June 29, 2011
Count Your Many Blessings, Name Them One by One
The month of June has been a month of many blessings for West Main. One aspect about all these blessings experienced in June is that they tend to run counter to what many think about church life. What I mean is that many of my friends, particularly those who are outside the church, tend to have the idea that as a minister I must be the busiest during the holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.). This idea is a traditional perception and I imagine for many ministers in various types of Christian fellowships the holidays are their busiest times of the year. However, I have always found the exact opposite in my ministry experience.
In my ministry experience, the summer months have always been the most involved and time consuming. I am not entirely sure why this is the case. In the congregations I have served over the years, the members tended to spend more time with their biological families and tended to travel and be away on holiday. Additionally, members with children typically were more engaged with various school activities such as sports, drama, and music, and thus were not as available for congregational activities during the holiday season. Lastly, I think some of the “we- are- not- a- denomination- and- therefore- do- not- celebrate- religious-holidays” vibe has had some impact.
Whatever the reasons for a less busy holiday season, there is no doubt the month of June has been a busy, but more importantly, blessed time for West Main. Just consider a few of the blessings we have enjoyed in June. We began the month with our kick-off of Super Summer Sunday Nights. What a blessing Charlie and Michele have been in organizing this annual and fulfilling time of fellowship and fun. Paired with our Super Summer Sunday Nights, we began a study on the Ten Commandments. Additionally, our Christians in Action second season of service began with the theme: I am Just a Servant. Here a just a few things these servants have done in two weeks this month: packed and shipped literally hundreds of t-shirts for Disaster Relief; planted an extensive community garden; yard work for two widows of the congregation; car brakes and excavation and yard work for single members; handed out hundreds of Vacation Bible School flyers; painted posters and set up for VBS; washed a trailer; built a fence; stained a fence; stained woodwork; planted a lot of plants; and painted! Furthermore, Brain Pannell has been working tirelessly planning and carrying out rafting, camp, PUMP, and Faith Quest. If all this was not enough, we still have our encampment at Emigrant Lake, BBQ at the Park, and Clothing-School Supply and Carnival event coming up!
Perhaps the greatest blessing of all this month is not an activity, but an achievement: the appointment of two new elders and three new deacons! West Main is truly blessed to not only have spiritual leaders, but even more blessed to have a continuity of congregational leaders.
When I consider all we have done just in the month of June and what we have coming up for the rest of the summer, then I think the holiday season cannot come fast enough! I need a break! Truly the West Main Church of Christ is a blessed congregation. Let us all thank God as we count our blessings and name them one by one.
--Terry
ELDERS AND DEACONS
Congratulations to our men that were installed as our new elders and deacons this last Sunday. We had a wonderful day of celebration as we installed these men in their new leadership positions.
Dan Beeks - Elder - he will transition into Adult Education and Leadership Development.
Ron Zielke - Elder - he will begin serving in transition as an elder of Finance and the “Youth on Fire” ministries.
Larry Albright - Deacon - he will serve our Senior Saints.
Josh Johnson - Deacon - he will serve as a deacon in worship coordination and be open for further assignments.
Brian Pannell - Deacon - he will serve in Youth and Family Ministries with a greater emphasis on intra-generational development that will more greatly unite all ages at West Main.
NEW ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES
Our new combined Adult Education classes begin this SUNDAY in the auditorium. Terry will teach on July 3, 10, and 17, covering the subject of Marriage and Divorce.
EVENING SERVICE CHANGE
We will have NO evening services Sunday, July 10. Please mark your calendar for this change.
SUPER SUMMER SUNDAY NIGHT - We will have Sunday night services this week, July 3, with a finger food fellowship following the evening services. Please plan to come and join us as we learn new songs and as Terry continues his lessons on the Ten Commandments
PRAYER REQUESTS . . .
Please continue to pray for Doris Sutherlin who is recovering from colon surgery at home...short visits (please call first) or phone calls are welcome.....For Sharon Englert who is recovering from colon cancer surgery and lung surgery and is in RVMC..For Cooper Albright while waiting for the doctors to decide the next step for his treatment....For Ethan Jostad - a nine year old who has cancer and is in New York for treatment...For the daughter of Mandy Breithaupt, Vickie, who has cancer in her lymph nodes... For Keenan Patterson, as he recovers from cancer surgery....for the granddaughter of the Liles family, Kaelynn, who has a serious case of the croup... Leslie Miller requests prayers for her daughter, Jennifer, for her pregnancy...Sandra Cummings requests prayers for the twelve new souls that were baptized last week at the Grants Pass Youth Camp - that they will continue their growth in Christ...for the family of Cleta Malone (a former member) who passed away in April - her service will be Saturday in Ventura, CA. Please see the notice posted on the courtyard bulletin board for more information...For our President, military men, women and families.
CAMP IS COMING !!!!!!
We already have 96 campers registered. If you were planning to go to camp, you need to get your registration in ASAP before camp fills up. Camp cost is $180.00 and camp dates are July 10-16.
Thank You Note:
Thank you all for your prayers, calls, cards, and flowers for our family on mom’s passing. Especially thank you for all the love you have shown to mom and us. Our love, Mike and Carlena Eddy
May Financial Statement
INCOME:
|
General Fund Contributions |
|
$ 20,407.00 |
|
Non Budgeted Contributions |
|
$ 9,447.96 |
|
Development Funds & Rents |
|
$ 1,883.00 |
|
Interest/Other Income |
|
$ 0.14 |
|
Total Income for Month |
|
$ 31,738.10 |
EXPENSES:
|
Administration and Payroll |
|
$12,979.99 |
|
Youth on Fire |
|
$203.64 |
|
Vision Ministries |
|
$166.64 |
|
Office |
|
$1,764.64 |
|
Nurturing Brethren |
|
$1,829.82 |
|
Operational Ministries |
|
$3,091.82 |
|
Worship & Facilities |
|
$1,144.41 |
|
Non-Budgeted Mission |
|
$6,452.77 |
|
Development & Kings Hwy |
|
$4,187.85 |
|
Total Monthly Expenses |
|
$31,821.58 |
JULY SERVERS
Coffee Servers: Lois Smith
Nursery: July 3: Diane Liles; July 10: Becky Anderson:
July 17 & 24 Bethany Robbins; July 31 - Help Needed
Greeters: Larry Albright; Charlie Anderson; Michele Cooper; Barb Viera
Coffee Servers are needed for August - October and December. Please sign up on the sheet posted by the stairwell.
JUNE ATTENDANCE
1st Sunday 265 3rd Sunday 183
2nd Sunday 252 4th Sunday 258
CALENDAR OF EVENTSJuly 6: Service Project
July 10-16: Church Camp at Box R Ranch
July 20: Service Projects
July 23-29: Pump
Aug 1: Deacon & Ministry Leaders Meeting, FSR; 7:00 p.m.
