July 2017
(Editor’s Note: There has been a lot of controversy about the issue of “judging” in our world and even in our
churches. So, I asked some of our local pastors, our spiritual leaders, to give us their take.
Derek Carr Talks About New Raider Contract
Page 9 Sponsor Spotlight Youthful Courage Stables
Pastor Bob Ouzts The Bride Church, YC “Judge not that you be not judged”, Mathew 7:1. This is one of the most misquoted verses in all of scripture and often the most memorized! Used by both believers and non-believers in opposition to judgement. Often it is packed around like ammunition ready to be discharged like a firearm against any judgment at all. Jesus in the “Judge not” passage goes
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Pastor Greg Mansur Adventure Church, YC Perhaps one of the most quoted passages from the Bible is from Matthew 7. The first verse says, “judge not, that you be not judged.” In our ultra-sensitive society, many have, of course, interpreted that to mean “leave me alone; you have no right to tell me what to do.” But is that really what it’s saying? Are we really supposed to simply “live and let
Pastor Dave Peterson Loma Rica Baptist Church Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye?4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look,
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Supreme Court Victory!!!
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THE AMBASSADOR ?The Ambassador is a free, monthly publication promoting unity and revival among the local Yuba-Sutter area Bible-believing churches. ?The Ambassador has a circulation of 6,000 - 7,500 and is distributed in local churches and businesses in the community. ?The purpose of The Ambassador is to pursue the great commission of Christ by making disciples and to encourage, inform, challenge and connect the local body of Christ. ?We believe in the inspiration and authority of the Bible as the written word of God. We believe that God exists as One, in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ?We believe that the atoning work of Christ (His death) on the cross and His resurrection is the ONLY means of salvation and the only way to Eternal Life in Heaven. ?We welcome editorial content from anyone wishing to promote the mission of The Ambassador. All articles and advertisement content is subject to the approval of the editor. Views expressed in The Ambassador do not necessarily reflect those of our sponsors or advertisers
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INSPIRATION
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The Ultimate Hamburger
eagerly contributed to the occasion. Finally, all the food was cooked, and the boys began building their hamburgers. I have never seen burgers so tall. The competition to bite into them was hilarious. There was plenty of food to go around and some left over for the houseparents to enjoy when they got back from
their “break.” The Lord delights to reveal truths of His kingdom in ordinary things, so I wasn’t too surprised when I started seeing a spiritual application in the hamburgers. (Please bear with me if this seems odd to you). You see, I provided all the ingredients
for the hamburgers, free, without expecting anything in return. I did it out of immense love for twelve boys who have come out of desperate situations and are ready to launch into the uncertainty of adulthood. In the same way, Jesus provided, free, our salvation from the penalty of our sins. Yet, Paul wrote in Philippians 2:12-13 that we should “..work out our own salvation...for it is God who works in you.” So, how does building a hamburger relate to working out our salvation? Think of the bun. It is bread. Jesus said He is the bread of life. Life in Him satisfies our heart hunger. The meat is going beyond the baby food of God’s Word and digging deeply into its life-giving truths. The lettuce can remind us of the command, let us “not give up meeting together...but encourage one another (Hebrews 10:25). As I accept God’s free gift of salvation and work it out to become more like Him in my daily walk, He promises to bless me from my head to-my-toes. (Sorry! That was the best I could come up with for tomatoes!) During this season of barbeques, my prayer is that we build more than the ultimate hamburger that satisfies only earthly hunger. Let’s build on “soul food” that satisfies our hearts eternally.
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by Paula McBride At the top of my list of favorite places to visit is the village of Vicente Guerrero on the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. Located there is Hogar Para Niños, the home for needy children where I served as a volunteer teacher for two and a half years. Now I go back as sort of a “visiting grandmother” since I thrill to see the growth of “my kids” physically, educationally, and spiritually. Over time, I have built a relationship with the twelve teenage boys who live in Casa 7. On a recent visit, I asked them what they would like to eat if I were to treat them to a special meal. “Hamburgers!” they agreed. On the afternoon of the feast, I entered Casa 7 with armloads of buns, eights pounds of freshly ground meat, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and other essentials. “Okay, get to work!” I told the boys. “What?” they questioned. “I bought the stuff,” I answered. “But you have to do the cooking.” And they did. Some patted out the burgers, others cooked them in a small pan over one burner on the stove. Another sliced the tomatoes, another the onions, and others set the table. The house father had prepared potatoes to fry for a side dish. The boys took turns cooking those. Each
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INSPIRATION
• • • Victor • • • by April James Oh, how the battles seem to rage long and hard in the midst of them, where troubles come from every direction, in ways we’ve never experienced before and the other side is not fighting fairly. Alas, the unfairness and dirty ways should be no surprise; the enemy pulls out every deceitful and hurtful tactic with which to come at us. He studies his targets in order to know how to inflict the greatest pain. He uses circumstances, piling them one on top another, trying to wear us down; he even uses people, worst of all our loved ones and closest friends. He launches every fiery dart in his arsenal desiring to bring us down; he is already defeated and wants us to be as well. In low and dark periods, we may be inclined to turn our thoughts from focusing heavenward to focusing inward, thinking about worst case scenarios and even begin complaining to God. As we do, if we’re willing to hear, we might just detect Him saying, “Hear My whispers, don’t be anxious, I am here – you are not
alone in this situation. I know it does not seem fair what you are enduring and your right, it isn’t. Let my grace be sufficient to carry you, let my love cradle you and
comfort your hurting heart. Let my joy fill you and strengthen you for each new day. Don’t hold on to the injustice, it will only weigh you down, let my righteousness
fill you and be the wind beneath your wings to raise you to new heights. As you react with a different spirit than those who attack you – hot coals will be heaped upon them. They will know I am in you, that I am your victor, and the victory in which you walk. Be strong and of good courage, the final battle will be yours. Grace and peace to you my beloved one.” One day, we will have complete freedom from the adversary and his wily ways; until that day arrives let us take a stance of a victor over - versus victim of, the defeated foe, being aware of his cunning ways while knowing who we are in Christ Jesus, full of authority to be an overcomer, a victor. Luke 10:19 (AMP) tells us “Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you”. The enemy would try to have us think differently, that we are defeated and helpless, but whose report will we choose to believe?
“Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on [a]serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you”
Luke 10:19 (AMP).
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The Voice of the Christian Community, Serving Yuba, Sutter, and Butte Counties
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Ongoing Events SUNDAY AWANA CLUB Sundays 5:30-7:00 pm. Check in is at 5:15 pm. Grace Baptist Church - 1980 S. Walton Ave. (Bogue & Walton) Awana is an amazing children’s program for ages 3-grade 6. Join this new Club as it begins! Kids memorize Scripture, play games and learn lots! Call 530-673-6847 for information. Info: Ed Han 209-298-6102 You are invited to come and receive special prayer for divine healing or prophetic guidance. Our prayer teams will pray with you for your needs.
MONDAY KNIT & CROCHET WOMENS FELLOWSHIP Mondays 10:00 a.m. - Noon First Baptist Church - 1777 8th Ave. - Olivehurst Practice your yarn craft or learn a new one with us. Knifty Knitters are welcome. Bring your own project or work on a charity item that we donate to those in need in the community. Email yarncraftersforchrist@hotmail.com for info. FREE KARATE CLASSES Mondays 5:30 pm - FREE karate classes taught from a Christian perspective. First Baptist Church - 1777 8th Ave. - Olivehurst, 743-1831 for info, Pastor Miguel. CELEBRATE RECOVERY Mondays 6:30p.m.-8:30p.m. We are a Christ-Centered recovery group that provides a safe place to share your struggles,experiences, victories, and hopes with others who are also going through to Christ Centered recovery. For more info call 530.755.4149. Follow us on Facebook @ Celebrate Recovery Crossroads Community Church
TUESDAY ENCOUNTERING GOD 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Every Tuesday Morning Embassy of Heaven Campus 1179 Eager Rd., YC - (Hwy 99 @ Eager Rd.) 530-671-3160 www.churchofgladtidings.com Our Tuesday morning meetings begin with a time of worship. Afterwards we rely on the Holy Spirit to lead us to minister to each other, encourage each other, and build our hunger and desire for the things of God. Childcare is provided. CRAFTSMEN FOR CHRIST Meets every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Bride Church - 655 Colusa Hwy, YC Men’s fellowship around the word and worship. All in the Body of Christ welcome! CHRISTIAN BUSINESS ALLIANCE First Tuesday of Every Month, Noon - 1:00 p.m. The Bride Church - 1321 Peach Tree Ln, YC Join us for a time of fellowship, prayer & encouragement. All are welcome! SAMARITAN VILLAGE MONTHLY MEETING The 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:30p.m. This meeting is open to all who are interested in helping with an orphanage in Tanzania. For info call Victor Savage at 671-2219. PRAYER FOR THE NATION - Every Tuesday Evening @ 7PM Embassy of Heaven Campus - Church of Glad Tidings- Bldg 200 1179 Eager Road, Yuba City Info: Stephanie Steele 530-870-6906 www.churchofgladtidings.com Join us as we intercede for our region and our nation
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WEDNESDAY FREE BIBLE COLLEGE CLASSES - Wednesday Mornings 10:00 a.m. First Baptist Church - 1777 8th Ave., Olivehurst Starting in January 2015 you can earn an accredited bible college degree … all books are in public domain and you only need a tablet, computer or some type of electronic reader. We can print them out for a small charge. You will need a King James Bible to get started. fbco@comcast.net for more information. ENROLL TODAY! AWANA Wednesday 5:45-7:45 p.m. during school year Evangelical Free Church - 3785 Olive Hwy. Oroville Awana is a boys & girls club consisting of small group time, games, large group time. For information please call 533-6866. LIFE @ HOPE POINT Wednesday @ 6:30 pm for kids, 7:00 p.m. for adults Hope Point Nazarene - 600 N. George Washington Blvd, YC Join us for Life@Hope Point - groups for Nursery through High School ages and classes for adults Parenting, How to Study your Bible, more so contact the church office at 671-1130 for more details. TUESDAY FRIDAY LIFE RECOVERY meets every Friday night at 7:00 PM (except the last Friday of the month) in the social hall of Loma Rica Community Church. Contact Church Office at 743.5435 for more information. TUESDAY
SATURDAY
BETHESDA HEALING WELL - Saturday, July15th at 10AM Embassy of Heaven Campus - Bldg 200 - 1179 Eager Road, YC You are invited to come and receive special prayer for divine healing or prophetic guidance. Our prayer teams will pray with you for your needs. For more info.,Ed Han 209-298-6102
multiple days of the week WOMENS CLOTHES CLOSET Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 8:00 a.m. - Noon Twin Cities Rescue Mission- 940 14th Street, Marysville We now have a womens clothes closet at the mission! It is free and available to everyone. We accept donations Monday - Sunday of women’s men’s, and children’s clothing! CROSSROADS CLOTHES CLOSET Open Mon - Fri 10am - 4pm -Shop at our - FREE Clothes given away! Crossroads Community Church, YC FRIENDS FOR SURVIVAL SUICIDE LOSS SUPPORT GROUP 4th Tuesday of the month, 6:30 PM 715 King Ave., (off Clark Ave.) Yuba City_ Support for people who lost loved ones to suicide. Contact person, Becky Reimers (530) 454-7698, ffs.ysc@gmail.com EHOP PRAYER - Every Wednesday & Thursday, 7:00 p.m. Embassy of Heaven Campus - Church of Glad Tidings - Bldg. 200 - 1179 Eager Road, YC 530-671-3160 - www.churchofgladtidings.com “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” (Matt. 21:13). The church today in is an all out war against the evils of darkness. The body of Christ is called to step up and be aggressive in their prayer life. PRAYER VIGIL FOR LIFE! Yuba-Sutter Right to Life is hosting peaceful, prayerful vigils in front of the Yuba City Planned Parenthood. All you need to participate is one hour and the desire to pray for LIFE. Please contact Heather Pugh at 751-9349 for date and time if you are interested.
