we r off to NYC

We are taking a mini vacation to NYC this weekend with Allen and Lucy Pirro. We leave bright and early tomorrow morning to site see all day Saturday. Then on Sunday we are going to two different church services. One at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, the other The Time Square Church The Brooklyn Tabernacle has a choir of 285 people!!! Can you hear the music now ?!?!??!
We have been reading the book FRESH WIND, FRESH FIRE by Pastor Jim Cymbal who is Pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle ....definantly a must read--great book. They have a prayer team who prays 24/7 - 365 days a year. We are so humbled by that thought and will be thinking of that when entering His house.
So, will share more of our trip and spiritual time with you later.
God Bless Pompey Community Church. We will see you all soon :)

To KB or Not to KB???

To KB or Not to KB...that is the question?!?!?!?!?

Something to think about before we meet on September 12th. Kingdom Bound is an absolute crazy, growing, learning experience!!!! Do we do it again? Or would you want to do something quieter--like stay at Shiloh???

Think about it....Pray on it....watch over the next few weeks as the Lord works on your heart of what we should do.

Kickoff at Kolb's camp

Welcome to all the New VCers!!!!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO JERRY AND JOAN KOLB FOR OFFERING THEIR BEAUTIFUL CAMP TO US FOR THE EVENING!!!

21 of us got together for a great evening of swimming, tubing, kayaking, volleyball, eating, star gazing..... and getting to know one another. The laughter around the campfire and learning about each other's "summertime hightlights" was the best.

After a "not too much sleep nite", we had pancakes and sausage for breakfast, cleaned up camp, and one last volleyball game--where the girls beat the guys. (hey did u know how hard it is to find a volleyball in a bush?!?!?!?!LOL)

.......more pics available online at Facebook's group VERTICAL CONNECTION........

Pray for this next year.....let Him use us for His purpose.

Kingdom Bound 2008

Did it ever happen??? It has been a whole week now since we were at Kingdom Bound. A years worth of planning, fundraising, and earning points is behind us. Well, one way to think of it is that KB 2009 is only 51 weeks away!!!!!

The Kingdom Bound experience reminds me of that new Orange County Chopper motorcycle/roller coaster ride at Darien Lake. The year's preparation is like the start of the ride---you move forward and wait, with this pit of excitement for the ride to shoot you out and begin. Whooooooooshshshhshshhhhhh.........you lunge forward as the ride begins and you're not sure what to expect--just like arriving at Kingdom Bound. Then as you relax and begin to enjoy the experience, you feel so free. Your arms lift up as you enjoy all the graceful turns, surrendering yourself to the roller coaster's glide. So much like at the concerts or morning worship--where you can relax, enjoy the music, and feel His presence. And before you know it, your arms are lifting up to our Father, surrendering to Him! Yet, as quick as the ride ends, so does Kingdom Bound.

But do we have to let the surrendering feeling end???? NO!

I pray that each and everyone of you continues surrendering to Our Redeemer.

• When you are at church on Sunday and everyone is singing...if you are not a singer; just read the words, feel what they mean. Praise Him with that.
• When you are alone in your room....pray out loud or quietly to yourself--either is fine with Him; and lift your arms as you pray. Praise Him with that.
• When you are listening to your favorite Christian artist...dance like a child; jump and move. Praise Him with that.

Keep that graceful glide going for the next 51 weeks. Praise Him, pray to Him.

6 Days till Kingdom Bound 2008

Six days and we leave! It is hard to believe that it has been a full year since the last KB experience. It brings back so many memories of last year--morning worship, the heat, the walking, the concerts, the first concert (chirp, chirp, chirp--the sound of crickets--but we had good seats!), sqash, conversations, and a first time all out giving it up to the Lord feeling.

Over the next few days, pray for God to use this time to really work on you. Pray for a moment that He gives you a "whoa!" or "ahaaa" feeling. Let the Holy Spirit work in you to freely worship and give praise to Our Savior. Raise your arms, jump, and yell out.

We are looking forward to REFLECTION time also. We have some things planned out, but are really going to give the time to God and let Him run it. Let Him use the time to work on us all!

It's going to be great. We are excited!

Progressive BBQ

I forgot the camera...what!!! I can't believe I forgot the camera...I always get pictures :(
Sorry guys, forgot the camera---thus no pics :(
But, we had a BLAST with the Progressive BBQ= from hotdogs, to toss salad, to macaroni salad, to cookies and watermelon. We had a BLAST!

Then we had a final meeting for Kingdom Bound 2008. It was requested and decided on two more tshirts...so each day we will have group tshirts! Just ordered them in the requested tyedye and brite blue colors. Together, we also figured out the transportation and sleeping arrangements.

AND the next BIIIIIGGGGGG thing after KB '08! Campout at the Kolb's house on DeRuyter Lake on 8/22/08. To say goodbye to the graduates going to college and say hello to the new Vertical Connection'ers'. More details to follow on all this.

Mercy

At Wednesday evening's book study, we had one of our Teens open in prayer. During her beautiful, simple, heartfelt prayer, she thanked God for His mercy. Those words: " God, I thank You for Your mercy on us." have been stuck in my head for the past few days. I am making dinner and hearing thank You for Your mercy on us; I am mowing the lawn and hear thank You for Your mercy on us; and even typing this I can still hear her saying thank You for Your mercy on us.

What a great reminder. He IS merciful, forgiving, and compassionate. Our NLT Bible lists MERCY 24 times. His love is completely incredible and so hard to comprehend sometimes. We are sinners, we fall short, and we stumble through life. Yet unconditionally Our Redeemer has mercy.

I am so thankful for this week's Book study and this blessed reminder of His mercy.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance-
1 Peter 1:3-4