Patience... And I Need It Now!

Pastor Dave's sermon on patience probably spoke to all of us, and definitely used a good set of verses from Romans (next year's book). So it is worth posting here and considering again.

9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[a] Do not be conceited.

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[b]says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[c] 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romand 12:9-21

Doubt not that many of these will be FTVs for next year!

Worst Writing of 2005

Okay, this isn't about Quiz Team, the Bible, or even some topic we have once referenced at a quiz meet. But you have to check out the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest 2005 Results. This is an annual contest to write the worst possible opening to a hypothetical novel. Here are a few of my favorites.

"Max thought the night-time burglary at the California surfing museum would be a safe caper, but that was before he spotted the security cop riding a bull mastiff, blond hair blowing in the wind, and noticed the blue-and-white sign wired to the cyclone fence, "Guard dude on doggy.""

"The night resembled nothing so much as the nose of a giant Labrador in excellent health: cold, black, and wet."

"When Mr Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday, his children packed his bags and drove him to Golden Pastures retirement complex just off Interstate 95."

"The assassin drew his dagger - a simple line drawing in black ink on rose-tinted vellum."

Suddenly, I am wondeing if Midwinter should feature a contest for worst written Quiz Question of the year. Hmmmmmm....

Christian eCards

Interested in sending an encouraging note to a friend, but not satisfied with e-mail or (heresy!) the Quizzer's Pad chat area? Why not try out CrossDaily's free Christian eCards? They are a fun way to make a greeting a little special, without having to shell out the big bucks. And all of these cards contain a gospel theme.

(Please note, you do NOT need to become a member to send these cards. Be careful to keep your personal information private on the web... even on apparently "safe" sites!)

"What If" In Eden?

Things that make you say "Hmmmmmmmm...."

Star Wars Episode 3 DVD Release Date Set

E! Television News is reporting that the release date for Star Wars Episode 3 will be November 1st. The DVD will include the film and 2 new featurettes.

Although this movie is rated PG-13 and is not suitable for all ages, it is sure to be a popular gift for Christmas. Students, check with your parents before going out to buy this DVD.

"Buy an Ice Cream, For Pete's Sake!"

One of the staple of childhood (and teen-hood) memories is the babbling, chiming song of the Ice Cream Truck. Well, another member of the Quiz Team family - well, actually, the Brake Family - has embraced these memories with both arms. Pete Brake has founded Polar Pete's and is ready to rot the teeth of any teenager.

Polar Pete's Ice Cream LLC, was founded in the summer of 2004 by a lifelong Trumbull resident.
Pete loves owning a small business and is living the American dream! He knows that small businesses are the backbone of America and competiton is key to our free market economy. In fact, Pete is willing to fight for the American values that we all treasure. He's a soldier in the United States Army Reserve.

If you have not seen Pete around your neighborhood, don't despair. He is just starting up his business and focussing mostly on birthday parties. But keep your eyes and your ears open, as he may be coming your way next.

Creator vs. Creation

Interesting that Pastor John made mention of Romans 1 in this week's sermon. Paul, I believe, in writing to the church of Rome condemns mankind for revering created beings over the creator. This last weekend the family and I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC and witnessed this first hand. In the Egyptian exhibit there were many statues of deities and they were made to look like hybrids between men and animals. Genesis teaches that God created man in His own image but man has since created god in his own image.

Who Ran Home?

Take some time off from Bible questions and boost your baseball IQ. Want to know who led the Yankees in batting in 1982? Who had the best ERA on the Phillies pitching staff in 2001? All these facts and more can be found at Baseball Reference.com. This site is great for those of us who grew up following obscure players like Wally Whitehurst and Jeff Innis of the Mets or Roberto Kelly and Steve Balboni of the Yankees.

Promise Keepers going strong after 15 years!

I still remember when Promise Keepers was a new ministry - whispered about by evangelicals and worried about by feminist organizations because of its men-centric approach. But the ministry turns 15 years old this year, and it is still ministering to men across the country and reminding them of their special call from God. I went a couple of years ago, and while it was not life-changing for me - it was definitely challenging mentally, physically, and spiritually.

