Thoughts from our team...

A Message of Love and Redemption

2 days ago
2 min read

May 28, 2026

From Jackie Payne

School is out. It’s humid. We are at Camp Meeting in Collegedale. Yep, our summer is right on schedule.

This morning I attended a seminar on Adventist Community Services and how you/me/we can implement more outreach in our community, which makes my heart happy. I am certainly not the person out there talking to strangers and learning life stories right away. I am an introvert and generally uncomfortable talking to people I don’t know. Being a super friendly person takes a lot of mental work on my part, but connecting with people and sharing Jesus’ love is worth being uncomfortable, right?

Some of the questions that were asked in the seminar that I want you to think about, are:

1) What is the mission of the church?

2) How are we at MAC fulfilling that mission?

3) How are you sharing the love of Jesus today?

4) Do you have ideas on how to do local outreach in our community?

Did you know that we have an Outreach Council? It’s a group of people that have let us know that they want to be involved in outreach. We meet, discuss and plan ways to be a positive influence in our local community. Last Sabbath’s Compassion Sabbath came out of that group, and we have more planned.

This summer we’ll have God in Little Shoes, which helps refugee children get shoes for the school year, a Compassion Sabbath on June 20 where we will go to Swift Cantrell Park after church and share bubbles and sidewalk chalk with families and of course, the annual Franklin Gateway Back to School

Bash in July.

Yes, outreach takes extra energy. We tend to lead busy, complicated lives. Scheduling can sometimes be difficult and sometimes, we just don’t want to (guilty!). BUT…that is what Jesus has called us to do. He healed more than He preached, but His healing shared His message loud and clear, a message of love and redemption.

Let’s be a positive influence in our local community this summer!

Comments

A Message of Love and Redemption

May 28, 2026 From Jackie Payne School is out. It’s humid. We are at Camp Meeting in Collegedale. Yep, our summer is right on schedule. This morning I attended a seminar on Adventist Community Services and how you/me/we can implement more outreach in our community, which makes my heart happy. I am certainly not the person out there talking to strangers and learning life stories right away. I am an introvert and generally uncomfortable talking to people I don’t know. Being a s

2 days ago

Pray Anytime

May 20, 2026 From Pastor Joseph Wamack Hello, MAC Family! This week we are concluding our preaching series about prayer. We began the series, looking at The Lord’s Prayer, then prayers Jesus prayed and finally prayers other Biblical characters prayed. It has been inspiring to me personally, and I hope to you also. I have realized prayer is a very intimate connection between an individual, their community and God. We conclude this week with a parable about prayer, “The Tax Col

May 20

The God Who Calls Also Sustains

May 12, 2026 From Pastor Eileen States A pastor once told the story of hiking up a steep mountain trail with his young son. Halfway up the climb, the boy stopped, exhausted and frustrated. “I don’t think I can keep going,” he said. The father looked ahead at the difficult trail still in front of them and then quietly replied, “You don’t need strength for the whole mountain right now. You just need strength for the next few steps.” That story reminds me how God often works i

May 12

God-shaped Antenna

May 6, 2026 From Joseph Wamack An old man, a young boy and a donkey were walking along a dirt road, on their way to town. The boy was riding on the donkey while the old man walked. As they walked, some people they passed remarked "What a shame the old man has to walk while the young boy is riding." The old man and the boy thought-maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions. Now the old man was on the donkey and the young boy walked, as they continued to town. Soo

May 6

God's Refuge

April 30, 2026 From Jeff Freeman If you haven’t heard the news, Jeff Freeman is going to be a Grandpa! Early in the month of November, my son and his wife will be having their first child. We are really excited about it. Annemarie and I have always looked forward to the day, and now it is in the near future. With this new adventure right around the corner, I feel so unprepared. Many questions come in to my mind like: What should Grandpas do or not do? What is the best way to

