Gratitude for Your Support in 2008

Please accept my sincere thanks for your generous giving to the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ in 2008. In May of 1987 a small group of feisty Holy Spirit-filled Christians meeting in each other’s homes, borrowed churches and community halls, chartered their growing Bible study, naming it Christ Community Church of the Catskills. Twenty two years and a name change later, Catskill Mountain Christian Center stands in our region as a magnificent, living and vibrant beacon of God’s love and evidence of the power and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. CMCC is arguably the most active church in Delaware County, touching literally thousands of lives each year both spiritually and through works of service.

The book of James says, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:14-18

Through your giving, 2008 was a year of unprecedented productivity for CMCC on every level. Most notably, our average Sunday attendance was significantly higher and our Family Table food program distributed a record amount of food valued at $450,000 to over one thousand local low income families.

Further evidence of the great faith of CMCC members is as follows: services every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, nursery care, Sunday school, Power Kids, home groups, nursing home ministry, senior citizen’s dinner fellowship, regular women’s meetings, men’s meetings, leadership training, pastoral counseling, Bible studies, True Beauties, CMCC Rangers, youth group, CMCC School of Ministry, music ministry, prayer ministry, usher team, financial counseling, personal discipleship, building maintenance and cleaning, snow removal/lawns and grounds, altar/prayer ministry team, after church coffee hour, hospitality, missions support, administration, financial team, web site administration and crisis counseling.

A major program of CMCC is Catskill Mountain Christian Academy, a full pre-k through twelfth grade school in its fourteenth year of providing an excellent education for children whose parents value the integration of Christian faith with academics. Led by my wife Nancy with an incredible staff of holy and dedicated professionals, in 2008 CMCA graduated four college-ready seniors. The school is a tremendous responsibility and a true labor of love.

Our website: www.cmcconline.org has become a powerful communication tool, enabling CMCC to touch thousands of people. 2008 saw over 9,000 total page visits and almost 5,000 different computer addresses logging in; 2,000 of them were first time visitors. 14 different states from the U.S. and 10 countries from five different continents visited our website in 2008.

In 2008 we worked towards two separate potential new church plants, six of our youth went off to study for a year at Elim Bible Institute, two groups took trips to the Lakeland, Florida revival, and 10 CMCC members took a two week mission trip to a remote village in Mexico. Besides what I just mentioned, here’s a rundown of special events in 2008 from my calendar:

• Evangelist and strongman Steve Carrier with 100 decisions for Christ
• CMCA spelling bee
• Family game nights
• Coffee house
• Men’s breakfast meetings
• 30 attended Battlecry, a major youth event in New Jersey
• Andes Hotel Valentine’s dinner
• Evangelist Randy Goodeau
• Caryl Mallory from Wycliff Bible Translators
• Pastor Mark and Mary Meyers ministry weekend
• Good Friday Passion of the Christ movie
• Easter sunrise service
• Rev. Paul Moore from CitiHope International
• 24 hour prayer vigil
• Former NFL star Paul Costa ministry weekend
• 60th Anniversary of Israel celebration at United Nations in New York City
• Joint motorcycle ride with a New Jersey Christian motorcycle club
• Alight Care Center of Troy, New York annual support banquet
• Pastor Bob and Cara Grimm ministry weekend
• Lakeland Outpouring trip
• Susan Brown, Arising to Excellence Ministries, women’s meeting
• Pastor Alan Babcock, CMCA commencement speaker
• Four seniors graduate Catskill Mountain Christian Academy
• Trooper David Brinkerhoff Memorial dedication
• Dr. Larry Keefauver ministry weekend
• Mexico mission trip for 10 members
• After Edmund concert
• CMCA youth conference
• Ron Depriest ministry weekend including men’s breakfast with Christian Motorcycle Association
• Bishop Julius Wafula Macheusi from Kenya arrives for eight weeks
• Winner’s Circle Business Institute
• Pastor David Engelhardt Ministry weekend
• Harvest party
• Naomi Dowdy ministry week
• CMCC women’s conference in Kingston with Apostle Naomi Dowdy
• Margaretville community Christmas celebration, parade float, live Nativity
• Family Table children’s Christmas party
• Various church Christmas parties
• Christmas Eve candlelight service
• New Years Eve fellowship and prayer.

And on top of all of the above our pastoral staff visits the sick, prays for the discouraged, responds to emergencies. We hold weddings, funerals, baptisms, baby dedications and conduct marriage and family ministry. My second nationally published book came out in 2008 (The Sovereignty of God revision) and I am on the ecclesiastical council of the International Christian Wealth Builders Foundation and CitiHope International. I also represented CMCC at various regional and national ministry related conferences and Pastor Kevin Beutel represents CMCC at the local Greater Margaretville Area Interfaith Council. Pastor Randall Johnson serves on the board of the Ulster County Pregnancy Distress Centers and Pastor Renard Barto and his wife, Gina are active as foster parents and involved in the foster care community.

CMCC is affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals, the International Coalition of Apostles, Open Bible Faith Fellowship of Canada, Your Ministry Consultation Services, the International Christian Wealth Builders Foundation, LEAD – Leadership Education for Apostolic Development, CitiHope International, Eagles Wings Ministries, Bethesda Missionary Fellowship of Kenya, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, Central Catskill’s Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Margaretville Area Interfaith Council.

In closing, I am very grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ for His faithfulness and to you for your generosity to His Kingdom. I look forward to what the future holds as we continue to serve Him together in 2009 and beyond.
Blessings,
Pastor Bob Engelhardt