[As a 16-year-old], I was interested in coming to a Christian Convention, especially one that was fully for men. I could see God touching the lives of the men that went up to get saved, and I could see some of his miracles through several of the presentations, especially the video about Angola State Prison. I felt a calling to listen to God more and to have more of Him in my life. I resolved to try to have even more of the ideal Christian lifestyle which in my opinion would have more Bible reading and evangelism. It was awesome to be in the presence of so many men that were believers. I have never experienced anything quite like singing with over 11,000 other believers.
Adam
Springfield, VA

I would encourage the male quizzers on our team to approach their dads about possibly going together to an event this year or next year. We men forget that while God calls us to a life of freedom and equality, he has made each of the sexes different. And the needs that men have are often different from those that woman have, and the challenges that we face are often different. PK is an important organization as it reminds us of these important facts.

The Bible Lives on PS3 and XBox 360

Found this interesting article on the Video Game industry and its slow move toward producing Christian games. With games based on the Left Behind books already in production we are sure to see a surge in Bible based games.

Peru Team Hits a Few Bumps

We heard yesterday that the Missions Trip from Calvary that was due to go to Peru... has hit a few snags. (Honestly, I was home sick so I did not hear this first-hand.) So, at the moment, they are ministering in Dallas at a local VBS and helping with a couple of church plants. Still a critical ministry and one which may win many souls for Christ... but probably not what the kids of the leadership had in mind. Please be praying for them, for guidance of the Holy Spirit as they try to find God's path for them, for peace concerning the circumstances, and for a great power and unity in the team for the preaching, teaching, and loving of God's word.

Colin of Essex Fells on a Mission

We have another letter from the Essex Fells quiz team about a missions trip, and a request for prayer.

Colin is going on a mission trip from July 23- 30 with some of the other teens from our church. He will be travelling down to Master's Mission, located in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. The goal of Master's Mission is to train and send missionaries for a lifetime of service in reaching the world with the Word of God. Master's Missions offers an 11 month training program designed to prepare missionary families for all aspects of remote and urban missionary service worldwide.

Presently, one of the missionary families serving with Master's Missions in Kenya is home on furlough and staying at Master's Missions. They have been serving several years in a very remote area on Kenya, and they will be active with our youth on the mission trip. Our teens will be serving the faculty of Master's Mission helping them with work they need done on the property in various work projects. In addition, they will be involved with Bible Studies and as the kids interact with the mission staff, they will learn more about Christ and be challenged to grow closer to Him. Our missionary from Kenya who will be there with the group is a dymanic and outstanding Christian leader.

Slovakia Team Leaves July 22

Dagney Pitts has up on her Blog some information about the Slovakia trip that leaves... well... yesterday. Oops. Guess I missed the boat on this one, eh? Well, there is still time for us to start praying for the trip! I recommend prayers for travel mercies, protection in both a spiritual and physical sense, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they minister in a far-off land.

A Laugh to End the Week

This one is a little more obscure that some of the others, but it makes me laugh a lot more than some of the others.

Prayer Alert: London Again

Please be in prayer for Londoners again, as 4 more bombs have gone off in the London transportation system. It appears the bombs this time are smaller and there are no fatalities, but this is still a tragedy and the first-responders and victims need prayer. Not to mention all of the bystanders who are feeling the fear and uncertainty of these times.

Fire at Middlebrook School

There was a fire at Middlebrook School in Trumbull yesterday. WICC is reporting that the fire was started accidently on the roof on the new building being built behind the main building. There are no known fatalities, but several fire fighters were suffering from exhaustion after fighting the fire. Pray that the fire fighters will be alright and that the town will be able to do their investigation quickly so that the school can be ready for children in September.

Online Bible Games!

Got the summer blahs? Too hot, hazy, and humid outside for fun and games? Or trapped inside by that nasty summer flu that is going around? Why not play a few rounds at BibleStudyGames.Com? They have Java-based online games for trivia, cross-word puzzles, and find-a-word puzzles. Not exactly the latest and greatest in video game technology, but it is free online for anyone to use.

