The Maranatha Village“The Lord Cometh!”

Trumpet October – December 2018 Volume XXXII 6

(continued on page 4)

Deeply Indebted!Maranatha Village is 45 years old as of this year and deeply in debt.

No, we are not in debt to a bank or credit union or any other financial in-stitution. We have no mortgage, no outstanding notes or personal loans, no payments on facilities or vehicles or equip-ment, no credit card balance, and no un-

paid bills. We are utterly solvent, and we plan, by the grace of God, to stay that way. So, how could Maranatha Village be deeply in debt?

Those of us who enjoy the benefits of living in this happy community today owe a debt we can never repay to a man by the name of Floyd Conway and his dear wife Margaret. One day, in the midst of a discussion in their Sunday school class in Cleveland, Ohio, a man posed a question for which no one had an answer. He asked why, with all the service agencies available to the churches of our Fellowship, is there no place for our retired pastors, missionaries, and vo-cational Christian workers to retire affordably? For Floyd, a successful businessman with knowledge, experience, and resources, the unanswered question lit a fire in his bosom.

Conway soon discovered that, although many others

recognized the need, no one else would commit himself to meeting it. After finding one couple willing to invest 15– 20% of the startup funds required, he began selling off his own assets, converting productive investments to liquid capital, and taking upon himself the task of locating and purchasing property for such a community.

After scouring properties up and down both coasts of Florida, he turned inland and found what he was looking for just outside the city of Sebring. Nestled amidst the orange groves in the heart of the Sunshine State’s citrus region, was this 215-acre parcel of scrub land that would one day be Maranatha Village. Forming a corporation that he called Regular Baptist Fellowship Inc., he put down $50,000 and signed a contract requiring repayment at $18,500 plus inter-est per year for ten years.

Floyd had already drawn plans for the first six apart-ments and located the place for a well and sanitation plant. In the fall of 1973, a well was drilled and construction began. During those days, the Conways lived and did all the business in a mobile home on the property. When not commuting back and forth to Cleveland, the Conways worked day and night to clear land, dig ditches, and lay water and sewer lines, often working in the dark by head-lights of an automo-bile. Floyd got help from his brother George and from Fred and

Floyd Conway

Floyd & Margaret Conway

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The Administrator’s Perspective!

Old People: Depressing?Dr. Gerald Webber

John Leland, a mid-dle-aged reporter for the New York Times, was assigned to write a series of articles following the lives of six New Yorkers, all of them 85 years and older. After interacting with his super–elders for

about three years, his mother (herself 89) asked him, “Don’t you get depressed talking to all these old peo-ple?”

His response was: “The short answer is no. The slightly longer answer is that no work I have ever done has brought me as much joy and hope, or changed my outlook on life as profoundly.”

Later he expands on the impact these folks had on him and says, “The six became models for the chal-lenges in my own life, living examples of resilience, gratitude and the wisdom that comes from living through ups and downs in history. Even amid the very real hard-ships of old age, all found reasons or opportunities to be happy.”

His experiences led him to write a book on the sub-ject, released earlier this year, entitled, “Happiness Is A Choice You Make.” Reflecting on the things he learned, he observes,“No, I did not get depressed spending time with old people. I became more patient, less anxious, more capable of loving, less afraid of death and decline. Which is to say, more like an old person. And grateful for it.”

There is no indication that the subjects of Leland’s se-ries were Christians, and some evidence to the contrary. But the life principles that affected him so profoundly are universal and underline the truth that, far from be-coming useless in old age, our very demeanor and out-look can powerfully influence those coming after us.

If I were writing Leland’s book for Christian con-

Jerry

sumption (which of course I’m not), I would probably title it “Contentment Is A Choice You Make.” In our culture, happiness is highly overrated, but from a biblical perspective, contentment should be standard operating procedure and a state of being to which we should all attain.

