Periodical Postage PAID Houston, TX

Sagemont Baptist Church 11300 S. Sam Houston Pkwy E. Houston, TX 77089

Also visit www.sagemontchurch.org Or call us at 281.481.8770 M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Vol. 34, No. 9

September 2012

www.facebook.com/SagemontChurch

NOW IN THE SAGEMONT BOOKSTORE! 30 Strategies for Financial Freedom by Dr. John D. Morgan

Get this 30-day devotional booklet adapted from the Financial Freedom Seminar for only $299!

WORSHIP CENTER BUILDING

DEDICATION SERVICE

more than meets the eye

SEPTEMBER 9 9:30 & 11:15 AM

All Sagemont members will want to be a part of this special service in which we will not only dedicate the new Worship Center building to the Lord, but we will also have a time of personal dedication. Both services will be identical; we will not have a separate service in the Hughes Road Auditorium for this day. The Hughes Road Auditorium will be available for overflow seating if necessary. We are also inviting our community to come and see on September 9 what the Lord has done here at Sagemont. We are looking forward to having many guests on our campus. It’s an exciting oppotunity to be living proof of a loving God to our watching community! Don’t miss this very special day in the life of our church!

Inside This Issue: Mother/Daughter Brunch September 8 10:00 am - 12:00 noon Youth Building Auditorium $15 per person ($10 for 2nd daughter)

Speaker: Laurie Cole Music: Jennifer James plus a fashion show! For all 5th Grade - College age girls and their moms!

Summer Missions: Kibera & Israel How Christ Can Heal After Abortion

from our pastor...

instruments of

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n Exodus 4:2, God asked Moses a question, “What is that in your hand?” He was referring to the shepherd’s staff – symbolic of protection, support, and provision. When God touched the rod, it became the “rod of God.” What do you have in your hand that, with the touch of God, could become a mighty asset for the Kingdom of God? It could be your time, talent or material resources that could be used to spread the gospel and bring people to salvation and servanthood. Give it to God and see the miracles in your life!

hope

Your Pastor,

by Mikelle Challenger

FINANCIAL FREEDOM SEMINAR

“T

he fence haunts me…!” were the emotional words spoken by Buddy Griffin, Sagemont Men’s Minister and Prayer Pastor. He was describing his recent experience leading a mission trip to Africa. He took the group to the world’s second largest slum, Kibera, on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya’s largest city. “…It haunts me because the people on the other side just don’t have a chance! My heart broke every time I saw the little children standing there looking at me!”

September 16 • 6:00 - 8:15 pm September 17-18 • 7:00 - 9:15 pm The Hall Taught by Senior Pastor John Morgan Register online (no charge)

Childcare provided for children birth through sixth grade. Contact [email protected] for childcare reservations.

baptism @ the cross september 30, 2012 • 7:00 pm If you would like to be baptized at The Cross or in the Worship Center, please call 281.481.8770 or email johnmark.benson@ sagemontchurch.org

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the idea of sharing God’s love through teaching children to play ukuleles. Roy was very enthusiastic and immediately suggested the New Hope School located in Kibera. Buddy recalled, “When Roy asked me, ‘Do you have the ukuleles?’ I said, ‘No, but if God wants us to go, then He will provide them.’”

The fence surrounds New Hope School, a ministry of New Hope Initiative, which is managed by Houston-based missionaries, Sandy and Karen Baird. The school gives hope to children in grades K through 8 who are fortunate enough to be accepted from the many unschooled children living in the Kibera community. Buddy led his team of musicians to teach many of those school children to play ukuleles and share with them the message of God’s love and hope.

For Buddy, director of the “ALL STARS” Youth Banjo Band and member of the Banjo Hall of Fame, the ukulele was an ideal instrument to teach children. He explained, “I picked this instrument because it is very lightweight, portable and easy to play in comparison to other stringed instruments. Little kids can carry them around, unlike a banjo or guitar. Once someone starts playing a ukulele, then it’s easier for them to transfer to another stringed instrument because they have learned the basics. That’s how I do with the “ALL STARS”. They all have to start with the ukulele and then after they pass a test, they get a banjo!”

The dream began a few months earlier, when Buddy attended a fundraiser for Living Water International, a Christian organization that sends mission teams to drill water wells for poor villages in rural parts of the world. It was during the slide show that he observed some of the volunteers playing soccer with the local children. When he asked about it, he was told that the mission teams take people along just to play games with the many children drawn to the site in order to keep them safely away from the drilling work. That’s when the idea struck Buddy. He thought, “My goodness! I could teach those kids how to play the ukulele!” They thought his idea was great, but felt it might not work in their situation because they have encountered jealousy among the villagers if each person does not receive the same benefits. Unless Buddy had the time and resources to teach all of the nearby villages, there could be major discontent. That’s when Buddy approached Roy Guel, Sagemont Missions Pastor, with