Please note, this does require a Web Browser with Java enabled.

Hot, Hazy, and Humid... But Played Hard!

The Calvary2 Softball Team had their latest game Monday night at Island Brook Park in Trumbull, CT. It was one of the wettest games thus far - when the water was not falling from the sky, it was hanging thick in the air and making it hard to breathe. But the guys played hard despite the horrible conditions.

It was hardly a pretty game nor one easily photographed. But the guys are keeping their spirits up. Next game is Thursday, July 28 at 6:30 PM at Long Hill Field in Trumbull, CT.

Lion + Witch + Wardrobe = Christian Music Bonanza!

Well, we are now all aware that C.S. Lewis's classic book is being made into a movie. But were we all aware that a plethora of Christian artists are lending their voices to a supplemental sountrack CD? I thought not!

In addition to her second album, IMAGINATION, releasing nationwide August 16, Bethany Dillon has also contributed an original new song, “Hero,” to MUSIC INSPIRED BY: THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, in stores September 27.
This must-hear movie soundtrack will also feature contributions from Steven Curtis Chapman, Nichole Nordeman, tobyMac, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, Jars of Clay, and other top Christian artists.

The Narnia series shaped a lot of how I view the world, and I know that I am not alone. Here is hoping the movie and this music helps to elucidate the gospel for millions around the world.

Short in length, not on stature

Interested in researching a short term missions trip? Why not check out short term missions.com. Here you can find helpful information on planning a missions trip and important questions to ask before going on a missions trip. Click the link below for more information.

http://www.shorttermmissions.com/

Have any additional questions about how Calvary handles missions trips? Ask your coaches to point you to someone on the Missions committee.

Summer Spectacular Pics

Well, the week is over and apparently it went very well. Our man on the spot got some pictures of the event, and of some current and former quizzers. Please report any of your own experiences below in the comments. We'd love to get the first-hand details.

Calvary Softball Is Pumped Up!

Calvary 2's quest for the golden shoelace (or whatever is the top prize in their league, no one can seem to tell me) continued last Thursday with a game against Custom Air Systems. It was a hard-fought battle between the titans with amazing plays on both sides. (Mostly our side, of course.) It was clearly Calvary 2's best game to date, and a sign of greatness to come.

The next game will be Monday, July 18 at 6:30 pm at Island Brook Park in Trumbull. Quizzers and friends and families of quizzers are encouraged to come out and show their support for the Calvary cause! The person there with the best sign or best cheer, or possibly just the best smile, may win a prize.

Jim's Wonderful World of Sprinklers!

Ever wonder what Jim and Matt do when they are not asking questions, keeping time, keeping score (oops, that's Mark, isn't it?), or generally herding teens from van to church to van to pretzel factory? Well, why not check out Brake Fire Protection's home page? There you will see that Jim is not only a spiritual warrior, saving souls from the fires of Hell. He is also a darn good engineer who works hard to save people from fires right here on earth!

Oh, and be cautious of the Photo Gallery if you have a weak stomach or are sensitive to poor plumbing design.

No Further Comment Needed

MWS Movie Trailer is Now Online!

We mentioned a week or two back that Michael W Smith has a movie coming. (Actually Sean reminded us it is also a Steve Taylor movie.) Well, now the site has up a trailer in RealMedia and Windows Media formats. I must admit that I have not seen it yet - my Mac doesn't have either player installed - but it comes highly recommended by others who have seen it.

Looking for a Sweet Summer Job?

If any of the quizzers out there are still looking for a summer job, this one might just be someone's ideal!

Researchers at Griffin Hospital in Derby are looking for people willing to eat chocolate for science.
They're doing a study on the benefits of chocolate and cardiac health. The study is being funded by The Hershey company.
One of the researchers says that aside from being tasty, dark chocolate contains a high concentration of flavanols, the same chemicals found in red wine and green tea.

Sounds a whole lot better than my typical summer job during high school. Let's just say I was a lot more involved in producing fast food than in consuming it.

