October Q3 Final

Quarterly

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Contents 

Academ ic Life 

28t h Anniversary 

Fall Event s in t he QC 

Light Minist ry 

SCCOC Healt h Fair 

Donn Perkins - Final 

Flight 

Real Men Experience 

Hidden Valley Clean Up 

Cont ribut or Manager 

Monica Leary 

9. 

Vacat ion Bible School 

Jam ia Chislom 

HighPraise 

Edit or/ Publisher

Loving God For Who He Is 

T ragically most of us have been taught that duty, not delight, is the 

way to glorify God. But we have not been taught that delight in God is our 

duty! Being satisfied in God is not an optional add-on to the real stuff of 

Christian duty. It is the most basic demand of all. "Delight yourself in the 

Lord" {Psalm 37:4) is not a suggestion but a command. So are: "Serve the 

Lord with gladness" {Psalm 100:2); and: "Rejoice in the Lord always" {Phil. 

.4;4). 

To understand your life's purpose and calling, you must begin with God's nature. God is love and His 

love is His pleasure. Love is the essence of His nature. The only reason there is love in the universe is 

because of God. Ants and snails do not love, but you were made in God's image, so you can love. The reason 

you are alive is because God wanted to love on you. The first purpose of your life is to be loved by God! Yes, 

it is important to serve, obey, and trust him, but your purpose is to love Him, take pleasure in Him and be 

satisfied by him. 

This truth means that every closet of our lives needs to be opened to His cleansing love, and every 

relationship in our lives must be influenced by His love. This call to love God this way destroys any option of 

being one person at worship and another version on a date. What you do on the internet needs to be just as 

pure as what you do in your Journey class. The way we talk to our parents needs to be as wholesome as the 

way we talk to our preachers. There needs to be an authentic love for God that starts with God-oriented 

affections, desires, and thoughts, that permeates our speaking and behavior, and then influences the way 

we spend our money and how we dress, and drive, and our forms of entertainment. 

In this issue of High Praise, we see God's love demonstrated throughout the life of Sugar Creek. God's love 

is visible in the sacrifices that we make to serve, the investment we make to build and the character we 

culminate for His praise. 

Serving at the King's Pleasure 

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he 

will give thee the desires of thy heart. 

Psalms 37:4 

i Afl_atte .;, 

Leslie & Marie James

The Church Academ y 

Vision & Teachers 

2016 Church Academy Vision: 

To educate children in God?s Word so that they will grow 

in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, 

developing a faith and attitude that honors God. 

2016 Teachers Appreciation Program 

Church Academy Teachers Are Appreciated! On Sunday, May 29, 2016 Sugar Creek recognized, honored and 

expressed appreciation to Church Academy teachers for their hard work and sacrifice in teaching our children. 

Teaching often requires sacrificially giving of one?s time, efforts and energy to prepare and deliver lessons that will 

effectively reach students and make a difference in their lives. Appreciation pins were given to all teachers who 

were honored. 

The following teachers were recognized and appreciated for their sacrificial service as teachers during the 2015 ? 

2016 school year: 

2 ? 5 Year Old Class: 

JoJeanna Collins, Mae Johnson, Amanda Lee, Monica Leary, Brenda Morgan, Evelyn Scott, Whitney White 

1st and 2nd Grade Class: 

Renee Howard, Olympia J. Smith, Sherrida Smith, LaTroy Pate 

3rd ? 5th Grade Class: 

Bernadette Bobo, Sabrina Dailey, Jamie Hancock, Karl McKinney, Alethia Morris 

6th ? 8th Grade Class: 

Teresha Berry, Charles Crawford, Raphael Thigpin, David Williams 

9th ? 12th Grade Class: 

Calvin Bowden, Fatina Lorick, Fred Moss, Miriam Patterson 

Legacy Leaders Class: Joseph Burch, Robert Dailey, Nicholas Chislom, Jamia Chislom, Natasha McBride, Walter 

McBride, Anthony Kent, Crystalyn Kent, Fatina Lorick, Brian Smith, Harry Woolford 

Honorary: Linda Peeples 

Substitutes: Marilyn Johnson, Sherika Johnson, Michael Smith, Mike Price, Kim Reddig, Ronny Reddig, Corlis Ellis, 

Jimmy Ellis 

May God continue to bless our teachers as they serve and honor Him with their lives. In His Service, 

Jimmy Ellis

By the Directors of Academic Life: 

Ronny and Kim Reddig 

Academ ic Life 

Truth be told, when looking at the roles 

and responsibilities of Academic Life, it can seem 

very overwhelming. It not only encompasses 

many areas of the livelihood and work of the 

church, but focuses in on an area of vital 

importance, which is the academic advancement 

of the church. Academic advancement means that 

we are striving to become experts on the Word of 

God. But we know that learning the Word is 

simply the fundamental step we take in order to 

fulfill God?s purpose for us, which is to ?walk? in 

His ways and worship Him in spirit and in truth. 

We know that knowledge of the word of God will 

bring wisdom, and that wisdom will bring forth 

the fruit of growth, fellowship, and discipleship. 

