Christian on a mission-March 28th Meeting Overview

Aunt Ginger proclaimed that she is a "Christian on a mission being made available to be used by God". These meetings are not her vision, but God with the aid of the Holy Spirit is guiding her in this endeavor. She is a willing vessel for God’s use, especially for building up the family.

You will recall that Aunt Ginger asked us as a family to read Ezekial 34-36. She asked the group who had read these chapters. Of those that read, Betty Pertillar-Carter, Brian Pertillar and Virginia Pertillar all shared what they received from reading the chapters recommended. The following is what they shared:

God wants to bless our great family! We as individuals and collectively as a family will have to put some of our old behaviors behind us that has caused us problems; some listed was using drugs, alcohol, stealing, cheating, lying, gossiping, backbiting, anger etc.

God must be first in whatever we are attempting to do so that the showers of blessings will flow, for the blessings will not flow out of our own efforts alone, but that because God has made many promises to His people, and He is not a God to lie. In Ezekiel, God said in His word that He will be a shepherd to His people. That His people will be fed from good pastures that His people will never have to worry about famines in the land. He said that He will give His people a covenant of peace, and that His people will not have to be afraid of beast that would otherwise devour and kill them. He stated that we are His people and He is our God. Once we understand and accept who He is, and what He has done through His Son Jesus Christ, and accepted the way, the truth and the life of Jesus Christ, then the showers of blessings will flow and be abundant.

I do suggest you read the chapters if you have not already and if you have read them again. I learned so much from them and was able to apply what I read to our family as a whole and to my personal life, vision, and goals.

This meeting seemed to generate more wonderful ideas for our family to create/participate in. I will list some of them here, but please continue to read the meeting minutes as they are more detailed.

Family Ideas/Projects:

· Help Family Members Around the House

· Family Bowling Night

· Family Movie Night

· Nature Walks as a Family

· A Family trip to the world’s largest Mall in New Jersey

· Skill building Workshops offered by family members with expertise in various areas.

· Create a Family Cookbook as a (fund raiser) and Cook-Off

· Create a Family Calendar as a fund raiser

· Purchase a Park Bench in honor of Charles and Clara Pertillar – could place it at the homestead or in a public park, or purchase a pew in the church.

· Have a Family Tag Sale/ Swap Activity –One person's trash is another's treasure.

· Assist Family Members interested in Political Office – begin campaigning

· Create a Family Coupon Book – Fund raiser

· Start thinking about incorporating the family, with a status for profit. (Start research on family Tax I.D., 503-c, and seek legal guidance through family or other means.

· Family Academy – for family members who need help with homework, learning about family history etc.

· Family Restaurant (long-term) specializing in family recipes

Family Calling Tree – Being developed in order to alert people about meeting
cancellations and important announcements quickly.

Postage Collection – We want to contribute money for stamps, envelopes and
paper to ensure that family members who do not have a computer can be kept
abreast of what is happening by the regular mail.

REMINDER:

First Sunday Dinner – Will happen on April 5^, 2009, at 82 Westland Street, Hartford, CT starting at 2:00 p.m. everyone will bring something to share with everyone else, i.e., hot dish of food, dessert, bread, meat, beverage, etc. Whatever your heart desires, bring enough to share! Hopefully, we can move from house to house as we get started.

All in all it seems as though this was a wonderful meeting where creative ideas were produced. If you have not received the minutes to this meeting, please email/call Aunt Ginger or myself and we will make sure you get them. Also, be thinking about which committee you will serve on and contact someone who is listed under that committee. The names and numbers are in the meeting minutes.

Fast and Pray

This week Aunt Ginger is urging us to fast and pray for our family.

I want to ask, that those who can, to participate in a fast during the week of March 23 – 27, 2009. Why, it came to me that we need a cleansing of our spirits as we move forward, and we need to hear from God more than ever. He might speak to you, or someone else, or me about what will happen in the upcoming days about how we are to proceed. I don’t know about you, but I want God to be in the front of what we are doing, about to do and into the future. So here’s the charge:

First, let me explain as best as possible what a fast is. A fast is when a person or group intentionally deny the body of sustenance (i.e., food/drink), for a period of time. It has been used for centuries by individuals, religious groups, nations, churches, synagogues, etc. It has been used when something good was to be anticipated, and it was used when something terrible happened. It has been used when there is a need to hear from God for directions and help. This is what I am recommending that we use if for – We need to hear from God for His direction and for His help.