Its Like Sunday, Everyday

Hershey Evangelical Free Church now has a new feature on their website. You can listen to Sunday sermons online. You can actually listen to many sermons from weeks past as well. So now, when you have a hankering for a sermon, just paste the following link into your browser and go.

http://www.hersheyfree.com/sermons.htm

These files can either be played as streaming audio or downloaded as an MP3 and trnsfered to your iPod or other MP3 player. Enjoy!

Adam and Eve Humor

This is certainly a different perspective on the Creation story.

TheologyWeb Arcade!

Okay, I had no time to post anything earlier today, but now thatg there is a little time, how about something quite fun? TheologyWeb.Com, a site who counts a former Trumbull quizzer among its administators, has an interesting section of its site. It is dedicated to flash-based arcade games. Try a few of them out, including some classic games like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong! They should run on most modern browsers, and saves high scores amongst all of its players. Of course, beating the reigning champions may be a bit of a challenge. Especially those college and seminary students who play all day, and study all night.

Summer Spectacular 2005!

It is that time of year again, when the kids are smiling and the volunteers are hopeful but haggard. That's right, it is time for Vacation Bible School, or as Calvary EFC calls it more commonly these days "Summaer Spectacular". A number of quizzers will be working to help out with the swarms of little 'uns, so please be praying for them and that God will touch young hearts and lives.

I have lost count of the number of people I know who were saved at VBS. May this be another banner year for welcoming newcomers into the family of God.

Ready for Some Weekend Fun

I am *SO* glad it is finally the weekend. Time for some rest, relaxation, and a few laughs.

Oh, Deer! Calvary 2 Softball!

Calvary 2 vs. Tech Depot
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Clvary 2 played last night against Tech Depot, and while they did fail to put a dent in the visiting teams undefeated record, they had a special visitor on the field! Obviously, even Bambi could not stay away from the adventure and excitement that is Calvary Softball!

The next game is Thursday, July 14 at Tashua Field.

Prayer Alert: Rush Hour Bombings in London

According to CNN, there have been multiple bombings during rush hour in Britain which appear to have at least hit a crowded double-decker bus and the subways. Thre have been fatalities reported. We need to be in prayer for the British people for peace and calm, healing for the wounded, comfort for the bereaved, protection for the survivors, and wisdom for their leaders. We also need to be praying for our own leaders as we consider how best to respond and help our allies "across the pond." Please be praying for wisdom from the President, Congress, and the various caritable American organizations like the Red Cross who can be there in this time of need.

Remember, God has given us a tool in prayer, so that we need not simply sit by the sidelines during crises like these. We can be active in coming before the Throne of Grace.

Narnia Trailer Online!

The excitement for the upcoming "Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" film continues to mount. And now you can find the trailer online and view it anytime.
Here's hoping it has the staying power of Star Wars and the ability to wow modern audiences like Lord of the Rings!

Jade of Essex Fells Quiz Team on a Mission to France

We have word from our friends from Essex Fells that not only Trumbull kids are going on missions trips! Jade from Essex Fells is on her way to the land of cheese and elongated bread!

Jade left for France on Wednesday, June 29 and has arrived safely. From Paris she took a connecting flight to Lyon where she spent the night at the home of the director of the Evangelical Free Church Mission of Europe. The next day she took a train to Montpellier in the south of France to stay with a Christian friend, Karine, who she met last summer during her mission trip. Today,Monday, Karine's parents are taking both Jade and Karine to the French Evangelical Free Youth Camp, La Costette, where they will stay for 3 weeks
studying the Bible, listening to speakers and participating in theater workshops. The camp is rustic itself, but to give a greater challenge, the leaders take the teenagers on overnights into the mountains to camp. In fact, starting tonight, continuing through the next three days, Jade will be camping under the open skies in the French mountains "off site" from the main camp, bringing only what she can carry on her back!