We are honored to serve as Academic Life directors and our goal is to align our ministries with the 

Sugar Creek vision: ?To raise the next generation of Christian leaders, who will honor God in our 

theology, culture, and practice of the gospel.? 

So what is considered Academic Life? 

Academic Life consists of six ministries: 

Christian Leadership Education 

? This ministry, led by Leslie James, includes Disciple Makers Academy (DMA), leadership seminars, Fisherman?s Pier, 

and church leadership and organization training. Out of DMA comes the ?Teaching Team? which receives specialized 

training in the observation, interpretation, and application of the Scriptures, along with effective teaching practices. 

Teaching team members are the instructors of the ?My Journey? classes on Sundays and Wednesdays, as well as Sunday 

evening sermons. 

Evangelism 

? This ministry, led by Leslie James, oversees activities such as, door knocking, first time visitor?s bible studies, and 

missionary support. 

Church Academy 

? This ministry, led by Jimmy and Corlis Ellis, includes all Sunday and Wednesday youth bible classes (ages 2 through 

high school), Vacation Bible School, and Legacy Leaders (specific Wednesday night curriculum for high school students). 

The goal of Church Academy is ?To patiently, passionately and exceptionally teach the Word of God so that students 

will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, developing a faith and attitude that honors Almighty 

God?. 

Children?s Worship 

? This ministry, led by Tyresha Mathis, serves 2-5 year olds and their families by providing a safe, educational 

environment that fosters healthy spiritual development through praying, singing, instruction and fellowship during 

Sunday morning worship. This is done through teaching first principles, characters of the bible and Godly wisdom. 

Choral Ministry 

? This ministry, led by Torie Leslie, serves the church through sharing the gospel and spiritual songs at congregational 

sing-a-longs, sick ministry fellowships, and other special programs.

Senior Saint s 

Dynam ic Senior Saint s 

The Dynamic Senior Saints 

awarded SCCOC members: 

Annette Jones Rosalin Craig and 

Lawrence & Pat Jones for their 

exceptional labor of love to the 

Sugar Creek congregation! Render to all what is due 

them...honor to whomhonor 

Romans 13:7

God in t he Valley 

Hidden Valley Clean Up

Real Men 

Experience 

2016 

Camping, Bonding , 

Building , Praying, 

Hiking & Growing 

together for Christ & 

the Family 

Don't m iss t he 2017 Mens 

Event

FINAL FLIGHT 

WILLACOOCHEE SAYS GOODBYE TO ITS 1st BLACK AVIATOR 

By CONNIE PRATER 

For the Tifton Grapevine 

As a child growing up in rural Willacoochee, Donn Perkins looked to the skies 

above his wooden schoolhouse and saw jets flying through the clouds. "One day," 

the youthful Perkins told his friends, "that will be me." 

He made good on that promise and more. The bright 

young man who spoke with a booming voice and 

excelled at everything he attempted got his pilot's 

wings in the U.S. Navy in 1977 at age 23. 

"He was the first black pilot out of Willacoochee, Ga.," 

the town's mayor, Samuel Newson, said. "We are very, 

very proud of him." 

On Sunday, Aug. 28, the Atkinson County community 

paid tribute to their "Hometown Hero" in a memorial 

service at the 

DONN PERKINS 

Willacoochee Elementary School gymnasium. Perkins, 62, died Aug. 18 after a 

battle with cancer. Following the memorial service, he was laid to rest not far from 

his childhood home. The mayor said it was important for Willacoochee to honor 

Perkins because he represented hope for other young people that if he could do 

it, they could too.

Donn Perkins - Final Flight Cont inued 

Flying airplanes was a lifelong pursuit for Perkins. Being a pilot wasn't work for him, said his cousin Otis Johnson of 

Atlanta: "The thins that he got paid for were things that he truly enjoyed doing, and he would have done it for 

nothing. Thats something that we all should strive to do: Find something that you truly enjoy doing and then go out 

and do it." 

Perkins was a true friend to his hometown people, said Martha Carswell, we don't believe he's from Willacoochee. 

He's a pilot. 'I said, "What? Willacoochee can produce good people." 

Perkins believe in giving back. Over the years, he sponsored graduates, funded scholarships, paid for weddings and 

provided financial assistance to those in need. He was a frequent guest speaker for school children, urging them to 

reach for the sky. 

Willacoochee friends described how they would look skyward an see a plane flying low above the city. One Sunday 

morning, an A-7 military plane circled all of the churches. 

"He would do that quote often," Carswell recalled. "He would only fly low around the churches to say hello. He would 

fly over the house to say hello. "Strangers might have wondered about it, but, as Carswell said, "We knew when we 

saw that plane it was Donn." 

Perkins was inspired by another Willacoochee aviator: Maj. Gen. John Robert Oaulk, a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who 

flew over the city from Moody Air Force Base when Perkins was a youth. 

"He was always the guy that Donn wanted to pattern himself after because Donn wanted to fly," said Perkins' cousin 

Otis Johnson. He said Perkins told him he got a chance to meet his boyhood idol years later at an air show. 

