February 15, 2012
30 HOUR FAMINE
FACT: Every day as many as 11,000 kids die from a hunger related cause. Some starve. Some get sick and waste away. Either way, this is NOT okay with the youth of West Main! Last Sunday we introduced the 30 Hour Famine that our kids will be participating in! We are very excited about the impact we can have on world hunger. The kids are working on some really good ideas and they are working very hard to raise funds and awareness. We don’t think it’s fair that so many in the world are dying of hunger, so we’re doing something about it!
If you think about it, it is truly a big deal to ask a growing and active teenager to give up food for thirty hours! During those thirty long hours they will be together, they will be focused on their mission! They will pray, sing and think about God’s work. They will perform two service projects. They will laugh and have fun, and be VERY hungry. They will get a tiny glimpse of what many of our brothers and sisters face every day of their life. I am very proud of our kids. You guys should be also. They are working very hard to make a real and lasting impact in God’s kingdom! Please support them with encouragement and prayer. Here are some ways YOU can help:
1. Pray. Ask God to bless our students as they overcome hunger.
2. Volunteer. Come join us during our Famine Weekend (March 9-10).
3. Give. Just $30 can help feed and care for a child for a month.
These kids are the leaders of tomorrow. And we are in good hands . . .
-- Pannell
Alibi For God?
The following article is from a dear friend, Latayne Scott. Latayne’s husband, Dan, is suffering from a debilitating disease called, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). The following is just one of the blogs Latayne writes frequently expressing their struggle. I thought it was worth sharing.
I had a friend who was going through bad circumstances whom I assured that God was working good even in the painful trials. “You always alibi for God,” the friend said angrily to me. “Whatever He does you always make excuses for Him.”
That stung. But I realized it was true. If we know someone, truly know his or her character, when we are faced with information about that person that we know isn’t in sync with their character, we say, “There must be some misunderstanding, because I know that person.” You would alibi for a friend you know well.
Our God does many things we don’t understand. I see it as being like a mother who signs the consent forms for a painful surgery to save her daughter’s life. It is like a father who agrees to let his son go into a dangerous war zone where he can lose his life, because there is a greater cause at stake. Of course this is true of a Father who would tearfully turn aside from the sight of His Son on a shameful cross.
I entrust Him and trust Him with Dan’s life and health.
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who willbring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Last Chance to Proof Your Directory Listing
*Listings – THIS SUNDAY will be the last Sunday to 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.
A Financial Peace University Class will begin March 7 and continue on Wednesday evenings for thirteen weeks. The cost of the class is $93.00 per family. **We will have classes for children when the seminar begins. Please contact Denise Beeks if your children will be attending class.
Yamhill Men’s Retreat is scheduled for March 1-3. The cost is $85.00. For more information you can go to their website at http://yamhillmensretreat.org. To register go to http://campyamhill.org/mensretreat. Please contact Dan Beeks for travel arrangements.
Camp Staff Meeting -- We will have a Camp Staff Meeting on Monday, February 27, at 6:30 p.m. in the upstairs teen room. Please see Brian Pannell if you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help with camp this year.
James II -- Meeting Needs Through Faith -- Occasionally members, friends of members or people we do not know need food to help them through a difficult time. We maintain a food pantry that is available to provide food when those difficult times come. Please see Russ Gann, the Elders or Deacons if you would like to provide food for the pantry or use food from the pantry.
Prayer Requests and Praises . . . Cooper Albright is now at home - please pray for his recovery after his difficult treatment...Sharon Englert will be having surgery on Thursday at RVMC...Praise that John Brophy’s tests were free of cancer...Praise that Danielle and Nick have arrived home safely from Korea...For friends of David Mayes, Cora – for spiritual growth, and Herman – for health, and for David, that he won’t be diagnosed with diabetes...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.
Feb 27: Camp Staff Meeting; 6:30 p.m.
Mar 7: Financial Seminar Begins
Mar 9-10: 30 Hour Famine
