Saturday, May 8th
1:00pm-10:00pm
Sedalia Center

space

(Hwy 122 halfway between Big Island and Bedford)

Admission = $10/person (12 and under free)

GREAT FOOD

Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, etc. will be available all day

A BODACIOUS BBQ with all the fixins’ available beginning at 4:30

LIVE MUSIC

Bluegrass, Classic Folk, and more…on stage…live!

LIVE AUCTION

Begins at 5:00pm…don’t be late!

MOTORCYCLE POKER RUN

Covering much of Central and Southside Virginia

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Camping will be available Friday and Saturday nights.  Those with campers can set up with full hook ups for $20 for one night or $30 for both nights.  Tent camping w/electricity is also open for $5/night.

For more information, call 434-299-5080 or email Rev. Bryon LePere.

It seems like everyone has a “list” or two around this time of year. Most of them center on what they want or think they want primarily from someone else. Yes, Christmas can be become a very me focused season for some folks. For this reason the perceived weight of those expectations falls heavily across some shoulders. Whether it is the “hot” toy their tot must have, the perfect dinner they must prepare, magazine cover decorations they have to match, multiple locations they must appear at or the ravishing look they just must pull off once there. For far too many the pressure they create for themselves added to the pressures others expectations bring becomes way too much. Oddly, during this sweet time of peace, love and joy each year we see the highest rates of those willing to flee the pressure by way of suicide.

Now you may be asking why I would want to sound so down on Christmas. Well, I truly am not. In our “me centered” performance driven lives it seems we simply struggle so hard at Christmas to give the perfect, look the perfect and be the perfect that we lose what Christmas is about. It is because each one of us is not perfect that we have this blessed day to celebrate in the first place. We all are a mess. We make things into a mess, even Christmas. God knew it and was willing to give His best to us when we were at our worst. From this gift of self sacrifice and forgiveness comes all that is worth having in the holiday. Family, friends, love, hope, compassion and faith all are the rich gifts extended to each one of us for free. If we will slow down and take time to see them there before us.

Sadly, our culture is hell bent on taking the expectation of salvation and a Savior out of this season. Any reference to Jesus is watered down, equivocated or simply rejected. Simply saying Merry Christmas at a retail store is a controlled and very measures marketing and political statement. We mess stuff up to much! It is far too easy to blame the A.C.L.U. or some group of mean spirited and overly litigious atheist, pagans or what have you. All of this is noise and smoke. Part of what is designed to blind and hide those gifts laid before our feet.

Do not let anyone or anything steal the joy of this season from you. Do not allow your expectations or anyone else’s turn your holiday into a whirlwind of acts and actions. Slow down, sit by the tree with those you genuinely love and those that genuinely love you and just be genuine. Take some time away from the noise to feel the wonder of the greatest gift possible. Chuckle at the intolerant and let their clatter fade and fall away from your heart and spirit. Look for the lonely and hold out a hand full of generous and genuine warmth. Yours can be God’s hand of Grace and acceptance to someone feeling lost. Your hand can be a fist waving back in indignation at a wistful provocateur or your hand can just be a blur in a crowd hurried and harried by a season of expectations.

My prayer is that your hand will be alongside my families and mine. Lifted up in thanks, wonder and appreciation for giving what no one else could give. Jesus.

Who is your favorite person in the Christmas Story from the Bible?  Why?

Friends,

Below you will find Chris Brown’s message from today, October 11, 2009.  What a blessing to have Chris share with us from a familiar and powerful verse.  I pray that as you listen you will be reminded that in Christ we are offered:

A Wonderful Love, a Wonderful Gift, a Wonderful Faith, and a Wonderful Life.  May God bless you as you listen.

Download Chris’ message here:  You Can Have God’s Best – Chris Brown

Friends,

Women’s Day this year was a tremendous blessing.  We had four of our ladies share their story with us, and through that we were reminded of the goodness of God in the story of our lives.  Below, I’ve uploaded the testimonies of each person in an .mp3 format.  You can download each one and listen to it.  In addition, Alice Nichols gave me a copy of her testimony, and I have attached a link to read her testimony.  May you be blessed as you enter into this time of celebration and testimony!

Click on the name below to download their testimony in an audio (.mp3) format:

Alice Nichols

Click here to read Alice’s testimony.

