Author: Shannon Elder

Inspiration and Information from the
National Association of Wesleyan Evangelicals

Your NAWE Companion

‘N AWE
From Hurting to Healing
Phyllis Snipes, Carrollton, GA

April—May 2014

More than likely, there is not one among us who has lived without the pain of a broken heart at some point in life. This all-consuming wound expands to devastate our entire being. Such pain renders us helpless, hopeless where we stand!
Where can we find renewed hope, a way to be able to breathe again, a revival of soul? Where is that place where healing begins?
In the silence.
The knowledge of God restores all things and brings hope out of our earthly despair. In order to know and commune with God, He clearly and directly tells us to “Be still, and know…” Some versions of the Word say “Be silent, and know…” or “Cease striving and know…” When we empty ourselves of every vestige of self and seek God with our whole heart in that place of solitude, patiently waiting on His voice to break the silence, we will KNOW He is God. We must seek out His promises for us and He will be faithful to walk with us through any battle we face. That is the beginning of healing for brokenness. And this unbelievable strength and comfort from God that we find in the silence is intensified through relationship with our faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.
What a masterful plan God has prepared for us to not only survive, but thrive in the face of brokenness!
Healing begins in the silence, listening for that still, small voice, and it continues indefinitely in the embrace of God’s servants here on earth.
“’Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.”
Psalm 46: 10-11

Praise & Prayer

Faith Community Church in Douglasville, GA recently voted to request membership in the NAWE. Praise the Lord!
We are thankful for a refreshing and enjoyable Ministers’ & Wives’ Retreat.
Pray for several among us who are caregivers for family members with poor health.
Keep praying for the planning of our Annual Meeting.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Wesley Community Fellowship
John McCulley, Conyers, GA

Wow! Pastor Tony wants me to write up something about our church for the NAWE! It’s Wesley Community Fellowship in Conyers, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. As far as “Bricks and Mortar” are concerned, the church is in a 20 some year old building on a slightly elevated wooded lot. We think it’s a pretty church; white brick with a steeple on 12 acres. The sanctuary seats about eighty. There are deer around, sometimes coming right up on the porch to eat the blossoms from the planters. We’ve even had deer peering through the windows, watching our service.
But the church is more than bricks and mortar. When the congregation voted to select a name a couple of years ago, the idea of fellowship played a large part. So we chose a name that reflected our doctrine (Wesleyan) and our closeness (Fellowship). It’s really the love of the people in the congregation for one another that defines the personality of the church, sort of like you expect to find in the Body of Christ. We enjoy one another’s company and we actually work hard to build up each other.
A significant outreach ministry is our monthly service at the Westbury Nursing Home in Conyers. Also, Pastor Tony is a volunteer chaplain at the county hospital and writes a weekly article for the community newspaper. But I think the strength of our church is found in teaching. We are trying to equip the believer to respond to modern issues with the relevant message of Jesus Christ. Whether this is on a college campus, or to a survivor of family tragedy, or simply talking one on one, the message of God’s love and His help in living a sanctified life is basic. I’m glad to be part of the Body, as exemplified at WCF.

ASSOCIATION NEWS
Refreshed
Tony Elder, Conyers, GA

Twenty-five of us came together for our annual Ministers’ & Wives’ Retreat on April 2-4. Montgomery Bell State Park, near Dickson, Tennessee, made for a beautiful and quiet setting for this event. It was perfect for a “laidback” time of fellowship and refreshment. Dr. Charles Sineath blessed us in our evening sessions with words of encouragement, such as dealing with “the hard places” in life.
Apart from the joy of simply being together and getting updated on what’s been going on in each others’ lives, we made use of the opportunity to bear one another’s burdens as we shared concerns and prayed for each other. During the free time various ones reportedly enjoyed such activities as: hiking along one of the trails in the park; swimming in the indoor pool; checking out the antique shops, Walmart, and other stores in nearby Dickson; exploring some of the historic sites in the area; taking an afternoon nap.
I believe we all came away encouraged and refreshed, while looking forward to the next opportunity when even more of us can be together.

Calendar

July, 2014—NAWE Annual Meeting
Due to some recent developments, it was decided at the Ministers’ & Wives’ Retreat to change the previously-announced dates for our Annual Meeting. Information on the exact dates and location will be sent out soon. We hope this change doesn’t cause anyone a hardship, but everyone agreed that it needed to be done.
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