Today we held a memorial service at our church for an amazing 18 year old man who was killed in a car crash 6 days ago.
This young man, Max Allen was the rock of our youth ministry at the vineyard and he will be sorely missed.
The service or memorial was a celebration of all the wonderful things he brought to his family, friends and community. He was loved and cherish by many people and it is very sad that he is not with us anymore.
Max was very creative and designed the picture you see below for the upcoming Christmas party
But as our pastor stated, Max is well. Max has no more questions. He has gone on to be with our Lord and Savior…Our God.
This is the foundation of our Christian Faith. That when we die, we will live eternally with our God. This is the message and the ultimate message of the bible. Jesus came and bridged the gap so our sin would be forgiven and we, by the grace of God will go on and have life eternal.
Without this belief, our faith is nothing. This is the Rock upon which we stand.
Although the pain in our church, and especially the family and the youth, is difficult right now, the unity I witnessed today and what has been displayed over the past 6 days is quite amazing.
My daughter was close to Max as were many other teens. We have close to 100 teens in our youth ministry and all of them were touched by Max one way or another. Their strength and resolve through this time has been remarkable as we older adults have witness faith at another level through our teens.
Also through this time, more and more, I am beginning to really value time as the precious commodity it is.
No one knows if 
they shall have another day here. Most of us take so much for granted. Christians and non-Christians. The truth is time on earth is very very short and very precious. Let us not waste another day…As our pastor pointed out, LIVE…LIVE WELL…Max did. Max lived live to the fullest and he taught many of us just this aspect. Max was different and not afraid to stand out and be counted…he was willing to take risk and he loved the Lord.
Max…Although I did not know you well personally, I look forward to getting to know you on the day that I come home to be with the Lord.
Max, You are loved down here by many…as many said, you will be missed dearly.
Here is the story from the Sun Journal Newspaper
Durham teen killed in crash
By Daniel Hartill, Staff Writer
Published: Nov 15, 2009 12:00 am
DURHAM — An 18-year-old college student from Durham is believed to have been killed Friday in a fiery crash.
A combination of speed and driver distraction likely caused Maxwell Allen to swerve on Quaker Meeting House Road, about a half-mile south of Route 136, State Police Trooper Tyler Stevenson said. Allen’s 1999 Dodge Stratus veered into the oncoming lane and swerved back to the right, where it crossed the road and struck a power pole.
The force split that pole and two others.
By the time police reached the scene, shortly after the 8:20 p.m. emergency call, the car was engulfed in flames. The extraordinary damage to the vehicle left several questions a day later, including the certain identity of the victim, Stevenson said.
“The investigation is leading us to believe (it was) Allen (who) was killed,” Stevenson said. There were no passengers.
News of the tragedy moved quickly among Allen’s friends, including many teens who belonged to the youth ministry at the Pathway Vineyard Church in Lewiston.
Less than two hours after the crash, youth leader Kyle Gabri was notified.
“It was shocking,” Gabri said. About the same time he was told, leaders from the church reached out to Maxwell’s parents, John and Jill, and his older brother, John Jr.
“As a congregation, we stand 100 percent behind each other,” Gabri said.
By Saturday afternoon, at least 30 teens had gathered at the Foss Road church for a prayer session.
“We wanted to give the teens a chance to mourn and talk,” Gabri said. Reactions ran from hysterical to stoic as the youths dealt with the death of someone they knew.
Maxwell was known as a person who had a dry sense of humor that he shared freely. He even performed a stand-up routine at religious retreats.
“He was very, very funny,” Gabri said. “He was really loving and really honest.”
During the week, he studied media at Southern Maine Community College. On nights and weekends, he was taking on more work for the youth ministry. He often ran sound equipment during youth meetings and had designed a flier for an upcoming Christmas show.
“We were giving him more leadership opportunities,” Gabri said. His hope was to become a leader within the group.
Gabri and the teenagers found solace in their faith, he said.
“We believe that when you die you go to a better place,” he said. “He’s with the Lord at this point.”
Filed under Our Thoughts by on Nov 19th, 2009. 1 Comment. 
Welcome to the Word of God Online
lThis is just a quick update to let my readers know that I have been out sick for nbsp;a few days. I will be back posting as soon as I am well.
