At VALLEY we see the biggest life change and transformation through participation in Highway Groups, so if you are looking to go further over the next year these groups are the place for you. If you have a personal story on how these Highway Groups have impacted your life please send us an email as we would love the opportunity to celebrate with you.

~Josh Brossia

-Greg Williamson

Yesterday, we attended Living Word Church again here in Kiev. It was an honor to be apart of the CLST (Christian Life School of Theology) graduation. It was so inspirational to witness students receiving Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees in Theology and Biblical Studies. Many were students in both of the classes I have taught here in Kiev. We took many pictures and were given beautiful flowers from the students. We also began saying 'Good-bye' to so many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ that we have come to know and love.

Today, there will be a special picnic in honor of the graduates and visiting Americans. It will be a few more hours that we can share together before our long flight back home tomorrow. Please pray especially for Susie and Sophia. they both had a hard time leaving when we visited in 2008, and I think this time will be as hard, if not more difficult.

The people here in Ukraine and Tarispol have a way of getting into your heart. They are so loving, giving and hungry to grow in God's Word that it makes ministry here so easy and fulfilling. All of these qualities combine to form strong bonds of friendship in a short amount of time. It also makes leaving more difficult than one might imagine.

We are missing our VALLEY family and looking forward to being reunited again. You are all in our thoughts and prayers for Sunday Gatherings later today. "Dasvidanya Comrades" (Goodbye friends).

With Much Love,

Greg Williamson

It's hard to put into words how the people of Tiraspol live. Most everything looks run down.  I can maybe liken it to living in the slums. There are so many things that we Americans would be outraged about....like water being shut off in apartments with out any explanation or warning, policemen randomly flagging down cars for no apparent reason except for some trumped up violation to get their quota of money thru bribes paid directly to the officer from the drivers without questioning.  They are a people who have lived with domination and have no expectation for anything else.

The believers there stand out like a beacon of hope and light which is evident in the peace they have and the evidence of God's blessing on their lives.

The needs there are so great, it is hard to know where to start.  The villages we visted remnd me of our pioneer days except instead of wooded cabins they have cement homes. They grow their own vegetables but walk for miles for bread and meat, those who are fortunate have a horse and wagon!  We past one little babuska grandmother walking back to her village with one small loaf of bread in her bag!

The orphanage back in Tiraspol had about 36 children.  Their stories alone would make you go thru a package of kleenex.  One story more heartrenching than the next.  We'll share some with you when we get home.  They LOVED their t-shirts and candy and were so appreciative.  

The strategy of the churches in Tiraspol is to reach out to the children and teens with the message of hope and practical needs and their parent's hearts will soon follow.  The church's mission is to reach their people with the message of God's love and hope and deliverance from the many chains that keep them bound.  We were so honored and privileged to help be a part of what God is doing in this part of the world! 

We love you all and feel your prayers!!

In His Love & Mine,

Susie Williamson

Thanks for all the prayers.
They are all felt!! Love to all!

Greg, Susie & Sophia.

After church, one of the pastors of the church that we have grown close to, took us out for lunch to get some REAL Ukrainian food. It was delicious and it was great to eat something other than pizza for a change.

Dwayne and Janice Lusk were at His River Church, where Dwayne preached. There were many good reports of the grown of the church since we visited it in 2008 (the year that it was planted). After lunch we met back at the apartment and Pastor Victor of His River Church stayed for some Q&A and encouragement.

In the evening, we were invited to participate in the Accelerated School of Ministry International's (ASCMI) commencement. We wore I full academic regalia as part of the processional. Dwayne gave the keynote graduation address and Susie and I were asked to award the diplomas. ASCMI is led by a wonderful man named Alfred Kitcher. He is from Ghana and came to Kiev in 1992. I was shocked at how emotional I was watching these African students who took the time to prepare themselves spiritually here in Kiev, before launching out into God's plan for their lives. Alfred asked me to close the ceremony in prayer and after saying a sentence or two I broke down crying and was hardly able to gain my composure to speak. God's power and greatness were so evident in the lives of those graduates it was more than I could contain.

At the graduation we also met another group sent from churches in England and Scotland. It was great to be able to converse with someone without an interpreter. I think they felt the same way too.

Tomorrow morning I will finish teaching my class (another 5-7 hours). In the evening we will board the trian to Tiraspol. Please keep us in your prayers for this leg of the trip. It will be the hardest for us. We will be back in Kiev on Thurs. morning and have been invited to visit one of the abandoned children's homes that we visited in 2008 again.

We are praying for the whole VALLEY family for our gathering tomorrow. Make sure you don't miss it, as I know that Josh Brossia is going to do an incredible job. Much love to all!

-Greg Williamson

Susie had a much needed day off today and did some shopping in Kiev and was treated to dinner at McDonald's! We really appreciate all of your prayers as we are getting a better picture of what our three day trip to Tarispol will be like. We will leave on Sunday night by train. The ride will be about 11 hours through the night. I have a feeling we will have many stories to tell about the train ride and our time at the church, children's home and rehab center there. Internet connection will be highly unlikely so we will not be able to post anything on the blog for a few days (after tomorrow night's post).

It is REALLY working out great being able to Skype with Michaela and Brooke every night. It is helping them and us, here in Kiev, not to miss each other too much. There is much fun and laughing when we Skype and for that we are thankful.

Again, thanks for all of your prayers and feedback on these posts and on facebook. It means s much to us. We hope to take more pictures and post them on the VALLEY page of facebook. Everyone have a great weekend and we will post again tomorrow night.

-Greg Williamson

The people here are so eager to learn that almost everyone stayed for the 11 hours of teaching! Finally, the lights had to be turned off to stop those in attendance from asking any more questions.

Tomorrow at 2pm I get started teaching my class, "Reaching A Postmodern World". I expect that I'll feel just about as tired tomorrow night as well. We feel an odd combination of physical exhaustion and spiritual elation all at the same time and it it great seeing the impact God is allowing us to make on these dear people.

Sophia is really enjoying herself as she went shopping today with Dwayne and Janice Lusk and welcomed some friends back at our apartment with the Lusks while Susie and I were teaching at the school. Thanks for the comments here on the blog and on Facebook. It makes us feel we are not so far away from our VALLEY family and that you are all here with us too!

-Greg Williamson

We arrived at 9:30am (Kiev time). The flight was uneventful, especially when it came to sleep. There were many Ukranian families on the flight and little kids were running up and down the isles for the whole 10 hours. Needless to say, there was very little sleeping on the plane and we're all dragging today. Miraculously, the Lusk's luggage arrived on time with the rest of ours. It was very much on doubt given their 10 minute connection at JFK.

We made it through customs without any problems whatsoever. They stopped the family in front of us (and searched all of their bags) and the family behind us, but we sailed on through without opening a bag. That part of the trip always makes me nervous, as we bring many gifts to give away at the abandoned children's homes we visit, so I was especially thankful. 

Many familiar faces of friends greeted us at the airport. It was like a "homecoming" of sorts. We quickly drove two cars over to Pastor Anatoliy Gavriluk's home to meet with him and his wife who were departing on a trip to visit another new church plant for a few days. Lunch was then enjoyed at a "pizza" restaurant (although no self-respecting New Yorker would ever call what we ate "pizza). We're now settling in and resting in our apartment which will be our base of operations for the next two weeks.

Tomorrow, Susie will have a full day as she will lead a Women's Seminar beginning at 9am. After 4-5 hours of teaching they will take a break, then I will join Susie and the men will join their wives for a Marriage Seminar tomorrow night.

Please remember us in your prayers when you think of us. We are so thankful for all of the love and support we feel from our VALLEY family!

-Greg Williamson

-Greg Williamson

BREAKING VALLEY NEWS:

All items in the cafe will be $1.00 to purchase, with that dollar going to missions. We also will have our own VALLEY bottled water and coffee sleeves to help get the word out and serve as a reminder to all just how far a dollar can go. New signs also decorate the cafe, showing just some of the places that VALLEY is making an impact around the globe today!

Make plans to arrive a little earlier this week, as we break in our new cafe cashiers and get things started off with a bang. So bring some cash for some "Coffee That Cares"!!!

"God Will Never Put More on You Than You Can Handle"

"Just Follow Your Heart"

"My Faith is a Private Issue"

"VALLEY Just Wants Your Money"

"It's Only Porn"

Make plans to be with us as we find freedom and don't forget to invite a friend.

-Greg Williamson

Read this email from a new VALLEY Partner.

Tithing has really propelled my faith higher than ever before. I realized that there is great relief in totally letting the Lord have control, and my worrying about the future is at an all time low. I am so fired-up with this new level of faith, and after the last sermon in Ancient & Modern on worship and idols I have been trying hard to put Jesus first. Since doing this the Lord has been rewarding me and I have been seeing breakthroughs constantly. Although we have not noticed any financial breakthroughs as of yet, I have already gotten more than "my money's worth" out of tithing and I know the Lord will continue to provide and take care of us.

Three teams, The Short Guys, The Tall Guys, and The Average Height Guys, first took on the Wii challenge of Speed Slice, 100-pin Bowling, Ski Jump, and Bobsledding. After four events it was a close competition, as all 3 teams where tied in the medal count. Then came the cupcake decorating where The Short Guy’s creativity in spelling ‘24/7 Winter Olympics’ prevailed. So it all came down to the most awaited event – Noodle Hockey, could The Short Guys pull it off?!?! And the winner is … THE SHORT GUYS!!!! 

 The Short Guys huddled up to decide on whom they wanted to donate their winnings to, and they quickly came to a decision. Team Captain, Scotty Johnson, announced they would be donating their winnings to The Amanda Jones Fund.

Congrats again to our winning team … Scotty Johnson, Sophia Williamson, Rachel Covert, Marina Eberhart, and Jordan Brown.

Thanks to all the students who came out to compete!

At the beginning of January, I was advised that I would be losing my job at the end of February. I had been anticipating this for a while and had been looking for a new job for quite some time but now my search became real. I work in an industry that is suffering and I was considering switching careers. My quiet time with God in early January was spent praying that He would help me identify my talents and abilities so that I could apply them to a new industry. When I attended VALLEY at the end of that week, Dr. Greg kicked off the New Thru 30 Message Series. That afternoon, I downloaded the reading plan for the entire New Testament (hey, I love a challenge) and the next day I started with Mathew 1-9. Over the next couple weeks, I continued to follow the New Thru 30 Reading Plan, mostly in the middle of the night. I had a great deal on my mind and would frequently wake up and not be able to fall back asleep, so I would get up and read that day’s passages. I came to cherish this middle of the night reading and was amazed to find how alive the Bible had become to me. During the day, I would listen to podcasts of messages from Dr. Greg and other pastors and a few weeks into the New Thru 30 Message Series, things started clicking and it was as if my eyes were opened and the passages of scripture and podcasts were speaking directly to me. I found that spending time in God’s Word daily and reading through the New Testament drew me closer to God and gave me such indescribable peace in what could have easily been a stressful eight weeks worrying about what I was going to do next. Prayers were being answered and miraculously opportunities for new work started to present themselves to me. 
 
I finished the entire New Testament in mid February. One week later, I was offered a job that I started the next Monday, which was the day after I finished my former job. When I accepted my new position, I had complete peace about it and absolutely no doubt in my mind that I had experienced a miracle. Not only was I given a job that started the day after my former one ended, it was in the same industry! 
 
When Greg asked us in the Invitation Extended Message Series - “Are you experiencing the incredible life?” Unfortunately my answer was no. However, after a few weeks of reading through the entire the New Testament and the adventure God has just led me on over the last eight weeks, I can honestly say that my life has changed and my answer to that same question is now YES!

Meet Nnamdi -
A little over a year ago, my family and I moved 1,700+ miles from Austin, Texas to the Hudson Valley. Between finding our son a daycare, settling down in a new place, and preparing for our first New York winter (a pretty big deal for us born and raised Texans), we hadn’t “found” a church that felt like home.

