by Erin Claassen

Galen and JoAnn Gibeson have each been Christians for about 60 years.  They met at a picnic for Christian young people in Anderson 54 years ago.  They have now been married 52 years. They have five children, fifteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 

In their early life together, both attended Shasta College and Chico State.  Galen worked for the mill in Anderson for 20 years to support their family and put both he and JoAnn through school. 

The Gibesons love working with children, and after their family was raised, they moved to Alaska to teach.  While there, JoAnn earned her nursing degree and worked in a psychiatric unit.

Galen taught forestry, agriculture and industrial arts.  JoAnn taught everything from elementary school to a few college courses. 

Along the way, Galen has been a Future Farmers of America advisor and a Boy Scout leader. 

JoAnn still volunteers in the infant nursery on Sundays and also at the Anderson Public Library.

Both enjoy attending the NCAC Harvesters Potluck each month and visiting with friends there. The Gibesons also host a weekly Bible study at their home, and are currently half way through the book of Isaiah.

Even while living in Alaska, they would frequently come to Shasta County to visit family.  While in the area, they would visit NCAC on Sundays.  They have been attending regularly since moving to Anderson in1988. 

Their favorite thing about NCAC is coming on Sunday mornings to worship God together and with friends and family.

By  David & Debie Lopez

Financial freedom is not determined by how much money you make. It’s     determined by how you spend what you have. The purpose of a spending plan is to tell your money where you want it to go, rather than wondering where it went.

A spending plan is about how to spend less than you earn, how to make better choices with what you have, so you can keep more of what you make. It’s about allocating limited financial resources to unlimited spending alternatives.

The idea that you should live below your means is obvious, isn’t it? It’s not as

if this is the first time you’ve heard of the      concept. You know that cutting spending is hard work. But living paycheck to paycheck is much harder.

Many people hear the word “budget” and respond negatively. They think of a budget as being restrictive, too limiting, and too legalistic. Yet, in truth, a budget can be very freeing; it can bring peace and break the bonds of financial slavery.

A budget is simply a plan – a plan for how to spend the money we have. As Christians, we recognize everything we have is a gift from God. We are not the owners; we are simply the managers of what He has entrusted to us. Knowing this should give us a better perspective on how we handle money.

Living on less than you earn takes effort. You have to work at going against the flow. It takes a conscious effort to spend less on everything from food to insurance to clothes, and the fun things in life, too.  Sadly, by the looks of    out-of-control debt and personal bankruptcy filings, too few people are willing to put forth the effort. 

Moreover, if you’re not where you’d like to be with your money, don’t assume an increase in income will guarantee a better life.

Think about it: Five, ten, fifteen years ago, your  annual income was less than it is now. Perhaps it was a lot less. You believed then if you only made more money you’d be out of debt and on your way to building wealth and securing your future retirement.

Then you got a raise or changed careers. Your   annual income improved, but then you added new      expenses and accepted new debt. Before long you got to thinking if you only made more money, you’d be out of debt, and on your way to building wealth, etc., etc.

Then you got a raise or changed careers. You made more money. You took on more expenses, added more debt. Listen, you’re caught in a vicious cycle that insists more money is the only way to improve one’s financial situation. But it’s a myth. It’s a lie the world has told you and you’ve believed it.

You’ve proven that more money alone is not likely to change your life. However, making the decision to stop spending all of it so you can keep more of it — now that’s likely to change your life in a huge way.

No matter your current income, you can do better with what you have     without giving up the life you love.  We know with the right information,    motivation, and encouragement

You can shift from treading financial water to achieving financial freedom.  What makes us so sure?  For nine years, we’ve been helping people get out of debt.

The need for a spending plan:

If you were going to build a house, you would need a house plan. If you were  going to start a business, you would need a business plan. Obviously, plans are necessary in order to reach a goal.

In the Bible, whenever God was instructing His people to do something, He always gave them a detailed plan, i.e., building the tabernacle, the ark, or the temple. God gave detailed laws the Israelites were to follow while living in the Promised Land.  The Bible is full of examples of the importance of planning.  (See Proverbs 21:5, Luke 14:28-30)

If plans are so important to God, why do so many of us think we can manage our finances without one?

Without a spending plan, it is impossible to know where your money goes each month and whether you will have available funds for the things you need. The “not knowing” can create feelings of anxiety and fear.

When you create a spending plan, you can have the peace of mind in knowing your bills can be paid, you have funds available for emergencies, and you know what you can spend for the things you need and want.

