The Informer

	The Informer A Monthly News and Ministry Publication of the Cleburne Baptist Association
Next Executive Committee Meeting: August 9th Chulafinnee Baptist will be providing refreshments

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2 Chronicles 7:14 Sunday

August 29, 2010

Pastors are meeting now in preparation for this special

Sunday the intent of which is to cry out to God for intervention in our lives, families, churches, Cleburne County, Alabama and our nation. Soon these pastors will be asking you to do your part�we�ve got to get ready.

Beginning August 15

Our churches will enter into a season of 14 days of prayer. They will pray specifically for the churches, county, state and country.

The bold orange type days fall on Sundays and it is our earnest prayer that this journey of prayer we are on will be emphasized in your church. Participation is key to this great time of seeking God�s intervention.

Day 1: Personal preparation � confession and commitment

Day 2: Churches Responsibility � Where we have slept as a whole and abdicated our responsibilities.

Day 3: Churches Role in the Kingdom � where do we fit into God�s plan of redeeming Cleburne County and beyond.

Day 4: Spiritual Awakening � Personally, in our church, in our county, in our state, in our country and world-wide.

Day 5: God�s Intervention in the direction our country is heading�Increasing taxes, unemployment, terrorism, turning away from Israel

Day 6: Our Country�s Crisis � Financial crisis, the confusion and corruption in our government and country, slow destruction of Liberties, departure from Biblical standards for life and marriage, deliverance from the natural disasters, the denial of our Christian heritage.

Day 7: Praise God for His ability to help us. Praise God for His sovereignty. Ask God for His hand of protection to be on our country and believers world-wide.

Day 8: Ask God to reveal His call on your life and how you fit in to His plan in your church and community. Ask Him to open doors for you to serve in His timing. Ask God to send people across your path to mentor you in the faith and for you to mentor.

Day 9: Commit to become a fully alive and active servant for Christ.

Day 10: Pray for God to open the eyes of the spiritually blind to see the truth.

Day 11: Pray the Christian voice to be loud, clear, and unwavering but seasoned with grace and love.

Day 12: Ask God to reveal past hurts and wrongs that may need to be righted in your personal life and in the life of your church. Ask God to establish the Church�s testimony and your personal testimony to one that glorifies Him.

Day 13: Praise God for what He is doing and will do in response to the prayers.

Day 14: Pray for the courage and strength to be the Christian He created you to be.

August 29 � Solemn Assembly � 4:00 p.m. (Check with your pastor as to where your church will gather.) This meeting would be a time of testimony, praise, repentance and reconciliation with God and each other.

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Chaplain's Ministry

Provide a copy of God's Word (KJV Bible) for an inmate at the Cleburne County Jail through the CBA Chaplain Fund.
Please make checks payable to

Cleburne Baptist Association

and indicate "Bibles"

on the memo line.

In 2009 the Cleburne County Jail Ministry baptized 56 inmates! This is a ministry that is making a Kingdom difference.

If you would like to visit one of the Sunday Morning Worship Services,

Contact Chaplain Ray Clevenger

256/748-8582 or 256/282-7404

to make arrangements.

Letter From a Former Inmate

at the Cleburne County Jail

2010

(This is solely intended to show the effective and relevant work that is going on in the jail ministry.)

Dear Brother Ray & Sister Esther,

How are you doing? As for me, I'm ok. It has taken me a few days to get focused and back on track. The other girls are fine as well. (Debbie, Melissa, Shelby and Barbara said hey and they love and miss y'all too!) I am still of fire for God, although the devil has tried me with all his force. I just wanted to write and let you know that I love y'all and appreciate everything you stand for in this walk of life. I thank God for bringing y'all into my life. I truly know the "why" of the things that happened while I was incarcerated at the county jail. The realness I experienced while I was there was just "His" preparation of me coming here. The Lord has an awesome plan for my future. I glorify Him and lift Him up for everything He is doing because I know without a doubt it will be for His honor and glory when He is done.

