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I Am a Child of God

Posted on Mar 8, 2019 by admin in 2019 Lenten Devotional |

by Greg Gross

Hi, my name is Greg. In the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, I say my name is Greg and I am an alcoholic. But that does not define who I am—I am a child of God.

I made the choice to put alcohol and drugs in my body, starting when I was 14 in the early 70’s. After getting out of high school by the skin of my teeth, I worked for my Dad and my Grandpa at Lauer & Gross in West York.

In that dark life of drinking and drugging, my body was breaking down. I thought if I could find a female, I would change. I found “the one” on a job in Dover. My love went to her instead of alcohol and drugs. It didn’t take long to marry her and have a kid on the way.

After my dad passed away, I started to drink again and we sold the store in West York. I got another job at Pfaltzgraff in Dover and I started drugs again. At the new job, I was the main operator in the kiln area and a coworker gave me a pill to help keep me going. After one accident, I was moved into a loader/unloader position. This was a second shift job and it was the party shift. I had a second accident and I had to go for a drug and alcohol test.

That is when I found the rooms of AA. That was January 3, 1994. I am now 25 years clean and sober. My wife and I had our ups and downs, but we always stayed together. On July 31, 2018, at 5:10 in the morning, she passed away from cancer. I lived in the hospital with her until the end. She was my first and only love.

I could not have gotten through my addiction and the loss of Leisa without Jesus. And He is still getting me through it. After coming to CABC in 2014, I found a strong love for Jesus. When I was baptized by Pastor Todd, he gave me a verse:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your path straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Because I am a child of God, I know that I am forgiven and my sins are gone and I am white as snow. Anyone that comes to Jesus can be the same.There is hope!

God Winks

Posted on Mar 7, 2019 by admin in 2019 Lenten Devotional |

by Janet Coddington

As I was pondering what to write about for this year’s devotional, I felt the Lord telling me to share some of the times I felt Him speaking to me through different ways.

One time is very vivid in my mind. Pastor and I were being interviewed for a new pastorate; it was a whole morning of questions and a break in the afternoon and then dinner with the congregation that evening and ending with Bob preaching the following morning. Well, after the questions in the morning, we were given the afternoon on our own. We went to a nearby McDondald’s and sat down with our lunch. After praying for the food, we started discussing the morning’s events and all the concerns we had. The big question was, there was no parsonage…which meant we would either have to buy a home or rent. Could we afford this??? As we were talking, a little wren flew down beside our window and from SOMEWHERE a piece of bread fell beside the bird, which he quickly ate!! I BELIEVE IT WAS GOD; yep, a “God Wink”, telling us everything would work out.

What happened after that? God was saving us a home just three houses away from the church! And that is not all. The lady who was selling the home had had it on the market for a long time and she really wanted to sell. She went to a meeting that night and was asked if she had any prayer requests. She remarked that she wanted to sell her house. Well, you can imagine her surprise when she got home and heard our realtor telling her of our offer. I truly believe God had that all planned.

Another time is so vivid in my mind. I had been struggling with depression and anxiety for days. One Sunday while heading to church, on the Hanover Brands marquee, there was this sign:

Some One Knows Some One Cares Some One Whispered Your Name in Prayer

What do you think? A God Wink?? These are only two of the many, many times I believe God has sent me winks. What about you? Watch for your “God Winks” every day.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry. (Psalm 34:15)

Dear Heavenly Father, please help us each day to see the many “God Winks” you give us. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

Don’t Let Your Paintbrush Get Dry

Posted on Mar 6, 2019 by admin in 2019 Lenten Devotional |

by Barry Myers

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? (Matthew 5:43-48)

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

Those words, “don’t let your paintbrush get dry!” were spoken to me in anger years ago, by someone that I did not like. I was in my mid-20s and an infant Christian. I was unmarried and had purchased my first home. To help with household bills, I invited a friend of mine, Ed, to move in. Shortly afterward, Ed began dating Sue (not their real names). At first she was pleasant, but it soon became apparent that these two as a couple were like mixing fire with gasoline; it was a very volatile relationship.

As time passed, the fights began to take place on the property or in the house when I wasn’t present. The evidence of damage made it clear. Even after Sue took a baseball bat to the fenders of Ed’s VW bug, they continued the relationship.

One day Sue showed up on a Saturday when Ed was not home; I was outside painting. I said very few words to her, remaining focused on my work. She wanted to talk and I made it obvious that I did not. As she quickly turned on her heels to leave she said angrily, “Well, don’t let your paintbrush get dry!”

God burned those words into my memory to teach me a necessary lesson. Had I offered a sympathetic ear and put her needs above my own concerns, perhaps God could have changed the course for her that day. It was a missed opportunity to be Christ for someone that was hurting.

Every day I now pray that I will be a light to those people I meet. I pray that the way I speak and act will ultimately be a reflection of God’s compassionate love.

Jun '18

Annual Report

Posted on Jun 10, 2018 by admin in General |

Jun '18

Annual Report – 2017-2018

As we look forward to the year ahead for CABC, it is good to look back and see what God has done in our family. Download this past year’s Annual Report to see a glimpse of what happened.