Using a spending plan will help you identify areas where adjustments need to be made to create extra cash to meet your goals.  Learn to handle the smallest thing God has put    under your authority - your money. 

“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of worldly wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?”  Luke16:11

Conclusion:

The financial goal of all Christian families should be to live within their means.  This means they spend no more than what the family makes on a monthly basis.  Ideally, this means to live on a cash basis and not use credit or borrowed money to provide for their normal living expenses.

It also means the family controls spending and keeps wants, needs, and desires in their proper   relationship. However, when income barely equals outgo, the family finds  itself in a situation in which a decision must be made: make more money or spend less.

If making more money is not a logical or attainable option, the  second option, spending less, must be   instituted.  This option is best realized when a spending plan and disciplined spending are maintained.

By Sheryl Georgi

Two hundred women of all ages from six churches gathered on February 7 to explore “Lies from Eve.” Denise Mendenhall led us in exploring the strategy of how Satan uses lies to deceive us by attacking the character and authority of God.  When we lack knowledge and wisdom we should ask God, as only He knows the way to wisdom.

However, when we listen to the deception of Satan in twisting God’s words, we begin to doubt, question and distrust not only God’s words but His very character and heart towards us and, further, His sovereign authority, ultimately leading to disobedience…..as in the case of Eve.  Eve allowed her own fleshly desires (lust) to start her down the path to deception and sin.  Sometimes this path to sin begins when another’s fleshly desires are perpetrated against a victim, as Mimi Moseley and Ashley Mendenhall so perfectly shared.

If Satan can succeed in perpetuating heinous behavior on victims and then playing with the resultant debris field of guilt and shame, twisting and binding those cords tighter into secrecy, then he has a good chance of that leading into generational strongholds. 

Being bound up in guilt and shame causes the ‘silent sisterhood of deception’ where Satan has succeeded with his lies, hiding our skeletons in the closet and tiptoeing around the     elephant looming in the middle of the room—Can you hear him? YOU could never be loved by God,  this is all YOUR fault, YOU can NEVER forgive or be healed of this deep hurt, what if others knew your dirty little secrets, what would they think? 

We need to look at ourselves and our baggage and then be willing to come before the Lord seeking His honest assessment of us. Whom better could we ever ask to speak the truth in absolute secure love than our Abba Daddy?  While ‘coming clean’, so-to-speak, we do need to be respectful of our loved ones and others, but Satan wants nothing more than to keep us bound up in a stronghold of guilt and shame.  Satan knows when we expose our stinky baggage of sin to the light of God’s Word, washing it in the love of God and the redemptive work of the Cross that we can begin to be whole. 

When we surrender in total brokenness, weak and weary from the battle, wounded from the harsh, unrelenting attacks of Satan; that is when in Christ, we can begin to become mighty warriors for the Kingdom of God.  When we acknowledge and repent of the lies, claim the truth and seek with all perseverance and might from the Spirit after the Kingdom of God, we break those generational strongholds.

The TRUTH is in God’s love and  Christ’s work on the Cross.  Christ’s blood poured out so that you and I can be healed. For it is ONLY in Christ that guilt and shame, those bonds of  slavery to the lies can be broken.  Only when we   begin to trust God with our baggage; to step up into the refining fire is God then able; like Shadrach, Meschack and Abednego, to burn away their bonds, able to burn away our strongholds of lies and  deception binding us.

In being honest before us Denise, Mimi and Ashley demonstrated that truth IS the real deal…truth in    owning our history; truth in God’s word; truth of the character of God’s word; and the truth of God’s   sovereignty. Truth is what we have to know, claim and walk in so that we can be set free.  Truth that You alone Lord are the one who will never deceive us nor leave us.

You see, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to the lies of    deception, the secrecy of guilt and shame, being consciously or unconsciously patterned and passed from one generation to another, from Eve to mom to me!

So precious women of God, daughters of the Mighty King, let’s take up the full armor of God, let’s hit the day in truth laying our    desires at the throne of God and march into our roles with the confidence of a warrior fully equipped of God and cause Satan to tremble and gasp, “oh no, she’s awake!!!”

By Susan Christian

Why do Sunday school teachers encourage       children from two years old and up to arrive with a fist full of change?  I’ll bet you thought this was our way of training your children to support our church when they grow up.  Wrong!  

Although it is right to teach our children money belongs to God and they need to give some back to His work, the main purpose of     Sunday school giving at Neighborhood Church is the sponsorship of needy children. 

Over the years our Sunday school children have      supported many World  Vision children who have been given food, clothing, school supplies, medical treatment, education and religious training through our gifts. 