Then in mid-August of last year, what began as a general career discussion ended up being a pivotal moment in my family’s walk with God. At the beginning of our phone call, Scott shared his career experiences and the great opportunities available for those like me who were just starting off.  Next, our discussion turned towards the flexibility our company provides for its employees to work remotely and still be members of the same team. In fact, at the time, Scott lived in Missouri while his team worked out of four different states. When I asked Scott why he decided to move from New York back to Missouri he mentioned that his wife had been ill and they moved to be closer to family. Towards the end of our call I asked Scott if I could pray for his wife and their family and he warmly said yes and expressed his thanks. Afterwards, Scott mentioned an amazing church he attended while in New York and for the first time I was introduced to VALLEY Christian Church.

But wait the story doesn’t end there…Soon after, we attended VALLEY Christian Church and it was love at first sight! We were welcomed with open arms and truly felt that God had placed us at VALLEY. Although it’s only been 6 months since our first visit, our new church family has helped us make it through one of the most challenging times in our lives. They were there to support us through Christ-centered relationships and they continue to help us grow in our relationship with God. Each and every Sunday we look forward to another day we get to spend hearing the Word and transforming our hearts. Even our three year old can’t wait to go!

As I think retrospectively in worldly terms, it’s astonishing to see how someone half way across the country in Missouri, through sharing his faith and experience at VALLEY, was able to help us find a church here in New York. On the other hand, when I think in Godly terms it’s not surprising to see God’s magnificence once again revealed through placing people in our lives that help guide us closer to Him.

"We cannot live for ourselves alone. Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads, and along these sympathetic fibers, our actions run as causes and return to us as results."
~ Herman Melville

Meet Scott -
I’ve been a Finance Manager with a large NY firm for 3 years now. During this time I’ve grown in my walk with God and experienced Him as not just something that happens on Sunday, but a constant, living reality that transforms every aspect of my life. This includes the time I spend at work, which is where I met Nnamdi.

Nnamdi lived in NY and was referred to me as a potential candidate for a job opening in my department. While it was apparent from the start that he had tremendous career potential, our discussion quickly turned to family and faith. I soon realized that Nnamdi was experiencing exactly what I went through 7 years earlier. He was seeking meaning, relationships and looking to transform his life by growing his faith.

Years earlier when my family moved to NY, we attended VALLEY Christian Church on a recommendation of a friend. VALLEY was friendly, honest and real.  I’ve heard it said, "One person may read the Bible, but a hundred people will read the Christian." The people at VALLEY know to really grow a relationship with God and advance the kingdom you need to walk the walk. Every step of the way, VALLEY’s practical messages and personal relationships helped my family better understand God’s purpose for our lives.

A few years ago, my family moved back to my hometown of Saint Louis, MO. We continue to grow our faith on the foundation we built at VALLEY, and we still keep in touch with the many friends in our church family back in NY. It’s such a blessing to have the chance to share my faith with Nnamdi and introduce him to an exciting church like VALLEY. Our discussion is proof positive that God is everywhere and works with a purpose…even at work if you let him.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
Colossians 3:23

• To instill confidence in everyone who participates, to become the parents God has created us to be.
• To transform good marriages into GREAT marriages, setting the foundation for GREAT parenting.
• To capture the heart of the next generation, and reproduce healthy and loving parents for years to come.
• To “parent” our children now, so that we can be friends with them later.

Please join my wife, Theresa, and I as we help facilitate eight group meetings with DVD presentations, workbooks, and practical teaching.

When:  Sunday afternoons from 1:30pm – 3:30pm, beginning 2/28/09
Dates: 2/28, 3/07, 3/14, 3/21, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/02
Where: On Site at Valley
Also: Childcare WILL be provided ($5 per child/per session)

To sign up for this and other Bridge Groups online...click here. Or join us this Sunday at Valley where you can sign up in the Information Guide during the 9:00 or 11:00am Gathering.

- Pat Farley

 This verse depicts our out reach going to India and being His hands and feet as we were sent by Him to expand His kingdom.  Your thoughts and prayers were tangible as each day we were able to see the hand of God making  way for us at each and every turn as we went trusting in Him. The people were able to hear about our Heavenly Father and His love for the people in India. The song comes to mind... "If my people called by my name  would humble them selves and pray if they seek my face and turn from there sins I will hear I will forgive I will heal there land".  .....

   India is a land that has turned away from God and worships many idols.  There are many radicals in Bihar India and in deed a place there even the "lonely Planet Guide" describes as backwards and ruled by bandits and thugs.  Even in our school, where we have 419 students, one of our students was kidnapped 2 months ago for 5 days and recovered by police and is now under going investigation.  We were able to lead a church service in Bihar that is surrounded by radical Muslims and Hindus.  We praised God together in one accord protected by His mighty hand.  After church and prayer over the sick and demonized. We had a dental- health camp serving over 126 children.  Using wisdom we quickly returned home and had to stay in doors for the day.  To God be the glory... People attending Church asked for prayer for protection as there neighbors throw rocks and make blockages in the road to deter them from coming to Church.  Still they come in Faith knowing that God is worthy to be praised and is the one and only God . How big is your God???  At what lengths do you go to get to church ???/truly puts things into perspective  ..

In His grip, The VCC India Team......Chris, Angela, Diane and Judy

Thank you so much for praying and supporting us every step of the way.... Luke 10:20 nevertheless do not rejoice in this. That the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven..

-Greg Williamson

Read on . . . 

Lize Ankner, pastry chef turned full time mom, started a home based cookie business.  Lize designs custom cookie gift boxes for every occasion. Her Christmas selection included pecan shortbreads, peanut butter/chocolate truffles and coconut macaroons. And, just in time for Valentine’s Day, she’s offering boxes filled with raspberry white chocolate shortbread and double chocolate chip cookies dipped in ganache.  Place your order now by email here, to ensure delivery by February 14th.

Lize states, “a portion of my profits is donated to Christ’s Gift Academy in Mbita, Kenya who provide basic needs and a quality education to children orphaned by the Aids pandemic.”  Visit their website www.cgakenya.com to see first hand how they change lives!

How has God been speaking to you?
What is your favorite thing you have read so far?
What have you read and couldn’t believe it was actually in the Bible?

These are great questions to ask yourself and to share with others around you, because it will help you to reflect and see how God is working in your life during this time.

Are you struggling getting to the reading everyday?

Here are a few tips…
Encourage each other.
Talk about what you are reading.
Don’t procrastinate!

Trust me I know, this is hard.  It always seems like all of the “other stuff” in our lives is squeezing out our time with God, but don’t let it. If you don’t control your schedule it will control you.

So keep going VALLEY family we are halfway done and lets make sure we finish strong together.

- Josh Brossia

Convoy of Hope http://www.convoyofhope.org/ already has an extensive network of churches in Haiti through which it provides relief, so they are situated to take action quickly. They are offering medical assistance, food, and water at relief centers in five districts. You can follow them on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ConvoyofHope and follow Convoy of Hope's country director in Haiti on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kevinandaimee

Samaritan's Purse http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ is shipping needed supplies and has deployed an emergency response team to help with water, shelter, medical care, and other emergency needs. You can follow their updates on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SamaritansPurse

World Vision has been working in Haiti for years. There efforts bringing help to children around the globe is widely ackowledged. You can follow their reports and updates on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/worldvisionusa

To help the Valley family excel in the grace of giving we are very excited to announce several new ways to give to Valley Christian Church to help impact the world for the Kingdom of God.

Online Giving

The same technology that is used by top online retailers, such as Amazon.com to process online transactions is now available at Valley by visiting giving.valleychristianchurch.net or by clicking on GIVE at www.valleychristianchurch.net.  This secure website allows the Valley family to use their checking/savings account or major debit/credit card to give a single gift, schedule a recurring gift, or view online giving history. It is quick, easy, and secure.

Brokerage Account

Valley is also now able to accept donations of Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds through our brokerage account. If this may be of interest to you, please contact your financial advisor and/or email giving@valleychristianchurch.net for additional account information.

We thank those who have partnered with us and we pray God would continue to pour our His blessings upon you. (Malachi 3:10)

Thank you Valley Christian Church for all your prayers and support as we go forward to Gorakhpur and Bihar India advancing the Kingdom together. 

-Angela Kelly 

Every year thousands of people promise themselves they’re going to do it this year. They’re going to read through the Bible. Or they’re going to read a little bit everyday. Or they’re just going to start fresh and do better this year. Most people don’t make it. Not even through the first month.

But this year is different. We’re going to start with something we can all handle. It’s the new year, and we’re reading the New Testament or the Gospels (depending on which plan you choose). And we’re doing it in 30 days. It’s called New Thru 30, a sermon series you have to opportunity to participate in with churches all around the country. This will be an awesome opportunity for the VALLEY family to trek along together as we start 2010 off (and a new decade) the right way.

NewThru30 Sunday Series kicks-off Sunday, January 10th!

A Gift-Giver

Nicholas was born in the third century in Patara, a village in what is now Turkey. He was born into an affluent family, but his parents died tragically when he was quite young. His parents had raised him to be a devout Christian, which led him to spend his great inheritance on helping the poor, especially children. He was known to frequently give gifts to children, sometimes even hanging socks filled with treats and gifts.

Perhaps his most famous act of kindness was helping three sisters. Because their family was too poor to pay for their wedding dowry, three young Christian women were facing a life of prostitution until Nicholas paid their dowry, thereby saving them from a horrible life of sexual slavery.

A Bishop and Saint

Nicholas grew to be a well-loved Christian leader and was eventually voted the Bishop of Myra, a port city that the apostle Paul had previously visited (Acts 27:5–6). Nicholas reportedly also traveled to the legendary Council of Nicea, where he helped defend the deity of Jesus Christ in A.D. 325.

Following his death on December 6, 343, he was canonized as a saint. The anniversary of his death became the St. Nicholas holiday when gifts were given in his memory. He remained a very popular saint among Catholic and Orthodox Christians, with some two thousand churches named after him. The holiday in his honor eventually merged with Christmas as they were celebrated within weeks of one another.

Misnomer

During the Reformation, however, Nicholas fell out of favor with Protestants, who did not approve of canonizing certain people as saints and venerating them with holidays. His holiday was not celebrated in any Protestant country except Holland, where his legend as Sinterklass lived on. In Germany, Martin Luther replaced him with the Christ child as the object of holiday celebration, or, in German, Christkindl. Over time, the celebration of the Christ child was simply pronounced Kriss Kingle and oddly became just another name for Santa Claus.

Folklore

The legends about Santa Claus are most likely a compilation of other folklore. For example, there was a myth in Nicholas’ day that a demon was entering people’s homes to terrorize children and that Nicholas cast it out of a home. This myth may explain why it was eventually believed that he came down people’s chimneys.

Also, there was a Siberian myth (near the North Pole) that a holy man, or shaman, entered people’s homes through their chimneys to leave them mushrooms as gifts. According to the legend, he would hang them in front of the fire to dry. Reindeer would reportedly eat them and become intoxicated. This may have started the myth that the reindeer could fly, as it was believed that the shaman could also fly. This myth may have merged with the Santa Claus myth and if so, explains him traveling from the North Pole to come down the chimney and leave presents on the mantle over the fireplace before flying away with reindeer.

These stories of Santa Claus were first brought to America by Dutch immigrants. In the early twentieth century, stores began having Santa Claus present for children during the Christmas season. Children also began sending letters to the North Pole as the legends surrounding an otherwise simple Christian man grew.

At VALLEY, we keep the center of our holiday focused on Jesus; it’s probably what Nicholas would have wanted.

We were so touched by your generosity when we saw all the gifts that you all had given.  We had to make several trips to the car to load up all the packages and we felt like Santa’s elves driving the sleigh.  

We have to admit it was your average bleak, cold December day.  But our hearts were filled with excitement and warmed by your love for Christ demonstrated by your outward expression of love to ward others.  

