Gò0dNews June 2017
Complimentary
Christian Magazine
ROME
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Young and Gifted p. 8
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The Cross Is Hard p. 22
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One Nation Under God p. 34 Katherine Birkbeck Photography
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Writers
Amy Mendez Andrew Lee Andrew Shaffer Arden Shanklin Billy Carver Cathy Aiken-Freeman Deborah Shaw Lewis Emily Bangura Kent Howard Mara Milanesi Megan Van Meter Phil Wade Ryan Ralston
About Us Hello Friends, We want to take a moment to tell you who we are and what we are about. Our names are Matt and Bethany Ruckman and we have four beautiful children, Brendon, Kailey, Andrew, and Leah Jean. We live in Cleveland and love what this town has to offer! We have started GoodNews Christian Magazine because we feel that when God, family, and community are combined, lives will be changed. GoodNews Christian Magazine is a complimentary, Christian lifestyle publication. You can find us throughout the community in retail establishments, churches, restaurants, and more. Our magazine opens the door for Christians to work together to grow and strengthen our community through relevant editorial and effective advertising. GoodNews Christian Magazine is written by men and women in the community who love and serve the Lord. Our hearts are open and willing to be used by God to reach out to the community to spread the GoodNews!
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Letter from the Editor
T
he month of June is filled with lifelong promises, hopes, and dreams! In the ’70s there was a trendy statement plastered on bumper stickers and lapel pins: “Try Jesus.” Even though the intention was good, the phrase sounded too commercial and noncommittal. I admit that there are biblical grounds for this statement in Psalm 34 where David says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.” This could be interpreted as saying “try God . . . see that He is trustworthy.” But the trust David speaks about in Psalm 37 is not a “try-me-in-hardtimes trust.” It is the kind of trust that has commitment woven into every fiber—like the yarn in a hand-knitted sweater. I have found that this kind of trust comes when we commit the full weight of our future—our very lives—into His hands. One day a friend and I happened to meet my husband, Bob, in his Jeep, on our way to lunch. We waved and continued our conversation. Then my friend said, “Wonder where he was going?” “I don’t know,” I said. “Probably to the auto parts store down the street.” “It doesn’t worry you that you don’t know?” she asked. “No! Why should it? I trust him.” In his Gospel, John describes a time in the ministry of Jesus when many walked away from Him . . . and a few vowed to stay with Him no matter what. “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (John 6:66-69, NKJV). With all his faults and failures, Peter passed the course in trust. He never questioned the Lord’s command. He didn’t have “Plan B.” When Jesus came walking on the water, Peter said, “Lord, if it’s you . . . tell me to come to you on the water” (Matt. 14:28, NIV) and he stepped out of the boat! That’s trust. When you really trust, you hold on to God’s promises as though your life depends on them. And it does.
June 2017
Gò0dNews Christian Magazine
Pg 4 Pg 6 Pg 8 Pg 10 Pg 12 Pg 14 Pg 20 Pg 22 Pg 24 Pg 26 Pg 28 Pg 30 Pg 32 Pg 34
About Us GoodNews from the Pastor’s Desk The Bad News: God Is Good by Ryan Ralston GoodNews for Kids Young and Gifted by Arden Shanklin GoodNews on Money Matters Are You Invested? by Andrew Lee GoodNews for Men A Path to Living for Christ by Billy Carver GoodNews for Women Hope for the Hopeless by Megan Van Meter GoodNews for Parents Play and Your Child’s Brain by Deborah Shaw Lewis GoodNews for Everyone The Cross Is Hard by Cathy Aiken-Freeman GoodNews for Health & Fitness Will You Be Whole? by Amy Mendez GoodNews for Teens Souvenirs by Andrew Shaffer GoodNews for Seniors Alzheimer’s GoodNews Player of the Month Addie Grace Treo and Karson Fallin by Kent Howard GoodNews for Everyone Host a Student, Change a Life by Mara Milanesi GoodNews for Everyone One Nation Under God by Phil Wade
Pg 18-19
Pg 16-17
Disclaimer All of the content in the GoodNews Christian Magazine is for general information and/or use. Such contents does not constitute advice and should not be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) a decision. Any specific advice or replies to queries in any part of the magazine is the personal opinion of such experts/consultants/persons and is not subscribed to by GoodNews Christian Magazine. The information in GoodNews Christian Magazine is provided on an “AS IS” basis, and all warranties, expressed or implied of any kind, regarding any matter pertaining to any information, advice or replies are disclaimed and excluded. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement or article we deem inappropriate.
Gò0dNews from the Pastor’s Desk
The Bad News: God Is Good
I believe if we desire to see another outpouring of the Holy Spirit like the one in the Book of Acts, we must return to the early Church’s focus on our insufficient righteousness.
L
by Ryan Ralston
ast Sunday was different. There was a buzz in the air,
Isaiah was not. Isaiah likely would have joined the seraphim
the choir finally sang in harmony, the kids did not fight
singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole
on their way to church, the preacher did not have to
earth is full of his glory!” (Isa. 6:3b), but Isaiah first cried out
plunge any toilets before Sunday school, and the deacons
in admission of his sinfulness, “Woe is me! For I am lost;
had all forgotten their cigarettes. As the pastor stepped
for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a
into the pulpit that morning, he thought, Wow, this church
people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the
is finally starting to come together! I need to talk about how good
Lord of hosts!” (Isa. 6:5 RSV). God’s goodness and blessings
they’ve become and how blessed we are! As the pastor applauded
highlighted Isaiah’s sinfulness and need for the Lord. Do we
the congregation and preached to highlight the goodness of
see God’s goodness and His blessings as reasons to repent of
his congregation, the congregation focused on how blessed
sin and trust in God’s mercy, or do we merely praise God for
they were to finally “get it all together.” The service came
His goodness and blessings and continue on our way as if
to a closure without the mention of our sin and the need for
living a life apart from God’s holiness is acceptable?
God’s salvation. Although the gospel was not mentioned in the service
I don’t know about you, but I desire to see people come to know Jesus, new believers be discipled, and those
for fear of offending someone on such a perfect service,
disciples sent out to reach the lost. I believe that this desire,
the excited pastor closed the service by screaming at the
the true desire of the Church in Acts, is the desire of many
top of his lungs, “GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!” and as
Christians today. And I believe to see another outpouring in
if preplanned, and in harmony, the congregation replied,
our day like the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Book
“ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD!” Sure, everything went
of Acts, we must return to the early Church’s focus on our
smoothly that day, but the day was an utter failure because
insufficient righteousness so that we not only applaud God’s
the church service was remembered more for how smoothly
goodness and blessings, but we realize the bad news: We
everything went than for the proclamation of the gospel.
are not good, and we need God to fill every part of our lives
When Isaiah saw the Lord in his vision (Isa. 6:1-7), Isaiah’s response to the holy God on the throne was to evaluate himself in comparison to the Lord. The Lord’s holiness shone so brightly upon Isaiah’s sinfulness, Isaiah could do nothing but accept the bad news: God is good and
6 // June 2017
with His holiness. Ryan Ralston is the campus pastor of Liberty Fort Oglethorpe. He has a master of divinity with a specialization in pastoral ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and he is currently pursuing a PhD in expository preaching from NOBTS. Ryan and his wife, Shasta, have been married for five years.
