Gideon’s International Sunday - April 19, 2009
101 Years
of Hotel Bible Placement – and Still Going Strong! Last year
marked the 100th anniversary of Gideon Bible placement in hotels.
In 2007, Gideon’s distributed more than 1.1 million in the United
States and almost another 700,000 around the world. The vast majority
went to hotels and motels, where Gideon’s personally placed
them in each and every room.
Impact
of Hotel Bible Placements
Does anyone read that Gideon Bible in a hotel room? And if so, what
is the result? These are the two key questions related to hotel Bible
placements.
Regarding readership, hotel industry surveys have shown that 25% of
their travelers read the Bible in their hotel rooms. Couple this percentage
with recent Gideon estimates indicating that each Bible placed in
a hotel room has the potential to reach up to 2,300 people in its
six year lifetime.
Of even greater significance is how lives are changed through Gideon
hotel Bibles. Here are a few of the many testimonies received by Gideon’s
over the years.
I was raised an atheist, but I found a Bible placed by Gideon’s
in my hotel room and
started reading it. I took it home and hid it from my family. I found
out that God loved me and
I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior. Eventually my entire family
came to know the Lord.
I was a flight attendant, and I spent one night reading from a Gideon
Bible in my hotel.
I used the helps in the front of the Bible to guide my reading. I
read until the early hours of the
morning. Later the verses I read came back to me and I surrendered
my life to Jesus Christ to
be my personal Savior. Then I married and both my husband and I were
called to be missionaries.
Joe Fester
has been a traveling salesman, dairy farmer, and is now involved in
agri-tainment in the Ocoee, Tennessee area. Joe’s plan is to
develop an outdoor ministry in the Ocoee River area. He will tell
how the work of Gideon’s International changed his life. He
will speak in all three services. He is a member of First Baptist
Church in Cleveland, Tennessee.
The following
men and women of our church are Gideon’s: Don Bean, Janice Bean,
Bob Cortner,
Jim Cunningham, Jere Haigh, Jean Haigh, Nelson Hatchett, Tom Mahler,
Davis Mason. Wayne Panter,
Mike Panter, Nancy Panter, Jim Penland, Monte Stewart and Roy Tipps.
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The celebration
of Easter was an incredible series of events in our church made possible
by the unselfish dedicated service of our staff and members. It took
the dedicated service of many to result in an exciting inspirational
celebration for all. Happy Easter!
There are two months left in my term as moderator of the General Assembly
of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. April through June will be
two busy months with travel, speaking and meetings until my term ends
at the meeting of GA in Memphis the week of June 15.
Let me again express my appreciation to you for allowing me to serve
the CP Church. Allow me to also express appreciation for your understanding
that my service has caused my ministry here to be different. Your
continued prayers and support are a necessity.
We will have well planned inspirational services with good speakers
for our future services. Continue to invite your friends, neighbors
and loved ones to attend. We continue to have visitors in all three
services which is really exciting. Each of the three services has
a uniqueness that is discovered by those who attend. Almost weekly
there is someone who visits and expresses how the experience has been
inspirational to them. It is a blessing to be part of a growing congregation.
Have a great week! Jonathan
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PRAYER CONCERNS: Joe Lynn Smith (home); Vern Kalt; Suzanne Huber;
Roy Tipps; Cody Crosslin; Lila Stubblefield; Bettie Roberts; Roy Watson;
Rex McCain; Linda Baggett; Lynn Bean; Frankie Bell; Bill Burkhalter;
Bertha Clark; Polly Crabtree; Dr. Gerald Johnson; Patty Johnson; Jean
Kalt; H.A. Koski; Joyce Koski; Diane King; Ron King; James Mason;
Nelle Mason; Inas McCain; Dottie Morris; Helen Mullins; Herman Scott;
Nathan Smith; Peggy Teague; Clara Yates; Ray Barlow; Rick Burbage;
Scott and Martin Bennett; Mavis Boswell; Odell Carmack; Calli Curtis;
Rev. E.H. Denman; Ronnie Durm; Clyde Farmer; Jean Frost; Billy Helton;
Betty Henson; Faye Hickerson; Stephanie Huckaby; Frankie Keller; Lucille
Knapper; George Knoer; Emma Madigan; Emily Moore; Shirley Peters;
Susie Pfister; Bill Pyron; Bobbie Roberts; Louella Sernicola; Phyllis
Sprouse; Dr. Mike Stewart; Henry Stokes; Billy Todd; Paula Weaver;
Mavis Watkins; Cindy White; Tommy Yarbrough
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Our Prayers go to Charlie, Dana and Faith Gwinn whose house was damaged
by the tornadoes in Murfreesboro last Friday. Please keep in your
prayers their neighbors who completely lost their homes. Also, please
continue to pray for all the families who lost loved ones and those
who suffered injuries from the tornadoes.
