Carpenter's Tools - By Pastor Wallace Phillips

This week’s message: Construction Ahead ........

If you are in or around our town of Ahoskie in these past few weeks you have probably been through the "hurry up and wait" lane. Construction is in process on Highway 13 and your patience gets tested a bit as you approach the project. If you could just look ahead to the end result and see that the addition of the turning lane with the widening of the highway will indeed make the entrance to our city much more attractive and conducive to heavy traffic. It’s the waiting that bothers us.

That is also true in the spiritual. But the Word says, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." Isaiah the Prophet proclaimed this in Isaiah 40:31. He even assured that our youth would be renewed like the eagle’s. Where are you in the waiting process spiritually? Are you waiting for God to open that door that seems to be closed right now? Are you waiting for that godly companion to come into the picture? Are you waiting for God to show you where to go in life? Be encouraged…construction is ahead…you can see the end result right now, but it will be clear when the project is done! Here we go again…."wait".

Have a great day and visit me on the web at www.cscministries.com or www.wallacephillips.org.

Bob Fringer, Governor's Award Winner

Bob Fringer of Colerain received this years Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service for Bertie County at the Interagency Involvement Council luncheon yesterday.

Bob Fringer, Jinny Fringer, (far side of table) Brenda Hoggard, Nancy Adams And Joe Bass

Joe Bass, Joblink Manager for the Choanoke Area Development Association, presided at the luncheon. All agencies present gave an update on their coming events and activities to start the meeting. At that point, Joe introduced Irma Robbins, Outreach Coordinator of the Bertie County Council on Aging, for the special presentations.

Tra Perry Introduces Bob Fringer, And Tells A Few Stories On Bob

The first presentation was made by Tra Perry of UHS Hospice of Ahoskie. Tra had nominated Bob Fringer for the primary award for which he was being honored, the Governor's Award. However Tra had a surprise in her opening remarks. In addition to the Governor's award, Bob was honored by the Hospice organization as well, and that was the first presentation of the day.

Tra Perry Presents Bob Fringer With Hospice Award

Irma Robbins then announced the second award, given to the outstanding volunteer for Bertie County. Bob Fringer was the winner of this award as well.

Irma Robbins Presents Bob With Bertie County Award

In what seemed almost deja vu, the final award presented was the one everyone had expected, honoring Bob Fringer as Governor's Award Winner for our area.

Irma Robbins Presents Bob Fringer With Governors Award

Bob Fringer truly is representative of the great number of people who work so hard to help those in need in our area. Bob gave a very gracious speech, and he made the point that he was accepting this award on behalf of all of the volunteers who do so much. With Bob we wish to extend our thanks to them all.

Luncheon After The Meeting

Carpenter's Tools - By Pastor Wallace Phillips

This week’s message: Out of Paper ....

Travel with me to the gas pump today. Yes…it is frustrating paying three bucks a gallon for petro! But listen to something just as frustrating when you use the convenience of paying at that pump. I’m talking about the time when you are asked by the computer…”Would you like a receipt?” You press “YES” and patiently await your receipt only to read the next message that appears – “Out of Paper”.
You wander into the station to then get in a line to await your receipt for gas. Wait…wait…wait! Everybody wants you to wait. You don’t have time for this. You simply need the establishment to make certain that the paper isn’t out. Aren’t you glad you’re not in the bathroom since the paper is out? Bottom line…it’s frustrating when the design is that you don’t have to wait. Just get your receipt outside and not have to struggle with long lines and wasted time. Wait…wait…wait.

The Bible talks about a good kind of “wait”. Isaiah said in Chapter 40, verse 31…”They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Waiting is a lost art for the Christian as well. We want our blessings right now. We have allowed the same “instant” mentality of the world to creep into our spiritual lives. Jiffy Lubes, One-hour photos, and microwave popcorn have ruined us. But the Lord says if we wait upon Him our strength will be renewed like the eagle. We shall mount up with wings. We shall run and not grow weary. We shall walk and not faint.

Teach us Lord to wait. But please tell those people to fill up the paper! Have an awesome week and visit us on the web at http://www.cscministries.com/

Bob Fringer Receives Governor's Award

Bob Fringer of Colerain will receive this years Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service for Bertie County. Bob was nominated by Tra Perry of UHS Hospice, one organization for which Bob does volunteer service.

Bob And Jinny Fringer

Some of the comments in Bob's nomination say much about why he earned the award.

