Carlisle Reformed Presbyterian Church

UPDATE: Gulfport Mission Team 2006 - Home safely!
11:25pm Sunday, July 30:

We started out at 8:00 a.m. (E.S.T.) from the Randolph farm on the second day of our journey home. The team was tired but in good spirits. We had to make many stops for gasoline and bathrooms but we made steady progress. When we got to the Virginia Welcome Station, we stopped for lunch and also had a short worship service. The Brauning family, from Williamsport, decided that they would strike out on their own since they had about 2 hours longer drive than those going to Carlisle and could cover the ground faster on their own. So, the Braunings moved on in front of us. The trip home was plagued by very heavy traffic, the need for many stops, and at least one major traffic tie-up due to an accident but the team made it back into Carlisle around 9:45 p.m. (over 14 hours on the road on this day). We are very grateful to our God and the kindness and support of God’s people who made this mission possible.

Morning Worship 7/30/06:
"Are You Born Again?" 
Text: John 3:1-8
Theme: What is it?

• This Week's Bulletin
• Click to download the Sermon MP3
• Originally preached by Rev. Fred Huebner

Evening Service 7/30/06:
"Psalm Singers"  
Text: Psalm 120-234

• Click to download Sermon MP3
• Originally preached by Rev. Fred Huebner

UPDATE: Gulfport Mission Team 2006
11:11pm Saturday, July 29:

We started out today on our journey toward home getting on the road at 9:00 a.m. (C.S.T.), right on time. We left the camp clean and ready for the next groups to come in and take up where we left off. Earlier this morning, Bruce dropped off a financial spread sheet (prepared by Amy Quimby and finished around midnight) to First Presbyterian Church. We traveled well together keeping in contact by walkie talkies. We arrived at the Randolph’s farm in Trenton, Georgia (just outside of Chattanooga) around 6:30 p.m (C.S.T.). There were lots of people there again from Mountain View Presbyterian Church (some who came back a second time from our trip down and some who were not there the first time we made it to Trenton). We enjoyed a wonderful supper followed by time in the Word together and prayer. We especially remembering the Lepley family, in light of Dave’s father’s stroke and a young mother named Okana, a member of the Mountain View congregation from the Ukraine, who had been rushed to the hospital with hemorrhaging.

UPDATE: Gulfport Mission Team 2006
11:08pm Friday, July 28:

The work on the houses continued today with the goal of finishing up all the projects in all the houses that we have been working on throughout this week. The weather was the hottest and most humid of all the days we have endured since coming to Gulfport. And yet, the teams all worked quickly in hopes of finishing up what we had begun.

Pastor Counts, Angela, and Aaron left work after lunch in order to get Aaron to Eglin Air Force base located about 3 ½ hours east of Gulfport . King and Angela made it back to Camp Hope in Gulfport around 10:00 p.m.

In addition to the construction accomplished in homes, the CRPC team was able to complete hanging a large section of guttering on the bathhouse in Camp Hope. God was gracious and allow us to complete a tremendous amount of work.

UPDATE: Gulfport Mission Team 2006
10:25pm Thursday, July 27:

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

It has been a full day (Thursday) with lots of work for all of us in Gulfport. We have worked hard and long in construction type work but we have also had many opportunities to share God's love and truth with people in this devestated part of the country. Let me give you some examples:

Today, Sue Hope was unexpectedly called upon by a lady form First Presbyterian Church to help lead and teach a children's Bible Study held at the local YMCA. The Lord clearly gave Sue a wonderful opportunity to see around 100 children who were present to learn more about Jesus.

A couple of crews were invited by one couple, whose house we have been working on, to join them for lunch. Ava is from the Czech Republic and Karem is her husband from Iran. We enjoyed a wonderful meal with them and some of our team gave them a tract.

Another team member and several others spoke with a lady several times who had many questions about the Gospel. According to the lady, unless she had met these people from CRPC she would not have been able to keep living.

This evening, we enjoyed a great time of sharing and prayer. Clearly, the Lord has been very good to us and much spiritual growth has taken place.

Please keep praying for us. We have a full day of work tomorrow (Friday) and then we must clean and pack up everything for the return trip home. King, Angela, and Aaron will be leaving after lunch to take Aaron over to Eglon Air Force Base (his next duty station). Then, King and Angela will be traveling back to Gulfport to rejoin the team that evening. Then, we plan to leave on Saturday morning and stop that night again at the home of Tom and Fran Randolph and be hosted again by the Mountain View Presbyterian Church.

Love Always,

King

UPDATE: Gulfport Mission Team 2006
10:10pm Wednesday, July 26:

Dear CRPC Family,

This (Wednesday) was one of our best days here in many ways. Each team has become somewhat proficent and experienced in doing our jobs.

The carpentry team (lead by Bruce Apgar) spent the day working on a house that had been severly damaged by flood waters that rose several feet during the hurricane. The house belonged to First Presbyterian Church's secretary (whose name is Mary - interesting coincidence) and her elderly wheelchair bound father. They weathered the storm but basically lost most of their earthly belongings. Like many people down here, they are living in an RV in the front yard of their property while their house continues to be repaired.