The women at the Walter Hoving Home were truly grateful to receive all that we brought and we know that it will help make a difference in their lives this Christmas!  Thank you to you all for giving!  

-Karen Johnson & Susie Williamson

"You can never get enough of what you don't need to make you happy". -Eric Hoffer

I'm curious if anyone else has some quotes or comments they'd like to add. If you missed the message on Sunday, you can here it here.

-Greg Williamson

VALLEY provided a full Thanksgiving dinner, with all the trimmings and  desserts. A special thanks to Doug Judson and Diane, Lisa Fasone, Christine Robin, Anne Maraglia and Rita Warner for providing and bringing a roast turkey; to Mary Deane for providing a turkey breast and to Rose Palazzo for cooking it. Everyone of them helped preparing the rest of the meal including Anthony Palazzo and Dave Robin. The whole Robin and Maraglia family helped with serving the meal as well as a couple of other willing helpers. An extra special thanks goes to Nancy Kneifel, Home Ec. teacher. She and her class made delicious pies, 4 apple pies and 4 pumpkin pies (served with icecream and whipped cream or coolwhip). Greg and Susie Williamson's Marriage Matters group contributed $$$ toward all the expenses. 

Bob Warner did the teaching and as always it was well received.

All in all, the evening was a smashing success! I know our Lord was pleased as we obeyed His commandments to feed the hungry.

Thanksgiving Blessings!

Rita Warner

Make us, We pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen."

-Adapted from Book of Common Prayer

I am personally humbled and amazed at God’s goodness to bring such and incredible staff together to help me care for and lead those in the VALLEY family. It is going to be awesome to watch as the plan God has for Josh and Karen unfolds before us as they experience even more fruitfulness for Christ in the future. As I sometimes like to say, “The future looks so bright, I wear my sunglasses at night”!

-Greg Williamson

This Sunday is also going to be a huge day in the life of VALLEY; as we ordain Josh Brossia and Karen Johnson as associate pastors. Dr. Ron Cottle (my pastor) will also be with us and will be speaking for this awesome occasion. Josh will be ordained at our 9am Gathering and Karen at 11am. We are anticipating capacity crowds at both 9am and 11am, so make plans to arrive in plenty of time to get a parking space and a good seat.

See you Sunday!

-Greg Williamson

Just wanted to share the latest update on Amanda. 

As many of you are already aware, Amanda reached her 100 day milestone (days since transplant) on Wednesday.  As scheduled she returned to the hospital to check her progress and for an outpatient bone marrow aspiration to check for leukemia cells.  The Jones’ received the results from the testing today.  The results were excellent.  There are no leukemia cells.  Hallelujah!!

The Jones family is so grateful for all of you and for your prayers on their behalf.  They wanted to share their wonderful news so that you could also thank God and rejoice with them!  

Our God is an Awesome God! 

Prayer requests

-upcoming neurological/psychological testing

-future milestones

Blessings,

Susie Williamson & Karen Johnson

October 21^st is the first milestone for Amanda.  It will mark approximately 100 days since the transplant.  Amanda will go back to the hospital during that week for bone marrow aspiration to test for leukemia cells. 

Amanda is continuing her schooling from home.  She is being tutored for a total of 6 hours per week.  Being tutored at home is certainly not as fun as going to school with her friends.  However she is able to keep up with her studies with the aide of her teacher and most recently a computer program that she is able to use for extra help.

The Jones family is very thankful for all the prayers and support from our church family.  Please continue to pray for Amanda’s complete recovery and healing.

Specific prayer needs.

-continued improvement of cell counts

-good results from bone marrow testing

-adjustment to at home school schedule

-memory and retention of school lessons

Amanda is excited about the “Valley Cookbook” which is being dedicated to her and will include a few of her families’ favorite recipes.  She is also thinking about and working on her dedication pages that will be in the front of the cookbook.  So drop off or e-mail over your favorite recipes in the following categories: 

• ·         Appetizers & Beverages
• ·         Soups, Salads & Vegetables
• ·         Main Dishes & Casseroles
• ·         Meat, Poultry & Seafood
• ·         Breads & Rolls
• ·         Pies, Pastries & Desserts
• ·         Cakes, Cookies & Candy
• ·         This & That

You can preorder cookbooks starting this Sunday and a sample of what VALLEY’s will look like is on display in the café.  ALL Proceeds will be going to Amanda’s fund to help with her medical expenses.

Thanks so much for you help and prayers!

Susie Williamson, Karen Johnson & The Jones Family

For our "race" through the Corn Maze we divided up into three teams - The Girls, The Boys, and The Leaders. The Girls ended up coming out of the Corn Maze first, but their victory is under protest as they finished the Maze in an abnormally fast time, which has lead The Boys and The Leaders feeling there where shortcuts taken.

After the Corn Maze we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with Hay Rides, a Haunted House and the ever important and delicious Apple Cider Doughnuts. (The line for the Apple Cider Doughnuts was 45 minutes long, which clearly communicates how wonderful these doughnuts are.)

If you would like to check out a few pictures from the Corn Maze or see a schedule of our upcoming events please visit our 24SEVEN website.

Our next 24SEVEN event will be on October 21st when will be serving at the Bread of Life Feeding Ministry in Poughkeepsie.

**24SEVEN is our Youth Ministry at VALLEY and is open to all 6th - 12th graders. If you have any questions or would like more information on upcoming events please email us.**

- Josh Brossia

We had a great weekend at Sharp Reservation filled with some adventure and a lot of fun. It was great to see so many Fathers and Sons spending the weekend together alongside so many other Fathers and Sons in the VALLEY family.

We had great weather for all the activities - hiking, fishing, boating, rock climbing, etc.

If you weren't able to join us this year hopefully we will see you there next year at this great annual event.

If you are interested in seeing a few pictures from the weekend...click here

- Bob Warner

There’s also been a huge number of folks interested in becoming partners at VALLEY. We just held Newcomers Partnership Class (NPC) two weeks ago welcoming 27 new partners to VALLEY. We’ve schedule our next NPC for November 8th after our 11am gathering and already have about 20 signed up, so if you’re interested make sure to email Janet Moore and let us know you’ll be joining us.  

God Is Doing It Again!

-Greg Williamson

We can’t wait to see what else God is going to do in our next fund raiser which will be at ‘Praisen in the Park’, a community worship gathering hosted by Sound of Life radio station on October 4th from 12- 6pm at Bowden Park.  We will have a table set up with slide shows of India and we will be selling raffle tickets for 3 delectable gift baskets.  Again, all proceeds will go towards the school and orphanage.   So, please come and join us for a day of praise, worship and giving.  You can go to soundoflife.org for directions and ticket information.  

For the month of October, we will also have a table set up in the VCC café with pictures of past India trips and a donation box.  Your generosity is greatly appreciated. 

Lastly, we just want to say a special thank you to the VCC family and friends who helped in the bake sale/tag sale and who gave so generously in every way.  Thank you for all your prayers.  We definitely see it working in our lives and we covet your continual prayers.   To quote Dr. Greg, “People are more import than things. So many times we use people to get the things we want instead of using things to win more people for the Kingdom of God”.  We are grateful that the latter was demonstrated as the VCC family gave things so they can be leveraged for the winning of people for the Kingdom of God. 

-Judy Shek

-Susie Williamson

During Kid’s Extreme week the kids were challenged to put the lessons they were learning to the test.  They participated in a number of challenges on the sets of VTV’s Fear Factor, Smarter Than A Fifth Grader, Endurance and Survivor.  The kids were divided into two tribes, which competed against each other for points throughout the week to see who would become the number one tribe.  The competitions challenged the kids to do their best, demonstrate godly character and to work together as a tribe.

A highlight of each day on the Survivor set was voting a teenage tribe assistant “off the island.”  Each morning the kids were able to vote (by cheering and applauding) a tribe assistant from the opposite team off the island.  This meant that the tribe assistant would not be able to help in the tribe’s competition at the end of the day, which was worth a lot of points.  However, if the tribe was able to gain immunity for their tribe assistant by knowing the day’s Bible memory verse then their tribe assistant would be saved and allowed to participate.  It was awesome to see all the Bible verses being learned that week as the kids, young and old, worked hard to save their tribe assistants.

All is quiet now at Kid’s Extreme: VTV Studios.  The Season Finale on Friday evening culminated the week’s activities with a video presentation, awards, medals and of course, the announcement of the winning tribe.  It was a great week with lots of fun!  The kids learned about God and some began a new relationship with Him, many formed new friendships and all had a good time!  The kid’s are already asking, “What are we going to do next year?”

-Karen Johnson

Also, construction started in Sept.on an orphanage in Bihar India.  Because of lack of funds this project has been postponed.  We would like to help them continue the building project by assisting them financially and with hands on participation.  Please join us in prayer and support as we draw closer to Jan 2010.

Team India: Chris and Angela Kelly, Judy Sheck and Diane Valentin

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”. Galatians 5:1

The reality is, the thing that moves us all so deeply on days like today (Memorial Day) is that it echoes the ultimate narrative of human history; Christ’s sacrificial death for your and my freedom.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”. John 15:13

So make sure to enjoy the chillin’ and grillin’ today, and also make sure to thank God for others (including Jesus) through whom we have freedom today!

-Greg Williamson

- It was great to see so many family members and friends sharing Mother's Day together and visiting with us for our gatherings. The moms each received a rose and many of the children in our nurseries made special crafts for Mother's Day gifts. We hope all of our families enjoyed celebrating the day.

- The 'Practical Atheist' message series finale wrapped up what has been a challenging and life changing experience for many of us. Lead Pastor Greg Williamson gave the final sermon in this series - 'I Believe In God, But I Don't Know Him'. Some memorable moments from the message:

• Titus 1:16 gives us a definition and description of a Practical Atheist...and its not pretty!
• A lot of people are informed about God, but not transformed by Him.
• Our desire is to know God intimately and serve Him with our whole heart.
• The name we use to refer to God tells us about our level of relationship with Him.
• God has never hidden Himself from any person who seeks Him with their whole heart.
• Greg explained that his bottom line goal for this entire series is summed up in this passage: Ephesians 1:17-19

- A strong ending to an unforgettable series of messages!

- We were also given a sneak peek at the new series that begins next Sunday, May 17. Its called Wild Goose Chase. We'll take a closer look at the Holy Spirit and reclaim the adventure of pursuing God. This is going to be another good one.

- Also next Sunday, we'll have baby dedications during both the 9 am and 11 am gatherings. Its sure to be a memorable Sunday for everyone.

- Ladies, don't forget about the Masquerade Ball this Wednesday night, May 13th. This will be one of the biggest Girlfriends Unlimited events of the year. Cost is $15 per person and childcare is available. For information, contact the VALLEY office - janet@valleychristianchurch.net.

Hope you all have a great week - Richard Moore 

- Things got started on Friday night with the Marriage Matters Big E, our quarterly event for couples. Over 35 couples experienced an evening of good food, a mini-concert from Tommy Niblack and an awesome teaching from Greg & Susie Williamson on cultivating communication in our marriages.  The Big E has have become a favorite date night for VALLEY couples each quarter, and its understandable - It was quite a night!

- The couples were buzzing about the teaching from the Williamsons. It centered on the truth that the words we speak and the way we speak them either brings hurt or healing to our spouse (Proverbs 12:18). People were using words like 'practical, inspiring, empowering, & encouraging' to describe the impact of what we heard. We were given hope that we can bring healing communication to our marriages and down to earth insights on how to do it!

- On Sunday, the Practical Atheist message series continued with a sermon titled 'I Believe in God, But I Trust in Money'. The message challenged us to determine who (or what) we are really trusting in. Some moments from the message:

• The issue of trusting in money is the primary reason why American Christians struggle with their faith.
• Money becomes our 'functional savior' - we think it will get us out of trouble and give us the life we want.
• Then when the economy fails, we react as though our 'god' is letting us down.
• How many of our prayers revolve around money?
• We will either trust God & use money, or we will trust money and use God.
• Am I less content today than I was yesterday, last year, 5 years ago?

