THE CALL

What should I do with my life? Each human being searches to answer this most basic question. As we turn to our Creator for the answer, His Word sheds light. Jesus tells plainly:

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

In essence, the Servants of the Cross community is a response to this basic message. We are convinced that the most significant decision in anyone's life is the decision to be for or against Jesus, the Lord and Savior of the world. In sharing our lives together, we are growing in love and holiness. Our relationships with God and with one another are truly developing and deepening.

Certainly, the complex world of the 20th Century obscures Christ's "simple" command to love. A spiritual poverty plagues the entire world. Man's sense of responsibility to God and society has grown weak. Every person must not only desire to heed the Lord's command, but turn away from sin and renounce the forces of evil working in the world today. We need to capture the Lord's vision for His kingdom in a world which has chosen to reject Him. Hoping the worldly wisdom can solve our problems will only lead to disappointment and failure. Christian novelist Alexander Solzhenitsyn observes: "We have placed too much hope in political and social reforms, only to find out that we were being deprived of our most precious possession: our spiritual life."

Today, the Lord is showering His grace upon a dark, confused world. He is calling believers throughout the world to recognize that we are "a holy nation, a people belonging to God," with a mission to declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light ( 1 Peter 2:9). We believe that the Servants of the Cross community is an expression of this call. "I will dwell with them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people" ( 2 Cor. 6:16).

In the Servants of the Cross community, our commitment to one another is of central importance. The apostle Paul notes, " In Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." As members of one body, we are called to accept one another -- recognizing that we each have both gifts and struggles.

We also firmly believe that proclaiming the Good News of our Savior can be done most powerfully and effectively by a body of believers sharing their lives together in a visible way. In so doing, the "Word" proclaimed with our mouths becomes "flesh" for all to see.

In our families and households, we are learning how wonderful it is to be God's children. Through our shared joys and pains, we are growing in Christ, becoming more able to share God's love -- knowing that "we love because He first loved us" ( 1 John 4:19).

"It is God Himself who makes us sure of our life in union with Christ; it is God Himself who has set us apart, who has placed His mark of ownership upon us and who has given us the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the guarantee of all that He has in store for us. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)"

In the midst of much confusion across the earth, God's truth is being heard and His Spirit is leading lives. People are living with praise and thanksgiving in their hearts. Christians are being raised up who are leading others to live lives of grace and holiness in Christ.

There is also a sense of urgency about the times in which we live. As Scripture clearly indicates, we are living in the last age: the time between the first and second coming of Jesus. It is the time to proclaim the gospel so that as many people as possible will turn to Jesus, call upon His name, and be saved. Moreover, many Christians are convinced that we are at a major crossroads in human history. Observes Christian leader Ralph Martin: "I believe that the destiny of our generation is hanging right now in the balance. We are faced with a choice: repentance or judgment....Today, God is inviting us once again to build an ark--an ark formed by our relationships with Him and with one another. He wants us to invite everyone whom we know and who is willing to enter into these relationships. God is preparing an ark for those who are willing to follow him. And the waters are rising." (Ralph Martin, "What Time Is It?," p.26)

The way we live our lives is important: to us, to God, and to God's people. We've prepared this electronic informational booklet to share how the Servants of the Cross have responded to God's call. In so doing, we hope to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and to inspire you to live more fully for Him.

NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE

We are living in an extraordinary age. The Lord is moving with power, pouring out His love in abundance. He is restoring His people and renewing His church. The Servants of the Cross communiy is one small example of the Lord's work.

Throughout the world, men and women are seeing and living the fullness of Christian life. People are experiencing salvation, healing, and restoration to life in the Christian ideal. The Good News is alive! God has provided an extraordinary solution to mankind's most basic problems. Everything that our fallen world needs has been provided through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

As we discover God's plan for us, it becomes clear that this extraordinary life is available to all. Jesus' life and message is real. An abundant life filled with joy, peace, and love is not a dream. Living a transformed life, born of God's Spirit, is quite simply the normal Christian life. Anything less is a tragic compromise of the truth that Jesus came to bring.

What constitutes "normal Christian life"?

We see at least four basic elements:

• Knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and giving one's whole life to Him.