Johnson said Perkins debated whether to join the Air Force or Navy, but finally settled on the Navy. He was a Navy 

lieutenant and bomber pilot from 1976 to 1983, flying missions that required him to take off and land A-7 attack 

planes on the USS Eisenhower, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Perkins went by the call sign of "Black Duck" - a 

reference to a nickname he picked up in school because, as friend say, he walked like a duck. 

When his Navy stint ended, Perkins continued to soar, becoming a commercial airline pilot for US Airways. He 

eventually made his home in Charlotte, N.C. 

"He flew high, but he never looked down on me," the Rev. Harvey Williams, pastor of House of Deliverance Church in 

Wilacoochee, said in the eulogy. "This guy was always humble and kind, never forgetting where he came from." 

Born in Coffee County in 1954, Perkins spent his boyhood in Willacoochee. He moved to Atlanta with his mother 

while still in school and graduated from Atlanta's Southwest High School in 1971. He was an ROTC battalion 

commander, the highest ranking ROTC person at he school, said Charles Prince, one of about a dozen Atlanta area 

classmates who attended the memorial. 

"Donn became a very accomplished man, "Prince said. "But one thing about him, Donn never changed. He was the 

same lovable guy from Willacoochee, Ga." 

Perkins went on to Fort Valley State University, where he received his bachelor's degree in education in 1975. 

The aviation community paid tribute to Perkins during an Aug. 26 funeral in Charlotte. Afterward, his casket was 

flown from Charlotte Jacksonville in preparation for burial at Oak Grove Church cemetery in Pearson. Said his brother 

Larry Perkins Sr. of Atlanta: "Donn wanted to come home. He ha one more flight to take." 

Donn is survived by his son Donn Perkins Jr. and two grandchildren

Vacation Bible Study

Yout h Sunday 

Nat ional Night Out 

SCCOC Yout h, Senior 

Saint s & Mem bers 

on t he Move 

Crusade Clust er

Gina Merrit t

SCCOC Heath Fair on May 21, 2016 was FREE and beneficial for the whole family and 

community....Just look what you missed! 

1 CPR/ AED 

2 Lupus Foundation 

3 Sickle Cell Partners of the Carolinas 

4 Safe Haven Child/ Family Counseling 

5 Nutritionist 

6 Diabetes / Smoking Cessation 

7 Salisbury Psychiatric Assoc 

8 Thomas Family Wellness 

9 Kangen Water 

10 Organ Donation/ National Kidney Foundation 

11 Be the Match 

12 BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy 

13 Chef Station 

14 Smoothie King 

15 Community Blood Center of the Carolinas 

Upcoming Health & Wellness events: 

-Breast Cancer Walk: Oct 1, 2016 Marshall Park @ 7am 

-American Diabetes Association Walk: Nov 5, 2016, registration 7:30am, walk begins @ 

9am

Healt h & Wellness 

Fair

YSA Summer Excursion 

The Weekend of August 13, 2016 marked a memorable experience for many. Several young ladies (14 to be exact) from 

the congregation along with five chaperones, and one driver headed to Greensboro. The day began by eating lunch prior to 

entering the water park, Wet n Wild Emerald Point. After a delicious lunch, we began our exciting adventure of slides, rides, and 

an awesome wave pool and lazy river! My vote is that the most enjoyable ride was the wave pool, it was so cool and relaxing, the 

young ladies requested to go in there twice. Around 3:30 or 4:00 p.m. we headed to the hotel and prepared for a night full of 

spiritual enrichment and fellowship. 

Sharpe Road blessed us by allowing us to conduct our activities at their church. We were blessed with a few ladies from their 

congregation and were able to fellowship with them as well. We started the night off with a fun game/ ice breaker and next we 

were blessed with a personal testimony and lesson from Sis. Ericka Washington. She spoke to the young ladies about the lesson 

entitled ?Domestic Violence A Biblical Perspective?. Sis. Washington explained what the cycle of violence was and provided 

safety resources in the event that someone ever had concerns regarding this matter. She did an outstanding job presenting a 

powerful lesson for the young ladies and expressed that our bodies are vessels for the Lord, and because of that there are certain 

things we should not allow ourselves to go through. Sis. Cherri Anty presented the next lesson to the young ladies about ?Our 

Place In God?s Kingdom. She simply did an amazing job! The purpose of her lesson was to help the young ladies recognize the 

riches of Christ, and to help them increase in the Kingdom of God. She made an awesome application that we are like 

malnourished children before Christ, but once we are in his kingdom we should have a noticeable increase in spirit. Finally Sis. 

Sherrida Smith completed a lesson on ?Finding Our Beauty in God?s Kingdom?. She paralleled the steps of a manicure to the 

manicure a Christian woman must go through to get themselves spiritually polished for the Lord. One of the most touching parts 

of that night was when Sis. Smith asked the young ladies to write a Love Letter to the Lord, and the young ladies did an amazing 

job, and actually some shared their letters with the class. It truly exposed who they were and how much they truly loved and 

admired the Lord for his rich blessings. We ended the night by doing eye shadow lessons for the older young ladies and 

manicures for the younger ladies. At the end, one of our young ladies shared that the lessons were the best part of the trip. 