- Obviously, this sermon was a real bell ringer! The whole series has been that way - and we believe there has been and will be significant change in the many of our lives as a result!

- Keep in mind, this Wednesday night, May 6, is the next session of Reveal - Galatians. Join us in the cafe at 7 pm as we go verse-by-verse through Galatians Chapter 5. Even if you haven't been at the previous sessions, now would be a great time to sit in with us. Come on out the Wednesday and get in on the Reveal experience!

Have a great week - Richard Moore

- What awesome weather! We turned on the A/C units all over the building for the first time. Gotta love the warm temps!

- The new message series Practical Atheist is in full swing. The series is based on the reality that many people say they believe in God, but live as if God doesn't exist. Sunday's message, 'I Believe in God, But I Don't Want to Go Overboard' really hit home. We learned what it means to be lukewarm - neither cold or hot for God. Lead Pastor Greg Williamson also posed some hard hitting questions during the message. Among them:

• "Have we become only part-time followers of Christ?"
• "Do we have just enough of Christ in our lives to be satisfied, or do we hunger for more of Him?"
• "Are you more passionate about Jesus that I was at this time last year...last month...last week?"

- Another highlight from the message was a 'You Might Be A Lukewarm Christian If ...' list of symptoms. It was eye opening to say the least!

- The buzz around VALLEY after the gatherings was tangible - We came away resolved to reject lukewarm Christianity and to have our hearts become 'hot' for God. Can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for the rest of this series!

- The month of May starts off with a bang this Friday, May 1st with our Marriage Matters Big E. This is our quarterly event for couples, and its a pretty big happening every time we hold it. Complimentary childcare is available. To sign up for the Big E, contact the VALLEY office - janet@valleychristianchurch.net

- Looking ahead to the rest of May, there are a lot of other great things coming up @ VALLEY: Mother's Day Gatherings on May 10th, The Spring Women's Event - The Girlfriends Masquerade Ball on Wednesday, May 13th, Baby Dedications on Sunday, May 17th, & our brand new kid's choir 'The Sounds of VALLEY' will sing during our gatherings on Sunday, May 31st.

- ... and of course, the Practical Atheist series continues each Sunday. This is going to be quite a month!

Have a great week - Richard Moore

- We kicked of a brand new series of messages called Practical Atheist. The idea behind the series is that it's all too common for people to say they believe in God, yet live as though He doesn't exist. The first sermon in the series was 'I Believe in God, But I Don't Fear Him'. Some moments from the message:

• Surveys say that 94% of Americans state that they believe in God. Do you think the moral climate in our nation reflects that percentage?
• Many people want just enough of God to keep them out of hell, and just enough of Him to get them into heaven.
• To fear God is to live in reverent awe of Him.
• Cafeteria Christianity = to pick and choose what parts of Christianity and the Bible I will allow to actually be a part of my life.
• The greatest evidence of the fear of God in my life is obedience.
• Burning Question - What are the conditions we have placed on our relationship with God?
• Another Burning Question - AM I willing to let God ruin me? (...in a good way)

- If the series premiere was any indication, these messages are going to rock our world!

- Great turn out at our gatherings. In fact at 11 am, we almost maxed out our parking lot (again). Its a good idea to arrive early for our Sunday gatherings to insure finding a good parking space and seats in the auditorium!

- I was looking ahead to the next few weeks at VALLEY, and realized there are a lot of awesome things coming up for us. Our softball season starts up this weekend. Marriage Matters Big E! for couples on May 1st. A Huge Girlfriends Unlimited event, the Masquerade Ball on May 13. Plus, Baby Dedications on May 17th. Great stuff! If you have questions about any of these happenings, contact the VALLEY office at vcc@valleychristianchurch.net.

As you can see, it was another excited weekend at VALLEY, with more to come!

Have a great week - Richard Moore

- Starting on Palm Sunday, we had made available a downloadable document with a listing of what happened during Holy Week. On the chart, you could see all of the events and teachings of Christ that took place leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection, along with the Scripture references. We heard from a number of individuals & families that used that resource to 'walk in the steps of Jesus' during the week. It was a powerful way to prepare for Good Friday & Easter.

- Our annual Good Friday gathering included a unique 'unplugged' style music set from the VALLEY praise band that really set the tone for the worship experience. Lead Pastor Greg Williamson continued the message series The Final Week with a sermon about 'The Three Crosses'. We conluded with by observing communion. The night really put us in awe of what Christ did for us on that 'beatiful, scandalous night'!

- Easter Sunday ... WOW! You could just feel the energy and excitement. We wrapped up The Final Week with a message called 'The Three Empty Promises of Easter'. Greg taught about the empty cross, the empty tomb, and the empty burial clothes - awesome stuff! Other highlights from the day:

• So many new families visited with us on Easter. We look forward to connecting with them more.
• Packed houses at both gatherings. We had to bring in extra seats at 9am & 11am to make room.
• Great reports from our children's ministry areas. G-Force and nursery kids were treated to skits, games & crafts that helped mark what they learned about Christ's resurrection.

- Greg also gave us a quick video preview of the brand new series of messages that will begin next Sunday, 4/19. Its 'Practical Atheist'. So many of us say we are Christians, but do we live our lives like that's really true? This series asks the question 'Are you who you say you are?' You will not want to miss it!

- Remember, this Wednesday night we continue Reveal-Galatians, our twice a month, verse-by-verse study through the New Testament book of Galatians. In this session, we'll be in Galatians Chapter 4. (childcare is provided) Hope to see you there.

Have a great week - Richard Moore

Hoops For Hope: Many VALLEY families took part in Hoops for Hope, a charity basketball game held on Friday night that raised funds to help support Amanda Jones and her family. This wasn't just a fund raiser - it was a community event. It took place at the gym at John Jay High School and the parking lot & gym were just about full. VALLEY Lead Pastor Greg Williamson opened the event in prayer & the faculty team from Fishkill Elementary played the Brinkerhoff Elementary faculty team in a rousing game of hoops. (Fishkill won!) A great night for everyone.

'The Final Week': Sunday morning, Greg began taking us through Christ's Final Week leading up to the crucifixion. The first message 'When Love Comes To Town' was about Jesus washing the disciples' feet and the lessons this event taught us. Some moments from the message:

• 2/3 of the New Testament Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) tell about the events of The Final Week.
• Nothing communicates love more clearly than a humble, unselfish act.
• Jesus washed Judas' feet, even though he knew what Judas was about to do.
• We all need to get our M.B.A. - a Mop Bucket Attitude...willingness to do whatever needs to be done.
• Like Peter, our pride gets in the way of letting Jesus wash us.
• Its amazing how hills turn into mountains when I'm focused on myself - But mountains turn into hills when I serve the needs of others.

Response to When Love Comes To Town: During the message, Greg spoke about a shortage of people available to work on the G-Force children's ministry team. After the 9 am gathering, we had 5 people step up on the spot to join the team!

Day-to-Day Through The Final Week: We've made a resource available that will help walk you through each day of "The Final Week". It's a day-to-day chart showing the events of the week and the references on where to find them in the Gospels. Using this chart, you can choose which verses to read for each day. This could be a creative way for us to prepare ourselves for the Easter weekend worship gatherings. Click here to download.

Good Friday: Be with us this Friday, April 10 at 7 pm for our Good Friday worship gathering. Each year, this is one of the most powerful worship gatherings we experience at VALLEY. We will remember Christ's death in music, sharing communion and a message on 'The Crucifixion'. Keep in mind that childcare and children's ministry will not be provided on Good Friday.

Easter Sunday: Both the 9am and 11am gatherings will be very well attended on Easter Sunday, 4/12. Its a good idea to arrive early for the gathering you choose to attend, in order to find good parking and seating still available.

Remembering HOME: Reports and feedback keep pouring in from the HOME message series, which ended over a week ago.

• Our tech room team had to scramble, but were able to fill all the orders that were placed for the full series set on CD.
• We met a first time guest on Sunday who'd been listening to the VALLEY podcast for 2 months prior to her first visit. She said the HOME series made immediate positive impact on her marriage, and stated that she shared the messages with a friend who was on the brink of divorce. In this guest's words, 'God saved my friend's marriage through HOME'. WOW!

Have a good week, & we'll see you on Good Friday and Easter! - Richard Moore

• Trying to be good enough for God by keeping The Law is 'idiotic'!
• As followers of Christ, we can do nothing in our own strength to please God.
• Its cool to see how the New Testament books of Galatians and Romans are so closely related.
• 'The righteous shall live by faith.' (Galatians 3:11) This statement is repeated four times in Scripture - must mean its a really big deal.
• In fact - that one statement is how God spoke to Martin Luther's heart and eventually the Protestant Reformation began. That truth changed the world!
• If we think we can be righteous by doing good, we've been 'bewitched' - like we're under a spell.
• Why is this spell so strong over people? Because it appeals to our pride. ('Look at me. Look at all the good I'm doing', etc)
• It also appeals to our senses, because we can make tangible comparisons & measure ourselves against others who aren't 'as good as us'.
• But true believers measure themselves only by Christ. (Am I becoming more like Jesus?)

WOW - We all walked out resolved to not get 'Bewitched'. Instead we know its by God's grace, through faith in Christ that we're made right with him. As you can tell, it was quite a night!

We had some people who were at Reveal for the first time. One gentleman is a recent attender at VALLEY, who said he's so glad our church offers this study & that he thinks its a perfect compliment to the teaching and worship experience of the Sunday gatherings.

Another person there for the first time (who's been a VALLEY partner for years) was so glad she came and was amazed at how God really opened up the Scriptures for her. She can't wait for the next session.

We study Galatians Chapter 4 on Wednesday, April 15. Plan to be there and get in on the Reveal experience with us!

Richard Moore

- The HOME message series finale on Sunday was awesome! Greg Williamson wrapped it up with a sermon called 'Home Sweet Home', giving us practical insights on how to defeat isolation in marriage. The whole church was buzzing after both gatherings about the impact of the message, and the series as a whole.

- The consensus is that this series was the most practical, down to earth teaching that most of us have ever heard on the topic of marriage. One of my friends referred to it as 'user friendly instruction on doing marriage God's way'.

- Our Tech Room Team was working feverishly to keep up with the amount of orders that have been placed for the HOME series on CD. This series has been the most requested we've ever had at VALLEY. One person told us he's ordered multiple copies of the full series set, and that he'll be giving one to each of his young sons. He believes it will help prepare them for marriages in the future.

- One final thought on HOME. To look back on some of its impact, visit the I Love VALLEY Christian Church group page on FaceBook. We've had some great conversations about the series and what God is doing in our HOMEs.

- The new VALLEY message series The Final Week begins this Sunday 4/5 (Palm Sunday). The series will continue through our Good Friday and Easter gatherings. Experience The Final Week with us as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

- Keep in mind, Reveal - Galatians is this Wednesday night, April 1st at 7 pm in the auditorium. Even if you haven't made it to the previous sessions, join us. This is a good time to jump in on the verse-by-verse study of the Book of Galatians. Don't miss out on Reveal!

Hope you all have a good week - Richard Moore

- Before we talk about Sunday, I have to give some love to Reveal - Galatians from last Wednesday night. It was the 2nd session of our new, verse-by-verse study of the Book of Galatians that we hold on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday night of each month. Our Lead Pastor Greg Williamson taught on Galatians chapter 2, and it was a powerful night. I don't think any of us will forget the explanation of what it means to be 'justified'.

- But that was just one of the things in Galatians that God used to speak to us. If you haven't experienced Reveal yet, then jump in with us for the next session on Wednesday, April 1 at 7 pm. Trust me - you do not want to miss out on Reveal!

