Deborah Johnson  (adult entry)

Josiah Pierpont    (Primary entry)

Zachary Pierpont  (Primary entry)

THE CONTEST IS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS… JUST FOR FUN… THIS IS ONE OF THE TROPHIES…A LITTLE CROCHETED SNOW ANGEL…PLEASE SEND YOUR ENTRIES TO MY EMAIL..

Miniature Hat Thimble & Needle Holder

One day while working with a ladies quilting group, one of the ladies had one of these darling little hats.

She kindly let met borrow it a few minutes so that I could write a few notes down and when I got home I made it up right away while it was fresh in my mind.

I have never been able to find a pattern for this so I made it up so others could have a pattern.

The crown holds your favorite thimble and the piece of felt between the two brims holds needles.

I also us felt in the shape of gloves sometimes for the needles and only make the hat to sit on top the gloves.

I never make two alike but change the stitch I use on the brim or even on the thimble (crown). I also use different decor.

I love to make this up in birthstone colors for ladies in the church for their birthdays.

Use your imagination and have fun.  A lovely memorable gifts that are very quick to make and very little expense.

by Jane A Pierpont

Size: 3 1/2” wide at brim x 1 1/8″ tall
Material:

• Crochet cotton size 10: small amount

• colors of your choice… (Sewing thread several strands will also work and I have use heavier yarns changing the pattern accordingly.)     Size 9 steel crochet hook or size needed. To obtain gauge ( I change the needle if I see that the thimble will be to tight or loose.}

• Sewing needle and thread

• Felt for needle holder  (round circle the same size as finished hat or shape of glove pattern)

• thimble (leave empty and inform recipient know so favorite thimble can be inserted in the crown or it can be stuffed with a cotton ball and used as a pin cushion.

Pattern Note
Join rounds with a sl st unless otherwise stated.

HAT CROWN (To hold thimble)
Rnd 1:  ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch
from hook, join in beg sc.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join
in beg sc. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next
sc] rep around (18 sc).
Rnds 4–9: Ch 1, sc in each sc around (18 sc).

Brim
Rnd One: Ch 2 (as dc ) dc in same stitch as chain. 2 dc in front loop of each sc around, Join with a ss in the top of ch 3.

Rnd Two: Ch 2 (as dc) dc in same sc as ch, Dc in top of next dc, 2 dc in next dc around, join with ss.

Rnd Three: Ch 2 (as dc) dc in same sc as ch, (dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc) around, join with ss.

Rnd Four: [This row could be a contrast color.] (Ch 3, dc in first stitch of ch. skip next dc, Ss in next dc) repeat around finish off.

Bottom brim: Ch 5, 12 dc in first ch, repeat rows 2-4 approximately . for bottom of hat.(you may need to adjust for type thread used.

Place the hat, felt circle (same color or contrast) and bottom together and tack on one side of brim.

Sew a little ribbon flower, crocheted flower or ribbon on the hat at the bottom of the crown  and attach the round felt to bottom at one edge of the brim.

You may use two layers of felt. I prefer a crocheted bottom and one layer.

PASTOR DON & JAN HARKEY

PRAISE THE LORD FOR FAITHFUL TEACHERS
(A Tribute to Mrs Jan Harkey)

Sunday morning it was raining and we came into the back entrance of the Cambria Baptist Church, of Cambria MI.(this is the church we joined when Ken retired) which takes us through the secretary’s office and then through the small chapel where the children’s church meets each Sunday.

I can not express the joy and praise that filled my heart as we came into the chapel door and I saw, Jan Harkey, the pastor’s wife, working hard writing an outline on the white board, and very obviously well prepared for the task of ministering to the Childrens’ Church (over 35  we found out later). She has many faithful helpers, too.

This lady of God, is a precious example of unselfish faithfulness to the ministry that she has been called. She has the dedication to study and prepare visual aids, and everything else that goes into a ministry like this. I don’t know how many years she has been at it, but certainly a long time. A few weeks ago the youth pastor, Jeremy Harrington, who grew up in the church and attended those children’s church sessions, mentioned how much he learned from “Marm Harkey” in Children’s Church.

What a joy it is to me as one who has taught for many years myself and used some of the same materials as Jan Harkey is using, [CEF, Footsteps of Faith, The Life of Christ, Betty Lukens.] I divided mine up with my daughters and grand-daughters a few years ago when I wasn’t able to use them any longer and I didn’t want them to go to waste.  I am aware of the dedication and preparation that is required to be able to present these materials faithfully year after year.

I am so thankful for those faithful teachers every Sunday who truly dedicate themselves to teaching the Word and putting the time and preparation that is necessary to truly present the Gospel, bathe those students in prayer and live a fine Christian life before them.

Also, the follow-up that goes into that type of ministry is important too.  A little note here and there, and all the prayers for those students God has entrusted to you.

A few weeks ago our son Ken preached a message:

07/27/2008 11:00 AM    The Eternal Weight of Glory    Ken Pierpont     Series: Beating Burnout
2 Corinthians 4:16-18, with a challenge to Christian to step up and be faithful.