Another crew, lead by Bob Gay, finished working on repairs on a home that needed new guttering and pillars to support the porch. The team has had contact with the owner, neighbors, and even the man who cuts the grass weekly.

The painting crew has been doing a magnificient job priming and painting. Today, they finished one house, and moved on to another.

This evening, many members and the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Gulfport came and had dinner with us and lead us in a Bible Study based upon Hebrews 11:29 (ESV) "By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned." We had a great time meeting our brothers and sisters from FPG and sharing impressions of our mission with them after dinner.

I think you would be so pleased if you could see how well your missionaries are working together to show the love and compassion of Christ during this week. Each and everyone of the CRPC missions team is doing their very best, by the grace of God, to glorify the Lord and make a real difference in Gulfport.

Love Always,

Pastor Counts 

UPDATE: Gulfport Mission Team 2006
11:32pm Tuesday, July 25:

Good Evening CRPC Family,

Well, it was a very productive day down here in Gulfport today. The work seemed to go much more smoothly today since most of the teams had the building materials and paints that they needed and a little more experience in doing their assigned tasks.

The weather here has been cooler than we expected and many of your missionaries experienced a little rain in the afternoon which cooled things down a little more.

A great deal of work is beig done here. In fact, one team reported that they had used ten gallons of paint today at one home that we are working on. The other groups reported a good amount of work also competed today.

There is a good spirit among us. Clyde Niblack has challenged us to keep the mind of Christ throughout the day as we work so that our witness will be clear. Not only do we have devotins and prayer with the whole group daily but each separte work group also takes time during the day to pray and fellowship together as they work.

Please keep remembering us in your prayers for daily strength and opportunities to give our witness to the Gospel.

May God Bless,

Pastor Counts

UPDATE: Gulfport Mission Team 2006
8:11pm Monday, July 24:

Hello CRPC Family,

Today, your missionaries began their work on homes that were devestated by Hurricane Katrina. We divided up into three main teams: Bruce Apgar and Bob Gay's carpentry team, Dan Brauning's painting crew, Dave Bell and Phil Shaw's sheetrocking crew. Of course, we have Sue Hope and Angela Counts work daily in the kitchen for us all. Also, Amy Quimby is our gopher runner (She spent almost all day today in Lowes gathering supplies for us).

All the teams worked hard today and accomplished much in terms of construction. There were also many opportunities to witness the Gospel of Christ to families and people we came in contact with.

For example: Today while we were working on a house replacing the pillars on the front porch damaged by flooding. A big black dog came up during lunch that appeared to be lost. Aaron Counts and Bob Gay called the phone number on his tag and got a chance to return him to the family he had gotten away from and they had opportunity to speak of the Lord's goodness and grace.

Please keep praying for us. Even though it was hot today and humid, the weather was not nearly as bad as it could have been and so far no one has been injured in all the work.

May God Bless,

Pastor Counts

UPDATE: Gulfport Mission Team 2006
8:36pm Sunday, July 23:

Hello CRPC,

It has been a good Lord's Day today in Gulfport. This morning, our ladies got up very early (around 5:30 a.m.) and had a wonderful breakfast for us at 7:00 a.m. After breakfast, we had a time in personal devotions (we are using Oswald Chamber's book "My Utmost...")

On the way to church, we drove down Highway 90, along the coast and saw incredible signs of destruction. We saw many blocks where buildings used to exist but were now gone except the foundation. We passed by First Presbyterian Church's building and found that even though it was devastated, it was truly a miracle that the main structure was still standing.

We enjoyed a wonderful worship service and Sunday School hour. Pastor David Jussely (an old friend of Pastor Counts) preached the word (A Spiritual Audiobiography of Paul - I Tim 1). We were treated very warmly and truly enjoyed the Christian fellowship at First Presbyterian Church (now meeting in a school gym).

Later in the afternoon, most of us took a ferry ride to Cat Island (about seven miles off the coast). It was a beautiful experience walking along the beach and observing many different kinds of sea life including: horseshoe crabs, blue crabs, hermit crabs, many types of shell creatures).

This evening, the ladies again prepared a delicious meal for us (barbecue grilled chicken, etc.). Following dinner, we had a time of worship with singing, the Word and prayer.

Please keep praying for us. Tomorrow is the first day of real work here. The temps have been mild so far (even cool for July). Thanks for praying.

Pastor Counts 

Morning Worship 7/23/06:
"The Bible's Greatest Mystery" 
Text: John 1:1-2, 14; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 2:16
Theme: What is it?

• This Week's Bulletin
• Sermon Outline
• Click to download Sermon MP3
• Originally preached by Rev. George Miller

Evening Service 7/23/06:
"Building Community...While Hurtling Toward Oblivion"  
Text: Hebrews 10:19-25

• Click to download Sermon MP3
• Based from the book by Richard Swenson - Hurtling Toward Oblivion
• Originally preached by guest Rev. Hugh Foshee