The Lamplighter

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 3 M A R C H 2 0 1 0

INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:

From Pastor 2
Bearing One Another’s Burdens
Brian’s Desk
By John MacArthur
Youth Scholar- 2 church is so important. It is our
ship Information The troubles of this world are
manifold and relentless. It’s not
Why Believe 3 easy to stay so focused on
Moses? Pt. 2
heaven that we remain unper-
Wednesday 3 turbed by the afflictions of
Prayer Meeting earthly life. We’re commanded,
of course, to set our minds on
Spring 4 things above, not on earthly
Poem things (Col. 3:2), but even the
Katie Wells most committed believer will
4
Update testify that earthly trials some-
times obscure the heav-
Cabin Fever 4 enly perspective.
We worry. We grieve. We stum-
Beyond the 5 ble. We strain under the toil of
Shoebox
our daily labors. We feel the guilt
Birthdays/ 5 of our fallen condition. Mean-
Anniversaries while, we are assaulted with
adversities of various kinds.
From the Church 5
Those are just a few of the many
Library
worldly burdens that frequently
keep our thoughts from rising
Church Lockup 5 to heaven.
Schedule
And yet we are commanded
Quizzing 6
repeatedly to “seek the things
that are above” (Col. 3:1). We
AWM Spring 8 are instructed to “look not to
Refresh the things that are seen but to
the things that are unseen” (2
Bulletin Board 9
Cor. 4:18). We must not allow
the burdens of this life to divert
our hearts from heaven.
How is that possible? When the
load weighs us down and the
troubles become too much for
one person to bear, pie-in-the-
sky sentiments can sound
very hollow.
But that is precisely why the
duty as believers to help bear
one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).
When someone staggers, we
help steady the load. If he is
straining, we help bear the bur-
den. And if he stumbles, we lift
John MacArthur
him up. Helping fellow believers
carry the weight of their worldly
troubles is one of the chief prac-
tical duties that ought to con-
sume every Christian.
Of course, that concept is con-
trary to the drift of our culture,
with secular society’s tendency
to foster self-absorption. Our
generation has developed an
unhealthy obsession with enter-
tainment; we are daily assaulted
with a plethora of trivial diver-
sions; and we tend to interact
with one another in sound-bites
or through faceless media. We
live in crowded cities and over-
populated neighborhoods; yet
most individuals are more iso-
lated than ever.
And let’s be honest — Reformed
and evangelical churches nowa-
days often imitate the culture
precisely where we most need to
confront and counteract its influ-
ence. As churches seek to be-
come bigger, flashier, and more
technologically savvy, they usually
tend to become more cold and
impersonal. Contemporary
churches sometimes even seem
to encourage the “me first”
agenda of self-love rather than
the “one another” commands of
Scripture. As a result, we don’t
bear one another’s burdens as
we should.
Yet Paul made this duty a high
priority. It was the centerpiece of
his admonitions to the Galatian
churches. The first half (or more)
of Galatians is a defense of justifi-
cation by faith and a series of
arguments against the false teach-
ing that threatened to place
those churches in bondage to the
Law. In Galatians 5:14 he re-
minded them: “The whole law is
fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.’”
How is that love best manifest?
“Bear one another’s burdens, and
so fulfill the law of Christ” (6:2).
The first and preeminent exam-
ple of burden-bearing Paul men-
tions involves dealing with the
(Continued on last page)
 PAGE 2