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Gò0dNews for Kids
Young and Gifted Share God’s love by being great at what you do.
G
by Arden Shaklin
rowing up, my parents always
Timothy. Timothy followed around
Set an example for the believers in
made sure that I understood
with a guy you may have heard of,
what you say and in how you live. Also
I was created uniquely. One
Paul. Paul taught him all about Jesus
set an example in how you love and in
of my favorite words is individuality,
and encouraged Timothy to go out and
what you believe. Show the believers
and my favorite definition of the word
make a difference too, but remember
how to be pure” (NIRV).
is “discovering who you are meant to
Timothy was pretty young, and later
God created Timothy uniquely
be so you can make a difference.” How
on in the story of Timothy, he was in
for the purpose of loving the people
amazing is that? God created each of
charge of his own church. Could you
where he was, and he equipped him to
us so that we can make a difference in
imagine being young like Timothy and
teach even though he didn’t think he
His name. I love that. I especially love
knowing the responsibility you had
was old enough. I encourage you over
that when I am feeling super weird, or
but being very afraid that he couldn’t
this summer to find the ways God has
maybe different, than my brother or
be the best teacher or best leader he
made you unique−whether that is your
sister. I love that when I think about all
should be because he was young?
wonderful musical talent, incredible
the things I’m not good at because . . .
Have you ever felt that you
sports abilities, or passionate writing
guess what? It’s okay to not be good at
couldn’t do something because you
about them. Find ways to use those
everything and is okay to be really great
were too young? Paul knew what
abilities to serve God in creative ways.
at some things. If we were all the same,
Timothy was going through, but he
Share His love with others around you
how boring would that be?
was no longer with Timothy, so he sent
by being great at what you do, and
him a letter. That letter can be found in
remember just because you are young
1 Timothy 4:12: “Don’t let anyone look
doesn’t mean that God cannot do
down on you because you are young.
powerful things through you.
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is about a young man named
8 // June 2017
Arden Shaklin is currently the children’s minister at Calvary Baptist Church in Rome, GA. She is a recent graduate of Shorter University with a degree in Liberal Arts. She enjoys spending her free time outdoors with family and friends making new adventures.
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E
very semester in my college English classes, I like to begin class with one particular devotional which starts with me displaying a screen of realtime stock market quotations. The students typically watch with glazed eyes as the numbers on the screen change rapidly—Dow Jones Industrial Average, Nasdaq, S&P 500. Then I ask, “How many of you are stressed out or depressed by what you see?” Typically not one hand is raised. Then I ask, “How many of you are overjoyed by what you see on this screen?” Again, almost always not one hand is raised. Students don’t respond to stock market quotations because they aren’t invested; rarely, if ever, do any of my students have any money invested in the stock markets. Consequently, they simply don’t care if the market goes up or down at any given time. Then I make the application to the devotional: if you’re not invested—if you haven’t put your time and money into something, it typically doesn’t mean that much to you. Only what we spend our time, efforts, and money on represents accurately what we value, what we care about. If we’re invested in missions work by giving money to help missionaries around the globe, then we start caring about the reports we receive on how the Lord is using these missionaries to spread the Gospel of Christ.
10 // June 2017
Recently, I heard a podcast by a man named John Hope Bryant, author of the 2014 book, How the Poor can Save Capitalism. The title may sound counter-intuitive, but Bryant raises many valid points. Bryant is an African American entrepreneur who founded Operation HOPE, as well as donating money to countless other charitable causes. Bryant’s passion is helping others become financially literate, and one of his core beliefs is that someone’s credit score can provide invaluable information (and speculation) about that person. Low credit score communities, he says, are “where the rioting is” located. Conversely, those with high credit scores tend to be places with low unemployment and a strong sense of optimism about the future. Is there any magic about these results? No, but the answer is so obvious that one might overlook it. Those people who have a high credit score might typically live by a written monthly budget, live on less than they make, and invest for long-term growth and/or goals. You may be thinking, “That sounds great, but what about those who didn’t make these same choices and are now suffering the consequences? The good news is that it’s never too late to start making wise decisions like the ones mentioned above. Proverbs 21:20 – “[There is] treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man devours all he has.” Let’s invest our time and money for Christ’s kingdom.
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Gò0dNews for Men
A Path to Living for Christ
Are you leaving a trail that leads to Christ or the world? “Do not follow where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
T
By Billy Carver
his is one of my favorite quotes. As men, we are taught that we should lead our families. I believe most of us want to, but we just don’t know where to start. There are various areas of leadership within the family structure. Your spouse leads areas of the family and some mature children may assume roles of leadership in other areas, but as husband and father, you are the leader of leaders. You are responsible for overall leadership and direction, both physically and spiritually of your family. In Ephesians 5:2325, Paul gives two very clear directives to men and women. “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (NASB). I remember the first time I heard this scripture after I got married. After hearing that women are to submit to their husbands, my chest was puffed-up and I was feeling arrogant. When I heard that I am to love my wife as Christ loved the church, conviction quickly deflated my chest and my ego. This is a great responsibility. This is an opportunity for you to serve your family through godly, servant leadership and not an opportunity for you to lord over your family. Jesus defined servant leadership with His words and His life. “Whoever wishes to become great among
12 // June 2017
you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:26-28 (NASB). Men, we are created to be servant leaders. As a servant leader, we should invest ourselves into the lives of our family members so that they might become more Christlike. Men, we should be leading our families in worship, corporately and individually. We should lead our families through love and service. We should lead with gentleness and sacrifice. We should lead with integrity and confidence. There is a desperate need today for men to live by biblical principles and be servant leaders in the family unit. I am afraid that we have become too consumed with providing for the physical needs of our families and have dropped the ball when it comes to the spiritual needs. The bottom line is that as servant leaders, we don’t emulate the world, Jesus is our example. He came to serve and not be served. Therefore, our mission is to serve one another, to give of ourselves as Christ gave Himself for the church. We are not to follow the path of the world, but to leave a trail for our families to follow us to Christ.
Billy Carver is the senior pastor at Mt. Alto Baptist Church in Rome, Georgia. He is currently a student at Covington Theological Seminary, where he is working toward his bachelor of ministry. He has been married to his wife, MaryAnn, for five years and has served in ministry in one way or another for over five years.
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Gò0dNews for Women
Hope for the Hopeless
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.” —1 Peter 1:22 NIV
M
by Megan Van Meter
any years ago, God placed on my heart the struggles women and children go through as victims of domestic violence. As a victim of domestic violence myself, I witnessed firsthand how difficult it can be. Over the years God has put women in my path that I was able to help through my experiences. Many of these women end up homeless because they have no one else in their lives to help them. However, it is not just domestic violence victims that are homeless in our community. The population of women and children who are homeless has grown in great numbers in our county. Some of these children are infants. My heart breaks for these Moms and their babies. I think about them every day and try to put myself in their shoes, but I cannot begin to imagine how they meet the basic needs of their children. Those children who are in school suffer with bad grades and low social skills because they don’t know where they will sleep or when they will have a hot meal. Mom stays stressed out for the same reasons and ultimately the child feels the despair of the Mom. As a community, we need to join together to help end this epidemic in Floyd County. At this present time, we have approximately 500 adults who are homeless in our community, and this figure does not include children.
