SCIO -- An area church is continuing its community spiritual growth focus through an internationally acclaimed series that shows both believers and nonbelievers how to know God intimately as they learn to step out in faith, experiencing miraculous results when they join Him in His work within a church, community, county and beyond.
Knights Creek Church at 2987 Knights Creek Road (County Road
9), Scio, is presenting the 13-week study, "Experiencing God –
"Knowing and Doing the Will of God” from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Sundays,
starting August 25, prior to the church's 11 a.m. Services. The educational opportunity is open to the
public, including individuals who can participate and still be able to return
to home churches that hold late morning services.
The DVD/discussion series is part of a full Sunday church
schedule at Knights Creek which also includes a free weekly Community Dinner
after morning services, followed by free child music lessons by appointment,
church discussion gatherings to examine ways to better serve the community, and
a 6 p.m. evening service.
Primary narrator for the new series is Henry Blackaby,
founder of Blackaby Ministries International and former special assistant to
the presidents of the International Mission Board, North American Mission
Board, and LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Blackaby pastored churches in the San Francisco and Los
Angeles areas before going to Faith Baptist Church in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
Canada. He also has served as a director
of missions in Vancouver, British Columbia, written dozens of books, spoken in
churches and at conferences in some 200 countries, counsels Christian heads of
major corporations, and has spoken at the White House and the United Nations.
The series is based
on many of the pastor's own experiences, as well as those of others, in seeing
God work miraculously in all types of situations. The book has sold millions of copies and been
translated into 47 different languages.
Knights Creek Pastor
Carl Kemp said the series is a natural extension of several others that church
members and visitors have explored in recent months, including “When God's
People Pray” by Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City,
and “Life's Healing Choices,” “What on Earth Am I Here For,” “How to Get
Through What You Are Going Through,” and “Transformed – How God Changes Us” by
Rick Warren, senior pastor at Saddleback Church in California and author of the
leading non-fiction best-seller, “The Purpose Driven Life,” which also has sold
millions of copies and been translated into numerous languages. Saddleback Church founded the year-around
international Celebrate Recovery ministry nearly 30 years ago which is offered
at Knights Creek Church.
The series presented also correlate with the focus of a
Mission Genesee Valley Journey to Transformation initiative by a coalition of
Allegany County churches and other Christian organizations for community
transformation and revival throughout the area which Knights Creek supports.
The Scio church describes itself as "The Country Church
with the Heart of Christ," holding community prayer from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30
a.m. each weekday for anyone who would like to receive personal or family
prayer, along with local, county, state, national and world concerns, and 7
p.m. Wednesday Bible studies.
The large percentage of people who struggle with the burdens
of life, including various types of trauma, are of major concern to the Scio
church family, Pastor Kemp said, noting that many supports are provided
throughout the year to aid those in need.
The most visible is the weekly Celebrate Recovery/Celebrate
Victory group that is held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays for adults of all
ages who are struggling with any type of hurts, hangups, habits or struggles,
including common addictions. The Landing for struggling teens also is part of
the same Saturday night groups as the church seeks to develop additional
ministries for families.
Church facilitators also are part of a Tuesday night
multi-church team that goes into Allegany County Jail to present Celebrate
Recovery Inside to inmates, thereby enabling a learning and understanding
connection and better support between those who are incarcerated and their
families and friends on the outside.
During the year, Knights Creek provides "Help Grieving
Children" for adults and "Loss of a Spouse" seminars for those
who have experienced the death of a mate, with Grief Share and Divorce Care
"Surviving the Holidays" sessions being offered during the Thanksgiving
to Christmas season for the many who mourn memories of prior holiday seasons.
A Friday night group for children, youth and young adults
also is held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a free First Friday of the month coffee
house, alternating with a movie night being held at the same times.
In addition to the Sunday dinners, special free community
meals also are held in conjunction with various special occasions, including a
community picnic earlier this month at Scio Fireman's Park.
Congregants also are active with the Hope Center
multi-church outreach in Wellsville and the Journey to Transformation
initiative for community transformation and revival, along with other
activities developed to bring Allegany County churches together to help meet
the needs of individuals and families within their congregations and
communities.
Further information about the series and other activities is
available at www.facebook.com/KnightsCreekChurch, chk@reborn.com or (585)
593-3659, with information about Celebrate Recovery | Celebrate Victory from
Casey Jones, church outreach assistance, at bps461@msn.com or (484)
435-0503. The church is handicapped
accessible.