• Living in the conscious awareness of the power of the Holy Spirit.

• Reflecting unity in the lives of Christians through a network of committed relationships.

• Showing fruits of service to all of God's children, primarily through evangelism.

"Normal Christian life" is a glorious privilege offered by our Father through His Son Jesus. In pouring out His Spirit, God is making this life available to us. He wants each of us to accept it and live it. Satan, the forces of evil in the world, and our own fallen nature will continually work to destroy our life in Christ. Directly and indirectly we are told: "Don't go overboard." "C'mon, you've taken this too far." "Do your own thing." Our society often tells us, "Seek yourself and you'll find yourself."

Jesus tells us, "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

As beloved author C.S. Lewis notes, "Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in."

As we "look for Christ" and submit to Him, He brings life - a life to proclaim and share. Followers of the Lord are called to be united in Him. Jesus Himself prayed to His Father that all believers would be "brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

"Normal Christian life" is what the Lord desires for His followers - and for others who may then believe in Him.

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

The word "community" often causes people to think of a cloistered environment, or a formal organizational structure, or a set of rules to live by. However, the essence of a Christian community is personal relationships - with God and with one another. These relationships are more important than the structure, the programs, the services, or any other feature of the community. For us, community is a way of life, the way that we, as one group of Christians, live out our lives to love and serve one another.

Renouned 20th Century martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer once observed: "To love community is to destroy community. To love the brothers is to build community." These loving relationships are the foundation on which the community can function as a body.

Relationships

When asked to describe "community", a leader of the Word of God community in Michigan responded: "For Christians, community can be described as a family relationship. Coming into community means passing from relationships based primarily on my convenience or my need, to relationships that are based on commitment: whether it's convenient or not, whether I need you or not, I commit myself to be a brother or sister to you. Living together under one roof or putting our salaries and material possessions in common are not the essential aspects of community life. It's the relationship of brothers and sisters that is the core."

Unfortunately, many Christians today experience only fleeting relationships with fellow believers. There is precious little real fellowship in their lives. For many, the typical pattern is to say hello on Sunday and suffer alone or prosper alone for the rest of the week. Christian leader Larry Tomczak observes that all across the face of the earth believers are seeing the shallowness of what we've called fellowship. Many are echoing the psalmist's cry: "When I look beside me, I see that there is no one to help me, no one to protect me. No one cares for me" (Psalm 142:4).

But the Lord is renewing and purifying His church. Christians in all walks of life are beginning to share their lives with commitment. Christianity is truly being lived. The result: a growing spark of love is shining in a dark, divided world.

It is God's desire to gather a people together for Himself. This is as true today as it was in the early church. Scripture shows us clearly that becoming a Christian in the early church meant becoming a part of a Christian community - a committed body sharing a common life. Empowered by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, the believers joined together.

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

As the Holy Spirit dwells in us, He causes us to seek God's Kingdom on earth. He fills us with a desire to be united with God and one another.

It is our desire in the Servants of the Cross to help one another mature in the Lord. We agree to love and accept each other just as we are - putting on the mind of Christ. The daily example of seeing others forgiving one another and loving one another is life-changing.

Entering Christian community involves turning away from the rebelliousness and self-centeredness so common in our world. In contemporary society, there is a deep erosion of Judeo-Christian principles. A pervasive spirit of individualism and competition exists which stresses independence, personal ("let me be alone") peace, and affluence. In Christian community, there is a commitment to one another, to the common good. We learn to share our lives fully. As this happens, we become freed from a preoccupation with possessions, status, worldly security, and self-gratification.

One member of the Servants of the Cross once compared community to a greenhouse in which we are nurtured with God's special care, growing in a supportive environment.

When we come into true fellowship with one another and with God, we find something so precious that we want others to enjoy it as well. This is what community is really all about. Community is not merely an efficient lifestyle, or even just a biblical truth. It is a means to "seek first the kingdom of God" in our daily lives. And by God's grace, we are finding the priceless treasure of being part of His kingdom.