Apr 30

Reach Out and Connect in Love

April 21, 2026 From Pastor Joseph Wamack Many years ago during a time of war, a young fugitive, running to escape from the enemy, entered a small village and asked for sanctuary. The people were kind to him and offered a place to hide. But when the enemy soldiers who were after him came and asked where he was hiding, everyone became afraid. The soldiers threatened to burn the village and kill every man in it unless the fugitive was handed over to them before dawn of the next

Apr 21

The Power of Summer Camp

April 16, 2026 From Pastor Eileen States My first experience with summer camp came at the tender age of eight—and I could hardly contain my excitement. I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, met my counselor and cabinmates, and eagerly chose my bunk for the week ahead. The next morning, after breakfast and worship, our cabin headed out for our first activity: horseback riding. I felt right at home—I had grown up with my own pony and knew how to saddle a horse. But before we even le

Apr 16

For Who He Is

April 9, 2026 From Jackie Payne I just finished reading the book of Hebrews, and I was again in awe of how awesome Jesus is. I think what I love most about Hebrews is there isn’t a lot of prescriptive info for us as believers…it’s all about Jesus! We often read the Bible trying to find something for our lives, some way to live, some piece of advice or wisdom to hold onto (or to cram down other people’s throats), and we completely miss the most important theme – Jesus! What if

Apr 9

Thirst

April 3, 2026 From Pastor Joseph Wamack Hello Church Family! Today is what is traditionally called “Good Friday.” It is a day to remember the death of Jesus on the cross. Certainly not a “good” day in a traditional understanding of something “good.” Not “good” like a satisfying meal, not “good” like a lovely song sung or “good” like a relaxing vacation, but “good” for us in the redeeming value and revelation of the goodness of God. Good for us-not good for Him. Our Jesus suff

Mar 31

Marketing 101

March 26, 2026 From Jeff Freeman This time in history, we all take in many different advertising messages daily. When you drive onto MAC property after driving on Cobb Parkway, you will see Carman signs & flags marketing the school. Marketing, “the activity or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising”, is a big business in the world in which we live. Billions of dollars are spent around the globe to promote or sell som

Mar 26

Called to Work

March 20, 2026 From Pastor Joseph Wamack A farmer, who owned a large farm with large, healthy crops of corn, soybeans and strawberries, received a visit from his pastor one day. The farmer came in from the fields to sit with the pastor on the porch and enjoy a glass of lemonade. As they sat and looked over the lush green fields and the barn full of goods, the pastor commented on how beautiful and bountiful the farmer’s fields were. The pastor concluded his compliment with “ G

Mar 20

Seeing People the Way Jesus Does

March 12, 2026 From Pastor Eileen States Years ago I saw a short video clip about a person who was given a special pair of glasses to wear. When they put the glasses on, they could suddenly see the hidden stories behind the people around them. Many of those stories revealed struggles, pain, and difficult situations others were carrying. Seeing this caused the person wearing the glasses to pause and think more carefully about how they interacted with those around them. Matthew

Mar 12

Opportunities for God to Be God

March 5, 2026 From Pastor Joseph Wamack One day a farmer's donkey fell into an old, dry well. The animal cried and brayed for hours as the farmer tried to figure a way to lift him out. Finally the farmer concluded it was impossible to save the donkey and the animal would only suffer, so they needed to put the donkey out of his misery. The farmer, with merciful intentions, asked his neighbors to come help him fill up the well with dirt, which would put the donkey out of his su

Mar 5

Our Community

February 26, 2026 From Jackie Payne This has been a particularly hard week. Not only have there been extra struggles this week in our family, but I have heard of so many of you who are struggling, dealing with pain, grief and the unknown. It is a test in my prayer life to have so much to pray for. It occurred to me this week, that yes, there is a lot happening right now in the lives of the people I care for, BUT I have people I care for…I have a beautiful church and school co

Feb 26

Do You Want to Shine?