14 // June 2017
These women need to know there is hope and that hope is in God. As children of the Father, we are called to be His hands and feet, to be His messengers of hope and to meet the physical needs so these women can receive the spiritual blessings of the Father. God is working in our community to end homelessness for women and children. Plans are being discussed for a women’s shelter, but we need help and prayer. As the next steps are being developed, please partner with us in prayer. Pray specifically for the funds needed to build the home on the land that has been secured. More importantly, pray for the Moms and children struggling today; pray for God’s provision and protection. None of us want to believe children are a huge part of homelessness, but the harsh reality is that they are, and anyone of us at any given time could be the Mom in despair. God can and will do amazing things through our prayers.
Megan Van Meter is the pastor’s associate and local mission coordinator at West Rome Baptist. She has been on staff for six years and is blessed that God has placed her there. She has two grandchildren, one is three and the other is thirteen They are her world. Her passion is for her community, specifically the homeless women and children.
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Rome Church Directory
African Methodist Episcopal Bethel AME Church 22 Nichols Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-0019 Summer Hill AME Church 1981 Kingston Hwy NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-7113
Apostolic
First Apostolic Church of Rome 3213 Cave Spring Rd Rome, Ga 20161 706-235-9551
Baptist
Antioch Baptist Church 4526 Big Texas Valley Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-7248 Armuchee Baptist Church 6648 Big Texas Valley Rd NW Rome, Ga 30165 706-766-3018 Berean Baptist Church 8 Skyline Dr Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-9832 Blue Pond Baptist Church 1291 Morrison Campground Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-3296 Bryant Chapel Baptist Church 24 Shady Lane Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-9768 Calhoun Avenue Baptist Church 1021 Calhoun Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-4431 Calvary Baptist Church 101 Broadus Rd NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-1461 Cedar Creek Baptist Church 5440 Black Buff Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-777-8360 Cedar Valley Baptist Church 3024 Cedartown Hwy SW Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-0978 Community Chapel Baptist Church 3733 Black Bluff Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-4070 Desoto Park Baptist Church 1107 Cave Spring Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-6207 Dykes Creek Baptist Church 3181 Kingston Hwy NE
16 // June 2017
Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-7790 East Rome Baptist Church 601 Cedar Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-8553 East View Baptist Church 901 Kingston Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8250 Emmanuel Baptist Church 1414 Old Dalton Rd Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-3939 Enon Baptist Church 3105 Turkey Mountain Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-5052 Fellowship Rome Baptist Church 314 Burnett Ferry Rd Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-9416 Fifth Avenue Baptist Church 416 N 5th Ave Rome, Ga 30165 706-291-0689 First Baptist Church 100 E 4th Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-1150 Flatrock Baptist Church 848 Cunningham Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-9976 Friendship Baptist Church 2283 Calhoun Rd NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-4803 Garden Lakes Baptist Church 2200 Redmond Cir Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-6615 Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church 445 East 14th St Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-5047 Hill Crest Baptist Church 2202 N Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8806 Hollywood Baptist Church 112 Lombardy Way Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-6642 In Focus Baptist Church 12 N Hughes Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-8963 Lakeview Baptist Church 80 Salem Dr Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-2149
Lovejoy Baptist Church 436 Branham Ave Rome, Ga 30171 706-232-1917 McFall Baptist Church 3011 Rockmart Rd SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-5673 Mount Alto Baptist Church 1915 Huffaker Rd NW Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-5102 Mount Carmel Baptist Church E 20th St Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-8777 Mount Olive Baptist Church 17 E Pennington Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-6413 New Antioch Baptist Church 4553 Calhoun Rd NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-2248 New Bethel Baptist Church Weathington Dr Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8939 New Canaan Baptist Church 3 Excelsior St Rome, Ga 30165 706-291-1984 New Hope Baptist Church Hwy 156 Rome, Ga 706-235-0250 New Hope Baptist Church 399 Moran Lake Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-290-0507 North Broad Baptist Church 1309 N Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-2100 PisGah Baptist Church Alabama Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-4431 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church 500 N Division St Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-0731 Riverside Baptist Church 38 Ash St Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8114 Saint Paul Baptist Church Pleasant Valley Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-5037 Second Avenue Baptist Church 823 E 2nd Ave
Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-3663 Sherwood Forest Baptist Church 1 Goodman Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-6174 Shorter Avenue Baptist Church 1410 Shorter Ave Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-8266 South Broad Baptist Church 508 South Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 Spring Creek Baptist Church 2636 Chulio Rd SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-1220 Springfield Baptist Church 113 Smith St Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-7217 Thankful Baptist Church 935 Spider Webb Dr Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8132 Trinity Baptist Church 1728 Calhoun Rd NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-3368 Unity Baptist Church 2261 Pleasant Valley Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-2184 Victory Baptist Church 756 Turner Chapel Rd Rome, Ga 30161 West End Baptist Church 107 Mississippi Dr Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-1971 West Rome Baptist Church 914 Shorter Ave Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-9722 Wilkerson Road Baptist Church Wilkerson Rd Rome, Ga 30161 Woodlawn Baptist Church 1649 Cartersville Hwy SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-4171 Word & Way Baptist Church New Rocketmart Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-8729
Catholic
Saint Mary Catholic Church 911 N Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-7014
Charismatic
Solid Holy Rock Church
700 Kingston Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-3022
Christian & Missionary Alliance Missionary Alliance 306 Coker Dr Rome, Ga 20165 706-235-9190
Church of Christ
Church of Christ 108 E Callahan St Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-0675 Oak Hill Church of Christ 1500 Martha Berry Hwy Rome, Ga 20165 706-291-0351 Redmond Road Church of Christ 30 Redmond Rd Rome, Ga 30165
Church of God
Armuchee Church of God 4974 Martha Berry Hwy Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-4414 Beech Creek Church of God 3000 Alabama Hwy NW Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-7466 Church of God of Prophecy 94 Huffaker Rd NW Rome, Ga 30165 706-936-5146 East Rome Church of God 210 E 18th St Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-0704 New Hope Overcoming COG 200 Nixon Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-4695 North Rome Church of God 1929 N Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-3516 Rome AOH Church of God 504 Decatur St Rome, Ga 30165 706-295-2999
Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene 20 Glenda Dr Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-5023 Rome First 26 Glenda Dr SW Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-5023
Episcopal
Church of the Transfiguration 304 Coker Dr Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-0197 Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church
101 E 4th Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-9111
Disciples of Christ
First Christian Church 209 E. Second Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-6745
Foursquare
Rome Foursquare Church 308 Reservoir St NE Rome, Ga 30161
Full Gospel
Christ Gospel Church 619 Chulio Rd SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-7744
Independent Bible
Grace Bible Church 614 Dalton Rd NE Rome, Ga 30165
Interdenominational
Cornerstone Church 324 Mathis Dr Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-4923
Lutheran
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 3000 Garden Lakes Blvd Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-7257
Methodist