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Special Events FAITH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL AND THE FCS PLAYERS PRESENT MADAGASCAR – THE MUSICAL ADVENTURE! Yuba City First United Methodist Church Theater, 3101 Colusa Hwy, Yuba City Wednesday – Friday, July 12, 13, 14 - 7:00 pm; Saturday Matinee, July 15 - 1:00 pm The award-winning FCS Players present Madagascar – the Musical Adventure featuring music, dance and fun for the whole family! Tickets: $10.00 General, $8.00 Students/ Seniors/Active Duty Military; on sale at the theater Monday - Friday 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and at the door! Call 530-674-5474 for more info or visit www. fcs-k12.org
ANNUAL HOMECOMING CELEBRATION Mt. Olivet Baptist Church2284 McGowan Parkway, Olivehurst Saturday, July 15, -11am You are invited to our annual Family and friend day celebration. You may bring a guest. Come and enjoy a great day of praise, worship, picnic style outdoor activities – including games, fun and festivities. Have questions? Please call Brother Blackwell at (530) 741-8002. WOMEN OF PURPOSE July 28th ,6pm El Zarape Restaurant, YC Please join us for a time of fellowship and encouragement. For info contact Letty Wilson – leticiawilson@att.net
Check Out The New Ambassador Calendar Of Events! Learn About Events For The Local Christian Community -- All In One Place! Visit www.ambassadornewspaper.com and click on the “Ambassador Calendar”
WILLIAM HOON GARDENING
Prayer Calendar for July 2017 5-Jul Military, All armed forces & their families. 6-Jul Global Persecution-Safety/Courage of Believers 7-Jul Missing Teens & children- pray for protection and found safe 8-Jul Middle East - For the peace of Jerusalem 9-Jul ISIS/Terrorism- pray for wisdom & strong leadership to eradicade it 10-Jul Homeless/Poor - Twin Cities Rescue Mission, A Hand Up, Salvation Army 11-Jul A Woman’s Friend - Unborn children/Pregnant Women 12-Jul President Trump- God’s Wisdom in decisions & communication 13-Jul Christian Businesses-Ambassador Sponsors & others. 14-Jul Missionaries -Fruit, Provision 15-Jul Singles, Single Parents, Divorce healing 16-Jul Orphan children- Samaritan Village (see p. 3) and other orphanages 17-Jul First Responders-Police, Firefighters, EMT, TIP 18-Jul Children and Children’s Ministries 19-Jul Hollywood- May God to touch influential people 20-Jul Sex Trafficking - pray for victims 21-Jul HEAT - Pray for protection from severe hot weather 22-Jul Addicted, Rehab ministries- Feather River Mens Center, Joshua House, Celebrate Recovery 23-Jul Seniors and Elderly- pray for support and protection from heat 24-Jul The Ambassador Newspaper-Increased readership and Impact 25-Jul Teen Depression, Suicide 26-Jul Local officials and community leaders 27-Jul State lawmakers- Pray for Assemblyman James Gallagher and others who represent us 28-Jul Local Pastors and their families 29-Jul Adoptive families & birth moms 30-Jul War-torn nations- pray for peace and protection especially for civilians 31-Jul Struggling Women- Pray for Lydia’s House, Twin Rivers Crisis Center, Casa Esperanza
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COMMUNITY CBA MARKETPLACE MONTHLY Was it Worth it?
In our walk with Christ, it can be difficult to effectively judge the effectiveness of an event like “Faith Night.” As most of you know, Faith Night was Friday, June 23rd. Our speaker, Larry Koen, did an outstanding job not only presenting the Gospel but packaging his overall message in a very creative fashion. With secular events, success can be easily measured by attendance, product and food sales as well as the overall net profit of the event. Not so with an event like Faith Night. I often pray that God would show up in a tangible
way pouring out His spirit like He did at Pentecost. (a bit optimistic I know, but always hope for the miraculous) So, when I don’t see any measurable results, it can be a bit discouraging. I was even pondering before writing this article about recommending to the board of directors for the CBA that we bring an end to Faith Night. (this decision is not mine alone, the board ultimately would decide) However, while having this thought, the Lord brought to mind a powerful verse that put everything into perfect perspective. Isaiah 55:11 (NIV) So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. With that verse in mind, I went from discouragement to being highly encouraged. I have no idea if anyone accepted Christ that night but I do trust God and His Word and am confident that there was and will be spiritual fruit that will last for eternity.