The next morning we rose, had breakfast and were early for Sunday morning Bible Study. This was great for the young ladies 

because it gave them an opportunity to worship at another Church of Christ and fellowship with others. Can I say the spirit 

moved in that service? It was an awesome worship experience, and the girls were interested in the differences from once 

congregation to the next as it relates to worship practices. The afternoon was topped off with an awesome lunch and dessert 

provided by Sharpe Road Church of Christ. It was definitely a weekend, we won?t soon forget! We would like to provide a special 

shout out and thank you to our Driver, Brother George Washington, and Chaperones Ericka Washington, Whitney White, and Lily 

Head as well as all the parents who encouraged their young ladies to participate in the weekend to enhance our sisterhood as 

Christian young ladies, as well as increase in their spiritual development. 

Sis. Sherrida Smith

Marriage Minist ry 

We are truly excited about the Marriage Ministry, its progress, and its future. Our most recent event was called ?The 

Great Compromise?. It allowed all of our present married couples to hear from some of our most seasoned couples while 

enjoying a scrumptious catered meal. Bro and Sis Ellis, Harvin, and McKinney presented their wisdoms on how to deal 

with disagreements in the household. They allowed for interaction and questions from the attentive couples which fuel 

the success of this event. 

Currently, we have a couple of Marriage Life Group classes being presented. ?Love and Respect? and ?The Good Fight? 

engage couples in a video based setting while allowing the facilitator the engage couples in healthy discussions. 

We are currently working on beginning our fall events which includes monthly events at various couple?s homes. This will 

prayerfully lead us to our highly anticipated Christmas party which highlights a year of blessed and successful marriages 

in the church. 

June & July New Mem bers Brunch 

Brunch Date July 30 11-2 Pm (Right) 

Brunch host: Gary and Lorrie Lockwood 

Facilitators: Travis and Meka Harris 

New Mmebers in potot:\ Lilie Head 9Not pictured), Rachel Green-Nicks & 

leon Nicks, kealin Coffin & Jilandra Coffin 

Got Talent? Sugar Creek Church of Christ Talent Ministry recognizes each of our members has talent! In an effort to fulfill the 

mission of the Church, Raising the Next Generation of Christian leaders who will honor God in our Theology, culture and the 

practice of the Gospel, Sugar Creek has the Talent Ministry. The Talent Resource Team is a ministry under the church 

administration umbrella. Our primary function is to encourage the members of Sugar Creek Church of Christ to serve in the 

kingdom with their Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personalities and Experiences 

The talents and gifts of each of our church members is identified as they complete the Shaped for Significance class in our 

Journey to Maturity Bible class series. As members identify their gifts the Talent Ministry?s task is assist our members in 

becoming actively engaged in one of our 30+ ministries. 

The talent ministry began it?s work in late fall 2015. Within our ministry we have been working towards the following: 

identify the talent within our congregation 

Identify the ministries and their needs 

recognize members through Take 5 Meet the Member 

Recognize and reward volunteers who are working in ministry 

As Corinthians 12:7-11 tells us, we all have something to share and our talents are to be used as spiritual gifts to glorify God and 

serve others through ministry! 

As our ministry continues to grow and develop we want to let you know we are here to support our ministries at Sugar Creek 

Church of Christ to allow our members to live a life that serves others and God. For more information please feels free to contact 

our members at: 

Lori Rondo, Talent@SugarCreekCoC.org 

Jeremy Threatt, IQ@SugarCreekCoC.org 

Crystalyn Kent, TID@SugarCreekCoC.org 

Brunch Date: 06/ 25/ 2016 (Left) 

Brunch Hosts: Ulysses and Yvonne Green 

Orientation Facilitators: Edwin & Bianca McClure 

New Members who attended the brunch: 

Mala Okolo, Jaleighsa A Blakeney, Shacoya Huey 

Got Talent 

Denise Stoutamire, Recognition@SugarCreekCoC.org Sis. Lori Rondo

Partnerships Fit for the King 

For many years, churches, schools, and organizations have been the lighthouse for 

the communities we live in. Whether ministers who take time to mentor a child in 

the schools, or principals and staff members who spend their own dollars to 

ensure children have what they need in the classrooms, or whether non-profit organizations 

pour in resources into communities in order to make a difference, we believe these 

partnerships are a reflection of God?s goodness to us all. We are so blessed to be a part of a 

network of community partners and advocates like Hidden Valley Community Association, 

Hidden Valley Elementary School, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation department, in 

particular, the Sugaw Creek Park and Recreation Center, and CDGI, a non-profit organizational 

arm from the Sugar Creek Church of Christ. Our partnerships continue to grow as we 

frequently come together to discuss and strategize about what we can do to make the Sugar 

Creek/ Hidden corridor a better place to live, work, and recreate. 

