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.