Obviously, all teachings and devotionals will be in the French language, but Jade has already told us that she feels very comfortable speaking the language and can understand well. She will be in a totally French environment with many other French teenagers for 3 weeks, and most likely will not be able to call home since the camp is located in the mountains
secluded from civilization! (She does have an international cell phone for her parents peace of mind!)

After her 3 week camping experience, Jade will stay with a missionary family, the same family who she lived with last summer in Montpellier, but now they have moved to city near the Alps, Lyon. Lord willing, Hayley and I will be joining Jade and our French friends on July 27! We will spend a week in Lyon and then 4 days in Paris before returning home with Jade on Aug. 8.

Thanks for your prayers for Jade. Some requests are that she will,,,
*Be an example of Christ to the French teenagers
*Share her testimony clearly with her peers
*Show "American" love for the French
*Show the French that Christ's love crosses international barriers
*Be able to understand all the teachings in French.
*Adjust to very rustic accommodations
*Adjust to the lean cuisine of the French camp
*Make many new friends
*Keep healthy, be safe and get sleep
*Be at peace as she will not be able to contact her family for the next 3 weeks as she is in the mountains

Praise God...
*she has arrived safely to all her destinations- Paris, Lyon, Montpellier and the French EV Free Youth Camp
*for all the people in France that helped her arrive safely
*she was able to attend the farewell church service for the missionary family (who she lived with last summer) at their church plant in Montpellier and was able to see again the many friends in the congregation that she had made last year
*she overcame jet lag and was ready for camp
*her French friend, Karine, and her family welcomed Jade into their home with lots of love for a few days before the start of camp
*Karine's family drove the girls to camp and helped them get settled there
*Jade is happy and is thrilled to be in France
*She is excited to learn how God will use her there and use this experience to teach her more about Him and His will for her.

Get praying! Prayer warriors are key to the success of spiritual warfare.

Starting the Week Off with a Smile

No commentary needed on this one.

Happy Independence Day!

It is now 2:31 AM and my shift at work is about to come to an end... in about 4 hours. (I can hear the words from all over quizzer-dom, "Poor Mark!") Anyway, I just wanted to wish all of our readers a HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, and leave you with this verse from Romans regarding Freedom.

that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. - Romans 8:21

World's Oldest Bible is Going Online

There are a lot of ways to view the Bible online these days. My favrite is Bible Gateway. But there is also Bible.Com and Audio Bible and others. But now, Saint Catherine's Monastery at Mount Sainai in Egypt plans to put scans of the worlds oldest extant bible - the Codex Sinaticus - online! They willl even provide the scans in frequencies other than visible light, to help highlight text which has worn away over centuries, but is visible under ultra-violet of other lights. This is very interesting, and will no doubt help Bible students all over the globe better undertand the original text!

National Bible Champion Crowned

The longer this site is active, the more amazed I am at how many different kinds of Bible Quizzing are out there. This week the National Bible Champion was crowned in Flint Michigan. This kind of quizzing is not about Bible memory, but about Bible factual knowledge. I suspect most quizzers I know would do very well at this one.

When it comes to reading the Bible, 17-year-old Blake Strozier is a champ.

The Antioch Baptist Church youth leader brought home the first-place trophy in the National Baptist Convention's Junior National Bible Bowl by correctly answering such questions as:
- What was the name of Jesus' brother?
- What king was allowed to build the temple in Jerusalem?
- What city did the Israelites have to conquer to enter the Promised Land?
And answer them fast.
Like contestants on "Jeopardy," the young competitors hit buzzers if they thought they knew the answers.
Strozier was declared the winner after correctly identifying "who will come back for the church."
"Everyone buzzed in and said God, and it was Jesus," Strozier said. It was the last of "about 16" answers he had supplied.

Calvary 2 vs CHS Softball Game!

We didn't think it was going to happen, after all of the rain that we hav beeen seeing. But it did! Calvary 2 played the CHS Softball team last night at Long Hill Field in Trumbull, CT. It was a hard-fought battle, and until the very last inning, it looked like the good guys were going to pull out their first win. But it was not to be.

The next game is Thursday, July 7, at Tashua Field in Trumbull.