Vol. 7, No.1 - March 2013

Son Shine

In spite of cold weather and snow flurries, March2, 2013 was a day of change, ministering, fel-lowship and outreach. Members of PinelakeChurch of Brandon, Mississippi united withFresh Start to tackle several maintenance proj-ects around the church including taking downthe old chain link fence, connecting the old fenceto the new wrought iron fence, and raking andbagging leaves. Others picked up trash on Man-hattan Road and shoveled debris from WoodwayDrive. After the work was done, everyonejoined in to host the Winter Festival for the com-munity.

Pinelake members, Jordan and Kyle, agreed thatthe Winter Festival was a huge success. “Itseemed like a great outreach event even thougha bit cold. Many came out the morning andhelped with the clearing of the ditch in front ofthe old church!”, said Jordan. Kyle agreed.“Yeah, even though I didn’t make it in time to do

any construction, we just wanted to come outand love and reach out to the ones that didcome.” Both young men hope that what they didmade a difference.

Minister Corine Stokes, a member of Fresh Start,had rave reviews regarding the Festival’s suc-cess. “Today, I thought was awesome because Isaw people sharing and working together and Isaw people giving ideas to other people. I sawno color, I just saw people coming in Christlike,” Stokes said. Minister Stokes believes thatthe winter festival will have a deep impact notonly on this community but also on those whohelped with the Festival.

The Festival was a huge success. There was aspace jump and a giant slide for the kids, hotdogs and chips for everyone, and a love-filledenvironment. All of these things made the win-ter festival of 2013 great!

Pinelake and Fresh Start unite to make Christ visible!

On a Cloudy Day

Fresh Start Christian Church

What can we do with the lifeGod has given us? Since ev-erything we have really be-longs to God, we are simplyusing for God what God hasentrusted to us. This includesour intellect, skills, energy,time and imagination.

Each one of us is uniquely gift-ed. God has a purpose andplan for each of us. We pos-sess our own unique tempera-ments, skills and experiencesto be used for God’s purpose.Everything we have and every-thing we are represent giftsGod entrusted to us.

“Each one should use whatevergift he has received to serveothers, faithfully administeringGod’s grace in its variousforms.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

As Christian stewards - manag-ers of the gifts God has givenus – we are called to reflectGod’s love in our community.We are called to love as Jesusloved, to serve as Jesusserved. This means we have aresponsibility to reflect God’slove in our homes and offices,city streets and neighborhoods– in everything we say and do.In a world weakened by a lackof love, we are called to offerloving service to others.

One of the greatest gifts wecan give is the gift of self. Anyday is a good day to offer thegift of self to build up the King-dom of God in our families,communities and church.

ALL that we areand ALL that we have

belongs to God

Give Time and Talent

The Quarterly Newsletter of Fresh Start Christian Church

By Monica Williams

Pastor Henley’s CornerHope always looks forward. Hope refuses to believe that failure is final. Hope is love that never gives up. Hopedoesn’t just look at where we have been, but where we are going. When I think of hope, other than God’songoing hope in us that we will truly show our love to him by way of our everyday obedience and honor, I think

about the father of the prodigal son. For over a year he got up every morning and went to look for his soncoming home. I can just hear those around him saying “why don’t you just quit looking”, “if he isn’t back

by now he’ll never be back” or other similar negative things. Sure enough the father’s hope in God inbringing his son back was rewarded. True hope ignores the negative and looks forward because truehope is only found in God via our acceptance of Jesus Christ. So when the enemy tells you to quit or

that you can’t complete what God told you to start – remember who your hope lies in and don’t listen to the lie. God says you are morethan a conqueror. So get up, get busy and get the job done. Remember God said “If my people, which are called by my name, shallhumble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive theirsin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

You are his people so confess that you have listened to and acted on the wrong advice, pray, seek God’s direction and just watch howhe’ll heal the places where you are broken.

Yours in ChristPastor James L. Henley, Jr.

Upcoming EventsFellowship Month

Observed each Wednesdayof April following Bible Study

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Fashion ShowMay 25, 2013 - 5:00 p.m.

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Garage SaleJune 1, 2013*************

Church PicnicJune 8, 2013

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Hold On!Help Is On the Way

By First Lady Vivian Henley

The night of August 14, 1990 was the first timein more than a week that I had gone to bedwithout feeling anxiety or stress. I was nearingthe end of my first pregnancy and was 9 daysoverdue. I had previously assumed that thebaby would come on the due date. After thatday had come and gone, I woke up each fol-lowing day believing the baby would come thatday. Now, I had accepted that mine was one ofthose pregnancies that would end with laborhaving to be induced and was able to sleep.

Everything was in place. The crib was readyVinyl images of Mickey and Minnie Mouseadorned the wall’s of the baby’s room, I alongwith my husband had attended childbirth class-es, I was young and in good health. I was ready.Right?

I awakened shortly after midnight and realizedthat my labor had begun. As we drove to thehospital, my mind was uncooperative as I triedto remember the lessons learned in childbirthclasses. As I completed the registration processat the hospital, the look in the check-in lady’seyes le me know I wasn’t ready. A nurse arrivedwith a wheelchair and I was off to have a baby.Reality began to set in as the nurse started myIV and strapped on the fetal monitor. Threethoughts raced through my mind: 1) “Howmuch worse will this get?” 2) “How muchlonger will this take?” 3) Can I go through thisDWE (delivery without epidural) as I had toldmyself for many months.