Beech Creek UMC 1537 Old Summerville Rd NW Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-4973 Chapel Hill UMC 1818 Kingston Hwy SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-9177 Holsey Sinai CME Church 1233 Martin L King Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-7265 Lindsay Chapel UMC 9 College Park Dr SW Rome, Ga 30161 Livingston UMC 21 E Lakeshore Dr SE Rome, Ga 30161 Metropolitan UMC 700 Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8660 Mt. Pleasant UMC 100 Dodd St Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-4350 New Bethel Methodist Church Reeceburg Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-9700 North Rome UMC
706-291-6704 Oostanaula UMC 74 Battey Farm Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-292-0084 Rome First UMC 202 E 3rd Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8590 Rush Chapel UMC 1225 Rush Chapel Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-7986 Scott Chapel UMC 3 Chambers St NE Rome, Ga 30161 Second Avenue UMC 801 E Second Ave SW Rome, GA 30161 Shannon UMC 600 First Street Shannon GA 30172 706-491-7112 Silver Creek UMC 585 Reynolds Bend Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-2518 South Broad UMC 546 S Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-5230 Trinity UMC 606 Turner McCall Blvd SW Rome, Ga 30165 706-291-0033 Wesley Chapel UMC 9 College Park Dr SW Rome, Ga 30161 West Rome UMC 1003 Shorter Ave Rome, GA 30164-2247 706- 234-6214
Non-Denominational
Glorious New Jerusalem Church 537 W 12th St Rome, Ga 30165 706-295-2045 Glory Tabernacle Church 300 Watson St Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-0888 Gospel Harvester Church 1246 Cartersville Hwy SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-290-9858 Lighthouse Church of Rome Lighthouse Dr SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-0864 New and Living Way Bible Church 59 Dykes Creek Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-233-9200 Words of Faith Tabernacle 3134 Rockmart Rd
Rome, Ga 30161 706-314-9158
Orthodox
All Saints Church 615 Cleveland Ave Rome, Ga 30165 706-378-4474
Pentecostal
Cannon Temple Holiness Church 308 Porter St Rome, Ga 20161 706-233-9001 Christ Temple Holiness Church 1321 Martin L King Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-3787
Presbyterian
Covenant Presbyterian Church 1645 Cartersville Hwy. Rome, Ga 30161 706-512-0190 First Presbyterian Church 101 E 3rd Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-6033 Westminster Presbyterian Church 1941 Shorter Ave Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-8561
Seventh-Day Adventist
Rome Bethany Seventh-Day Adventist Church 307 E 14th St SW Rome, Ga 30161 706-292-0067 Seventh-Day Adventist Church 2526 Cedartown Hwy SW Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-4117
FREE Add/Update Church Directory
issuu.com/goodnewsrome // 17
FEATURED COVER STORY
Paris Mountain Photography
T
The Season Events They use their different talents and plan great parties that are centered around families. by Emily Bangura
he Season Events is a full-service event planning
Boulevard in Rome in 2015 to house the kitchen, showroom,
company that offers professionally done, personal
offices and storage needs for the growing company.
event planning services in the Northwest Georgia area.
Many Services
They offer catering, planning, and design for many different events. They also offer bartending and invitations for any gathering you can imagine. The Season Events has planned and catered events from multiday conferences to weddings of all sizes, to graduation parties and other celebrations.
The Beginning
Holly Lynch began the company in 2007 in a small
home office. She had earned her Bachelor of Arts from Berry
For wedding planning, they offer many different services
outside of just set-up and break-down. They will recommend vendors and negotiate details, assist with all etiquette questions, develop a customized timeline and budget for all the wedding details, create a personalized design for your reception, assist the bride and her family throughout the entire wedding weekend, and so much more. During the wedding weekend, the gracious staff of The
College and her Masters of Business at Kennesaw State
Season Events will direct your rehearsal and ceremony,
University. She has a background of working in multiple
set up and decorate both the ceremony and reception sites,
corporations by planning events, marketing, and doing
manage all the vendors, ensure on-time and proper delivery,
promotion work. She started The Season Events to provide
and coordinate the reception. One bride, Anne, said that she
personalized services to her customers, treating each client
loved working with staff because they “are great to work
like family, a model the entire staff continues to follow.
with, so much fun, hilarious personalities you can be yourself
In 2014, Ray Harris Catering merged his services and
with. They are the kind of people who have the types of
company with The Season Events, bringing over 20 years of
conversations you want on your wedding day that is very
gourmet cooking experience to the company. Once combined,
uplifting and positive. They were always there to help. Their
The Season Events continued to grow, so much so that
generosity and servanthood is what you want and what you
they purchased and renovated a building on Glenn Milner
want to give to your guests.”
18 // June 2017
More than weddings
Beyond weddings, because of the capabilities of the
catering team and under the leadership of Ray Harris, The Season Events is able to provide high quality meals for everything from small dinner parties to large fundraising banquets. As a full-service event company, The Season Events as a team has worked with museums, non-profit groups, schools, and other organizations to create exciting and flavorful awards dinners, anniversary celebrations, and retirement banquets. From The Hip Photography
A Full Wedding Experience
What sets The Season Events apart from other businesses
of its kind is their viewpoint on family and the relationships they create with each family for which they throw parties. They like to interact with each family long after the event is over. While they joke about holding hands and singing up until the wedding day, they aim to maintain a relationship with their clients and their families because they genuinely love and care for these people. After spending the biggest day of their lives with them, they become attached and enjoy knowing these people more and more, wanting to keep in contact with them. Anne said that Holly Lynch and her team are not just offering a wedding day, but a full wedding experience of the entire process. “Holly would say, ‘If you’re stressed, then I’m not doing my job,’ and as a bride planning
Lindsey Larue Photography
Because of the educated and professional staff, The Season Events has successfully managed several events at one time. Team leaders and professional staff help with all details on event day, and keep all clients happy by treating them like family.
out of town, the comfort that brought was incredible because I knew I didn’t have anything to worry about. It made it so pleasant because everyone on her team was all-handson-deck, but not just from the beginning of the wedding weekend, from the beginning of it all. I knew they could make it happen.”
Elisa Bricker Photography
If you are interested in talking to The Season Events about one of your upcoming events, you can call 706-234-2244 or visit them online at theseasonevents.com. Lindsey Larue Photography
issuu.com/goodnewsrome // 19
Gò0dNews for Parents
Play and Your Child’s Brain
When children play—and we are talking “rough and tumble” play and/or play without adult direction—they are providing their brains with essential nourishment and stimulation and are encouraging the development of new brain connections. by Deborah Shaw Lewis
I
was sitting in the hallway at PALS, the mothers’ morning out at Trinity United Methodist Church where I am the director, when a speech therapist walked by after working with one of our children. “Mary,” I said, “PALS is buying some new equipment.” I waved at the new wooden rocking boat I was assembling. “Do you have any suggestions for other new equipment we might look for?” Mary made several suggestions, and then added: “Get a “sit-n-spin” for each class. When children swing on a swing or turn on a sit-n-spin, they are activating the language learning areas of the brain.” Play activates the learning areas of the brain? Well, of course it does! I’ve known that since grad school in child development decades ago at the Erikson Institute in Chicago. Specific types of play stimulate specific areas of the brain? That was a new idea for me. That conversation started me on a search for what current research tells us about how active play affects a child’s brain and his or her process of learning. And I have learned: "The experience of play changes the connections of the neurons at the front end of your brain," says Sergio Pellis, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. And for that to happen, the play should be free play: “No coaches, no umpires, no rule books” (npr.org Scientists Say Child's Play Helps Build A Better Brain). Playing with blocks improves a child’s math skills. Brain scans show that such play changes the way a child’s brain processes spatial information. And playing with Legos in preschool results in improved math scores in high school (Wolfgang et all 2001, 2003).