David Kugelman is the president of the Christian Business Alliance which meets each Tuesday at noon at various locations. Dave welcomes your questions or comments on this article at drkug@comcast.net
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Who Said It? Bible Quiz 1. “Are you the king of the Jews?” 2. “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 3. “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” 4. “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” 5. “How can someone be born when they are old? … Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 6. “Do you understand what you are reading?” clock face that reads 3:00 7. “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me…” 8. “I am the Lord’s servant,”... “May your
word to me be fulfilled.” 9. “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly?” 10. “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” 11. “Are you going to wash my feet?” 12. “Don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 13. “He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David…”
Answers on page 17
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Derek Carr, NFL’s Highest-Paid Player, Says He’ll Tithe, Buy Chick-fil-A, Help People Worldwide By Anugrah Kumar Christian Post Contributor
Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who is now the NFL’s highest paid player, was asked what he’s going to buy. The Christian athlete said he will pay his tithe, eat at Chick-fil-A and “help a lot of people around the world.” A reporter at a press conference asked
Carr, who signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the Oakland Raiders this week, what does he plan on splurging on after his huge payday? “I’ve been eating clean. We got (Raiders’ Director of Nutrition) Ladd (Harris) here, he’s been having me eat clean. I’ll probably get Chick-fil-A,” Carr said. “But, no, first thing I’ll do is I’ll pay my tithe like I have since I was in college, getting $700 on scholarship check. That won’t change.” The $25 million per year contract is a record breaker in the NFL. The quarterback said that the money can “help a lot of people around the world,” and mentioned his recent visit to Haiti. “The exciting thing for me, moneywise, honestly, is this money is going to
help a lot of people,” he said. “Not only in this country, but in a lot of countries around the world. That’s what’s exciting to me.” After his trip to Haiti last April, Carr wrote on his Facebook page, “Haiti was amazing! These kids in this picture are on fire for Jesus. They lead their own worship service every single night to sing their praises of how good God is to them. They come from unbelievable stories and basically nothing. Some have even had to eat anything from rocks to even mud just to fill their bellies. Now they have been given a nice bed, schooling, and meals everyday by Gods Grace through Love A Child. The young lady leading the service was praying one night and said... ‘Lord you owe us nothing, but we owe you
everything.’” At the conference, Carr also said he will buy something for his wife. “(Then) I’ll probably get my wife something nice, even though she begs me not to.” Carr is vocal about his Christian faith. He said earlier, “I have a very strong faith in God. He is the reason I play football. He has given me this special talent and I want to use it to glorify Him. I am grateful for the opportunity to further His kingdom by sharing my faith on and off the football field. At any moment, any second, my football career could be taken away, but my faith and relationship with God will never be taken from me.” He has also stated that the “three most important things in my life are faith, family and football.”
The Ambassador Ministry
would like to thank the following people for their Individual Sponsorship
John Nicholls Rich & Joan Hackney Kathy Baum Carrie Pederson Marty Brown Tom Harris Wendell Prine Warren & Lucy Campbell Allen Halpern Mimi Robarge Rita Collins April James Jeff Royce LaDonna Curteman Sandi Juri George & Cherie Shaw Sue Kochi Chuck David Robert E. Stark Clay Maynard Christine Emerson Josh Vanassche Jim McCarty Bob Gilbert
God Bless Each Of You For Your Support Of This Ministry And Our Community •••
If you would be interested in supporting The Ambassador as an Individual Sponsor ($20/month) please contact Seth Halpern at: editor@ambassadornewspaper.com or call 530-933-1385 or visit us online at www.ambassadornewspaper.com
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CAUGHT SERVING @ FAITH NIGHT
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I grew up in a Christian home with my very loving and supportive family. I have 2 younger sisters and 1 older brother and my Mom and Dad, Brigitte and Eckhard Kaesekamp. We were born in Germany. I was five years old when we moved to Canada Ontario. We moved to Canada because the Lord told my dad that this is where He wanted us to move. At that time, we didn’t have many connections in Canada but believed by faith that the Lord would provide the way. We found a wonderful church family that helped us. At first, we lived in the basement of that church for about two months before finding an old farm house that we moved into. My dad then also found work. Things were not looking too good between my dad and his boss. One day, my dad was in the vineyard working when his boss came and shot at him! With Gods hand around my dad, he was not hurt. That very night, he packed
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Stephanie Kaesekamp - Youthful Courage Stables us all up and we moved to a new location. Later, my dad started up his own Grapevine nursery business in Vinland Ontario. The Lord had his hand upon our lives and he blessed the business. During our time, moving from place to place, we finally found home. Those times were not easy but as I witnessed the caring hearts that my parents had for others and as we struggled through the difficult times we were caring and loving towards others. To those that needed food we gave food; for those who needed shelter for an abusive situation, our doors were always open. helping others.
In 2000, we made another big move. This move was to California because my dad’s business was growing in the States. My dad found a wonderful place in California in Lake County. I then decided to take a job in Washington state at a Christian camp working with the horses and kids during their summer camps. I loved sharing Christ with others there too. I then came home for awhile and took on a job at a horse ranch where I trained and taught riding lessons. I was also able to mentor two young ladies and bringing them closer to the Lord. I brought them with me to church youth
groups and other events. One of the Girls came from a home that was not good for her. She came dirty and full of head lice. As I invited her into our home, I gave a headlice treatment and she always loved coming over. I enjoyed mentoring her. I felt God use me especially one night when she wanted to run away. The Lord helped me to calm her down. Working with her also inspired me to continue helping other girls and bringing them hope through the love and power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In 2007, I went to YWAM (Youth with a Mission) for 5 months. This truly opened my eyes! God Spoke to me so clearly and I loved being so close to Him. I learned that I am unique and wonderfully made, crafted together. God has shown me my wonderful gift which is to help young people find their identity through Christ. He is waiting for someone to reach out to them and show them God’s love and mercy. I want to be that vessel for Him. I have my hands open and am not holding back. In 2011, there was a big trial within my dad’s business. We went into bankruptcy and lost everything. This was very devastating for my family, even though my dad found work in Knights Landing.
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My dad gave up on ever owning his own company again and just worked for this nursery with my brother. Through this very trying time, my dad kept his faith. Fast forwarding to now, God blessed him with his own company again. To this day, it is going very strong. It reminded me of the story of Job, where he lost everything but God blessed him a hundred times over. Dad’s new business name is Knights Grapevine Nursery. That year, I found a new job in Visalia, CA. working at a therapeutic riding program for kids and adults with special needs. I was there for almost three years and learned so much, working with the children and seeing them push through
struggles each day. I love the smile it brings to their faces being on the back of that big moving horse. Each moment with them was so wonderful. I came back home in 2013 and my sister and brother in law encouraged me to help them start a business helping people through horseback riding lessons. In January of this year, the Lord has blessed me in starting my own business. One of my favorite quote is “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” One of my favorite verses is Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go”.