To his protégé in 1 Timothy 5:6, Paul said, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” In Hebrews 13:5, the same writer (or so I think) admonished his hearers, “Let your con-duct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.”

In my circle of older acquaintances, I know almost no one who hasn’t taken some hard hits along the way. Most of us have tasted at least something of life’s disap-pointments. Be they financial struggles, marital strains, vocational (maybe ministry) setbacks, health problems, or relational issues, such things (and more) are the stuff of life in a fallen world, and rare would be the veteran Christian who escapes their reach.

Given that reality, what could be more winsome than a well-seasoned follower of Christ who has run the gauntlet of life and, instead of growing bitter, has stayed sweet? Someone like the apostle Paul, whose lot was “in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often,” who could then say, “I take pleasure in infirmities… for Christ’s sake.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)

However limited we may be, physically or finan-cially, once we have learned the secret of real con-tentment, and managed to minimize our regrets and maximize our blessings, God can use us in our remain-ing days to impact the John Lelands of the world and change their outlook on life. Maybe some will even say, “I became… more like an old person. And grateful for it.”

3

New Vil lage Residents

Marv and Sue Stephens

The dean of students at Clearwater Christian Col-lege had a sign posted on his office door: “Life is choices; choices have consequences; make right choices.” Life is indeed replete with de-

cisions. Some we call “important,” others, not as significant. But every choice we make produces con-sequences we cannot choose. How important it is to live intentionally, making choices that are submitted to God and to His Word!

Marv and I have made decisions all of our lives, most of these before we were married and some be-fore we knew the Lord. All these choices were made under God’s sovereign control and plan for our lives. Marv’s first major choice was where he would go to college. He wanted to be a teacher, and chemistry was his focus when he decided on a college to attend after graduating from high school, but a good friend recommended Cedarville College, and he took that recommendation instead. He trusted Christ alone for his salvation shortly after entering as a freshman and received excellent academic training, fully equipping him to pursue a PhD in chemistry after he graduated. He also met his wife, Joan, there. They were married after he had completed the first year of his studies at the University of Nebraska. After he finished his coursework, he and Joan moved to Ohio where he taught chemistry at Malone College. Now we skip many years and find Marv and Joan at another major decision point. When God made His will clear, they chose to move to Fortaleza, Brazil as teachers in the academy there, under Baptist Mid-Missions. And when they completed that year, they came to Sebring, Florida where Marv became the business manager and eventually the director of EBI, a Baptist Mid-Missions ministry, head-quartered in Sebring. One decision led to another in Marv’s life, as it does in each of our lives. He had chosen early on to include God in his de-cision-making; this choice would have a major effect upon me many years later!

Sue & Marv

My life was miles apart from Marv’s though we were both living in Detroit, Michigan, during our early years. I was raised Catholic and entered the convent when I graduated from high school. I too had always wanted to be a teacher, so I combined my desire to serve God with that profession by becoming a Sister of Saint Joseph. I loved being a nun! The contempla-tive life suited me, and I enjoyed my religious classes, seriously pursued my religious devotion, and eventu-ally my classroom efforts. But God wanted to direct me toward Himself as I became aware of the history of Catholicism and was unable to reconcile it with the holiness of God and my passion for personal integrity. I eventually left the convent and went through a seven year period of intense personal struggle. I had to give up teaching, being unable to stand the pressures of the classroom. The Lord wonderfully directed me to a pastor in the Atlanta area where I was living near my family. A friend was a believer in his church and facil-itated an appointment with him for me where I heard the gospel for the first time and was wonderfully saved by God’s grace! God had superintended my heart’s needs all along, bringing me to the point of despair and openness to Truth. I left Pastor Cummins’ office that morning with hope and joy within. I eventually moved to Watertown, Wisconsin, to teach at Marana-tha Baptist Academy, a lab school for Maranatha Bap-tist Bible College. After completing my undergraduate degree, I joined the Maranatha College faculty. Later, following the Lord’s direction, I moved to Clearwater, Florida, to pursue graduate studies at the University of South Florida. After completing my MLS degree, I joined the faculty at Clearwater Christian College and taught in the English department primarily.