I encourage you to go to this sight and listen to this message if you are a teacher or someone who should be.

http://www.evangelbaptist.com/podcast.aspx

As a young person, I also had some wonderful teachers, my pastor’s wife Mary Robbins,  I learn so very much from her about Christian living, and Shirley Summers who took our class to her home once a month for the quarter, to build a replica of the tabernacle and all it’s appointments. We even make the curtains by weaving the colors into fabric and carved the furnishings, etc. from balsa wood. The time she invested was a tremendous help to me, as a young Jr. High student, to understand the Scriptures.

Please consider now,…  is God calling you to the ministry of teaching?

Even though we are retired from the Pastorate per-say we are by no means retired from full time Christian service as God gives us the strength.  The desire is still there and God helping us, that is what we want to do.

II Timothy 2:15
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of God.”

Isaiah 28:9-10 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)

9.  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10.  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

The second week there was one lady and the third week, two ladies…. God is working. ( a few others stopped by and listened in and left).

This week the same two ladies attended and shared requests for prayer.

I am encouraged and praise the Lord for the blessings in the class.

Jer.33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

Verse I memorized this week.

I Cor. 7:23,24 “Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men.  Brethern, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.”

"GOD USES THE PREPARED PERSON...

Well, I prayed for ladies to come, I sent out fliers with the monthly news bulletin for the community, one of the ladies took one to the person who puts announcements on the local radio station,  I ordered lesson books, prepared the lesson, and a few ladies signed up and a few others said they would come.

I prayed a lot about it and enlisted others to pray for the Lord’s blessing.

I went over to the community room, set up the stereo with nice music playing, took several extra Bibles so that if anyone needed a Bible. and had little pieces of paper set for deciding on a name for our class.

I called those who signed up to remind them this morning and the first call was a young woman who was very excited about coming but her sister answered the call and she shared that the young woman had an emergency in her family, the second lady had an appointment to have a test, one that planned on coming had an unexpected person come in at the last minute, and on it goes.

Yes, I was there by myself.  NOT!  The LORD and I were there.  I turned on the music and listened to Carrie Thompson’s  “Strings of Praise” accompanied by Jeff Acker and our son, Nathan Pierpont.

I decided if none came that I would stay there the whole time and read the Word and pray for the Lord’s anointing for when the Lord does choose to send someone in.

The key Scripture for the study  I am using (”Becoming A Woman of Prayer” by Cynthia Heald,) is “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3.

The book is one that was my mother’s and she had it about 2/3 filled out. It seems she may have been studying through it when the Lord took her home “to show her unsearchable things.”

Though, humanly speaking I  am very disappointed that no one came to the first Bible study, I am also overjoyed that I can still call upon my Lord and wait and see what HE has in store for me.

I am waiting on the edge of my seat, so to speak, to see what HE is going to do here in our little community.

Perhaps you will join me in prayer for God’s blessing as I  desire to share the love of God with others.

“Wait on the Lord” Ron Hamilton 1950 Copyright 1988, Majesty Music,  Inc.

Ask and it shall be given unto you;

Seek and ye shall find.

Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Opened in God’s time.

Ye have not because ye ask not;

So ask and seek and find.

For the Lord gives good thing in His time

Wait on the Lord, wait on the Lord,

I say wait on the Lord Thy God

Wait on the Lord, Wait on the Lord

Wait, Wait, Wait upon the Lord.

At the memorial service her Pastor told about a piece of notebook paper that Aunt Wilma had shared with him.  It was a list of Scripture verses that my grandmother ( a single mom from the time my daddy was nine) made up for him and his little sister, Wilma, to memorize while doing the dishes.

PRAISE THE LORD FOR THE HERITAGE WE HAVE.

My paternal grandmother was a precious Christian woman named, Grace, who loved the Lord and raised her two children faithfully for her Savior.  She worked at The Clark Equipment Company in Buchanan, MI. until her retirement.

When I was a teenager grandma bought a twelve base accordion and seeing my love for music and musical instruments she selflessly loaned it to me to use as long as I needed it. When I got married I returned it to her and she used it at Sunday school class parties and picnics.

Aunt Wilma was my mentor and faithful Christian example from the time I was a young girl, though we were never close geographically. I always looked forward to seeing her at Christmas, Thanksgiving and other special occasions and through correspondence.

Aunt Wilma served faithfully with Uncle Leland in the ministry for over forty years. They had two children Jerry and Kay.

Kay was diagnosed with lung cancer and within the year went to be with the Lord when she was in her mid-thirties leaving her husband and four children. She gave a precious testimony with her memorial service that she had prepared herself, including honorary pallbearers made up of the church youth group led by her and her husband.

Jerry became a pastor, ministered in several churches and later served as the President of Great Lakes Christian College from 1994-99. you might like to follow this link to listen to a message he preached at a 2008 commencement service.

http://www.glcc.edu/main/jerrypaulcommencement.mp3

Aunt Wilma was a choir leader, pianist, teacher, and loved her Heavenly Father and served Him faithfully.