February 17, 2026 From Pastor Joseph Wamack A young man, longing to serve God, decided to join a monastery and become a monk. When he joined the monastery, he had to take a vow of silence, where he could only speak once every ten years. During these ten years, he was supposed to focus on reading the Bible and praying. After the first ten years his superior called him in and asked, "Do you have anything to say?" The young monk replied, "Food bad." Another ten years passed and

Feb 17

Lessons From the Long Trail

February 11, 2026 From Pastor Eileen States Yesterday I registered with my husband for a 10-day hike around Mont Blanc, where we will be hiking close to 100 miles through France, Italy and Switzerland. Yes, we love to hike. Yes, we absolutely enjoy the beauty of the mountains. There is, however, some valid concern in my heart about whether I will be able to make it all the way around! Anyone getting ready for a multi-day trek knows you don’t just show up at the trailhead and

Feb 11

Are You an Influencer?

February 2, 2026 From Pastor Joseph Wamack When I was young, growing up in Ohio, I was a precocious little boy, getting into mischief, but smarter than I realized, because no one ever had challenged me to reach for my potential. That changed when I entered 4th grade. My teacher that year was Miss Linda Lucks. Of course I called her Miss Lucks, but I thought it was cool to find out what a teacher’s first name was, like I had discovered some hidden treasure. And I was doubly fo

Feb 2

Do Good Things

January 22, 2026 From Pastor Joseph Wamack A New Jersey restaurant server picked up the breakfast check for two firefighters after they had spent all night putting out a warehouse fire, and then the firefighters stepped up to return the favor to the server in a huge way. Server Liz Woodward was talking to the firefighters about the blaze they had spent their night putting out when she waited on their table early one Thursday morning. She told them she had seen the story about

Jan 22

If You're Brave Enough

January 14, 2026 From Jackie Payne I’m reading through the book of Ephesians right now, and what has me pondering is how hard it must have been to accept that Jesus took down the wall between Jew and Gentile. For hundreds of years, the Jewish people had been told they were the special ones, they were the apple of God’s eye. Jesus’ death and resurrection gave salvation for ALL. How hard must that have been to swallow that your identity wasn’t what was going to save you after a

Jan 14

Planted in 2026

January 5, 2026 From Pastor Eileen States Psalm 1:1–3 A new year invites us to think about beginnings. Fresh calendars. Fresh plans. Fresh hopes. We talk about what we want to change, improve, or leave behind. Psalm 1 does not begin with a list of resolutions, but with a picture - a tree planted by streams of water. “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.” The strength of this tree isn’t found i

Jan 5

Your Outlook

December 31, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack A man, driving down the road sees a sign in front of a house: " Talking Dog for Sale-CHEAP!" He stops the car, gets out and rings the doorbell. A gentleman answers and says the dog for sale is in the backyard. The man goes into the backyard and there is a large black dog. He doesn’t look special or unusual. The man says, “Are you the talking dog?” "Why yes I am," the dog says in perfect English. The man is stunned but continues, "S

Dec 31, 2025

One Thing

December 24, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack Hello MAC Family, I hope you had a good Christmas. Now we live in the mysterious week between Christmas and New Years where it is hard to remember what day it is or what we should be doing. It all seems like holiday time. Looking ahead to 2026-I am reminded of a Scripture which helps me to focus. It is from Psalm 27, written by King David. He was fully human in all his ways. But in this psalm, he seems to be able to voice the one th

Dec 24, 2025

The Perfect Gift

December 18, 2025 From Jeff Freeman How many packages have you had delivered to your home during the month of December? How many delivery trucks have you seen drive past you either at your home or while you are in your car? None of these trucks or deliveries could register as “The Perfect Gift”. Sometimes the packages are never delivered. Sometimes the packages get delivered to a wrong address. Sometimes the packages are delivered but without anything in the package. Dur

Dec 18, 2025

A Bethlehem Moment

December 10, 2025 From Pastor Eileen States There’s something quiet about the Christmas story that’s easy to overlook. Jesus didn’t arrive with fanfare. No trumpets. No crowds. No royal welcome. God chose a small, out-of-the-way spot - a stable hardly anyone noticed. The greatest miracle in history came wrapped in silence. We tend to picture God working in big, dramatic moments, but Luke reminds us that Jesus’ birth didn’t happen that way. There wasn’t even space for Him in t

Dec 10, 2025

How's your attitude?