"Bob Fringer is a dedicated Hospice Volunteer who willingly and compassionately serves patients and their families in Bertie, Hertford and Chowan counties. His warm compassionate personality exemplifies the qualities needed to meet patient needs. He cares for all of his patients and their families with the same empathy and love regardless of their situation or condition. He is creative in identifying needs that would enrich the lives of his patients. For instance, he realized that one patient enjoyed Western stories. Bob bought a tape player and several Western books on tapes so that his patient could enjoy them. When members of the community realized how much these had meant, donations were made to hospice to purchase such items. We now have a nice collection for our patients to enjoy. "

"Bob Fringer is a man committed and dedicated to making the world a brighter, better place. He is outstanding as a hospice volunteer in that he always takes a patient even when it means sacrificing some of his personal plans to do so. He is dependable in making himself available to his patients and tries hard to meet their needs. He is a shinning example of a hospice vounteer—caring, compassionate, adaptable and so very willing to go the extra mile in serving his fellow man."

Congratulations to Bob, and our thanks for his tremendous service to our community.

Bob will be recognized for his contributions to Bertie County at the Interagency Council next Wednesday, October 19th at 12:00 PM at the Carolina House Restaurant in Windsor.

New Hospice Volunteers!

Training Starts For New Hospice Volunteers

If you are looking for something worthwhile and fulfilling to do and if you like to interact with people of all ages and if you want to contribute in ways the paying world just can’t match, then hospice has just the volunteering opportunity for you.

UHS Hospice is offering a free training course for new volunteers. There will be three sessions offered at the Hospice House; 521 West Myers Street, Ahoskie, NC

Tues., Oct. 25, 1:00-5:00
Tues. Nov. 1, 1:00-5:00
Tues., Nov. 8, 1:00-5:00

Please call to register (252) 332-3392.

You will never regret it!

Carpenter's Tools - By Pastor Wallace Phillips

This weeks message: This is the church .....

My mind often wonders back to my childhood days in the local church. I used to sit with my grandma on occasion. As we awaited the inner doors of the sanctuary to open and the choir and Pastor to enter Grandma would clasp her hands and say.."This is the church and this is the steeple; open the doors and see all the people."

The real meaning of Grandma’s little gesture reached my understanding in my adult years. The church is really the people. Paul reminded the Corinthians that "…your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you. You are not your own…". He informed them that they were the real temple. The building is just a place to gather and worship. The true house of God is the people of God who have been changed by his awesome grace.

That makes the worship service begin when you and I arise each day. It’s not an "eleven o’clock" deal. That’s just a by product of our being the temple of God. We get to gather on the Lord’s day to encourage one another and hear God’s man speak to us for instruction and challenge.

Go ahead…put your hands together and go through that little motion. Let the reality of the true house of God come to your mind. You are the church! You are the temple. You are the house of the living God. In the Old Testament God had a temple for His people, but in the New Testament, God has a people for his temple.

Have an awesome week and serve the Lord with gladness. Visit me on the web at http://www.wallacephillips.org/.

Ahoskie Heritage Days

From the Indian Summer Show and Sale at the Old Ahoskie High School to the Battle of the Bands on Main Street, Ahoskie was definitely a different place this weekend.

Main Street During the Festivities

There was a little bit of something for everyone; Sports events including football (Sponsored by Nucor) and a 5K run (sponsored by ViQuest), food of all kinds, and music as a constant companion. If you were interested in winning prizes there were also some contests to see who had the best vehicle and the best dog.

Part Of The Antique Auto Competition

Hope you were there. Hope you had fun. I definitely did.

Jane Frei (On Left) With Her Blue Ribbon Winner Asia

Carpenter's Tools - By Pastor Wallace Phillips

This weeks messsage: "The Gathering"

By the time you read this…"The Gathering" will be history. "The Gathering Conference is a conference for the men of Northeastern North Carolina. The special speakers for this event were nationally noted men from Promise Keepers – Joe White and Larry Jackson. What an awesome thing when men come together to seek the Lord.

Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me." The purpose of this gathering was to lift up Christ…to exalt Him…and to see men all over Northeastern North Carolina come together under the banner of the cross.

Look around your church. Are there plenty of men there? I remember the adage from Uncle Sam and his army…"We’re looking for a few good men!" Well God is looking for a few as well. He’s longing that men will lead their families spiritually. Pray with me for the men of Northeastern North Carolina to have a visitation from the Holy Spirit that will equip them to be all that God has called them to be.