Special Thanks

In just a few days, Senior Camp will begin at Camp Hickory Hills. We are looking forward to a great season of camping and for the ministry that our staff will be imparting. Before it even begins, I want to say thank you to everyone who makes it a great success.

Also, please join me in prayer for these events.

Camp Hickory Hills - Youth Camp Information

This year, we have begun sending email confirmations to those who listed a valid email address. Also, for your information, you may follow the Camp Hickory Hills website to find all updated information. 

For the Camp Hickory Hills Website:  CLICK HERE

For the Camp Hickory Hills BLOG:  CLICK HERE 

We trust this wil be helpful to you.

Death Notice - Bishop Howard Hunt

Per: Overseer: Fred Lawson:

Bishop Hunt passed away: Sunday, May 27, 2012

Sent: Tue, May 29, 2012 19:51:49 GMT+00:00
Subject: Bishop Howard Hunt's Obituary

Dear Pastor/Co-Worker:

The following is the funeral service arrangement and obituary of Bishop Howard Hunt:

Arrangements are under the direction of D. W. Swick Funeral Home.  1104 Harrisonville Ave.(Rt.139)
New Boston, Ohio 45662
Phone: 740-456-4133

The family will receive visitors on Wednesday from 6:00 until 9:00 p. m. at the New Boston Church of God of Prophecy.

The funeral service will be at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 31, 2012, at the New Boston Church of God of Prophecy, located in New Boston, Ohio.  Entombment will be at Memorial Burial Park with Military Graveside honors

Bishop Howard J. Hunt of Minford, Ohio, departed this life to be with his Lord at the age of 85, on May 27th, 2012, surrounded by his wife and children. Born May 24, 1927, in New Boston, Ohio, he was the son of the late Orville and Myrtle Stacy Hunt. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Jesse Johnson, Kathleen Payton, Georgia Lambert, Verna Gilley, Virginia Williams, one brother, Claude Copeland and a granddaughter, Malea Nicole Stewart. He was the last surviving member of his immediate family. Survivors include his faithful and loving wife of 65 years and 7 months, Anna Lucille Gardner Hunt. Two daughters, Deborah Elaine Stewart and husband, Bob of Pineville, West Virginia, and Lou Ann Hunt Leighty and husband Douglas of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. Four grandchildren, Kimberly Cline and husband, Steve of Pineville, West Virginia, Devon Leighty and wife, Jessica of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Sharaya Leighty and her fiancé Aaron Bond of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania and Logan Leighty of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. Three great grandchildren, Taylor Stewart , Benjamin and Garrett Bailey all of Pineville, West Virginia, one brother-in-law, Jack Williams, of Wheelersburg, Ohio, and a host of other family, friends and extended church family. He served in the United States Marine Corp during World War II. He was a graduate of Bible Training Institute. He worked for AK Wheelers Grocery and Detroit Steel before going into the Ministry. He joined the Church of God of Prophecy and began his ministry in 1949. He was ordained Bishop in the Church of God of Prophecy in 1963 while in Indiana. He served the church as a Youth Director, Youth Camp Director, District Overseer, State Secretary and Pastor. While serving as Pastor in Indianapolis, Indiana, he was named “Pastor of the year” in 1962. He was appointed as State overseer and served 29 years over 6 states including, Indiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan. He was honored to serve on the Question and Subject Committee of the Church for 16 years. To some people he was simply, Howard, to some he was daddy or poppa, to others he was PaPaw, he was also referred to as “Uncle Buddy”, but to anyone who ever had the privilege of meeting him, he was known as “ friend”. He was a very humble, kind and compassionate person who had a shepherd’s heart and preached the word of God and believed in all that the Bible and the Church stood for. He will be greatly missed by his wife and children, but to be absent from the body is to be present with Lord. Services will be 1:00 Thursday, May 31, 2012 at at the New Boston Church of God of Prophecy, located in New Boston, Ohio, with Bishop Ray Paul Payne officiating. Entombment will be at Memorial Burial Park with Military Graveside honors conducted by Wm.A. Baker, Post 363 and James Irwin, Post 622, American Legion. The family will receive visitors on Wednesday from 6:00 until 9:00pm at the Church. Pallbearers will be, Bob Stewart, Devon Leighty, Steve Cline, David Payton , Steve Williams, Roger Payton, and Honorary Pallbearer, Logan Leighty. The family would like to thank Hospice for their kindness and support during this time of loss and a special thank you to his nurse, Monica. Arrangements are under the direction of D. W. Swick Funeral Home of New Boston.