For instance, this year Mrs. Linda Rouse, board member on the Hidden Valley Community 

Association took the lead on a speedbump initiative in the Hidden Valley community. She 

reached out to me to in order to get petitions from all over the community for approval for 

this initiative. You probably didn?t realize the magnitude of this initiative when I asked you to 

sign the petition and come out to help in this regard. Even though there were road blocks and 

setbacks, the Hidden Valley Community Association and residents never gave up and were 

recently approved by the city to begin installing those speedbumps on designated streets. 

This accomplishment will decrease speeding and ultimately make the streets safer for our 

children and residents in their travels. To add to this wonderful accomplishment, Mecklenburg 

County and Hidden Valley Community along with other surrounding neighborhoods were 

awarded $1 million to build a state of the art park in our community so get your work boots 

ready because we will be there putting down one block and tightening one screw at a time to 

see this become a reality. I am reminded of Nehemiah 4:6 and the community leaders who 

took on the grand task of rebuilding the walls of the holy city ?At last the wall was 

completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with 

enthusiasm?. 

It is this mind to work and feverish mentality to succeed in building strong alliances with our 

community partners that will bring glory to God and established safety, unity, and community 

pride. 

Mrs. Ella Williams is the President of Hidden 

Valley Community Association (above) and 

Mrs. Linda Rouse, Board member of the HVCA 

and Asst. Minister Bro. Smith (right)

Te c h n o l o g y Co d i n g Cl a s s - Yout h Advisor 

In programming, code (noun) is a term used for both the 

statements written in a particular programming 

language - the source code , and a term for the source 

code after it has been processed by a compiler and made 

ready to run in the computer - the object code . 

Book Review Cont inued 

Brief Book Summary: 

Everyone Communicates Few Connect by John Maxwell 

What I discovered in the book was that everybody can communicate but we don?t all connect. The key is have the desire to connect. Connecting is all 

about others one on one, or with an audience. Connecting goes beyond words, because of your actions and your reactions. It shows your integrity 

expectation value relevance, application and change. Connecting always requires energy, so when you say, ?I?m not going to let you waste my time?, 

this shows a lack of energy. If you don?t put anything into it, they can?t get anything out of it. Connecting is more skill than natural talent. 

Just because you communicated doesn?t mean you connected even though you think you have connected. I just want to share eight points we all 

should be aware of when we communicate with each other and others, so we will be able to connect. Talk is easy everybody talks the question is how 

can you make your works count. 

Connecting is the ability to identify with people in such a way that increases your influence with them. It starts with attitude, the ability to connect 

with others begins with understanding the value of people. Connecting is always about others strive to not be the center of attention because it is not 

about you, connecting goes beyond words. An example: thought = something we know emotion = something we feel action = something we do. People 

are quite visual so you need to appear to bring a lamp in the room, they need to feel good about your presence. 

I learned that it is important to connect on common ground andyou shouldn?t be closed minded. Attempt to connect on common ground. When you 

connect on common ground, you are going to listen to what people have to say. Connectors do this by saying things slowly and having a smile, by 

talking to people not above them by using big words. Connectors create an experience everyone enjoys and no matter how hard you work at 

connecting with people you can?t please everyone. 

One suggestion was to find a way to be original, use humor, say things to interest people. Connectors inspire people. People need to know you care 

and understand them and that your there for them. When people know you care and understand them it makes an impression, with them and they 

want to be around you. Connectors have the attitude of listening, so they have to listen to you before they are able to connect with you. You can?t 

connect if you are a self-centered person, because people don?t won?t to be around you if you are self-centered; it carries a negative attitude. People 

need to be encouraged about how you feel about them. Connectors live what they communicate because you ought to be doing what you are 

connecting. 

Eliminate personal distractions so people need to feel good about your character, they need to trust your character. People may not remember what 

you say or what you did, but they will remember how they felt when they leave your presence. Never be self-centered or give the impression that you 

are a self-centered person will never be able to connect, being self-centered cast a dark shadow on your character. 

Jesus knew how to connect with people on every level and he made people feel good. He didn?t make people feel bad, from the woman at the well, 

and the apostles, he didn?t put themdown when he talked to them. For example, when the woman at the well left Jesus, she ran to tell other people 

about him, because he made people feel good. We have to be this same way. We will have to try to make sure that our attitudes and personalities 

need to conform to how Jesus was. We need to be able to connect to people like Jesus did. Instead of us communicating we will be able to connect. 

My personal application is that I have to conform myself to have the mindset of Christ. I need to keep my focus on Heavenly things and not fleshly 

things. By reading this article, people can learn that just because you are talking to people does really mean you are connecting with them. A lot of 

people think we are connecting but we are not, we are just communicating; either one on one or with an audience. This could help us as we 

evangelize, to make sure that we are really connecting with people. 

By Lawrence & Pat Jones

TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN SERVINGS: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

Sausage and Peppers Hero 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for 

brushing 

1 pound red bell peppers, thinly sliced 

1 large red onion, thinly sliced 

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled 

1/ 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 

Kosher salt 

6 chicken sausages, about 5 ounces each (preferably 

with roasted pepper or parsley and cheese) 

3 long hero rolls, split lengthwise 

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE 

Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick griddle (you can 

also use 2 cast-iron or nonstick skillets). Add the oil, 

bell peppers, onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red 

pepper and season with salt. Cook over moderate 

heat, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are 

softened and just beginning to brown, 6 minutes. 