"He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son." (Col 1:13)

OUR OUTREACH

AT SKY-HY:

SKY-HY CONFERENCE CENTER, located on Sky-Hy Drive, off the Meadow Road in Topsham, is a center for Christian worship, prayer, evangelism, music, drama, dance, entertainment, and education.

Originally built as a ski lodge, the facility was purchased in December of 1978 and renovated to meet the community's needs. It became the central location for the community's worship gatherings as well as the site of Christian Dinner Clubs and other special events.

An extensive building project was undertaken in 1987 which increased the size of the existing structure tenfold. The center serves the community by housing in one building its offices, library, bookstore, and prayer chapel. It is also provides housing for some of our volunteer staff.

Sky-Hy serves as a retreat and conference center for Christian and non-profit organizations, with a large gathering hall, full kitchen, and facilities for overnight guests.   Many social, health, educational and governmental instutions use our facilities.

Some of the scheduled events sponsored by the Servants of the Cross and offered to the public are described below:

Worship Gatherings: A time of prayer, praise, and ministry. These ecumenical gatherings are open to the public and are currently held each Thursday at 7 pm, enabling community members and guests to attend their regular Sunday church services.

Special Events: Programs are sponsored by the Servants of the Cross, including conferences, retreats, seminars, concerts, and appearances by gifted speakers and artists. Among the many special guests who have appeared are: Ralph Martin, David duPlessis, Richard Wurmbrand, Anne Marie Schmidt, Ferdy Mahfood, Jon Polce, Noel Paul Stookey, Elizabeth Ellion, Fr. John Randall, Fr. Herb Schneider, Lee Whiston, Dr Morris Smith, and the Liberated Wailing Wall.

SKY-HY ADULT DAY CENTER is for Adults needing Special Daytime Care. "Sky-Hy, the next best place to home" offers Medical, Social, and Respite Care in a scenic, Christian environment.

Sky-Hy Adult Day Care is a place for the elderly and other impaired adults who need help with social, nutritional, health, educational, and personal care. It can help to increase your family member's sense of independence and self esteem because not only is he or she being helped, he or she is helping others. It is particularly helpful for people who need structured activities. Activities can range from arts and crafts, to exercise to music/singing, to reminiscing with people your family member's own age.

Adult Day Care provides a positive, caring environment that allows the challenged adult to reach his or her fullest potential. We give family members support in meeting the stress of caring for loved ones and coping with the daily pressures associated with adult health care. Our approach encourages positive relationships and empowers both the client and family caregivers by allowing them to select their own choices of care offered.

It is the alternative to full-time nursing home care that keeps families together. It provides participants with health, recreational and social services in a caring environment during the day, allowing respite for family caregivers.

Our goal is to provide a quality open Christian environment where adult participants may be unobtrusively supervised as they participate in a variety of social, leisure and physical programs offered to them on a strictly voluntary basis. We promote a caring atmosphere of self improvement and stimulated self-worth where each participant is encouraged to use his/her own life-skills to encourage and uplift others, while they are all offered new learning experiences.

Reaching out to Topsham and its surrounding communities; promoting the personal dignity of each participant, and caring for their particular needs in a joyful, loving, life-giving environment; while fostering on-going involvement between the participants and their families and friends are our primary objectives.

BEYOND SKY-HY:

ALLIANCE OF LOVE (Alliance d'Amour): The community's Haitian mission and child sponsorship program. The work in Haiti includes: fostering community life; providing financial help and supplies for the needy; developing and maintaining schools an orphanage and an evangelistic outreach center; and serving with our Haitian brothers and sisters. Karl Nozil, director of Le Foyer orphanage, is one of the Haitians who have joined our community. Several Servants from Maine have gone to Haiti on short-term missions to serve there. The Servants of the Cross also coordinate the sponsorship of over 240 children at Le Foyer orphanage. (If you are interested in sponsoring a child in Haiti with a monthly pledge, please call our office at (207) 725-7577 for details or contact us at servant@servant.net. All funds donated to "Alliance d'Amour" are used exclusively for our outreach to Haiti.)

SPECIAL OUTREACHES:

• Intercession

• Speaking engagements

• Ministries in our local Churches

• Nursing Homes

• Caring for the poor and homeless

• Fellowship Groups

Click Here to Drop us a Note