- Back to the weekend. Wow, what a Sunday! Our message series HOME continued with a sermon called 'Home Alone', which looked at what the Bible has to say about divorce. This can be a tough subject to talk about, but we were amazed by the positive response we heard after our gatherings. So many people and couples felt God finally brought understanding to them about this sensitive issue.

- Speaking of HOME, its quickly becoming one of the most talked about series in recent memory, with a large number of orders for the messages and the whole series on CD. In fact, we've been over run with orders! We actually ran out of blank CDs a week or so ago. No worries though - we ordered more blanks and are back to filling all the order requests.

- Another thing about Sunday was that first time guests just keep pouring into our gatherings. Its awesome to meet new people each Sunday and see them begin to connect with VALLEY. Many of our visitors are already asking about how to get connected in our Bridge Groups, talking about the warm and welcoming atmosphere they experienced, and looking forward to visiting us again.

- This Just In: we've announced our next series of messages that will come right after next Sunday's HOME series finale. The series is called 'The Final Week', and  will take place on Palm Sunday (4/5), Good Friday (4/10) & Easter Sunday (4/10). Join us as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Needless to say, these are exciting times at VALLEY!

Have a great week - Richard Moore

- On Sunday, our HOME series moved into its 3rd week, with a message called HOME STRETCH. An appropriate title, since we were all 'stretched' by hearing about the responsibilities we have toward our spouses. I think I can speak for husbands when I say we were especially challenged about our role in marriage!

- One gentleman told me after the 9 am gathering that he has learned more here at VALLEY about how a man should treat his wife than he'd ever learned his whole life up to now. He was almost in tears expressing how thankful he is to Greg Williamson, our Lead Pastor, for not being afraid to 'shoot straight' about how God wants our HOME to be!

- Needless to say, HOME is becoming one of the most impacting and talked about series in recent memory at VALLEY!

- Both the 9 am and 11 am gatherings were packed on Sunday. We had one of the highest attendance totals in the last year - second only to Easter Sunday! We loved seeing another strong turn out at 9 am. We think maybe some families took to heart our 'Top 10 Reasons to Attend the 9 am Gathering', which we talked about a couple of Sundays ago.

- 24/7 Deeper, the student discipleship program of our 24/7 Youth Ministry, met on Sunday afternoon with well over 20 people (students & leaders). A brand new Deeper series kicked off about the life and teachings of the Apostle Paul. More huge props go out to Josh & Libbe Brossia and the entire 24/7 Leadership Team who do such a great job with the Jr & Sr High students at VALLEY!

- Remember, this Wednesday night is Reveal, the twice a month verse by verse study of a book of the Bible. Greg will continue Reveal - Galatians, with a study of Galatians chapter 2. Even if you missed our first session earlier this month, join us this Wednesday night from 7 - 8:30 pm. (childcare is provided)

- Want to see something amazing? Check out the blog post below called 'Gone Global', about the world wide impact God is making through VALLEY. You've got to love it!

Have a great week - Richard Moore

1. Great Britain
2. Sweden
3. India
4. Japan
5. Canada
6. Peru
7. Taiwan
8. Philippines
9. Switzerland
10. Germany
11. China
12. Pakistan
13. Australia
14. Puerto Rico
15. France
16. Kenya
17. South Africa
18. Dominican Republic
19. Netherlands
20. Brazil
21. Norway
22. Estonia
23. Qatar
24. Spain
25. Russian Federation
26. Yemen
27. Turkey
28. Syria
29. Thailand
30. Slovenia
31. Columbia

- Last Wednesday, we began our new Reveal study, a verse-by verse study of the book of Galatians. Lead Pastor Greg Williamson took us on a behind the scenes look at the culture and context for this New Testament letter and then unfolded the first chapter for us. Reveal-Galatians will take place on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday night of each month. Childcare is provided. Even if you missed the first session, join us for the next one on Wednesday, 3/18.

- Sunday, we continued the new message series HOME. These are quickly becoming some of the most talked about sermons we've ever had at VALLEY. The sermon on Sunday was called The Helper - to listen to the message, click here. We've begun to hear feedback from a number of families that tell us about positive changes happening in their homes already. God is definitely using this series to impact many people!

- The VALLEY community is absolutely buzzing about Reveal & the HOME series. The discussions and comments on our I Love VALLEY Christian Church FaceBook group page have been amazing. Click here to check out the feedback and join the conversation.

- We celebrated water baptism during both gatherings on Sunday. There were children, teenagers, adults and seniors who followed Christ's example and obeyed His command to be baptized. Its always a special Sunday when we have baptisms, and it was wonderful having many family members and friends come and share the morning with us.

- We also had a lot of fun at the 11 am gathering with our 'Top 10 Reasons to Attend the 9 am Gathering @ VALLEY'. Lately, our 11 am gathering has been reaching near capacity in the auditorium and parking lot just about every Sunday. We have a great turnout for our 9 am gatherings also, but its a bit less crowded. So we're encouraging folks to consider if the 9am gathering may be a good fit.

- Some of the favorite reasons from our Top 10 list: You have the rest of your Sunday free. More parking spaces available. Less drool on the toys in the nursery (that one solicited an 'eewww' from the crowd!). No lines in the cafe.  And the number 1 reason - John Balsamo laughs much harder at the jokes during the 9am sermon. We all had a good laugh - and many of us started to consider the 9 am gathering option.

Well, have a great week and we'll see you next Sunday for the continuation of the HOME series!

- Richard Moore

- On Sunday, we kicked off the new message series HOME. Lead Pastor Greg Williamson started the series with a sermon that asked the question, 'Why Marriage Is Such A Big Deal To God?' There was a real buzz after the gatherings with some saying it was the most challenging message on marriage they'd ever heard. This is going to be quite a series!

- Speaking of HOME, there's a discussion taking place on the I Love VALLEY Christian Church FaceBook page about the series. You can join the conversation by clicking here.

- Our 24/7 Youth Group met on  Sunday afternoon for the monthly 24/7 Generation event. It was great to see the cafe and game room full of Jr & Sr High students eating lunch, playing games and having a blast after our gatherings. Keep in mind the 24/7 Leadership Team is preparing for our Summer Youth Mission Trip in July. Students entering 9-12 grade in September 2009 are eligible to participate. Contact josh@valleychristianchurch.net for more information.

- Our brand new Reveal Study begins this Wednesday night, March 4. Reveal will meet twice a month (every 1st and 3rd Wednesday night) for a verse by verse study of a book of the Bible with Greg Williamson. Our first Reveal will be a study of the New Testament Book of Galatians. The response so far has been overwhelming, and its not too late to get involved. Contact the VALLEY office this week to sign up - janet@valleychristianchurch.net. When you sign up, let us know if you will need childcare, which will be provided. 

- VALLEY will celebrate water baptism this upcoming Sunday,  March 8th during our 9am and 11am gatherings. If you haven't been baptized since becoming a follower of Christ, and you're interested or would like some more information about water baptism, contact vcc@valleychristianchurch.net. There will be an informational class for those who want to be baptized that will take place on Saturday, March 7th at 9 am.

March is going to be a great month at VALLEY. Make sure you don't miss out!

- Richard Moore

- It began with our VALLEY U course for February, taught live by our Lead Pastor Greg Williamson - "The Emerging Missional Church".  the course studies the characteristics of a Missional Church in our culture, and gives a look at many of the values that drive VALLEY. Dr. Greg wrote the course a number of years ago and has taught it live 9 times in 8 different states and 2 countries. But he said this was the most enjoyable time he's ever had teaching it - and the students from last weekend would echo the same feelings!

- Then came our Sunday gatherings when we came together as a church family and shared communion. Greg wrapped up the Elephant in the Church series with a sermon on 'The Communion Elephant'. We were all reminded of the gracious invitation God extends to come and remember His Son's death at the Lord's table. Several people expressed afterward that they have a clearer understanding about communion that ever before.

- Our 11 am gathering was bursting at the seams. hardly any parking spaces were left, we had a couple of folks standing at the back wall and some actually sat on the floor in the back of the auditorium! Coming up during the gatherings this Sunday - we'll present the 'Top Ten Reasons To Attend The 9 am Gathering @ VALLEY'. Don't miss it.

- We continue to see first time guests visiting with us each Sunday. The feedback from these guests tells us over and over again how warm and inviting the VALLEY people and atmosphere are from the moment the visitors first enter the building through their entire time with us. Thank you to everyone who helps welcome our guests in such a meaningful way. Way to go VALLEY!

- There was a strong response to our 24/7 Summer Mission Trip meeting for students and parents after the gatherings on Sunday. The game room loft was full of parents and Sr high teenagers who heard from our 24/7 leaders about the mission trip opportunity this July. Contact josh@valleychristianchurch.net for more information.

- Coming this week: MAN LAWS - Guys night on Wednesday at 7 pm.  The men of VALLEY will gathering for a night of serious man food, hanging out, skill competitions and more. Guys, if you want to be in on it, contact richard@valleychristianchurch.net.

- One more reminder - we will celebrate water baptism on Sunday, March 8 during both of our gatherings that morning. If you haven't been baptized since becoming a follower of Christ, and you're interested or would like some more information about water baptism, contact he VALLEY office at vcc@valleychristianchurch.net.

Have a great week everyone - Richard Moore

- Things got started on Friday night with our quarterly Marriage Matters Big-E. This time around, we celebrated Valentine's weekend in a big way. The VALLEY auditorium was transformed into a candlelit dining room where we enjoyed a catered dinner with romantic music and dancing. There were 90-plus adults there and we provided childcare for over 50 kids.

- We also played a cool game of guessing little know facts about VALLEY couples. Who knew that there we have a couple who were almost arrested on their first date, one couple first met on Match.com, and another got engaged in a barn (just to name a few)! You've got to follow up with our couples to hear the stories behind their little know facts. These stories will be talked about around VALLEY for months!

- The highlight of the night had to be the Karaoke contest. We have some serious talent at VALLEY -- plus plenty of folks who really know how to 'ham it up'! It was amazing to see so many brave souls take the stage and serenade us. So check out the pictures from the night on our I Love VALLEY FaceBook page. The buzz around VALLEY is that everyone can't wait for our Valentine's celebration next year.

- Another great aspect of the Valentines Big-E was having several brand new couples with us. It was an excellent way to introduce VALLEY to those families. One of those couples also visited with us on Sunday for their first VALLEY gathering.  Obviously, the Big-E was a huge win!

- The energy continued into Sunday morning, with two full houses for our 9 am and 11 am gatherings.  Our Elephant in the Church Series continued with Lead Pastor Greg Williamson giving a sermon on the Supernatural Elephant, which took a close look at the issue of 'healing'. After the gatherings, people couldn't stop talking about how comforting and empowering the message was.

- On Sunday afternoon, our 24/7 youth ministry team, led by Josh & Libbe Brossia, held this month's 24/7DEEPER (youth discipleship session).  The students reviewed the teaching series TXT, in which they are studying the foundational truths of the Christian faith. Props to our great youth ministry leadership team! 

- The Brossias have planned a summer mission trip for students who will be entering 9-12 grades this fall. A informational meeting for parents and students will be held this Sunday, February 22nd after the 11am gathering to discuss the trip.  Click here for more information.

- Coming this week: The February VALLEY U course, 'The Emerging Missional Church', taught live by our Lead Pastor Greg Williamson.  Join us Thursday, February 19 - Saturday February 21 for a course that looks at the mission to live the gospel in the our culture. During this weekend class, you'll hear about many of the philosophies and convictions that have helped shape VALLEY as a church, and how we are seeking to accomplish this great mission our Lord has given us.For more information about VALLEY U, including cost for the course and our full 2009 schedule, click here.

We are obviously coming off a great weekend, and we've got some exciting things coming up!

- Richard Moore

- It started on Saturday with the overwhelming turn out for the Amanda Jones Blood & Bone Marrow drive. The community rallied around the Jones family in a big way. Some have said it seemed like one out of every 3 people you saw there was from VALLEY, or invited by someone from our church. You can read a personal thank you note from Brain Jones, Amanda's father, on the I Love VALLEY Christian Church group pageon FaceBook.

