Prayer & Praise

• PRAY – for safety during spring work days - especially roof projects

• PRAY – for Mother Daughter Retreat, for speaker, Debby Townsend and for relationships to be restored

• PRAISE – for ending the year in the black financially

• PRAISE – for excellent winter retreat groups and all our super volunteer staff

• PRAY – for needed equipment i.e. 4-wheel drive truck with plow and riding lawn mower.

Spring Project Days

May 7th & 8th Spring Clean Up Days
Inside and Outside
Re-shingling Dining Room Roof.
We start with breakfast at 7am and finish up at 5pm.

Options:

Friday, May 7th - Help strip old roof.

Sat., May 8th - Help re-shingle roof.

May 7th and 8th: Come for both days!

Please let us know if you would like lodging and for what nights. All meals and snacks are provided as a THANK YOU!

Please note: we will have plenty of projects to do on the ground for those who prefer to keep two feet on the ground! For both men and women. Families are welcome.

Please RSVP so we can plan out the work teams

Father-Son Retreat

At the end of February we experienced out largest group of fathers and sons ever. Our speaker challenged and gave us how-to’s on controlling the tongue. What a treat to have 40 degree spring weather for a cookout and ice fishing!

Summit Shelter

We are continuing work on Phase II of our building project as help and materials are provided. We are ready to finish the framing for the second story over the lobby area. This will provide a much needed 40’ x 43’ meeting room. If you can help with this project most any Saturday is available as well as weekdays. Let us know and we’ll work around your schedule.

New Website!

Encourage your friends to check out our new website. Maranathafamilyministries.org

Yes, we finally have one and so appreciate Dave Bell creating and maintaining it!

Summer Teen Weeks

Ages 13-18

Young Women July 5-10              Young Men July 19-24

We are excited about these new memory making weeks. Teens will be challenged and equipped to better relate to their parents, siblings, friends and the Lord. Our program includes plenty of fun - a canoe trip down the Merrimack River and a hike in the White Mountains. Teens will also have service opportunities.

Cottage for Rent

Fully equipped housekeeping cottages on beautiful pond with rowboats, canoes and paddleboats. Call for available dates.

At the Edmunds House

What do you hear at the Edmunds house? The piano! Our four youngest are taking piano lessons from a wonderful teacher just minutes away. Lots of the piano pieces have duet parts which is fun for Brenda to play with the kids.

We got to spend a couple of days with two of our grandbabies, Calvin and Abigail, ages 1½ and 4 mo. Grandpa (Chris) and Calvin had a great time in Home Depot. (Starting him early!)

Mother-Daughter Retreat "Mother-Daughter Retreat"

(For Moms with Daughters ages 5-16)

“Standing Firm”

May 14-15, 2004

Arrive: Friday, 7pm after supper       Depart: Saturday, 7pm

Speaker: Debby Townsend

This will be a good time for you to build a deeper relationship with your daughter as you play and learn together. This is an opportunity for Moms to get away from the everyday stress and strain, and focus on their daughter(s).

You’ll enjoy hearing from these Moms who will share practical help from the Bible in relating to daughters. Why not reach out and invite a friend or neighbor?

Our “adopt-a-daughter” policy - you may adopt a daughter for the retreat who does not have a mother in the home.

Cost: $53.00 (no charge for additional daughters)

RSVP by May 1^st

Merrimac Memories "Merrimac Memories"

Canoe Program

Father-Son Trip

(For Dads with Sons ages 9-19)

“Going the Extra Mile”

June 25-26, 2004

Arrive: Friday, 7pm after supper       Depart: Saturday, 9pm

Speaker: Philip Hills

We’ll be sleeping in cabins at Maranatha and will leave Saturday morning for our trip down the beautiful Merrimac River in New Hampshire. We will paddle approximately 6 miles on calm water.

Cost: $72.00 includes meals, housing and transportation to and from the Merrimac (no charge for additional sons)

RSVP by June 15^th

Ron’s Corner

Greetings to You,

Isn’t it great to serve the Lord?  God is so wonderful and it is exciting to know that He leads us throughout life.  Sometimes however, life gets quite difficult.  It is great to have a Book, the Bible that instructs us in the way to go.  Many examples are given in the Bible about great leaders that were in the midst of trouble and they had no idea what to do.  One was Hezekiah.  He was faced with an extremely difficult situation.  He shared with his people in II Chronicles 32:7-8, “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah”.  Isn’t it great to serve the Lord?  God is so wonderful and it is exciting to know that He leads us throughout life.  Sometimes however, life gets quite difficult.  It is great to have a Book, the Bible that instructs us in the way to go.  Many examples are given in the Bible about great leaders that were in the midst of trouble and they had no idea what to do.  One was Hezekiah.  He was faced with an extremely difficult situation.  He shared with his people in II Chronicles 32\:7-8, “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him\: for there be more with us than with him\: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah”."

God’s Word never fails.  It is solid and it is truth.  I love the story about Peter when he had been fishing all night and caught nothing.  Jesus said to him, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.  And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.  And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them”.

 Peter was willing to step out in faith and do what God told him to do!  God’s way is always the best way. In difficult situations both Hezekiah and Peter stepped out and did what God said.  Obedience produced astounding and amazing results.

 Hudson Taylor, the great man of faith who founded the China Inland Mission, once said, “Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith.”

 Peter simply did what Jesus asked him to do.  He did not debate about what others were to do, he just responded in obedience.  I have quoted a phrase lately that comes from The Purpose Driven Life, which stated, “If you are busy rowing the boat you won’t have time to rock it!”  Yes, life can be difficult but we must trust in the Word of God and walk obedient lives listening carefully to the Words of the Lord.  If we do this, our lives will be fulfilling in the Lord’s will.

Until next time,

Pastor Ron 

Programs