In order to obtain the quantity of ukuleles that would be needed for the project, Buddy sent out letters to his nationwide connections who are ukulele and banjo enthusiasts, telling of his need. An adequate quality beginner ukulele can retail for about $35 and up. Buddy was hoping that enough money could be raised for at least 50 ukuleles in the brief time frame that he was working under. A few days later, Buddy’s phone rang and he was surprised to hear the voice of Geoffery Rezek, an active member of the Ukulele Society of America living in Darien, Connecticut. Buddy recalled the conversation, “He had received my letter and wanted to ask a few more questions regarding the trip. He concluded with a welcome response of, ‘I’ll get you some ukuleles.’ ” Soon after that conversation, several cases containing 100 brand-new brightly colored ukuleles with individual carrying cases arrived from that one very generous donor! Buddy was thrilled. The Ukulele Mission Trip was

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officially on and scheduled to leave Wednesday, June 20 and return on Sunday, July 1. Planning began in earnest as 17 eager volunteers ranging in age from 14 to 73 were assembled and trained for the trip. Buddy first secured his wife, Sandy, to be on the team. “She keeps

everything organized for me!” Laughingly he added, “Besides, we spent our 49th wedding anniversary on the trip!” The rest of the ukulele team were Jacob Arnold, Josh Bivens, Matt Elliott, Stanley Fontenot, Melissa Gonzalez, Ben Hebert, Gabriella Morris, Gladys Rivera, Christine Rothchild, Danielle Rothchild, Abby Sinclair, Andrew Sinclair and Ty Wise. Among these were six high school students and two college students, most of whom were proficient on the ukulele because they were “ALL STARS” members. The adults and kids who were non-players attended weekly classes taught by Buddy and quickly learned the basics. By the time of departure for Africa, all were avid enthusiasts and capable of teaching beginners. The only two exceptions were Paul Candelaria and Les Rumburg, who were part of the team sent to supervise several construction projects for the school and church. Ukulele instructional charts, diagrams, music and song sheets were prepared. The only problem remaining was the question of how to transport 100 ukuleles to Africa! Not only would it cost a fortune to ship them, but often, because of corruption among customs officials in that part of the world, such items go missing or require payment of bribes to get through the system. After much prayer, it was decided they would just pack them in their suitcases and the team would carry them through as extra baggage, in the hope that most of the ukes would make it through airport customs. The team decided to use the 176 handmade dresses that had been donated for the female students to pack in and around the ukuleles for protection and camouflage! After 48 hours of exhausting travel, the team arrived at their final destination. It was 7:00 a.m. in Nairobi and the moment of truth was upon them! Buddy recalled what occurred next, “Sandy was communicating with Karen Baird by text to confirm our arrival. Karen was texting pointers for getting through customs: ‘Just stay together as a group and go quickly!’ ‘Act like you know what you’re doing.’ ‘Don’t let them intimidate you!’ If we were required to open the bags, no telling what would happen. So we prayed together, I took a deep breath, and then all 17 of us, carrying our extra bags, boldly headed for the exit! Suddenly, we were confronted by a customs officer

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waving a paper at us and saying in broken English, ‘Hey, you need to fill out this form! What’s in your bags?’ I told him, ‘We are tourists. These are our personal belongings!’ That’s when Paul Candelaria came up to him waving his arms and spoke rapidly in Spanish! The customs official kept saying, ‘What? What? What?’ Then finally he said, ‘Just go on, just go on!’ We

to describe, except to say that the conditions are deplorable.” But as dark as their situation is, the students amazed Buddy and the rest of the team. Buddy recalled, “The thing that you really see is the presence of God! These kids are happy, laughing and mannerly…and they have absolutely nothing! That really impacted all of us. I never see a plate full of food now without

them they were going to keep the ukuleles until that very last day. Oh, boy, when they found out, they just went nuts! We couldn’t give them to the kids, for fear they would be stolen or perhaps sold by the parents! Instead, they were given to the school so that the program could continue after our departure. Paul and Les built a storage room with shelves so there would be a special

all quickly did so, trying desperately to conceal our elation! As soon as we got out the door and rounded the corner, everyone cheered and began high-fiving! I said, ‘Yes…thank you, Jesus!’” Buddy was amazed to find that of all the ukuleles transported, only two were smashed because of handling during their long travel. Even those two ukes did not go to waste because they were able to glue them back together. Buddy said, “They didn’t look too good, but the people there didn’t care. We were able to use all 100 of them!” Even though they arrived one day late because of travel delays, Buddy happily shared, “We had boots on the ground for 9 days!”

thinking of those children who probably didn’t have that much to eat in a week!”

place for the ukuleles and teaching materials to be kept. We also took a whole suitcase full of percussion instruments, such as drums and bells, to leave with the school. These kids had rhythm like you wouldn’t believe!” The teachers were taught along with the students to insure the continuation of instruction.