Both Marv and I, making deliberate choices to seek the Lord’s will and do it, were in Florida, and then, following the Lord’s leading, both of us were teaching at CCC! The Lord took Marv’s wife, Joan, Home just before the end of his first year of full-time teaching at Clearwater. I was finishing up my 20th year on the faculty at that time. During the next academic year, our schedules made us lunch friends with other faculty in the dining hall at the College. And, well, you know.

What Shall We Choose?

(continued on page 9)

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fellowship with new and old friends of like faith and practice. Today, on 225 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, there are 139 duplex villas, 100 mo-bile homes, a 20-space RV Park, a six-room guest house, a 20-bed assisted living facility, an 18-hole golf course, a picnic pavilion, multiple rec-

reational facilities including a beau-tiful pool and spa and a disk golf park. Maranatha Baptist Church, with multiple opportunities for wor-ship, service and outreach, and a peak winter attendance of 400, is at the physical and spiritual “center” of the Village, reaching out to the Sebring area with child evangelism classes, jail and prison ministries, and preaching points around the re-gion. Several Bible conferences and musical concerts provide ministry to residents, and attract many guests from the Central Florida area.

Yes, for those who now enjoy the benefits, there is much to be thank-ful for. All the glory goes to God, with thanks for His generous gifts. But lest we forget, on the occasion

of this 45th anniversary year, let’s remember the un-common vision, personal sacrifice, and indefatigable labor of Floyd Conway and friends, without whom none of this would exist. We have a debt that we cannot repay, and it’s one that we must not forget.

Original article written by Miss Ellen Reed. This short-ened article submitted by Dr. Jerry Webber

Deeply Indebted Elma Ripko. The Rip-

kos had moved to Se-bring from Cleveland, where Elma had been Floyd’s secretary. She worked in a store in Sebring, and came out in the evenings to help with bookwork, while Fred joined Floyd, digging ditches and cutting brush.

In 1974, the first buildings were completed and occupied. The first move-ins were the Shooks and a retired veteran BMM missionary from the Chad, Mrs. Paul (Etien-nette) Metzler. She had been living in a high-rise condo on the lake in downtown Sebring, and had looked forward to being the first resident of Maranatha Village.

Six more units were added in 1975. At the end of that year, there were seventeen residents, and by the end of 1976 there were fifty. Also in 1976, Maranatha Baptist Church was born, and the first church building was erected on ded-icated property.

So much more could be--and should be--said about those pioneer days. Few re-member and still fewer can relate to the holy sweat and selfless labor that went into laying a foundation

for what we so richly enjoy today. A verita-ble parade of unnamed individuals invested and gave and worked to create a comfort-able and commodious Christian retirement community that of-fers opportunities for worship, service, and

Mrs. Paul (Etiennette) Metzler

Sunshine Lodge

New Houses 1976

Original Church

Front Lake

Ready To Build

8

Christmas Pumpkin Bread

1/2 cup vegetable oil2 eggs1/3 cup water1 cup canned pumpkin1 2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour1 1/4 cups sugar1 teaspoon soda1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon nutmeg1/4 teaspoon salt1/2 cup chopped nuts1/2 cup candied cherries cut up

Combine: oil, eggs, water and pumpkin.Sift together next 6 ingredients.Gradually beat into first mixture.Stir in cherries and nuts.Pour into greased and floured 9"x5"x3" loaf pan or two 7 3/8" x 3 3/8" loaf pans, or 20 fluted cup cake pans.Bake all sizes in moderate oven 350 degrees for 1 hour or until done.

