The Solid Rock Official Blog

Community Day October 9th!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 18:45:00 +0000

Saturday, October 9th, 12pm-4pm
Join us for a fun community festival! There will be food, carnival games, an inflatable bouncer for the children, and giveaways including kids bikes and MP3 players.
This will be a family event for all ages. Hope to see you there!

Combined Service Report

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

We had a fantastic combined service last night at The Link Apostolic Church in Canton, Ohio. If you've never attended one, it is when all of the churches in The Apostolic Network come together and celebrate. They are held quarterly, and the next one will be in December. All of the churches give a testimony of what has been happening, we worship together, and then we hear a message from our Bishop to inspire us and give us a fresh vision for where we want to go as individual churches and as a collective group. Last night's message was "The Day They Forsook All" and was a reminder to all of us for our need to surrender ourselves to the Will of God.

Blessing Our Community

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:27:00 +0000

What an exciting day at The Solid Rock! Yesterday was our Blessing the Community Day and what an amazing response we had. This weekend we baptized 6 in the name of Jesus, and had 10 filled with the Holy Ghost. After the service we had pizza and a drawing to give away Walmart gift cards and gas cards.
We would like to thank Jason Rasor, from Columbus, Ohio, for helping us this weekend with this event. He spoke a powerful message to us on Sunday about faith and how all things are possible with God. After this weekend there are certainly a lot of people who believe it.
For information on how you can experience this for yourself, to be baptized, or if you would like someone to come and teach you a Bible study in your home so you can learn more please call 330-823-3023.

Bless Our Community Day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:53:00 +0000

Sunday, September 19th we will be having a Bless Our Community Day at 2pm. There will be gift card giveaways and free pizza following worship. Please join us!

New Sunday Service Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:27:00 +0000

Our Sunday Worship service has a new time! Join us this Sunday at 2:00pm for our adult and children's Sunday School classes, and then at 3pm for our worship service.

What We're Talking About Now

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:20:00 +0000

This Sunday the 11th we will be ending our series on Men & Women with a final message on Family.
On Tuesday nights Pastor Cruz is taking us on a journey through the Bible and its major characters and events. The purpose of this study is to examine our core beliefs and why we believe them. If you have questions, this is an excellent time to have them answered.

Celebration Service this month!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:39:00 +0000

Mark June 27th on your calendars! At 6pm at The Link Apostolic Church, in Canton, all of the churches who belong to The Apostolic Network are coming together for our quarterly combined service. It's always a time of great encouragement and the service is packed with exciting worship and a message from Bishop F. Joe Ellis.

Upcoming Dates

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 00:42:00 +0000

April 25th
Church dinner immediately following the morning worship service. Please bring a side dish and dessert.

May 1st
Mother/ Daughter Brunch
10am at The Link Apostolic Church in Canton.
www.thelinkchurch.org

May 22nd
Pentecost Outreach
Prayer begins at 10am, we will be passing out invitations after prayer.

May 23rd
Pentecost Sunday celebration. Join us for refreshments following the morning worship service.

May 29th
Annual Men & Boys "PigOut"
10am at Baltic Conservation Club

Easter Candy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 17:58:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who helped today passing out the bags of Easter candy to the community. We hope it brightened up the days of those who received it! Don't forget tomorrow is the last Sunday of the month - time for our church dinner. It's always a great time to eat together after worship service. Invite friends and family who might like to enjoy a nice meal and fun time.
Then tomorrow evening is the combined service at The Link Apostolic Church in Canton at 6pm. Don't miss it!

Church Dinner/Combined Service

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:17:00 +0000

Next Sunday, March 28th, is our church dinner following morning worship. These dinners are held the last Sunday of the month and have been a great time to connect with each other and enjoy a meal together. There's always plenty of great food!
That evening at 6pm we will joining The Link Apostolic Church (www.thelinkchurch.org) in Canton for the quarterly combined service. All of the churches in The Apostolic Network come together to celebrate, encourage each other, and hear fresh vision from our leaders. It's always an amazing time so please join us if you can. Visit the above website for directions to the church.

First Sunday School Room Complete

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:51:00 +0000

After months of rotating places to hold our Sunday School classes we are excited to have our first classroom complete. We kicked off a new quarter March 7th and the kids are having a blast with the new theme centered around a very curious little bumblebee who lives outside Grandpa's workshop under a woodpile. This unit centers around helping the children understand that there is one God and that He alone can save us.
Here are some before and after pictures:

Baptism

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:37:00 +0000

Congratulations to Dustin Patch! He was baptized on March 2, 2010.