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1. Pray with us and for us to not only sustain but to grow in impact. Pray for our health and for spiritual protection 2. Read it yourself – You will be enriched by reading it. 3. Share a copy or an article with someone- you will have someone in your life benefit from an article in every issue, cut it out and send it to them, or send them the whole issue 4. Leave a copy of The Ambassador when you’re having coffee or a meal or waiting for your car. Use it like a tract. It may be less intimidation. 5. Monitor The Ambassador at your church: assure their presence and visibility 6. Subscribe for a friend or family
member (or yourself) 7. Find new locations- ask businesses that you frequent to take some papers, deliver and monitor them 8. Deliver a small route- 1 to 2 hours each month 9. Give financially as an Individual partner, business partner, churches/ ministries partner (every dollar helps to impact the community) 10. Talk to your like-minded Christian friends, family, business associates and church leadership, about helping as well. If you would like to help, please contact Seth Halpern at 530-933-1385 or email editor@ambassadornewspaper.com
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LIFE MATTERS presented by Yuba-Sutter Right To Life Men Should Speak Out Against Abortion. Here’s Why... by Paul Stark LifeNews.com “I don’t understand how any man thinks that he has the right to dictate to women what they should do with their body,” said Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show, last year. “Men know nothing about what it’s like to be a woman.” This is a common sentiment. Men don’t get pregnant, so they don’t have a right to an opinion about abortion. Abortion is a women’s issue. As one typical comment on social media puts it: “If you don’t have a uterus then shut up.” It’s true that men can’t experience pregnancy, childbirth, or abortion. We can never fully know what those experiences are like, and we shouldn’t pretend that we do. We can only try our best to empathize. But it’s also true that abortion is right or wrong, just or unjust, irrespective of the gender or personal experiences of any particular individual. The truth of a statement (e.g., “abortion is wrong”) is independent of the characteristics of the person who happens to be making the statement. That’s how reality works. So if abortion is unjust, as millions of women contend (including women who have experienced unplanned pregnancy,
childbirth, abortion, and adoption), then it doesn’t cease to be unjust when a man offers the same argument. The argument is still sound. It cannot be dismissed because of a trait of the person advocating it (a mistake in reasoning called the ad hominem fallacy). If defenders of abortion want to refute the pro-life view, they have to actually refute the pro-life view. The idea behind what Noah and others say seems to be that an individual must be able to have direct experience of something in order to hold a valid opinion
about it. But that would mean that infertile women shouldn’t have a say about abortion. It would mean that men who advocate abortion shouldn’t have a say. It would mean that the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that imposed legalized abortion—a ruling decided by seven men—was illegitimate. Take some other issues. Until just recently, no American women served on the front lines in combat. Even though they didn’t have first-hand experience, though, they had a right to express their
views regarding the wisdom and justice of military actions. Or consider infanticide. We may not understand the desperate mindset that drives a teenager to abandon a newborn baby in the Mississippi river. But we can still know that abandonment is wrong and that we should try to save the baby. We can come to a sound conclusion about an act without having a personal experience with the circumstances in which the act takes place. What conclusion should we come to about abortion? Human embryos and fetuses of living members of the species Homo sapiens. That’s science. And all human beings have human rights and deserve the respect of others and the protection of society. That’s justice. The plain truth is that abortion isn’t only a women’s issue. Every pregnancy, after all, begins with a man as well as a woman. Every unborn child has a father as well as a mother. The attitude of the father, moreover, is often the decisive factor in the mother’s decision about whether to have an abortion. And men can experience the same traumatic aftermath of abortion that many women do.
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Continued From Page 1...”Pastor Bob Ouzts” on to say “first remove the plank out of your own eye and then gently remove the speck from your brothers eye.” Jesus is not asking us not to judge, Jesus is warning us to be careful and not to forget to include ourselves in any judgements. We are commanded to turn from evil and do good, in order to do that God gives us the grace to make righteous judgements. Consider this quote from Jesus. “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment”. John 7:24. So, what is unrighteous judgement? Consider this quote from Charles Spurgeon, “None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves”. We error when we compare ourselves to others, we must never judge others on a scale measured against ourselves. When we weigh matters before the scale of Gods Holiness let us hope that we are quick to discover that we all fall short! Perhaps one of the most pitiful words spoken in
scripture was when the Pharisee read his resume to Jesus and then pointed across to another and said “Thankfully I am not like him”. Luke 18:11. Lord help us to remember that our only boast is in Christ. I want my brothers and sisters to feel free to judge. In fact, since the fall, we are naturally inclined to judge, but it takes a savior to teach us mercy. When mercy triumphed over judgment at the cross, we see the judgment placed on the penalty of sin yet at the same instance is God’s mercy and forgiveness. As we stand before our risen Lord, I don’t think any of us will cry out for judgement, but instead a cry for mercy. Let us remember the words of James 2:12-13, “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
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IN THE NEWS Supreme Court Victory for Trinity Lutheran And a Major Win for Religious Freedom
John Stonestreet Breakpoint.org
Okay, so government cannot “establish religion.” But can it discriminate against religion? The Supreme Court has decided no. (On June 26th) the Supreme Court gave religious freedom advocates a major victory. By a 7-2 vote, SCOTUS ruled that denying a church “an otherwise available public benefit on account of its religious status,” violates the Free Exercise Clause of the Constitution. The decision in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer is great news—and it may be only the beginning. Here are the basic facts of the case: Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Missouri, operates a licensed pre-school and day-care facility. Its facilities include the type of playground that you and I played on as kids—in other words, scrapes, bruises, broken bones, perhaps a lawsuit waiting to happen. Fortunately for Trinity Lutheran, the state of Missouri has a program, “Playground Scrap Tire Surface Material Grants,” which provides “funds for qualifying organizations to purchase recycled tires to resurface playgrounds.”
