Learn a little more about Straightway
Baptist Church by getting to know some of our church members!
 |
Osterhoudt Family
Name and Age of your
children: Rachel-29 years old, Melissa-26 years
old
City and State you
and your spouse were reared: Sam (alias Ric) was
born in Tuxedo, NY and grew up in Montclair and East
Orange, NJ
Joy was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in Deer Park, NY and Somerset, NJ
How long have you been members of
Straightway Baptist Church? 2+years,
since the beginning
Who invited you to
join our church, or what interested you in joining our
church?Honestly, Ric and I were both very active and
happy in the church that we had been members of for 28 years,
both our children grew up in Somerset Bible Baptist Church. The
Lord spoke clearly to both of us and directed us to Straightway
and we have never looked back. Sure we miss the people,
but WOW! to know that you are truly in God's will is an unbelievable
feeling.
|
Comments about
Pastor Guarneri: Pastor Guarneri, what can we say...
we have been blessed to count Pastor and his family as friends
for 25+ years. Our kids have grown up together. We have always
known Pastor to be a man of God. Every ministry that he ever
worked in (and he worked them all) he gave 150%. Pastor does
not know how to serve God anyway but completely. He is exactly
what he appears to be genuine, loving, generous, a true example
of what a disciple should be. I know for a fact that through
the years he has been more than generous in caring for others and
that God has always taken care of and blessed his family because
of this.
Interesting story,
incident, or answer to prayer: We have seen more answered
prayers in the two years that we have been at Straightway then
in the rest of our lives combined!!! Our family is serving
God together, he saved an aunt that we have been praying for over
30 years. We lived in Somerset and were commuting 25 miles each
way to church three times a week. So last fall we started
praying about moving closer to church so that we could be with
our church family. We had some financial difficulties to
overcome, so this was no easy task. But it was no problem
for God! He blessed us with a beautiful 2 family home in
a wonderful location in Hamilton only 7 minutes from church and
our whole family is together! Don't tell me that God doesn't
answer prayer!!! That is just the tip of the iceberg, the
list of answered prayers goes on and on. Our prayer times
with the church family are great! Week after week, we have
seen prayers answered, lives changed, Christians growing, more
soul-winners etc., etc. Anyone who does not come out on Wednesday
nights for Bible Study and Prayer Time is missing out on something
very special. This is how God meant the church to be, lifting
one another up in prayer. You can tell that God is pleased
because the answers just keep coming!!! I challenge everyone
to try it for one month, I guarantee that God will change your
life!
Give us your salvation testimony: I
was saved at the age of 7 at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Deer
Park, NY at a revival meeting. I remember sitting there with my
grandfather when I realized that the preacher meant me, yes me,
that I was going to die and go to hell if I didn't get saved. They
took me into the back room with others that night and I will never
forget it. At such a young age I knew that God had forgiven
all my sins and that I was on my way to heaven. Like many
others, I began to doubt my salvation (especially every time I
did something wrong - there's a long list). One day in the
summer of 1968 I was alone with God in my tree fort ( I was a tomboy)
and God clearly spoke to me and gave me such peace that has never
left me since. He just had to reminder me that my salvation
had nothing to do with me and everything to do with him and what
he did on the cross.
Give us your spouse’s testimony. Ric was
saved at the age of 20 at a showing of the Burning Hell at Brookdale
Baptist Church in Belleville, NJ. God miraculously changed his life that night! Ok,
I admit it...I cried like a baby. I had been praying for his salvation
for almost 3 years and BAM God did it!
Of what ministries are you a part of? Ric
has been faithfully serving at Straightway as a Prayer Warrior,
he also drives the van for soul-winning, runs the van route on
Sundays, assists with the offering and ushering duties and assists
Pastor however is needed.
I am blessed to be teaching the High School girls Sunday School class, work in
the discipleship program, soul-winning, choir, special music and of course the
famous food ministry.
Melissa serves as the Nursery Sunday School teacher, works in the nursery, choir,
special music and soul-winning and helps out with the van ministry whenever needed.
Rachel now works each week in the van ministry, prepares the Lord's Supper each
month and helps out with other ministries and functions whenever needed.
God has great things in store for Straightway and we can't wait to see what he
is going to do! God Bless
more Straightway families
|