From Pastor Brian’s Desk

LIFE
Our Alliance Youth Confer-
ence, Collide, is in July. That
seems like a long way off, how-
ever, we must continue to
raise the funds for our group.
Our next fundraiser will be a
Spaghetti Dinner, Sunday, April
25 right after the second ser-
vice. Everybody needs to eat
so why not place this date on
your calendar? What better
way to fellowship with each
other and contribute toward
the youth.
What is LIFE?
Imagine thousands of students
authentically experiencing God
and being inspired to expand
“The theme for His Kingdom. Imagine worship-
ping and growing closer to
LIFE 2010 is Christ. Imagine connecting
with new friends, serving to-
COLLIDE . . . gether and helping church
plants. Imagine tons of semi-
what happens nars and workshops, awesome
concerts and incredible experi-
when your
ences. That’s what LIFE is all
about.
“The theme for LIFE 2010 is
COLLIDE . . . what happens when
your world meets God’s world? I
am personally excited with the
LIFE 2010 theme and am looking
forward to God meeting each of
as we “collide” from all over the
USA and from around the world
in Louisville to hear from Him!”
Jason Ostrander
National Alliance Youth
Director
Our LIFE team consists of Tina
and Jeremy Culver, Nathan
Roberts, Nate Phipps, Jesse
Blum, April Aungier, Maggie
Titus, Julia Martin, Patricia
Martin, Amber Vanderwerff,
and Brittany Wentworth.
Thank you for supporting us!
New Sunday School Class
What's The Difference? Bibli-
cal Manhood and Womanhood
according to the Bible
Many have signed up for this
class. I am personally looking
forward to leading a study of
this crucial topic. Come join us
as we discuss what John Piper
unveils and what the Bible
teaches about our roles and
responsibilities in the church
and in our families. Our soci-
ety is terribly confused and
misleading on this subject. Our
children need us to have a firm
and proper understanding of
what it means to be a man or
a woman in God's eyes. See
you there!

world meets

God’s world?”

LAC Youth Servant Leadership Scholarship

Attention High School Seniors:

Applications for the Youth Servant Leadership Scholarship are available in the church office. The scholarship
committee will be looking at the following criteria for the award:

• Demonstrated Christian Character

• Regular Attendance at church services including worship, Sunday School, and youth group
• Christian/Community Service