December 4, 2025 From Joseph Wamack Anne Frank was a Jewish girl born in 1929 in Frankfurt Germany. In 1933, her family immigrated to Amsterdam to escape the Nazis. She lived with her parents and sister and led a normal life, until the Netherlands were invaded by the Nazis. Then her family found themselves caught in the horror of the Holocaust. As persecutions against Jews increased, the family went into hiding in July 1942 in secret rooms above her father Otto’s office. They

Dec 4, 2025

Fresh Eyes

November 26, 2025 From Jackie Payne I just finished reading the book of John. So much of it is very familiar, verses that I’ve been reading and rereading most of my life. It’s hard sometimes to reread something with fresh eyes, to see what Jesus still has to teach me. And then something jumps off the page. The Holy Spirit has gone to work! Today it was in John 18. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better for one man to die for the people. John 18:

Nov 26, 2025

By Their Fruit

November 21, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack A slow driving man was being tailgated on a busy road by a fast driving, stressed out woman. She couldn’t get around him, so she was honking for him to speed up. And so when he stopped for a yellow light, rather than speed through the intersection, she lost her cool. The woman pounded on the horn, screaming inside her car, as she had missed her chance to get through the intersection. As she let loose a stream of profanities and hand

Nov 21, 2025

May All Who Come Behind Us Find Us Faithful

November 12, 2025 From Pastor Eileen States This past week, I asked my children to sing a song at church that has been very special to me: Find Us Faithful by Steve Green. I remember attending one of his concerts in the 1980s and hearing this song for the first time. Even as a young child, the lyrics left a lasting impression on my heart. I was blessed to grow up surrounded by people who guided me toward Jesus, helping me fall in love with Him and ultimately make the decisi

Nov 12, 2025

Bound for Glory

November 5, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack A story is told about Albert Einstein, the great physicist who once was traveling by train from Princeton. The conductor was going up and down the aisle, punching the tickets of passengers. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still

Nov 5, 2025

Lifeblood of the Church

October 30, 2025 From Jeff Freeman I am preparing for the worship to kick off the MAC/Carman Fall Festival on November 1 (it all kicks off at 6:30 in the church sanctuary, don’t miss it), and I read an interesting statement in “Our History” that was written up for MAC’s 70 Year anniversary celebration. The statement reads, “The school (now called Carman) had always been the life-blood of the church”. What does that phrase mean to you? This is what I understand that statemen

Oct 30, 2025

Reflect and Surrender

October 20, 2025 From Pastor Eileen States I am a doer. I see things that need to be done and I jump in to assist or take on the task myself. That’s not all bad, but all too often I find myself needing to take a step back to reorient myself with where God is and where He wants me to be. When I was in college, my roommate wrote on our mirror the words of Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and know that I am God.” In her quiet unassuming way, she was reminding me that God was in contro

Oct 20, 2025

Don't be surprised when He hands you a shovel

October 15, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack Hello MAC Family, One of the aspects of the Christian walk I ponder and reflect on, and have changed my view and perspective on at different times in my life is-how much does God expect us to “do” versus how much can we pray, and He does the work for us? I personally think God asks us to be more active and more involved in our own Christian walk and journey than we might assume. Maybe that is what Paul meant when he said, “ Work out

Oct 15, 2025

Trust Him

October 9, 2025 From Jackie Payne For the last five weeks, a small group of about ten have been going through a women’s Bible study...

