Monthly Archives: July 2023
Friday’s Word
Because I speak often in this spot of the dangers of the inerrantist approach to scriptures, I am sometimes misunderstood.
I believe in a personal God. I believe Jesus was raised from the dead. I believe he appeared to the disciples and continues to appear to people today.
I not only believe these things, I believe they are provable to most thinking people who are open to the evidence.
(How many of you have I lost so far? If you are still with me, I may lose you on this one.) I believe in a communicating God.
I believe in a God who is accessible–a God we can know through experience.
For years I have worked on a book examining over 100 direct encounters with Divine Reality—or, in other words—with God.
Six of those accounts in the book are from me.
But I haven’t always known what to do with them.
In Discovering God, (still to be published), my accounts are in the contest of similar stories.
Outside the book, even in sermons, my encounters with the Divine can seem—shocking.
And unbelievable.
So, am I meant to share these events? Or were they just for me—to inform my ministry?
I am coming to believe (at my tender age) I should share these stories more freely.
I will share an account in my sermon this Sunday.
I once asked God about human suffering.
And God answered.
+ + +
Saturday (tomorrow)
At 6:00 p.m.
Choirmaster Blake Glass, and Soloist Shannon Davison, present:
A Night on Broadway
Supper after—all free
(Offering taken.)
Come—for the joy of it.
Max’s Corner
FOR SUNDAY, JULY 16
SERMON: A Word from the Lord
SCRIPTURE: Galatians 1:9-11
As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed…For the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin. I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it. I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
THE BIG EVENT
You know what it is.
When Blake and Shannon sing for us, it’s a big event. And we’ve never heard them sing Broadway stuff. This should be terrific!
The “Broadway Night Concert” begins at 6:00pm this Saturday. Supper follows. It’s free, but we will take an offering.
The food is potluck. If we luck out, the food will be good. (I am bringing tuna sandwiches.) The fellowship will be great.
DON’T FORGET TO COME!
This Saturday at 6:00 pm.
MY SERMON LAST WEEK
Back after my illness. Still wasn’t feeling great. The sermon was long and tedious. But I’m feeling better. Don’t plan to do that to you again.
I do hope to see you Sunday (after I see you Saturday!).
GOD BLESS—MB
Mary’s Corner
Hello to everyone! I hope you are all staying cool and dry in this heat and humidity. A little bit of rain is helpful, I think. Or it may just contribute to the humidity. Summer in Texas must be the closest thing to Hell we can imagine without actually being there. I look forward to the 3 days of mild fall weather we will probably have in November. 🙂 Yvonne Lee let me know today that her niece Cindy is being discharged this week from rehab and will return home. And Julie Maxwell tells me that Tracy still has serious pain and is scheduled for an MRI and several office visits this week. Charlotte Holder has had some relief from the procedure she had on her back, but she still asks for prayers from you. Keep these and all our folks with health issues in your prayers this week.
We have some exciting things coming up: July 15th at 6 pm is our “Night at the Theater” featuring Shannon and Blake with a Potluck Dinner to follow. August 4th is our “Back to School Bash” for the kids in our congregation. A sign-up list will be available this Sunday to help with the event. We will have hot dogs and a movie night. This event begins at 5:30 with food and fellowship. The movie will start at 6:30. Everyone is invited, even if you aren’t going back to school. We will not need to purchase school supplies for the elementary school kids, but I think new backpacks would be good for all of them. Or perhaps gift cards so that they can pick out their own. We will discuss.
Finally, the Admin Board meets this Sunday after church. If you have anything you would like to be added to the agenda, please let me or Winston know.
Blessings to all, Mary
Kids’ News
This week we had another very interesting lesson. We had a problem though—No kids! They must all be out of town on vacation. We may have to go over this lesson again next week. The Lord came to Jonah and asked him to go to Nineveh and warn the inhabitants to repent. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, an enemy of the Israelites. The Assyrians attacked Israel in 772 BC and destroyed many of the Israelites and their homes. Jonah does not want to preach to Israel’s enemy. So, Jonah runs away.
Jonah gets on a boat heading away from Nineveh. God sends a storm. The sailors throw Jonah overboard to save themselves. God sends a big fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah prays to God and apologizes from the belly of the fish. Jonah was in the belly of the fish for 3 days and 3 nights. God had the big fish vomit Jonah onto dry land, now we are back to where we started. God told Noah to go to Nineveh and warn the people to repent. Jonah was still not happy to go to Nineveh, so he didn’t put much energy into it. He walked through the streets for 3 days hollering that in 40 days God is going to destroy the city. Despite his poor efforts, the Ninevites did repent, and God spares them. Whether this story is true or not, it is important to follow God’s call. God is merciful and allows second chances. These people experienced God’s mercifulness. See you next Sunday to share another lesson on God’s love.
Blessings, Mrs. Sue, Mrs. Vickie