Thanks
Filed under Daily Scripture by on Nov 18th, 2009.
A Call out To Celebrate The True Meaning of Christmas This Year
Once again we find ourselves quickly moving towards Christmas once again. It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone so quickly. Time seems to accelerate when we get older as days just turn into weeks and weeks into months and months into years.
What and How Will you spend your Christmas?
Will you run out on the biggest shopping day of the year, the day after thanksgiving to get in line for hours for those amazing 1 time deals and buys?
Millions will flock to the store on that day to grab up the buys and money is pumped into the economy overnight.
Do you really think that God is pleased with this action?
Have you forgotten the true meaning of Christmas?
I call out to you to look to our Lord to fill your heart with the true meaning of Christmas and make this season a season to celebrate Christ’s Birth.
Watch This Video…
Filed under Our Thoughts by on Nov 7th, 2009. Comment.
One of the most horrific days of our US history happened on Sept 11th, 2001. This is the day we saw the twin towers, the symbols of strength and the symbols of New York city, come down before our very eyes live on T.V.
No one will ever forget that day, at least that is my hope. Inside of every disaster is the hands of God at work. Our Country pulled together as one and it was one of the most powerful times to be alive here in the US that I have ever experienced. Everything that seemed important, melted away for a while as we all reflected on what had just happened to us. I believe God gave us a chance to turn to him for the answers at that time and many did come back to God looking for answers and comfort.
In the midst of this tragedy, things that divided us were removed from the equation and instead of being a country that is red states and blue states, we became one state and one nation under god. Isn’t that how God had designed it to be?
Since then we have moved back into our old ways and the speed of ungodliness has rapidly grown here in the US and around the world. I feel that 9/11 was a call from God to us to come back to him and rally around the goodness that God has for you and me.
Watching our government at work and our people responding to them, we see more division today then ever. It rolls on and on and it is really sad to see. The health care reform bill just goes to show we have fallen back into the days of massive division in our country. The video link below just goes to show how divided and angry people are and remain. Just click on the picture to see where we are today.
It is really really sad to see how separated we have become. Didn’t we see the opportunity that 9/11 brought to our country? Apparently not. God’s plan will continue to unfold as only God knows.
This being said, my heart still cries for the unity that we saw on 9/11. I will never forget the people rallying as one people and the incredible power behind this unity.
The old adage, Together we stand, divided we fall never held truer in my life in the dark contrast of the protesting going on in the town hall meetings that occured this summer and now the latest health care reform bill that has exploded into what you see in this video.
The last few days I have continuously been humming a song from the days of 9/11 .
There was a benefit concert to raise money after 9/11 and all of the world was watching. There was an artist that wrote a song for this event and that song continues to play out in my head recently. It is a cry out to God…It is about being one with God as a people and it was sung by Bruce Springsteen.
Enjoy the song below and may it help you remove the division of your heart and show you that we a people can gather around Our God And Savior whom we call LORD…that all things are possible and there is great comfort and joy in our Lord.
But the fact remains and the days grows darker as God is constantly being removed from the daily lives of our country.
The End times are going to happen the way God has said whether you are on board with his plan or not. But you can choose to worship our Lord with These hands..
Filed under Our Thoughts by on Nov 7th, 2009. Comment.
On Tuesday Nov 3rd the whole country was watching Maine to see if the Gay Marriage law that was secretly passed by the Maine legislature early in this year would stay in place.
It was a battle and early on it looked as if the gay marriage law to allow gays to get married would stay in place. But later in the evening the tide swung to the Yes side which said that we wanted the law overturned and we wanted to preserve marriage as between one man and one woman.
I am happy to report that this law was repealed and the word of God was upheld against the attack against God did not stand. Our God is able and capable and once again he showed it as his people came out to the polls in record numbers in one of the most liberal states in the united states.
A typical off year for elections brings out about 35% of the registered voters, but this year we broke all records and had close to a 60% turnout at the polls. Thanks to all those who got out and voted to NOT allow Gays to marry and rip apart what God designed.
Filed under Our Thoughts by on Nov 5th, 2009. Comment.