The application deadline is April 1, 2010

THE LAMPLIGHTER - MARCH 2010

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 PAGE
Why Believe Moses? Part 2
The Genesis creation days came
under attack in the early 1800's
when pagan concepts surfaced
claiming Planet Earth was far older
than the six thousand or so years
the Bible traditionally allowed. Such
claims were anything but new since
ancient civilizations often accepted
Earth's age as unfathomable. When
Charles Darwin's evolutionary the-
ory appeared in the mid 1800's,
everyone including Darwin himself
admitted the theory was dead on
arrival without being afforded vast
eons of time, the more the merrier.
Afterward, the only scholars still
rejecting vast geologic ages were
the scriptural geologists. Nowadays,
evolutionary geologists have pre-
vailed and Planet Earth is surmised
to be some 4.5 billion years old.
Incidentally, 4.5 billion years differs
from six thousand years by a magni-
tude of one million times. It's zeros
over which no one simply whistles
the tune of Dixie. The trickle down
effect of a 4.5 billion year old earth
has become so pervasive that an
individual can neither enter a mu-
seum, zoo, or national park without
being continually bombarded by it.
Consequently, many Christians now
feel pressured (possibly brain-
washed) into accepting Genesis as
an allegory (symbolic story) repre-
Wednesday Prayer Meeting
From the Official Directory & Prayer
Guide of the C&MA:
Adopting a Posture for Effec-
tive Intercession
Excerpts from The Life of Prayer,
Unlocking the Secrets of Access to
God, by A. B. Simpson
Confirming Our Faith - "Real
praying is not simply asking for
things because we want them. The
senting vast geologic ages. But is
Genesis truly an allegory?
Major problems arise for treating
Genesis as an allegory since the
opening verses plainly depict crea-
tion's time scale as being six ordi-
nary days: and the evening and the
morning were the first day ... and
the evening and the morning were
the second day ... , and so on for all
six days. Every Hebrew scholar
openly admits it lacks any literary
semblance of being an allegory, nor
of even being a lyric (poem or
song). Rather, scholars maintain the
creation account bears all the hall-
marks of an historical record writ-
ten in Hebrew, with each day as-
signed a consecutive number, and
each day closely linked by a con-
junction signifying no interval.
Another key factor to recall, Moses
was anything but an illiterate fighter
-shepherd. He had once been an
Egyptian prince receiving an elite
education courtesy of Pharaoh, and
so early on he became quite familiar
with pagan dating for Planet Earth.
Following the exodus from Egypt,
he assembled and edited the Book
of Genesis, ostensibly from pre-
served patriarchal records. While
so editing he fully refrained from a
temptation to insert eons of time
primary condition of all true prayer
is the renunciation of our own will
so that we may desire and receive
God's will. But having done this and
having recognized the will of our
Father as the standard for our de-
sires and petitions, we are to claim
these petitions that are in accor-
dance with His will, with a force
and tenacity as great as the will of
God itself. This petition, then, in-
stead of being a limitation on
prayer, is really a confirmation of
our faith, and it gives us the right to
3
by Todd Carsten
into the text, nor even the faintest
of suggestion. Rather, Moses per-
mitted the six day creation account
to stand exactly as received. Today,
we realize Moses provided a truly
accurate record since none other
than Jesus Christ fully endorsed all
of Moses' writings (see Part 1).
Thirdly, and this one is huge. Should
we mortals fail to grasp the time
span for creation, Moses provided a
repeat mention of it in a wholly
separate document — the Book of
Exodus! Yes, the lesson of a six day
creation appears in both Genesis
and Exodus. But basically Moses had
no choice but to provide a repeat
mention in Exodus because he re-
ceived it etched in stone by the
very Finger of God. Following the
divine revelation atop of Mount
Sinai, no earthling could ever right-
fully challenge whether the Creator
meant a literal day or a vast geo-
logic age, for a succinct and final
Word had been provided:
For in six days the Lord made
heaven and earth, the sea, and all
that is in them, and rested the sev-
enth day: wherefore the Lord
blessed the Sabbath day, and hal-
lowed it (Ex 20:11)
(More on Moses and the etched
stone tablets next month)
“The primary
condition of all
true prayer is
claim that the petition thus con-
the renunciation
formed to His will shall be impera-
tively fulfilled." of our own will
so that we may
We invite you to join us Wednes-
days at 7 pm in the Butternut desire and
Room as we pray for the Church,
and the needs of its members. receive God's
will. “
Prayerfully Yours,
Larry Petry
 PAGE 4
Katie Wells Update
Spring Time is in God’s hands. He
will work how and when He
took the very nature of a
servant.” Though Jesus was a
wills. Oh God that I would be King, he came to serve, and
By Dorothea Dyer willing to wait, just as much often he taught by asking
as I am willing to go, and questions, though he could
Spring comes in subtle ways
willing to learn, just as much see into others hearts. It is
Unhurried and unseen
Melting snow, a breath of warm air as I am willing to teach. This such a process to surrender
And patches of tender green past month from January 21st self and become more like
until February 20th I took the Christ. How can I see others
A crocus peeps out of the snow Intercultural Communication through His lens of grace?
And pussy willows pop Course offered by JAARS
Until another blast of Winter comes (Jungle Aviation And Radio It is thrilling to see more of
And all advances stop
The deadline for Services, a support ministry you at LaFayette Alliance
Then there comes a warm day for Wycliffe Bible translators) Church rise up and stand with
the April issue of When Spring is in the air in Waxhaw, North Carolina. me as I prepare to return to
You smell it and you feel it The key pillars of the course Bolivia with South America
the Lamplighter is And KNOW that it is there were: Suspend Judgment, Mission. The S.A.M. mission-
Sunday, March Assume Goodwill, Tolerate ary pilot told me the brick
And then before you know it Ambiguity, and Think Gray. layer in San Fernando has
You look and you will see
21st. Please submit The grass has all turned green
We studied cultural elements, finished my house!!!! Yet the
And there are leaves on every tree as well as our personal char- water tank is not yet hooked
your articles to the acters and the Character of up. My house will have running
Yes Spring comes in on quiet feet Christ. “Your attitude should water, a novelty in San Fer-
church office. And in the dark of night be the same that of Christ nando.
While with each dawn new life abounds Jesus.” Philippians 2:5, 7 “who
As the sun shines warm and bright