Family Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:28:00 +0000

We will begin having Family Prayer on Saturday mornings at 10am. It is a time to pray together as families and as a church. It is an open invitation to anyone who would like to come. You need not be a member of The Solid Rock to attend this time of prayer. If you need prayer for any reason, please feel free to attend or call (330) 823-3023 to let us know. We believe in the power of God to intervene in any situation.

Fresh Vision

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:22:00 +0000

We're excited to welcome Pastor Tony Cruz back home from his trip to Kiev, Ukraine and St. Petersburg, Russia. He was teaching in leadership conferences in those nations. He has arrived home with fresh vision for the church. He is beginning a series on Tuesday nights that will outline the steps we will be implementing as a church this year. Meanwhile, the work continues. One Sunday school room is nearly complete and the second bathroom is in its final stages.
The primary goal of the church in 2009 was to complete as much of the building project as possible. In 2010 we are shifting our focus to reaching out to our community and strengthening our committment to apostolic ministry. Instead of being "just another church" we want to offer real, Spirit-led ministry that produces changed lives. It's time to offer Strength, Hope, and Purpose to people in this area.

Latest news...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:09:00 +0000

We had our first church dinner on Sunday, November 22, in our newly remodeled fellowship hall and kitchen. It was an emotional time for those of us who have been involved since the very beginning. It's been amazing to watch an old broken down building become a place where friends can gather together and share worship, a meal, and laughter. Here are some before pictures...

The kitchen...and the leaky ceiling.

The old fellowship hall and during the work...

The new kitchen including the new storage closet built in the back! In these pictures the floor is not complete, we were laying it that day.

The new fellowship hall as people began to come in for church Sunday morning. Everyone is hovering over the coffee pot and admiring.

Thanks to everyone for their help! We're on to the Sunday School wing next!

Come Over For Dinner!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:58:00 +0000

The Solid Rock will be having a potluck dinner Sunday, November 22nd following our morning worship service. Family and friends are welcome to attend. See Mary Jo Sowd for instructions on what to bring. Guests may bring their appetites. Our new kitchen should be complete by then!

Becoming Contagious!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:54:00 +0000

We recently started a new series entitled "How to Become a Contagious Christian". The series is based on a book by the same name, authored by Bill Hybels. We will be exploring different aspects of reaching out to people and sharing our faith in a practical and effective way. The series will be taught during Sunday morning worship and Tuesday bible study.

Open Doors

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:10:00 +0000

Over 30 years ago the front doors to the church were removed and filled in with concrete blocks. This is the front of the church that faces the road. A smaller, side door off the parking lot has been used as the main entrance ever since. The sidewalk, still in good condition, had long since been covered with dirt and grass. A tacky piece of sheet metal covered a hole to keep animals out. A wonderful lady, Anna Gamble, who along with her husband had pastored The Solid Rock many years ago, had a dream to see the front entrance reopened. When the new front doors were fully installed, we sent someone for this dear lady. The picture of her standing at the entrance was taken just after she walked in and saw the doors for the first time. Just another dream that has come true at The Solid Rock!

The Big Workday Overview

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:26:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who showed up August 15th for the workday! We had people from several churches in the area come to help us as we push to complete our building project. I'll be posting several updates about the work as I could not possibly describe everything that happened in one post! The work actually began on Friday with some young men coming to help do some preparation work. Then Saturday morning the Apostolic Ministry Team (AMT) met early that morning for their monthly class. Afterwards everyone enjoyed coffee, muffins, and fruit before jumping right in to the work. The churches we would like to thank are:
The Link in Canton, OH http://www.thelinkchurch.org/
Dover Link in Dover, OH http://www.doverlinkblogspot.com/
Christian Life Center of Minerva in Minerva, OH http://www.clcminerva.com/
Grace Pentecostal Church in Salem, OH http://www.gracepentecostalsalem.org/
North Point Apostolic in Stow, OH http://www.northpointapostolic.com/

Some of projects we accomplished (more details to follow):

Landscaping around our sign. Why is the woman the only one actually using her shovel?

Painting the shed.

Removing wallpaper in the Sunday School room, hallway, and the fellowship hall.

Framing the new walls in the second bathroom, putting up drywall and board for the tile.

Lunch. Very Important. Thanks to all the ladies who helped serve and make food for the hungry crowd.

The front entrance way reopened and our new doors installed. Thank you to Grace Pentecostal Church for donating the new doors!

Hanging and finishing drywall in the fellowship hall and a Sunday School room.

Moving the stove (and the gas line) so that we can build a storage closet in the kitchen. The ladies also cleaned the kitchen thoroughly.

Painting the trim in the sanctuary.

Putting up ceiling fans and light fixtures in the sanctuary.

These are just some of the projects we were able to do with the unified effort of our sister churches. The Solid Rock members were speechless and emotional after everyone left and we were left standing in a church building that is almost unrecognizable from a year ago. We're not finished but we are going forward.