Katie Wallace

Kaitlyn Plott

Annie LePere

Where is your Love Ya’ll: Tolerating the Intolerant

The standard accusatory and stinging cry flung in the face of Christians and other social traditionalists is that we must be tolerant, inclusive and accepting. A quick look at the recent eruptions around and vile attacks upon Carrie Prejean, Miss California 2009, and one must ask, “Where is your love Ya’ll”? (Ya’ll), being those demanding our kind consideration of beliefs other than our own.

Perez Hilton is not tolerant, inclusive nor accepting. Indeed, he is close-minded, vindictive and downright hateful. We must try to understand Perez. The poor soul seems a bit immature and glory-houndish. He would probably dry up and blow away without garnering extra attention one pouty tantrum at a time. We must endeavor to turn the other cheek and join Carrie Prejean in praying for him.

Add in the recent broadcast assault on corrupt pseudo-newsman Keith Olbermann’s MSNBC show by one Michael Musto, Gossip Columnist and mean-spirited hetro-phobe extraordinaire and again one must reach down deeply to turn that other cheek. However, as foul these folk’s failings, slanders and hypocritical cries are they are just a trap set by our true adversary to cause us to attack and not intercede.

The truth in love is what we are called to. We cannot allow these straw men to provoke us to anger and retribution. Still, we must also not retreat in fear from supporting our beliefs about life, love, marriage and God’s pivotal place in all these.

More of us need to stand up for marriage as a God centered covenant between one man and one woman. We need to do in openly and practice it as well. In our efforts, we walk on the water of truth in love or sink into the brine of hateful retort. All the while expecting to be slapped up side our head by those that hate our ability to pull it off as long as we keep our eyes on Jesus.

Carrie Prejean deserves our support and encouragement as she steps out of the boat onto the raging seas of social debate. More of us need to speak up and out, in love. It may be the only place most of these deceived souls find real love in their life.

In our willingness to insist on their tolerance, inclusiveness and acceptance, we do not offer a slap back. We offer a mirror that shows clearly what the hate looks like. As long as we hold it steadily, boldly and lovingly perhaps they will see and loath the ugly image they portray. Perhaps not but the world needs to see just who the haters really are. We have too much to loose not to reflect this truth and many others.

Blessings,

Mike Poff

In such a self-serving hedonistic time as ours how do folks make, manage and maintain a health marriage? Interestingly, this is one area where following Christ’s example might find us a bit stumped. Jesus never married. I do not care what Tom Hanks says. The apostle Paul was married back in his hometown of Tarsus. However, he could not even get his ministry going until both Tarsus and the wife were behind him. His advice basically on marriage was “if you don’t have to, don’t”.

Now we could lay out a good Christian comedy routine about here but marriage is not a joke, nor is divorce a laughing matter. Paul valued marriage but was committed to the ministry. It had to be his priority. He had learned that priorities mattered and will take us places. Indeed this is my first point. Marriage must be a priority that we are committed to in order to make it a trip worth taking.

I can hear you saying,”Well DUH Mike”! Just stick with me. Commitments are really about goals. This is where any couple can completely blow it. Trips can be nice but if we disagree on the destination, we have troubles. Too many couples, including the Christian ones, take off on their little train trip of life long love with rosy feeling, warm hearts and good intentions. Some soon find themselves disappointed and going back to the conductor because they did not have tickets to the same locale.
Goals, mutual goals must be in place if we are committed to reaching them. Having no mutual goals means, you have no real commitment. Mutual goals must also be more than wanting to have children and raising them from the same page but this is a good start. Sadly, you would be surprised how many folks even overlook this before signing the papers.

Here is my advice. Sit down together and talk about each others wants, needs, hopes and dreams. List them out, then begin to plan the short, middle, and long term plans to get to those relational destinations. In the effort, you will create mutual goals and mutual understanding. Even if the wants, hopes and dreams do not all come true. You will be fulfilling more than a few serious needs for a good and Godly marriage. Even if you do not like making lists JUST SIT DOWN AND TALK!

Take this advice and apply just half of what Jesus walked and talked about concerning, forgiveness, meekness, kindness and self-sacrifice. That is the example that will smooth out all of life’s travels. Then use those tickets for two on a trip well worth taking with a destination that is mutual and truly heavenly for those committed to getting there together.