Buddy recalled a typical scene as they arrived at New Hope Center each morning, “Our bus would pull up about 200 yards from the school. The children would see us arrive and would begin cheering and waving. We would then make our way along a litter-strewn path and a foot-bridge across what is referred to as the ‘Poo River’! There is no running water or sewer system in Kibera. This stream is actually an open sewer with the foul odor emitting from it! Some days we saw children wading and playing in the water or sorting through trash that collects on the banks. Just past the Poo River bridge is the entrance to the fenced school compound that borders the slum neighborhood of Kibera. After a while, the filth and the poverty just wears on you!” New Hope School is no larger than Sagemont’s Hall and each classroom is not much bigger than a small office space. The 630 students in the school are crowded into every bit of space, with 35 – 75 per classroom with one teacher for each group. Buddy described the students as orderly, well-behaved and eager to learn from their teachers who are obviously dedicated and compassionate. The students, who are all residents of Kibera, arrive at the school early and stay as long as possible before returning to their homes each night. Twice a day at the school, they are fed a small bowl of beans and corn with a small portion of bread, which may be the only food many of them receive. “We went on a tour through Kibera one afternoon and you wouldn’t believe the poverty! What we saw would be difficult

Once inside the school grounds, the missions team would divide up to teach ukulele to grades 6, 7 and 8. Buddy recalled their daily routine, “We would teach each class about 45 minutes once and sometimes twice a day. We would always tell them that we were there to share the love of Jesus with them and teach them how to play the ukulele so they could honor Him. On some days, the team shared their personal testimonies.” Fortunately, the children are taught English in school, so except for the lower grades who are just learning English, there was no problem communicating. Between classes, the team would have the ukes in the courtyard and all the kids would come out to play them. Buddy said, “I didn’t do a whole lot of talking. I had drawn basic chord charts and I just wanted them to play. I would teach them hand signals to show them a C chord and the same with F and G7 chords.” Over the course of the week, Buddy and the team members were able to teach all the children to sing and play four songs, “Amen!”, “He’s got the Whole World in His Hands”, “Oh, How I love Jesus” and “Love, Love, Love the Lord” which Buddy, along with some assistance from the team, made up to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat”! As it turned out, this song was a favorite, and the children loved to sing in a round. Buddy said, “These were all just simple little songs. I knew that if we could teach them just three chords then they could play lots of songs. They just picked it up like crazy and learned so fast!” Ironically, because the walls are pretty thin and the classrooms close together, by the end of the week all the children in the whole school could sing all the songs! On Friday, a concert was held in the courtyard where the upper grades performed. Buddy recalled that morning, “The children played their instruments and sang enthusiastically with obvious pleasure. Their pride in their accomplishment was evident in their faces!” A song was performed by each grade before Buddy shared a big announcement with them. He said, “We didn’t tell

The trip was a great success and the team is now back home, safe and sound, and Buddy and the rest of the team are praying about the possibility of a future trip. “What I’m considering right now is going back to Kibera to spend a few days of follow-up and then travel on to Tanzania where the Bairds are in charge of an orphanage to start a ukulele program there as well. Then we could have two ukulele groups going!” It is hard for many of us to imagine a place as filthy and poor as in the devastating slums of Kibera. The overwhelming stench of wasted lives and hopelessness will surely never leave the team’s memories and hearts. Buddy’s eyes filled with tears as he recalled the experience of being safe at the New Hope School with the protection of “the fence.” He was also sad to see those children who were shut-out from the rest of the world on the other side. In such a face of extreme poverty, how can one week penetrate their horrendous circumstances? The name of the school, “Hope”, has never had more meaning to them than now. Christ is the only One who can give true purpose for a future. Like He has done in our lives as believers, God is able to take something as filthy as the ‘Poo River’ and make it as pure as a crisp, clean mountain stream. Buddy concluded his experience by adding, “Our goal was to share music with the children and to teach them how to use that music to honor Christ. We found a unique way to do it through the ukulele. I hope that someday I may look down from heaven and see a bunch of Kenyans from Kibera playing ukuleles and worshiping God, because Sagemont Church in Houston, Texas, went halfway around the world and shared His message of love and hope with them!”

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A new year in Triple A is beginning!

Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed

Come join us as we have lots of fun & learn how to praise our Lord through music, art, choreography, and drama!

Fun-filled scripture memory program for all children ages four years through sixth grade!*

Followers of the One from Nazareth

WEDNESDAYS 6:00 - 7:30 pm Register online today!

Register TODAY! Triple A Begins Sunday Evening September 16 5:00 - 7:00

Triple A is for all children ages 4 years (as of 9/1/12) through 6th grade. For more information, e-mail [email protected]

Cost to be determined based on materials needed and family size *Ages as of September 1, 2012

dance ministr y

AUDITIONS Offering music and art lessons for all ages in a Christian setting

Classes/lessons begin September 4 Register today for best selection of available times and teachers!

Register online or pick up a Centre for the Arts brochure and return with first payment to the Worship & Praise Ministry office.

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For TRAINED DANCERS ages 13 and UP

Sunday, September 9, 2:00 - 4:00 pm For the audition, each dancer should bring a 1-minute prepared solo to perform. It should be in a lyrical, ballet, modern or contemporary style. If you have any questions or to sign up for an audition, please contact the Worship & Praise Ministry office at 281.481.7124 or [email protected].