Annual Report 17-18

CABC Annual Meeting is June 24th, 6:30pm

May '18

2018 Graduates

Posted on May 20, 2018 by admin in General |

May '18

On Sunday, May 20th, we recognized the graduates from our CABC family.

Congratulations to the Class of 2018.

University Graduates:

Jordan Hisey — Penn State York — May 4, 2018
Earned Degree in Social Work
Plans are: Financial Advisor with Prudential

Amy Myers — Millersville University — May 11, 2018
Plans are: Nurse Practitioner

Jonathan Schumacher — West Chester University — May 13, 2018
Plans are: Pursuing Master’s Degree in Communication at West Chester

Damian Walters — Lancaster Bible College — May 11, 2018
Plans are: Doing the will of God; then starting a men’s ministry for those who are broken and down and out—offering housing and job training in the trades

High School Graduates:

Zach Hisey — Spring Grove High School — June 1, 2018
Plans are: Penn State University — Pursuing Degree in Chemical Engineering

Tyler Lepley — Dover High School — June 2, 2018
Plans are: Majoring in Landscaping, Lawn, Groundskeeper Management

Jonah Miller — Dallastown Area High School — June 8, 2018
Plans are: Slippery Rock University — Majoring in Marketing and playing football

Tori Weaver — Spring Grove High School — June 1, 2018
Plans are: Bethany Global University — Missionary School — Studying Intercultural Ministry and Bible Studies. For sixteen months, I will be on a mission trip as part of the curriculum

Miriam Kay Worley — Home School — March 20, 2018
Plans are: Continue working at Jim & Nena’s in Spring Grove (I love it). I’m also interested in missions and would like to continue that journey, as well.

CABC Preschool Graduates:

Savannah Nicole Bair

Zephaniah Gregory Barshinger

Egypt Elijah Boykin

David Michael Carbaugh

Mark Robert Enslen

Sage Olivia Freed

Jose Alejandro Gonzalez

Bentley Orion Hill

Westin James Laughman

Kane Michael Markle

Liam Jonas Martin

Ky-Mani Lee Melbourne

Autumn Grace Pallone

Liam Xavier Pichardo

Nylah Phoebe Robertson

Eliana Elizabeth Sanders

Addison Olivia Seibert

Judson Turner Trojak

Mar '18

Victory!

Posted on Mar 31, 2018 by admin in 2018 Lenten Devotional |

Mar '18

As a good staff member, I wrote my devotionals after the due date. So I had the pleasure of watching the Eagles battle to win their first every Super Bowl trophy. Many had come to talk about the clash between the Eagles and the Patriots as a “David vs. Goliath” game. And boy was it a battle to the very end. I enjoy watching football games that are back and forth, down to the wire, and where the last play could change everything. That kind of competition is fun to witness. (Especially when the team I am rooting for wins!)

Another comparison was to “Rocky vs. Apollo Creed.” Great movie. This movie had the underdog vs. the experienced in which the first meeting Rocky just couldn’t do it. But he battles back to take the victory over his opponent eventually. This underdog story line is one that we love to see. I mean seriously, unless you are a fan of the giant, we like to see the little guy win. Even in life we like to see the small business succeed over the monopoly. We like to see the unlikely, picked on kid become something greater than their detractors might have guessed. It is an ideal that anybody can beat anything they put their mind to; no matter how big or far fetched the obstacle might be.

This underdog mentality and the search for that elusive Victory always brings me back to the story of Jesus. The Israelites were searching and waiting for their messiah, their king, to come and win the battle and be victorious over their Roman oppressors. They were the underdogs and wanted saved. The hoped for this even longer than Eagle fans have been hoping for a Lombardi trophy. Yet, Jesus didn’t come back as the conquering king they had hoped for. He came in an unassuming way as a child, walked the earth in a way that was not like royalty, and willing submitted to death on the cross for the people He came to save. This was not the ending they had hoped for. From their perspective Jesus lost the battle.

But we have the knowledge to know the story didn’t stop there. That defeated underdog wasn’t really and underdog at all. He had control the whole time. Yes, he willing submitted to death on the cross, but only so that he could have the Victory over sin and death in a way no one else could. He rose from the dead on the third day. And in doing so, saved us from defeat we all had coming at the end of our lives. It is because of His Victory that we have victory too. We aren’t just spectators watching someone else get the trophy. If we choose to believe and follow him we share that victory with Him.

I enjoy a hard fought football game. I enjoy good movies like Rocky. Because of my enjoyment in those things I like to talk about them. I couldn’t hold in my excitement when the Eagles won the game. But my final challenge is taken from the many of the players and coaches of that team. They just won the highest achievement in the NFL and yet the first things out of many of their mouths on national television was a gratefulness and thankful heart towards their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our earthly victories are great, but our focus is out of whack if we are not putting our heavenly victory first. Jesus is far greater than any prize we could win on this earth. Do those around you know about Him? What can you do to change that?

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57

– Pastor Josh Trojak

Join us for Easter Sunday services at CABC tomorrow, April 1st at 8:30am & 10:15am. For you early risers, we also have a special sunrise service at 6:45am followed by breakfast before our normal worship services in the sanctuary. We hope to see you here!