Chapel Newsletter, March 2004 - The Chapel in North Canton

Have you ever felt guilty that an opportunity to share your faith was missed? It seems that the most important issue of our lives (faith in Christ) is often left out of our conversations. Whether it is fear of rejection, lack of knowledge or just getting too busy, we all must agree that this is an area where we want to change. As we move into the Easter season, Pastor Bennett will be asking all of us to step out of our comfort zones and reach out with the love of Christ.

On the Sundays from March 28 through Easter Sunday (April 11), we are asking you to invite unchurched family and friends to visit The Chapel with you, as a way of introducing them to the church and to Christ. Every guest will receive a small book by Max Lucado dealing with the subject of Easter. During these Sundays of our campaign, there will be no mention of our program. Your guests will feel very comfortable as they enjoy great worship and strong preaching while you have an opportunity to reach others.

Won’t you be involved in this campaign to reach lives this Easter? Be confident of this: If you step out, God can use you. If you ask, he will give you the nations:

March 2004
Sun Mar 7	Foundations of The Chapel/Life - Fellowship / Celebration of the Lord’s Supper - 9:00 & 10:30 am - Pastor Bennett
Sun Mar 14	Foundations of The Chapel/Life - Worship - 9:00 & 10:30 am - Pastor Bennett
Sun Mar 21	An Intimate Moment with Friends - 9:00 & 10:30 am - Pastor Bennett
Sun Mar 28	An Intimate Moment with The Father - 9:00 & 10:30 am - Pastor Bennett
April 2004
Sun Apr 4	An Intimate Moment with a Thief - 9:00 & 10:30 am - Pastor Bennett
Fri Apr 9	Good Friday Service at 12:00 Noon
Sun Apr 11	Easter Sunday Sunrise Service at 6:30 a.m. (outdoors - weather permitting) Morning services at 9:00 & 10:30 a.m. - Pastor Bennett
Sun Apr 25	“Evidence of Grace” - A Musical Celebration by The Chapel Choir Morning performances at 9:00 & 10:30 a.m.

The Chapel Missions Board recently received the following letter from Ed & Linda Cox, Chapel missionaries serving in Bulgaria. We wanted to share it with you to encourage everyone here at The Chapel to reach out and share the Gospel with family, friends and neighbors, because you never know…

Shumen is not a city you’ll find in many tourist guides. Nestled in eastern Bulgaria near the Black Sea, its claim to fame is a grandiose monument planted on a high hill next to the city. This mammoth stone structure was built in 1984, during the Communist regime, to mark the 1300th anniversary of the founding of the Bulgarian state.

Linda and I were in Shumen last November to lead a marriage seminar in a small Bible church. Early one morning I climbed the 1300 steps leading up to the monument, to look out over the city and to pray. Though the monument was created as a reminder of the past, I tried to imagine life beyond the 1300 steps. For example, if the designers could have gazed a mere five steps into the future they would have seen the end of the communist era in 1989. Few would have believed their eyes.

We too have seen more than a few surprises during our years in Bulgaria. The family that lives just below us comes to mind. Our first encounter with them was early 1993 when Linda and I rang their doorbell and introduced ourselves in our halting Bulgarian. We held out a plate of Christmas cookies as a peace offering for all the noise coming down from our apartment because of 3 sons and a large dog. Quite unexpectedly, the two of us were ushered into the dining room where we learned that our neighbors’ names were Plamen and Lyuba. It was Lyuba’s birthday, and they insisted that we join them for dinner. Over the last 11 years we’ve become close friends. Lyuba attended one of Linda’s Bible studies and came to faith. Plamen has moved from atheism to belief in God.

I also spoke with Plamen’s mother, Mrs. B, on a few occasions. Coming from a strong communist background, Mrs. B never seemed interested in the things of God. She told me once how, while she was a teacher, she would stand outside the local Orthodox Church and write down the names of her pupils who would dare attend. In the late 1990’s Mrs. B contracted cancer. While we were on furlough that year, she passed into what I assumed was a Christ-less eternity.

Last fall Linda began to study the Bible with Plamen and Lyuba’s daughter, Liza. Liza has an unusually bright mind and eagerly absorbs the Scriptures. A few weeks ago she told Linda the rest of the story about her grandmother. Mrs. B. It seems that as Mrs. B’s days were drawing to an end, Lyuba and another believing friend shared the gospel with her more intently. Mrs. B put her trust in the Lord. She began to talk about God with doctors and relatives alike, so much so that an in-law thought she had gone “crazy” and tried to prevent people from entering her hospital room. Liza, though, couldn’t be stopped, and conversations with her grandmother stirred her heart toward faith in Christ. Plamen too was touched and decided to be baptized.

I’ve asked Liza to share her story with the couples who gather at our apartment on Saturday evenings. She has agreed. We’ve been talking as a group about how to get beyond the typical busyness and the fear that hinder deep contact with those around us. Our prayer is that as a body of believers we build bridges of trust and friendship over which the gospel can pass. Please pray for us. May we step into the future with meaningful relationships with those outside the family of faith, relationships that encourage friends and family to turn to Him."