- Speaking of the FaceBook group page - there has been a tremendous response to this new group. Over 60 people have joined and are staying connected at VALLEY and posting comments and thoughts on our events and message series. If you want to join, click here.

- Our gatherings on Sunday had it all: our praise band was on fire, great response to the sermon on 'The Evolutionary Elephant', full house at 9 & 11, and several visiting families were really impacted by their first VALLEY experience. It has us looking forward to next Sunday already!

- The weekend wrapped up with our Family Bowling event. 80 plus from VALLEY came and had a great time bowling, connecting with friends and meeting some new people. Let me tell you - we saw some mad bowling skills! You can't beat spending some enjoyable, unhurried time with other families on a Sunday evening. Check out pictures from the event on the VALLEY Facebook group page here.

- We have a big week coming up at VALLEY. On Wednesday night, the ladies will gather at the cafe for REAL Women. It'll be a fun evening for connecting with your girlfriends and hearing a teaching from Susie Williamson on 'Running the Race'.  Ladies, wear your comfy warm ups to the meeting! things get started at 7 pm.

- We're looking forward to this Friday night, with our Valentines Weekend edition of the Marriage Matters Big E. This will be an awesome way to celebrate Valentines with a catered meal, great music, dancing and even karaoke! Over 40 couples have signed up already, but its not too late. To get more information or to sign up, visit our gatherings page, then click on the February 13 date.

We certainly are experiencing a lot of momentum and excitement at VALLEY. Thanks to everyone for being involved!

Have a a great week - Richard

- WOW! ... Memorable ... Amazing ... That was something else ... You might think I'm talking about that awesome Super Bowl game from Sunday, but those are actually statements I heard about our gatherings at VALLEY this weekend.  It really was a big day for us!

- The Elephant in the Church series continued with a sermon from Lead Pastor Greg Williamson on 'The Un-Christian Elephant'.  For many of us, it was surprising to learn what Jesus said would be evidence to the whole world that we are followers of his.  Even more challenging was asking ourselves if that evidence actually exists in our own lives.  This years Elephant series has been even more well received that the 2008 edition. You've got to love the elephant!

- We had a packed house again at both of our gatherings, with several families coming back to be with us for their second or third time.  Its pretty exciting to see all the new faces and meet these new friends at VALLEY.

- Speaking of 'friends', you just have to check out our new VALLEY group on FaceBook: I Love VALLEY Christian Church - Hopewell Jct.  This is a great place to stay connected with VALLEY and 'show your love' for our church!  Already a bunch of people have joined the group and have gotten involved in a couple of discussion on the group page.  Right now, everyone is commenting on what their favorite 'elephant' is from our messages series.  SWEET! So, if you haven't already, get on FaceBook to create your personal profile (its simple, free and anyone can do it).  Then you can go to our group page and join.  We'll sou there!

- The 24/7 Experience (youth group event) over the weekend was a big hit. 25 Jr and Sr high school students and 9 adults went snow tubing. They braved some frigid temps to make their tubing runs, but everyone had a blast.  Props to our 24/7 team for putting together the event.

- Our Winter 2009 VALLEY Bridge Groups will be kicking off over the next two weeks.  Bridges are our small groups, and they are a great way to connect with people at VALLEY by meeting together with some regularity focused on areas of common interest.  Check out our current lineup of groups on the Bridge Group page of our website. You can download our group listing, and even sign up or request more information right there online.

So you can see that February is off to a great start.  We hope you have a good week and we'll see you next Sunday!

Richard Moore

- We were glad to finally have another 2-gathering Sunday this weekend.  The two previous Sundays saw us cancel the 9 am gathering due to snow.  So it was cool to get back in the 'take two' swing of things.  And we came back with a bang!  What a great turn out.  VALLEY families braved the single digit temperatures outside and came ready to experience the 9am  & 11 am worship gatherings together.

- The Elephant in the Church series continued with a look at 'The Suffering Elephant'.  Lead Pastor Greg Williamson gave us some good news about going through hard times - For those who love God and are called according to his purpose, suffering has great meaning and value for us. You can listen to the message here.

- Next week, Dr. Greg will bring a much anticipated message, 'The Un-Christian Elephant'.  You do NOT want to miss this one!

- Once again, we we able to meet a lot of new friends on Sunday, as first time guests joined us at both gatherings.  In fact, after our 11 am gathering, the line of guests actually stretched out the door of our meet and greet room, with visiting families waiting to come inside and talk with some of the VALLEY pastors & leaders.  Awesome!

- Sing ups for our 2009 Winter Bridge Groups continue to roll in.  Bridge Groups (our small groups) are a great way to connect at VALLEY.  Check out the line up of Bridge Groups here.  You can download the informational booklet with details about each group and sign up for a group right there using our online registration feature.

It was a great wrap up to January.  You can stay informed about what is going on at VALLEY in February by looking over our online calendar.

Have a good week & try to stay warm! -- Richard Moore

- We decided not to hold our 9 am gathering, and met exclusively at 11 am instead.  That gave us all time to 'dig out' and get ready for our Sunday worship experience.  We had a great turnout, and it was good to see everyone, including 3 visiting families.  We will return to our normal 2-gathering format next Sunday.

- Just a reminder: any time severe weather hits us when gatherings or meetings are scheduled, check the VALLEY website.  You'll find our 'Winter Weather Update' box displayed prominently on our front page.  That way, you will have all the information you need regarding schedule changes, postponements or cancellations due to weather conditions.

- The Elephant is Back!  Sunday marked the series premier of 'The Elephant in the Church 2'.  The highly anticipated sequel to the 2008 smash hit series.  Once again, we'll be addressing topics that everyone is thinking about, but no one wants to actually talk about.  Lead Pastor Greg Williamson started things off by talking about 'The Historical Elephant'.  Based on the positive feedback we've already received, this one will be just as impacting as the original Elephant series was.  Don't forget - this series of messages offers a prime opportunity to invite friends to experience a VALLEY Sunday gathering.

- All Pro Kicks Off 2009:  Our All Pro Men's Bridge Group held a cool NFL Playoff party Sunday afternoon with 16 guys getting together at All Pro leader John Balsamo's home for lunch and the Giants playoff game.  Although the outcome of the game was disappointing to most of the men, it was a great time of connecting.  Its going to be a big year for MFL, the men's ministry at VALLEY, including the All Pro Bridge Group.  For info on how you can get in on the action, drop me an email - richard@valleychristianchurch.net

- Girlfriends Night Out This Wednesday Night: Ladies, be a part of the Girlfriends Unlimited meeting this Wednesday night, January 14 at 7 pm in the cafe.  The them this time around is 'Clear the Clutter'.  The Girlfriends Team has some great things planned that will help you get your home and life organized.  You don't want to miss it.  For further information, contact janet@valleychristianchurch.net

 - VALLEY to Host Community Prayer Service:  Join us next Monday night, January 19th at 7 pm as we host the annual Community Prayer Service.  Is our honor to host this gathering of Christians from churches in our town for worship and prayer for our community and nation.

As you can see, the monster momentum we experienced during 2008 has carried right into 2009.  Its going to be quite a year at VALLEY!

Have a good week everyone - Richard Moore

- We wrapped up our New Years message series called "Changed" from the book of Philemon.  There was a lot to be learned from this obscure book in the New Testament.  The response from this 'mini-series' was great as we were challenged about how God wants to change us and the kind of legacy we will leave behind.

- The house was packed at both the  9 am and 11 am gatherings.  Its good to see so many VALLEY families 'back' now that holiday plans and travel are winding down. We had to bring in an extra row of chairs at 11 am to accommodate everyone!  One friend I spoke to said he can't remember ever seeing the auditorium so full. 

- Once again, there were several visiting families with us, as well as a number of people who were visiting for their 2nd or 3rd time.  The visitors I talked to couldn't say enough about the welcoming atmosphere and warm greeting they received as they came in.  Thanks to all of you who contribute to that 'feel' which means so much to our guests. Way to go VALLEY!

- There's quite a buzz about our next series of messages that starts up next Sunday, January 11.  Its the sequel - The Elephant In The Church Part 2.  Once again, we'll tackle the issues that everyone is thinking about, but no one wants to talk about.  The original 'Elephant' series (from Winter 2008) was one of the most talked about series of messages in VALLEY history.  Remember - this is an ideal opportunity to invite friends to experience VALLEY.

- We announced on Sunday the news that VALLEY will be hosting the annual East Fishkill Community Prayer Service on Monday night, January 19th at 7 pm.  Each year, the pastors and priests in our community gather their congregations for this special night of prayer and worship.  Its an amazing display of Christian unity, and it is our privilege to host this year.  Make plans to bring the whole family to experience this unique worship experience.

- Our Lead Pastor Greg Williamson and his family have returned safely from their holiday vacation in Georgia.  Dr. Greg will be back with us this upcoming Sunday for the premiere of our Elephant in the Church II series.  Welcome back Williamsons!

Obviously, 2009 is off to an awesome start at VALLEY.  I can't wait to see what's ahead for the rest of the year!

Have a great week - Richard Moore

- You've got to love the 'week between'.  That's what I like to call the weekend thats sandwiched between Christmas and New Years.  It was nice seeing some folks at our gatherings who we didn't get to talk to before Christmas, and catch up on how everyone's holiday has been.

- We also had several visiting families with us at yesterday.  Once again, its our VALLEY people inviting friends, families and co-workers to come experience our Sunday gatherings.  Plus, one of our visiting families found us through our website. 

- That reminded me of how effective our website has been for us during 2008.  You may recall we totally revamped our site and unveiled it in February of this year.  That was definitely one of our highlights of this past year.  The traffic on our website has skyrocketed and we hear over and over again how visiting VALLEY online helps our prepare guests for when they walk in our doors.

- "Changed" - Our message series for the New Years weekends started on Sunday, and the response has been great.  We're taking a journey through the often overlooked New Testament book of Philemon.  This is a great story about the Apostle Paul, two of his closest friends and an amazing personal letter he wrote to help them both.  Through this series, we are encountering the life changed power of God in a fresh way.  Be with us this Sunday, January 4 to experience Changed. 

- Our Lead Pastor Greg Williamson and his family are enjoying their holiday vacation with Greg's family in Georgia.  We've heard from them several times since they headed down and the trip has gone very well.  They'll be returning next weekend and we pray for safe travels & a fun time during this week.

Happy New Year to everyone from the VALLEY staff!

- Richard Moore

I believe in Jesus Christ and in the beauty of the gospel begun in Bethlehem.
I believe in the one whose spirit glorified a little town; and whose spirit still brings music to persons all over the world, in towns both large and small.
I believe in the one for whom the crowded inn could find no room, and I confess that my heart still sometimes wants to exclude Christ from my life today.
I believe in the one who the rulers of the earth ignored and the proud could never understand; whose life was among common people, whose welcome came from persons of hungry hearts.
I believe in the one who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible:
I believe in the one whose cradle was a mother's arms, whose modest home in Nazareth had love for its only wealth, who looked at persons and made them see what God's love saw in them, who by love brought sinners back to purity, and lifted human weakness up to meet the strength of God.
I confess my ever-lasting need of God: The need of forgiveness for our selfishness and greed, the need of new life for empty souls, the need of love for hearts grown cold.
I believe in God who gives us the best of himself.
I believe in Jesus, the son of the living
God, born in Bethlehem this night, for me and for the world.

~Merry Christmas VALLEY Family!
Greg Williamson

Over 40 people from VALLEY worked together to set up the facility, gather & prepare the food, serve the food and clean up after the meal.  Included in the VALLEY contingent were couples, singles, children and teenagers - and there were some whole families who came to serve together. 

Preparing & serving the meal and spending time with the people we fed last night made a great impact in our community.  Thank you to all who participated.