Push the vegetables to the back of the griddle, 

cover with an inverted heatproof bowl and keep 

warm over low heat; stir occasionally as you cook 

the sausages. 

Prick the sausages with a knife and cook over 

moderate heat, turning occasionally, until no trace 

of pink remains, 10 minutes. Add the sausages to 

the vegetables and keep warm. Brush the rolls with 

oil and toast on the griddle. Fill the rolls with the 

sausages and peppers, cut each one in half and 

serve. 

Bro. Travis White 

Muddy Fun by Clayw orks, Inc. Cost : $15.00 

Oct ober 15t h, 2016 - (704) 344-0795 

Learn t o use a pot t er 's w heel t o w ork clay, adult s only 

Fall Event s in Charlot t e 

Charlot t e Fine Art Gallery Cost : Free 

Exhibit s: "Sm all Gem s from Here & There" and "Disney Print s" 

Oct ober 4t h, 2016 - Oct ober 29t h, 2016 - (704) 541-0741 

Carolina Hot Air Balloon Fest ival Cost :Adm ission $5.00-$20.00 

Act ivit ies: $25.00 - $150.00 Pay in advance at Event brit e.com 

Kids Zone, Walk in a Balloon, Tet hered Balloon Rides, Balloon 

Launch 

Oct ober 21st , 2016 - Oct ober 23rd, 2016 

Shrek t he Musical, Jr. (Davidson Com m unit y Players) Cost : 

$12.00

Spotlight: In Haiti, an unintended milestone 

Written by The Christian Chronicle 

September 2016 

CAP-HAITIEN, Haiti ? Eight Christian women on an eight-day mission trip from the U.S. helped 

distribute 800 pounds of food, 100 pounds of toys, 1,800 pairs of shoes and 2,700 pounds of 

medical supplies in this Caribbean nation. 

Sheryl MurrahAnother number ? 20 ? was particularly meaningful for team member 

Sheryl Murrah. That?s how many years Murrah, a member of the Sugar Creek Church of Christ in 

Charlotte, N.C., has participated in missions in Haiti. 

?I didn?t realize that it had been 20 years until Julsain Blanc, a Haitian minister and graduate from the 

Center for Biblical Training in Galman-du-Platt, reminded me,? Murrah said. 

?But the driving force is all about God.? 

Sugar Creek Mem bers & Event s 

The women hosted three Ladies?Day programs. One participant spoke the native language, Creole, as she addressed the Haitian 

women. The team visited a prison, a hospital, 19 churches that operate orphanages and schools, the Victory for Haiti Foundation and 

the Center for Biblical Training, a school that produces ministers for Churches of Christ. 

?We would like to thank the Haitian Christian Foundation for allowing us to stay at the center,? Murrah said. ?It was a blessing to be in 

the midst of God-fearing and loving brethren.? Because of donations made to the mission trip, ?thousands were able to have a meal 

for several days,? she added. 

In addition to Murrah and her daughter, Angel, team members included Veralisa Hunter, Sierra Woollard, Lydia De Mesa Matias, Terri 

Baskin, Aleice Allen and Diane Allen. 

Z on e 14 w i th CM PD 

Upcoming Sugar Creek Event 

Sisters Tea & Fashion Show 

Sister To Sister in collaboration with Young Sister?s 

Academy would like to invite all ladies ages 10 years and 

up as well as all women to come and celebrate our 

womanhood at a tea and fashion show as well as receiving 

some spiritual food. Our theme is Reflections of the 

Virtuous Woman, and we would love to fellowship with 

you on October 22, 2016 from 1:00-4:00 pm at the DTC 

Family Life Center. Please bring a friend. 

Sign up in the foyer.

The Blair-Johnson Library 

? This library, overseen by Renee Howard, was established to enrich lives, build community and foster success by 

bringing people, information and ideas together. The library is being developed to engage our congregation & 

community through family and youth development, health and wellness, and financial literacy. 

EXPECTATIONS 

As Academic Life Ministry leaders, we have three expectations. Our goals are to instill priority, passion, and prayer. We 

believe that these three simple words will transform the members of Sugar Creek into the Christians that are well 

pleasing to God. 

Priority 

Christians must understand and value the importance of advancing academically in God?s Word. This 

starts with coming to church services on time. There are many members invested in planning and 

teaching Biblical curriculum, but members must make attending, learning, participating, and studying 

their priority. This should also overflow into each of our households. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says, ?Love 

the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These 

commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk 

about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you 

get up.? Our vision of raising the next generation of Christian leaders is dependent upon this. 

Passion 

We make God our priority when we make Him our passion. Matthew 6:21 says, ?For where your treasure 

is, there will your heart be also.? How can you become passionate about something you know little 

about? Passion is the driver of the heart. When we learn about God?s will for us and desire to make 

heaven our home, we will diligently seek after him. (As an additional side note, passion can be powerful 

and contagious. Hang around Christians who are passionate about serving God and studying His word 

and see if it has an effect on you.) 