A

by Teri Fowlé

t Sagemont Church, we talk about being “Living proof of a loving God to a watching world.” What does that mean? Notice that speaking is not mentioned in our mission statement. It is a statement of action, of living out our commitment to Christ, allowing our actions to speak more than our words. It follows the principle of Matthew 5:16, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” For the third time, a group of extraordinary Sagemont members embarked on a journey to the “Holy Land” to let their light shine. This journey took them to a land of Jews, Muslims, and other groups to demonstrate the reality of the Lord in order that they may obtain the privilege of declaring why they came and why they serve. Stuart Rothberg led the group of Sagemont missionaries to the Holy Land so they could participate in such activities as sweeping streets, painting schools, passing out candy to soldiers and even pulling weeds and planting gardens. Why is it more important to demonstrate the love of Christ rather than only hand out tracks and talk to people about it? “The people of Israel have already heard the name of Jesus – they live in the Holy Land,” declared Stuart Rothberg, teaching pastor at Sagemont Church. “The people need to see a difference in those who identify with Christ. They need to know those who do not simply identify in name only; rather, they need to see the reality of those who truly live as believers.” He went on to note that this is not only important in the Holy Land. Even here in the United States, we must demonstrate our loving God every day in order to earn the privilege of talking about Him with others. There were many amazing stories from the trip, but only a few are described in this article. One came as Moran Rosenblit, the leader of Hope for Israel, which is the sponsoring organization

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for this service tour. Because the group came to serve and because Sagemont has had two service tours before this one, the people they come in contact with are beginning to see the difference. They are seeing the demonstration and are responding. For these reasons, Rosenblit has been able to give the service tour group access to closed communities. In a Druze Village in one part of the land, the group met a man who was not Jewish. He watched as the group served the community without complaint. He later told Rosenblit, “I don’t know what it is about their faith. We are not moved to do for others what they do. This challenges me and my faith.”

of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” Frequently, the second part of this verse is left off. Why is it there? Why is it important that this gospel be taken to the Jew first? Rothberg explained, “It is a priority of relevance. If the gospel isn’t most relevant to the Jewish people, when Jesus is, in fact, a Jew, then how can it be relevant to others?”

When we look at the Bible, especially the New Testament, we find that it was written by Jewish writers using Jewish terms to explain a Jewish Messiah. If we make an effort to bypass the Jews or ignore that Front, left to right: Stuart Rothberg, Pat Good, Craig Good, Leah Walker, Sue Rothberg, Gail White, Cliff they are God’s chosen Smith, Vickie Smith, Rebecca Grotte. Middle: Jean Fauth, Jimmie Fauth, Tammi Mallory, Carol Neel. In another corner of Back: Liz Crowell, Max Crowell, Chris Sossamon, Mark Goeman, Bob White, Josh Sharer, Mona Dewitt, people, we invalidate Jerry Neel and Ronnie Bush. Israel –and there are the message and lose not many as the entire the relevancy of this country is about the size message to others. It of New Jersey—they met an Arab journalist. She had met the is important to note that God has not given up on Israel. If He group before and wrote in her column, “We were visited by our would give up on his chosen people, then when would He give friends from Texas who are followers of the one from Nazareth.” up on the rest of us? No, God is unconditional in His love. His It is beautiful to have Sagemont Church members referred to as promises are true even if His chosen people, or any of the rest of followers of the one from Nazareth—not the other labels we may us, chose to forfeit the joy of walking with Him. hear frequently in the United States—just this simple statement to tell the story. Rothberg also noted, “The benefit of a trip to Israel is that the In another place, the group was invited into the home of a Bible comes alive in a way you can’t really explain. The Bible man whom Rosenblit had been serving. This man lost his son never reads the same and there is an accentuated hunger for the in a military battle and was devastated. Through the Hope for Word of God because you have seen these places and have a Israel organization, Rosenblit reached out to minister to this man. fresh perspective about the places you are reading about.” Through this service, the man, a Jew, accepted a Bible - the full As these travelers began their journey home, they found that Bible. This group of outsiders was granted access to this man’s their service was not yet complete. God had a few more home because they came to demonstrate the love of the one from appointments in mind. The beauty of Christian service is that Nazareth. we are never “off the clock.” In the Philadelphia airport, Ronnie Bush, Associate Student Minister at Sagemont, ran into The group traveled to many locations around Israel. They had a salesman. This salesman happened to be an Israeli. With a the opportunity to serve and give. They helped plant gardens, fresh perspective from having just returned from Israel, Bush was they served in a Kibbutz, an area that is in the line-of-fire for the able to engage this salesman in conversation and exchange rocket launches you have probably heard about on the news. information to keep in touch as they parted. They were invited into compounds with soldiers and gave them candy. The people are beginning to trust these followers of the What this trip, really any mission trip, does is help us become one from Nazareth and are learning about Jesus through their aware of the bigger picture. If even for only a moment, we are persistent acts of service. Stated Rothberg, “Every year we forced out of our boxes and our routines and place ourselves return, we are greeted with more enthusiasm, more gratitude, under God’s care and His leadership. We are more willing to more appreciation, and we get a little closer to the people we have conversations and share the reason for faith. May it even serve. We are passing the test in their eyes - we keep coming be said that we are forced to think about the reason for our faith back and we associate as followers of the one from Nazareth not so that we can explain it? just in name, but also in our deeds that they may see the love of the Father.” Would you like more information on how you can participate in a mission trip? Visit the mission booth in the foyer or go to www. When asked what makes this repeated trip to Israel so special, sagemontchurch.org for more information. Rothberg discussed the importance of taking the gospel to the Jewish people. He quoted Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed

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Can I make this Beautiful? by Emily Ryan

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honda de la Moriniere had overcome a lot. Childhood abuse. Abandonment. Rejection. Divorce. Each heartache another area that God had miraculously transformed and somehow made beautiful through His divine power. She accepted her colorful past as a tool that God used for His glory, but not as a place she liked to visit regularly. She preferred to look forward, focusing instead on being a godly wife to her husband, Matt, a loving mother to her three kids, Joshua, Faith, and Hope, and an effective teacher to the ladies in the Pink Armor iCONNECT class where she regularly taught. Until one Sunday in church when she heard God whispering in her heart, “Do you think I can make this beautiful too?” Immediately, she knew what He was referring to, and the question terrified her. He was talking about her three children. No, not Joshua, Faith and Hope. Her other three children. The three children she’d aborted years before and whose memories were pushed so far down that they were all but forgotten. How could He possibly make that beautiful? She didn’t want to go back there. She didn’t want to open that tomb and revisit those memories, especially when she knew she’d

already been forgiven from them. But God wasn’t offering more forgiveness. He was offering beauty. And so she answered back, “Yes, God. I don’t know how you can possibly make that beautiful, but if you can, then yes.” The First Time Rhonda was 22 the first time she became pregnant, but the relationship she thought was going so well took an ugly turn when she found out her boyfriend had lied to her and stolen much of her money. After she broke up with him, her friends rallied around her telling her she should definitely have an abortion because there was no way she could raise a child on her own. She’d already had two ultrasounds because of minor complications with the pregnancy, so she was already getting attached to the little baby she’d seen squirming and swimming on the ultrasound monitor. But in the end, she believed her friends were right. She couldn’t raise a child on her own. So she let one of them take her to have an abortion and just like that, her first child was gone. “It was very traumatic for me,” Rhonda said. “I never really got

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over it and I had nightmares for years after that. I would dream that I had a baby girl and that I put her in a drawer like one where you’d normally put your clothes. In my dream, she was crying for me and I would just go and slam the drawer shut. Just close her away.” Rhonda knows she never really got over that first abortion. Though she didn’t know it at the time, Rhonda experienced a textbook case of Post Abortion Syndrome after her abortion, a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In addition to feelings of extreme guilt and depression, a significant percentage of women who have had abortions become preoccupied with becoming pregnant again as soon as possible. “You have so much guilt that you end up wanting to have another baby to make up for the one you aborted, and I followed that exactly,” Rhonda said. “I remember thinking, ‘I can just get pregnant again and when I have that baby, it’ll make up for what I did.’” The resulting child is sometimes referred to as an atonement child. Rhonda’s desire for another child was stronger than her anger towards her ex-boyfriend, so she made up with him and was pregnant again within the year. Her “atonement child” was her son, Joshua, who is now 17. Betrayal and Resolve Rhonda was six months pregnant with Joshua when her world came crashing down around her. In one of the most unexpected moments ever, her home was invaded by FBI agents and her boyfriend was arrested for identity theft. It turns out, she hadn’t even known him by his real name. “I had nothing,” Rhonda said. Because of her relationship with her boyfriend, she was now being investigated by the FBI herself. “I knew I wasn’t involved, but they didn’t know that. All I could think was that I may have to have this baby in prison.” She returned home to her mother to wait out the investigation, wait out the pregnancy, and wait for some answers about what to do next. Everything had suddenly changed. She never considered aborting this child, but she had to face the very real possibility that she might have to give him up for adoption. “I was very suicidal at this point,” she admitted. But she knew that hurting herself would also mean hurting her child, and she was determined not to do that again. “I just didn’t see a way out at all. I had made such a mess of everything and I couldn’t handle the thought of having to give up the one thing that I did have, which was this baby. He was the only thing I had to live for.” She was at one of her lowest points one day, sitting at home alone, weeping uncontrollably, when she began crying out to God. “I didn’t even know for sure if there was a God at this point,” she said. But then she heard a voice in her heart whisper, “You can keep him. If you trust Me, I will make a way for you, and you can keep him.” It was the catalyst she needed to face her situation and begin dealing with the problems around her. Within a year and a half, she’d had Joshua, graduated from college, and driven all over Texas paying off debts that her ex-boyfriend had accumulated in her name.

