19
Sep '19
Ministry Spotlight – CABC Preschool
19
Sep '19
Ministry Spotlight: CABC Preschool
Ministry Chair Person(s): Miss Crystal Johnson, CABC Preschool Teacher and Miss Vicky Bange, CABC Preschool Aide
CABC Preschool has officially started back up again for the ninth year for the 2019-2020 school year! Miss Crystal and Miss Vicky are perhaps two of the best teachers a child could ever have (obviously not biased at all… but honestly, a little jealous I didn’t get to have them as my preschool teachers)!
CABC Preschool exists to meet the basic needs of each child to be loved and accepted and to affirm their uniqueness. It strives to encourage each child to grow at his/her own pace (physically, emotionally, socially, intellectually and spiritually), help them grow and develop in trustful and loving relationships and to provide a strong, solid foundation for further education. CABC Preschool not only provides a warm and loving educational environment for the children of CABC and our surrounding communities, but seeks to provide each child with various age-appropriate learning experiences as well as spiritual and Bible-based education.
And for anyone who thinks running a preschool for 3 and 4-year-olds is pretty easy and not very involved, please… continue reading.
Miss Crystal and Miss Vicky work year-round to prepare and implement each school year’s curriculum, work with CABC staff, pastors, edlers and deacons on all Preschool-related and CABC-related functions, communicate with the CABC Preschool board with updates, changes, challenges and successes, communicate with area public schools to know what is required for students going into Kindergarten and to implement those skills into the CABC Preschool curriculum, enroll new families to the program, communicate with parents, grandparents and other family members throughout the year and from year to year and then care for and educate children ages 3 through 5 for 2.5 hours per session (and for you math nerds there are a combined total of 7 sessions in a week for 3 and 4-year-olds).
All that to say, there is more than just fun and games taking place in CABC Preschool each week… but boy, can Miss Crystal and Miss Vicky make learning feel like all fun and games!
“I love my job because it is never boring, ” says Miss Crystal. “I never know from one moment to the next what might happen or be said. And I absolutely love this age because they are so new, fresh and innocent. I get to lay the foundation of education that will be with them for their entire lives. I get to teach them the basics that will be used day in and day out forever; like colors, shapes, writing their name, cutting, numbers, letters and so much more!”
And when the two of them are not teaching in preschool they can be found running VBS at CABC, volunteering at our Wednesday Night programs, teaching Sunday School, loving on babies in the CABC nursery and so much more.
If you are looking for a great preschool for your child(ren), there are still a few open afternoon spots in the 4-year-old classes and CABC Preschool enrolls year-round! If you are interested in getting involved with CABC Preschool, volunteers are always needed to be on-call should Miss Crystal or Miss Vicky be sick and unable to teach. Background clearances are required to volunteer in this capacity.
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29
Jul '19
Ministry Spotlight – Staff Relations
29
Jul '19
We are excited to kick off an new monthly series highlighting one of the many ministries and inner workings of CABC! This is a great way for you to learn more about the various ministries found right here at CABC and, if you’re really interested, how to get more involved. So lets get started!
Ministry Spotlight: Staff Relations
Ministry Chair Person(s): Bethanie Freeman
The Staff Relations Committee (SRC) at CABC can be summarized by two verses from scripture. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17) and “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). The purpose of SRC is to foster constructive communication between the Congregation and its pastoral leadership and staff employees. SRC works as a representative of the Congregation in matters relating to the professional and personal well being of all staff members and is an investment in our staff and therefore CABC’s long term ministry as a whole.
The goal of Staff Relations is to simply support and partner with each CABC staff member. Through encouragement, annual interviews, collective feedback, and team building/staff appreciation activities, SRC ensures that each staff members is able to fulfill both their personal and ministry goals and objectives. Each committee member serves as a representative to one or more staff members to pray for and encourage them throughout the year. The committee also help to provide staff with multiple team-building and appreciation activities throughout the year that.
SRC meets with staff every year to conduct evaluations and yearly interviews to help better meet the needs of the church and staff alike. SRC helps fill new or open positions as they become available and works alongside the Elder and Deacon boards and Finance committee throughout the year.
Or in the words of SRC chair, Bethanie Freeman, “I believe that CABC has an amazing staff. But part of keeping an amazing staff is forming a connection between the congregation, the leaders and the staff… which is the whole purpose of Staff Relations. We seek to support our staff in any way we can to make sure that we keep such wonderful people to lead our church.”
(And for the record, this staff member sure does appreciate that support and encouragement from SRC and the CABC church body as a whole!)
If you would like to be a part of this committee of caring, encouraging and accountable people, be sure to talk to Bethanie to learn even more! Tune in next month for another Ministry Spotlight!