How we can work this out is that we separate the week of the fast, by first name only so that it works like this:

If your name starts with the letters A-B-C-D-Y you will fast only on Sunday, March 22. Look at the chart below for the day you can fast.

Some people will not be able to fast because they are on medication or because of some illness that might prevent them from participating. Here’s how you can participate if you cannot fast – PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. Lift the family up in prayer continuously.

I would like to encourage everyone to read Ezekiel Chapters 34-36 during the week of the fast. It’s encouraging what God will and can do!

Choose only one meal that you will not have for the day you are to fast, it can be breakfast, lunch or dinner.

When you chose the meal, drink only water during the fast and pray for our family.

Sun. March 22	Mon. March 23	Tues March 24	Wed. March 25	Thurs March 26	Fri. March 27
Your First name begins with the following Letters:	Your First name begins with the following Letters:	Your First name begins with the following Letters:	Your First name begins with the following Letters:	Your First name begins with the following Letters:	Your First name begins with the following Letters:
A	E	I	M	Q	U
B	F	J	N	R	V
C	G	K	O	S	W
D	H	L	P	T	X
Y	Z

If you have any questions, please call me. (860) 527-5951.

Until we meet on March 28, 2009, my prayers are with each of you and collective for all of us. May God Bless you abundantly and keep you in perfect peace.

Love,

Sis-Auntie Ginger

The First Meeting of the Descendants of Charles and Clara Pertillar

Virgina Pertillar introduced the idea for the reason meeting - basically sharing that while recouperating from her fall down the basement stairs, there was much time to sit still and think about many things. As many of us know, someone is always praying in this family for our family to come together, be delivered from whatever we might be bound with or to, and it was the spirit of God, and our mother, grand mother that the idea of bringing women together as a support started to stir within me. Mom (Clara Pertillar) would always say "Charity (love) begin at home, then it spreads abroad. My initial thought was to invite women I know, but the spirit again, was strong within me to start with our family. Our great family. So here we are.

We did introductions with each other as we realize that we really do not know each other the way we should. As a matter of fact there were family members who met for the very first time at this meeting.

We then did an exercise where we created two circles. The outer circle consisted of the older women and the inner circle consisted of the younger family members. The inner circle was the only circle that moved clockwise, stopping in front of each outer circle member and stating again Name, asking for forgiveness, and stating I love you. Each person did this with every person in attendance.
This was a very powerful exercise, and needed to happen. We realize that we must put behind us the things that have hurt us, by each other even if its just being negligence of coming closer to the family.

This is a critical time for our family. We are a great family and we have so much - we are more than a number! We have great people in our family, filled with great gifts and talents. Everything we need is in this family. If we can pool our resources, talents and gifts together, we can create a great nation of people. A nation of people God will be pleased with. We must put God first, in all that we attempt to do. I believe He has been waiting for us to do what we are doing at this time. The blessing will flow abundantly. I think we all are beginning to see the ideas that are coming forth. They have been there waiting for us to come together. Therefore, now that we have started, we must move forward. Leave all petty matters to the wind, even better begin burying them, they are useless!

Anything worth having will take work, committment, trust, love and peace between us. Tell someone else what is happening, and don't sit back waiting for somebody else to do it all - get involved!!!
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A similar meeting was held with the Pertillar men at which many of the same ideas came up that the family will want to get involved in. There will be a joint meeting of the men and women on March 28th.

Stay tuned. Stay involved. Share your heart. Be released to love and be loved....

Sincerely,

Nicole Pertillar

P.S. If for some reason you are not on the email list and you would like copies of the meeting minutes, please email me at capturedprojects@gmail.com and I will make sure you get the information you need.