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At this time, God remained the One who’d made a way for her, but He wasn’t anything more to Rhonda than that. “I recognized His presence, but I couldn’t throw my whole self into His presence because I was still carrying around too much shame. I knew He was real, I knew He had saved me out of that pit, and I knew that He’d saved my life and my son’s life, but I still didn’t trust Him.” No, Rhonda would become even more broken before that would happen. A Pattern Develops While a part of her retained that gusto and resolve to move forward in life, the events of the past two years had so traumatized her that there was still a huge part of Rhonda that was totally lost and drifting backwards as well. In that part of her was the misguided thought that she may still be in love with her ex-boyfriend. So when they reconnected during his brief reprieve from prison, she once again found herself pregnant by him. But almost as soon as she learned of the child on the way, she chose to have another abortion. And while she can’t remember the details or specifics, she does feel the void created by not allowing this child to be born. “This would have been Joshua’s full sibling. It would have been his brother. I can almost see looking back through his childhood that God sent this child for him because he was so lonely. There was something in my heart that felt he really needed this sibling. I can look back now and see what a blessing it would have been.” With that chapter of her life finally closed, Rhonda began seeing someone new, a childhood friend named Jason, and developed a long-distance relationship with him. They decided that they were going to get married someday, but when he was suddenly arrested on drug charges, Rhonda decided to marry him right away so he wouldn’t have to go through it alone. While her new husband was in prison, Rhonda had an affair with another man and became pregnant again. Another pregnancy. Another abortion. Another reason to feel complete shame. When Jason was released from prison several years later, Rhonda became pregnant again almost immediately. But the marriage that had been relatively easy while they were separated, unraveled now that they were together. He made it clear that he didn’t want anything to do with Rhonda, Joshua, or their child on the way, and grew dangerously abusive towards them. Rhonda feared for their lives and once again called her mother to come and rescue her. Broken and Restored After having Joshua as a single mom, she promised herself she’d never bring a child into the world without a father again. Yet here she was. Same song, second verse. She was pregnant, alone, broke, and broken. “My whole life, I couldn’t understand why all of these people were hurting me. Everyone always rejected me, always let me down. My life was always their fault,” Rhonda said. “But when I came home this time and found myself in the exact same situation as before, I realized I was the common denominator in all of these situations and I was a sinner before

God.” That’s when Rhonda started coming to Sagemont, seeking healing, and getting help. She reached out to God and prayed, “If you are real, you have got to help me!” But in helping her, God showed her that her true problem was not in her circumstances but in her own sinful heart. “It wasn’t that I was molested. It wasn’t that I was abused. It wasn’t because my father rejected me or because men lied to me. It was me. I was messed up. I was a sinner before God and I needed something that was not part of who I am to come inside and fix me. And when I realized that that’s who Jesus is, I wanted Him like crazy! It was the most broken but most beautiful time in my life.” And on the heels of her newfound faith in Christ came the birth of her second child, a daughter she named Faith. Rhonda continued to keep her eyes focused on Christ as her new relationship with God grew. She poured herself into His word, into church, and into friendships with godly women, but she avoided men and dating, still not trusting herself to make wise decisions in that area. So when she met Matt de la Moriniere through some of her friends in the singles department, they became good friends and nothing more for almost a year. Eventually, he wrote her a letter in which he told her he had feelings for her and Rhonda had to decide whether to try having a relationship again – this time a godly one – or to remain alone. “I decided to date him and the rest is history,” she laughed. Matt knew about Rhonda’s past, about her abortions, and everything else about her, and he loved her anyway. They were married and later had a daughter together named Hope. Rhonda admits she still struggles sometimes, but she has never gone back to the woman she was before she met Christ. In fact, she’s even willing to say that life has been pretty normal since then. Choosing to Heal Of course, Rhonda’s normal life was interrupted that Sunday morning when God whispered to her, “Do you think I can make this beautiful too?” She answered yes, but she hoped in her heart that they could keep it between them. “Surely, God, You don’t want me to tell anyone else about this, right?” she thought. She was terrified to share her ugly secret of abortion with anyone in the church. She was afraid they would condemn her, judge her, and at the very least insist that she stop teaching in her Bible study class. She decided to “test the waters” with two of her friends who were also leaders in the church. She saw them as godly women and respected their opinions. “If they shame me or judge me, then I’ll know I can’t tell anyone else,” she thought. They were her litmus test, and much to her relief, neither picked up a stone to cast judgment. God was already making things beautiful. Not long after that, Rhonda found herself at a crisis pregnancy

banquet with a friend, and it ended up being a night she will never forget. “Somehow that night, my babies became real to me,” she said. “I realized that I’d missed out on their lives. I felt grief, not that I had aborted them, but that I had missed out. I felt so much grief.” Still, the first time she saw that Sagemont was offering an upcoming abortion recovery Bible study called Choosing to Heal, she didn’t think it pertained to her. “God, you’ve already healed me from that,” she thought, but in time He made it clear that there was still more healing to be done. “Of all the things that God has healed me from, going through the abortion recovery class has been the most profound,” Rhonda said. “The sin of abortion is such a devastating one because not only do we choose death instead of life, but there’s something about a woman that says, ‘I’m going to nurture my child and I’m going to lay down my life for my child.’ But when you choose abortion, it’s like you break a woman code, so in your own heart, it makes you question who you are as a woman, as a wife, and as a mother. It affects every choice in your life. So when you have an abortion, it’s not something you can just put in the past with the Band-Aids of ‘I’m forgiven’ over it. It’s something that stays with you and you never get out from underneath it until you deal with it.” Now that Rhonda has completed the abortion recovery class herself, she volunteers at a pro-life center in League City helping other women heal from the effects of abortion. “God loves our babies, and God loves the women who have aborted them,” she said. “Some of the women have held onto this secret for over thirty years, and helping them is one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve ever had.” But probably the most beautiful thing to come from Rhonda’s post-abortion recovery experience is a new depth in relationship with Christ. “He came for a woman who aborted three of her children and He loved me enough to forgive me. It’s made Jesus become that much more magnified in my life. I have no shame now. Abortion should be something I carry around for the rest of my life like a big ball and chain, but I don’t because of what Jesus did in my life.” “I know their names – Olivia, Luke, and Aisha,” she said. “He’s given me so much more to look forward to in heaven. I’ve got three children here and three in heaven, and I’ve got Jesus holding us in the middle all together as one family. It’s an amazing hope that I have for my future in heaven when my whole family is reunited.” “There’s a difference between being forgiven for abortion and letting Jesus come in and redeem it,” Rhonda said. And by redeeming it, He can make it beautiful. If you have experienced an abortion in your past and would like more information on Sagemont’s post-abortion recovery class, Choosing to Heal, please email choosingtoheal@ sagemontchurch.org. The fall semester begins September 10.

