CA for thirty-seven years until his retirement and death of his wife, Margaret.
During their years of ministry God gave Verlyn and Margaret two children, David Ray Newell of Napa, CA and Pastor Paul Wayne Newell of Yucaipa, CA.
A year after Margret’s passing Verlyn married Betty Strach of Cobb, CA. Again in his own words, “I met a beautiful blond lady named Betty while visiting my son Paul’s church in Lakeport, CA. We were married shortly after we met. Betty is my “trophy wife” and she has brought joy back into my life”. Verlyn talked often about his motorcycle rides with Betty and the adventures she led him on during their years together.
Verlyn Ray Newell passed from this life on April 12th at his home on Cobb Mountain, CA. He was seventy-seven years old. He was doing what he loved, working on his property. He was with the one he loved, Betty. He asked that the following be read upon his graduation to heaven:
“God has abundantly blessed my life. Farwell, ‘til we meet in heaven”.
Surviving Relatives:
Wife: Betty Strach
Son: David R Newell & Beverly
Grandchildren: Michael & Jennifer
Son: Paul W Newell & Terrie
Grandchildren: Benjamin, Promise Anne, Joylyn, Marilyn
GrandPuppy: Wee’l
Me & Dad
Out of his league…
"Outta My League!"
‘Cause obviously,
She’s out of my league
But how can I win
She keeps draggin’ me in and
I know I never will be good enough for her.
- McFly “Obviously”
Just wondering how many times this has happened to you? Poor Wee’l did his best to court Coda (90% wolf by the way) and all she-wolf would do is push Wee’l (aka Pepper) away with her nose.
I’m glad that the one girl who was “outta my league” (Terrie Trent) showed compassion on me twenty-eight years ago. She’s still outta my league, but she loves me just the same.
Can’t say the same thing for poor Wee’l.
Do Be Doing (not a song)
"I felt like a human being instead of a human doing."
“I felt like a human being instead of a human doing.”
- Sage Cohen, The Productive Writer
I’m in “pre-writing” mode. Actually I’m writing just about every day, but I’m in pre-book writing mode and that means consuming several books on writing in great anticipation of actually writing something that someone might what to read. And that’s how I came upon the above quote.
Now that it’s the New Year (arbitrary as it all is), most of us have taken the time to create brand new or “new and improved” TODO lists. Some of us have gone so far as to purchase TODO apps. [http://www.toodledo.com - by the way is a must!) Now we are all in TO DO MODE and focusing on our various projects, goals, resolutions, etc.
With all of those lists and activities though, here’s what I’m thinking: Am I doing the things that are improving my being. A lot of our aspirations get in the way of our simply being what we desire to be – or more importantly what God desires us to be.
I could go on, but what about this? … “So you also are complete in Him (Christ)…” Colossians 2:9 The stuff we desire will not make us better as far as Christ is concerned, but by doing what Christ purposes us to do and seeking things that will honor Christ we get to experience Christ’s completeness in us now. What I do should help me be – or at least show Christ’s being in me.
Do Be Doing, 0r should that be – BE DOING BEING?
A HAPPY NEWell Year
December 26, 2010
I have a professional video-grapher, professional photographer and a creative director of a fashion magazine in my family – you’d think getting a family portrait would be a piece of cake – not! Getting everyone in the same location, color coordinated, and in the right frame of mind for a group photo (let alone deciding which is the best shot) is nearly impossible. After two years we made it. “Made it” included traveling to the outskirts of Calimesa/Yucaipa, hiking to the end of a muddy trail with a stool and a blue chair, waiting while someone went back to the car and drove home because of course something had been left behind, deciding what direction to face, who would stand and sit where, how to get everyone in the shot and actually take the picture at the same time – and smile naturally. We made it.
Life in the Newell family is becoming more and more like what I just mentioned. It’s exciting to see our children – strike that – our adults grow and go in their various directions. It’s also sad. Terrie and I will never again get to see what we have seen. We’ve seen little dependent infants grow in to capable adults who now tell us where to stand, how to smile and which is the right direction.
Nice picture! God is good.
Advent, what?
Crazy about Christmas
Advent what? We began ChurchForFamily.com’s Advent Celebration this past Sunday. I was thankful that all of the decor, props, events – and especially families – all came together for a great morning together. One of my favorite parts of our Christmas season is having different families introduce each week’s theme, light our Advent candle and lead in prayer. It’s always a sweat time.
It’s funny to me that so many people have no idea what Advent is. Advent is the four week celebration/anticipation of the Coming of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus Christ came over 2000 years ago as a babe in a manger, but He has promised to come again as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Isaiah 9:6 will have it’s fulfillment and Christ’s followers will spent eternity in His physical presence! Can’t wait!
Personally, the Advent Season is an opportunity to focus on my family from a little different perspective that the rest of the year. We plan holiday events and think about each others desires in ways we don’t during the other months.
My prayer for you, dear reader, is that you will enjoy and anticipate Christ’s Advent this season.