20 // June 2017
Play that involves moderate to vigorous movement feeds oxygen, water, and glucose to the brain, optimizing its performance. That enhances and increases the number of neural pathways, the connections that send information through a brain (umkc.edu –The Importance of Outdoor-Play and Its Impact on Brain Development in Children) Outdoor play and one-on-one engagement with infants’ exercises their brains develops their memory, and uses brain cells so that they are not discarded. That’s right, it is “use it or lose it” where your brain actually discards neurons that are rarely or never used. We experience “windows of opportunity”−times when children’s brains must be exercised so that they use and keep brain cells (umkc.edu). Play (specifically “rough-and-tumble play”) increases levels of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), which is essential for brain growth (Huber et al 2007). Nature determines how many neurons a baby is born with, but how the brain grows is the result of nurture (experience, i.e. play). At birth, a baby’s brain has 100 billion neurons (about twice as many as he needs) with 2,500 synapses per neuron. A child does not grow more neurons, but each neuron grows by developing more and more synapses (connections between neurons.) By age three, that child will have 15,000 synapses per neuron (Umaine.edu Children and Brain Development: What We Know about How Children Learn). Children learn through their senses. Outdoor play involves all five senses, enriching the brain development. When children use television/ video games/computers to learn, only two senses are involved and may affect their perception of the world (umkc.edu). Play truly plays a crucial role in a child’s brain development. So get your children out in the backyard and let them play.
Deborah Shaw Lewis is author of 20 plus books—including Motherhood Stress and Gifted Hands: the Ben Carson Story, kids’ edition—and director of PALS, the mothers morning-out at Trinity United Methodist Church in Rome, GA.
West Rome Baptist
VBS June 26-29th Preview/Movie night on June 23
Mt. Alto Baptist Church
VBS June 19th-23rd Celebration service on Sunday, June 25th at 10:30AM Lunch & games will follow the service. Everyone can pre-register at www.mtalto.com
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
VBS: Paul & the Underground Church June 5th – 9th Call the church office for registration information: 706291-9111.
Pleasant Valley North Vacation Bible School Maker Fun Factory! June 11 – 15 6:00 – 8:30pm
First Presbyterian
Vacation Bible School Paul and the Underground Church June 26-30 For More information please contact Catherine Burns at cathead@comcast.net or Neal Morgan at nealmorgan@comcast.net
First Baptist Church Rome
Camp Blueprint 2017 June 12 – June 14 9am – 1pm Ages: Birth – Completed 4th grade Lunch is provided each day!
Trinity United Methodist VBS June 19 – June 23 (706) 291-0033
Calvary Baptist Church
VBS- Gadgets & Gizmos! June 4 – 6 6P – 8:30P Dinner at 5:30 Register Online! Calvaryrome.org
HBC Rome
VBS 2017- Galactic Starveyors! June 19-23 5:30 – 6:00 Dinner 6:00 – 8:30 VBS Ages 3 – 5th grade
Pisgah Baptist Church VBS 2017 June 11, 2017 5:00pm
Pleasant Valley South VBS- Maker Fun Factory! June 26-29
Gò0dNews for Everyone
The Cross Is Hard
T
by Cathy Aiken-Freeman
he cross is hard. But we forget sometimes.
candy in his fist ready to go, “Jesus tried and tried to
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter
cross . . . but there was too much traffic.” He chewed
Sunday, Eastertide; we know these well. They
madly. I processed his words. We studied each other a
are familiar, well-worn grooves in our hearts and
little. “I made that up,” he admitted, his mouth full; “I
minds. We wear crosses on gold chains, the symbol
wanted to eat candy.” We slid by for another year.
immediately recognizable, and we forget the difficulty of Christ crucified. I had forgotten entirely until the year my son was
There are years I want to keep sliding. To watch our kids’ process in waving palms, singing hosanna as Jesus enters Jerusalem, then skip to Easter Sunday,
old enough to really understand that Christmas was
stone already rolled away and we, the witnesses,
baby Jesus’ birthday. The Christ child, so joyfully
awash in joy and praise to the risen Christ. But if we
celebrated in pageant and song, in mere months
pretend pain isn’t there, if we forget the cross is hard,
would be Christ on the cross, a grown man hung
we leave our kids alone with it.
there to die. Of course I didn’t know how to relate
Haltingly, imperfectly, in full knowledge of my
this to a child. I often didn’t know how to explain
incomplete understanding and lack of expertise, I
it to myself, so I intended to slide right past it, to
offer this to our kids: God your Creator didn’t want
get us straight
to be a stranger
to the Easter
to you. God loved
morning egg
you enough to
hunt, the tomb already empty.
live in the world as a baby. He was
No stops at Golgotha.
a kid, then a man. He had friends,
Then my son came from Sunday school holding a coloring page, scribbled in his
then enemies. He cried, He laughed, lived a full, real life. He knew hurt, suffering, and heartache. Jesus didn’t
usual slap-dash way, depicting the cross
slide past any of that. Jesus loved you all the
on a hill with the words, “Jesus died for me”
way to the cross. He loved you inside the quiet
underneath. Tell me about that, I prompted with
tomb and in the Garden afterwards with Mary
some dread. He was adamant he would rather
Magdalene. He loves you still and always will.
not; he was more interested in the candy basket
So whenever you are hurting, however you are
he had gotten. Eventually, we struck a deal. He
hurting, Jesus knows how you feel. You are never
would tell me what he had learned and I would
alone. You never will be. Now go and tell the others.
let him eat candy. “So, you mean, about Jesus and the cross?” he asked. “Yes, that,” I agreed, realizing then the sliding past Good Friday straight to Easter morning plan was off. “Well,” he said, with
22 // June 2017
Cathy Aiken-Freeman has an M.Div from Candler School of Theology and is currently the director of children's ministries at Rome First UMC.
Gò0dNews for Health & Fitness
Will You Be Whole?
God is calling you into complete wholeness to increase your spirit, soul, and body.
W
by Amy Mendez
hen you hear the word health, or the word fitness,
I then began my journey to becoming healthy on the
what images come to mind? Most of us have
inside. For your soul to prosper, it must be whole in all
different images of health. Some of us see a
dimensions−your mind, your will, and your emotions.
man or a woman in a Nike commercial running down the
It’s who you are and why you do what you do. It’s your
road. Others see a person in a gym pushing some iron, and
personality. It’s where you make your decisions.
someone else will see a bodybuilder preparing for a contest.
God’s ways are higher than our ways. What we call
Until God showed me His idea of health, my idea of
healthy is just one piece of the puzzle in God’s eyes. He is
health/fitness used to be a lean, muscular physique with a
calling you into complete wholeness to increase your spirit,
strong cardiovascular endurance. Often we forget, or we
soul, and body. Wholeness is living in such a way that your
are just not aware, that the Bible gives us instructions for
life is characterized by being physically fit, nutritionally
everything that we will ever need. First Timothy 4:8 tells
healthy, emotionally sound, spiritually congruent, socially
us, “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is
moral, mentally resilient, and financially secure.
profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that is now, and of that which is to come” (KJV). I remember when I first read that verse about fifteen
Wholeness is the opposite of broken. It’s a state of being undamaged and unbroken. Exercise is not enough to become healthy. You must grab hold of the Word of God and continue
years ago when I was twenty-five. I was getting ready
in it so that you may abound, be filled and supplied with
to compete in a bodybuilding show, and I just couldn’t
nothing missing and nothing broken. Godliness is saying
believe or understand what this meant, or maybe I just
“yes” to God and “no” to the world’s way of doing things.
didn’t want to know what it meant. I was deeply involved
Godliness starts with thinking like Christ—putting on the
in bodybuilding, and it meant everything to me. God really
mind of Christ. When you decide to choose a way that’s not
began dealing with me about this subject.