Jeanette Thorp

Frosted Pumpkin Cookie Sheet Cake Toasted Oatmeal (similar to granola)

First sift:2 cups flour1 teaspoon cinnamon1 teaspoon soda1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon saltBeat together and add to above mixture:2 cups sugar1 cup salad oil4 beaten eggs1 cup pumpkin1 cup nutsPour into well-greased 11" x 16" jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Icing:1 – 8 oz cream cheese, softened1 stick butter, softened1 teaspoon milk1 teaspoon vanilla2 cups powdered sugar

Maxine Arter

6 cups uncooked oatmeal1 cup sugar1/2 cup butter

Place in large, cold, stainless steel frying pan in the order listed above.

Fry over low-medium heat, stirring constantly and carefully scraping off bottom, till golden brown.

Serve like cold cereal with milk. (Or try it plain, which is my preference!)

Linda Bond

Attention: If you have a special recipe you would like to share, you may send it to Bob

Watterson: bgwatterson@gmail.com

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. . . It would take a book to include the details, but on my 65th birthday, God allowed me to marry one who had become my best friend, in the living room of Robert and June Delnay, 19 December 2010. For my entire adult life, I had made choices for just myself. Now we would make decisions together, under the leadership of the One who had brought us together. The most recent of those “major” choices was selling our home in Clearwater and moving to Maranatha Village; both of these have been rich with manifestations of God’s will and His provi-sions. What a joy it is for us to live here in the Village,

~ Marv and Sue Stephens ~surrounded by neighbors who love and serve the Lord and have become dear friends of ours. We have been tak-ing off for Watertown, Wisconsin, every fall for an ad-junct teaching ministry at Maranatha Baptist University (now), but this year, God decided we would stay here as Marv recovers from triple by-pass surgery.

We both thank God for His directions in our lives and for the ability to believe and obey Him. This capacity, which only believers can experience: to know God’s will and to choose it, we have exercised as a couple now for almost eight years. We thank Him for moving us here!

I , Angel G. Gonzalez , was born in Puerto Rico and came from a Roman Catholic family. My father was a Roman Catholic missionary. I had no interest in spiritual things, even if it complied with the rituals of my religious system.

My work preparation started in the industry where I learned several trades

related with metal work. My hobbies were painting, martial arts, and I also liked drama.

When I was 22 years of age, I left Puerto Rico because there was a general strike of welders and iron workers. I went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and because I did not know the English language, it was difficult to get a good job. I was working in grocery stores at the beginning.

In the same year, October 1972, the Lord in His mercy changed my life. Using a 14 year old boy to present me with the gospel using Isaiah 53, I accepted Christ. Then a group of servants of the Lord discipled me spiritually, making sure I was instructed properly in the Word of God. I then started attending Spanish Evangelical Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Later I was properly instructed in the Word in a Bible institute. God also blessed me greatly with a good job with great opportunities where I worked about 30 years. After my retirement, the Lord continued to bless me with work and good health.

I, Silvia A. Gonzalez, was born in Puerto Rico in a non-Christian home. I am the youngest of five children. At the age of twelve, I almost lost my life in a river. Sadly, my sister drowned, but God spared my life by sending a young boy

with a long bamboo stick. He saw me floundering and going under the water. He put his long stick into the water, and I was able to grasp it. That day I experienced the power of God and knew He was for real.

It was not until I was eighteen that I gave my heart to Jesus with the help of Pastor M. Casillas. Since that day, God always protects me from evil, false doctrine, and He always lifts me up and has mercy on my life. His grace is always in everything that I have.

I attended school for medical assistant, nursing aide, and phlebotomist. I always love to be around people and try to help them feel better. I believe God also has given me the talent of writing poetry. God has used me in this area to write about the love of God.

In Philadelphia, I served the Lord in the church nursery, was active with the ladies’ group, and was in charge of this group for one year.

The Lord has blessed our marriage of 34 years and together we have raised five children who serve the Lord and who are married to godly spouses. They have given us 14 grandchildren and two great-grands.

