West Main

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

 

Recently, I have been reading some excellent literature on the Lord’s Supper. What has provoked my thoughts as I was reading was the depth of the meditations on celebrating the Lord’s Supper; a depth of thought I often find lacking in my own contemplations.  As I was reading, I thought to myself, “How can an individual author write literally hundreds of pages on this one, though highly significant, act?”   What further astounds me is not only a single large book on the Lord’s Supper, but the literally thousands of books hundreds of pages long on the Lord’s Supper.

 

 

Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that the Lord’s Supper does not merit such a sea of words.  Rather, what I am saying is that I sometimes feel I could barely fill a dixie-cup of words about the Lord’s Supper. My dearth of words is a reflection of a sad state of affairs.  Perhaps I have fallen into such a routine habit of participating in the Lord’s Supper that I just do it without thinking much about it.

 

 

So what do I think about when partaking of the Lord’s Supper? Honestly, I often think about my week in terms of how sinful I have been, where I have fallen short of God’s holiness, and how I am desiring God’s forgiveness in order to be renewed and live better for God starting anew this week. How pathetic is that? What I notice about my own contemplations when partaking of the Lord’s Supper is that I think of my life in terms of week-long blocks. In other words, how have I lived in relation to God this week?  Celebrating the Lord’s Supper each week certainly lends itself to thinking about my life in terms of each week. The Lord’s Supper for me is a beginning and ending point in time. My week is coming to an end, but there is hope and promise that I can live for Christ again this coming week beginning this Lord’s Day.

 

 

Now there is nothing necessarily wrong with the above kind of contemplation. My issue is that I seem to be stuck in the same kind of contemplation. I come before Jesus at His Supper and typically say something like the following: “Lord, you know I have not lived for you as I ought. How can I share a meal with you when I have denied you with my sin this week? There is so much I ought to have done, said, or thought that would have been a witness to your glory and power. I am an unworthy servant. Yet, you died for me so that I might live. You gave your blood and body as a sacrifice of love. I can come to your table precisely because I am a sinner!  As I taste this bread and wine, may the sensation of this taste remind me that it is no longer I who live, but it is your body and blood that now lives in me.”

 

 

Now I do not say the above verbatim every time I celebrate the Lord’s Supper, but the above contemplation is the gist of what I am typically thinking. In fact, I routinely virtually say the same thing every time that I now use a kind of shorthand thought like,  “Lord, you know . . .” Nothing more needs to be said, as both the Lord and I know what follows. As I read the thoughts of others on what they think of when celebrating the Lord’s Supper, I realize I have not thought enough and it is time to think beyond the formulaic, “I sin. I fall short. I need forgiveness.” The Lord’s Supper is far more than what I have thought. The question I leave for you is: “When celebrating the Lord’s Supper, what are you thinking?”

 

-- Terry

 

 

 

 

2012 CHURCH DIRECTORY

 

*Listings  – Please proof your directory listing posted in the hallway by the stairs.  Make any necessary changes or initial if all is correct.  If you would like your cell phone number or email address to be printed, please add them. *If your name is not on the printout, there is a sheet next to the listings for you to write down your info.

 

*Prayer Chain  – For those who would like to be added to or removed from the prayer chain, please check the listing posted by the directory.

 

*Photos  – If you haven’t updated your photo yet please contact Sandra Cummings to make an appointment.

 

 

 

A Financial Peace University Class will begin March 7 and continue on Wednesday evenings for thirteen weeks.  There will be a preview class on February 15, at 7:00 p.m. to give you a better understanding of what the class is about.  The cost of the class is $93.00 per family.  Please set aside the funds to participate in this class.  The benefit that you receive will far outweigh the cost.

**We will have classes for children when the seminar begins.  Please contact Denise Beeks if your children will be attending class.

 

 

We Will Have a Prayer Concert this Saturday, February 4, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the building.  Everyone is encouraged to come, especially families, as we join together to bring our requests before the Lord.

 

 

Deacons’ Meeting – All deacons are encouraged to attend our monthly meeting on Monday, February 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room.

 

 

Mexico Mission Fundraiser Dinner / Auction will be held on Saturday, February 11, at 5:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room. *We would really appreciate having an “Auction Coordinator” this year.  Please contact Valda Newton if you would like to help with the auction or dinner in any capacity.

 

** There will be a brief Pre-Auction and Trip Meeting this Sunday, February 5, immediately following morning worship in the Fireside Room.  We will have trip forms available for you to pick up at that time.

 

Mexico Mission Trip:  March 24 - April 1

 

 

Children’s Worship Meeting  – We will have a brief meeting immediately following morning worship on Sunday, February 12, in the Fireside Room.  Parents who have children in Children’s Worship or anyone interested in helping with this ministry is encouraged to attend.

 

 

Camp Staff Meeting  – Monday, February 27, at 6:30 p.m. See Brian with any questions.

 

 

 

Prayer Requests . . .  Katherine Martin is in Three Fountains...Jackie Riley is in Medford Rehab, Room 103.  She would enjoy cards and visits.  She is able to talk, but not walk...For Jason Bucey’s mother, Jeanne, who has heart problems and for his brother, Michael, who is in the hospital with pancreatitis...Cooper Albright will have his last anti-cancer treatment February 6-10...Jessica Fitzsimmons asks prayers for Mr. Hanger.  He is the dad of a former student.  He suffered a head injury and his recovery is slow...Leslie Miller asks prayers for safety for her son, Ryan and his dog as they walk from Medford to Santa Rosa, CA...Patsy Brophy thanks you for your prayers for John. His surgery went well.  Please pray for good biopsy results...Georgia Doss’s daughter-in-law is in the last stages of cancer.  Please pray for comfort for her and strength for her family...Jesse Page is to have a cyst removed from his tail bone on February 9.  Please pray that all goes well...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.

 

 

 

Congratulations to Kathy York on the birth of her twin grandchildren!  They were born on January 22.  Aria Rook weighed in at 3 lbs. 10 oz. and Ian Ritter, weighed in at 3 lbs. 6 oz.  Proud parents are Ami & Shane.  Ami had a problem with congestive heart failure.  Pray this won’t be a continuing problem and that the babies continue to grow and do well.

 

Larry Albright, Brian Pannell, Buddy Rennels, Barb Viera

 

Coffee Servers: Don and Lorraine Ball

 

 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Feb 4: Prayer Concert; 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Feb 5: Mexico Mission Mtg.; Following Morning Worship in FSR

Feb 11: Mexico Mission Dinner/Auction at 5:30 p.m.; FSR

Feb 12: Children’s Worship Mtg.; FSR

Feb 15: Preview Night for Financial Seminar; 7:00 p.m. at the Building

Feb 27: Camp Staff Mtg.; 6:30 p.m.

Mar 7: Financial Seminar Begins