531 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806

Jeff Hayes Senior Pastor

Pat Stillwell Associate Pastor

Jim Burnett Interim Music Director

Vicki Sorenson Office Administrator

Charlene Shelton CEC Director

Aaron DeWeese Custodian

Phone: 828-253-7301 Fax: 828-253-4872 office@calvaryasheville.com

Crosspoints (672-000) Published monthly by Calvary Baptist Church, 531 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806. Periodical postage paid at Asheville, NC. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Crosspoints, 531 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806

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April 2014

The Monthly Newsletter of Calvary Baptist

CrossCrossCrosspointspointspoints

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Sunday April 13—11:00 Palm Sunday Worship

Monday April 14—12:15 Brown Bag lunch and Devotional in CC

Tuesday April 15—12:15 Brown Bag lunch and Devotional in CC

Wednesday April 16—12:15 Brown Bag lunch and Devotional in CC (No evening Bible Study)

Thursday April 17—6:30 Maundy Thursday Communion Service in CC

Friday April 18—Good Friday Mid-day Movie and Reflection (more details to come)

Saturday April 19—Personal time to reflect on the cross of Christ

Sunday April 20—8:30 Breakfast in the CC, 11:00 Easter Worship

What LifeGroups Mean to Me Vicki Sorenson

My husband, Andy and I have been a part of a LifeGroup at several churches we have attended. Our first experience with LifeGroups was a group of 4 couples, all about the same age. We got together once or twice a month and just had fellowship and fun.

Our current experience with LifeGroups is helping us to grow more as Christians. We meet once a week and we have a time of fellowship, a time of learning and Bible study, and a time of praying over concerns we have in our group. There are eight cou-

ples and we love to eat, we love to talk, we love to laugh, but most importantly, we really love to dig deep into God’s word. We are blessed with several teachers that God has gifted in leading us through the passages we are to study each week. We listen for God and all have a passion for learning God’s truths beyond just a surface level. Having a LifeGroup also gives us a chance to concentrate on those within our group: praying and helping each oth-er in anyway possible. Last June, Andy and I had to move and the Saturday we rented the truck, our LifeGroup members showed up with coffee and donuts at 8:00 ready to help. One dear precious woman, who had just endured hip replacement two weeks before, showed up with her cane to do whatever she could to help. We have one couple whose daughter is get-ting married in a couple of weeks. They have been doing all the work for it, so we have stepped in to lend help where we can. Providing food for the reception, hands for setting up, cleaning up, etc. We are just trying to lighten the load so they can en-joy the occasion without all the hustle and headaches. We really are a family that count on one another. The biggest blessing, however, is knowing that people are praying for me. I can call, text or email at anytime of a need big or small, urgent or ongoing and I know my LIfeGroup family will pray. I know that if I need to talk, someone is there. They care about me and my family and anything that is important in my life. They check up on our family and they genuinely care. While that happens in the larger church, there is something special about the connection that is made through our LifeGroup. My LifeGroup is truly a blessing in my life. We have a large congregation and I am not just a body in a seat. I have a group of people that I connect with, relate to, pray for, and study with—a family that encourages, challenges, and celebrates together.

How Long Does Easter Last? The Rev. Jeffrey C. Hayes

Easter is not very far away and from the second Valentine’s Day ended, retailers have been pushing their products to turn a uniquely Christian holiday into another shopping opportunity. Don’t get me wrong—I love Cadbury chocolate eggs as much as the next person, but that is not what Easter is all about. Every year we, as Christ follow-ers, have the opportunity to tell the world the real meaning of this special day—that Jesus rose from the dead, con-quered sin, and offers eternal life to those who believe in him. Indeed I hope you take advantage of this opportunity. Below you will find a few ideas for inviting someone to church this month.

Second, what happens when Easter is over? When the church doors lock and the lilies are removed, will Easter be over in your heart? The apostle Paul believed Easter should be more than just a one day event when he penned the words: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10). This year, make East-er a year-long event where each day brings another reason to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, I encourage you to join us for our Holy Week services. I believe you will find these focused moments each day of that week to enrich your Easter experience. Plus, it is a great time of fellowship as a church family!