We served the Lord in the same church approximately 44 years. One of our missionaries, Miss Margaret Tolosa, retired and moved in Sebring, Florida, to Maranatha Village. She invited us to visit her. We visited here, and God took care of the rest. Living here is a new blessing. We have come to love this place, the friendly, sincere people, the church, music, and the fellowship. I understand that our Lord had this place prepared for us to spend the rest of our days here on earth until we go to the place He has already prepared for us in Heaven. His coming is eminent!

New Vil lage Residents

Angel and Silvia Gonzalez

Angel & Silvia

10

How aging adults can maintain their mental

acuityAging is associated with or

linked to a host of mental and physical side effects. For example, many adults expect their vision to deteriorate as they grow older.

While physical side effects like diminished vision might not strike much fear in the hearts of aging men and women, those same people may be concerned and/or frightened by the notion of age-re-lated cognitive decline. Some im-mediately associate such decline with Alzheimer’s disease, an irre-versible, progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys memory and cognitive skills, ultimately compromising a person’s ability to perform even the simplest of tasks.

But age-related cognitive decline is not always symptomatic of Alz-heimer’s disease. Learning about Alzheimer’s and how to maintain mental acuity can help aging men and women better understand the changes their brains might be un-dergoing as they near or pass retire-ment age.

Is Alzheimer’s disease hereditary?

The National Institute on Aging notes that only a very rare form of Alzheimer’s disease is inherited. Early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease, or FAD, is caused by mu-

tations in certain genes. If these genes are passed down from parent to child, then the child is likely, but not certain, to get FAD. So while many adults may be concerned about Alzheimer’s because one of their parents had the disease, the NIA notes that the majority of Alzheimer’s cases are late-onset, which has no obvious family pat-tern.

Can Alzheimer’s diseasebe prevented?

Studies of Alzheimer’s disease are ongoing, but to date there is no de-finitive way to prevent the onset of the disease.

How can I maintain mental acuity as I age?

Researchers have not yet deter-mined a way to prevent Alzhei-mer’s disease, but adults can take certain steps to maintain their men-tal acuity into retirement.• Exercise regularly. Routine exer-cise may be most associated with physical benefits, but the MA notes that such activity has been linked to benefits for the brain as well.• Read more. Avid readers may be happy to learn that one of their favorite pastimes can improve the efficiency of their cognitive sys-

tems while delaying such systems’ decline. A 2013 study published in the journal Neurology by re-searchers at Chicago’s Rush Uni-versity Medical Center found that mentally active lifestyles may not prevent the formations of plaques and tangles associated with Alzhei-mer’s disease, but such lifestyles decreases the likelihood that the presence of plaques or tangles will impair cognitive function.• Stay socially connected. Main-taining social connections with family, friends and community members also can help women prevent cognitive decline. Epide-miologist Bryan James of the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center studied how social activity affected cogni-tive decline, ultimately noting that the rate of cognitive decline was considerably lower among men and women who maintained social contact than it was among those with low levels of social activity. The idea of age-related cognitive decline strikes fear in the hearts of many men and women, but there are ways for adults to maintain their mental acuity well into their golden years.

Story from Metro Creative Services.

This publication brought to you in part by The Palms of Sebring.

30 | August 26, 2018 * Well Being in the Heartland

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Interest in Maranatha Village Grows!Dr. Gerry Carlson

During my two and a half years in promoting Maranatha Village, I have been amazed at the constant stream of new inquiries that come to my desk. Nearly every week we receive phone calls, emails, website contacts and letters requesting information about our Village. Currently our

files contain over 100 prospects – folks who have contacted us about visiting or living at Maranatha Village.

I have the privilege to talk with these people. I sense a sincere, spiritual desire on the part of these individ-uals to find God’s will and discern the best for their lives. It is a blessing to have many of these folks visit the Village. I then have the pleasure of showing them around the beautiful grounds and taking them into villas. It is a special joy to realize how the Village has been consistently upgraded and beautified by many improvements over the years and is thereby attractive to these prospective residents.