Sincerely;

Dr. Fred A. Lawson

Dr. Fred A. Lawson
Regional Presiding Bishop

Memorial Day 2012If you

Memorial Day is a Federal Holiday that was instituted after the war between the States (1861-1865) to honor fallen Union soldiers.  An interesting fact is that this is an idea that was "borrowed" from a Southern States tradition known as "decoration day."  A time when families would gather to decorate the graves of their loved ones, that was surrounded with the thoughts of "Homecoming" in the churches.

Over the last 150 plus years, it has become a day to remember and honor those who have fallen in combat operations from Shiloh to Fallujah.  From the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of Afghanistan, through Europe in World War 1 through Korea to Vietnam and smaller conflicts that history may have forgotten.  There are even those who have fallen in the service to our nation as CIA operatives whose identity is not named, but only marked by a star carved into the marble wall at their headquarters and with their name inscribed in a Moroccan goatskin bound book called the Book of Honor.

Americans have given their lives for the advancement of the cause of liberty and justice around the world.  Millions have been set free from tyrants, dictators and thugs who were often blood-thirsty and evil.  A legacy of honor and sacrifice is recorded in history books, which sadly enough, are being altered by revisionist historians who see capitalism as an intrinsic evil.

If this nation were to collapse, the horror that would be unleashed on the masses would be unbearable and generations of free peoples would suddenly be enslaved to the whims of dictators.  Technologies and advancements in science would come to a screeching halt and compassion would be a scarcely demonstrated commodity held only among the ruling classes.

Today, we have the ability to travel throughout our nation and cross county and state lines at will, we have the ability to gain an education, to disagree on everything from religion to politics and the choice to participate in the election of our leaders.  This Representative Republic has stood on the shoulders of free men and women who demand something better for succeeding generations...on the sacrifice of life and limb by the brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines and Coast Guard.  They left their homes, often giving up careers to serve with distinction in jungles, deserts, mountains and on the sea.

The amazing thing?  Only a very small percentage of our population actually serves in the Armed Forces of the United States of America, and I am proud to have been one of those who served.  I still believe in DUTY, HONOR and COUNTRY and that we are a nation that has a "rendezvous with destiny."  I am thankful that countless others do as well.  You live, love and die free because of of these brave Americans.

Not all have served in the heat of battle...they stood as a deterrent force as demonstrated by those who served in the Cold War of the last century.  They are just as honorable and deserved to be thanked as well.

So, on this Memorial Day when you go about your life, grilling, boating, swimming or fishing.  As you relax with your family, remember, it is possible because of these brave Americans.  You have the right to disagree with the government, face your accuser and secure your liberty against tyrants.Your rights to due process and to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is guaranteed by our founding documents, but those documents are secured by citizen soldiers.


We are not subjects of an earthly king and the colors of our flag are lowered to a mortal despot because
God has blessed America and God has kept us strong to be a force for good and a friend to the common man and woman in an evil world.

At at time when it seems popular to apologize for America, I prefer to speak up for the good men and women who have sacrificed their all, whether the war was popular or not.  When I pass the stars and stripes waving in the wind I will continue to salute it.  I will continue to stand at the National Anthem with my hand over my heart, I will continue to shake the hand of our troops when I see them and I will continue to thank them for their service.

When my generation of troops returned home there was no thanks, no parades and in some cases the brave men and women were shunned and disrespected instead of honored.  To that I can only say, NEVER AGAIN.

God bless our brave men and women...and

God bless America.  

Summer Youth Camps

In just a few days, the summer youth camping season will kick off!  We are expecting this to be a wonderful year for all of our campers, and our wonderful staff is ready to minister.  We are so thankful for all of the pastors and congregations who support the camping program in Tennessee.

Camp Hickory HIlls is a beautiful campus located at 955 Wilson Hollow Road just outside Dickson, Tennessee.

Debra and I look forward to seeing you there.

Prayer request for Wanda Allen

Debra and I spent much of the day today with the Allen Family (Pastor Sammy Allen and Wanda, and Kristina).  Sister Allen has surgery today and when we left, she was in recovery.  The Allens serve at our Erin, Tennessee church.

Please join us in prayer tonight.

What have you set your heart on?