God’s way, you position yourself for failure.
He then led me to the verse in 3 John 2, “Beloved, I wish
When you make choices that are from a broken soul,
above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health,
you position yourself for repeated cycles of failure and
even as thy soul prospereth” (KJV). The Lord wanted to
cycles of lack mentally, physically, and emotionally. God is
show me His idea of health. Although, on the outside, I was
calling you up to a higher level.
the perfect image of what most people would call physically fit, my soul was not healthy. It was extremely unhealthy— my soul was sick.
24 // June 2017
Amy Mendez is a life coach, mentor, personal trainer, and nutritionist at Results Unlimited in Calhoun, GA. She combines her years of expertise in nutrition and strength training with her depth of spiritual understanding to reveal life-transforming messages that empower and inspire. Find out more about Amy and her business at www.rugym.com.
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Gò0dNews for Teens
Souvenirs
See God in the people you encounter and experience the presence of God.
I
by Andrew Shaffer Gò0dNews for Teens
t’s summer! Sleeping in, sunburns, video games, no
people we interact with−from the people we encounter
school, and of course . . . trips! I’m assuming you’re
and through whom we experience the presence of God.
going on a few trips of some sort: the beach, the
Those are our souvenirs.
The Lenten Season . . .
A store, time of to Easter. Himalayas, the video game theprayer, park. fasting, and almsgiving Don’t leading get me wrong; overpriced kitsch has its place. by Andrew Schaffer Growing up, one of the things I looked forward to I love my tiny plaster surfing pirate. But before you
H
most was our summer mission trip. Where we went was
spend your parents’ hard-earned cash on something,
ooray, fasting! Lent begins this month; get excited.
40 days can produce. I fasted from various foods: bread,
I didn’t grow up practicing Lent. I didn’t know
meat, soda, caffeine, and so forth. Although mine were
never an issue, it was the trip that mattered−specifically the hallowedwhat tradition of bringing from I was missing. I knewback aboutsouvenirs lint, but that’s
the trip. Even Lent nowwas something Catholic kids did, like mass or different. but that was the extent of my knowledge. My whenconfirmation, I think souvenirs,
familiarity eventually increased as I ventured outside of my
I think of those kitschy
little Protestant bubble and discovered how impactful these
stores at the beach
ask yourself what your real souvenir is going to be;
ask what you’re (priorities), going to really be taking from always food oriented my friends gave upback music,
this particular Facebook, and even driving. Each created a unique moment trip. or opportunity to consciously refocus on God. It can benot find We may challenging to find the sweet spot between difficult and
Moses’ burning
ridiculous—sacrificing something too insignificant misses
bush, or Balaam’s
six weeks could be.
the point of both fasting
with overpriced madeIf you aren’t familiar
donkey, but and Lent, but talking something
in-China shellsseason, it is withfaux the Lenten
ifgive we’re our too big and we up keeping or
traditionally a time of prayer, and inappropriate
even become more eyes intent and hearts open
fasting, and almsgiving leading
on self-discipline than faith.
T-shirts. Well, that’s
to experience God
to Easter. This 40 days (doesn’t
Part of the beauty of Lent is
include Sundays) is analogous to
becoming more self-aware
not what I’m talking
rather than looking
about;Jesus’ those arein the desert and once time
something in examining to ourtake habits and
served as a period of purification terrible.
quirks, revealing whatwe’re we cangoing to home,
and enlightenment When I talk aboutfor new
live without and might be what surprised.
converts back when all believers
be taking precedence over
souvenirs, I mean
were baptized on Easter Sunday.
time with God.
random stuff−a broken Beginning with Ash Wednesday
So this summer
and fall, and as often
Got it. So what do I do?
shower that fell andknob awareness of our own
as you Just like our faith, think this about it,
off thefinitude, super brokenness, sketchy and general uselessness apart from
is a personal thing. Jesus tells us in Matthewkeep 6 not to look “Where asking:
Christ, it culminates in oursomeone’s celebration offoot, the Resurrection. showers in the dorms onto a rock from
miserable while God we fast only we’ll attractsbe attention. am I seeing inbecause this?”that I think amazed at
This is why the Orthodox Church calls Lent the season of
the work site that claimed our sweat and blood as we
“Bright Sadness.” We celebrate Lent in that spirit, calling us
repaired illegibleour card from that terrible backatochurch, God andan deepening faith.
kid at VBS. These things that had stories; they had That’s cool.were Why fasting? Howhad much do you dothat in a given day without even history, they character changed us in one-way
Outside of the necessary accountability, this is between you
what kind of things we’ll bring back from a simple trip
and God. Honestly, we don’t really have to give up anything
the lake. we’ll sometime great tales of heroism toto “fast.” We canSure take on morehave intentional to create space and idiocy;with that’s allit’s part of the package. But like any and commune God; the concept that’s important.
Thishabit, Lenten we’ll season, try something bit different. If if we keep good start to noticealittle changes
thinking? We’re so accustomed to being on autopilot—grab a
you’ve never participated, anything will be different, so
soda, eat dinner, turn on the TV, check instagram/snapchat,
you’re golden. If you have, change it up! This year I invite
and binge on Netflix. Giving up a part of this could
you to fast; give up something you know you’ll miss, take
or another.
As I got older, I realized two things:
1.completely I had a bunch of random “things” thatsomething, took up derail our routine. Fasting removes too much space (muchdifficult like other typically something to gosouvenirs) without and interrupts lives. It’swasn’t not simply about forgoing yourstories favoriteand useless 2.our The stuff important, but the habit or snack; it’s self-denial, creating a space for intimacy
how the experiences affected us really with Christ.
mattered.
Now when we go on any sort of excursion, at the Practicing Lent quickly taught me both the value of
end offasting the day ask, “Where did yousomething see God for today?” and we the challenges that avoiding We find our souvenirs in our teammates through the
// February 26 //26 June 2017 2016
looking for God in everyday events and normal people. And we’ll discover that our whole perspective changes
begin new, seeing everywhere! Once onand something andGod discover what God can showour yousunburns in fade, we’ll notice we gained so much more than even this season of Bright Sadness. stories. We’ll get in the habit of finding God and never be the same. Andrew Shaffer thethe minister to to youth and Andrew Shafferis is minister youth families and theirat families at First Baptheir First Baptist Dalton, GA. He tist Dalton, GA. He is a graduate of is a graduate of Mississippi State, Samford Mississippi State, Samford and Truett and TruettHeSeminary. worked in Seminary. has workedHe in has youth youth ministry way orsince another since ministry one way one or another 2000, andhas hasbeen been bitten byotter. an otter. 2000, and bitten by an
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Gò0dNews for Seniors
Alzheimer’s
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The cause of Alzheimer’s dementia is still not known, but abnormal proteins accumulate within the brain of patients with the disease, eventually cause the nerve cells in the brain to stop functioning normally.
