Christian & Missionary Alliance of Clarion, PA

     Remember playing with Logos?  When I was a kid my friends and I had hours of good clean fun building all kinds of things. 

     In case you are wondering, Legos are toys that you build things with.  They are made of plastic and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.  Some are blocks and some are more specialized pieces.  The way Legos attach to one another is through a pattern of raised circles that fit into the other pieces.  The combinations of things you can build is as limitless as your imagination.  My daughter found this great picture of Lego people at church together.

     I once heard that people are something like Legos in the way that they can connect to one another.  When people get together relationships can be formed.

     The church setting is something like this.  People who are part of a church can connect with one another to form close trusting relationships with the commonality of Jesus binding them together.

      Just like Legos, some people have more connective parts than others.  And each of the people in the church have different amounts of connective areas available.

     New people are now calling Clarion Alliance home!  I am very excited about this!  What usually happens with new people have lots of available connective parts and they want to get connected.  Relationships can be made by connecting parts with common areas of interests such as hobbies, activities, or any number of others.  The common theme is that Jesus is there for each of us and desires to have relationship with all of us.

     So if you are looking to be involved in a church, you’re welcome at Clarion Alliance.  Come and get connected!

     Living the Call - Together,

     Pastor Keith

     Clarion Alliance Church is looking forward to the Grace Life Conference coming on October 24 & 25.  We hope to see you there!

Clarion Alliance Church

Hosting

Grace Life Conference 

Finding Freedom in Christ

Want to know the KEY to unlocking the power of

victorious Christian living?

Attend the Grace Life Conference if…

¨      …you are feeling like you can’t find satisfaction

¨      …you keep trying but the Christian life still seems so hard

¨      …you want to know how to grow as a Christian

¨      …you work hard to gain acceptance from other people

¨      …God seems far away

¨      …you want to find the KEY to unlocking the power of victorious living

¨      …you want to find the true meaning of Grace 

Date:     October 24^th -25^th 

Time:     Friday- 7-9:30 (check in at 6:30); Saturday -9-4PM

Place:    Clarion Alliance Church-Greenville & Oakwood

Info:      www.clarionalliance.com (under upcoming events)

Cost:     ** Free **  (Love Offering taken –suggested $40.00)

  $10 for optional workbook (must preregister for this)

RSVP:   Mary Beth Allen 227-2234 

*Child care provided

 Visit the Grace Life Website by clicking here.

Living the Call - Together,

Pastor Keith

    The Autumn Leaf 5K run happened this past Saturday.  What a great day!  The weather was perfect, not too hot not too cold.  The course was the same as last year, a nice 3.1 mile route through Main Street of Clarion, around Clarion University, then back to the stadium for a lap.

     The race was a great time to get together with friends.  Both competition and completing a challenge can bring people together.  In these pics you will see friends from both church and work.  I had a really good time with everyone.

     Bill English, one of the elders at Clarion Alliance, was the race director.  Bill does a wonderful job of creating an upbeat fun atmosphere at the races.  As the runners entered the stadium for the last leg of the race, Bill was on the public address system.  Bill’s theme for the race that he broadcast many times was “Comin’ home!”  Each of us runners were welcomed as we completed the lap and crossed the finish line.  Thanks Bill for a job well done!

     Comin’ home.  When I finished the race and began to recover from my effort I looked across the field.  I saw the runners beginning to congregate in groups to congratulate one another.  I saw other runners enter the stadium being cheered on by fans and by the other runners. 

     Comin’ home.  The scene gave me forthoughts of the warm homecoming that is in store for the believer in Jesus Christ.  When a person runs there is much toil and strain.  When the Christian is called Home the pain of this world is gone and we spend time with our Father in Glory.  It reminded me of the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7-8.  Oh to hear the words of Jesus when He calls out, “Comin’ Home!”

     Living the Call - Together,

     Pastor Keith

     For several months the Lord has been leading me toward a message series from the New Testament Book of Ephesians.  God did some cool things to make this happen.  He worked this both in times spent alone with Him and through other believers. 

     A while ago I read through Ephesians as part of my daily devotions.  Ephesians is only six chapters long so I read a chapter a day going through the Book a couple times.

     In June our family went to Florida for vacation.  While on vacation we worshipped at Zephyrhills Alliance Church.  As the time came for us to head for home I was at the church.  Pastor Paul Bartnick called me into his office.  He began to talk with me about some things that I had speaking to God about.  While we were talking he took a tape series from his book shelf and gave it to me.  It was a message series from Ephesians.  He explained that he preached through this series at Zephyrhills and at a previous church.  He wanted to give it to me.  The tape series was preached by David Johnson who pastors the Church of the Open Door in Minnesota.  Pastor Paul used this series as a commentary for study for his message series.  This is a pic of Pastor Paul and I outside Zephyrhills Alliance. 

     Ephesians is a short Book but there is much content packed into those few chapters.  We will probably be in Ephesians for a year, maybe more.

     The message series that I will preach is not the same that was preached in Minnesota or in Florida.  Our series is designed by God for us here in Clarion.  It is not warmed up leftovers.  Its freshly prepared nourishment for the mind, body,and spirit. 

     God is teaching me week by week as the messages are prepared.  I am in no way an expert in Ephesians.  I too am learning from the Good Teacher.

     I encourage everyone to read through Ephesians as part of your daily Bible reading plan.  Journal as you go.  I also encourage note taking as the series is preached.  When we make it through the study you will have your own resource book filled with knowledge the Lord taught you both privately and from church.

     You are invited worship at Clarion Alliance.  Sunday school begins at 9:45.  We have classes for all ages.  As a matter of fact, we have recently added a new class for young adults.  Worship begins at 11:00.

     Ephesians begins on Sunday September 28th.

     Living the Call - Together,

     Pastor Keith

     This past Saturday evening and on Sunday morning we heard stories of the work of God in the Middle East.  Fantastic stories of things that only God can do.  The C&MA has had workers in the Middle East for a long time.  Over the years some workers have cultivated, other workers have planted, and now a new generation of workers are doing the harvesting.  It is amazing what God can do!

     The Sunday morning brunch lived up to its expectation.  Clarion Alliance has some great cooks!

     The Sunday worship service tied things together so well.  In a message from Psalm 46:1-11 we heard how the psalmist had much in common with a person in the present day.  Commonality for the need for the Good News in the Middle East and here at home was also made clear. 

     The closing illustration of slow pitches punctuated everything that the Lord wanted us to hear.  A slow pitch is one that is thrown in such a way that the batter cannot miss.  This was the prayer offered to the Lord for Him to provide just such slow pitch opportunities to share the Gospel where we are.

     Personally, I must share that I am thankful to meet the workers who visited us.  Even though we have only known each other for a few days, I feel as if I have known them for a long time.  There is a kinship.  They are special people who are part of something much bigger than themselves.  But then, so are we who call Clarion Alliance home.

     Living the Call - Together,

     Pastor Keith