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Fall Bible Studies Mothering Matters September 11 – October 30 Tuesdays 9:00 – 11:30am “Balanced Living” by Focus on the Family Cost: $25

M&M Girls September 11 – October 23 Tuesdays 6:30 – 9:00pm “Nehemiah” by Kelly Minter Cost: $25

LifeTouch September 11 – October 30 Tuesdays 9:00 – 11:30am “James” by Beth Moore Cost: $20

Women In Touch Begins week of September 9 Meets in area homes at various times “Jonah” by Priscilla Shirer Cost: $20

“If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 1:7

SERVICE ON THE

ROAD

Register for the above Bible studies online today! Choosing to Heal September 10 – November 12 Her Choice to Heal by Sydna Masse Cost: $15 Confidential Registration Only at: [email protected]

ng i m o c ! soon

by Teri Fowlé

Holiday Brunch Monday, November 5 9:30am – 1:00pm Speaker: Elizabeth George

Women’s Conference 2013 February 22 – 23 Sagemont Worship Center Speakers: Lysa TerKeurst, Jeannette Clift George, Patsy Clairmont

be fo r e y o u sa y I D o a class for couples considering marriage

Sundays, September 30 - November 11 4:30 - 6:30 pm • Room WC1312 (North Wing) Each class features a different topic presented by various staff members The “Before You Say I Do” seminar is all about preparing you for marriage. You will explore how to improve and maximize your marriage. This class will help you discover the secrets of togetherness. It’s one seminar you can’t afford to miss. “Before You Say I Do” is open to members and non-members of Sagemont Church and is limited to 25 couples.

Registration: $40 per couple Register early online at www.sagemontchurch.org/bysid For more information, contact the Membership Involvement Office at 281.481.7136 or [email protected]

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T

he Sagemont RV Club is a group of about 20 couples who love fun, outdoors, and missions work. The group of Christian believers formed in 2000 and travel to multiple destinations each year to enjoy fellowship and nature. The group determined from their formation that service to others would be part of their purpose. These RVers consider modeling the love of Christ on the highway as part of their core purpose. They have purposed that as they travel, they will serve God by loving everyone they meet.

the center. Director Phil Springer, is from Deer Park, Texas and attended the Financial Freedom Seminar in the late 1990s. He became debt-free and then went to Trinity Pines to serve as the executive director in 2001. At the time, Trinity Pines was under a tremendous load of debt and Springer helped to turn the conference center around. Through his efforts, the volunteers from Sagemont and other places, and the grace of God, Trinity Pines is now debt-free and is an oasis to nearly 20,000 people each year.

Through the years the club traveled around Texas visiting points of interest and eating out. Then, they began to focus more and more on helping Trinity Pines Encampment. The club has worked there every April since 2000. They began adding a week in October in 2011.

Although this mission work performed twice a year may seem like a lot for such a small group of people, they also decided to fill a need for the Helping Hands Ministry of Sagemont. Nearly five years ago, the group learned that the Helping Hands Ministry needed help with the food pantry. As the ministry calls on the members of Sagemont to help fill the shelves in the food pantry, the RV Club members are those behind the scenes who organize the food collected and then sort it into boxes for distribution to families.

The RV Club members began their annual mission work at Trinity Pines Conference Center in the spring of 2000. Over the last 12 years, they have been involved in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting, air conditioning repair, landscaping and janitorial work at the conference center. Trinity Pines is located about 80 miles north of Houston on the shores of Lake Livingston. The Christian retreat center and camp serves Christian churches in the Gulf Coast area with hotel rooms, dorms, family cabins, conference space and recreational facilities. Phil Springer, director of Trinity Pines, has seen the love and serving spirit of the members of the RV Club. As he was starting his journey at Trinity Pines, the Sagemont RV Club showed up to volunteer and help with many construction projects. Springer noted, “They came, they served, they loved, they inspired, and they have come every year of the 12 years since I have been here.” As a side note, the conference center has a very direct connection to Sagemont church in addition to the RV club that travels to the camp every April and October to help maintain

For more than 12 years, these 20 couples (although they will tell you right away that this group welcomes anyone - you don’t have to be a “couple”) have been working together, camping together, playing together, enjoying the outdoors together and enjoying fellowship with Christian believers who are dedicated to serving the Lord and serving others. Those belonging to the club will testify that lasting Christian friendships have been formed among the members. An interesting fact about this charming group is that 13 of the 20 couples have been married for 50 years or longer. June Tyer, the current president, wishes to extend an invitation to any and all Sagemont RVers to join with the club for fun, fellowship, and service. For more club information please contact Carol Martin at 281.481.8770 and she will have a club member contact you.

