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Each month's newsletter is posted here. Previous month's issues can be found in the archives.
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Church of God Faith Fellowship
April 2025 - Vol. 25, No. 4
Meeting place: Gray Summit United Methodist Church
Calendar Notes:
🎢Monday, March 31st - New Year’s Day
🎢Sabbath, April 12th - Services at 3 p.m.; potluck following;
Communion Service after sunset, approx. 8 p.m.
🎢Sunday, April 13th - Night to Be Much Observed,
Doss’ home, come after 6 p.m. for fellowship/potluck
🎢Monday, April 14th - First Day of Unleavened Bread (GSUMC)
Seminar at 10 a.m.; services at 11 a.m./potluck to follow
🎢Tuesday, April 15th - Bible study* at Saladins’ at 1 p.m.
🎢Wed., April 16th - Bible study* at Kleeschultes’ at 1 p.m.
🎢Thursday, April 17th - Bible study* at Saladins’ at 1 p.m.
🎢Friday, April 18th - Bible study* at Doss’ at 1 p.m.
🎢Sabbath, April 19th -
Seminar at 10 a.m.; services at 11 a.m./potluck to follow
🎢Sunday, April 20th - Last Day of Unleavened Bread (GSUMC)
Seminar at noon; services at 1; potluck following
*During the week, the Bible studies will be followed with an organized meal. Hosts provide main dish; guests bring a side. All are welcome. As a courtesy, please let the hosts know if you plan to attend. Please arrive after noon.
Hurtling Through Space
- by Vance Agee, collected from cybersalt.org
It was just a regular day at Darien Lake, an upstate New York amusement park.
My daughter, her friend, and I were standing in the usual long, snaking line to ride the park's roller coaster, called the Viper. It was our first ride of the day, and we like roller coasters, both wood and steel.
In line with us was a group of teenage African-American girls. They were passing the long wait by joking and laughing and just having a good time. In their care was a little girl, about nine years old, just barely tall enough to reach the magic mark of amusement park adulthood that earns access to the Viper.
When we reached the final point-of-no-return before launching, I noticed that the little girl was an odd number in her group, and therefore, without someone with whom to ride.
I hesitated. After all, I was a stranger and a white man. On the other hand, I was with my own kid and her friend, so I would probably be considered “safe."
I didn't have a fellow rider, either. The older girls suddenly noticed their predicament and were talking about what to do -- where would the little girl ride? I finally mustered the nerve to speak up.
"She can ride with me, if she wants.”
They asked her and she said, “Okay."
They had her get in the chute next to mine.
I let her in the car first and once we were both seated, I pulled down the safety bar.
The coaster started up.
Then the little girl turned and looked up at me.
"Would you hold my hand?" Shocked inside, I just replied, “Sure."
She put her little hand inside mine, and we climbed the first hill. When we started down, she squeezed my hand for all she was worth, closed her eyes so tightly that they were barely visible slits, and cried as intensely as she possibly could.
We were hurtling out into time and space and the universe together, just the two of us, this little African-American girl and this white Anglo stranger.
I had been there before, but this was new and frightening for her, and she trusted me for her safety and comfort.
Every time we reached a level area, her eyes opened and she relaxed her grip -- a little. She never let go completely. But whenever we went into a dip or turn, she bore down, and the tears fell again.
At the end of the ride, I think that she was proud of herself. I told her older friends that they should buy her a special "I survived the Viper" button. They smiled and left for other rides.
As our groups turned to go their separate ways, I thought about the little children who had been hurt by adults over the decades and the centuries. I thought about the responsibility that we adults have toward them. I thought about the tremendous privilege inherent in that responsibility.
And I thought about trust. This little girl had not bothered to see a stereotype, what I might appear to be on the outside. She just knew that she needed someone to trust. In just a few moments she had given me the best lesson I have ever had in trust, both how to trust others and how to respect, value, appreciate, and enjoy the trust given by another person.
Years later, I can still feel that little hand inside mine. Thank you, little girl -- I wish I had asked your name.
As human beings on this planet, we are thrown together into many situations and roller coaster rides. We hurtle through space at thousands of miles an hour. The single most important aspect of our ride is how we treat those in the car with us.
Sabbath Lessons
🎢Sabbath, April 5th - “What causes fights and quarrels among you?” (James 4:1)
🎢Sabbath, April 12th - “The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month” (Leviticus 23:5 NIV).
🎢Monday, April 14th - “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread . . .” Exodus 12:15
🎢Sabbath, April 19th - “. . . on the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses” (Exodus 12:15)
🎢Sunday, April 20th - “. . . for if anyone eats what is leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel” (Exodus 12:15 RSV).