CREATIVE WAYS TO INVITE SOMEONE TO CHURCH DURING THE EASTER SEASON

Easter Kindess: Conduct a significant act of service for someone and tell them you seek to serve as Jesus served. Then invite them to join you for church. Egg-vitations: Give friends a plastic egg filled with candy and a handwritten invitation to join you for Easter services. Appreciation Easter Lilies: Purchase an Easter lily in honor of someone who does not know Jesus as their Savior and invite them to church on Easter Sunday to worship and take home their special flower. Lunch Bunch: Invite someone to join you for a lunch service during Holy Week and buy their lunch. Who can turn down a free meal? Follow up by inviting them to Easter Sunday to hear the rest of the story. Basket Kindness: Fill an Easter basket with lots of fresh fruit as well as an invitation to attend church. Invite Cards: We are providing you with business size card invitations to pass out wherever you go. Some examples would be: if you go through a drive through lane, hand one to the person collecting your money or the person who gives you your food, or when you check out at the grocery store you can hand one to the clerk, or you can leave one along with your generous tip for your waitress at the restau-rant, etc. The possibilities are endless. Pick up a stack of cards from the church office and begin to use

THIS MONTH’S STARS

Faye Gunter

Emerald Ridge

25 Reynolds Mountain Blvd.

Asheville, NC 28804-1270

Ray Hancock

1 Green Valley Court

Asheville, NC 28806-1402

Send a Card, Make a Call

and Share God’s Love!

REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Aston Park

Glenn Piercy

Tom McMurray

Baptist Retirement Center

Jean Ernst

Givens Estates

Susie Simmons

Pisgah Manner

Edith Lance

NC Veterans Home

Jesse Calloway

At Home

Evelyn Boone

Myrtle Brown

Alan Candler

Mary Candler

Maude Frisbee

Freddie Hopper

Jim Hopper

Leonard Hopps

Charles Lance

Mary Ann Lance

Edith Middleton

Max West

Marion Whitaker

Our New LifeGroups—Get Excited! The Rev. Pat Stillwell

In the Vision Team Report voted in last October, the following descrip-tion of LifeGroups is listed under Discipleship..AllSunday School classes and small groups will fall under the name LifeGroups. These groups will seek to create relationships and mentoring opportunities. There will be no age brackets. LifeGroups will meet for topical Bible Studies over a certain time peri-od (we discussed quarterly), at which time other topics would be offered and persons could change groups. (This is not a change in Sunday School classes but merely a name change and the addition of other Bible Study opportunities. Everyone is welcome to remain in the same class or change as different topics present themselves.) The LifeGroup concept will begin in the spring of 2014.

We are excited that LifeGroups at Calvary will begin on May 4, 2014. This is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to grow closer to Christ and to each other. On the backpage of this Crosspoints you can read a personal story of how Life-Groups have impacted someone’s life. Here at Calvary we pray to see even greater results! For our first LifeGroup study all of us will be using the same material (this will not always be the case). Our first study will be based on the book: The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows by James Bryan Smith. This book is on Christian spir-itual formation - helping us grow closer to God as we are being transformed by Christ and conformed to his image. (The books will be paid for out of the Educational Enrichment Fund so that everyone who participates in a group will receive a book for free.) Below are the choices for our first LifeGroup options. Some LifeGroups will continue to meet during the regular Sunday morning Bible Study time while others will meet at a different time and/or location. You may choose to be a part of any LifeGroup for the next twelve weeks. Please pray that God will use this study to deepen our walk with him!

