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Please add these prayer requests to the list for March:

Seth Tinsley will have surgery on April 10.

Sandy Marsh, Union Co. dispatcher, is battling cancer.

A Charlotte firefighter is a new believer and he is facing many difficult struggles

The prayer breakfasts for March begin next week. B shift meets on 3/26 (Mon.), A shift on 3/30 (Fri.), and C shift on 3/29 (Thur.). Each of the meetings are held at the Palmer Building (2601 E. 7th st.) from 0645-0715. Everyone is invited to join us for a time of fellowship, prayer, and Bible study.

Here are the dates for the February prayer breakfasts:

A shift:  2/23/12  (Thursday)

B shift   2/26/12   (Sunday)

C shift   2/27/12   (Monday)

The prayer breakfasts are at the Palmer Building (2601 E. 7th St.) from 0645-0715. Everyone is invited to attend with any shift. Contact us if you have any questions about the prayer breakfasts.

On Tuesday, January 17, Jack Munday, director of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Rapid Response Team, will give a presentation of their ministry. Anyone interested in ministering to people in crisis situations is invited to attend. The location is the Palmer Building (2601 E. 7th St.  Charlotte, NC). We will meet from 0830-1000. Please let us know if you have any questions about the event.

The meeting on Nov. 7th with Jack Munday of the BGEA Rapid Response Team has been cancelled because Jack will be in Puerto Rico. We hope to reschedule in January.

On Monday, Nov. 7, Jack Munday of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Rapid Response Team will meet with us at the Palmer Building. Jack will give us a presentation on their ministry, including training opportunities that they have which would help you as you minister to people in times of crisis. Several of our members have worked with Jack on deployments. This is a great opportunity to see how we can be more effective in our ministry. The meeting will begin at 0830 and last for 1-2 hours. A shift is on duty on the 7th. Even if you cannot stay for the entire meeting, you are encouraged to attend. We will provide coffee, doughnuts, and Bojangles biscuits for anyone who comes hungry. If you know that you will be there, please let us know so that we can make sure that we have enough food. If you have any questions, please let us know.

September 2011

CFD Family,

Over the past few months, I’ve been reflecting upon my journey in the Fire Service, 34 years in all. I’ve asked myself a few questions such as: Have I fulfilled my positions to the best of my ability? Have I learned all what I could have learned? What kind of impact have I had on others? Negative or Positive? I’ve looked at the good times and the bad and asked, what did I learn from them? Did I treat people with respect? Sometimes yes, but other times I haven’t. I recall an incident that I went to when I was assigned to Squad 10. It was one of our regular “customers”. I was talking to him rather rudely when a brother tapped me on the shoulder to pull me aside to talk to me about the way I was talking to the homeless man. My brother told me that “Jesus loves that man too”. Needless to say, those words pierced my heart but I needed to hear them. I had to apologize to the homeless man and to my crew. Thank you, my brother. From that point on, I looked at people differently.

I’ve shared this story to try to show you that promotions, station assignments, raises, “status”, means nothing if you do not know Jesus. All the training, education, on the job training, money, toys (new 4 wheel drive trucks) will not make a difference if you do not care about people. Yes, we need the skills to fight fires. Yes, we need medical training to treat wounds. But those are temporary solutions. We all have heard and saw people spread gossip and stab people in the back for personal gain. Hypocrites. But we have all met wonderful people to work with. I have met some lifelong friends.

Through the years, I’ve even got caught up in the promotional process, the degrees, the second and third jobs. Then I realized that is not the most important thing in my life. I’ve lost time away from my family hunting down “my” dream. Then one day, God showed me all is for nothing without His son, Jesus. He gave me a verse from His Holy Word: Matthew 6:25 “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Those of you who know me, know that what you see is what you get. I have failed some of you at times. For this, I’m sorry. I am not perfect, but my Savior is. This has been a good department to be a part of but we can be better. Don’t settle for OK, strive to be the best.

I will leave you with these words, words that give me hope, I pass on to you. Philippians 3:12-14: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, for getting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

I pray that God may keep all of you safe and pour out His blessings upon you.

Your Brother & Friend,

Jody “The Cajun” Wetta

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our FCF booth at the South Atlantic Fire Expo this weekend. We were able to meet many new friends and reconnect with some old ones. The real joy was in talking to other firefighters about Christ and their relationship with Him. Over 15 FCF station Bibles were given out to be placed in fire stations. Many other FCF Bibles and all of our FCF devotionals were purchased for individual use. Also, thanks to everyone who was praying for us during the expo.

Here are the dates for the prayer breakfasts for July:

A shift   7/29

B shift   7/30

C shift   7/26

The meetings are held at the Palmer Building, 2601 E. 7th St. from 0645-0715. Everyone is invited to attend.

We had three encouraging prayer breakfasts this month. The Bible studies were led by Tony Bateman, Jody Wetta, and Ron Dunn.

Here are the prayer requests:

Health Issues

the daughter of Capt. Channel, Rock Hill F.D.

Jeff Hopkins

Dewayne Wright’s son

Gayle Hall (credit union)

Shay Morton’s wife

Wally Love’s wife

Greg Sharpe’s friend

Kevin Phillip’s wife

Gay Reynolds (FCF International)

Brendon Chapman’s friend

Joey Hager’s grandmother

Mission Trips

Lauren Winkles

Keith Rogers and daughter

Jeff Voncannon

Deaths

Larry Bagwell (retired firefighter)

Gene Forte’s (retired firefighter) mother

Jeff Bright’s relative (military)

teenager at Christ Covenant

employee at Lowes

Wayne Lentz’s wife

Other requests

FCF International search committee for new director

CFD leadership

FCF leadership