🎢Sabbath, April 26th - “. . .Only do not rebel against the LORD. . .” Numbers 14:9a
April 2025 - Vol. 25, No. 4
Meeting place: Gray Summit United Methodist Church
Calendar Notes:
🎢Monday, March 31st - New Year’s Day
🎢Sabbath, April 12th - Services at 3 p.m.; potluck following;
Communion Service after sunset, approx. 8 p.m.
🎢Sunday, April 13th - Night to Be Much Observed,
Doss’ home, come after 6 p.m. for fellowship/potluck
🎢Monday, April 14th - First Day of Unleavened Bread (GSUMC)
Seminar at 10 a.m.; services at 11 a.m./potluck to follow
🎢Tuesday, April 15th - Bible study* at Saladins’ at 1 p.m.
🎢Wed., April 16th - Bible study* at Kleeschultes’ at 1 p.m.
🎢Thursday, April 17th - Bible study* at Saladins’ at 1 p.m.
🎢Friday, April 18th - Bible study* at Doss’ at 1 p.m.
🎢Sabbath, April 19th -
Seminar at 10 a.m.; services at 11 a.m./potluck to follow
🎢Sunday, April 20th - Last Day of Unleavened Bread (GSUMC)
Seminar at noon; services at 1; potluck following
*During the week, the Bible studies will be followed with an organized meal. Hosts provide main dish; guests bring a side. All are welcome. As a courtesy, please let the hosts know if you plan to attend. Please arrive after noon.
Hurtling Through Space
- by Vance Agee, collected from cybersalt.org
It was just a regular day at Darien Lake, an upstate New York amusement park.
My daughter, her friend, and I were standing in the usual long, snaking line to ride the park's roller coaster, called the Viper. It was our first ride of the day, and we like roller coasters, both wood and steel.
In line with us was a group of teenage African-American girls. They were passing the long wait by joking and laughing and just having a good time. In their care was a little girl, about nine years old, just barely tall enough to reach the magic mark of amusement park adulthood that earns access to the Viper.
When we reached the final point-of-no-return before launching, I noticed that the little girl was an odd number in her group, and therefore, without someone with whom to ride.
I hesitated. After all, I was a stranger and a white man. On the other hand, I was with my own kid and her friend, so I would probably be considered “safe."
I didn't have a fellow rider, either. The older girls suddenly noticed their predicament and were talking about what to do -- where would the little girl ride? I finally mustered the nerve to speak up.
"She can ride with me, if she wants.”
They asked her and she said, “Okay."
They had her get in the chute next to mine.
I let her in the car first and once we were both seated, I pulled down the safety bar.
The coaster started up.
Then the little girl turned and looked up at me.
"Would you hold my hand?" Shocked inside, I just replied, “Sure."
She put her little hand inside mine, and we climbed the first hill. When we started down, she squeezed my hand for all she was worth, closed her eyes so tightly that they were barely visible slits, and cried as intensely as she possibly could.
We were hurtling out into time and space and the universe together, just the two of us, this little African-American girl and this white Anglo stranger.
I had been there before, but this was new and frightening for her, and she trusted me for her safety and comfort.
Every time we reached a level area, her eyes opened and she relaxed her grip -- a little. She never let go completely. But whenever we went into a dip or turn, she bore down, and the tears fell again.
At the end of the ride, I think that she was proud of herself. I told her older friends that they should buy her a special "I survived the Viper" button. They smiled and left for other rides.
As our groups turned to go their separate ways, I thought about the little children who had been hurt by adults over the decades and the centuries. I thought about the responsibility that we adults have toward them. I thought about the tremendous privilege inherent in that responsibility.
And I thought about trust. This little girl had not bothered to see a stereotype, what I might appear to be on the outside. She just knew that she needed someone to trust. In just a few moments she had given me the best lesson I have ever had in trust, both how to trust others and how to respect, value, appreciate, and enjoy the trust given by another person.
Years later, I can still feel that little hand inside mine. Thank you, little girl -- I wish I had asked your name.
As human beings on this planet, we are thrown together into many situations and roller coaster rides. We hurtle through space at thousands of miles an hour. The single most important aspect of our ride is how we treat those in the car with us.
Sabbath Lessons
🎢Sabbath, April 5th - “What causes fights and quarrels among you?” (James 4:1)
🎢Sabbath, April 12th - “The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month” (Leviticus 23:5 NIV).
🎢Monday, April 14th - “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread . . .” Exodus 12:15
🎢Sabbath, April 19th - “. . . on the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses” (Exodus 12:15)
🎢Sunday, April 20th - “. . . for if anyone eats what is leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel” (Exodus 12:15 RSV).
🎢Sabbath, April 26th - “. . .Only do not rebel against the LORD. . .” Numbers 14:9a