The following LifeGroups will begin the week of May 4: DAY TIME TEACHER LOCATION________________ Sunday 9:30 AM Bruce Farlow Calvary education building Sunday 9:30 AM Jim Truett Calvary education building Sunday 9:30 AM Dan Bradshaw Calvary education building

Sunday 2:00 PM Melody Bell Bell home in Hendersonville Sunday 5:00 PM Butch & Pat Stillwell Stillwell home in Candler

Wednesday 6:00 PM Jeff Hayes Calvary Candler Center

Thursday 6:00 PM Joe Lanford Lanford home in Weaverville

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR A LIFEGROUP BY APRIL 20 EITHER ON THE BOARD IN THE BELLTOWER, BY CALLING THE CHURCH OFFICE, OR CONTACTING PAT STILLWELL. (Also contact Pat if you have additional questions.

Please see Pat Stillwell if you have questions or need additional information.

Senior Sponsored Events

April 25 Lunch at Sids on Main in Canton May 23 Lunch and shopping at The Farmer’s Daughter Restau-rant in Chuckey, TN

June 21 Ladies Tea in Candler Center (Vicki Sorenson Coordinator) July 17 Attend a play at SART in Mars Hill “Promises” August 21 Lunch at Huntin’ Camp BBQ and Grill in Traveler’s Rest September 18 Lunch at Bruce’s Fabulous Foods in Marion October 23 Pigeon Forge for lunch and shopping November 13 Have an idea??? We are open to suggestions December 9 The Cove for Senior Salt Carol Sing and Buffet Lunch (For this event we must have your registration and money, $25.00, by April 18 in order to make reservations early!!! See Pat Stillwell)

Call the church office to sign up for any event. All menus and ad-ditional information available in church office in Senior Event Notebook on volunteer desk.

Along with our Calvary volunteers, the Stetson University BSU will be helping

with our VBS and staying in the CC. Plan now to be a part of this awesome week!

CALVARY GARDEN

It is almost time to start working in our garden! We have already planted pota-toes! We would love for you to participate so see Melody Bell, Dan Brad-shaw or Joyce Elliott. All are welcome to help! More information will be coming soon.

Resurrection Charles Stanley Crosswalk.com/devotionals

Within three days Jesus’ followers went from heartbroken sadness to triumphant jubila-tion. The cross screamed, “The End,” making them feel hopeless and helpless. But the resurrection trumpeted, “The Beginning,” bringing confidence and courage. The cloud of doubt and despair that had shrouded them melted away and was replaced with unshakea-ble faith. Can you imagine how they felt when they realized Jesus had risen from the dead? Sud-denly hope came alive; now everything He had said was validated as truth. They had not believed a lie. His victory over death was the acid test that forever sealed their sure con-viction that He was the Messiah. We commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross with solemnity, but the resurrection calls for thunderous applause, praise, and song. All the blessings that come our way through the Savior’s cross are confirmed by the resurrection. It proved that the Father was satisfied with the Son’s payment for our sins. Now we can know that our transgressions are forgiven and we’re eternally secure. What’s more, Jesus promises that we, too, will be resurrected and given new bodies. Physical death could not hold Him, nor will it overpower us. Because He overcame the grave, His follow-ers have the same kind of life He has—eternal and indestructible. As Christians, we have the right to celebrate Easter with great rejoicing. Because of this event, our lives have been forever changed. We’ve been transformed and given new life. With unwa-vering faith, we trust the Bible because Christ’s power over the grave proves He can and will ful-fill every word.

Thanks to the many people who helped fill 188 shoeboxes last December during Operation Christmas Child, we received five tickets for admission during this operational year for Dollywood. On Sunday, April 27th, we will have a drawing for the tickets from the names of those who turned in a shoebox.

Mark your calendar now for a joint prayer

service at Grace Baptist Church on Thursday, May 1

at noon.

Do you enjoy Barbershop singing? Well, it just so happens that Song O’ Sky Women’s Chorus rehearses at Calvary on Tuesdays nights. This group is affiliated with Sweet Adelines International. They are preparing for their annual Re-gional competition and would like to invite you to attend their dress rehearsal on Tuesday night, April 8th at 7:00. They plan on taking you on an African Safari, so it should be very entertaining!