Prayer 

What will get us there? God! How will He get us there? Prayer! Pray that God helps you clear away all the 

obstacles and see through all of the distractions that are keeping you from participating in the Academic 

Life ministries. Let God know that you Him to know that He is the # 1 priority in your life. Pray that your 

calendar clears up so that you can take the DMA class on Wednesday night. Pray that you can get your 

family on board with waking up fifteen minutes earlier so that your children can make it to Sunday 

school on time. Pray that you will feel confident and competent enough to teach a Church Academy 

class. Pray that you will become more passionate about learning more about God?s Word. Pray that you 

will stop hiding the gifts God has given you and serve the Lord in a ministry. Pray for spiritual maturity. 

Pray that you will take part in raising the next generation of Christian leaders, who will honor God in our 

theology, culture, and practice of the gospel. 

Pray for Academic Life. May the Lord bless you as we take this Christian journey together.

The Difference Maker 

By John C. Maxwell 

Brief Book Summary: 

The Difference Maker is an excellent 

novel that spells out the single 

characteristic that can enhance any 

given situation. It explains in detail 

that attitude is the difference maker 

and how we view our situations, 

ultimately impacts how experience 

pleasures or pains of life. If we live 

life with a great attitude and look for 

the positives even in adversity and 

trial, we will always come out better 

than we went in and will end out on 

top. He dissected what attitude was, 

where we gather our attitudes from, 

and explained that attitude has a lot 

to do with how we see ourselves. It 

also discusses what our attitude can 

and cannot do for us, as well as 

pointing out that it can be our 

greatest asset. The entire book 

discusses optimism versus pessimism, 

and a wise person should choose to 

live life with a positive mindset- the 

difference maker. 

What bones did you spit out? The 

book was outstanding, but one thing 

that truly spoke to me was what is The 

Difference Maker. One quote at the 

end of his book and throughout is that 

?Attitude isn?t everything but it is one 

thing that can make a difference in 

your life.? To a point I agree, actually I 

agree with almost everything in this 

book. What I realized halfway through 

this book was that the true difference 

maker is Jesus Christ. He makes the 

difference in my life and in the lives 

of so many people every day. I told 

myself yes attitude is a difference 

maker, but praise God, I have a true 

relationship with the man, the one, 

the only Difference Maker- who gave 

us life and can truly take it away, the 

Alpha and the Omega. I am so happy 

and blessed to have read this book 

and as he said, I encourage everyone 

especially teenagers to read this book 

because our outlook on life and 

circumstances can truly lift us or bring 

us down. 

How does this book align with the 

Bible? This book aligns with the Bible 

because it speaks of being grateful in 

any situation. I Thessalonians 5:18 

speaks about this- Give thanks in 

every circumstance for this is God?s 

will for you in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 

5:20 states -Always give thanks to 

God the Father for everything in the 

name our Lord Jesus Christ. Another 

scripture that comes to mind is 

Philippians 4:12-13 when it states ?I 

know what it is to be in need, and I 

know what it is to have plenty. I have 

learned the secret of being content in 

any and every situation, whether well 

fed or hungry, whether living in plenty 

or in want. I can do all things through 

Christ that strengthens me. The book 

spoke about this the entire time- not 

referencing God as much as he could, 

but reminding us that we should be 

content- and in order to do this we 

must check our attitude so that we can 

make a difference in our lives and 

others. 

Personal Application- The personal 

application for me was to check my 

attitude even more. It reminded me 

look at myself and see how my 

thinking is lifting me up or pulling me 

down. It also reminds me to reframe 

every situation so that I realize my 

attitude is a difference maker. This 

could be when I am looking to change 

jobs, have to stay in my current job, 

suffer sickness, hardship, death, or 

whatever it is, my attitude makes a big 

difference in how I move on from that 

point and also how I succeed. I know 

that my Father in Heaven is the TRUE 

DIFFERENCE MAKER, and because of 

that I can look to him from whence 

cometh my help! He is the one I can 

look to when I need to get my attitude 

in the right place, and I am having 

difficulty getting it there. Or he can 

help me when I am down, or troubled 

to get out of those ruts. Jesus is the 

true example of the difference maker 

because in every situation, his 

attitude was beautiful. Even on the 

cross he was concerned about others. 

If I think on this, then the little things 

that I go through on this earth cannot 

compare. When I look to the Heaven I 

am preparing to go to, nothing on 

earth, should cause my attitude to go 

haywire. It also helps me because I 

realize that my attitude matters at 

work, and in the community, but it is 

also just as important that my attitude 

is a difference maker at home. My 

attitude impacts my husband and 

children. My attitude can make my 

husband?s life with me pleasant. I am 

also reminded that my children are 

watching me, everything I do, and 

how I respond to different 

situations. As a great influencer 

in my children?s lives, I want to 

have the right attitude, so that 

they are seeing Godly decisions 

and a healthy, loving attitude. 