As each child has graduated from the program a new child replaced the   former one.  In recent years we have chosen to replace our sponsorships with Ugandan children in Hope Alive headed by  Catherine Coon.

Currently Sunday school is attempting to support four children.  Let me introduce you to them.  Our two remaining World Vision boys are Roland, a 17 year old Chilean.  Anish is a 21 year old boy in India.  Out of the Sunday school offering we send $18  to each of these boys. Also, a boy named Vuchiri and a girl named Acen receive $35 each from the Sunday school offering.  Together the four add up to a big chunk of change.  We believe your children’s offerings are well spent and we hope you will too!

Thank you to all of you  parents and grandparents who have been faithful in making sure your children arrive with a gift to offer.  Do you know which of these children your family is helping to support? 

We want to encourage you to check the bulletin board in your child’s classroom to find out about your sponsored child. 

We invite you to pray for this child at home as the children are doing each Sunday. Also, you can make personal contact with this child through letters or pictures to show them they are loved by sisters and brothers at Neighborhood Church.

By Marc Shelby

On January 30th and 31st twelve men from Neighborhood Church headed for the hills. The Leadership Team including Elders, Deacons, and pastoral staff, travelled      together and spent a God-centered time of worship, learning, and vision-casting.

The Team met in an upper story room of a resort near Klamath Falls, Oregon and it was, literally, “the twelve in the upper room”.

Each session began with corporate worship, praise singing, and prayer. The Elders led the group in the pursuit of what it means to find our joy in God.

Much was said about finding a philosophical “bridge”     between our joy and God’s glory. We all came to realize, increasingly, the key role of our affections in response to the ultimate worth and glory of our  Triune God.

As we respond to the ultimate worthiness of God (Absolute Treasure) our joy in Him (pleasure) becomes the gauge (Measure) by which we count our lives. Simply put: pleasure is the measure of the Treasure ! How we communicate that wonderful truth to the members of NCAC and out into the world was the   focus of much that was shared.

Other ideas presented, discussed, wrestled with, and prayed over were: Applying God-centeredness to our      personal lives, including retirement; the role of  suffering in the lives of Christians; praying Scripture; God’s vision for NCAC and questions on “How are we doing? What could we do better?”; and the role of writing in keeping alive and accurate what Truth God is revealing to us.

It was an excellent time of seeing God move in our midst and of looking      toward the future He is determining for us all.

How grateful is your Leadership Team for each    person, from infants to our        beloved Senior Saints. Far beyond even these    greatest gifts, that are from our gracious God, is God Himself, our Rock and our Redeemer.

“Satisfy us in the morning with Your Steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days.” Amen.

 by Shawn Bainbridge

The scripture on which AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed) is based is:

a. l Timothy 2:15

b. ll Timothy 2:15   

c. Proverbs 14:15

You have five seconds to choose the right answer  which will be made publically in front of several hundred people.

What is your answer?

That was one of the many questions young AWANA boys and girls, from our church faced at the AWANA Quizzing February 7th.  They first took a written test to check their  Bible knowledge, then on a raised platform in front of a crowd of hundreds, they raised paddles with “A”, “B” or “C” on them to answer ten multiple choice questions. 

Finally, each team had all the kids’ hands on a buzzer and they had to “buzz in” for the chance to answer more questions. This was very difficult, as the child could know the correct answer, but not be the first to “buzz in”.

Teams consisted of from one to four AWANA    members from individual churches. The questions were based on their      progress in their AWANA

handbooks.

The Bible Quiz team    members from our church were in grades 3 to 6, and      included Kaylee Trimble, Becka Habeger, Mariah Brown, Megan La Croix, Kacie Wagner and Brendon Barnes.   

The team of Becka Habeger and Kaylee Trimble won an overall Second Place ribbon, and the team of Megan La Croix, Kacie  Wagner and Mariah Brown also won an overall Second Place ribbon.  Becka Habeger “Quizzed Out”, which means she answered three oral questions correctly, and was not  allowed to  answer any more questions. 

Brendon Barnes was a “team” of only one, and he correctly answered nine of the ten “Paddle Questions.”

We are very proud of all of these AWANA kids.  Kaylee    Ramsey also competed in the Bible Quizzing, with a church from Red Bluff, and got the “Highest Honor Award” for answering all of the written Bible questions correctly.

We are so proud of these young boys and girls for their work hiding God’s Word in their hearts!  When you see them be sure to give them a hug and     congratulate them!