here is a tremendous burden on the families of loved ones who have Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said Dr. Jay Schecter of the Harbin Clinic. “The patient usually has little or no insight that he or she has any problems with their cognitive function. In fact, a new neurologic sign has just been shown to be fairly specific for Alzheimer’s as opposed to other forms of dementia; which is known as the “head-turning sign.” This is when the patient turns his or her head to their spouse to answer the question.” Dr. Schecter has been a neurologist at Harbin since 1988 and has diagnosed and treated thousands of patients with dementia over the past twenty-eight years. Dr. Schecter is the medical director of the Renaissance Marquis and has also had personal experience dealing with dementia that affected both of his parents and his mother-in-law who spent the last few years of her life at The Harbor, the twenty-five-bed memory unit at the Renaissance. “I have been very impressed with the staff at the Harbor,” said Dr. Schecter. “They really put their hearts in their work and take excellent care of each resident. It is very challenging work, as you can imagine, but it is such a relief for the families of the residents to know they are being cared for physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. My mother-in-law had moderately advanced dementia, which progressed while she was at The Harbor; but the team members made sure she maintained her physical health, nutritional status, and emotional wellbeing due to the caring staff.” Alzheimer’s dementia is the most common form of dementia and currently affects about forty-eight million people worldwide and over five million Americans. Other
28 // June 2017
common causes of dementia include vascular dementia, which is due to multiple strokes, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. The diagnosis of the different forms of dementia may not be easy, and often presents a diagnostic dilemma for the treating neurologist. The patient with Alzheimer’s dementia progresses through several stages of the disease with initial mild forgetfulness involving short-term memory. The later stages are characterized by personality changes that may include apathy, defiance, paranoia, delusions, or hallucinations, difficulty with language function and problems performing daily activities such as bathing, grooming, or dressing. When the person starts to become unable to care for him or herself, it is much more demanding on the family. According to Dr. Schecter, this is when he discusses alternative living arrangements with the family and recommends considering either 24/7 supervision from the family, assisted living, or nursing home placement, depending on the individual circumstances. “Unfortunately,” Dr. Schecter states, “Sometimes it is too late when the patient’s family members inquire about placing their loved one in an assisted living center and it becomes more difficult to do at that point.” Dr. Schecter often tries to anticipate when the family will need help and starts the discussion at that stage of the disease. “In both my professional and personal experience, it is a very tough decision to make, but when the family does finally agree to alternative living arrangements there is a real sense of relief. When you have as caring a staff and pleasant a living environment as the Renaissance, that decision is much easier to make.”
3126 Cedartown Hwy Rome, GA 30161
706-295-0014
renaissancemarquis.com
Gò0dNews Player of the Month
Addie Grace Trejo and Karson Fallin The Fellowship of Christian Athletes will present the dynamic duo of Addie Grace Trejo and Karson Fallin with the FCA Rome Area “Joshua” Award for the month of June.
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by Kent Howard
he Fellowship of Christian Athletes will present the dynamic duo of Addie Grace Trejo and Karson Fallin with the FCA Rome Area “Joshua” Award for the month of June. Named after Joshua, the award is presented monthly by FCA to honor courage, obedience, and leadership. Trejo, a junior at Armuchee High School, participates in cross country, basketball, and soccer. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honors Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Council, Future Business Leaders of America, and YoungLife. Addie Grace is an active member of Pleasant Valley North Baptist Church and has attended WinShape Camps for eleven years. Her hobbies include watching sports and spending time in the outdoors. After graduation in 2018, she plans on attending college but her major is undecided. Her life verse is John 8:12 that reads, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’.
30 // June 2017
Fallin, a junior at Armuchee High School, participates in softball and basketball but professes to support every sport at her school. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Council, and YoungLife. Karson is an active member at Pleasant Valley North Baptist Church. Her hobbies include photography, outdoor adventures, sleeping, and spending time with friends and family. After graduation in 2018, she plans on attending college and pursuing a career in physical therapy. Her life verse is Psalm 139:17 that reads, “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!”(RSV). FCA is the largest Christian sports ministry in the world and focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering, and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ. For more than sixty years, FCA has sought to impact the world through the influence of athletes and coaches. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the heart and soul in sports, is touching millions of lives . . . one heart at a time. Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high, and youth levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ. FCA is the largest Christian sports ministry in the world and focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering, and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ. MEDIA CONTACT: Kent Howard, Area Director. 706-506-2501 - khoward@fca.org
ALL NEW 2017 CAMARO
100 HIGHWAY 411 EAST, ROME, GA • 706.295.909 • RIVERSIDECHEVYROME.COM
Gò0dNews for Everyone Host a Student, Change a Life! My exchange is going to be over soon, and it feels like I just arrived. On the other hand, it feels like I’ve lived here for a long time.
E
by Mara Milanesi
xchange is weird. It is weird to travel alone to a country and live with people you don't know. You feel like a stranger; you feel like you don't belong. At the beginning, you have no friends in school. You'll have to ask people the way to your classroom because your school is so big. You feel awkward to speak English and afraid to make mistakes. But let me tell you that you will be fine. Strangers become your friends; you start speaking a lot, and people will compliment you for your accent. As an exchange student, you have the privilege to get to know the country's ups and downs; you have the opportunity to live the American life. You also get to know your home country more. I experienced a flood (because of the hurricane), and I even moved with my host family to another house. Exchange has its hardships, and I complained about things many times. I've had the honor to have an amazing sister from Brazil and a best friend from China who always stood by my side. I made incredible awesome friends here. It's like I've known them since my childhood. I would have never imagined that I would make friends who became so close. When I came to South Carolina, nothing was how I expected it to be−a state full of trees and squirrels. It was hotter than I expected it to be
32 // June 2017
because of the humidity. My host family's dogs didn't like me. The Southern accent was harder to understand than expected. My high school was bigger than I thought. If you think that all of these things are bad, you are wrong. I love the tropical weather here because warm weather makes me happy. As soon as the dogs got used to me, they accepted and started to love me. After a while, I knew my high school and it didn't seem as big anymore. School here was really easy for me. It was fun! I could choose six of my eight classes. Because I never had to study, I decided to join the crosscountry and later on the track team. It sucked at times, but overall, it was a great experience. I improved a lot and got to know a lot of nice people. I traveled to so many places while I was here and started to watch anime. I think I matured while here. I'm going to miss this year so much. I'm going to miss my friends, my host family, my three dogs, and the cat. I'm going to miss my school, the weather and the people here. For everyone who told me that a year is a long time to be away from home it isn't−especially in your exchange year. Time seems to go by so fast. This year was certainly the best year of my life. I have found my place in this country. I call it my second home." Mara Milanesi is an exchange student from Switzerland.
7 1 0 2MMER
SU MPS CA BERRY COLLEGE SOFTBALL YOUTH CAMP
• Where: 2277 Martha Berry Hwy, Rome, GA 30149 • Ages: 7-13 • Register: (706) 368-6370 • Cori Theirmann: cthiermann@berry.edu
BERRY COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL CAMP
• Where: 2277 Martha Berry Hwy, Rome, GA 30149 • Ages: 6-11+ • Register: (706) 368-5630 • www.berryvbcamps.com
BLUE SKIES RIDING ACADEMY
• Where: 515 Puckett Rd, Emmerson, GA 30137 • When: M-F, 9am-3pm • Ages: 6-10 • Register: (770) 926-2003 • www.blueskiesridingacademy.com
CK DANCEWORKS, INC.