Cabin Fever
Flannel graph may be consid-
ered out dated by some, but I
have been receiving training by
experienced missionaries and
It’s that time of the year! Following dinner, there will be a am excited to use it in San
talent portion of the evening Fernando.
Are you getting cabin fever at 6:00 pm. If you have a talent
this winter? Well mark your you would like to share—music, Thank You for those who are
calendars for our annual skit, etc. please contact Pastor joining with me in this mission
“Cabin Fever” night Brian or the church office. to San Fernando! Please con-
on Sunday, tinue to pray for God to raise
March 21st. Please sign up for the dinner and
up more people to commit to
the talent portion on the Butternut
To kick off the Room doors. be monthly supporters and for
evening, we will God to bless those who are
have a covered This is always a fun time in the life already committed. Acts 1:8
dish dinner at of our church. Don’t miss it! together let’s be witnesses to
5:00 pm. Please our Jerusalem, Judea and
bring a large dish to Samaria and THE ENDS OF
pass and your own
THE EARTH! Glorify God is
table service.
all things.
\

THE LAMPLIGHTER - FEBRUARY 2010

 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 PAGE 5

Beyond the Shoebox-Operation Christmas Child Update

A few months have passed since we sent our
shoeboxes on their mission to reach out to
children all over the world. Do you know
where your box ended up? If not, here is
how to know for next year.
When your box is filled, instead of putting
money in the envelope provided, go on-line
to www.samaritainspurse.org and click on
the EZGIVE option. You will receive a track-
ing number. After your box(es) have
reached their destination, you will be noti-
fied.
This year our box made its way to Lebanon!
It was so much fun to open the e-mail and
see several photos of the children holding a
Christmas shoebox. What was also very
amusing was, in one photo several of the boys,
instead of looking up at the camera, were
checking out the kid next to him to see his
box. Some things about children are universal.
When the boxes were distributed in 2009, the
Greatest Journey project was also launched.
The project goal is to equip local churches and
ministry partners with colorful Gospel story-
books for a discipleship program. Graduates
of the program receive a New Testament in
their local language. Last year over 45 million
boys and girls were recipients of this program.
Gospel storybooks were printed in 52 lan-
Children in Lebanon receiving their Shoeboxes
guages and made available in 75 countries. To
support this project go on-line to Samaritans
purse.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

March 2010

From the Church Library 1 – Christopher Lloyd, Nancy Malara

2 – Hope Murgia, (Don & Lois Botbyl)
The library has a a good and improving collection of 3 – Larry Petry
books. Read a few through 2010 and then send us a
4 – Micaela Compton
few lines by email to jbpalmer80@hotmail.com in
November about which was your favorite and why. 5 – Katie Wells
Your favorite could be fiction, biography or any in- 6 – Hannah Johnson
spirational book in the church library.
7 – John Shaver
There will be a prize of a gift book for the best re- 8 – Jean Palmer, Greg Titus
sponse!
9 – Joe Hunter
10 – Linda Brown
11 – Clayton Estey, Luanne Oda
12 – Marybeth Ortlieb