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Our Sympathy to Helen McGill in the death of her aunt, Irene Cruze,
in Knoxville.
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Our Sympathy to Dr. Rebecca Sharber in the death of her mother, Ruth
Holt, of Franklin
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Celebrate the Ordination of Elizabeth Ferguson
An ordination service is held to set apart a person who has answered
the
“call” to God’s ministry, dedicated themselves to
follow a process of discernment
and education, completed a course of study, successfully passed an
examination and
received the approval of their presbytery. Elizabeth has successfully
completed all
these and will be ordained in a service to be held in our sanctuary
on Sunday,
April 26th at 3:00 p.m. This service of worship will celebrate her
being set apart for ministry.
A reception will be held in our fellowship hall following the service.
You are asked to bring finger foods to share with everyone. Come and
enjoy a time of food, fellowship and celebration in honor of Elizabeth.
Our Women’s Ministry will host the event.
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Church Camp Dates
June 7 – 12 -- Synodic Camp (for those entering 10th –
just graduated)
June 14 – 19 -- Junior High Camp (for those entering 7th, 8th,
and 9th grades)
June 28 – July 3 -- Junior Camp (for those entering 4th, 5th,
and 6th grades)
If you plan on attending camp, please get a registration form from
the bulletin board outside the main office. Please turn these in to
Mr. Steve by May 30th. If you attend our church your cost is $75.00.
Please make checks payable to the Winchester CP Church.
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Vacation Bible School Dates – JUNE 1 – 5
Vacation Bible School dates have been set for June 1st – 5th.
If you would like to be a volunteer for VBS, please let Mr. Steve
or BJ know. We are needing volunteers to help teach the main lesson.
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JOY Club – Departing the church at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April
17th, we will travel to Huntsville to visit the oldest hardware store
in Huntsville. We will then go to lunch.
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MEN’S FELLOWSHIP – ROAD TRIP! Monday, April 20th at 6:00
p.m. in the
Fellowship Hall – ALL MEN ARE INVITED. Irv Slocum and Leon Robinett
will
be “Puttin’ on the Pig” (Bar-B-Q, baked beans, cole
slaw and all the trimmings).
After eating we will board the church vans and take a road trip to
Tullahoma to see
a private collection of more than 100 years of historic automobiles,
license plates, etc. Come for the food and fellowship portion even
if you can’t make the road trip. For info contact: Mike Panter
at 931-308-2952.
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Contact Life Line Spring Training Class will be held at The Place
of Tullahoma at 801 Wilson Avenue. This is an accelerated weekend
class from Friday, April 17th - Monday, April 20th. For more information
on the class, call Sharon Johnson or Terri Jennings at 967-7133.
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An Evening of Hope, April 18th, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Saint
Barnabas’ Episcopal Church, 110 E. Lincoln St. in Tullahoma.
An Evening of Hope is a community-wide Sexual Assault Awareness event
and Fundraiser to benefit the Haven of Hope. All proceeds from the
event will go to better assist victims of violence. A fine dining
experience will be provided by Emil’s Restaurant. The evening
will also include a silent auction . Ticket prices for the event are
$25 per person or $45 per couple. For more information please call
931-728-1133
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Wings of Hope Widows Ministry Bingo – Monday, April 20th at
1:00 p.m., Winchester First Baptist Church at 317 3rd Avenue SE. Bring
a $2.00 unwrapped gift for prizes. Call Pat Brandenstein at 962-2898
for information.
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Jonathan’s Moderator Travels
Jonathan will travel to Clinton, Oklahoma, on Friday for the meeting
of Red River Presbytery to be held Saturday, April 18th. He will be
accompanied by Barbara and they will return on Sunday afternoon.
Jonathan will attend the meeting of Murfreesboro Presbytery on April
23rd and the Ministry Council meeting in Memphis on April 24 and 25.
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April Session Meeting
Monday, April 27th is the date for our monthly meeting of the session.
All elders are encouraged to attend.
Monthly Chapel Prayer
April’s Chapel prayer will be held at 6:00 p.m. in the Chapel
on Monday, April 27th
before the session meeting.