One time not too many years ago while visiting Aunt Wilma and Uncle Leland at Golden Years Homestead in Fort Wayne they shared with my husband and me that the preacher had married them from his sick bed. One would think that from such an unorthodox beginning it might not last, but it lasted over seventy years.  Obviously the preparation and wedding is not near as important as the quality of the marriage.

When we arrived that day to visit them we went to there apartment to find Uncle Leland alone and he said she is out for a walk.  Sure enough when we got the the entrance door of the lobby, there she came, strolling along the sidewalk, elegantly dressed in a hot pink pant suit like Miss American on the runway.

At the funeral her pastor hit the nail on the head when he stated that Aunt Wilma was a “classy lady”.

Father, Thank you so much for the legacy you have given us.

Help me Father to follow the Savior in such a way to bring glory and honor to Your Name.

In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray,

Amen

Please read this portion in the Word of God

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. NIV

This is a verse that I have kept over my sewing machine or work place for many years to remind myself of the importance of doing my very best in whatever I do. Whether it be a job or making a gift for a friend or family, in my work place, as a wife and mother, a pastor’s wife or teacher.

A dear niece noticed my typed note to myself several years ago and sweetly cross-stitched a beautiful plague for me in lavender with a pretty blue flower and lavender ruffle.

Whenever I went to a new job or moved I would take that little plague and put it up over my work area.

When I make a mistake in my crocheting that perhaps only I would even know isn’t right, I feel compelled to pull out my work and make it right.

I crocheted a beautiful apricot tablecloth with a pineapple design and several years after I made it I was sitting at the table and I noticed a place where I had skipped a cluster stitch. No, I did not take it apart and fix it, it is still a beautiful table cloth and it is still very useful, but it has been twelve years or more since I made it and it still pops out at me.

I think of the time when I was making a bride’s maid’s dress and the iron spit water on the peau de soie (a lovely matte satin fabric which Is very unforgiving). Needless to say I had to go shopping to replace the section that was damaged.

One day while decorating for a Christmas program I was carrying some boxes and I entered the building in the dark (the light switches were at the other end of the sanctuary) and someone had moved the platform furniture into the area where I usually walked freely and holding the boxes high, I suddenly crashed into the pulpit. Now though the hand is healed, I have a scar to remind me of that occasion.

I often think back over my life as a Christian and think of things which I wish I had done differently, or that I had been a better servant of Christ, a better wife, parent, or friend.

This reminds me of the “Wonderful Grace of Jesus” and the blessed fact, that as born again Christians who have put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, we are assured of His forgiveness.

I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Read this precious portion for the Word of God…..

First you begin right away changing your address so that things will go smoothly, call all utilities and have them stopped and started on the best days for all concerned, tell all your friends to get out their erasers, and then get on the computer and try to edit your personal data (which is no small task).

Then you dutifully go to the secretary of state to get a new drivers license….

Not so fast, wait, “do you have the list?” They ask.

Yes, that is right there is a list of things that you need to get a new drivers license.

To get a new mi. Drivers license I had to send for a certified copy of my birth certificate with a raised seal because mine was a photo copy (which I have used for I don’t know how many years, with no questions asked).

So I sent a photo copy of my copy of my birth certificate to Cassopolis County Clerk with a check for $13 and less than a week later I received my real birth certificate and they say and I quote, “please note” that the date on my birth certificate on file is august 28…..

I think someone must have been asleep when they recorded it because I have celebrated my birthday for sixty-nine years on august the 26th according to the copy my parents gave me.

I wonder who made the mistake.. My parents, the Dr., The clerk…. Oh dear…. This is pretty serious.
Now when should I celebrate my birthday….???

When I go to pick up a prescription am I going to have to give the 28th for my birthday….Will my drivers license expire on the 28th. Do I celebrate both days…. Ha ha!

I have always celebrated my spiritual birthday on the 28th as I remember being saved two days after my birthday. Which now makes my birthday and salvation on the same date.

What a trauma for an old lady. Then again why should I complain if I am two days younger.

“Praise the Lord, He Never Changes”

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Our furniture is fairly well placed, thanks to our children and grand-children and their commitment to help us with their youth and strong backs. We still have somethings in storage which we are struggling to fit in or part with. This is probably the most difficult thing right now.

We are praying for the Lord to direct us to a place to worship and serve Him. Though we are retired we still have a great desire to be faithful in His service as He gives us strength

We had the privilege of visiting the First Baptist Church of Litchfield, MI which is right in the center of our little city and we were truly blessed in the services.

We were blessed today by the ministry of a missionary who was home on furlough. Eric Schrock, who was raised in the church, with his wife Lily (a native Romanian) and their little girl, presented their slide presentation of their ministry in the Sunday School hour and preached a strong message on “Counterfeit Christianity” in the evening service.

We are praying for God’s direction and wisdom in the future days.

We claim the promise “….All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Psalm 37:25
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Isn’t God good.

I close tonight with a hymn we sang in the service today.

“I’d Rather Have Jesus”