And BIG props go out to Bob & Rita Warner.  Bob coordinates and leads VALLEY's involvement with Bread of Life.  Rita did an amazing job of planning the menu and directing our crew of cooks and servers.  To get more information about how you can be a part of the Bread of Life program in 2009, contact the church office: vcc@valleychristianchurch.net 

- Richard Moore

-  Our holiday message series, "He Will Be Called..." continued on Sunday, with the message Mighty God.  It was great being reminded that nothing is too difficult for our God!  Included in the message was a recollection by Lead Pastor Greg Williamson, as he read off a list of some of the things that the Lord has done through VALLEY during 2008.  I spoke with numerous people after our gatherings who said 'I just had no idea how much God has accomplished through us!'.  Awesome!

- Speaking of awesome, the VALLEY praise band, under the leadership of Pat Farley is rocking!  They always do a great job of leading us in the musical portion of our worship gatherings, and they seem to have taken it up a notch during the Christmas season.  Their selections of the classic Christmas hymns are fresh adaptations of the timeless songs.  Make sure to arrive for our gatherings on time, so you wont miss out on it.

- Consider taking part in a holiday service project as VALLEY prepares, serves and cleans up after a special Christmas feast for needy families in the City of Poughkeepsie.  VALLEY will be running the Bread of Life feeding program in Poughkeepsie this Wednesday night, December 17.  Contact the VALLEY office if you'd like to be involved.  vcc@valleychristianchurch.net

- We had a cool request in the office last week.  One of our VALLEY partners ordered a whole bunch of recent messages on CD.  She plans to give them as gifts to some family members and friends.  You've got to love that.  I think its a pretty good idea - spreading the Word of God and a little bit of VALLEY through the Sunday messages!

- And don't forget about our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Serviceon December 24th at 7 pm.  Bring family & friends to celebrate the birth of Christ with us.  It'll be a great way to spend Christmas together!

Have a great week -- Richard Moore

1. 26 New Christians baptized
2. Began Two Gatherings on Sunday Mornings due to growth
3. 19 leaders involved in summer ‘Theology Study Group’
4. 25+ New Families began attending VALLEY each week (most of them were unchurched)
5. 56 New Partners join VALLEY Family (16 families)
6. 100+ Bibles given away to those who do not own one
7. Over 7,000 message downloads from website
8. Missions/Outreach including:

• India
• Ukraine
• New Zealand
• Japan
• Vassar College
• Beacon University
• Operation Christmas Child
• Bread of Life Poughkeepsie Feeding Ministry
• Walter Hoving Home
• Poughkeepsie Children’s Home
• Increased Benevolence Giving
  
  
  (This list doesn't include the community outreaches that each of our Highway Groups are regularly involved in)
  
  It's obvious that God is doing some really great things through the VALLEY family to 'Transform Our World, One Life At A Time'. I can hardly wait to see the awesome things that God will do in 2009 through VALLEY.
  
  Thank you VALLEY Family for ALL that you do for Him!
  
  -Greg Williamson
  
  
  

- We continue to be blown away by the new people that visit our gatherings each Sunday.  When our guests fill out the online surveys for first time visitors, we keep hearing about the warm and friendly atmosphere, the impact of the messages, and the overall feel of our VALLEY gatherings.  We thank God for the momentum we're experiencing, and can't wait to see what's ahead.

- 'He Will Be Called...', our new series of Christmas messages, began with the first message - 'Wonderful Counselor'.  Check out the message online and the DEEPER DOWNLOAD study notes here. We were challenged by Lead Pastor Greg Williamson to ask the question "What is 'the one thing' - one issue in your life that God wants to deal with - that will make the biggest change in your life from this point forward?" You can also download a podcast of the message. 

- Our 24/7 youth ministry team threw a great Christmas party for the jr & sr high students after our gatherings on Sunday.  Over 20 youth enjoyed games, contests and some good food.  Its been an awesome year for our youth ministry and this was a great way to wrap up 2008.  Visit the 24/7 website to check out the snow tubing trip thats planned for January.

- There's a buzz around VALLEY about an awesome series of posts Greg is doing on his GWM blog for the Christmas season.  Its all about the promise of 'Peace on Earth'.  In my home, we're utilizing the thoughts and verses in these posts for some family times of discussing and studying together.  Check it out here.

- The VALLEY women's ministry is holding the Real Women Christmas Party this Wednesday, December, 7 at 7pm in the cafe.  Ladies, come celebrate the season and enjoy a night out with friends.

- And don't forget about the highlight of the season here, our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.  Join us at 7 pm on December 24th as we sing the songs of the season, light candles, and hear about what it really meant to have Jesus come as our 'Prince of Peace'.

You've just got to love Christmas at VALLEY!

Richard Moore

- Our Sunday gatherings focused on Communion.  Lead Pastor Greg Williamson gave us a fresh look at the ancient sacrament, teaching that communion is our opportunity to remember, rejoice, repent and reconcile.  It was a great time of worshipping together.

- We had several new faces in our first time guest 'meet & greet' after the gatherings.  Each week, we see more examples of VALLEY partners spreading the word to their family & friends by inviting them to our gatherings and events.  Thanks to everyone for all this enthusiasm about what God is doing at VALLEY, and for encouraging others to come experience it!

- Our area of New York is known for its ehtnic & cultural diversity, and we've heard some amazing stories around VALLEY about folks connecting with each other through their international ties.  Right now there are families who are originally from South Africa and Brazil that have 'found' each other through the VALLEY connection.  Gotta love it when God brings people and families from all over the world together right here in Dutchess County!  Its great to see our church be a part of that.

- On Sunday, I spoke to 3 different families that were really pumped up about how the Lord has used VALLEY to impact their children's lives.  One family spoke about how their children talk about the G-force children's ministry all week and can't wait for the next Sunday, In fact, their young cousins from New York City who visited on a Sunday recently are begging their parents to drive them up to VALLEY each weekend.  The other families told me their teenagers have 'finally found' a church gathering they can relate to, enjoy, and 'get something out of'.  And our solid 24/7 youth ministry is a great supplement to what their students are experiencing during our Sunday gatherings.  Huge props to Karen Johnson and her G-Force team & our 24/7 team for creating compelling environments for kids and youth to experience God's love!

- Another incredible thing to see at VALLEY right now is the generosity of our people.  Even in uncertain financial times, we continue to experience growth and an increase in giving.  By all accounts, this is rare for churches in America, given national economic trends.  Yet due to the faithfulness of the VALLEY family, each month we've been able to increase our church's benevolent giving and financial support to other ministries and those in need.  God is definitely blessing us!

- The Christmas holiday season is in full swing at VALLEY.  This Sunday, we'll begin our Christmas message series, 'He Will Be Called'.  Our Bridge & Highway groups will be holding their special holiday gatherings.  The 24/7 (youth group) Christmas Party is this Sunday, December 7 from 1-3 pm at VALLEY.  And don't forget the ultimate holiday highlight - our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on December 24 at 7 pm.

It's awesome to be a part of VALLEY!

Have a great week 
--  Richard Moore

The 24/7 Leadership Team does an outstanding job relating to, teaching and leading the students.  What a privilege to have these people as Godly influencers in the lives of our kids!

There are some great things planned over the next month or so for the teenagers.  From 24/7 DEEPER this Sunday afternoon (November 23), to the 24/7 Christmas Party (December 7), to Snow Tubing in January ... Its going to be awesome.

Parents, don't miss out on the opportunity to have your teenagers involved in a group that can make such a positive difference in their lives.  Check out the 24/7 websitefor details and calendar information.

-Richard Moore

- It started on Friday night with our quarterly Marriage Matters 'Big E'.  Over 35 couples enjoyed an evening of some good food and an intense competition called 'Spouse-ology'. Congrats to Chris & Lize Ankner, who won a complimentary dinner to La Chambord fine restaurant.  The night wrapped up with a teaching from Greg & Susie Williamson on Trusting God, and having Him in the 'director's chair' of our lives.  Folks are already anticipating our next 'Big E' in February of 2009.

- Sunday was another big day at VALLEY.  Once again, our meet and greet area for first time guests was packed.  Plus, we announced a one week extension of our holiday giving project, Operation Christmas Child.  The new date for bringing your gift boxes for needed children is Sunday, November 23rd.

- The series, You Don't Have What It Takes, continued on Sunday with the message, 'You Can't Handle It All'.  Lead Pastor Greg Williamson challenged us to take a serious look at our life and schedules to see what needs to be shared, what needs to be stopped and whether or not we've really surrendered to God.  We have already heard feedback  on the impact the message has had on many VALLEY families.

- Greg closed the message with an important question - "What radical change do you need to make in your schedule to truly surrender it to God?"  Why not share a comment to let us know what radical changes you're going to make in light of what God spoke to you through Sunday's message.  Join the conversation ... we look forward to hearing from you!

Richard Moore

This was the first VALLEY men's event for a number of the guys who were there last night, and already the feedback we've heard has been strong: guys asking how long before we have our next Man Laws session, looking forward to bringing more friends with them next time & some men gearing up to get revenge for some nail biting tourney losses.

One man who's been a part of the VALLEY men's ministry for some time told me this was the best guys event we've ever had!  Another told me he hasn't laughed so much in a long time.  Nothing like hanging out with good friends for the evening.

Thanks to all the guys who came out.  We're all looking forward to our Winter 2009 Man Laws Session!

Richard Moore

- I spoke to one of the families that visited VALLEY for the first time on Sunday, and asked a question that I often pose to our guests: "How do you find out about VALLEY?"  This particular family had found us online.  Not surprising, since the overwhelming number of individuals & families who visit have their first encounter with VALLEY through our website.  Over and over, we hear from these visitors that the site gives them a great 'feel' for what VALLEY is about and prepares them well for their first Sunday gathering experience.  We're excited that the website is working in that way, and we encourage you to continue directing friends to visit us online.

- Our 'How To Be Rich' message series by Lead Pastor Greg Williamson continues with messages that are touching a lot of people's lives.  We are hearing great responses from those who've heard the series, including people from different parts of the country who've been following the messages online. 

- During the How To Be Rich series finale this Sunday, Greg will share some very exciting news for the VALLEY family. Its about an unprecedented opportunity for expanding our impact in the community.  Don't miss it!

- This Thursday, we will host the John Jay High School football team and coaching staff for a special dinner.  This marks the 4th year that we've held the dinner, which is one of the most anticipated events of the year for the team members.  This year, we're celebrating John Jay's 2nd consecutive league championship.  If you'd like to participate by providing some prepared food for this event, contact Janet Moore at the VALLEY office: janet@valleychristianchurch.net

- To close today's post, Greg & I (big Dallas Cowboys fans) thought about requesting prayer for a quick recovery for Dallas QB Tony Romo's broken finger.  But we were not sure if you Giants fans would be willing to do that.  Oh well, we know he'll come back stronger anyway!

Have a great week - Richard Moore

- The new message series by Lead Pastor Greg Williamson, 'How To Be Rich' rolled into its second week on Sunday, and we continue to get strong feedback on how much impact the messages have made.  This series is seriously changing the way we look at our possessions and finances:  "God has blessed us with more than we need - We're rich.  But we will not trust in riches.  We will trust in Him who richly provides!"

- Our annual church picnic was a blast yesterday.  Although the weather looked ominous in the morning, things cleared up nicely and it turned out to be ideal conditions for us.  The food was great and there were no reports of injuries after the touch football game. (big answer to prayer!)  Most importantly, we all enjoyed the chance to hang out together.  As always, the church picnic is a great place to connect with the VALLEY family.

- Big props go out to Pastor Bob and his volunteer picnic crew for setting up, prepping the food and cleaning up after the day.  And especially to our Picnic Guru - Marc Mackenzie for coordinating the menu and many of the logistics.  This was Marc's 11th year of being our master chef and he did a great job!  Thanks to Marc and everyone who participated.