Every morning, I go to my computer to check email.  Some days, the messages are in the hundreds, and today is not exception.  Today was a little different, for I noticed a pattern in my inbox that I have not really paid attention to before.  No, not the amount of spam, in reality the junk filter in my Apple mail program catches most of that, so I am not reading daily about special offers for everything from 'As seen on TV' to medications that I dont need or desire.  But today I noticed a different pattern.

Now  you would think someone with a law enforcement background and a trained accountant would have picked up on this trend sooner, after all, much of the work in both of those sciences requires careful examination of ledgers and cancelled checks or long nights of surveillance, always ready to act the moment something incorrect is discovered.

Today, it was the plethora of articles from online Christian magazines, bloggers and forwards from my friends.  Most of them had one thing in common, they were all "trendy" and filled with postmodern philosophy.  These articles and blog posts all came from writers who identified themselves as "experts" on ministry and the life of Christian leaders.  I noticed something else...in all of them, the man or woman in ministry is pretty much a victim.  A victim of angry congregations, overbearing denominational leaders and local church boards with no spiritual vision.

Just like a good investigator or auditor would do, I began to dig a little deeper into the credentials and resume's of the writers.  I found that most of these "church consultants" had good educations, some from highly regarded colleges and universities, but they had very little, if any actual ministry experience.  Reading further, you would find that a lot of the references and stories they share are second-hand and often unverifiable.

Next I paid closer attention to the content.  The headlines of the articles are catchy, after all, you need a good "hook" to grab peoples attention, a technique learned from the marketing world.  Yet, it is after the hook that you begin to understand.  By the time you are finished, you might notice the article is written in a style that I call "ice-cream sandwich."  You start with a funny story or a good thought, then you move into the body of the story and then end with an often upbeat ending that appeals more to emotion than it does to spiritual growth.  I don't guess there is anything inherently evil with that style, especially if the "good stuff" is in the middle, but that is not always the case.

What I continue to find is that pastors and other ministers are painted as victims.  They are painted as a group of people who live their lives hurting, lonely, uncared for and pawns at the hands of other Christians.  Are there ministers who are hurting, lonely and lacking pastoral care?  Of course there are, but I cannot honestly say that most ministers I know personally are NOT like that.  They are not angry, hurting, lonely and tired.  In fact, most have victory in their lives and they are seeing spiritual growth in their congregations and around their ministries.

Do they have hard times?  Absolutely!  Are they at times mistreated?  You better believe it!  Do some quit?  Yes, but more stay in there and keep believing the Lord for changed lives, healed marriages, emotional bondage lifted as they focus on the end of the race, not just the race itself.

I often hear the stories of young ministers who don't want to enter the ministry because of all the horror stories they hear.  In some way, I can't help but believe that God will hold people accountable for giving such a negative picture of ministry for the sake of subscriptions sales, advertising dollars and a paycheck at the end of the week.  There is more to ministry than the picture they often paint.

So, what are the conclusions of my thoughts on this?  First of all, there is no conclusion to it, it is a sad part of the human nature that we focus more on failure than success, more on loss than gain, and more on this life than the eternal one we have gained.

In the past week I have attended or participated in some way in the funerals of three saints of God.  All of them who have "ran their race and finished their course and kept the faith."(2 Timothy 4:7)  No, they may not have been wealthy or well-known in the current world, but you can be assured they enter heaven with victory, applauded by that great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1-2)

So, the next time you find yourself reading ministry tips from these "alleged" experts, remember there is a more realistic, eternal source you can turn to for advice on how to pastor a church, lead a ministry or fulfill your obligation to be salt and light in this present world. (Matthew 5:13)  It's called the "Bible."  (Hebrews 4:12)  If you read it daily, if you walk the road it points you to, you will not find life easy, but you will have eternal hope, and a sense of victory in your life.

Instead of believing the prevailing philosophy that you are a failure if there are not large numbers in your ministry or the church you pastor, think about the man who was walking along the seashore.  He was throwing starfish back into the ocean one at a time.  A casual observer watched this man throw the starfish  back into the ocean, and continued his actions although the beach was littered with thousands of them.  The observer said to the rescuer of the starfish, "what are you doing, can't you see you aren't making a difference?"  As he threw yet another starfish into the ocean, the rescuer held it up and said, "I am making a difference to THIS ONE."