• Where: 3734 Cedarcrest Rd. #104, Acworth, GA 30101 • Ages: 3-10 • Register: (770) 975-7298 • www.ckdanceworks.com
CLAY HIGHTOWER TENNIS ACADEMY CAMP
• Where: Berry College • Ages: 9-11+ • Register: (706) 236-1746 • www.hightowertenniscamps.com
DARLINGTON SUMMER CAMP
• Where: 1014 Cave Spring Road, Rome, GA 30161 • Ages: 2-11+ • Register: (800) 368-4437 • www.darlingtonschool.org
EDUCATION PLAY STATION SUMMER CAMP
• Where: 127 Summer Street, Adairsville, GA 30103 • Ages: 3-11+ • Register: (770) 877-9105 • www.educationplaystation.com
HIGH COUNTY STABLES CAMP
• Where: 5508 Dallas Acworth Highway, Dallas, GA 30132 • Ages: 5-8 • Register: (404) 597-6000 • www.highcountystables.com
INDIAN SPRINGS HOLINESS CAMPGROUND CAMP • Where: 420 Waterford Dr. Cartersville, GA 30120 • Ages: 11+ • Register: (707) 655-0046 • www.wn.com
JOE MACHNIK’S NO. 1 GOALKEEPER CAMP & STRIKER CAMP • Where: 1014 Cave Spring Rd. Rome, GA 30161 • Ages: 8-11+ • Register: (706) 378-3706 • www.no1soccercamps.com
MUSIC THEATRE CAMPS
• Where: 7 N. Wall St. Cartersville, GA 30120 • Ages: 7-8 • Register: (770) 386-7343 • www.thegrandtheatre.org
Summer Camps
at Shorter University
June 5-8 & June 13-16 9:00 am to 11:30 am
$75
per child
$15
to purchase a racquet
Register at teachmetennis.org
Gò0dNews for Everyone
One Nation Under God
We’re to be the governing counsel for the general population−legislating Kingdom authority in the world in which we live and expressing heaven’s view on earth.
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by Phil Wade
od never called us to take sides. He’s called us to take over. Let me prove it. Matthew 16:1314 says “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’” So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets’” (NKJV). Then Jesus turns to His disciples and asks the same question. “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’” (v. 15). Then Peter speaks for the group and says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Jesus answers. “Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (vs. 17-19). The original translation for rock in verse 18 is plural not singular−“rocks.” The original word for church is “Ekklesia” meaning, “called out ones.” What is the church, the called-out ones, supposed to look like? The American Embassy is a little bit of America on foreign soil. The church is to be heaven on foreign soil. As believers, the Bible calls us strangers—aliens—on this earth. But our job while on earth is to legislate kingdom authority in this dark world. Let us be
34 // June 2017
reminded today that when you stand on God’s Word, you will meet opposition. Let me also remind you that . . . • Paul faced opposition, but he stood courageous. • David stood in the face of opposition as a man of courage and a man after God’s heart. • Nehemiah was encouraged to come down off the wall to listen to the naysayers but refused to stop doing that which he was called to do by God. • Joshua tells us over and over to be courageous. We must commit to stand, to pray, in seeking the will of God and for the strength, power, and boldness to accomplish His will. Remember, our battle is not with those who oppose our biblical standard and biblical views. Our battle is with spiritual darkness and evil forces led by Satan and the demons. Therefore, we must love those who oppose our views, but we must keep our focus on legislating Kingdom authority while praying for wisdom, discernment, boldness, and strength to continue to run the race. That is “one nation under God.”
Pastor Phil Wade was born in Knoxville, TN in 1962. He graduated from Coosa High School in 1980, then attended Shorter College and Covington Theological Seminar. Pastor Phil graduated from North Carolina College of Theology with Masters of Theology. Pastor Phil has served as lead Pastor of Northside Church since October of 2012. He and his wife, Keli, were married in 1981. He has two children and five grandchildren.
NIKE SOCCER CAMP BERRY COLLEGE
• Where: 2277 Martha Berry Hwy Mount Berry, GA 30149 • Ages: 14-18 • Register: (800) 645-3226 • www.ussportscamps.com
PGC BASKETBALL CAMP
• Where: 105 Shorter Ave SW, Rome, GA 30165 • Ages: 11+ • Register: (512) 828-7311 • www.pgcbasketball.com
PREMIERE FOOTBALL PROSPECT CAMP
• Where: Shorter University • Cost: $30 for one day, $50 for both • Register: David Sims dsims@shorter.edu
HOMESCHOOL BOOK LOUNGE
SUMMER CAMPS Science Camps • Star Wars Camp, Lego Camps • Craft Camps • History Camps
POWER CHORD ACADEMY
AM CAMPS: 10AM - 12PM PM CAMPS: 1PM - 3PM
PRIMROSE SCHOOLS SUMMER CAMP
$20_______Individual Day $32________2-Sessions Camps $42________3-Sessions Camps 25% Discount For Siblings & Multiple Week Sign-Ups.
• Where: 2277 Martha Berry Hwy Mount Berry, GA 30149 • Ages: 11+ • Register: (706) 862-2231 • www.powerchordacademy.com • Where: 3660 Cedarcrest Rd Acworth, GA 30101 • Ages: >1-5 • Register: (770) 529-4100 • www.primroseschools.com
RLT ACADEMY SUMMER WORKSHOP 2017
• Where: DeSoto Theater • When: June 12-16 • 9:00am-2:00pm • Cost: $175 (Includes lunch daily & camp t-shirt!) • Ages: 6-16 • Register: (706) 295-7171
TEACH ME TENNIS
• Where: Shorter University • When: June 5-8 & 13-16 • 9:00am – 11:30 am • Cost: $75 per child, $15 to purchase a racquet • Register: Teachmetennis.org
706.591.8532 506 Avenue A • Rome, GA HomeschoolBookLounge.com
TYLER MURRAY BASKETBALL CAMP AT SHORTER UNIVERSITY
• Where: Shorter University • Cost: Session 1- $80, Session 2- $100 • Ages: 4-8, 9-14 • Register: (706) 233-7343 • Tyler Murray - tmurray@shorter.edu
VALLEY VIEW RANCH EQUESTRIAN CAMP FOR GIRLS
• Where: 606 Valley View Ranch Rd. Cloudland, GA 30731 • Ages: 8-17 • Register: (706) 862-2231 • info@valleyviewranch.com
VIC MITCHEL GIRLS BASKETBALL CAMP AT SHORTER UNIVERSITY • Where: Shorter University • Cost: $50- Jr. Day Camp, $125 Full Day Camp • Ages: Jr. Day Camp (5-entering 4th grade) • Full Day Camp (9-entering 9th grade) • Register: (706) 233-7344 • Vic Mitchel- vmitchell@shorter.edu
YMCA DAY CAMP
• Where: YMCA • When: 1 week sessions available between May-July • Cost: YMCA Member- $85 • Non-member: $110 • Ages: 6-12
YMCA KINDERCAMP
• Where: YMCA • When: 1 week sessions available between May-July • Cost: YMCA Member- $57 half day/$85 full day • Non-member: $75 half day/$110 full day • Ages: 3-5
VBS
LIST YOUR CHURCH’S
Contact: Brooke Hale | brooke.goodnews@gmail.com
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