The answer to question 3 was beginning to bepainfully obvious. My husband who accordingto the childbirth classes was supposed to be mycoach turned into a news commentator repeat-

ing every word spoken by the medical staff. Hewas on my nerves. Uncertainty began to get thebest of me. As my coach finally began attempt-ing to help me focus, I became Mike Tyson andhe became a punching bag. The nurse realizingwe all needed relief calmly came to his defense.“Don’t hit Daddy”, she admonished me.“Have you considered pain control?” Before Icould utter a word, James yelled, “She wantsthe epidural!!” With those words, I felt hopeand things changed.

The remainder of the delivery was not like thebeginning. As I focused on the fact that reliefwas on the way, the 3 questions were erased.Less than 2 hours later, the baby was born. Ihappily accepted the anesthesiologist’s apologyfor falling asleep and not coming in time to dothe epidural.

This experience is not unique in my life. Dur-ing times of stress and/or difficulty, I lash out atthose who are trying to help and encourage me,refuse help when it is not exactly how I want itto be, and become single-minded, focusing onmy situation and forgetting all other aspects oflife. Unlike my labor which only lasted justover 4 hours, our problems can last much lon-ger than we think our natural endurance cansustain us. Whether we labor in our homes,health, employment or service to the kingdom,we can endure without turning to the world’s“relief”. We must learn to hear and yield to thestill soft guidance of the Holy Spirit and walkthrough our troubles strengthened by the faithwhich comes from knowing the Word of God.When we place our faith and hope in Christ, weexperience peace and contentment even as welabor.

Fresh StartChristian Church

Worship Center - 5210 Manhattan RoadJackson, Mississippi 39206

601-362-1818www.FreshStartChristian.com

Pastor@FreshStartChristian.comWorship - each Sunday 9:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

3rd Sundays -5 p.m.Prayer Service - Mondays - 6:00 p.m.

Melvin and Regena have been married for 29 years.

They have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. They enjoy fishing andspending time with family. In the Cassel household, Melvin is the cook,and Regena is the dishwasher.

We have attended Fresh Start since 2010.

We attend Fresh Start because . . there is a great feel of family and agenuine sense of caring people. Also, we can see God moving, not justthrough Pastor Henley, but the members as well.

Herb & Mary Sanders

Andre & Gaarmel Funches

Melvin & Regena Cassel

The Sanders recently moved to Jackson after living in Denver Colorado for many years.Though Mary has worked in the field of Child Welfare for over 20 years, according to Herb, her

real occupation is telling him what to do.Herb has been in full-time ministry for the past 20 years; most recently as Administrative

Pastor at Antioch Baptist Church in Denver where Mary also served as Treasurer for 7years. A high school baseball coach for over 40 years, Herb is the Executive Directorof Full Count Baseball Ministry, Inc. where Mary is Treasurer and AdministrativeAssistant.The Sanders believe the Spirit of God led them and daughter, Keyshia, to FreshStart and look forward to serving the body of Christ.

Andre is a Jackson native while Gaarmel is originally from Crystal Springs, Mississippi.Andre and Gaarmel are the parents of three children: Kayla, a member of the UnitedStates Navy, Andre, Jr., a student at William Carey University, and Anasaja (Amber), aMurrah High School student.We began attending Fresh Start . . . back in 2007. Pastor Henley gave the family anewsletter while they were watching Andre, Jr play soccer. When Amber noticed a pictureof Pastor Henley wearing an Omega Psi Phi shirt in the newsletter, she told Pastor Henleythat her dad was a “Que”. Pastor Henley asked Amber to bring his “brother” to church.The rest is history.We attend Fresh Start because . . . It made my children feel involved and when your children want to be involved inchurch, you should do what you can to ensure that continued involvement. It took one visit for my children to call FreshStart their new church and now it is all of our church. Fresh Start is a family and we all do things together as a churchfamily.We support each other no matter what. Fresh Start is a loving, family oriented church that teaches us to put God first nomatter what.

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They Still Do!

On February 16, 2013, Fresh Start’s married couplescelebrated marriage by recommitting to each other. Afterrenewing their vows, the couples enjoyed dinner and amovie. The renewal ceremony was officiated by PastorYolanda Lowe.

Disciple Now 2013Fresh Start’s teens attended DNOW at First Baptist ofFlorence. The weekend included service as well asworship. The teen’s service project was organizingand folding clothing at Stewpot Ministries.

Sis. Lakeshia Johnson wasbaptized on March 17,2013.

Bro. Cortney Bell wasbaptized on January 26,2013

FAMILY HAPPENINGS

James and Mary Henley, the seniorcouple of the gathering, have been mar-ried for 52 years. The Henleys are theparents of Pastor James L. Henley, Jr.

Sis. Nekeidra and Bro. J. T. came out on a Saturday morningto wash and style our little girls’ hair and give the boys haircuts.

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