Stop wallowing in sorrow.  Pick yourself up preacher...dust yourself off Christian...get up out of your pity party, you ARE making a difference.  Set your heart and affections on the things on high (Colossians 3:2) and watch as God brings peace and victory, and one day you will hear Him say, "well done, good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21)

YOU CAN DO IT!

Prayers for our folks..

I just arrived at the office after attending the funeral of Ronnie Wayne Inman at the Trenton, Tennessee church in Western Tennessee.  His son, our pastor at the Lennox church, Pastor Craig Inman did a wonderful job of organizing and presiding over the funeral services, and our pastor at the Camden, Tennessee church, Pastor Troy Redmond delivered the message.

I was so please to see so many of our pastors in attendance at the funeral services and the visitation services last night.  The Trenton church was filled with compassionate people showing their love and respect for Brother Inman.

Before heading west for this funeral, I was in Cleveland for the funeral services for Sister Inez Biggers.  it was a great turnout and the service was conducted by our Pastor at Keith Street, John A Stone and Retired Minister, Bishop Gene Davis.  

From Cleveland, it was on to Clarksville, Tennessee for the funeral for Retired Minister Andy Sykes.  Again, to see our pastors supporting each other is a real blessing.  I was privileged to meet Pastor Ronnie Case, the Chaplain for the nursing facility where Brother Sykes has been, and pastor of a large Baptist church in South Pittsburg, Tennessee.

In between these two events, I conducted meetings with pastors and received a minister from another organization into membership in the Church of God of Prophecy.  I am so blessed to spend my life working for the Lord and His people.

We have people hurting all around us in need of a touch from the Lord and needing the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  I am asking you to join me in prayer for a special touch from on high.  God bless.

Death Notice - Ronnie Wayne Inman

I am saddened to report the passing of Ronnie Wayne Inman (Age 58), one of our church members at Trenton, Tennessee.  Ronnie is the father of our Pastor at the Lennox Church, Brother Craig Inman.

Funeral services for Mr. Ronnie Wayne “Squirrel” Inman, 58, will be held at 2pm Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at the Church of God of Prophecy in Trenton, TN with Rev. Troy Redmond officiating. Burial will follow in Walnut Grove Cemetery.

Mr. Inman wished to be remembered as a loving father, son, and brother, but most of all as a lover of Jesus Christ, his Lord.  Mr. Inman was a member of the Church of God of Prophecy in Trenton, TN, and a former employee of Van Dyke Tile and Terrazzo Co. and Emerson Motor Co., he passed away Saturday, May 19, 2012 at Jackson Madison County General Hospital.
 
He is survived by his son, Steven Craig Inman and wife Michelle; daughter Christy Leigh Holloway and husband Joe; two grandsons, Jacob David Holloway and Brandon Lee Holloway; a grand puppy, Lil Lady; four brothers, James Inman, Roy Inman, David Inman, and Cheryle Inman; and seven sisters, Freeda Crocker, Lennie Day, Mary Quinton, Barbara Gamble, Gail Pillow, Rose Woods, and Francis Adcock.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dewey Monroe Inman and Fannie Mae McGee Inman; two brothers, T. C. Inman and Ira “Son” Inman; and a sister, Billie Harper.
 
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 from 5pm until 8pm at Shelton Funeral Home and on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 from 10am until service time at the Church of God of Prophecy.

Death Notice - Bishop Lee "Andy" Sykes

Lee Anderson "Andy" Sykes, 81, of South Pittsburgh, Tennessee and formerly of Palmyra, passed away Saturday, May 19, 2012.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, May 21, 2012 at the chapel of McReynolds-Nave & Larson Funeral Home.

Burial will follow in the Baggett's Chapel Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the hour of service Monday at the funeral home.

Andy was born October 17, 1930, son of the late Rodney Lee and Susan Ruth Shelton Sykes. He was a retired from General Motors, served the Lord as a minister, and was a member of Erin Church of God of Prophecy.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth Hodges Sykes of South Pittsburgh, sons David Sykes of McMinnville and Doyle Sykes of Hendersonville, sisters Helen Ellarson and her husband Johnny of Clarksville and Christine Oteney of Michigan, seven grandchildren and several great grandchildren.

Grandchildren will serve as pallbearers.

Arrangements in the care of McReynolds-Nave & Larson Funeral Home, (931)647-3371. Online condolences may be made at NaveFuneralHomes.com.