Answered prayer!

For Maranatha's trip to Chester we have been invited to stay at Frederick Douglas Christian School -- a wonderful boon to be living in the city for our first week. However we needed three women to join our team as leaders. One will be with us full time, one can come in the evenings, but I suddenly realized we needed one more! So I have been praying...and God has been moving. Today I received a message "out of the blue" HA, from a godly woman in the congregation who offered to come with us. You know, these are the people who it is a joy to minsiter alongside!

Welcome to Elliot Oh!

From our friends Michael and Pearl in Japan (extracts of their message):

Elliot Jinju Oh Born: March 17, 2006 Weight: 7 pounds 11 ounces Height: 20 inches God smiles as He provides for us our fourth precious daughter who joins us as a missionary witness to the grace of God here in this unreached land of Japan.

“The End of the Spear” ... is a movie about young missionaries who in the 1956 lost their lives for the sake of the Gospel among a violent people in Ecuador who had never heard the Gospel. They were gifted, smart, and godly young Christians who heard a constant chorus of “Don’t go! We need you here in America!”, but as Jim Elliot, one of the five martyrs, wrote, “I dare not stay home while Quichuas perish. What if the well-filled church in the homeland needs stirring? They have the Scriptures, Moses, the Prophets, and a whole lot more.” Through the courageous wives of these men the Auca Indians came to know the love of Jesus Christ with even the manner of their husbands deaths serving as a wooing witness. [W]e need heroes like that. Jim and Elizabeth Elliot’s lives served to inspire Pearl and I in our journey to the mission field and in our Christian life. And so we’ve made the decision to name our daughter, Elliot Jinju Oh. “Elliot” with hope and prayer that she will life a life worth living – not in the world’s eyes but in God’s. Elliot also is another form of the name Elijah with the meaning the Lord is God. “Jinju” is as all of our daughters a Korean name. After Hannah’s (joy), Mikaela’s ( love) and Eowyn’s ( heaven) Korean names, many have been expecting “hope” or “faith”, but I’ve chosen in great love and admiration for my wife, “Jinju” which means in Korean, “Pearl”. There’s no other woman that I’d like her to resemble more in gifts and faith.

Michael, Pearl, Hannah, Mikaela, Eowyn & Elliot

Timmy has grown up!

Did you know this is Timothy Academy's 50th Anniversary? Bill Elliott, the headmaster, along with the board and faithful servant-staff have not only captured a vision for the school, but for education in the Name of Christ. By God's grace, their ideas and projects have been recognized and implemented in New Jersey as well as Pennsylvania Public Education.

Praise God for the faithfulness of the teachers and staff throughout these 50 years! Praise God for the vast effect the ministry has had in the community! Praise God for the many young worshippers of the next generation who will lead the Church in the future because of the excellent academic and spiritual foundation they have received from Timothy Academy!

...that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; Psalm 78:6-7 (ESV)

Happy Spring!

Okay. I like the longer days, but let's get the temperature up a bit. Happy Spring everyone!

Interesting job opening -- deadline soon!

Clerical Assistant position available in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Clerk’s Office.
Duties include assisting case managers with filing, copying records for counsel appointments, lifting heavy boxes, scanning documents for electronic transmission, and handling other assigned case management. High school graduate with two yrs. General office experience required. College degree may be substituted for experience. Computer literacy, good communication and typing skills are essential. Legal experience, Windows/Word Perfect familiarity preferred. All federal Judiciary benefits apply, along with coverage under the Leave Act, and federal holidays. Hiring is contingent on successful background check and proof of citizenship. Applicants should submit letter, résumé and references to:

THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
Office of the Circuit Executive Minister 22409 U.S. Courthouse
601 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

ATTN: Patricia Moore, Office Manager
Deadline: receipt by 03/24/06

What do you do in a day?

I've had an interesting time speaking to a pastor from central NJ regarding materials for pre-marital counseling (thank you, Cora for all of your great wisdom throughout the years), searching for material (and wisdom) to minister to a teen in chronic pain, trying to contact a brother for wisdom regarding a sticky situation of which he has experience (how wonderful to have friends in the Church!), rejoicing in a sister who just needed a "listening ear" (via internet) with some Biblical wisdom laced in the "conversation" (thank you Lord for the years of our walk together)... Where would we be without Scripture and the Tutor?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! Psalm 111:10 (ESV)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13 (ESV)

What is in a name?

While driving around Georgia this weekend, I saw a large building sporting a huge sign "CITN". When I was about a mile away the name came into view "Church in the Now". It got me thinking that since we are in this stragetic planning phase, should we consider something a bit more audacious for Tenth. We could keep our initials: Time's Pressing; Terrific Preaching; Timeless Precepts... (Told you I have random thoughts.)

"Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." Jim Elliott

Welcome to Hanniel!

We just had word from Danny and Attee that Hanniel was born this (very early) morning. So we have a new boy to enliven our fellowship. Congratulations to the proud parents.

On to more serious stuff...

Do you know what your spiritual gift/s is/are? Scripture says our Lord has given us gifts for the strengthening of the Church (1 Cor 12). So we should be aware of and sharpening our use of them in our lives. Maranatha missions team members take an "inventory" and then appraise if others have seen those gifts in that individual. For instance, once we had a jokester whose gift was administration. There was dead silence until someone said, "I don't see it in him." All concured with laughter until his knack of lining up listening ears for a joke was discerned as a part of his gift. But more than agree, we thought of ways he could use this gift to welcome people and spending time with children.

Jacob had the same problem. His name was "manipulator". Once sanctified, he became one "who wrestles with God." As with any gift, it may take time to figure it out -- you just need to start.

For those who are mad...about round ball

Okay. Who survived the DC and Minn. brackets? I was very impressed that our senior pastor got Wichita (he was the only one in our pool). Needless to say, I am drowning at the bottom of the pool. (Throw me a lifeline!)

I got to watch some of the games on Friday and Saturday. Does the playing seem a bit more intense this year? Or maybe it has to do with the fans who join you in watching it. Either way, if you enjoy BB, catch a few of the games. Cinderella is GM and Wichita. Go Nova.

Living it up

Some people have mentioned that Marion Clark is much more accomplished at posting early each day. This is true. I don't deny it. Could it be part of his reason for being away these two weeks?