During the four years I have been in the Village, about 50 villas and mobiles have changed residents. In addition, many guests have spent part of the winter months in our promotional units, mobiles for rent, and in our RV Park. Several times our numbers have sur-passed 400 persons attending the services of Marana-tha Baptist Church. It is truly a wonder to see how God brings so many different people from various parts of the country to our community.

Currently, we are working very closely with a number of couples who are in various stages of moving to the

Gerry

Village. Some have houses to sell, or min-istry arrangements to complete. In every case these folks indicate that the Lord is leading them definitely to Ma-ranatha Village. What a blessing to see how God works!

Where are these folks coming from? I have learned that new prospects are led to us in a variety of ways. Most prospects come to us through a connection with or recommendation from current or past residents. Some come from the traditional GARBC connections that reflect the historic roots of Maranatha Village; whereas others come from a variety of independent Baptist backgrounds. Others find us by simply search-ing the web for Christian retirement communities. In a few cases, prospects have actually discovered the Village by driving past our entrance on Arbuckle Creek Road.

In all of these cases, we see the hand of the Lord in using various people and different forms of adver-tising to make people aware of this special place. I sincerely ask all of our readers to pray earnestly for the Lord’s clear leading and direction for all those He desires to join our happy and blessed community.

“Currently our files contain over 100 prospects – folks who have contacted us about visiting or living at Ma-ranatha Village.”

“....many guests have spent part of the winter months in our promotional units, mobiles for rent, and in our RV Park.”

Village RV Park

“Believe on theLord Jesus Christand you will be saved.”

Maranatha Village11 Maranatha Boulevard

SeBring, Fl 33870-6817863-385-7897fax 863-385-7954office@maranathavillage.orgwww.maranathavillage.org

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Deeply Indebted!Activities Abound At Maranatha

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…There are three choices one can make when winter comes and the snows start fall-ing.

1. You can stay inside and watch it snow. 2. You can go outside and shovel snow, play in it, or 3. You can move to Ma-

ranatha Village in Sebring, Florida, and watch the snow on television.

There are a great many choices of outside activities one can do at Marana-tha during the winter months to keep healthy, fit, and happy.

Three days a week, there are orga-nized water exercises for the ladies in our heated pool. Relax the tensions out of your muscles in our hot tub. Walk those calories off on our walking path around two small lakes, or ride your bicycle all you want on our safe, paved roads.

If weight-lifting is your thing, then the YMCA is only a short drive from the Village which accept the

“SilverSneakers” insurance program.

Many play horseshoes, shuf-fleboard, and corn hole under the shade of our oak trees. Our new six hole Disc Golf course is great to play, either walking or riding on a golf cart. Table tennis is available in Hamman

Hall or enjoy an evening of fel-lowship playing Mexican Train and eating the finger foods the ladies bring in.

If real golf is your activity of choice, then you can play on our own 18 hole course every day or as part of an organized tourna-ment for the men every Friday

afternoon. Ladies’ tournaments and couples’ tournaments are also on the docket.

Thanks to the interest of some wise ladies, a location for women’s arts and crafts has been found. It promises to be a big hit this winter.

Maybe the exercise you enjoy most is doing “handy person” work for the el-

derly, who could really use a little help with odd jobs. Don’t just watch it snow and stay cooped up all win-

ter. If you’re retired, a Baptist, and want to keep your-self active in body, soul, spirit, and mind, give us a call or check us out at our web site: www.maranathavillage.org.

So “let it snow” while you enjoy outside activities at Ma-ranatha Village. Call Gerry Carlson at 863-385-7897 for available options.

Dr. Carl Barton, PresidentMaranatha Village BoardWalt Douglass

Mexican Train

I Got A Bass

Anyone For Golf ?

Ladies’ Water Exercises