Church Lock Up 13 – Patrick Buff

14 – Georgia Phipps

Schedule
16 – Margo Sullivan
17 – Louise Benedetto, John Coye
20 – Sarah Doolittle, Brian Ness
This is a reminder for church officers who are on 21 – Crystal Compton, (Jerry & Gail Patterson)
the lock up schedule for the month of March
23 – Bill Bowe
March 7 Clayt Roberts Jr. 24 – Katie Titus
March 14 Bill Bitler 25 – Gabriel Benedetto
March 21 Ralph Maloney
March 28 Marty Andrews 26 – Becky Mintz, Jennifer Patterson
27 – Esperanza DiStefano, Bev Storrier
28 – Gail Patterson
If you are unable to be at church on the day you are
scheduled for lock up, please arrange to change with 29 – Margo Christopherson, Justin Gates
someone on the schedule.
30 – Mary Smid
 PAGE 6
Quizzing
Junior Quizzing News
Wow! Talk about change! The Junior Quizzers have
done some flips on the status placements. Both
Rebecca and Chris Lloyd had an excellent day, with
Beca taking 1st place for the day and for the year
so far. Chris took 2nd place for the day and 3rd
place for the year so far. Joel Flemming had a rough
first quiz, but he did well in his remaining quizzes,
giving him 3rd for the day and 2nd for the year.
Amanda Negley took 5th for the day and holds 5th
place for the year.
Our next quiz is February 27th at 9:30 am in LaFay-
ette. It should be exciting! You never know what
will happen. Come and join the fun watching how
God’s Word is being planted in young hearts.
We still need Please continue to pray for us as we study and
learn God’s Word, and prepare for the upcoming
volunteers, housing March Madness Tournament. Also, pray for good
health as we near the end of our regular season
and cookie and prepare for Districts.
donations for the Marie Murgia, Junior Coach
March Madness Senior Quizzing News
Scramble on We have another exciting month ahead of us. Be-
sides our regular zone quiz meet, we have a special
March 19-20, 2010 tournament that we are hosting for teams from
around New York State and Eastern Canada. It is
called March Madness Scramble. “Scramble” means
the quizzers are mixed up with one quizzers from
each of the four different zone’s that are repre-
sented. Right now we have 70 Senior quizzers and
16 Junior quizzers registered, along with about 50
adults will make for an exciting weekend.
We begin March 19th, on Friday night
with a time of worship music. Then we
have a special guest, Greg Stultz, who
will be doing a drama presentation of the
life of Saul including his conversion.
Friday night is capped off with a time of
fellowship with ice-breaker games and
then brownies and ice cream for all.
THE LAMPLIGHTER - MARCH 2010
About 9 pm, the kids and chaperones head off to
their host homes for the night.
Saturday morning, March 20th, will begin again with
worship music, followed by Greg’s drama presenta-
tion of Paul following his conversion. Much of it
will actually come from the material the quizzers
have memorized this year from I and II Corinthians.
Then about 9 am we begin nine rounds of some of
the most exciting Bible quizzing you will ever see.
We break for lunch, which will be a real treat this
year. The menu includes meat lasagna, vegetarian
lasagna, macaroni and cheese and salad. Dessert
will be cookies that ladies from our church will
provide.
After lunch we finish up the last few preliminary
rounds and then we have the top team quiz with
the top three teams from prelims. Then we have a
top fifteen quiz with the highest scoring fifteen
individuals from the preliminaries. We end with an
awards ceremony with trophy’s and medallions for
the top team and individual finishers. Then the kids
say their goodbyes and head off for their long drive
home.
We appreciate all the families hosting our quizzers
and providing cookies.
If you’ve wondered about quizzing and would like
to take part in this exciting and fun weekend, please
feel free to join us, Friday night from 6:50 – 9 pm
or Saturday morning from 8:20 am – 3:30 pm.
If you can’t make it, please remember us in your
prayers.
Georgia Phipps, Senior Coach
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 PAGE 7
 PAGE 8

Alliance Women Ministries Spring Refresh

Where:

Holiday Inn, Auburn

Cost:

Registration & Meals:

$65 (Teens: $55)

Room:

$94 including tax for

up to 4 people

Sign-up:

Butternut Room door

or see Shaun

Standford

Deadlines:

Hotel Room:

March 19th

Registration/Meals:

March 28th

THE LAMPLIGHTER - MARCH 2010

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 PAGE 9

Attention Ladies: Daniel Sheyesteh Books

There are a couple copies of The
Don’t miss out on two excellent opportunities in Difference is the Son books still
our church. available for purchase. This book is a
study of Islam and Christianity. The
Chris Buff is leading a Bible study, Overcoming cost is $15. Contact the church of-
Fear and Discouragement (Ezra, Nehemiah, f i c e a t 6 77 - 98 10 o r e m a i l
Esther) on Monday evenings, from 7:00 –8:30 pm church@lafayettealliance.org if you
in the Butternut Room. would like a copy.
On the second Thursday of each month, Beth
Ortlieb is facilitating a discussion group focusing
on a woman’s role in being a complement to her
husband: primarily in areas of marriage and family.
This group meets from 6:30—8:30 pm in the But-
ternut Room.