Look for future posts for details on individual projects and highlights!

Work Day Saturday, August 15th

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:06:00 +0000

The Link Network AMT (Apostolic Ministry Team) is sponsoring a collective work effort at The Solid Rock on August 15th at 10am. Teams from all of the churches in The Link Network will be descending upon the church to lend a hand in our building project. We appreciate their support and are excited to see what we accomplish. All members of The Solid Rock are encouraged to attend. There are multitudes of tasks from simple to skilled, so even if you are not "handy" with tools or construction come on over on Saturday the 15th. We'll have plenty going on, and will be supplying lunch to the laborers.

Check out what The Link Network is all about: www.thesolidrockonline.com/linknetwork.html

Emotional Health Series

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:50:00 +0000

We will be spending the next few months studying emotional health as a church. Pastor Cruz has introduced the concept of being unable to be spiritually mature until we are emotionally mature. He has brought out many ways that our emotions affect our relationship with God and with others. Carrying around unresolved emotions can hinder us and prevent us from fulfilling our purpose.
Pastor Cruz recommends the book "The Emotionally Healthy Church" by Peter Scazzero. He is basing much of his teaching from the book because he feels it is an excellent guide to the church on this subject. You can purchase it at www.amazon.com for around $12.
Pastor Cruz will be speaking on this subject on Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings until he feels it has been covered sufficiently.

Almost there

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:42:00 +0000

The sanctuary (auditorium) is mostly finished. we're cleaning and arranging right now. We hope to be holding our services in there soon, possibly this week! It looks so different. Fresh and open are words that come to mind. It just feels like there's an expectancy in the air. I cannot even imagine the depth of the experiences and growth that will happen in that room. The room itself is not a magic forum for God to work in, but it is a place where His people gather together to celebrate, grow, and be refreshed. That opens so many possibilities!

Phase I - The Bathrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:31:00 +0000

Phase I of our Dream project was to get one of the bathrooms comfortable and functionable. The bathrooms were a mess. Pipes sticking out of walls, the water pump occupying a corner of the men's restroom, no hot water, old fixtures, worn tile, and a rather nauseating decor.
Enter a few men and their trusty sledgehammers and we were soon down to studs and concrete. The plumbing needed replacing and had it's own set of complications. Through much hard, dirty, and frustrating work we had a small group of men who did everything they could themselves. Our ace in the hole was Pastor Schwendeman from our sister church in Salem (http://www.gracepentecostalsalem.com/). He is a skilled craftsman and lent us his expertise and did much of the work himself. We are most appreciative of all of his help. He continues to help us as we move forward with our other projects. In my future posts I will outline our sanctuary remodel, of which he was a tremendous part. We have only finished one bathroom so far. The other is gutted but still empty. We went ahead with our second phase, the sanctuary. Now that it is nearing completion we will turn our focus to finishing the other bathroom. It is so exciting to watch the transformation! One gentlemen who has been a faithful member of The Solid Rock since the 1970's remarked that the remodeled bathroom was the nicest he has ever seen anything done at the church in all of his years there. We thank God for His provision, and for the vision that He has given us to do this project with excellence. We want to give the very best we have to this community and give them a place to come and be introduced to the hope they are looking for. All of this work is for those who haven't even been inside our doors but are looking for something more. We want to have a reputation for caring for people to the best of our abilities.

We're Open!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:57:00 +0000

One of the first things we wanted to do was let the surrounding community know that we are open. We invited friends to come and help as we passed out hundreds of fliers in areas near the church. We made a plan, mapped it out, assigned captains and were amazed by what was accomplished when everyone worked together.

Here are some of the volunteers checking out their map and planning the best route.

On the fliers was an invitation to join us later for a picnic so we could meet some of our neighbors.

Our very competant grill chefs were prepared to serve up hot dogs and hamburgers when the hungry volunteers and neighbors descended.

We set up a volleyball net and some corn toss tournaments. It really was a very successful day getting the word out that The Solid Rock is definitely open!

Rebuilding Lives

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:56:00 +0000

As we are renovating the church facility, we also want to continue to assist people in finding new hope and direction for their life. The man pictured was the first person to be baptized as a result of the The Solid Rock's outreach. Pastor Cruz baptized him at our sister church, Christian Life Center of Minerva, because we have not yet finished the remodeling of our sanctuary and installed our own. This is the reason we are pouring time, energy, and finances into fixing up a building. We want to see lives changed by the love of God. Our purpose statement is Strength for Today, Hope for Tomorrow, and Purpose for Life. Those are the things we want to offer our community. The times we live in are unstable and chaotic, but we want to offer a solid rock to those who would like something to hold on to in the storm. That's what "The Dream" project is really all about.