Trinity Lutheran applied for the grant, seemingly meeting the qualifications. But the state of Missouri informed them that such a grant would, in Trinity’s case, violate a provision in the state constitution that “no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, section or denomination of religion.” That provision is one of 36 socalled “Blaine Amendments” in state constitutions. These amendments were originally aimed at Catholic schools and born of the now-incredible belief that public schools were a principal instrument in safeguarding America’s Protestant Christian character. Yes, that’s just a tad ironic. The church sued the state government, claiming that this kind of singling out of churches violated the Free Exercise of Religion. After all, whatever else the free exercise of religion means, it should, at
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Continued From Page 1...”Pastor Greg Mansur” live?” An understanding of the context of this passage, along with the whole of Scripture, paints an entirely different picture. All of life is about relationships – our relationship with God and our relationships with other people – and the Bible is full of teaching about them. God expressed His desire for us to be brought back into a right relationship with Him by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. Christ took our penalty and punishment upon Himself so we could be redeemed. His resurrection demonstrated His victory over sin and death, and now all who call upon His name will be saved. (Romans 10:13) The Scriptures go on to teach about the value of restoration in our interpersonal relationships as well. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in a transgression, you who are spiritual
should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” To answer Cain’s question from Genesis 4: yes, we are our brother’s keeper! We are to pray for, encourage, uphold, and yes, sometimes hold one another accountable when the situation arises. This is the very definition of “iron sharpening iron.” (Proverbs 27:17) So back to Matthew 7, if you read it in context, you will discover it completely reinforces the broader teaching in the Bible related to our relationships. It’s illustrated in a very compelling way: the speck and the log. How can we see a speck in someone else’s eye, or help them with that speck, when we have a log in our own eye? The answer: we can’t! So are we supposed to simply go on our merry way and ignore that person’s speck? Are we supposed to let them continue on as if everything is OK? If we did, we would
have to completely disregard what we read elsewhere about our responsibility to one another. The truth and the application are found right in the text: don’t be a hypocrite, but “first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5) The key is to remove our “log” so we can help someone else with their “speck.” What we find is the passage is not about judgment at all; it is about humility. With humility comes clarity (we can SEE), and with clarity comes purpose (we can HELP). As we mature in our Christian faith, we will make ourselves more accountable to others and will accept their role in speaking truth into our lives. We must be prepared to both “speak” truth AND “receive” truth. “Judge not” is not a license to disregard what is happening in the lives of those
around us; it is a call to examine our own hearts so that we are better positioned to help those in need. See Editor Note at the bottom of Page 16.
Continued From Page 15
Pastor Bob Ouzts I pray that we would all remember that it is perfectly biblical to judge. If I fall short, and I do, then you have scripture to back up your judgment. Feel free to judge me but please remember to point us both back to the cross. I pray we practice biblical truth in our judgements. After all, it appears that we are destined for it! Perhaps it is just preparation for what’s to come? In closing consider this verse: 1 Corinthians 6:3 “Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!“. S See Editor Note at the bottom of Page 16
Continued From Page 1...”Pastor Dave Peterson” there’s a log in your eye? 5 Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Few things are misunderstood in the Scriptures as much as this teaching from Jesus on judging. Most just focus on verse 1, without bothering to look at the rest of the verses. Most people read this and think that Jesus is teaching that we are not to judge, which if true, would he would be contradicting his own words that we find in John 7:24, where He tells us to “judge correctly.” What is Jesus teaching us here? Simply, if we read all five verses, He is teaching us that we are often hypocritical when we judge, and we neglect to see that we have a 2x4 sticking out of our eye. All we can see is a speck of sawdust in the eye of our brother.
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Jesus is teaching that we need to start judgment with ourselves…examining ourselves first. What kind of church could be built if Christians would be as hard on themselves as they are on each other! An interesting thought here is that both objects were the same material…wood. One had a small piece – the other one a log. I have found this true in my own life – and in the lives of others – what is often a small thing in the lives of others is a BIG thing in your life. What we can so clearly see in someone else’s life we can easily overlook in your own. John and Bob, two old friends, sat down at a bar and had a drink. They were contemplating getting older, and John just did not want to give into the reality that as he was aging. Finally, John pointed to two other old men sitting at the other end of the bar. “Bob,” he said, “No matter
what happens to us, just shoot me if I ever wind up looking as bad as either of those two old geezers at the end of the bar.” Bob replied, “You need glasses.” “Whadda ya mean I need glasses?” John said. Bob replied – “Because, that’s a mirror! Those old geezers are us!” We need to take a good look at ourselves, before we pass judgement on others. Something else to think about – removing something from someone’s eye, requires getting up close. It requires precision – you cannot be reckless, or careless. It requires love, tenderness, gentleness – less you make whatever is in the eye cause more damage, or become so embedded, you cannot remove it. You can’t do delicate, loving eye surgery with a log hanging out of your eye. See Editor Note at the bottom of Page 16
Editor Note To Cover Story (Editor’s Note: There you have it. These three well-respected local pastors submitted their articles separately and yet had very similar conclusions on this issue much like the Gospel writers who each wrote an astoundingly similar narrative of Jesus life and ministry. In summary, I believe that we are not called to judge people for being different from us. Neither are we instructed to overlook, ignore, or “tolerate” much less embrace behaviors that opposed the life, principles or instruction of Christ. But it must be communicated with loving humility (realizing our own sinfulness) for the benefit of the person (whom God also loves).and to the Glory of God!)
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Continued From Pg 15 - “Supreme Court...” minimum, mean that you can’t be denied a government benefit available to similar organizations solely on account of your religion. But remember, the First Amendment reads “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” So while Trinity Lutheran argued the “prohibiting the free exercise thereof” part, the state emphasized the “establishment of religion” part. In his majority decision, Chief Justice Roberts came down squarely on the side of Trinity Lutheran. He wrote that Missouri law left Trinity Lutheran with a choice: It could “participate in an otherwise available benefit program or remain a religious institution.” While it was free to continue being a Church, “that freedom comes at the cost of automatic and absolute exclusion from the benefits of a public program for which the Center is otherwise fully qualified.” Inasmuch as the “Free Exercise Clause protects against ‘indirect coercion or penalties on the free exercise of religion,
[and] not just outright prohibitions,’” the Missouri law could only be justified if it served a compelling governmental interest in the least restrictive manner. The state of Missouri failed to meet that standard. As Justice Roberts concluded, “the exclusion of Trinity Lutheran from a public benefit for which it is otherwise qualified, solely because it is a church, is odious to our Constitution all the same, and cannot stand.” Not only is this decision great news for religious freedom, the Court also agreed to hear the case involving Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, which ran afoul of my state’s anti-discrimination laws by refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. A successful outcome in this case would be an even bigger victory for religious freedom.