Senior Ministry Luncheon

Daylight Savings Time Attention all Seniors— This month we will have
a luncheon on Thursday, March 4th here at
church at noon. Join us for a meal together and
a great time of fellowship.
Don’t Forget
to set your
Please bring a dish to pass. Feel free to invite a
clocks ahead
friend and enjoy a relaxing, fun time.
one hour on
Saturday
night, March
13th!

Attention Men: Your News Here!

Don’t miss out on two excellent opportunities
in our church.
This space could be for you! Send along
Men’s Seminary meets on the 1st and 3rd your “Bulletin Board” announcements or
Saturday of the month from 9:30 –11:00 am at news items to church@lafayettealliance.org
church.

Joshua’s Men meets on the 4th Tuesday of

the month for dinner and then discussion/Bible
study at 6:30 pm at church. They are currently
using the book Tell the Truth: The Whole
Gospel to the Whole Person by Whole People
by Will Metzger.
LaFayette Christian & Missionary
Alliance Church
P.O. Box 150
6069 Cherry Valley Turnpike
LaFayette, New York 13084
Phone: (315) 677-9810
Rev. Robert Gates, Senior Pastor
rfgates@twcny.rr.com
Brian Mandigo, Associate Pastor
blmandigo@twcny.rr.com
Ellen Coulter, Office Administrator
ecoulter@twcny.rr.com
Our mission is to know Jesus Christ; exalt Him as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, Coming King,
and complete His Great Commission.
Bearing One Another’s Burdens
(continued from page 1)
burden of another Christian’s sin. “If
anyone is caught in any transgression,
you who are spiritual should restore
him in a spirit of gentleness” (v. 1).
That, of course, isn’t a different ap-
proach from the steps of church dis-
cipline Jesus outlined in Matthew
18:15–17. It merely explains how that
process is to be carried out (gently
and meekly), and it underscores the
true goal (restoration, not punish-
ment or public rebuke per se).
In other words, the person restoring
the sinning brother isn’t to approach
him as if he were a master over him
but meekly — as one who is willing
to help shoulder the burden so that
the one who has stumbled can get to
his feet again.
We’re on the web!
www.lafayettealliance.org
Verse 2 then simply states the under-
lying principle as an imperative (“Bear
one another’s burdens”). Obviously,
the precept applies to all kinds of
burdens — not merely the burdens of
those who stumble into sin. When
Paul suggests that burden-bearing
“fulfill[s] the law of Christ,” he makes
it clear that he has the whole moral
law in view. Every act of compassion
and self-sacrifice on behalf of our
brethren is a practical means of dis-
playing the love of Christ and thereby
fulfilling the moral demands of
His law.
But the apostle clearly has in mind
spiritual, emotional, and temperamen-
tal encumbrances — not physical
freight only. The burdens we need to
help carry for one another include
guilt, worry, sorrow, anxiety, and all
other similar loads.
Do you want to fulfill the moral re-
quirements of the Law? Love your
neighbor. How do you love him? By
bearing his burdens.
It’s interesting that Paul would em-
phasize this theme in an epistle writ-
ten to confront people who were
falling into legalism. It’s as if he were
saying, “You want to observe a law?
Let it be the law of Christ. If you have
to impose burdens on yourselves, let
it be through acts of love toward
your neighbor.”
If you will do that faithfully, your own
burden won’t seem so heavy. Best of
all, you will find it easier to keep your
focus heavenward, regardless of the
trials you suffer in this life.