Monday, October 25, 2010

Mountain Vision Ministries

I was at the VA (veterans hospital) today.  Wait, let me back up.

Last week, I dropped off one of the church elders at the veteran's hospital in Johnson City.  He had an infection in his spleen caused by complications from a previous surgery.

I called his room a few days later, but they had moved him to another room. I talked to the new room occupant for just a few moments. He said, "pray for me." And I did. But it seemed like something else was needed.

So, today I was at the VA hospital to pick up the church elder. His paperwork was still in process so it was going to take a while. What a beautiful opportunity to go visit the guy in his old room that requested prayer.

This room was one of those rooms that has the weird airflow.  If you have something contagious, it stays in that room.  They call those zero somethinerothers.

I went through the first door, but stopped at the second. I couldn't explain the hesitation, but it was there. I began to survey my surroundings and saw gloves, masks, and warning placards that were not there before. I felt strange, like I shouldn't be there, so I left.

A little later, a man from the Chaplain's group came to the church elder's room. His name is Charlie. He was working in an official capacity for the chaplain so I asked him some questions. 

As it turned out, you can't just go visiting people at random.  The good news is I can become a volunteer with the chaplain's group. That is in process. Pray with me about this.

Charlie has a ministry in Greeneville, just down the road from my church called Mountain Vision Ministries. It is a warehouse where food, clothes, and furniture are stored for people in need. For some of the people I have met with needs, I wish I would have met Charlie sooner!

I think Charlie is needing some help too. I'm not sure what my involvement with Charlie is going to be, so pray with me about this. I know that there are no "chance" meetings.

http://www.calvarygv.org/news/033009.php

Mt. Vision Ministries Forms to Aid Needy
The Greeneville Sun, March 30, 2009

By Nelson Morais

A new Christian benevolence ministry, or charitable organization, has been formed with the goal of meeting the basic physical and spiritual needs of people in the area.

Mt. Vision Ministries, located in a large storehouse at 155 Black Road just off of the Blue Springs Parkway, will officially open its doors Tuesday, April 7.

The nondenominational ministry has unofficially been operating during the last two years.
During that time, Mt. Vision Ministries has supplied beds, other furniture, clothing, appliances and a limited amount of emergency food supplies to those in need, primarily in Greene and Sullivan counties, according to ministry organizer Charlie Cornett.

EMERGENCY ITEMS
"We basically have household items that a person would need in an emergency," said Cornett. He runs Mt. Vision Ministries with his wife, Earlene.

Recipients must be referred by a church "or document their needs in other ways," Cornett said.

"We pray that the Lord will send us those He wants us to help," Cornett said.

On Friday morning, Ed Reynolds, a carpenter and volunteer at the Tabernacle Soup Kitchen, loaded an older model pickup truck with living room furniture, food, toys, children's clothing and baby clothes.

The items were for a young, single, pregnant mother with a small child who Reynolds had referred to Mt. Vision Ministries.

AIDS SINGLE MOTHER
Cornett said another woman on Friday stopped by to get food and clothes set aside for her.
He said he expected to deliver the following to her on Tuesday after she moves into an apartment: a sofa, love seat, dresser, cabinet, dining table and chairs, food, clothes, mattress and box springs.

The woman is a single mother living with two teenage sons, he said.
"She lost her job, was evicted from her apartment and lost her furniture she had been renting," Cornett recalled.

He added, "Today, the Lord gave her a job, furniture (supplied by Mt. Vision Ministries) and a new place to live -- all on the same day.

"I don't believe in coincidences," Cornett marveled. He added, "According to me, that was God's work."

"I don't believe it's Walmart's responsibility to care for the needy," said Cornett, adding, "As Christians, we're told by the Lord to do that."

Mt. Vision Ministries stores and then distributes items donated to it as needs arise.
Somewhat unusual for a benevolence ministry, otherwise known as a charity, is that it delivers items to the home of the person in need if no other transportation is available.

"We're beginning by establishing a benevolence ministry to meet physical needs" in order to "gain the trust necessary for us to minister to their spiritual needs," Cornett said.

STOREHOUSE
"We gave away donated items stored in our garage until we acquired the storehouse a year ago," which was also donated to the ministry, Cornett said.

The ministry is supported by individuals and churches, including Calvary Chapel Greeneville, Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Grace Fellowship Kingsport and Denton Bible Church in Denton, Texas.

The ministry will initially be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and other times by appointment. Cornett said he hopes to expand its hours as volunteers step forward.

The Cornetts grew up in Erwin and Banner Elk, N.C.

From 1975 to 1994, they lived in Montana.

They then moved to Denton, living there from 1994 until their move to Limestone in 2007.

He returned to this area two years ago as a missionary for Denton Bible Church.

Charlie and Earlene are domestic missionaries with Serve International.

Cornett said the couple purchased a home in Limestone because it is centrally located between Greeneville, Johnson City and Kingsport.

Mt. Vision Ministries is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation of Summit Leadership Foundation in Johnson City, he said.

MISSIONARIES TRAINED
Cornett said he received a lot of training before being sent to this area.

Opening a benevolence ministry in this area has been a dream of Cornett's for nine or 10 years, he said.