I was scared to death during the ride down here because of the unexpected and just the shock of the whole thing. Miss. Patty was great. She consoled us and reminded us to hold on to what we believe in. As we pulled up, my heart began to pound within my body out of control! I grabbed the girls hands and quickly we began to pray. Of course, we were violated of our privacy and was stripped searched, hair cut and talked to like dogs, but I just kept silently praying. The walk down the BIG hall was on of the scariest moments of my life and when we got to our dorm--there stood 70-80 women looking out through this huge metal wall of bars with one huge door to open. I began looking for my bed with my number that was assigned to me. It is amazing how the works of God is revealed just at the right time. I found my bed and on each side of me were two women and one on the top bunk above me, all who were super nice and all who were seeking the Lord. I love my God!

It was chaotic though. Very, very loud, to the point you can't even think. Every few hours they do a count of all the women and you are made to get on your bed and not talk until the count is clear. I didn't understand at first what was going on so I just did what I was told and watched to see what happened.

The first night here, we arrived at 8:00 a.m. but we didn't get to our dorms until around 9:30 p.m. We all were totally exhausted, scared and just sick. The next day wasn't any better. The guard over the dorm wakes us up at 3:30 a.m. screaming. We have to get up and get our beds made and we go to breakfast at 4:30 a.m. After breakfast that morning was when I realized I had to find my "God" time and it was in the moment of silence when they were doing count and everybody was quiet. S now at ever count, I give that time to God in prayer (along with a lot of other times). I am still doing the Bible stories I brought too.

I began to pray and felt like there was so much I needed to pray for that all I could do was cry. A lady next to me gave me a book to read called A Touch of His Love. It is a book of meditations on knowing and receiving the love of God and at the end of each little story, there is a daily prayer. See, He is always right on time.

I miss the ministry at the jail. I realize now how awesome it is! Y'all will never know the inspiration you have been to me and my life. I didn't even realize it until I got here! I've talked to two different ladies that work here. One was the lady that processes and evaluates mental health and the other is a nurse practitioner that did our exams. I told them why I was here. They said I would not be her long at all because of the serious over crowding and what I did was such a petty crime. I am praying that this will all be over soon. I was told the I will probably qualify for two different programs that will allow me to come home under an anklet/bracelet supervision or SPR where I stay with someone under strict supervision...an officer will periodically check to see if I've "kept the rules."

That's pretty much for now. Please continue to pray for us and tell everyone I said, "Hey! and I love them." and if there is any chance that they might come here to not worry it looks a lot worse than it seems. The only way to really prepare, if possible, is to pray and keep their faith in the Lord. Tell my family that I love them and that "this too shall pass." Please tell Miss. Cleo I love her dearly and that I miss her. I will write to her next. J

(Inmates names changed and some contents withheld for their privacy.)

Association News

VBS in full gear!

Don't forget to turn in your reports!

I NEED A FORM PLEASE.

For More VBS NEWS click the picture below.

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New Ministry at the

Cleburne Baptist Association

Starting

August 3 at 11 a.m.

"Come Thirsty"

A casual atmosphere of study for those

who are thirsting for more.

Tuesday Morning Bible Study

Led by Vickey Weathers

Bring your lunch and let's study

God's Word together.

(This will be a very casual Bible Study atmosphere so if you have to come in late or leave early that is fine.)

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Support YOUR Cleburne Baptist Association

The Finance Committee of the Cleburne Baptist Association has challenged churches to take up a special Love Offering this Sunday to support the ministry of the Cleburne Baptist Association. Churches are the only means of support for the association. Times are difficult for everyone these days but you can never out give God. Remember what Jesus said in Luke 6:38

'Give,

and it shall be given to you;

good measure,

pressed, and shaken,

and running over,

they

shall give into your bosom;

for

with that measure

with which ye measure,

it shall be measured to you again.'

Church News