Blessings,

Mike Poff

In just a few days of this writing, Pam and I will celebrate our 18th fruitful year of marriage. Indeed, eighteen most fruitful years it has been. Had anyone mentioned during our pre marital counseling that we would be having seven kids with a set of Quads in middle well, I would have been concerned. If they had went on to detail my being their at home dad we might not be having this discussion.

God’s ways, plans and timing are so often not working from our wish list. One thing I know however is His way, time and plan is perfect, and the only glitch is our acceptance and cooperation. Stuff happens, hard stuff, sad stuff, great stuff, unexpected stuff all fill and deplete our lives sails every day. Weather we fell tossed about by random gales or guided by a loving hand is our call.

Now 18 years may not sound like a lot to some folks. At our church every Sunday, we hear announcement about anniversaries. 30, 40, 50 even 60 years and beyond all met with great applause. Brethren and sisteren we are part of a set of generations where those numbers may be all but unheard of.

George Barna and Gallup both agree that the divorce rate for the churched and non-churched are about the same. In fact we church folk are a fraction of a percentage ahead in the number of marital breakups. Thank God for mercy and that margin of error thing!

Having grown up in a household rocked by three divorces I have seen the damage done. I have lived the restoration possible. I have made it my purpose to not recreate any of it. At your Pastor’s invitation, I would like to open up a dialog with you here.

I have a bit to share on what creates strength and commitment to grow in a marriage. In addition, I have an insight or two on how to make it work even with a load of little ones in the mix.

Anyone interested?

In His Love,

Mike Poff

“Not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit, says the Lord”

Simple and to the point…

What’s your favorite Bible verse?

Life was good, for me and those I loved.  I was young, happy, and full of hope for a bright tomorrow.  I had the job I wanted, the most loving wife, three amazing children, and a beautiful new home.  I had my health, and I was living my days to the fullest.  I was always on the go; whether I was at Northwind Stables working with horses, or traveling with my family, or riding the back roads along the river and the creeks.  The world wasn’t going to hold me down.  I had God too…He was right there…whenever I had time for Him.

As the leaves began to turn incredible shades of orange and red in October of 2006, I also noticed some incredible changes in my health.  However, these changes were not welcomed.  I started to have swelling in my feet and ankles, and I developed relentless leg pain.  As doctors began to run test after test, days and then weeks went by, and I wasn’t feeling better or getting any answers.  It was in March of 2007 that I stopped working, no longer able to take the pressure of being on my painful and swollen feet and legs all shift long.  Time kept going by, and tests kept being run, but no answers came as to why I was having so many health problems.  The summer arrived right on time in early June.  I wanted to be excited, and that included being outdoors with my family and friends.  But, the warm and humid days brought new troubles.  Simply breathing became a challenge for me, and I soon required  oxygen support and lost all ability to tolerate heat.  That same week I drove for the last time because I began to experience blackouts and was steadily losing sensation in my legs.  And despite these mounting complications I still didn’t know the cause of my illness.

I grew bitter with God, and held my feelings and emotions deep inside not wanting to share my agony with anyone.  I felt betrayed by God, wondering why He would allow me to face this mountain I could not climb.  I soon lost hope for that bright tomorrow that I had always found in days past.  I would have taken my life, but God stopped me.  God stopped me using a sweet, sweet angel.  It was through the words of my little girl that my heart broke and I let Jesus back in to my life after trying so hard to drive Him out.  You see, until I became so ill and broken, I had always told my little girl how much I loved her, and that Jesus loved her too!  One night I was sitting on the sofa in our family room watching TV and feeling sorry for myself.   My daughter walked over to me, crawled up onto my lap and whispered, “Jesus loves you Daddy” while her head laid on my chest.  It was then that I knew Jesus was sitting right next to me with His hand out waiting for me to take hold.  It was not Jesus that betrayed me, but I had betrayed Jesus.

It was that night that I changed course, and started handling my struggles God’s way again.  It was that night that Philippians 1:21 became my verse of hope and encouragement.  I realized that my suffering could never be bigger than God and His power.  Through faith and determination I pushed on.  I eventually identified my  disease, discovering that it is very hard to treat, and there is no cure.  But friends, I know now that this disease can’t beat me, because I have already won the battle through the love of Jesus.  How do you involve Jesus in your own personal struggles?  Is He in the middle of the battle guiding you to victory, or did you leave Him, tearful, on the hillside to watch you lose?