"Making this move was not a recent decision," Cornett said. "We have been planning a ministry in the Appalachian area for more than nine years." He added, "However, I realized that the gifts God had given me were not properly developed. To accomplish a task this big, I needed training." Before moving here, Cornett served in a lot of different capacities at Denton Bible Church.

He was educated in the Bible Training Center for Pastors program at Denton Bible Church, essentially getting seminary training without a degree being conferred on him.

His wife, Earlene, completed the Bible Training Center for Leaders at Denton Bible Church.

On Friday, a reporter saw food, as well as clothes, neatly folded and divided by type on shelves stacked over 15 feet high along one wall of the 1,650-square foot structure. The storehouse, with a ceiling 25 feet high, had several pieces of furniture and more clothes waiting to be sorted and stacked.

Mt. Vision Ministries is supported entirely by donations, including the items it distributes to the needy. It currently receives no state or federal grants, Cornett said.

FAITH-BASED MINISTRY
"It's a faith-based ministry with no denominational affiliation," Cornett said.

Mt. Vision Ministries assists residents of Greene, Hawkins, Sullivan and Washington counties, Cornett said.

"We hope to develop this ministry and other ways to reach the entire Appalachian Mountain Range in God's name and for His glory," Cornett said.

Cornett said that on Tuesday, April 7, the day it officially opens, the ministry will give away a wide variety of clothing to qualified people who have a need. The event will take place on the grounds of the ministry from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To donate to the ministry or to seek help, call Cornett at (940) 368-4885.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

LIVE Music, FREE!!!

Defender is coming to Greeneville, TN this Saturday October 16th, 2010 !!!

The concert is hosted by my brother in the LORD, Danny Ricker.

It will be in the Big Lots parking lot across the 11E bypass from "the Commons" (Kmart).

The concert begins @ 5PM

Bring a chair, come prayed up and ready for a blessing!

Here's a link to a video featuring clips from the last concert in Greeneville

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UXvtggBj1s

YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDefenderband

WebPage
http://www.defenderchristianrock.com/

Defender is a ministry of Victory Harbor Church
http://www.victoryharbor.com/

 - -

Monday, October 4, 2010

Baptism And Blessings

Oh! What a joy!

Sunday after church, we had 11 that got baptized!

Let me set the scene in your mind so you will understand why I want to run around and shout every time I think about it.

Our pastor has been struggling health-wise so he was advised NOT to go in the water. And, this was not an indoor baptism with warm water either; this was in Cherokee Lake.  It was raining, windy, and about 40-some degrees out. (It has been in the 70's and 80's so it felt really cold!)

Since the pastor couldn't go in, he asked me to help with the baptism!
What an honor!
What a privilege!
What a blessing!
This was my first time ever doing this.

On the van ride there, I asked everybody to pray real hard for some sunshine. I know God heard our prayer, but we got rain instead of sunshine.

As we stood on the bank singing, it rained and the wind blew. I was shivering.

Next brothers Chuckie and Ernest head out into the water.


Pastor asked us all to join hands and I led them out into the water


At first, the water felt cold, then a warmth started to take over from my feet to my head. I continued to shout praises to GOD. I told everyone that the devil wasn't going to take my joy! And if he tried, there was enough of us there to beat him up and take it back! (1Samuel 30:7-8)

I'm in the far right of the next picture






This is my dear brother (in the LORD) Scott.  A few months ago, he repented and rededicated his life to CHRIST.





This is his girlfriend Kristy.  She had been praying for Scott for a long time.
Ain't GOD good?!
(ALL the time!!!)





These next ones are very special. In the red shirt is Kenny. The young lady next in line is Trish.
One of the ministries at the church put me in a position to minister to Trish. Trish started regularly attending our church and immediately began witnessing for CHRIST. She let nothing hinder her when she witnessed to Kenny. Kenny, at that time was in bondage to alcohol. While she was witnessing to Kenny, Billy (in the grey shirt with maroon sleeves) overheard the conversation. Amazed at what he heard he followed Trish to church and rededicated his life to CHRIST. We all got to see Kenny come forward and pray. Kenny later came forward and asked for prayer as alcohol continued to afflict him. He asked my wife to pray with him that he would throw up if alcohol ever touched his lips again.

Are any of us that dedicated to the cause of CHRIST to pray a prayer like that?

So, ministry led me to Trish,
Trish witnesses to Kenny,
Billy is converted from Trish witnessing to Kenny,
Trish and Billy witness to Kenny,
Kenny gets saved,
and I get to help baptize them all!
OH! What joy the LORD affords us!











Kenny was so excited! And he probably still is!

Bobby and Charlotte were acting on
Revelation 2:5 "...and do the first works..."
In these next pictures I'm not sure if I was shouting or laughing or both, but I did a whole lot of both that day!







Sister Charlotte testified last night. She said she had a terrible cough BEFORE she was baptized, but afterward she felt great!

Ain't GOD good?!
(ALL the time!!!)

Oh! I just want to thank GOD for this wonderful blessing!
I thank GOD for my wife- she has spent a lot of time witnessing to Kenny, and ministering to others!
I thank GOD for my children and their testimony!
I thank GOD for Full Gospel Christian Fellowship Church!
I thank GOD for brothers Tony, Chuckie, and Ernest for letting me help baptize!
I thank GOD for all the faithful believers who were obedient that day and got baptized!

Oh! That the joy will never end!