This will help them to know how 

to have a ?difference making 

attitude? once they leave my 

home. How can you use what 

you read at Sugar Creek? 

We can share this book with the 

members and remind them that 

attitude is a difference maker. 

Besides The Lord, our attitude can 

make the difference in any given 

situation. As a congregation if we 

are all thinking positively and are 

optimistic even during change, 

mishap or any given 

circumstance, then this will make 

our church ? the members more 

resilient, healthy, happy, 

supportive, and willing not only 

to help ourselves with the right 

attitude, but to also help the 

community at large. This book 

has the potential to be a blessing 

to so many people- so that just as 

the Bible says we can rejoice in 

the time of adversity because the 

Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 

4:8-9 we are hard pressed on 

every side, but not crushed; 

perplexed, but not in despair; 

persecuted but not abandoned; 

struck down, but not destroyed. 

Because we know this as 

Christians, we should all possess 

the right attitude and by doing so, 

we can be the healthiest Church, 

the type of church that is a 

difference maker in our 

community, society, and beyond. 

Extra: One thing that I liked or a 

suggestion he provided was that 

when he was a boy, his father 

would pay them to read books. I 

liked this idea, because our 

children have to read so much, 

but if we can get our children to 

read books that will change their 

lives, why not offer an incentive. 

Sis. Sherrida Smith 

arry Lockwood's thoughts on 

ow to "Make Today Count" by 

ohn Maxwell 

How do I make today 

ount. I start by saying a prayer to 

he Lord in reference to my 

ourney to heaven. I'll begin by 

sking the Lord to adjust my 

ttitude to those things,situations 

nd people that I have to face on 

hat day. I'm asking the Lord to 

lign my attitude in a way that He 

ees fit that I should be. Your 

ttitude is a CHOICE.If you desire 

o make your day a 

asterpiece,then you need to 

ave a great attitude. 

hink,act,talk and conduct 

ourself like a person you want to 

ecome.place a high value on 

eople and develop a high 

ppreciation for life.find 

omething positive in everything 

nd in every situation.always look 

o say something positive in every 

onversation and remove 

egative words from your 

ocabulary. Surround yourself 

round positive 

eople.COLOSSIANS 3-23 

Give respect freely but 

xpect to earn it from others and 

ommit yourself to add any value 

o others. By looking for ability 

and others and helping others 

discover their ability and 

developing their ability. Put 

others first if you take this 

mindset into all your interactions 

with others you can't go 

wrong.But there are also other 

ways to show people they matter 

and that you are interested in 

their well-being. Walk slowly 

through the crowd remember 

peoples names smile at everyone 

and be quick to offer help.People 

don't care how much you know 

until they know how much you 

care. Give time to your most 

valuable relationship and serve 

others gladly and express love 

and appreciation often 

Generosity: if you desire to 

become generous and make 

generosity a part of your daily life 

then do the following. 

1) give others your money: 

wherever your money is that's 

where your attention goes. 

Haven't you found that to be true. 

If you invest heavily in the stock 

market you're probably check the 

financial page or your earnings 

statements frequently. 

Don't wait for prosperity 

to become generous. A person's 

level of income and desire to give 

have nothing to do with each 

other.Some of the most generous 

people I know have nothing 

materially.And I know plenty of 

people who have a lot to give but 

no heart to give.the average 

personal income in the state of 

Mississippi is the second lowest in 

United States ranked by state. Yet 

the State is ranked sixth in 

charitable giving.In contrast,New 

Hampshire is ranked sixth in the 

average personal income. They 

ranked in charitable giving as a 

percentage of income,they're 

forty-fifth 

Find a reason to give every day: It 

may be easy for people to find 

reasons not to give.But it's just as 

easy to find good reasons to 

give.You just need to look for 

them go out of your way to find 

reasons to give.Look for a 

compelling cause.Find an urgent 

need. Look for a group that is 

making an impact.Seek out 

leaders you know and believe 

in.Give to an organization you 

respect and trust.They're all 

around you; you just need to 

make it a priority 

Value: To make something out of 

yourself, you need to be willing to 

change for without change, there 

can be no growth. The problem 

most people have is that they 

want things to stay the same yet 

also get better. Learn to enjoy the 

journey of growth and put 

yourself in a growth environment 

make it your goal to grow in 

someway every day. 

as reading any books the person 

has written.Growth: make a 

commitment to change. The only 

thrill worthwhile is the one that 

comes from making something 

out of yourself. To make 

something out of yourself, you 

need to be willing to change for 

without change, there can be no 

growth. The problem most people 

have is that they want things to 

stay the same yet also get better. 

Learn to enjoy the journey of 

growth and put yourself in a 

growth environment make it your 

goal to grow in someway every 

day. 

To make your growth 

intentional,strategic, and 

effective, you need to think it 

through and plan it well.

Our Sunday services take place at 3932 Safley Road 

Charlotte NC 28206. Click on the map for driving 

3932 Sofley Rd 

* 

SUGAR CREEK 

3932 Safley Road 

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@2016 Google - Map data @2016 Google

October Q3 Final

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