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24
Jul '19
VBS Mission Trip 2019 #2
24
Jul '19
We are still here and still serving. I am writing this while the kids are hearing the Gospel message from our youth team. It is great knowing that this whole week Jesus can be changing lives, but specifically tonight they are getting to know who He is and what He did for them, for us! I know it is a message that many of us reading this blog have heard. On some level it can be the same old story, a piece we repeat from memory because we know we should. On the ground here we are also facing the depleted energy levels from our busy week. We could easily say, “I am tired…maybe I’ll share that message tomorrow.” It is always an option to wait, take the easy way, and pray that God will make the message heard from someone else. God is powerful enough to make the rocks cry out if we don’t, but that should spur us on to be the ones to share the message that I know He wants us to do.
In a sneak peak of the message I will be sharing on Sunday, I want to remind of us of time when Jesus was sad, worn out and tired. Jesus has been performing miracles, and at this point in Matthew 14 has just heard that John the baptist, His friend, has been beheaded. From an earthly perspective, it is time to get away. He deserves it. He needs a break. He wants to cash in on His bereavement/sick days. And yet lo and behold there are people coming to where they are. They are hungry and the tired disciples are giving Jesus the reasons why they should just move on. It is at this point in the life of Jesus that we see Him feed the 5000+.
What have you done when you thought you had nothing left? What do you think God has been trying to get you to do but your excuse has been that you were too tired, too worn out, too sad, too….? We will be looking at this passage from Matthew 14 and some of these questions on Sunday at CABC, but for now I hope we are all able to restle with them. Our team here, thought tired, is still making connections and building relationships with people. We have more to do, and so do you. Ready to jump in?
-Pastor Josh
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22
Jul '19
VBS Mission Trip 2019 #1
22
Jul '19
What to say? It is always the question I have when I come to the task of putting our experience into words. For those who may not know, our Youth Group has ventured out on our 4th VBS Mission Trip to Erie, PA. We kicked off our service yesterday by worshiping with two different congregations and kicking off a VBS program for the kids of Crossroads Community Baptist Church in Erie. Some of our group were very excited to see kids they got to know during past trips. Others were not totally sure what they signed themselves up for, but jumped in anyways. With close to 30 kids we were able to see familiar faces and get to know new ones.
The theme for our week is “ROAR.” In short, no matter what life brings us, God is good! These teens are stepping up, serving God’s kids, and making an impact in their lives for the kingdom. It is quite a privilege to watch our youth share their talents and faith with these kids along with seeing the kids get excited about God being good in their lives. This picture above gives you a small glimpse into the joy I get this week to watch God work in and through this generation!
There will be more pictures to come, more stories from the front, and more impact made as the week goes on. For now I just want to leave you with the verse I have challenged the teens with.
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:” – Philippians 2:5
Our impact on others for Jesus is so much greater when we have His mindset leading us. What do you need to do today to build your Jesus mindset?
-Pastor Josh
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30
Apr '19
National Day of Prayer
30
Apr '19
This Thursday, May 2 is the National Day of Prayer.
As Christians, we know that prayer is an incredible gift enabling us to talk to our Heavenly Father; as humans we know that prayer can sometimes be pushed aside as we get caught up in our busy days.
So this Thursday we are challenging and encouraging YOU to join us for intentional time devoted to prayer throughout the day.
Prayer prompts for our state, country and world will be posted via social media:
We invite you to stop by the church if you are available to spend some intentional time in peace, quiet, and before the feet of God. Our church pastors will also be available if you would like someone to pray with you or for you. The church will be open from 9:00am to 2:00pm in observance of the National Day of Prayer.
The National Day of Prayer organization will be live streaming at 7:30pm. Click here to view.
But no matter how you spend your day, we encourage you to take the extra moments to spend time before our mighty Lord and Savior, to remember his love and mercies, and to pray for those around you.
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What’s Your Legacy?
by Pastor Josh Trojak
I can be a sentimental man. I hold onto stuff longer than I should. One example of this are the t-shirts that I have received from the many different teams, musicals, groups, and trips of which I have been a part since high school. As growing up and growing out catches up to me, I am not able to fit into any of those shirts from high school, or sadly even college. However, I can’t part with these mementos of good times of many kinds.
Many years ago, my grandmother took my high school shirts and created a beautiful quilt to make my shirts, that were useless to me, become useful again. She later made one from my college shirts and this past Christmas my wife commissioned Heidi Bortner to turn our old camp shirts into a blanket as well. I hadn’t given these quilts much thought until we moved into our new house in Spring Grove just a couple of months ago. With new bedroom assignments and beds to go with them, we needed to use these blankets that I have acquired. That first blanket from high school is now one of the covers on my son’s bed to help keep him warm on our chilly nights.
I never would have thought the swimming or musical shirts I got while in school would someday help keep my kids warm. Judson finds the different patches of shirts interesting, but they simply don’t mean to him what they mean to me. What it made me think about is the legacy that those shirts have and the ability to adapt to a new purpose.
We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. (Psalm 78:4, NIV)
We don’t know what effect the works of our labors will have on the next generation. This view of the past affecting the present gives me more of a reminder to make sure I am investing in things that will have a lasting impact long after I am gone. I don’t want my kids just to know about my school adventures. Those blankets will eventually be thrown away. The legacy Jesus can have on their lives and the lives of those they share Him with will last forever. What legacy are you leaving behind?
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