Oct 9, 2025

Our Anniversary

October 1, 2025 From Pastor Eileen States This Sabbath we pause as a community of believers to celebrate 70 years of God’s faithfulness...

Oct 1, 2025

God's Distractions

September 24, 2025 From Jeff Freeman When the school year begins, there are times when students cry when they are on their way into the...

Sep 24, 2025

For He has been good to me

September 17, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack Have you ever blown up a balloon, and you keep adding more and more air to it? It expands...

Sep 17, 2025

Joy in the Harvest

September 10, 2025 From Pastor Eileen States A new season is upon us. I know that Fall is seen as a time where things begin to change...

Sep 10, 2025

Home

September 4, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack My parents and us 3 kids moved into the house I call home in 1963, right after JFK was...

Sep 4, 2025

Training our brains

August 28, 2025 From Jackie Payne On the last day of 2024, we replaced my 20-year-old Honda Odyssey. It was time to let it rest and to...

Aug 28, 2025

Doing Good

August 21, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack This is a true story and happened to me once a few years ago: I had to make a dreaded trip to...

Aug 21, 2025

The Box

August 14, 2025 From Jeff Freeman My mother was an RN when she was working. One of her jobs I remember her having a few years ago, was...

Aug 14, 2025

Planted on Purpose

August 7, 2025 From Pastor Eileen States My dad was an amazing gardener. I remember as a child being given a small plot of land just to...

Aug 7, 2025

The Main Thing

July 29, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack “Hot town-summer in the city. Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty .” Such memorable lyrics...

Jul 29, 2025

The Baby Bird

July 23, 2025 From Jackie Payne Last week as I was bringing up the trash can from the road, I glanced down to see the tiniest baby bird,...

Jul 23, 2025

It's Who You Know

July 17, 2025 From Pastor Eileen States The story is told of a great actor offering to do recitations for his audience. The crowd called...

Jul 17, 2025

Self-control

July 8, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack I have always had a “love/hate relationship” with food. It has been my closest friend and my worst...

Jul 8, 2025

How Blessed We Are!

July 2, 2025 From Jeff Freeman Do you ever ponder how blessed you are? I am blessed because my wife and I are in our 30th year of...

Jul 2, 2025

From Age to Age

June 23, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack Have you noticed the only time in our lives when we want to be old is when we're young? If you're...

Jun 23, 2025

Should Have Been

June 5, 2025 From Jackie Payne Today has been an exciting day in the Payne household. Lucas got his official acceptance letter from...

Jun 5, 2025

Sacred Moments

May 27, 2025 From Pastor Joseph Wamack St Francis of Assisi was a Catholic preacher and leader from the 1200s. He is known as the patron...

May 27, 2025

Home page

Thoughts from our team...

Comments

Previous Posts

A Message of Love and Redemption

Pray Anytime

The God Who Calls Also Sustains

God-shaped Antenna

God's Refuge

Reach Out and Connect in Love

The Power of Summer Camp

For Who He Is

Thirst

Marketing 101

Called to Work

Seeing People the Way Jesus Does

Opportunities for God to Be God

Our Community

Do You Want to Shine?

Lessons From the Long Trail

Are You an Influencer?

Do Good Things

If You're Brave Enough

Planted in 2026

Your Outlook

One Thing

The Perfect Gift

A Bethlehem Moment

How's your attitude?

Fresh Eyes

By Their Fruit

May All Who Come Behind Us Find Us Faithful

Bound for Glory

Lifeblood of the Church

Reflect and Surrender

Don't be surprised when He hands you a shovel

Trust Him

Our Anniversary

God's Distractions

For He has been good to me

Joy in the Harvest

Home

Training our brains

Doing Good

The Box

Planted on Purpose

The Main Thing

The Baby Bird

It's Who You Know

Self-control

How Blessed We Are!

From Age to Age

Should Have Been

Sacred Moments