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Sagemont Counseling Center Support Groups - Fall 2012 GROUP

DAY

STARTS

TIME

ROOM

Anger Management

WED

Ongoing

7:30 pm

112/WC1123

Chronic Pain

WED

Ongoing

7:15 pm

123/WC1103

Divorce Care

WED

Aug 22 - Nov 14 Jan 16 - Apr 10

7:15 pm

109/WC1125

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

WED

Ongoing

7:15 pm

111/WC1107

Grief Recovery

WED

First Wed each month

7:15 pm

110/WC1121

Inner Beauty

WED

Sep 12 - Oct 24 Sep 10 - Oct 29

6:00 - 7:45 pm

Counseling Center

Right Step

MON

Ongoing

7:30 pm

Annex/Youth Bldg

Right Step

WED

Ongoing

7:30 pm

Annex/Youth Bldg

Surviving the Holidays

WED

Nov 14

7:15 pm

WC1115

Untangling Relationships

MON

Ongoing

7:00 pm

112/WC1103

Understanding & managing anger

Managing & understanding chronic pain & fibromyalgia

Divorce/separation recovery

Grief recovery after death of a loved one

Young ladies struggling with self-worth, anxiety, depression or eating disorders

Christ-Centered 12-Step Program

Addiction & Codependency Recovery

Facing the upcoming holdiays alone after losing a loved one

The journey of overcoming codependency

September Staff Anniversaries Congratulations to the following friends and co-workers who celebrate an employment anniversary with Sagemont Church during the month of September. Ms. Tammy Fort 31 Years Administrative Assistant/iCONNECT Ministries Mr. Steve Jeter 19 Years Printer

“Howard and Bill Hendricks have provided Christians with an insightful and relevant look into understanding, applying, and experiencing the awesome power of God’s Word for our lives. This book needs to be an essential part of every believer’s life and library.” Dr. Tony Evans Senior Pastor, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship President, The Urban Alternative “A truly revolutionary book! The contents of this book completely changed how I read and study the Bible. If you are looking for a book that “puts the cookies on the lower shelf” and can equip you in your Bible study, you’ve found it! This is THE best book on Bible study and is destined to remain a classic.” Dr. Dennis Rainey President, Family Life Join the 20/20 or The Feast iCONNECT Bible study classes beginning September 16 as we start the classic book, “Living by the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible” by Howard and William Hendricks. No special skills are needed. If you can read, you can glean important insight from scripture. “Living by the Book” will help you engage God’s Word like never before. In simple step-by-step fashion, you’ll learn to let scripture speak to you individually, develop the tools to properly understand biblical text, and learn how to allow scripture to transform your life. Be prepared to have the fog surrounding scripture lifted and it become “a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). 20/20 (9:30 a.m.) and The Feast (11:15 a.m.) meet each Sunday morning in Room WC1330 (North Wing).

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(chapters 1-6)

Rev. Mike Schumacher 11 Years Associate Pastor/Counseling Ministry

9:30 a.m. Sundays September 30 - March 10 Cost: $26 Register online now through September 16!

Mrs. Mary Coward Eight Years Human Resources Director

God in the flesh! What would He be like? What would He do? How would He live in relationship to the Father once He came to earth?

Mrs. Judi Caudill Seven Years Pastoral Care Ministry Secretary

Many have described this study of the gospel of John as completely life-changing. Join us as we come to know more intimately the One who came to give us life.

Mrs. Patricia Daniels Four Years Financial Assistant

Call the Counseling Center at 281.481.7133 for a complete description of counseling resources and specific registration information.

Living by the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible

JOHN - THE WORD BECAME FLESH

SHARE JESUS

Wednesday Night Dinner September 5 - Ernie’s

Special Price: $5 per meal for everyone! Your Choice: Hamburger or 2 Hot Dogs, Chips, Drink, Ice Cream

September 12 - Luby’s

Meat Loaf of Oven Roasted Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Green Beans, Salad Bar, Roll, Strawberry Cake

September 19 - Ernie’s

Juicy Pot Roast or Chicken Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Salad Bar, Roll, Cobbler

Soul-Winning Class Wednesday, September 26 7:15 - 8:00 pm • Room 117

For information please contact James Birdsong at 281.485.0650 or 713.299.0643. This event is sponsored by the Men of Sagemont.

September 26 - Andy’s Hawg Wild Bar-B-Que Sliced Beef & Sausage, Potato Salad, Pinto Beans, Banana Pudding Serving lines open 4:15 - 5:50 pm

SAGEMONT LIFE (USPS 585730) is published monthly by Sagemont Baptist Church, 11300 S. Sam Houston Parkway E., Houston, Texas. Periodicals Postage Paid at Houston, TX. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SAGEMONT LIFE, 11300 S. Sam Houston Parkway E., Houston, TX 77089.

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