Men are inescapably part of the issue of abortion. Fathers of unborn children, especially, have a personal stake and a personal responsibility. But the most important reason men
should speak about abortion is the same reason that women should speak about abortion. They should speak in order to defend the lives of those who cannot defend themselves—the little girls and boys who have not yet been born.
answers: Who Said It? Bible Quiz 1. Pilate to Jesus, John 18:33 2. The Phillipian jailer to Paul and Silas, Acts 16:29 3. Nathanael to Philip, John 1:46 4. John the Baptist to the Pharisees, John 1:23-24 5. Nicodemus to Jesus, John 3:4 6. Philip to the Ethiopan eunuch, Acts 8:30
7. Cornelius to Peter, Acts 10:30 8. Mary to the angel, Gabriel, Luke 1:38 9. Paul to officers at the jail in Phillipi, Acts 16:37 10. Simeon to Mary, Luke 2:33-35 11. Peter to Jesus, John 13:6 12. Martha to Jesus, Luke 10:40 13. Zechariah, probably to his neighbors, Luke 1:62-69
So, let’s pray for that outcome. And let’s not forget to thank God for the Trinity Lutheran victory. As Chuck Colson would remind us, the battle for religious freedom is far from over.
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EDITORIAL THE STRAYING OF A NATION By Jon Skillman Did you all catch the Senate Confirmation Hearings the other day? I know, I know it’s akin to watching paint dry, but there was a rather disturbing exchange between that cuddly old curmudgeon Senator Bernie Sanders and President Trump’s nominee for Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought. Senator Sanders took exception to a 2016 post in which Mr. Vought, an unapologetic Christian, wrote: “Muslims do not only have a deficient theology, they do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ, His Son and they stand condemned.” Solid Christian doctrine spoken by Christ Himself in John 3:18: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Senator Sanders asked Mr. Vought if he thought the statement was Islamophobic? Absolutely not! Vought replied. Sanders asked if Vought believed that all Muslims stood condemned. Vought explained, and I paraphrase, if they reject Christ as the Son of God, then yes. Vought later stated that as a Christian, he believes all people are created in the image of God and therefore deserving of respect and dignity. Senator Sanders concluded his remarks by saying: “I would simply say, Mr. chairman, that this nominee is really not someone who is what this country is supposed to be about.” No Bernie! You’re
not someone who this country is all about! You took an oath to protect and defend the constitution, and you broke that oath. There is a “No religious test” clause contained in Article VI Sec 3 which states; “No religious test shall ever be required of those seeking public office.” You were testing Mr. Vought’s religious beliefs, in order to impugn his character. You questioned the tenets of his faith to make him out as a hater and a bigot. You, Senator, appear to be the hater and religious bigot. Senator Van Hollen, later stated: “I’m a Christian, but part of being a Christian, in my view, is recognizing that there are lots of ways that people can pursue their god.” In your view? The Senator might want to read John 14:6 to align “his view” with that of his professed faith. And then there’s this from an online commentator who took exception with Mr. Vought’s comments: “I’m a Christian, a gay Christian,” she then goes on to belittle Mr. Vought as a wimp and a poor defender of his faith. She looks into the camera as if directly addressing Mr. Vought and utters the obligatory progressive “F You” response to her Christian brother. I don’t know which is more troubling… the state of the nation, or the state of Christianity. Both seem to be straying from their founding fathers’ intent.
The Ambassador accepts opinions and editorials (op-ed’s) as long as they are well-written and less than 450 words. Op-ed’s will be published purely at the discretion of the editor. If you would like to submit your op-ed, please email it (written in MS Word) to editor@ambassadornewspaper. com. The deadline for submission is the 15th of the month for the next issue.
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CalTrans VS Soley Creek This month, Angie and I had the opportunity to spend a few days at Indian Valley Outpost Resort (IVOR). You probably know about them from their monthly ads and recent articles. It is a wonderful place less than an hour and a half away on Hwy 49 between Camptonville and Downieville. It’s a place to unwind and unplug from technology (no cell service or wifi). What it does have is a beautiful setting to enjoy God’s creation. We stayed in a Laredo RV (which took some adjusting, since I’m not much of a camper!). It was fully equipped, so it was not at all “roughing it”. We sat right behind the RV and listened to the tranquil water of the creek below, while watching the giant trees as the breeze tickled their leaves. I was almost in a God-inspired trance when the unwelcome beeps from the Cal-Trans earth movers disrupted the serenity. Cal-Trans had chosen NOW to pave the parking lot! On the one hand, Dave & Karla Gardner (owners of IVOR) had prayed for Cal-Trans to offer to pave their parking lot (something they are not known to do) which would save the Gardners a significant expense. They were blessed, but it was with no prior notice that Cal-Trans decided to “bless them”. As for me, I wrestled with God that day. After all, why would He allow them to come and disrupt my long-awaited getaway to a quiet and fairly remote area?! Couldn’t He have blessed them a few days before or after our stay. After grappling with those thoughts for a while, I settled into my lawn chair and began to focus on the creek. I
Seth Halpern - Editor listened to the sound of the water rushing toward the Yuba River a few hundred yards away. I watched the trees and then closed my eyes. At first the extremely irritating machinery noise and beeping almost drove me crazy. Yet, the more I listened to the water (and to God), the louder it got. In fact, as I focused on the creek, the noise from the road work became more and more faint. This was more than an experience with my physical hearing, but really a lesson for me about my “spiritual ears”. I saw that the world (represented here by CalTrans) with all of its noise, temptations, interruptions and chaos can easily take us out of the place where God wants us to be. The Lord speaks softly and we can be overwhelmed by the world UNLESS we are focused on HIM. As it turned out, they finished quickly and we got back to enjoy our time in this beautiful location with our wonderful hosts. The enemy wanted to disrupt us from seeing God, but when we press in and focus on Him everything else fades away! I encourage you to take some time out from this busy world in order to unplug. Indian Valley Outpost Resort is a great place to do that! (see their ad on page 11)
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Window Coverings (530) 755-3474 Blinds* Shutters* Shades Lic. #890713 BUSINESS SERVICES
PROFORMA BY KUG
IMPACT THE COMMUNITY HOME MAINTENANCE
LANDSCAPING
Featherston’s Roofing
Richard’s Tree Service
(530) 315-5287
Certified Arborist www.richardstree.com Lic. 608859
Tom Featherston - Owner CSL#997284
Featherstonsroofing@gmail.com
BUTTES PIPE & SUPPLY CO. "Your Complete Plumbing Supply Store"
(530) 673-8501 www.buttespipe.com
Intero Real Estate Services (530) 790-7000 www.interopride.com donnaphelan@interopride.com Great People. Great Agents
If you need a little tractor work done, you've come to the right guy.