Another way to show your support for their hard work is to contact Dave Sottana  (347-4665), or Dave     Wagner (722-9358) and volunteer to sit and listen to them as they recite their verses on Wednesday nights. 

We need caring adults who can offer an ear as the children come prepared with verses, but have no one to listen and sign their books as they advance in their memory work.

by Molly Frame

On Saturday, February 7, 2009, a portion of our own Neighborhood Church participated in the AWANA Bible Quizzing and Games.  This is an annual event where numerous churches throughout the North State send teams of kids to compete in various events. 

The teams included the Sparkies (K through 2^nd) and the T&T’s (3^rd through 6^th).  The first half of the day was the quiz portion.  The second half of the day was filled with the AWANA Games.

The AWANA Games is comprised of several smaller games played around a circle.  The smaller games include either a portion of a team or an entire team, allowing everyone an opportunity to play. 

We had two teams participate this year: one from the Sparkies and one from the T&T’s. 

The Sparky team came in first place and the T&T team came in second.  Here are the names of those who participated:  Mackenzie Smedley, Jillian McWithey, Ginny Bainbridge, Emily Brown, Joshua Wyman, Joshua Winkleman, Trevor Webb, Madeline Megill, Bailey Jones, Tyler Braito, Breanna Gilman, Ben & Julia Abshier, Joey & Kaylee Trimble, Kacie Wagner, Mariah Brown, Tanner & Megan LaCroix, Brendon Barnes, Becka Habeger, Christian Yingling, Gabriel Orion, Cody Ballard and Noah Megill. 

Oh, how exciting it was to be inside a gym that was packed with kids and parents ready to compete in the games!  And, how amazing it was that so many unchurched families and friends were there to hear the gospel message!

All of the kids involved did a great job.  If you happen to know any of these kids, please let them know how wonderful they did in displaying the love of God. 

I want to personally thank the following volunteers for their time coaching, line judging, ushering and helping with other important duties:  Jim Bullwinkel, Molly Frame, Josh Megill, Dave Wagner, Justin Rogers, Holly Smedley, Jeff Flaherty, Debra Wyman and Kenyon Feusi. 

I also want to thank the parents for all of their support.  It is awesome to see our church come together as a body of believers.  What a tremendous opportunity to declare and display the glory of God.

The Lord’s AWANA   program needs your help.  We are in need of God-centered leaders to help reach out and declare to the children in our neighborhood the Gospel of Christ and joyfully display his glory. 

I ask you to prayerfully consider helping out as a leader.  What an honor it is to serve the Lord through discipling children.  Please contact Shawn Bainbridge or Dave Wagner for information on how you can find joy in serving the Lord through this ministry.

by Dan Eckley

Shelly and I have been attending Neighborhood Church since 1975. At that time, I did not anticipate that one day I would be a leader in this church. 

As I look back, I credit two major activities that influenced my growth besides attending church services: One being a home group and another being Sunday School.  We sat under Ed Petersen and Brad Manley for many years as they taught through books of the Bible.  It was an atmosphere ripe for learning and growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As the elder overseeing Adult Sunday school, I want to challenge our members who currently just attend worship services and neglect Sunday school to consider adding to your spiritual appetite by taking one of our adult Sunday school classes. 

This last quarter Nick Braito  give a scintillating tour of Acts in a class entitled “God Goes Global” in which he has followed Paul’s missionary journeys. If you missed it, you were deprived of valuable meat for your spiritual diet! 

In the kitchen, Doug Deese and Dave Sottana have skillfully led the D1/D2—Discovering and Developing Joy in God Class.  This class is for newcomers to become acquainted with our church and with habits that grow believers. 

Meanwhile, in Room O, the astute Paul Fisher and the astutely dressed Gary Godman have led a class in the book of James. 

Though you missed out on those delectable offerings,

we start a new quarter this month with another spiritually nutritious menu.  Lynn Peebles will be in the auditorium for the last course of his long running series in Genesis.

Steve and Shannon Cramer will be serving up a valuable parenting class on “Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours.”

For those in the Base Path Class, the D3: Displaying Joy in God class will fill your heart with instruction for how to serve the Lord in His church.

Whichever service you come to, the extra hour will be an hour well spent for your spiritual nutrition and for kingdom purposes.

If you have a family, the other great value of being here for the Sunday school hour as well as a worship service is that your family can worship together in church and then each member of the family can have an added treat of age appropriate instruction in the Lord. 

May the Lord convict us all in this matter of spiritual instruction for all members of our church family!