- This Wednesday night, the VALLEY Womens Ministry, Girlfriends Unlimited, presents a big 'G-Event' - The Girlfriends Roundup.  This will be an amazing western themed experience for the ladies and a great opportunity to invite some friends to come along.  Cost at the door will be $15 per person. Contact Janet Moore at the VALLEY office if you have any questions.  janet@valleychristianchurch.net

Richard Moore

The weather was supposed to be really rough, but the rain held off for most of the time we were there and we even saw the sun peek through a few times. Bob Warner and his crew did a bang up job putting the weekend together and keeping things running smoothly.

Reports we've been hearing are that the guys can't wait until the next camp-out. One boy told his dad as the event was wrapping up, "I wish we could live here!" There were definitely some lasting memories made.

Thanks again to everyone who took part and to all those who worked so hard to make the weekend adventure possible!

Richard Moore

 - Finale: Lead Pastor Greg Williamson wrapped up the 'Unstoppable' series with a bang.  I don't think any of us will ever think of the words 'idiot, loser & fool' the same way again!  You can listen to the message and see the Deeper Download here.

 - Premiere: We all got a sneak peek at our new series that will start up next week, 'How To Be Rich'.  This one will be enlightening and maybe a little surprising.  You wont want to miss it.

 - Packed House: Our 2 gatherings were full again - lots of momentum going on right now.

 - New Partners: What a cool time we had at Newcomers Partnership Class (NPC) on Sunday afternoon.  Nothing like spending some time with the families that God has brought together here at VALLEY.  We have 6 families that have taken part (or will be taking part) in NPC this month.

 - Show Me A Sign: The new sign that is going up in front of our building is generating excitement among the VALLEY family and around town.  The entire project should be completed this week.

 - Got Service?: Every week, more VALLEY people are enlisting to serve with differnet ministry teams.  Greg told us recently that it takes 35-40 volunteers to help make a gathering happen on Sundays (that means 75-80 people for our 2 gathering format).  Its awesome to see folks who've been with us for a long time, as well as people who are brand new to VALLEY eager to get involved.  Thanks to all who are helping out!

 - DEEPER: The new fall season for our 24/7 Youth Minsitry kicked off strong - a new series began at the 24/7DEEPER student discipleship gathering this Sunday.  The series is called TXT, and the students are learning about the basics of the Christian faith in a fresh new way.  Check out whats going on for our Jr & Sr High group at the 24/7 website.

 - The Great Outdoors: Sign ups keep rolling in for our Father/Son Campout which will take place this weekend at Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill.  Over 50 guys will be taking part.  One VALLEY dad told me his son started last week asking him this question - "Daddy, how many hours(not days) until the campout?" If you haven't signed up yet, you can do so online by clicking here.

Bottom line - Its a great time to be a part of what God is doing at VALLEY!

Richard Moore

And September has kicked off in a big way at VALLEY.  Last Sunday marked the premier of our message series 'Unstoppable'. Make sure to be with us each Sunday this month for this awesome series.

It was great to see so many students from Vassar College back with us after summer break.  We love having all of you back with us this fall and we're praying that you guys will all have a good year at Vassar.

This Wednesday, September 10 at 7 pm, the women of VALLEY are gathering for Girlfriend's Night Out.  This night will be all about a 'back to school' theme, and we hope all of you ladies will take part.

Next Sunday, September 14, we'll hold Baby Dedications at both the 9 am and 11 am gatherings.  If you'd like to have your baby or child dedicated to the Lord during one of this Sunday's gatherings, contact us at the VALLEY office:  janet@valleychristianchurch.net

The following week, on Sunday, September 21, will be the day for Newcomers Partnership Class (NPC).  We'll meet in the cafe from 3:30-6:30 pm.  NPC is designed for individuals and families who are new to the VALLEY experience and is a great place to learn about the vision and values that drive VALLEY.  (Childcare is provided)  To sign up for NPC online, click here.

But we're not done...The last weekend of the month, Friday-Saturday, September 26-27 is our Father/Son Campout at Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, NY.  Its going to be a weekend adventure for fathers & sons that will include campfires, hiking, sports, & fishing. Visit our Men's Ministry pageto sign up online.

So as you can see - September is smokin' at VALLEY.  Make sure you don't miss out on the great opportunities to connect and get involved!

- Richard Moore

Why Many Americans Prefer Their Sundays Segregated

-Greg Williamson

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Each trainee must be able to complete a minimum of a 3 mile run with an average speed of 10:30 / mile. The team will  provide the training program/material and organize the long runs. With one exception & the race, the long runs will always be held on Saturdays so they will not interfere with the weekly gathering on Sundays. There will be one organized 1/2 marathon race on Sunday, Sept 21 here in Dutchess County. The team is planning to run that race in place of our 'long run' for that weekend. The trainees would be free to run with other members of the training team during the week if they can organize it as well.

The marathon registration fees are about $100 for each runner and are non refundable.

If you are interested in learning more details, feel free to email Dave Eberhart djmneberhart@frontiernet.net .

- There were several families visiting with us for the first time on Sunday.  I had a chance to speak with a number of them and it was encouraging to hear how much they were impacted during the gatherings and how warmly welcomed they felt.

- We are hearing great responses to the HEROES message series.  Something powerful happens when we start connecting with the 'Story of Redemption' that God is telling us through the Bible.  Can't wait to experience the rest of the series.

- Preparations for Kids Extreme Olympic Adventure (August 4-8) are heating up! Registrations for 'Athletes' (grade school aged kids) are really pouring in.  Make sure your children don't miss out.  Click here to register your kids online.

- Our Lead Pastor, Greg Williamson and his family are enjoying their vacation this week at Disney World in Orlando, FL.  They send their regards from the most magical place on earth!  The Williamsons will return on Friday and Greg will be continuing the HEROES series at our gatherings this Sunday.

Have a great week!

Richard Moore

So go ahead, pray and see who God would like for you to reach out to over these summer months.

-Greg Williamson

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-Michaela Williamson

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Tomorrow Greg will be going with the men to see the facility the church is hoping to renovate for their university.  The financial needs here are so great...our prayers are joining with theirs that God will provide!

I'm already looking forward to our next visit....I feel the need to start learning Russian to be able to communicate with them, the language barrier is difficult when there is so much you want to say!

Thanks for you love, prayers and all your Birthday wishes...Sophia was certainly feeling the love!!

-Susie Williamson

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Lesslie Newbigin, The Open Secret, p 142

With that in mind, make sure to check out the photos from our water baptism on April 6th. VALLEY has baptized 41 new followers of Christ in the last 12 months. Incredible!

-Greg Williamson

What an awesome privilege to see VALLEY's glocal impact for the Kingdom of God! Let's keep UP the prayers.

-Greg Williamson

For six or seven years now, we have used the word 'gatherings' to describe our Sunday morning meetings at VALLEY rather than 'services'. This is more than just semantics. The Bible does not refer to Christians meeting for a 'service'. 'Service' brings a flood of consumer connotations with it that are completely contradictory to the selfless, other-centered teachings of Jesus Christ. We chose the word 'gathering' based on the Biblical conviction that as followers of Christ, we are the church and it is important for us to gather together as the church (Acts 14:27).

This subtle but powerful decision was punctuated to me when my wife, Susie, recently took one of our daughters to a doctor's appointment. When the doctor entered the examination room, she began by saying, "Before I start, I just have to say, I drove by your husband's church the other day and saw the sign said, 'Gatherings'. I think that is such a wonderful way to express what is going on rather than 'Services'. Gatherings are warm and inviting like a 'family gathering'. 'Services' are so impersonal and sterile sounding."

To my knowledge, our pediatrician is not a Christian or church-goer of any kind, but she did understand what we were trying to communicate to people who drive by our campus everyday.

What are some other 'church words' that are commonly used that communicate the opposite of what The Word tells us? Feel free to share...

Meanwhile, I can't wait for our next Gathering!

-Greg Williamson

It has been over ten years now that I have had the pleasure to meet monthly with the clergy in our town and to build healthy friendships with those across denominational lines. How incredible it is to realize that our gathering together as clergy and churches is actually answering the prayer of Jesus Christ himself (John 17:6-21) as well as countless others over the last century and beyond.

The disturbing thing to me is, how many pastors I personally know across America that rufuse to take part in fulfilling one of the prayers of our Lord! They have great excuses, but they are excuses none the less. Too many times, we only feel comfortable with people who think like and worship Christ like we do and fail to recognize the diversity of the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-26). I just don't understand it and I wonder of Jesus does.

I am thankful for two priests in our town, who heard the heartbeat of God over 15 years ago, and who called and ask me to join them one day for lunch. I know how much my life has been blessed and I have grown as a result. I also know how blessed I am to humbly admit with heartfelt conviction, "We're not the only game in town," when it comes to the Christian faith. I need them, and they need me too.

Let's keep praying until all of Christ's Body seeks to fulfill the prayer of our Lord and Savior!

-Greg Williamson

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to 'sit-n-serve' for our up and coming two Gathering Sunday format (beginning 2/3). The response has been incredible.

Also, as was mentioned yesterday, the breakdown between the 9am Gathering and the 11am Gathering is 49/51%. Pretty amazing.

This Sunday we will finish our PLAYMAKER series with, "Living Under the Salary Cap". In February, we will start a new series called, "The Elephant In The Church". This will be a perfect series to invite unchurched friends and family to, as we tackle the 'hot potato' issues most churches don't want to talk about.

We'd love to hear feedback on the new VALLEY site, so let's hear from you!

-Greg Williamson

This Sunday (1/20) we have 11 new families signed up our 'Newcomers Partnership Class' (and we just held one last quarter)! Needless to say, we are busting. Let's 'bite the bullet' for two more weeks. What do you say?

-Greg Williamson

This Sunday we will 'go deep' as we learn how to 'Play Through Pain'. Be sure to gear up in your favorite team apparel and bring a friend. See you then.

-Greg Williamson

In this series, we will discover where we fit on "The TEAM" and how we can really become and IMPACT player. PLAYMAKER promises to be a 'big hit' as we set the tone for and incredible year at VALLEY! Join the fun and wear your favorite team jersey every Sunday morning of the series!

Messages Include:

1. Play Your Position
2. Playing Through Pain
3. Are You Reading Your Own Headlines?
4. Living Under The Salary Cap

Don't miss and exciting week and bring a friend for PLAYMAKER (Believe the Hype)!

I am psyched to see God’s amazing story unfold before us glocally in 2008! It is mind blowing to think about how the VALLEY family will be extended in India and Eastern Europe over the next few months as we put ‘boots on the ground’ in both of these places as well as the continuing work in Japan and New Zealand! Locally, we will continue reaching out in our communityby feeding the hungry, clothing those in need, bringing freedom to those in addictions, strengthening marriages, empowering parents and transforming lives through creative ministries and messages (just to name a few).

I am also really looking forward to kicking of the New Year with our 'Playmaker' series. In the series, I will be sharing the 'new look' for VALLEY and some more awesome opportunities God has given us in 2008!

Ordination is the culmination of what has been a two to six year training process for each of these couples. The final step in that process was held earlier this month when each couple met with the full Eldership of VALLEY to be questioned, interviewed and evaluated based on 1 Tim. 3:8-13, Acts 6 and Numbers 11:11-13, 16-17.

Those who currently serve VALLEY as deacons and will continue to are: Roger and Carol Roosa, Aaron and Karen Johnson, Carl and Cindy Amaral and Theresa Farley.

Those who have been appointed as deacons and will be ordained tomorrow to join the group above will be: John and Dori Balsamo, Andy and Suzanne Sileno, Kevin and Georgette Pobursky, Chris and Angela Kelly, Josh and Libbe Brossia.

I look forward to sharing this awesome day with the whole VALLEY family as we discover the Biblical qualifications and responsibility of leadership in the church and celebrate the great things that God has done!

See you then.

-Greg Williamson