OTHER
PERSONAL CARE
Indian Valley Outpost Resort
530-870-2620 lic.#496656
Yuba City Pest Control
Why Rent - Hire Me
530-933-8052
P.O. Box 2, Yuba City, CA 95992 Ph. (530) 755-2555 Fx. (530) 755-4672
Excellent Massage Care
SUPPORT "LOCAL" CHRISTIAN BUSINESSES
317 D St, Marysville
"Quality Service Guaranteed"
LANDSCAPING
General Yard Care & Maintenance
Contractor’s License # 728636
REAL ESTATE
“Voted•Best•Yuba/Sutter•Painting•Service•2014”
HOME MAINTENANCE
Call us to schedule yours. (530) 673-3634
4839 E. Butte Rd, Live Oak "Treating all creatures Great and Small" Jerry Long, DVM & Assoc.
SmartTractorWork.com
A BETTER YARD CARE
CHIMNEY & DRYER VENT Cleaning Time!
Country Vet Clinic, Inc
RUSSELL•&•BOALS PAINTING,•INC
Dave Kugelman Promotional Products www.proforma.com/kug 530-632-9292
A-1 Enterprises
530-673-7993
PETS
“We can help free up your weekends!”
530-788-5899
Cassandra Hoon
“A Touch Like No Other"
Brenda Banducci 530-701-4847
eXfuze Seven+
botanical supplements: acai, fucoidan, goji, seabuckthorn, noni, gac, mangosteen Robert E. Stark
Camping-Restaurant-Store On the Yuba River Tahoe National Forest
530-289-3349
Youth Courage Stables
"Busing Character Through Horsemanship"
Stephanie Kaesekamp
stephkaesekamp@yahoo.com
707-350-2999
6164 Marysville Rd.,Browns Valley
674-0345, stark@otnusa.com
JENINE L. TANABE MD DERMATOLOGY 414 G Street, Suite 204 Marysville 743-0301
MarketPlace Ads should not be considered as an endorsement of The Ambassador as to the spiritual commitment of the advertiser. The Ambassador does not and cannot "monitor" spiritual commitment of its advertisers."
Promote Your Business Here! The Ambassador
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The Christian Business Alliance would like to invite you to our midweek meeting. Rich Fellowship, Powerful Prayer, Refreshing Presence of God! We meet at the Bride Church the first Tuesday of the month from noon – 1pm. Current members: A-1 Carpet Cleaning - (530) 673-3634 - www.a-1clean.com Rachel Aleman - Century 21- 530-813-2253 Ron Brasier - A Hand Up Ministry - (530) 671-1360 Marty Brown - KCYC-LP FM - (530) 674-5296 Kathleen Caldwell - Caldwells Custom Countertops - (530) 695-2112 JC Carpenter Rita Collins Fred Cox - Richard's Tree Service - (530) 673-7993 LaDonna Curteman - Band Together for Christ - ladonna.curteman@gmail.com Chuck David Carol Dodds - A Woman’s Friend - (530) 741-9136 Stephen Elliot- Ad Lucem Tax Services - (530) 329-8685 Dennis & Connie Gable - Operation Christmas Child - (530) 695-1495 John Gaiser - Gaiser Pets - (530) 751-8155 Steve & Cash Gilliss - Crosspointe Christian Books - (530) 673-6188 Adrian Graves - The Souler Guy - 530-329-1698 John Guth - Guth & Changaris, A Prof Law Corp - (530) 674-9841 Seth Halpern - Ambassador Newspaper - editor@ambassadornewspaper.com Randy Heckley Kurt Hilbers - Hilbers Inc - www.hilbersinc.com David Hobbs Painting - Cont. Lic#880562 (530)742-2428 David Holycross - Holycross Memorial - (530) 751-7000 Bill Jens - Yuba Sutter Healthy Marriage Project - (530) 671-6069 Dave Kugelman - Proforma by Kug - (530) 742-2423 Bill & Sonja Lindholm- RVOC - (530) 329-8361 Clay Maynard - Consultant - (530) 790-6611 Stephanie McKenzie Jerry Munz - JM Construction Co. - (530) 682-5316 Maria Paras Ronda Putman Roger Shadd - Shadd Janitorial Supply - (530) 673-0083 George Shaw- Serving Our Saviour - (530) 671-3303 Wynette Sills - CaliforniasForLife.org. - (916) 955-1577 Robert Stark - Retired Auditor/Controller - stark@otnusa.com Dwayne Tanabe - Taylor Accountancy Corp - dktanabe@yahoo.com Jenine Tanabe - Jenine L. Tanabe, MD Dematology - (530) 743-0301 Leticia Wilson - Agape Lighthouse Fellowship -
For weekly reminders, updates, or to join email editor@ambassadornewspaper.com
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